The 21st Infantry Regiment ("Gimlet") is a United States Army infantry regiment. The 1st Battalion currently exists as part of 1st. Infantry Brigade, 11th Airborne Division (Artic Angels) at Fort Wainwright Alaska. The regiment fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom. Task Force Smith, the first American unit to see action in the Korean War, was derived from the regiment's 1st Battalion.
History
Civil War The 21st Infantry traces its history back to the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Infantry Regiment, formed on 3 May 1861 for the American Civil War. Companies A, B, E and G were activated at Fort Hamilton on 20 May 1862. They were sent to Harpers Ferry and on 26 May fought in a skirmish with a Confederate States Army brigade. The companies fought at the Battle of Cedar Mountain on 9 August. The companies were formed into a battalion with elements of the 8th Infantry Regiment and were the lead skirmishers of the II Corps' 2nd Division. They helped to initially break through Confederate lines, but Confederate numerical superiority forced a Union withdraw. During the retreat, the 2nd Battalion's companies suffered heavy losses while covering the retreat.
The battalion also fought at the Second Battle of Manassas and formed the rearguard during the Union retreat at that battle. The battalion then became part of V Corps and fought in the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Fredericksburg. In March 1863, three companies of the battalion were disbanded due to a shortage of replacements. It fought in the Battle of Chancellorsville and was part of the rearguard during the retreat across the Rappahannock. The battalion then fought in the Battle of Gettysburg and suffered heavy losses. The battalion advanced southward against the retreating Confederate Army and fought in the Overland Campaign during May 1864. The battalion served at the Battle of the Wilderness, Battle of Spotsylvania Court House and the Battle of Cold Harbor. By June, the Union Army was beginning the Siege of Petersburg. The battalion fought in the siege but was combat ineffective due to losses by July. The surviving men were assigned to the 12th Infantry Regiment's 1st Battalion. By 20 September, the battalion was composed of just 48 men. It was withdrawn on 2 November and moved back to Fort Hamilton.
Reconstruction The regiment was brought up to full strength at Fort Hamilton and moved back to Virginia for reconstruction duties by December 1865. The 2nd Battalion was stationed at Camp Winthrop, near Richmond. As part of the Army expansion in 1866, the 2nd Battalion became the 21st Infantry Regiment on 7 December 1866. In 1869, the Army was reduced in size and the 32d Infantry Regiment consolidated with the 21st. The 32d was based in the Arizona Territory and the 21st departed Richmond on 12 April. The regiment was the first military unit to be transported by the newly completed First Transcontinental railroad. Between 9 and 31 August, each company of the 21st arrived in Arizona and consolidated with the corresponding company of the 32d.
Indian Wars In Arizona, the 21st Infantry protected transportation routes, escorted US mail deliveries, scouted Indian movements and built new wagon routes. The regiment's troops frequently clashed with Apache Indians. In 1872, the regiment was transferred to the Department of the Columbia, with the regimental headquarters located at Fort Vancouver. The companies were based at posts throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho. In late 1872, the regiment was ordered to provide troops for the expedition against the Modoc. The regiment provided a three-company battalion, which fought in the expedition's battles between January and April 1873. B, C and F Companies fought at the First and Second Battles of the Stronghold.
In June 1877, the regiment was ordered into the field in reaction to Nez Perce massacres in Idaho. The regiment pursued the Nez Perce and fought at the Battle of the Clearwater on 11 and 12 July. The regiment continued to pursue the Indians through the Bitterroot Valley to the Bears Paw Mountains, where Chief Joseph finally surrendered. The 21st covered 1,632 miles during the campaign and suffered no desertions. In June 1878, the Bannock tribe left their reservation in southern Idaho, beginning the Bannock War. After marching 35 miles in a day, the regiment overtook the tribe on 13 August, scattering it so that it no longer posed a threat and had to return to the reservation. In June 1884, the regiment was sent to the Department of the Platte and stationed in Nebraska and Wyoming. The regiment then moved to southern Kansas to discourage a threatened Cheyenne outbreak. During the winter of 1890-91, the regiment sent six companies to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in response to Sioux unrest.
Spanish–American War and Philippine Insurrection The regiment fought in the Spanish–American War in 1898. On 22 June 1898, the regiment fought in the attack on Santiago. It was part of the 2nd Brigade of V Corps 1st Division. On 1 July, the regiment was positioned on the left flank of the attack on San Juan Hill. The regiment helped capture the heights on 1 July after fierce fighting with Spanish troops. The Spanish troops surrendered on 16 July. Due to disease issues, the 21st Infantry was withdrawn from Cuba on 23 August.
On 18 April 1899, the regiment was sent to the Philippines to reinforce US Army units fighting against forces of the recently declared First Philippine Republic. On 13 June, the regiment fought in defense of the southern approaches to Manila. The Republic forces massed on the Zapote River, which divided the two armies on the edge of Manila Bay. The regiment faced 5,000 entrenched Republic soldiers. I and F companies skirmished with the Republic forces at a bridge over the river. The fighting then escalated into artillery duels. After several hours, the American artillery forced the Republic forces to retreat, preventing them from attacking Manila. After several defeats, the Republic forces discarded conventional tactics and began a guerrilla war in November. The regiment then fought in the pacification campaign and left the Philippines after the war was declared over on 1 June 1902.
Peacetime service and World War I Between 1905 and 1906, the regiment returned to the Philippines for garrison duty. In 1909, the regiment went back to the Philippines for more garrison duty and stayed there until 1912. Upon its return, the 21st was garrisoned at Vancouver Barracks. From March 1916, the regiment protected the Arizona and California borders from Villista raids across the border. In December 1916, second battalion of the regiment participated in the Panama–California Exposition, defending against a simulated attack from two Navy cruisers, Frederick and San Diego, and several aircraft. In April 1917, it was transferred to Camp Kearny and was subordinated to the 16th Division's 31st Infantry Brigade. The regiment trained to fight in France with the American Expeditionary Forces, but the war ended before the division could be deployed overseas. In March 1919, the regiment returned to Vancouver Barracks.
Interwar and World War II
The 21st Infantry, less the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, was stationed at Fort George Wright, Washington, as of June 1919 as a separate regiment. The 2nd Battalion was located as follows: HQ and Company E at Fort William H. Seward, Territory of Alaska (TA); Company F at Fort Liscum, TA; Company G at Fort Gibbon, TA; Company H at Fort St. Michael, TA. The 3rd Battalion was stationed at Fort Douglas, Utah. The regiment was assigned to the Hawaiian Division on 22 October 1921; enlisted personnel stationed at Fort George Wright were transferred to the 53rd, 58th, and 59th Infantry Regiments in late September–early October 1921, while the enlisted personnel in Alaska were concurrently transferred to the 7th Infantry Regiment. The officers, records, and colors of the regiment were transferred 7 October 1921 to Schofield Barracks, Territory of Hawaii, and the regiment was reorganized 28 November 1921 at Schofield Barracks using the personnel and equipment of the inactivating 44th Infantry Regiment. It was at this point that the regiment adopted the name "Gimlet". The primary wartime mission of the 21st Infantry was to conduct a mobile defense of the beaches and inland sectors of the northern half of the island of Oahu. It was assigned on paper to the 24th Infantry Division on 26 August 1941.
After the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the regiment guarded the northern shore of Oahu from Japanese attacks. During May 1943, the division underwent combat training and departed for Australia. It arrived at Rockhampton on 8 September 1943. For the next few months, it conducted additional training in amphibious and jungle warfare. In January 1944, the regiment, along with the rest of the division moved to Goodenough Island to prepare for the Hollandia landings.
On 22 April, the regiment conducted an amphibious landing at Tanahmerah Bay in conjunction with the 19th Infantry Regiment. During the Battle of Hollandia, the regiment was able to advance quickly despite terrain conditions to overrun the airfields at Hollandia, which were defended by Japanese service troops. Four days later, the 21st Infantry linked up with the 41st Infantry Division, completing the pincer movement and trapping the remaining Japanese troops. The regiment remained to defend Hollandia until fall 1944.
For the recapture of Leyte, the regiment became a separate regimental combat team (RCT). It was given the task of securing the Panaon Straits, located at the southern tip of Leyte. Capture of the straits would enable Naval forces to move to the western side of the island. The regiment captured the northern coast of Panaon Island and the southern shore of Leyte without meeting resistance, an hour before the main landings farther to the north. The 24th Division met heavy Japanese resistance during its landings, and the 21st was returned to control of the division on 30 October. On 5 November, the regiment replaced the 34th Infantry Regiment at Breakneck Ridge, west of Pinamopoan on Leyte's northern shores. Japanese troops in the area were dug in and offered fierce resistance to the regiment's advance. On 8 November, the regiment attacked the ridge but the attack was hampered by a typhoon. After four days of heavy fighting and casualties, the regiment secured Breakneck Ridge. The capture of the ridge ended the last significant Japanese resistance on Leyte.
On 30 December 1944, the regiment was attached to the Western Visayas Task Force for the capture of Mindoro. During the next month, the regiment cleared the island of Japanese troops. In this phase of the battle, the regiment suffered casualties of one killed and seven wounded while killing dozens of Japanese troops. Meanwhile, K Company captured Marinduque on 3 January 1945. The island was previously cleared of most Japanese troops by Filipino soldiers and recognized guerrillas. The regiment's cannon company supported the 11th Airborne Division during its drive on Manila in the Battle of Luzon. For its fire support of the division, Cannon Company was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for actions between 31 January and 5 February.