30th Infantry Regiment (United States)

The 30th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment. It was originally constituted 2 February 1901 in the Regular Army as the 30th Infantry. It was organized 12 February - 19 August 1901 at Fort Logan, Colorado, at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, and in the Philippines.


 * Assigned 21 November 1917 to the 3rd Division
 * Relieved 12 January 1940 from assignment to the 3rd Division


 * Assigned 15 May 1940 to the 3d Division (later redesignated as the 3rd Infantry Division)
 * Relieved 6 April 1951 from assignment to the 3rd Infantry Division


 * Assigned 2 December 1954 to the 3rd Infantry Division
 * Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 3rd Infantry Division and reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System


 * Withdrawn 16 June 1989 from the Combat Arms Regimental System, reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System, and transferred to the United States Army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 * Withdrawn 26 May 1992 from the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command

1st Battalion
The 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, was originally constituted on 2 February 1901 in the Regular Army as Company A, 30th Infantry. It organized on 16 March 1901 at the Presidio of San Francisco. Thereafter, the 30th Infantry was assigned on 21 November 1917 to the 3rd Division; relieved on 12 January 1940 from assignment to the 3rd Division; reassigned on 15 May 1940 to the 3rd Division (later redesignated as the 3rd Infantry Division); relieved on 6 April 1951 from assignment to the 3rd Infantry Division; and reassigned on 2 December 1954 to the 3rd Infantry Division.

The unit was reorganized and redesignated on 1 July 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battle Group, 30th Infantry, and remained assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division. The unit was reorganized and redesignated on 10 July 1963 as the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry. It inactivated on 16 June 1989 in Germany and was relieved from assignment to the 3rd Infantry Division.

The Battalion was reassigned on 16 August 1992 to the 3rd Infantry Division and activated in Germany. It inactivated there on 15 January 1994. It reactivated on 16 February 1996 at Fort Benning.

In 2006 the 1-30th Infantry Battalion was moved from the 3rd BCT to the 2nd BCT as part of the modularity program.

Iraqi Freedom
The 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment deployed with the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division to Kuwait in January 2003 during the buildup of forces before the invasion of Iraq. When the invasion started on 19 March, 1/30 was one of the first battalions to cross the border, eventually working its way to Tallil, where it fought its first engagement. The day after taking Tallil Airfield, a portion of the battalion's scout platoon was ambushed on a bridge outside of An Nasaria, wounding two of the scouts. One of the scouts and the battalion S3 both were later awarded Silver Stars for their actions on the bridge that day. While on Tallil Airfield, the battalion conducted "Operation Dirty Deeds", which consisted of looking for WMDs inside the airfield. After Tallil, 1/30 was ordered to secure the lines of communication and man checkpoints for a couple of days while the rest of the 3rd Brigade continued combat operations in the vicinity.

A few days later, Company B attacked As Samawah while its 1st Platoon continued to hold a defensive position near Nasiriyah. When the Fedayeen were defeated in As Samawah and 1st Platoon rejoined the company, 1/30 continued its movement north with the rest of 3rd Brigade. At the same time, Company C was ordered to march over 35 km to support the taking of OBJ Vikings, a bridge outside the city of Ash shinafiya. Company C took with them the Mortar Platoon, B Section from the scout platoon and the forward aid station. The battalion made history by holding the longest front of any conflict during this time. While Company C was holding the objective, three tanks, one of the scouts vehicles, and an M113 got in an extended firefight on the opposite side of the bridge during a patrol. The engagement ended with 35 or more Iraqi soldiers killed, and not one American casualty. This firefight was documented by Time Magazine's Alex Perry. He and his photographer were in the M113 during the firefight. 1/30 next saw action at Karbala, where it secured the Karbala Gap in order to allow the safe passage of 3rd Brigade in its movement towards Baghdad. 1/30 held Karbala Gap for two days until relieved by elements from the 101st Airborne Division. During those two days, Company B of 1/30, most notably 1st and 3rd Platoons, inflicted heavy losses on Iraqi Republican Guard units on the outskirts of the city. The Scout Platoon and D Troop 10th Cavalry, the 3rd Brigades Reconnaissance Troop also inflicted heavy losses on the Medina Republican Guard Division with artillery fire and by spotting rounds for the Bradley Fighting Vehicles as they fired into the city.

After Karbala, 1/30 rejoined 3rd Brigade and continued its march on Baghdad. On 6 April, the battalion reached the city and, with Company B, 1st Platoon in the lead, fought several engagements with defending Republican Guard units. By 10 April, the battalion pushed its way into Baghdad and set up its headquarters at a water-treatment facility in the northwestern sector of the city. It participated in combat patrols and humanitarian relief missions until relieved in June 2003.

1st Battalion, 30th Infantry moved back to Kuwait in June 2003 and flew back to Fort Benning, Georgia at the end of July. The unit again saw action during Operation Iraqi Freedom III.



The 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment deployed from Fort Benning on 8 January 2005. The deployment began in Kuwait, where the battalion prepared its equipment and conducted final training exercises prior moving north to Iraq. 1–30 Infantry Battalion then road marched by land and air into FOB Normandy, Iraq on 21 January 2005. Company B was attached to the 3rd Brigade, 42nd Infantry Division (New York National Guard) Headquarters at FOB Warhorse, to serve as a Quick reaction force. In Iraq 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment was organized as Task Force, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, which included B Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Artillery Regiment and B Company, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment. The next 11 months Task Force 1–30 conducted several operations throughout the province of Diyalah.

In June 2005, Company B, 1/30 Infantry, was attached to 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, and moved to Ar Ramadi, in the Anbar Province. Company B, 1/30 Infantry was a vital part of 2/69 AR for the following seven months as it participated in over 200 combat missions and was responsible for over 500 enemy KIA. Its most notable actions occurred in two separate battles at ECP 5 in eastern Ramadi. The first engagement involved 1st Platoon, Company B, and a platoon from a Pennsylvania National Guard unit. On 15 September 2005, hundreds of enemy combatants launched a coordinated attack across Ramadi. In the east, the focal point became ECP 5. 1st Platoon, Company B, serving as 2/69's Quick reaction force, responded in record time to the attack on the ECP and was responsible for killing over 65 enemy personnel, as well as saving the badly outnumbered guardsmen. One month later, another large group of enemy combatants again attacked ECP 5. 3rd Platoon, Company B, responded and had nearly identical results as 1st Platoon. Company B suffered two KIA and over a dozen wounded in Ramadi. In January 2006, Company B rejoined the rest of 1/30 in Kuwait.

January 2006, Task Force 1/30 was reorganized back to 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment at Fort Benning.

During the months of January and February 2005, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment prepared its soldiers and equipment for future operations in Iraq. In Kuwait the battalion conducted several weapons ranges, added armor on vehicles, and tested equipment. The month of January was finished by the ground assault convoy, into Iraq. Over 800 soldiers, 100 vehicles, and several containers of equipment all traveled over 300 mi into the heart of Iraq.

In February 2005 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment consolidated on FOB Normandy, located near the city of Muqdadiyah. They were met by 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, who had successfully completed operations in Iraq during OIF II. In March 2005, 1–30 Infantry Battalion organized into Task Force 1–30 Infantry Battalion plus conducted relief in place operations and transfer of authority with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry which set the stage for future operations during OIF III. In addition, Task Force 1–30 Infantry was introduced to the 205th Iraq National Guard/2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, occupying FOB Normandy, who became partners to help complete the mission.

Between March and December 2005, Task Force 1–30 Infantry conducted several operations. These operations ranged from offensive coalition operations to civil military affairs operations intended to rebuild and instill democracy in the local Iraqi population. With every operation the task force partnered with Iraqis to complete the mission. In March, Task Force 1–30 conducted its first major operation in the city of Mansuriyat-Al-Jabal, known as Operation Spring Cleaning. The operation resulted in the successful capture of eight HVIs and a large weapons cache. In April 2005, Task Force 1–30 conducted Operation Morning Rain into Mukhisa – Abu Karmah, which resulted in the capture of several enemy fighters and capture several of weapons caches.

In July 2005, Task Force 1–30 with Iraqi Army and Iraqi police conducted Operation Longest Yard which also ended with the capture of several enemy fighters and capture of several weapons caches. The mission statement from the task force commander states, “TF 1–30 trains and develops Iraqi Security Forces, conducts Civil Military Operations, and neutralizes Anti Iraqi Forces in order to contribute to Iraqi self-reliance in area or operation BATTLE. On order, TF 1–30 conducts out-of-sector combat operations to destroy enemy forces in order to prevent the enemy from disrupting progress toward Iraqi self-reliance.”

In January 2006 Task Force 1–30 was redeployed from Iraq to Fort Benning in the United States.

The 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment was reinstated on 6 September 2006, at Fort Stewart in a re-flagging ceremony. The regiment took over the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment's place as part of the reorganization to modular units of actions for the 3rd Infantry Division. 1–30 Infantry battalion is currently gearing up for deployment to northern Iraq in fall of 2009.

1-30th Infantry served from December 2009 until October 2010 in Iraq, primarily in the ethnic hotbed of Kirkuk and assumed the crucial mission of combined check points with Iraqi army, Kurdish Peshmerga, and American soldiers serving side by side. LTC Dan Cormier successfully re-deployed the unit in October 2010.

LTC Cormier relinquished command of the battalion to LTC Mike Jason on 26 January 2011.

2nd Battalion
The 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry was first constituted in 1813, shortly after the formation of the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry. President Madison formed the 30th Regiment to combat English forces during the War of 1812. However, the regiment spent much of the war in training, and did not see much action. After the war ended, the 30th Regiment was disbanded.

When the Civil War began, the 30th Regiment was recreated and reassigned as the 12th Infantry Regiment. The regiment made its home at Fort Hamilton in New York, and shortly thereafter traveled to Washington, District of Colombia. Until 1862, the regiment was designated as a reserve brigade in the Army of the Potomac. However, the ravages of the Civil War took their toll on the Union Army, and so the 2nd Battalion entered action in 1862. The regiment saw action in many battles during the course of the Civil War. After the end of the Civil War, the 12th Brigade was disbanded, and the 2nd Battalion did not take part in either the Indian Wars or the Spanish-American War.

In 1901, however, the Philippine Insurrection raged. The 2nd Battalion was re-formed, once more under the 30th Regiment, and sent to the Philippines, was they spent most of their time in the Mindiano Province.

In 1918, the 2nd Battalion saw action during World War I, under the 3rd Infantry Division. The 2nd Battalion saw action at the Chateau Thierry-Marne Counteroffensive, where the 30th Regiment successfully held off 25 German counter-attacks. After the Marne Counteroffensive, the 2nd Battalion saw action in the Somme Defensive, the battle of Chateau Thierry, the Aisne Defensive, the Champagne-Marne Defensive, the St. Mihiel Offensive (1st Army Sector), the Battle of Meuse–Argonne, and the Aisne-Marne Offensive. After the war ended, the 2nd Battalion served as a part of the Army of Occupation of Germany.

In 1919, the 3rd Infantry Division moved back to the US, and set up at Fort Lewis. The 30th Infantry, in turn, was stationed there, where they remained until the start of World War II in late 1941. The regiment moved to Fort Ord, California, where they practiced amphibious tactics for the battles in North Africa. The 30th took part in Operation Torch, the liberation of French Northern Africa, and helped liberate the city of Casablanca. The 30th stayed near Tunisia until 1943, during which they prepared for the invasion of Sicily.

In July 1943, the 30th Infantry and US 3rd Infantry Division was designated as "Joss Force" for the Invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky). On 10 July 10, 1943 the US 3rd Infantry Division moved on shore captured and secured the City of Licata. Within three hours of landing, the US 3rd Infantry Division captured and secured. Within two days of landing, they had captured and secured the City of Agrigento. Four days later, the US 3rd Infantry Division captured the City of Palermo, traversing 100 miles of the roughest terrain on Sicily. They arrived in Palermo on 16 July 1943. The 30th moved into the lead for the US 3rd Infantry Division, moving eastward toward the city of Messina.

During the Battle of San Agata, General Patton specifically chose the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry to move to the right flank of the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division. The objective was for the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment to make a sea-borne landing at Brolo and cut off the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division from escaping Messina. The 2nd Battalion failed in their first attempt to cut the 29th off. However, General Patton ordered the battalion to re-engage the enemy. The second time, the battalion successfully maneuvered around the 29th Division. The 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry successfully engaged an entire division for as long as possible, nearly and hour and a half. Although the majority of the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division successfully retrograded, the 2nd Battalion received the Presidential Unit Citation award.

The 2nd Battalion then continued operations throughout the “boot” of Italy, including operations in Salerno, Acerno, Volturara, Avellino, and Mount Rotundo. On 22 January 1944, the 30th Regiment conducted amphibious operations at Anzio. This marked the 2nd Battalion's fifth amphibious operation and was also its most costly battle. On 4 June 1944, the regiment entered Rome.

On 28 August 1944, the 30th made its final amphibious landing at Cavalaire, a town in Southern France. It spent the majority of September through December 1944 fighting in the Vosges Mountains and began its assault on the Siegfried Line in Austria on 15 March 1945. On 8 May 1945, the war in Europe ended, and the 2nd Battalion began stability operations in Western Europe.

The 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry was relieved on 6 April 1951 from assignment to the 3rd Infantry Division and subsequently reassigned on 2 December 1954 to the 3rd Infantry Division. It was inactivated again on 1 July 1957 at Fort Benning, Georgia, and relieved from assignment to the 3d Infantry Division.

The unit was redesignated on 3 January 1958 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battle Group, 30th Infantry, its organic elements concurrently constituted. The battle group was formally activated on 22 January 1958 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

It was reorganized and redesignated 1 April 1963 as the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry, and assigned to the 3d Infantry Division. It was again inactivated on 16 June 1989 in Germany and relieved from assignment to the 3d Infantry Division.

On 16 January 2005, the unit was assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and activated at Fort Polk, Louisiana. It was redesignated on 1 October 2005 as the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment.

Deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq
In November 2006, the 2-30th Infantry deployed with other elements of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. It served there with Task Force Warrior until returning to Fort Polk in 2007.

In the fall of 2007, soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment deployed to East Baghdad, Iraq and continued their mission until early 2009. During that time, the battalion engaged in severe fighting along the eastern boundary of Sadr City, eventually participating in the Siege of Sadr City in mid-2008. The U.S. military claimed that between 3 May and 9 May, it had killed at least 76 militiamen. In preparations for conducting operations in Afghanistan, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment deployed to Camp Guernsey Army Airfield, Wyoming, in February 2010 to conduct month-long, battle-focused training. 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment deployed to Afghanistan in the fall of 2010, returning in October 2011.

Campaign participation credit

 * Philippine Insurrection
 * Mindoro 1901


 * World War I
 * Aisne
 * Champagne-Marne
 * Aisne-Marne
 * St. Mihiel
 * Meuse-Argonne
 * Champagne 1918


 * World War II
 * Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead)
 * Tunisia
 * Sicily (with arrowhead)
 * Naples-Foggia
 * Anzio (with arrowhead)
 * Rome-Arno
 * Southern France (with arrowhead)
 * Rhineland
 * Ardennes-Alsace
 * Central Europe

Awards & decorations

 * Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered SICILY


 * Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered MOUNT ROTUNDO


 * Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered BESANCON, FRANCE


 * Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered COLMAR


 * French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War I, Streamer embroidered CHAMPAGNE-MARNE


 * French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered COLMAR


 * French Croix de Guerre, World War II, Fourragere


 * Valorous Unit Award (Army), Operation Iraqi Freedom, Baghdad Iraq

Campaign participation credit

 * Philippine Insurrection: Mindoro 1901
 * World War I: Aisne; Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne; Champagne 1918
 * World War II: Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead); Tunisia; Sicily (with arrowhead); Naples-Foggia; Anzio (with arrowhead); Rome-Arno; Southern France (with arrowhead); Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
 * War on Terror

Decorations

 * Presidential Unit Citation for Sicily
 * Presidential Unit Citation for Mount Rotundo
 * Presidential Unit Citation for Besançon, France
 * Presidential Unit Citation for the Colmar Pocket
 * Presidential Unit Citation for Iraq 2003
 * Superior Unit Award for 1996
 * French Croix de guerre with Palm, World War I for Champagne-Marne
 * French Croix de guerre with Palm, World War II for the Colmar Pocket
 * French Croix de guerre, World War II, Fourragere

The following soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor while serving with the 30th Infantry Regiment. All earned their medals during World War II at the date and place given.
 * Captain Maurice Britt, Company L, 10 November 1943, north of Mignano, Italy
 * Technician Fifth Grade Eric G. Gibson, Company I, 28 January 1944, near Isola Bella, Italy
 * Private First Class Lloyd C. Hawks, Company G, 30 January 1944, near Carano, Italy
 * Private First Class Alton W. Knappenberger, Company C, 1 February 1944, near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy
 * Sergeant John C. Squires, Company A, 23–24 April 1944, near Padiglione, Italy
 * Private First Class Patrick L. Kessler, Company K, 23 May 1944, Ponte Rotto, Italy
 * Private First Class John W. Dutko, Company A, 23 May 1944, near Ponte Rotto, Italy
 * Sergeant Harold O. Messerschmidt, Company L, 17 September 1944, Radden, France
 * Staff Sergeant Lucian Adams, Company I, 28 October 1944, near Saint-Dié, France
 * Private Wilburn K. Ross, Company G, 30 October 1944, near Saint-Jacques, France
 * First Lieutenant Charles P. Murray, Jr., Company C, 16 December 1944, near Kaysersberg, France
 * Technical Sergeant Russell E. Dunham, Company I, 8 January 1945, near Kaysersberg, France