U.S. 24th Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 24th Infantry Regiment was a unit of the United States Army
, active from 1869 until 1951, and again from 1995 until 2006. The regiment is notable for having a colorfully checkered history, with a record of mostly meritorious service and valorous combat performance interspersed with episodes of incompetence among the officer corps and conduct unbecoming U.S. soldiers.
The regiment was originally organized in the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War as a segregated unit of African American
s. The regiment was posted to the western frontier
, where it got the nickname of Buffalo Soldiers.
Later it was deployed overseas and saw combat in the Spanish-American War
and the Philippine Insurrection. From 1916 until 1919, the 24th Infantry patrolled the border with Mexico, defending against cross-border incursions by Mexican rebels. In 1917, the 1st Battalion was placed on temporary duty near Houston, Texas
. Provoked by racist maltreatment, soldiers of the 1st Bn, 24th Infantry mutinied and came into conflict with local civilians, in what has been called the Houston or Camp Logan Riot
. Both soldiers and civilians were killed in the conflict; numerous soldiers were later court-martialled, and some of those convicted were eventually executed.
The 24th Regiment served honorably in the Pacific Theatre
during World War II
. Despite the desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948, the 24th Infantry remained predominantly African–American, with an officer corps of both African and European American
s. During the Korean War
, the regiment was noted for its poor performance in several battles. Although morale and performance gradually improved, especially after an overhaul in leadership, its reputation could not be overcome, and the unit was dissolved in 1951.
The 24th Infantry was re-instituted in 1995 and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. The regiment performed admirably in the Iraq War from 2004 to 2005, and was decorated for its service. In 2006, during a re-organization of the Army, the regiment was re-flagged; however, the 1st Battalion was not included, and so it alone retains the regimental designation and carries on its legacy. It is now part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team (Stryker), 25th Infantry Division at Fort Wainwright
, Alaska
.
regiments) was organized on November 1, 1869 from the 38th and 41st (Colored) Infantry Regiments. All the enlisted soldiers were black, either veterans of the U.S. Colored Troops or freedmen. From its activation to 1898, the 24th Infantry served throughout the Western United States. Its missions included garrisoning frontier posts, battling American Indians, protecting roadways against bandits, and guarding the border between the United States and Mexico.
. Elements of the 24th participated in the storming of the Spanish fortress in the Battle of El Caney
. At the climactic battle of San Juan Hill
, supported by intensive fire from the Gatling Gun Detachment
, units of the 24th Infantry, accompanied by elements of the 6th and 13th
Infantry Regiments, assaulted and seized the Spanish-held blockhouse and trench system atop San Juan Hill.
In 1899 the Regiment deployed to the Philippine Islands to help suppress a guerrilla movement in the Philippine-American War
. The Regiment returned to the Islands in 1905 and 1911. Though the 24th fought a number of battles in the Philippines, one of the most notable occurred on December 7, 1899, when 9 soldiers from the Regiment routed 100 guerrillas from their trenches.
from spilling on to U.S. soil. When it did, the 24th joined the "Punitive Expedition
" under General Pershing and entered Mexico to fight Pancho Villa
's forces. In 1919, rebels and troops of the Mexican government fought in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, which borders the U.S. city of El Paso, Texas
. The 24th Infantry crossed over again to engage the rebels, ensuring that no violence erupted across the U.S. border.
was a mutiny by 150 black soldiers of the Twenty-fourth United States Infantry, called the Camp Logan Riots. Sergeant Vida Henry of I Company, 3rd Battalion led about 150 black soldiers in a two-hour march on Houston because they had suffered racial discrimination in the city.
The soldiers were met by local policemen and a great crowd of Houston residents, who had armed themselves. When the soldiers killed Captain J.W. Mattes of the Illinois National Guard (after mistaking him for a local policeman), the Battalion fell into disarray. Sgt. Henry shot himself, distraught over having killed another serviceman. In their two-hour march on the city, the Battalion killed 15 armed whites, including four policemen, and seriously wounded 12 others, one of whom, a policeman, subsequently died. Four black soldiers were killed. Two were accidentally shot by their own men, one in camp and the other on San Felipe Street. The riot lasted one afternoon, and resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and 15 civilians. The rioters were tried at three courts-martial. Fourteen were executed, and 41 were given life sentences.
as School Troops for the Infantry School
. They participated in the Carolina Maneuvers of October – December 1941. During World War II, the 24th Infantry fought in the South Pacific Theater as a separate regiment. Deploying on April 4, 1942 from the San Francisco Port of Embarkation, the Regiment arrived in the New Hebrides Islands on May 4, 1942. The 24th moved to Guadalcanal
on August 28, 1943, and was assigned to the US XVI Corps. 1st Battalion deployed to Bougainville
, attached to the 37th Infantry Division, from March to May, 1944 for Perimeter Defense Duty. The Regiment departed Guadalcanal on December 8, 1944, and landed on Saipan
and Tinian
on December 19, 1944 for Garrison Duty that included mopping up the remaining Japanese forces that had yet to surrender. The Regiment was assigned to the Pacific Ocean Area Command on March 15, 1945, and then to the Central Pacific Base Command on May 15, 1945, and to the Western pacific Base Command on June 22, 1945.
The Regiment departed Saipan
and Tinian
on July 9, 1945, and arrived on the Kerama Islands off Okinawa on July 29, 1945. At the end of the war, the 24th took the surrender of forces on the island of Aka-shima, the first formal surrender of a Japanese Imperial Army Garrison. The Regiment remained on Okinawa through 1946.
.
The 24th Infantry fought throughout the entire Korean peninsula, from the defense of the "Pusan Perimeter" to its breakout and the pursuit of communist forces well into North Korea, to the Chinese counteroffensives, and finally to U.N. counteroffensives that stabilized near the current Demilitarized Zone. The Regiment received the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its defense of the Pusan Perimeter. The regiment also had two posthumous Medal of Honor
recipients, Cornelius H. Charlton
and William Thompson
.
The cases of Lieutenant Leon Gilbert
, court martialed for refusing an order from the 24th's commanding officer (who was white), and of some other members of the 24th, helped bring greater attention to problems of segregation and discrimination within the U.S. military.
The landing at Inchon
by U.S. and ROK forces on September 15 finally compelled the North Koreans to withdraw from the Pusan Perimeter. The 24th Infantry was divided into Task Forces Blair and Corley (named for their commanders), and they, along with several from other commands, began pursuing the enemy on September 27.
The 25th Division remained in South Korea until ordered north in late November to participate in the Chongchon operation. Later in November, overwhelming assaults by Chinese troops forced the U.S. Eighth Army to withdraw. On November 29, the Chinese 40th Army flanked the 24th Infantry's line north of the Chongchon River in North Korea, forcing the neighboring 9th Regiment of the 2nd Division to withdraw.
On November 30, the 3/24th was at Kunu-ri, on the division's open right flank, with Chinese troops behind it. With the help of air support, the battalion extricated itself, losing one soldier killed, 30 wounded and 109 missing. Overall, the 24th Infantry lost one-fifth of its officers and one-third of its enlisted men in the withdrawal across the Chongchon. Colonel Corley blamed the disarray of the 3rd Battalion on its commander, Lt. Col. Melvin E. Blair, whom he summarily relieved.
The Eighth Army's withdrawal did not cease until the force was well below the 39th parallel north
. But by early March 1951, the American and ROK troops were again ready for a full-scale offensive.
On March 6, the 25th Division advanced across the Han River
. The 1/24th did well, moving over difficult terrain against an entrenched enemy. The 3rd Battalion initially also performed well, executing a hastily devised river crossing and advancing through rough country against well dug-in Chinese troops, far from the 1st Battalion. While climbing up steep terrain, however, the 1/24th reportedly collapsed under Chinese fire and withdrew in disorder. When the division commander learned of that action, his confidence in the 24th plummeted. Many soldiers of the 24th ran away from the fight, tossing their weapons and equipment aside. A derisive poem throughout the U.S. Army stated:
When them Chinese mortars begins to thud, the Old Deuce-Four begin to bug.
Although the 24th performed well in the attack north of the Han and the subsequent general withdrawal of the Eighth Army after the Chinese spring offensive of 1951, its reputation was somewhat tarnished. But it performed well in the Army's drive back north in May and June 1951.
In August, the regiment's new commander, Colonel Thomas D. Gillis, prodded by the division commander, closely examined the 24th's record in Korea. Determining that leadership had been the problem, he relieved a number of officers. After the change in command, Company F conducted a valiant bayonet and grenade charge on September 15. But, the positive performance of Company F was ignored by higher commands and the news media. By October 1, 1951, the 24th had passed into history.
desegregated the United States military in 1948. On October 1, 1951, the Deuce-Four was inactivated, and the soldiers were dispersed to other units. These soldiers continued to serve proudly on active duty through the 1980s. It was not until August 24, 1995 that the 24th was reactivated.
The 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment served as part of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry (Lightning) Division from August 24, 1995 to September, 2006 in Fort Lewis
, Washington. The battalion was reflagged in December, 2006 in Fort Wainwright
, Alaska.
They were assigned to the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division 'Lightning' (a Stryker brigade), and served in Iraq from October 2004 to October 2005. The Battalion came home with 5 Silver Star
s, 31 Bronze Stars, and 181 Purple Heart
s and played a crucial role in the Battle of Mosul (2004)
. During that battle, the Battalion saw some of the heaviest, sustained fighting of the insurgency to date. The unit was also awarded with the Valorous Unit Award
as being part of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (SBCT).
The unit has now been reflagged as the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment and moved to Vilseck
, Germany. The 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment has replaced the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment of the now decommissioned 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team as of December 14, 2006. The 1–24 Inf. is now part of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division based in Fort Wainwright
, Alaska.
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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...
, active from 1869 until 1951, and again from 1995 until 2006. The regiment is notable for having a colorfully checkered history, with a record of mostly meritorious service and valorous combat performance interspersed with episodes of incompetence among the officer corps and conduct unbecoming U.S. soldiers.
The regiment was originally organized in the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War as a segregated unit of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s. The regiment was posted to the western frontier
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
, where it got the nickname of Buffalo Soldiers.
Later it was deployed overseas and saw combat in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and the Philippine Insurrection. From 1916 until 1919, the 24th Infantry patrolled the border with Mexico, defending against cross-border incursions by Mexican rebels. In 1917, the 1st Battalion was placed on temporary duty near Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. Provoked by racist maltreatment, soldiers of the 1st Bn, 24th Infantry mutinied and came into conflict with local civilians, in what has been called the Houston or Camp Logan Riot
Houston Riot (1917)
The Houston Riot of 1917, or Camp Logan Riot, was a mutiny by 156 African American soldiers of the Third Battalion of the all-black Twenty-fourth United States Infantry. It occupied most of one night, and resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and sixteen civilians. The rioting soldiers were tried...
. Both soldiers and civilians were killed in the conflict; numerous soldiers were later court-martialled, and some of those convicted were eventually executed.
The 24th Regiment served honorably in the Pacific Theatre
Pacific Theatre
Pacific Theater or Pacific Theatre may refer to*Pacific Ocean Theater, a theater of operations during the Spanish-American War*Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I* Pacific War**Pacific Ocean theater of World War II...
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...
. Despite the desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948, the 24th Infantry remained predominantly African–American, with an officer corps of both African and European American
European American
A European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
s. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the regiment was noted for its poor performance in several battles. Although morale and performance gradually improved, especially after an overhaul in leadership, its reputation could not be overcome, and the unit was dissolved in 1951.
The 24th Infantry was re-instituted in 1995 and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. The regiment performed admirably in the Iraq War from 2004 to 2005, and was decorated for its service. In 2006, during a re-organization of the Army, the regiment was re-flagged; however, the 1st Battalion was not included, and so it alone retains the regimental designation and carries on its legacy. It is now part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team (Stryker), 25th Infantry Division at Fort Wainwright
Fort Wainwright
Fort Wainwright is a United States Army post adjacent to Fairbanks in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is part of the Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
History
The 24th Infantry Regiment (one of the Buffalo SoldierBuffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas....
regiments) was organized on November 1, 1869 from the 38th and 41st (Colored) Infantry Regiments. All the enlisted soldiers were black, either veterans of the U.S. Colored Troops or freedmen. From its activation to 1898, the 24th Infantry served throughout the Western United States. Its missions included garrisoning frontier posts, battling American Indians, protecting roadways against bandits, and guarding the border between the United States and Mexico.
Spanish-American War
The year 1898 saw the 24th Infantry deployed to Cuba as part of the U.S. Expeditionary Force in the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. Elements of the 24th participated in the storming of the Spanish fortress in the Battle of El Caney
Battle of El Caney
The Battle of El Caney was fought on July 1, 1898, during the Spanish-American War.-Background:At El Caney, Cuba, 514 Spanish regular soldiers, together with approximately 100 armed Spanish loyalists under the command of General Joaquín Vara de Rey were instructed to hold the northwest flank of...
. At the climactic battle of San Juan Hill
San Juan Hill
San Juan Hill is a series of hills to the east of Santiago, Cuba running north to south and known as the San Juan Heights or in Spanish "Alturas de San Juan" before Spanish-American War of 1898...
, supported by intensive fire from the Gatling Gun Detachment
John Henry Parker (General)
General John Henry Parker aka "Gatling Gun Parker" was a brigadier general in the United States Army. He is best known for his role as the commander of the Gatling Gun Detachment of the U.S...
, units of the 24th Infantry, accompanied by elements of the 6th and 13th
13th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 13th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment whose battalions are currently tasked as basic training battalions.- History :...
Infantry Regiments, assaulted and seized the Spanish-held blockhouse and trench system atop San Juan Hill.
Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. The Regiment returned to the Islands in 1905 and 1911. Though the 24th fought a number of battles in the Philippines, one of the most notable occurred on December 7, 1899, when 9 soldiers from the Regiment routed 100 guerrillas from their trenches.
Mexican Border
In 1916 the 24th Infantry guarded the U.S.-Mexico border to keep the Mexican RevolutionMexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
from spilling on to U.S. soil. When it did, the 24th joined the "Punitive Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
The Pancho Villa Expedition—officially known in the United States as the Mexican Expedition and sometimes colloquially referred to as the Punitive Expedition—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican insurgent Francisco "Pancho" Villa...
" under General Pershing and entered Mexico to fight Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
's forces. In 1919, rebels and troops of the Mexican government fought in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, which borders the U.S. city of El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. The 24th Infantry crossed over again to engage the rebels, ensuring that no violence erupted across the U.S. border.
Pre-World War I and the Houston Riot
The Houston Riot (1917)Houston Riot (1917)
The Houston Riot of 1917, or Camp Logan Riot, was a mutiny by 156 African American soldiers of the Third Battalion of the all-black Twenty-fourth United States Infantry. It occupied most of one night, and resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and sixteen civilians. The rioting soldiers were tried...
was a mutiny by 150 black soldiers of the Twenty-fourth United States Infantry, called the Camp Logan Riots. Sergeant Vida Henry of I Company, 3rd Battalion led about 150 black soldiers in a two-hour march on Houston because they had suffered racial discrimination in the city.
The soldiers were met by local policemen and a great crowd of Houston residents, who had armed themselves. When the soldiers killed Captain J.W. Mattes of the Illinois National Guard (after mistaking him for a local policeman), the Battalion fell into disarray. Sgt. Henry shot himself, distraught over having killed another serviceman. In their two-hour march on the city, the Battalion killed 15 armed whites, including four policemen, and seriously wounded 12 others, one of whom, a policeman, subsequently died. Four black soldiers were killed. Two were accidentally shot by their own men, one in camp and the other on San Felipe Street. The riot lasted one afternoon, and resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and 15 civilians. The rioters were tried at three courts-martial. Fourteen were executed, and 41 were given life sentences.
World War II
At the start of World War II, the 24th IR was stationed at Fort BenningFort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
as School Troops for the Infantry School
United States Army Infantry School
The United States Army Infantry School is located in Fort Benning, Georgia. It is made up of the following components:*192d Infantry Brigade...
. They participated in the Carolina Maneuvers of October – December 1941. During World War II, the 24th Infantry fought in the South Pacific Theater as a separate regiment. Deploying on April 4, 1942 from the San Francisco Port of Embarkation, the Regiment arrived in the New Hebrides Islands on May 4, 1942. The 24th moved to Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
on August 28, 1943, and was assigned to the US XVI Corps. 1st Battalion deployed to Bougainville
Bougainville campaign (1944-45)
The Bougainville campaign was fought by the Allies in the South Pacific during World War II to regain control of the island of Bougainville from the Japanese forces who had occupied it in 1942. During their occupation the Japanese constructed naval aircraft bases in the north, east, and south of...
, attached to the 37th Infantry Division, from March to May, 1944 for Perimeter Defense Duty. The Regiment departed Guadalcanal on December 8, 1944, and landed on Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
and Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
on December 19, 1944 for Garrison Duty that included mopping up the remaining Japanese forces that had yet to surrender. The Regiment was assigned to the Pacific Ocean Area Command on March 15, 1945, and then to the Central Pacific Base Command on May 15, 1945, and to the Western pacific Base Command on June 22, 1945.
The Regiment departed Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
and Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
on July 9, 1945, and arrived on the Kerama Islands off Okinawa on July 29, 1945. At the end of the war, the 24th took the surrender of forces on the island of Aka-shima, the first formal surrender of a Japanese Imperial Army Garrison. The Regiment remained on Okinawa through 1946.
Korean War
From the end of World War II through 1947, the 24th occupied Okinawa, Japan, after which it relocated to Gifu, Japan. On February 1, 1947, the regiment reorganized as a permanent regiment of the 25th Infantry Division. In late June 1950, soon after North Korea invaded South Korea, the 24th deployed to Korea to assist in the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
The 24th Infantry fought throughout the entire Korean peninsula, from the defense of the "Pusan Perimeter" to its breakout and the pursuit of communist forces well into North Korea, to the Chinese counteroffensives, and finally to U.N. counteroffensives that stabilized near the current Demilitarized Zone. The Regiment received the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its defense of the Pusan Perimeter. The regiment also had two posthumous Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients, Cornelius H. Charlton
Cornelius H. Charlton
Cornelius H. Charlton was a United States Army soldier and a posthumous recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Korean War.-Biography:...
and William Thompson
William Thompson (Medal of Honor, 1950)
William Henry Thompson was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Korean War....
.
The cases of Lieutenant Leon Gilbert
Leon Gilbert
Leon Aaron Gilbert, Jr. , of York, Pennsylvania was a decorated World War II combat veteran and a lieutenant in the all-Negro 24th U. S. Infantry Regiment that fought in the Korean War...
, court martialed for refusing an order from the 24th's commanding officer (who was white), and of some other members of the 24th, helped bring greater attention to problems of segregation and discrimination within the U.S. military.
The landing at Inchon
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
by U.S. and ROK forces on September 15 finally compelled the North Koreans to withdraw from the Pusan Perimeter. The 24th Infantry was divided into Task Forces Blair and Corley (named for their commanders), and they, along with several from other commands, began pursuing the enemy on September 27.
The 25th Division remained in South Korea until ordered north in late November to participate in the Chongchon operation. Later in November, overwhelming assaults by Chinese troops forced the U.S. Eighth Army to withdraw. On November 29, the Chinese 40th Army flanked the 24th Infantry's line north of the Chongchon River in North Korea, forcing the neighboring 9th Regiment of the 2nd Division to withdraw.
On November 30, the 3/24th was at Kunu-ri, on the division's open right flank, with Chinese troops behind it. With the help of air support, the battalion extricated itself, losing one soldier killed, 30 wounded and 109 missing. Overall, the 24th Infantry lost one-fifth of its officers and one-third of its enlisted men in the withdrawal across the Chongchon. Colonel Corley blamed the disarray of the 3rd Battalion on its commander, Lt. Col. Melvin E. Blair, whom he summarily relieved.
The Eighth Army's withdrawal did not cease until the force was well below the 39th parallel north
39th parallel north
The 39th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 39 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
. But by early March 1951, the American and ROK troops were again ready for a full-scale offensive.
On March 6, the 25th Division advanced across the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
. The 1/24th did well, moving over difficult terrain against an entrenched enemy. The 3rd Battalion initially also performed well, executing a hastily devised river crossing and advancing through rough country against well dug-in Chinese troops, far from the 1st Battalion. While climbing up steep terrain, however, the 1/24th reportedly collapsed under Chinese fire and withdrew in disorder. When the division commander learned of that action, his confidence in the 24th plummeted. Many soldiers of the 24th ran away from the fight, tossing their weapons and equipment aside. A derisive poem throughout the U.S. Army stated:
When them Chinese mortars begins to thud, the Old Deuce-Four begin to bug.
Although the 24th performed well in the attack north of the Han and the subsequent general withdrawal of the Eighth Army after the Chinese spring offensive of 1951, its reputation was somewhat tarnished. But it performed well in the Army's drive back north in May and June 1951.
In August, the regiment's new commander, Colonel Thomas D. Gillis, prodded by the division commander, closely examined the 24th's record in Korea. Determining that leadership had been the problem, he relieved a number of officers. After the change in command, Company F conducted a valiant bayonet and grenade charge on September 15. But, the positive performance of Company F was ignored by higher commands and the news media. By October 1, 1951, the 24th had passed into history.
Desegregation
Executive Order 9981Executive Order 9981
Executive Order 9981 is an executive order issued on July 26, 1948 by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. It expanded on Executive Order 8802 by establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services for people of all races, religions, or national origins."In 1947, Randolph, along...
desegregated the United States military in 1948. On October 1, 1951, the Deuce-Four was inactivated, and the soldiers were dispersed to other units. These soldiers continued to serve proudly on active duty through the 1980s. It was not until August 24, 1995 that the 24th was reactivated.
Modern legacy
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington. The battalion was reflagged in December, 2006 in Fort Wainwright
Fort Wainwright
Fort Wainwright is a United States Army post adjacent to Fairbanks in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is part of the Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Alaska.
They were assigned to the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division 'Lightning' (a Stryker brigade), and served in Iraq from October 2004 to October 2005. The Battalion came home with 5 Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
s, 31 Bronze Stars, and 181 Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
s and played a crucial role in the Battle of Mosul (2004)
Battle of Mosul (2004)
The Battle for Mosul was a battle fought during the Iraq War in 2004 for the capital of the Ninawa Governorate in northern Iraq that occurred concurrently to fighting in Fallujah.- Prelude :...
. During that battle, the Battalion saw some of the heaviest, sustained fighting of the insurgency to date. The unit was also awarded with the Valorous Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award
The Valorous Unit Award is the second highest unit decoration which may be bestowed upon a U.S. Army unit and is considered the unit equivalent of the Silver Star...
as being part of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (SBCT).
The unit has now been reflagged as the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment and moved to Vilseck
Vilseck
Vilseck is a town in the Oberpfalz region of northeastern Bavaria, Germany situated on the river Vils, a tributary of the Naab river.The town is geographically separate from a nearby large American military base known as the Rose Barracks but more commonly referred to as Vilseck...
, Germany. The 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment has replaced the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment of the now decommissioned 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team as of December 14, 2006. The 1–24 Inf. is now part of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division based in Fort Wainwright
Fort Wainwright
Fort Wainwright is a United States Army post adjacent to Fairbanks in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is part of the Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Alaska.
Regimental Badge
- Description:
- On a blue field a block house of masonry with tower, walls in color of grey stone, roofs yellow.
- On a yellow scroll, the words "SAN JUAN" in blue.
- All encircled by a yellow band bearing the motto in blue "SEMPER PARATUS" (Always Prepared).
- Symbolism: The design commemorates the gallant service of the regiment in the Santiago campaign of 1898.
- Background:
- The badge was approved on 1920-03-27.
- The badge is used as the crest on the organizational colors. The breast of the eagle on the colors is feathered.
Distinctive Unit Insignia
- Description:
- A gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/4 inches (3.18 cm) in width overall consisting of a blue disc bearing a white blockhouse with tower masoned and roofed gold below a gold scroll inscribed "SAN JUAN" in blue letters.
- Attached below the disc a gold scroll turned blue and inscribed "SEMPER PARATUS" in blue letters.
- Symbolism:
- Blue is the color associated with Infantry.
- The house with tower depicts a blockhouse at San Juan Santiago de Cuba and commemorates the 1898 campaign service of the regiment.
- Background:
- The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 24th Infantry on 1923-01-21.
- It was amended to correct the motto on 1923-03-21.
- Amended to add the authorization for wear of the DUI on 1923-05-07.
- Amended to add to the authorization for wear of the DUI on 1925-09-21.
- On 1925-10-23 it was amended to change the appearance of the DUI.
- The insignia was cancelled and a new insignia authorized on 1927-05-17.
Lineage
- Constituted 1866-07-28 in the Regular Army as the 38th Infantry Regiment38th Infantry Regiment (United States)The 38th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment.-First 38th Infantry Regiment:The 38th Infantry was first established on July 28, 1866, as part of the Regular Army, one of six segregated, all-black regiments created following the Civil War...
- Organized 1866-10-01 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri
- Consolidated 1869-03-15 with the 41st Infantry41st Infantry Regiment (United States)The U.S. 41st Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. Its 1st Battalion is currently assigned to the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division...
, and consolidated unit redesignated as the 24th Infantry - Started World War II Stationed at Fort BenningFort BenningFort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
- Participated in the Carolina Maneuvers of October–December, 1941.
- Departed San Francisco Port of Embarkation April, 1942.
- Arrived in New HebridesNew HebridesNew Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
on 1942-05-04. - Northern Solomons Campaign started on 1943-02-22.
- Arrived on GuadalcanalGuadalcanalGuadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
on 1943-08-28, and was assigned to XIV Corps. - 1st Battalion deployed to BougainvilleBougainville IslandBougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
March–May, 1944 for Perimeter Defense Duty. - Western Pacific Campaign commenced on 1944-06-15.
- Northern Solomons Campaign concluded on 1944-11-21.
- 1st Battalion joined the Regiment, and they all departed Guadalcanal on 1944-12-08.
- Landed on SaipanSaipanSaipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
and TinianTinianTinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
1944-12-19 for garrison duty, which included mopping up remaining Japanese forces there. - Assigned to Pacific Ocean Area Command on 1945-03-15.
- Assigned to Central Pacific Base Command on 1945-05-15.
- Assigned to Western Pacific Base Command on 1945-06-22.
- Left SaipanSaipanSaipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
and TinianTinianTinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
on 1945-07-09. - Arrived Kerama Islands off Okinawa on 1945-07-29.
- Was located on Okinawa on 1945-08-14, which is when the Japanese Surrendered.
- Western Pacific Campaign concluded on 1945-09-02.
- Unit remained on Okinawa until the start of the Korean War.
- Assigned 1947-02-01 to the 25th Infantry Division
- Relieved 1951-08-01 from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division
- Inactivated 1951-10-01 in Korea
- Reorganized 1995-08-16 as a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental SystemU.S. Army Regimental SystemThe United States Army Regimental System was established in 1981 to replace the Combat Arms Regimental System, to provide each Soldier with continuous identification with a single regiment, and to support that concept with a personnel system that would increase a soldier’s probability of serving...
- The 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment returned to Fort Lewis from Iraq in September 2005
- Inactivated on 1 June 2006
- Reactivated on 16 December 2006, the 1st Battalion only, and attached as an element of the of the 1st Brigade Combat Team (Stryker), 25th Infantry Division at Fort WainwrightFort WainwrightFort Wainwright is a United States Army post adjacent to Fairbanks in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is part of the Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
Campaign Participation Credit
- Indian Wars:
- Comanches
- Spanish-American War:
- Santiago
- Philippine-American War:
- San Isidro;
- Luzon 1900
- World War II:
- Northern Solomons;
- Western Pacific
- Korean War:
- UN Defensive;
- UN Offensive;
- CCF Intervention;
- First UN Counteroffensive;
- CCF Spring Offensive;
- UN Summer-Fall Offensive
Decorations
- Presidential Unit CitationPresidential Unit CitationThe Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy...
for MASAN-CHINJU. - Valorous Unit AwardValorous Unit AwardThe Valorous Unit Award is the second highest unit decoration which may be bestowed upon a U.S. Army unit and is considered the unit equivalent of the Silver Star...
for Battle of MosulBattle of MosulBattle of Mosul can refer to several historical battles that took place in or near the city of Mosul in Iraq:* Battle of Mosul , a battle of the Second Khazar-Arab War that took place in 731 CE between the Khazar Khaganate and the Umayyad Caliphate...
.
Sources
Books
- United States Army Center of Military History Volume 70-65; Black Soldier/White Army: The 24th Infantry Regiment in Korea (Clothbound Edition)].
- United States Army Center of Military History Volume 70-65-1; Black Soldier/White Army: The 24th Infantry Regiment in Korea (Paperback Edition)].
External links
- Index of Research Collection for the 24th Infantry Regiment at the United States Army Center of Military History
- ENGAGEMENTS by the BUFFALO SOLDIERS AND SEMINOLE-NEGRO INDIAN SCOUTS