The 141st Infantry Regiment ("First Texas") is an infantry regiment in the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

. The lineage of the 141st includes units tracing origins to the Texas Revolution

Texas Revolution

The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...

, such as Company A, First Texas, 1836, and other infantry companies of the First Texas formed in the 1870s and 1880s.

World War II

During World War II a battalion assigned to the 36th Division was given the assignment to clear a ridge deep in the Vosges, but had been cut-off by the Germans. This occurred because the flanking units received an order to withdraw that failed to reach this battalion. This unit, the 1st Battalion of the 141st, had been cut off since October 24, 1944. The other two battalions of the 141st were unable to break through. The 100th /442nd, was ordered to rescue the Lost Battalion (More men were lost in the 100th/442nd in the rescue operation than there were to save in the 1st of the 141st.) In their efforts to annihilate the entrapped Americans, the Grenadier troops suffered catastrophic losses. This action, in concert with their earlier combat record, led Heinz Guderian to give the 141st the number 2 rating overall in his Order of Battle assessment among all Allied units to face the Wehrmacht.

Postwar - present

In 1973 the 49th Armored Division was reactivated, with the first and third battalions of the 141st Infantry (mechanized) assigned to the 1st Brigade. The 2/141 was mechanized and assigned to the 3d Brigade of the 49th Armored Division. By 1979, all three battalions of the 141st were assigned to the 1st Brigade, 49th Armored Division. In 1984, the 1/141 and 2/141 continued to be assigned to the 49th Armored, and 3d/141st was assigned to Texas National Guard Troop Command. In 1995, 2/141 was demobilized and the 3/141 was assigned to the 36th Brigade of the 49th Armored Division.

As part of the 2004 reorganization of the 49th Armored Division into the 36th Infantry Division the 141st Infantry is now part of the latter division as part of the 72nd (Infantry) Brigade Combat Team.

See also

• Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry Regiments
  Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry Regiments
  Coats of arms of US Infantry Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with infantry regiments in the US Army. By Army regulation, all regiments of the US Army organized under a Table of Organization and Equipment are authorized a coat of arms to be displayed on the organization's standard, called...
  
  
• Distinctive unit insignia (U.S. Army)