The 14th Infantry Regiment ("Golden Dragons" ) is a United States Army light infantry regiment. It has served in the American Civil War, Boxer Rebellion, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Operation Restore Hope, Operation Uphold Democracy, Operation Joint Guard, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Gothic Serpent, Operation New Dawn, Operation Resolute Support, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Freedom Sentinel. The 14th Infantry Regiment did not take part in combat during World War I. It has also conducted peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in the Sinai Peninsula, Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, Bosnia, and Kosovo.

Only the 2nd Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment is currently active, assigned to 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York.

History

Civil War, 1861–66 In May 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for the creation of nine additional Regular Army infantry regiments in preparation for the looming civil war. These regiments were designated the 11th through the 19th Infantry and organized as "three-battalion" regiments, each battalion containing eight companies of infantry, in contrast to the original ten regular regiments of infantry, which were organized on the traditional ten-company line.

The 14th Infantry Regiment was organized on 3 May 1861 at Fort Trumbull, Connecticut, in two battalions with the third added in April 1862. Part of the Army of the Potomac, the regiment saw its first combat action in the Peninsula Campaign 17 May 1862. The regiment was assigned to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac and fought at Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness and Petersburg.

In recognition of the regiment's heroic performance of duty during twelve of the bloodiest campaigns of the American Civil War, General George Meade, awarded the 14th Infantry Regiment the place of honor at the "Right of the Line" in the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, DC at the end of the war. This is where the regiment takes its motto "The Right of the Line".

Following the Civil War, the Army was reorganized by Congress in July 1866, and the 14th was divided into three regiments, each battalion receiving two additional companies and being organized along traditional lines. The 1st Battalion retained the designation of the 14th Infantry, while the 2nd Battalion became the 23rd Infantry and the 3rd Battalion the 32nd Infantry.

Indian Wars, 1866–78

The regiment was sent to the Presidio of San Francisco following the Civil War and from there line companies were posted to locations in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington. The regiment took part in two Indian campaigns and detachments were in two other campaigns (including the 1866-1868 Snake War) but not in sufficient strength to entitle the regiment as a whole to participation credit.

Campaign participation credit during this time includes Arizona 1866; Wyoming 1874; Little Big Horn 1876; Bannocks 1878.

Arizona, 1866–1869

Five companies from the regiment (Companies B, C, D, F, and G) fought the Apaches in 1866 in Arizona. After three years of service in deserts of the Southwest, the regiment was sent to the South for Reconstruction duty beginning in July 1869.

Wyoming, 1870–1874

The threat of an Indian war in the Dakotas caused the regiment to be moved back to the frontier in April 1870, first to Fort Randall, then to Fort Sedgwick, and finally to Fort Laramie in March 1871. In 1874, three companies from the regiment (Companies D, F, and G) operated against Indian tribes raiding ranches and mines in the Wyoming territory. On February 9, 1874, a soldier from the regiment, 1st Lt. Levi H. Robinson, was killed during a skirmish with Indians north of Fort Laramie. He is the namesake of Fort Robinson in Nebraska.

Great Sioux War, 1876–1877

A total of six companies from the regiment participated in the Great Sioux War.

Soon after the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876, four companies from the regiment (Companies B, C, F, and I) participated in a punitive expedition. They departed Fort Douglas, Utah, by train, arrived at Medicine Bow, Wyoming, on June 25, and then marched overland to join General Crook’s column at Goose Creek. This expedition is noteworthy as it included the infamous Horsemeat March, one of the most grueling marches in American military history, and the Battle of Slim Buttes.

In November 1876, two companies from the regiment (Companies D and G) left Fort Fetterman accompanying eleven cavalry companies commanded by Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie. The expedition proceeded northward along the Bozeman Trail and attacked a Cheyenne village on November 25, 1876, in what became known as the Dull Knife Fight.

Death of Crazy Horse, 1877

Captain James Kennington, who had led Company B during the Battle of Slim Buttes, was the Officer of the Day at Fort Robinson and escorted Crazy Horse to the guardhouse when the captured Lakota war leader was killed on September 5, 1877. Private William Gentles, Company F, 14th Infantry, bayoneted Crazy Horse during the attempted escape.

Bannock War, 1878

The Bannock War was an armed conflict between the U.S. military and Bannock and Paiute warriors in Idaho and Northeastern Oregon from June to August 1878.

Fort Vancouver, 1884–1898 The regiment was posted to Fort Vancouver, Washington, and was one of the units with the longest association to the site during this era. Members of regiment were deployed to Seattle in response to anti-Chinese riots in 1885-1886.

Spanish–American War, 1898 The regiment was at the capture of Manila on August 13, 1898, in the Spanish–American War, and in the fighting around the same city in 1899.

China Relief Expedition, 1900

During the early years of the 20th century, the 14th Infantry Regiment was deployed to China to help put down the Boxer Rebellion. The 14th was the spearhead in winning a victory over the Chinese army at the Battle of Yangcun. At the Tung Pien Gate in Peking, the regiment was taking heavy fire and was unable to effectively engage the enemy. To counteract, volunteers were called for to scale the wall and lay down suppressive fire from the better vantage point while the rest of the regiment followed. Corporal Calvin P. Titus, a band member and chaplains assistant from E Company, volunteered, and with rope slung over his shoulder scaled the wall and laid down the suppressive fire that allowed more and more soldiers behind him to follow.

For his actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor as well as receiving an appointment to West Point. For their conduct of the operation, the 14th Infantry Regiment was rewarded by the Chinese government a large amount of silver bullion which was later fashioned into an ornamented punchbowl with matching cups and other dinnerware that is still kept in 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment headquarters.

World War I, 1917–18 On the eve of the US entry into World War I, the 14th Infantry Regiment was stationed in Yuma, Arizona, although the 1st Battalion was on detached duty in Alaska. The regiment was subsequently transferred to Vancouver Barracks, Washington. In 1918 the 14th was moved to Butte, Montana, to guard the Anaconda copper mines. Although a Regular Army unit, the regiment did not see active service during the war.

Omar Bradley, who was later to serve with distinction in World War II and a future chief of staff of the United States Army, served with this regiment during the early years of his military career.

Interwar Period, 1919–1941 The 14th Infantry Regiment was stationed at Camp Custer, Michigan, in 1919. On 22 October 1920, it was transferred to Fort Davis, in the Panama Canal Zone, and was assigned to the Panama Canal Division on 3 July 1921. When the Panama Canal Division was inactivated in 1932, the regiment was attached to Headquarters, Atlantic Sector on 15 April 1932. On 10 April 1940, the regiment was assigned to the Panama Canal Division's successor, the Panama Mobile Force.

World War II, 1941–45 In 1943, the Golden Dragons were ordered to Camp Carson, Colorado. The regiment arrived in San Francisco, California on 18 June 1943 and was assigned to the 71st Light Division on 10 July 1943. The 14th, along with the rest of the 71st Division underwent unit combat training at Camp Carson then at Camp Roberts, California and at Fort Benning Georgia. At Fort Benning the 71st was reorganized and redesignated as the 71st Infantry Division.

On 25 January 1945, the Golden Dragons sailed from New York with the rest of the 71st Division, arriving in Le Havre on 7 February 1945. The 14th then moved some across France. At Ratzwiller the 71st Division relieved the 100th Division. On 21 March 1945 the 14th took part in the 71st Division's breaching the Siegfried Line and the capture of Pirmasens. On 30 March 1945 the 71st crossed the Rhine River and went into reserve near Frankfurt.

The 14th Infantry then participated along with its sister regiment the 5th Infantry in the elimination of bypassed German forces north of Hanau, Germany on 2 April 1945. On 13 April 1945 the Golden Dragons cut the main Berlin to Munich autobahn. On 14–16 April 1945 the 14th participated in its heaviest combat as the 71st Division seized the town of Bayreuth, Germany. Bypassing German strongpoints the 71st Division sped south with the 14th Infantry crossing the Danube River and participating in the seizure of the city of Regensburg on 27 April 1945. From there the 14th made an assault crossing of the Isar River under fire and entered Austria on 2 May 1945. The 71st Division linked up with advancing Soviet Army units east of Linz, Austria on 8 May 1945 and hostilities ceased on 9 May 1945.

Korean War, 1950–53 In responding to the North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950 the U.S. Army found itself desperately short of units to halt the Communist advance. Continental U.S. (CONUS) units were stripped of personnel and equipment and sent to Korea on a priority basis. On 21 July 1950 the 3rd Battalion, 14th Infantry was reassigned to the Far East Command and then to the 1st Cavalry Division where it was redesignated as the 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment. Unlike other units that had been cobbled together at the last minute, the 3rd Battalion, 14th Infantry was at full strength and due to its rigorous training in mountain warfare was in excellent shape to fight in the Korean mountains.

On 23 July 1950, the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry was transferred to Fort Benning where it was assigned to and redesignated as a battalion in one of the 3rd Infantry Division's regiments. The 3rd Division was initially sent to Japan then to Korea. The remaining personnel and equipment of the 14th Infantry at Camp Carson were reassigned to other CONUS units. On 1 August 1951 the 14th Infantry less personnel and equipment was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division then fighting in Korea. To man and equip the 14th Infantry the assets of the 34th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Division, then conducting infantry training in Japan, were used. The 14th Infantry moved to Korea where it replaced the 24th Infantry Regiment, which was being inactivated due to the 24th's division commander, Gen. William B. Kean, request that it be disbanded because it was "untrustworthy and incapable of carrying out missions expected of an infantry regiment."