338th Regiment (United States)

The 338th Infantry Regiment was a National Army Infantry Regiment first organized for service in World War I as part of the 85th Infantry Division in Europe. It later served in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II. Since then it has served as a training Regiment, training Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers for service in support of the Global War on Terror.[2][3]

338th Infantry Regiment
Regimental Distinctive Unit Insignia
Active	1917-1919 1921-1945 1946–present
Country	USA
Branch	U.S. Army
Role	Infantry
Size	Regiment
Part of	First Army
Motto(s)	Marchons
Anniversaries	Constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation Army Superior Unit Award
Battle honours	World War I World War II
Insignia
The Regiment wears the 85th Division shoulder sleeve insignia[1]
First Army shoulder sleeve insignia (worn 2007-2018)[1]
Coat of Arms

U.S. Infantry Regiments
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337th Infantry Regiment	340th Infantry Regiment

Service history

World War I

The regiment was constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army as the 338th Infantry and assigned to the 169th Infantry Brigade of the 85th Division. It was organized at Camp Custer, Michigan, on 30 August 1917. In August 1917, the regiment was organized with 3,755 officers and enlisted men:

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company- 303
  • Supply Company- 140
  • Machine Gun Company- 178
  • Medical & Chaplain Detachment- 56
• Infantry Battalion (x3)- 1,026
  • Headquarters- 2
  • Rifle Company (x4)- 256[4]

The Doughboys of the regiment deployed to France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces and were billeted in the cities of Nevers and Cosne. The regiment didn't participate in any named campaigns during the war; its Infantrymen were used as individual replacements to the fighting Divisions.[5][6][7] After completing its war service in France it was demobilized at Camp Custer on 14 April 1919.[8][9]

Between the World Wars

The 338th Infantry was reconstituted 24 June 1921 and assigned to the 85th Division (later redesignated as the 85th Infantry Division). The headquarters was at Lansing, Michigan.[1]

World War II

The 338th Infantry was ordered into active military service 15 May 1942 and reorganized at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. In July 1943, the regiment was organized with 3,256 officers and enlisted men:[10]

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company- 111
  • Service Company- 114
  • Anti-Tank Company- 165
  • Cannon Company- 118
  • Medical Detachment- 135
• Infantry Battalion (x3)- 871
  • Headquarters & Headquarters Company- 126
  • Rifle Company (x3)- 193
  • Weapons Company- 156

The regiment departed Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation in December 1943 aboard the USS General William A. Mann[11][12] with its supporting 329th Field Artillery Battalion.[13] Arriving in Italy on March 14, the 339th Regimental Combat Team was attached to the 88th Infantry Division and became the first regiment of the 85th to see combat during World War II on the Minturno-Castelforte front north of Naples, on 28 March. After service in the Mediterranean Theater it was disbanded 25 August 1945 at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia.[1][14] [15] [16]

Post World War II

The 338th Infantry was reconstituted 6 November 1946 in the Organized Reserves and assigned to the 85th Infantry Division with headquarters at Peoria, Illinois. On 9 July 1952, the Organized Reserve was redesignated the Army Reserve. On 1 April 1952, the headquarters was relocated to Danville, Illinois. On 1 June 1959 the 338th Infantry was reorganized as a training unit and was redesignated as the 338th Regiment, an element of the 85th Division (Training), with headquarters at Chicago, Illinois.[1]

Current assignment

As part of Operation Bold Shift, the 338th mission is to train Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers for war service before dispatch to the War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, or elsewhere. [17][18]All three battalions are elements of the 85th Support Command under the operational control of First Army. As of 2018, the 1st Battalion is stationed at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, with the 181st Infantry Brigade,[19] while the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are stationed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, with the 157th Infantry Brigade. Each battalion provides Observer/Controllers to the NTC and JRTC to train units conducting rotations as well as conducting exercises at their home stations.[20]

• 
  Camp Custer, Michigan
• 
  Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation
• 
  USS General W. A. Mann
• 
  Welcome Home, Camp Patrick Henry
• 
  Spring Offensive, Italy 1945
• 
  IV Corps operations, Italy April 1945
• 
  1st Battalion training deploying soldiers from the 101st Engineer Battalion September, 2009

Campaign streamers

Conflict	Streamer	Year(s)
World War I	No Inscription
World War II	Rome-Arno[21]	1944
	North Apennines[22]	1944-1945
	Po Valley[23]	1945

[1]

Decorations

Ribbon	Award	Year	Subordinate Elements	Embroidered	Notes
	Presidential Unit Citation	1944	Entire Regiment	Mount Altuzzo	General Orders #9, 21 October 1947[24]
	Army Superior Unit Award	2003-2004	1st Battalion	2003-2004	Permanent Order 232-07, 20 August 2007[25] & General Order 2009-23 [26]
	Army Superior Unit Award	2004-2006	2nd and 3rd Battalions	2004-2006	Permanent Order 202-27, 21 July 2009[27] & General Order 2013-16 [28]
	Army Superior Unit Award	2008-2011	Entire Regiment	2008-2011	Permanent Orders 332-07 announcing award of the Army Superior Unit award
None	Secretary of the Army Superior Unit Certificate	1961-1962	Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion	None	DA GO 14, 20 March 1963

[29][30]

References

1. https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/regt/0338rgt.htm Lineage & Honors Certificate
2. Mahon, John K.; Danysh, Romana (1972). Infantry Part I: Regular Army (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History.
3. "337th Infantry Regiment (85th Infantry Division)". Military.com.
4. Maneuver and Firepower p56
5. ORDER OF BATTLE OF THE UNITED STATES LAND FORCES IN THE WORLD WAR p377
6. Reports of the Commander-in-Chief, Staff Sections and Services p14-18
7. Maneuver and Firepower p69
8. "Order of battle for the 77th Infantry Division in World War I" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
9. Military Map of the United States in 1918
10. Maneuver and Firepower p183
11. http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22112.htm Naval Source Online USS General W. A. Mann (AP-112) (1943 - 1949)
12. https://history.army.mil/documents/WWII/wwii_Troopships.pdf Troopships of WWII
13. http://www.custermen.com/85CD.htm Custermen
14. http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-20/index.html Rome Arno Commemorative Publication
15. http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-34/index.html North Apennines Commemorative Publication
16. http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-33/index.html Po Valley Commemorative Publication
17. "First Army Additional Input to the National Commission on the Future of the Army" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
18. https://www.army.mil/article/157956/first_army_completing_bold_shift_transformation First Army completing 'Bold Shift' transformation
19. "181st Infantry Brigade". First Army Division West. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
20. "157th Infantry Brigade". First Army Division East. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
21. Rome Arno Commemorative Publication
22. North Apennines Commemorative Publication
23. Po Valley Commemorative Publication
24. https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/go4709.pdf General Orders #9, 1947
25. https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/HRC/2007/232-07_20070820_HRCMD.pdf Permanent Order 232-07, 20 August 2007
26. https://www.hrc.army.mil/asset/16333 Unit Award Index 1987- Present
27. https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/HRC/2009/202-027_20090721_HRCMD.pdf Permanent Order 202-27, 21 July 2009
28. https://www.hrc.army.mil/asset/16333 Unit Award Index 1987- Present
29. "CMH". history.army.mil. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
30. "Permanent Order 332-07" (PDF). Department of the Army. 27 November 2012.

• 338th Regiment Lineage and Honors