| 26th Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
26th Infantry Regiment coat of arms |
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| Active | 1901-Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Infantry Branch (United States) |
| Type | Infantry |
| Nickname | Blue Spaders |
| Motto | PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT (Let Him Bear The Palm Who Has Won It) |
| Branch Color | Blue |
| Engagements | Philippine Insurrection World War I World War II Vietnam War Kosovo Campaign Iraq Campaign Afghanistan Campaign |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Theodore Roosevelt Jr |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
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| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
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| Previous | Next |
| 25th Infantry Regiment | 27th Infantry Regiment |
The 26th Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. Its nickname is Blue Spaders, taken from the spade-like device on the regiment's distinctive unit insignia. The 26th Infantry Regiment is part of the U.S. Army Regimental System and currently exists as only a single Battalion, the 1st BN, 26th Infantry Regiment (1-26 IN), and is therefore classified as both a single battalion, and the remainder of the regiment itself.
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At the beginning of the 20th century, the United States Army was sorely pressed to meet its overseas commitments in Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. As a result, in 1901 Congress authorized five additional Regular Army Infantry regiments; the 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th Infantry. All five regiments subsequently served the Army well. The 27th Wolfhounds of the 25th Division, the 28th Black Lions of the 1st and 8th Divisions, the 29th "school troops" of Fort Benning, and the 30th Rock of the Marne of the 3d Division, have earned a special place in Army history.
The 26th Infantry began its life overseas in the Philippines and spent its first 20 years of service on deployments to the Southwest Pacific, the Mexican and Indian frontier and in Europe. It earned its first battle streamer during the Philippine-American War within two years of its forming as a unit.
After returning to the same location for another tour of duty (a habit the Blue Spaders would keep for the entire century), the regiment fought off Mexican bandits and settled disputes in the Indian Territory until it was selected as one of only four Regular Army Infantry Regiments deemed fit for immediate combat to form the first American Expeditionary Division in June 1917. This expeditionary division would later be renamed the First Division and thus began the regiment's long association with the "Big Red One".
As part of the first American soldiers to arrive in France, the regiment immediately left for the front. Along with its sister regiments of the division, it earned more campaign streamers than any other regiments during the World War I However, they came at a terrible cost. Over 900 Blue Spaders lost their lives in a six-month period. At Soissons alone, the regimental commander, executive officer, two of three battalion commanders and the regimental sergeant major were killed in action; sixty-two officers were killed or wounded; and out of 3,100 Blue Spaders that started the attack, over 1,500 had been killed or wounded. But the battle was won and this turned the tide for the Allies at a crucial period during the summer of 1918. By war's end, the soldiers earned seven battle streamers and two foreign awards. Following a brief occupation duty in Germany, the regiment returned to the United States and served as a part of a smaller peacetime Army.
In 1941, the regiment once again stood with its sister regiments and prepared for war in Europe. In World War II, the 26th Infantry led America's first-ever amphibious assault in North Africa, fought at the Kasserine Pass, assaulted Sicily, invaded Normandy, conquered the first German city of the war at Aachen, vaulted the Rhine and attacked all the way to Czechoslovakia by war's end. The regiment conducted three amphibious assaults, and earned seven battle streamers, a Presidential Unit Citation, and five foreign awards.
Beginning another occupation of Germany, the Blue Spaders bore the United States National Colors at the Allied Victory in Europe parade, and served as guards at Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. Thus began a lengthy stay in Germany, first as conquerors and later as friends and allies. Called again to serve in the United States after a reorganization of the army, the unit was redesignated 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry and had a very short stay in the United States.
After serving as a battle group in Europe in the early 1960s, the battalion rejoined the 1st Infantry Division shortly before receiving orders to deploy as a part of the Army's first divisional-sized unit in Vietnam in 1965. The Blue Spaders served longer in Vietnam with their Big Red One units than any other division. After five continuous years of combat, the Blue Spaders received orders to return home in 1970 with eleven battle streamers, a Valorous Unit Award and two foreign awards for its colors.
At the conclusion of Vietnam, the battalion returned to Germany as part of a forward-deployed brigade of the Big Red One. During the 1980s, when that brigade returned to the United States, the 26th Infantry was reassigned to TRADOC, where Spader battalions spent several years training recruits.
In 1996, the battalion rejoined the Big Red One in Germany only to send its soldiers to Bosnia as part of the first American forces to enter the Balkans from February to September 1996. The entire battalion followed its initial deployment from October 1996 to April 1997. In March 1998, the unit deployed to the Balkans, this time to the Republic of Macedonia. Returning briefly in September 1998, the battalion was one of the first unit alerted for deployment to Kosovo in June 1999. It returned in December 1999. During this period, the unit earned the Superior Unit Award streamer and the Defense of Kosovo streamer. Three of the Task Force 1-26 Infantry soldiers lost their lives in Kosovo.
In February 2004 the "Blue Spaders" deployed to Iraq as part of OIF II. The unit primarily bore responsibility for Sammara, the capital of Salahuddin Province, a major part of the so-called Sunni Triangle. The battalion returned to Schweinfurt, Germany in February 2005.
On 5 August 2006 Task Force "Blue Spader" deployed to Eastern Baghdad. The battalion's B Company was cross attached to TF 1-77 Armor, in return TF 1-26 Infantry received B Company 1-77 Armor, B Company 9th Engineers, a Fire Support Team from 1-7 Field Artillery, and a maintenance support team from 299th Forward Support Battalion. Task Force 1-26 Infantry operated as the primary maneuver element in the Eastern Baghdad area. The unit returned to Schweinfurt, Germany in December 2007.
In July 2008 the battalion deployed to Kunar Province of Afghanistan. Most of the unit was scattered in small combat outposts throughout the province to include the Kunar Valley, Pech Valley, Watapor Valley, Chapadara, and the Korengal Valley. The unit fell under CJTF-101 and later CJTF-82 during OEF 8 and 9. The unit returned to Fort Hood, Texas in July 2009. Where they were quickly moved again from Fort Hood, Texas to Fort Knox, Kentucky. Having only months to get ready for another deployment in January 2011.
Organized 22 February 1901 with Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia
(1st Battalion organized in December 1900 at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, as the 1st Provisional Battalion of Infantry; redesignated 7 February 1901 as the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry)
(2d Battalion organized March–April 1901 at Fort McPherson, Georgia; redesignated 29 May 1901 as the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry—hereafter separate lineage; new 2d Battalion, 26th Infantry, organized 1 July 1901 in the Philippine Islands)
(3d Battalion organized in January 1901 at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, as the 2d Provisional Battalion of Infantry; redesignated 8 February 1901 as the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry; redesignated 29 May 1901 as the 3d Battalion, 26th Infantry)
Assigned 8 June 1917 to the 1st Expeditionary Division (later redesignated as the 1st Infantry Division)
Relieved 15 February 1957 from assignment to the 1st Infantry Division and reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System
Withdrawn 3 April 1987 from the Combat Arms Regimental System, reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System, and transferred to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
Withdrawn 15 January 1996 from the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
Redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 26th Infantry Regiment
Philippine Insurrection: Streamer without inscription
World War I: Montdidier-Noyon; Aisne-Marne; St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne; Lorraine 1917; Lorraine 1918; Picardy 1918
World War II: Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead); Tunisia; Sicily (with arrowhead); Normandy (with arrowhead); Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
Vietnam: Defense; Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase II; Counteroffensive, Phase III; Tet Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase IV; Counteroffensive, Phase V; Counteroffensive, Phase VI; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970
War on Terrorism: Iraq
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Center of Military History document "26th Infantry Lineage and Honors".