The 299th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the The Koa Regiment, is a unit of the Hawaii Army National Guard

Hawaii Army National Guard

The Hawaii Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...

 established in 1923 from the old 2nd Hawaiian Infantry Regiment, that served during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 as part of the 24th Infantry Division ("Victory"). The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 299th Infantry was federally activated in 1968 to support the United States Army Pacific during the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

. More recently the 2-299th was deployed to Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit was re-flaged in 2006 as the 1st Battalion, 299th Cavalry Regiment. The lineage and heraldry of the 299th Infantry lives on in the 299th Cav.

Service history

The 299th Infantry Regiment was formed on the 17th of August 1923 from the old 2nd Hawaiian Infantry. Both the old 2nd Hawaiian Infantry and the new 299th were part of the Hawaii National Guard. The old 1st Hawaiian Infantry was also reformed and designated the 298th Infantry.

World War II

In 1940 the 299th and its sister regiment the 298th were both called into federal service as the United State began to prepare for a possible war with the Axis Powers

Axis Powers

The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...

. In 1941 the Hawaiian Division was reformed from a square division, which as the army's World War I divisional format, into the triangular division that would be the norm for World War II and Korea. Out of the old division came both the 24th Infantry Division and the 25th Infantry Division. The 299th was sent to provide the third infantry regiment for the new 24th Infantry Division. In May of 1941 the 299th was sent to the neighbor islands to provide for their defense, since the regiment was mostly composed of citizens from these islands. On June 4th the Japanese-American soldiers of both the 299th and 298th were pulled from the ranks of the regiments, some 29 officers and 1277 enlisted men in all. These Hawaii Nisei(Japanese-Americans) would form the famed 100th Infantry Battalion of the 442nd RCT and would fight heroically in Europe becoming the most decorated unit of its size in World War II. However the nisei soldiers were nearly 40% of the 299th ranks, and the removal of these men put the regiment grossly under strength. Therefore in July of 1942 the 299th was relived from the 24th Infantry Division and deactivated, the unit's men and material being transferred to the 298th. However the 2nd Battalion, 299th's HHC and B companies remained intact. These units were sent overseas to the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 and the Ryukyu Islands

Ryukyu Islands

The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...

 for which the 2-299th received campaign participation. However it is not clear with whom they were attached and what role they played in these campaigns.

Post-War period

After the war the Hawaii National Guard had to be reconstituted as most of their units had been deactivated and the men sent to other units. The 299th was activated in August 1946 and formed into the 299th RCT. The regiments was to have their companies on the islands of Hawai'i, Maui and Moloka'i, with the 298th taking O'ahu and Kaua'i. The process to rebuild the regiment was slow in the post-war years and but by May of 1947 the regiment had over 1,000 men in ranks. However by 1949 the 299th RCT was at full strength and equipped with new weapons and gear, taking part in a large military review with the 298th RCT at Schofield Barracks. In 1959 the 299th RCT was deactivated and the 299th Infantry with its 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions transferred to form the 29th Infantry Brigade Hawaii Army National Guard.

Vietnam Activation

In May 1968 the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 299th was called to active duty under its parrent unit the 29th Infantry Brigade. The 299th reported to Schofield to begin training for any possible deployment to Vietnam or other Asian hotspot(i.e. Korea) The 29th SIB was to serve as a strategic reserve for the Army since active duty units such as the 25th Infantry Division were tied up fighting in Vietnam. According to Hawaii's political leadership at the time, the 299th and the 29th Brigade were never intended to deploy to Vietnam when they were federalized. Nonetheless many soldiers from the 299th went to Vietnam as individual replacements, serving in the active duty units that were already in country. Some 1,500 Hawaii Guard soldiers would serve in Vietnam during the 29th's mobilization, the majority of them coming from the 299th. Among those men sent to South East Asia from the 299th, thirteen gave their lives in service to their country. They are:

1st Battalion

• SGT. Gaylord K. DeFries
• SP4. Rudy Aquino
• SP4. Walter D. Browne
• SP4. David Laamea
• SP4. John S. Otake
• PFC. Earl C.M. Au Hoy

2nd Battalion

• 1LT. John K. Kauhaihao
• SFC. Edward L. Loo JR
• SGT. Wilfredo B. Andrada
• SP4. Frank T. Longakit
• SP4. Alberto Milar JR
• PFC. Dennis R. Penis
• PFC. Glenn T. Shibata

Iraq War

In August 2004 the 2nd Battalion 299th was activated for deployment to Iraq with the 29th BCT(the 1st Battalion having been decommissioned since Vietnam). The 2-299th began train-up at Schofield Barracks before moving to Ft. Bliss in October of 2004. The bulk of the battalion's training was done at Camp McGreggor near FT. Bliss. In January of 2005 the battalion completed combat certification at JRTC in Ft. Polk, and began arriving in Iraq in February. The 2-299th was based out of Camp Victory

Camp Victory

Camp Victory is the primary component of the Victory Base Complex which occupies the area surrounding the Baghdad International Airport . The Al-Faw Palace, which served as the headquarters for the Multi-National Corps - Iraq , is located on Camp Victory...

 in Baghdad

Baghdad

Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...

 were it was charged with base defense (i.e. manning the ECP's, guard towers and providing Quick Reaction Forces). In addition the battalion was also responsible for security in the areas and neighborhoods surrounding the base (such as Al Furat, Makasib and parts of Route Irish) conducting patrols and cordon and search missions to capture, kill, or disrupt the insurgents in the area. During the 2-299th's deployment the battalion's strength was augmented by the attachment of Aco. 2-297th Infantry from the Alaska National Guard

Alaska National Guard

The Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs manages military and veterans affairs for the U.S. state of Alaska. It comprises a number of subdepartments, including the Alaska National Guard, Veterans Affairs, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Alaska Naval...

. The battalion redeployed from Iraq in February of 2006.

Conversion to Cavalry

When the 2-299th Infantry returned from Iraq they began the process of being re-flagged to a RSTA battalion. They would become 1st Battalion 299th Cavalry, a "cav-scout" battalion, and serve as the eyes and ears of the 29th BCT. Many 2-299th soldiers were bitter about the change, but they quickly adapted and in 2007 the 299th Cav officially inherited the lineage, honors and history of their 299th Infantry predecessors.

Regimental campaign history

Campaign participation credits;

World War II

• Central Pacific
• Western Pacific
• Leyte
• Ryukyus

Global War on Terrorism

• Iraq

Regimental honors

The following are the unit awards for the 2-299th

* Meritorious Unit Commendation

Meritorious Unit Commendation

The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....

 (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2005-2006

* Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines)

The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation is a decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which has been awarded to certain units of the United States military for actions both during and subsequent to the Second World War....

, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945