| 3rd United States Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
3rd United States Infantry Regiment coat of arms |
|
| Active | 3 June 1784 – Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry Regiment |
| Role | Memorial Affairs, Ceremonies and Special Events (two battalions) Stryker Infantry (one battalion) |
| Size | Four battalions (three active) |
| Garrison/HQ | 1st Battalion - Fort Myer, VA 2nd Battalion - Fort Lewis, WA 3rd Battalion - (Inactive) 4th Battalion - Fort Myer |
| Nickname | The Old Guard[1] |
| Motto | Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) |
| Colors | Blue and White (Modern) Buff and Black (Historical)[2] |
| March | The Old Guard March, available at [4] |
| Engagements | Indian Wars *Hardin's Defeat *Battle of the Wabash *Battle of Fallen Timbers *Battle of Sugar Point War of 1812 *Siege of Fort Meigs *Battle of Fort Stephenson Mexican War Civil War War with Spain Philippine Insurrection World War II Vietnam War Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Lt. Col. Paul Octave Hebert |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 2nd Infantry Regiment | 4th Infantry Regiment |
The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the US Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is Noli Me Tangere (from Latin: - Touch me Not). The regiment is a major unit of the Military District of Washington (MDW).
The regiment is the oldest active unit of infantry in the Army, having been first organized as the First American Regiment in 1784.[3][4]
The 3rd US Infantry Regiment's mission is to conduct memorial affairs to honor fallen comrades and ceremonies and special events to represent the U.S. Army, communicating its story to United States citizens and the world. On order, The Old Guard conducts Defense Support of Civil Authorities in the National Capital Region and deploys elements in support of Overseas Contingency Operations.[5]
Memorial affairs missions include Standard Honor and Full Honors Funerals in Arlington National Cemetery and Dignified Transfers at Dover Air Force Base. Old Guard Soldiers also perform all dignified transfers of fallen Soldiers returning to the United States.
The Old Guard's ceremonial task list includes Full Honor Arrivals for visiting dignitaries, Wreath Ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and Full Honor Reviews in support of senior Army leaders and retiring Soldiers. Special events include the Twilight Tattoo, a weekly performance in the adjacent Washington area on Wednesday evenings from May to July, and the Spirit of America, a historical pageant presented at three national venues in September.
The Old Guard is the only unit in the U.S. Armed Forces authorized, by a 1922 decree of the War Department, to march with fixed bayonets in public parade.[6] This was granted in honor of the 1847 bayonet charge by Old Guard troops during the Battle of Cerro Gordo in the war with Mexico. The Old Guard is also the sole remaining regular combat unit to issue the standard M14 rifle to the ranks.
In addition to the marching platoons, there are also elements of The Old Guard that serve special roles unique both to the regiment as well as the US Army. Among these include the Sentinels of the Tomb of the Unknowns, maintaining a twenty-four hour watch over one of the nation's most sacred sites; the Continental Color Guard, which presents the nation's colors at special events across the Capitol Region; the Presidential Salute Battery, which renders honors to General Officers and senior dignitaries at Arrival Ceremonies, Wreath Ceremonies, Reviews, and Full Honors Funerals; and the US Army Caisson Platoon, which provides horses and riders to pull caisson (the wagon that bears a casket) in military and state funerals. Caisson Platoon also provides the riderless horses used in Full Honors funerals and supports wounded warriors participating in the Therapeutic Riding Program.
Other elements of The Old Guard include the Commander-in-Chief's guard (Company A), replicating the personal guard of General George Washington; wearing Colonial blue uniforms, powdered wigs, and tricorn hats; and bearing Brown Bess muskets and halberds at ceremonies and special events; the US Army Drill Team, which demonstrates its skill and precision around the nation, and Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, which plays traditional arrangements of marching music, dating back to the time of the Continental Army. The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps marches in Colonial style red coated uniforms—to be "better seen through the smoke of battle"; the uniforms also include tricorn hats and white powdered wigs. The drum major of the Fife and Drum Corps traditionally bears an espontoon (an historic pike-like weapon) in his right hand to direct and command his unit.[7] As such, he is the only soldier in all the U.S. Armed Forces authorized to bear a spontoon and to salute with the left hand (although US Navy personnel are allowed to salute with the left hand under certain conditions). Rounding out The Old Guard's capabilities are the 289th Military Police Company, the 947th Military Working Dog Detachment, the 529th Regimental Support Company, two battalion headquarters companies, and the regimental headquarters company.
Although The Old Guard primarily functions in a ceremonial role, it is an Infantry unit and thus required to meet standards for certification in its combat role. The unit also trains for its support role to civil authorities in a wide-range of scenarios and for deployments in support of Overseas Contingency Operations.[8]
In 2003, The Old Guard deployed for the first time since the Vietnam War. Bravo Company was dispatched to the Horn of Africa, where it established a forward base in rural Ethiopia.[9][10] The base and missions, intended primarily to train Ethiopian military personnel, were part of the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), a Global War on Terrorism operation.[9] In 2007, the regiment's Delta company was deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti as part of CJTF-HOA, supporting humanitarian missions and local military training in the region.[11] Charlie Company deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq, in 2009 to execute its theater internment support mission.[12]
The 4th Battalion was reactivated on Fort Myer in 2008. Corresponding with the regimental realignment, the battalion is composed of the following units:
Stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, the 2nd Battalion, 3rd US Infantry Regiment, serves as one of three infantry battalions of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division ('Indian Head'). After a 31-year hiatus from service, the 2nd Battalion was reactivated on 15 March 2001 as part of the US Army's first Stryker Brigade Combat Team. It deployed to Iraq again in 2009 and Afghanistan in 2011.
The 3rd Battalion, was inactivated on 25 August 1994. From 1963 until its inactivation, it was one of the three light infantry battalions that made up the Army Reserve's 205th Infantry Brigade (Light)(Separate), which in turn was the round-out brigade for the Regular Army's 6th Infantry Division (Light), based at Fort Richardson and Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The 205th Infantry Brigade was headquartered at Fort Snelling, Minnesota until its inactivation. The 3rd Battalion was scheduled to activate at Fort Carson as part of the 5th IBCT/4th Infantry Division. The activation was cancelled when the Army froze at 45 brigades and chose not to activate 5/4ID.
The 5th Battalion, was activated on 24 November 1967 and assigned to the 6th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It was relieved from assignment to the 6th Infantry Division on 24 July 1968, and inactivated on 21 July 1969 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The 6th Battalion, was activated on 24 November 1967 and assigned to the 6th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It was relieved from assignment to the 6th Infantry Division on 24 July 1968, and inactivated on 1 February 1969 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The 7th Battalion, was activated on 24 November 1967 and assigned to the 6th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It was relieved from assignment to the 6th Infantry Division on 24 July 1968, and inactivated on 25 July, concurrent with the inactivation of the 6th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The following 3rd Infantry soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor: