167th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 167th Infantry Regiment's history lives on in the 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry, "4th Alabama"; part of the Alabama National Guard. The unit traces its history back to the Seminole Indian wars. They fought at Seven Pines, Second Manassas, Antietam, Gettysburg and The Wilderness among other battles as the 4th Alabama (symbolized in the 13 blue stars on the coat of arms).[1]
167th Infantry Regiment | |
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Coat of arms | |
Active | 1836-present |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | |
Branch | Alabama Army National Guard |
Type | Light Infantry |
Size | Battalion |
Garrison/HQ | Alabama |
Nickname(s) | "4th Alabama"
|
Motto(s) | SIGNA INFEREMUS (We Shall Drive Forward) |
Engagements | American Civil War World War I World War II Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom |
Insignia | |
Distinctive unit insignia |
U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
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Previous | Next |
166th Infantry Regiment | 168th Infantry Regiment |
In 1916, they skirmished with Pancho Villa's bandits along the Mexican border during the Punitive Expedition.
They were under the 42nd Division in World War I and fought in 5 major campaigns, symbolized in the 5 fleurs-de-lis on their coat of arms.[1]
The 167th Regiment was assigned to the 31st Division during World War II and fought in the Pacific in the Battle of the Philippines.
2005 Deployment to Iraq
CAMP SCANIA, Iraq
"Only Company A of the 167th was officially mobilized for Iraq, but in order for the unit to reach the requisite 145 men, soldiers had to be drawn from the 167th's Companies B and C as well. Most of them volunteered. Company A is now an eclectic bunch, representing Alabama National Guard armories in Valley, Heflin, Pelham, Cullman, Childersberg and Talladega."[4]
2007 Deployment to Iraq
Only Company C of the 167th was officially mobilized for Iraq, but in order for the unit to reach the requisite men, soldiers had to be drawn from the 167th's Companies A, B, D, and HHC as well. Most of them volunteered. Many had served previously with Company A two years before, and sought the camaraderie that is unique to this unit. Company C did lack any sense of diversity as a unit, and had to bring in soldiers of color to intermingle with each of the four platoons during the deployment, with as few as two out of forty-five men being of dark complexion. Company C is proudly representing Alabama National Guard armories in Valley, Heflin, Pelham, Cullman, Childersburg and Talladega. The unit's main mission provided critical security escorts from the Kuwaiti border crossing throughout Iraq to all Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). This even included missions to other country's FOBs, such as the South Korean FOB located near the Northern Turkish border. After this mission was complete, many of the soldiers volunteered to extend for several more months while the main body returned home.
"The largest of all 1144th Joint Logistics Task Force elements, the Alabama Company brought 196 members to OIF, of the 210 members that had been activated. Even with four platoons, and three teams (or "chalks") per platoon, there have been times when virtually all company members have been on missions to and from Iraq at the same time."[5]
2012 Deployment to Afghanistan
"In all, the 1-167th Infantry Battalion (Task Force Centurion) deployed to conduct security force missions in support of the NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan (NTM-A) throughout the Afghanistan theater of operations to provide freedom of maneuver for NTM-A and regional support command assets."[6]
The 4th Alabama Tab
The tab was created to honor the 1-167th's Civil War history as the 4th Alabama Regiment,[7] lineage acknowledged by its officially recognized 4th Alabama special designation. Wearing of the tab began in the 1980s but it was not officially authorized due to the unit failing to request the necessary authorization from the Army Institute of Heraldry.[4]
The 1-167th Infantry has been under many different higher commands, including the 31st Infantry Division, the 35th Infantry Division, the 149th Armor Brigade, the 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, the 48th Brigade Combat Team, and the 142nd Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. The 1-167th Infantry is the 3rd maneuver battalion assigned to the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.[8]
Current Structure
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry at Talladega, Alabama
- Company A, 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry at Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Company B, 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry at Pelham, Alabama
- Company C, 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry at Cullman, Alabama
- Company D, 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry at Calera, Alabama
- Forward Support Company (FSC) at Oxford, Alabama
Regimental Commanders
- Col. Laroy S. Graham, May 16, 1945 - [10]
See also
- The Alabama Brigade (American Civil War)
- 31st Infantry Division
References
- "167th Infantry Regiment". www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil. US Army Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- "Newsletter December 2006". Civil War Round Table of Greater Kingston. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- Thomas, Brenda N. (17 November 2011). "New Croix Rouge Farm memorial honors 167th Infantry Regiment". www.al.ngb.army.mil. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- Marshall, Mike (11 December 2005). "The 4th Alabama". Mobile Press-Register. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
- "Task force assists military supply mission". DVIDS. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- Alabama National Guard deploys historic infantry unit again, readMedia, 15 June 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- "Alabama National Guard infantry battalion changes command following Afghanistan deployment". Alabama National Guard. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- https://www.dvidshub.net/image/2997649/1st-battalion-167th-infantry-regiment-assigned-53rd-ibct
- https://www.facebook.com/TaskForceCenturions
- General Orders No. 38, 31st Infantry Division, dated May 16, 1945. Found at: http://www.indianamilitary.org/31STINFDIV/References/GeneralOrders
- Thomas, Brenda. 2012. The Alabama National Guard. New Croix Rouge Farm memorial honors 167th Infantry Regiment. .
- Whitman, Kalisha. 2012. NBC Channel 13 Alabama Alabama National Guard deploys historic infantry unit again.
- Marshall, Mike. 2005. Mobile Register. http://www.al.com/armedforces/mobileregister/index.ssf?stories/december11_05.html
External links
- Task Force Centurion (1-167 IN) Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/TaskForceCenturion
- Pictures of 2005 deployment to Iraq, A Company, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8ax2ZPzxBY
- Afghanistan. 2012. http://blog.al.com/afghanistan/2012/11/alabama_guards_167th_infantry.html
- Iraq 2005-2006. Journal. http://www.submarineboat.com/blown_up.htm
- Pictures from 167th in World War II. https://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesduggar/sets/72157617441304263/