The 30th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment. Two battalions are currently active under the United States Army Regimental System; there is no active regimental headquarters, with regimental designation being used only for historical tradition.

General history

Previous units designated "30th Infantry Regiment"

A unit designated the 30th Infantry Regiment was first constituted in 1813. President James 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 Columbia. Until 1862, the regiment was designated as a reserve brigade in the Army of the Potomac. After the end of the Civil War, the 12th Brigade was disbanded. In 1901, however, the Philippine Insurrection raged. The 1st Battalion was re-formed, once more under the 30th Regiment, and sent to the Philippines, where they spent most of their time in the Mindiano Province.

Present 30th Infantry Regiment

The present 30th Infantry was constituted on 2 February 1901 in the Regular Army, and was organized from 12 February–19 August 1901 at Fort Logan, Colorado, the Presidio of San Francisco, California, and in the Philippines. After U.S. entry into World War I, the regiment was assigned on 21 November 1917 to the 3rd Division.

Interwar period

The 30th Infantry Regiment arrived at the port of New York on 20 August 1919 on the troopship USAT America and was transferred on 26 August 1919 to Camp Pike, Arkansas. It was again transferred on 21 September 1921 to Camp Lewis (later Fort Lewis), Washington, with the rest of the 3rd Division. In 1921-22, most of the units of the 3rd Division were relocated from Camp Lewis throughout the western United States and Alaska for their permanent stations; the 30th Infantry sailed on 26 August 1922 for San Francisco, California, aboard the troopship USAT Buford, arriving on 30 August 1922 at the Presidio. The regiment's initial wartime mission in accordance with established war plans was to conduct a mobile defense of possible amphibious landing areas in support of the Harbor Defenses of San Francisco. On 31 January 1932, the regiment sailed on the troopship USAT St. Mihiel to the Territory of Hawaii to conduct an amphibious assault landing exercise from 12–16 February 1932 against the Hawaiian Division at Makua, Oahu. The regiment sailed for Fort Mason, California, on 20 February 1932 on the St. Mihiel and arrived there 26 February 1932, returning to the Presidio on the same date. From 1935 to 1938, the regiment was commanded by irving J. Phillipson, and it participated in the opening ceremonies for the Golden Gate Bridge in June 1937. It was transferred 5 January 1940 to Fort Ord, California. It was relieved on 12 January 1940 from the 3rd Division, and returned to the Presidio of San Francisco on 15 May 1940, where it was reassigned to the 3rd Division. Transferred 31 March 1941 to Fort Lewis.

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 U.S. 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

HHC, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, was reconstituted 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 3d Division; relieved on 12 January 1940 from assignment to the 3d Division; reassigned on 15 May 1940 to the 3d Division (later redesignated as the 3d Infantry Division); relieved on 6 April 1951 from assignment to the 3d Infantry Division; and reassigned on 2 December 1954 to the 3d 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 3d 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 3d Infantry Division.

The battalion was reassigned on 16 August 1992 to the 3d 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 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment was moved from the 3d BCT to the 2d BCT as part of the modularity program.

Iraq

The 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment deployed with the 3d Brigade, 3d 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 3d 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 3d 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, Section B from the scout platoon and the forward aid station. While Company C was holding the objective, three tanks, one of the scouts' vehicles, and an M113 engaged 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 (Air Assault). During those two days, Company B of 1-30, most notably 1st and 3d Platoons, inflicted heavy losses on Iraqi Republican Guard units on the outskirts of the city. The Scout Platoon and Troop D, 10th Cavalry, the 3d Brigade's 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 3d Brigade and continued its march on Baghdad. On 6 April, the battalion reached the city and, with 1st Platoon of Company B, 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. The 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment then road marched by land and air into FOB Normandy, Iraq on 21 January 2005. Company B was attached to the 3d Brigade, 42d 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 1-30, which included Battery B, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment and Company B, 2d 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, 1-30th Infantry, was attached to 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, and moved to Ar Ramadi, in the Anbar Province. As part of 2-69th Armor for the following seven months, Company B, 1-30th Infantry 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 Army 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, quickly responded to the attack on the ECP and killed over 65 enemy personnel and saved 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 the battalion in Kuwait.

In 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 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 2d Battalion, 2d Infantry Regiment, which had successfully completed operations in Iraq during OIF II. In March 2005, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment organized into Task Force 1–30 and 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 was introduced to the 205th Iraq National Guard/2d Battalion, 2d Infantry Regiment, occupying FOB Normandy, who became partners to help complete the mission.