9th Infantry Regiment (United States)

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U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment Coat Of Arms
Active	March 26, 1855 - Present
Country	USA
Branch	Infantry
Type	Regiment
Role	Stryker, Mechanized Infantry
Size	Regiment/3 Battalions
Part of	1/9 INF: 2BCT 2ID 2/9INF: 1BCT 2ID 4/9INF: 4BCT 2ID
Garrison/HQ	1st Battalion: Fort Carson, Colorado 2nd Battalion: Camp Casey, South Korea 4th Battalion: Fort Lewis, Washington
Nickname	Manchu
Motto	Keep Up The Fire!
Colors	Blue and White
Engagements	War of 1812 {1st Battalion} Mexican American War Indian Wars Spanish-American War Boxer Rebellion China Relief Expedition Philippine-American War World War I World War II Panama*Operation Just Cause Iraq War
Commanders
Notable commanders	Colonel Emerson C. Liscom

The 9th Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest and most decorated active units in the United States Army.

1 History
2 Lineage
3 Honors
- 3.1 Campaign Participation Credit
- 3.2 Decorations
4 References

[edit] History

The 1st Battalion has served in the War of 1812, Mexican-American War, the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War, the China Relief Expedition, the Philippine-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and Panama (Operation Just Cause). In 1858 during part of the wars with Native Americans in the West, the 9th was posted at Fort Dalles in Oregon Territory under the command of then Colonel George Wright.^[1]

9th Infantry Regiment lined up before the Meridian Gate, Forbidden City, Beijing, circa 1901. American Minister Edwin H. Conger and family in foreground.

The United States Army dispatched the 9th Infantry Regiment to invade Qing China during the Boxer Rebellion and the so-called China Relief Expedition where the regiment earned the nickname "Manchus".

During the assault on the walled city of Tianjin, three 9th Regiment soldiers won the Medal Of Honor and the gallant regimental commander, Col. Emerson C. Liscum was killed. His dying words gave the regiment its motto "Keep up the Fire." The regiment captured the city and was awarded with two silver bars from which the Liscum Bowl was formed.

In early October 1917, the Manchus deployed to France as part of the famous "Indianhead" 2nd Infantry Division (United States). During the course of the war, 9th infantrymen earned battle streamers for their colors at Lorraine, He de France, Aisne-Marne, and St. Mihiel. In 1918, the Manchu Regiment received the French Fourragère for gallantry during the Meuse-Argonne offensive.

The Manchus returned to Europe and combat action during World War II. After breaking out from the beachhead at Normandy, the Manchus waged an 18 hour engagement during the Battle of the Bulge. With the Allied line established, the 9th spearheaded a 1945 drive toward the Siegfried Line. The Manchus crossed the Rhine in March 1945 and advanced rapidly through Saxony in Czechoslovakia, ending the war with many decorations including three Presidential Unit Citations.

The Manchus returned to the Far East and the Korean Peninsula. Manchu troops were the first of the Indianhead Division to touch Korean soil. They were successful in Bloody Ridge, Heartbreak Ridge, Old Baldy, Pork Chop Hill, and T-Bone Hill. During the Korean War, the regiment earned an additional Presidential Unit Citation for its gallant service at Hongchon, and six of it's members received the Medal of Honor, Loren R. Kaufman (September 4 and September 5, 1950), Edward C. Krzyzowski (August 31, September 1, September 2 and September 3, 1951), Joseph R. Ouellette (August 31, September 1, September 2 and September 3, 1951), David M. Smith (September 1, 1950), Luther H. Story (September 1, 1950) and Travis E. Watkins (August 31, September 1, September 2 and September 3, 1950).

On 14 January 1966, the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry [1] was relieved from assignment to the 171st Infantry Brigade and assigned to the 25th Infantry (Tropic Lightning) Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. A month earlier these Manchus had been in Alaska preparing for annual winter maneuvers to be conducted in temperatures of 50 below zero. Eight weeks later the battalion was preparing for deployment to the heat and humidity of Vietnam.

April 29th saw the battalion disembark the ship General Walker at Vung Tau, Vietnam. The Manchus got a taste of what was to come almost immediately. Within hours of their arrival they found themselves under fire as their convoy made its way to the 25th Division base camp at Cu Chi. The next day, a little more than 24 hours after arriving in country, Alpha company engaged the enemy in a firefight - setting the tone of regular contact that would characterize the Manchu experience for the next four and a half years.

Many operations were conducted by company sized or smaller units but there were also notable larger scale operations in which the entire battalion took part. They included Asheville, Wahiawa, Joliet I and II, Helemano, and Kahana I and II. The following accounts are by no means definitive but illustrate the nature of the battalion's service.

On February 22, 1968 the Manchus closed the base at Katum which had served as the large forward base for the 1st BDE near the Cambodian border. After a day at Tay Ninh to prepare, the Manchus moved out to Cu Chi and eventually arrived north of Tan Son Nhut on February 25. The mission was to find and destroy rocket sites that had been used to fire on Tan Son Nhut Air Base since the Tet Offensive began nearly a month earlier. At 9:00 a.m. on March 2, 1968, the Manchus walked into what was to become one of the worst single encounter loss of life incidents in the history of the Vietnam war. Forty nine members of Charlie company were killed and 24 wounded in an ambush by a large communist force on Route 248 north and east of Tan Son Nhut near the small village of Quoi Xuan. In addition, C company suffered 24 wounded while D company suffered casualties in the fighting to reach Charlie company. Manchu Alpha, Bravo, and Delta continued operations in this area and took many more casualties until finally leaving on March 11, 1968. Rocket sites had been destroyed, and a formidable communist force had been weakened, if not destroyed. But, it had come at a great cost to the Manchus and particularly the courageous men of Charlie Company.

In the four years and six months of Service in Vietnam with the 25th Division, the 4th Battalion of the Manchus received two Presidential Citations and added 12 campaign streamers to the Regimental Colors for Combat Operations in the Republic of South Vietnam. It is estimated that 450 4th Battalion Manchus were killed in the Vietnam War.

Three Manchus were posthumous recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor.

Nicholas J. Cutinha, Ruppert L. Sargent and Maximo Yabes

During Operation Just Cause in December 1989, the Manchus were called upon again. Based on their professionalism, tactical competence and courage during this action, infantrymen from the 1st Battalion earned the coveted Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) for the first time since Korea. Initially DOD awarded the CIB to all soldiers who took part in Just Cause but subsequently rescinded them after deciding the award could only be issued to 11-series MOS (infantry). This led to an attempt by a number of 1st battalion infantrymen to return their CIBs in solidarity with the combat medics, air defenders, and others who had to take up the rifle and engage in the same house to house and jungle fighting as the infantry.

The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 9th Infantry Regiment returned to Korea in September 1995. With the deactivation of the regimental headquarters, the 1st Battalion acts as the Regimental Headquarters and maintains the Regimental Colors. Today the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, after a tour of duty in Iraq in 2004 thru 2005 stands ready at Fort Carson, CO, to respond to any crisis in support of the United States' vital interests. The 2nd Battalion (Mechanized), 9th Infantry Regiment continues to stand ready in Korea, to respond to any crisis in support of the United States' vital interests.

In January 1995, the Third Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment; along with augmentation from the 79th Forward Support Battalion and the 13th Engineer Company; deployed from Fort Lewis, Washington to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in support of Operation Sea Signal where they provided transportation and security for Cuban and Haitian Migrants awaiting immigration into the United States. Task Force 3rd Manchu as they became known returned to Ft. Lewis, Washington in June 1995. August 1995 the 9th Regimental Combat Team at Fort Lewis, Washington was reflagged as the 1st Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division and the Manchu name and colors returned to the 2nd Infantry Division stationed in Korea.

First Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment recently returned from a tour in Iraq, serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom I and II from August 2004 to July 2005 and subsequently based at Fort Carson, Colorado, as part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the Second Infantry Division. In November 2005, the First Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment had the majority of their personnel transferred to the newly activated 3rd Squadron of the 61st Cavalry Regiment as part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the Second Infantry Division. At the same time, the Unit Colors of the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry (also a part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team at the time,) was transferred to Vicenza, Italy to be stationed with the 173rd Infantry Brigade (Airborne), the personnel remaining at Fort Carson, CO were transferred to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry and continues to be an active unit today.

The Second Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment is still active today and is part of the 1st Brigade of the Second Infantry Division currently based in Korea.

The Third Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment is not active at this time.

The Fourth Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment was recently re-activated on June 1, 2006 and is assigned to the newly designated 4th Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division (formerly designated the 2nd United States Cavalry Regement), based at Fort Lewis, Washington. Being that the 4th Brigade is a Stryker Brigade Combat Team, this battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment is now a fully mechanized unit. The battalion deployed to Iraq in the spring of 2007 and engaged in combat operations in Tarmiyah and the Battle of Baqubah. At the same time they field tested the Army's Land Warrior next generation soldier technology. The unit is set to be disbanded after their return from deployment sometime in 2008. [2]

[edit] Lineage

Constituted 3 March 1855 in the Regular Army as the 9th Infantry Regiment
Organized 26 March 1855 at Fort Monroe, Virginia
Consolidated in June 1869 with the 27th Infantry (see ANNEX) and consolidated unit designated as the 9th Infantry
Assigned 22 September 1917 to the 2d Division (later redesignated as the 2nd Infantry Division)
Relieved 20 June 1957 from assignment to the 2nd Infantry Division and reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System
Withdrawn 29 April 1983 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the U.S. Army Regimental System
ANNEX
Constituted 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as the 2d Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment
Organized in October 1861 at Camp Thomas, Ohio
Reorganized and redesignated 21 September 1866 as the 27th Infantry Regiment