[Note the red Keystone Division shoulder patches,
nicknamed by the Germans as the “Bloody Bucket Division.]
The 110th Infantry Regiment has a long history of service to Pennsylvania and the Nation. The regiment’s lineage dates back to the American Civil War as the 48th and 143d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. These two regiments were made up of troops from the southwestern counties of Pennsylvania. Between 1862 and 1865, the 48th and 143d participated in nine major engagements, including Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Appomattox.
In 1865, these regiments were mustered out and between 1866 and 1873, were reorganized into the 14th, 18th and 19th Regiments of Infantry, again comprised of troops from Southwestern Pennsylvania.
On November 28th, 1873, the militia was again reorganized and the three regiments were merged into one, thus, the 10th Regiment of Infantry was born.
The 10th Regiment was mustered into Federal Service for the Spanish-American War on 17 April 1898. Training was conducted at Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania and Chickamauga Park, Georgia. The regiment landed in Manila, Philippine Islands on 21 July 1898. Ten days later the 10th Regiment became the first American troops to encounter enemy fire in the Spanish-American War. The regiment distinguished itself so well it was given the nickname “The Fighting Tenth”. Spanish-American War and Philippine insurrection service is commemorated on the organizational crest by the blockhouse, palm tree and two stars.
The 10th Regiment was again mobilized on 23 June 1916 and served five months along the Mexican border. The unit was mustered out in October 1916.
On 15 July 1917 the 10th Regiment was mobilized as the United States was preparing for World War I. During this time the regiment was redesignated the 110th Infantry and assigned to the 28th Division. Following training at Camp Hancock, Georgia, the 110th sailed for Europe as part of the Division. In Europe the regiment was assigned to the British Northumberland Fusiliers for additional training. Campaigns in World War I were Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, Meuse-Argonne, Champagne 1918, and Lorraine 1918. The cost of these six campaigns was 4,183 casualties including 760 dead. The six fleurs-de-lis on the regimental insignia commemorate World War I service.
The period between the World Wars brought another reorganization to the Regiment and the companies were grouped into battalions. This is how the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 110th Infantry Regiment came into service.
We can well be proud, as members of the 28th Infantry Division, to be part of an organization whose record stands so high in the military history of our country.
[“Proudly Served”, right:] The famous photograph of American troops before the Arc de Triomphe, marching in battle parade down the Champs Elysees, shows the men of 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division in late August 1944. With no time to rest, the Division moved on to fight some of the most bloody battles of the War the day following the parade. (The song that was playing was “Khaki Bill”.)
In February 1941 the 110th was mobilized for one year of training but due to World War II stayed on until the conclusion of the war. After two and one half years of stateside service and nine months in Great Britain, the regiment landed in Normandy and struck into the forest of St. Sever. Advancing as much as 18 miles in one day the regiment proudly participated in the liberation of Paris (and marched under the Arch de Triumph to the tune of “Khaki Bill”, their regimental theme song). The regiment continued fighting across France into Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany.
On November 2, 1944, in preparation for the drive into Germany, the 110th Infantry Regiment, as part of the 28th Infantry Division, was given the task to secure the right flank of the First U.S. Army. So began the battle in the Huertgen forest.
The Huertgen Forest was dense, primordial woods of tall fir trees, deep gorges, high ridges, and narrow trails; terrain ideally suited to the defense. The Germans had carefully augmented its natural obstacles with extensive minefields. In addition to the rigors of the forest, the men of the 110th would also have to contend with miserable late autumn weather.
From November 2 to 13, the 110th Infantry Regiment battled the Germans in the Huertgen, one of the most costly fights of WWII. Losses to the 28th Infantry were over 6,000 casualties, 31 Sherman tanks, 16 M10 tank destroyers, and vast numbers of trucks, machine guns, and personal equipment. The 110th Infantry was nearly wiped out, but remained intact. After this engagement, the 110th, along with the rest of the 28th Infantry Division, was moved to what was thought to be a quiet sector to rest and refit. Tragically, these new positions placed it squarely in the path of a German counter attack, and set the stage for the 110th Infantry Regiment’s defining moment: The Battle of the Bulge.
After the fighting in the Huertgen, the task of rebuilding the rifle companies, repairing battle damage and training replacements was of necessity a slow one. But by the middle of December the 110th Infantry had almost a full roster-a roster numbering many men and some officers who yet had to see their first action. There were only two battalions holding the line at this time because the 2d Battalion, located at Donnange, constituted the division reserve. A continuous line across the 9 to 10 mile regimental front was beyond the strength of the 1st and 3d Battalions. As a substitute, a system of village strongpoints, each manned by a rifle company, was set up on the ridge line separating the Our and Clerf Rivers, which here is traced by the excellent north-south highway connecting St. Vith and Diekirch. This highway (known to the Americans as the Skyline Drive) and the garrison line paralleled the Our at a distance of one and a half to two and a half miles.
The presence of the XLVII Panzer Corps on the 110th Infantry front was not suspected. With three divisions, and added corps troops, the XLVII Panzer Corps possessed a considerable amount of shock and firepower, amounting to 17,000 infantrymen, 220 tanks, and 184 artillery pieces. There was no hint from any source that this force was about to strike squarely into the 110th.
On December 16th 1944, the first of the 3 German divisions attacked the Regiment. Over the next four days the men of the 110th pitted their rifles and hand grenades against the German tanks. Through hard, desperate, and at times hand to hand fighting, the 110th Infantry threw a whole series of monkey wrenches into the well-oiled machinery of the XLVII Panzer Corps. The American infantry had made excellent use of the ground and had held their positions, refusing to buckle under the weight of numbers, completely disrupting the German timetable.
This action was credited with preventing the Germans from gaining their breakthrough, and allowing General Patton’s Third Army to stop the enemy advance. The price of this victory was high for the 110th. Of 3,117 men on the rolls in December 16th, 2,500 were killed, wounded or captured by the 18th of December.
A month later the regiment was back in action to liberate Colmar. The end of World War II found five more campaign streamers added to the regimental colors. These were Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. When V-J Day was proclaimed the 110th was training in the states for the final battle against Japan.
The fifth tour of active duty for the Regiment in a 52-year period began in September 1950 when the Regiment was called to active duty during the Korean emergency. After a year of intensive training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana and on the Southern Pines Maneuver, the regiment sailed for Germany, landing in Bremerhaven in November 1951. Taking its station in Ulm and New Ulm, the 110th became part of the NATO force that trained intensively to ensure security of Western Europe and the World.
In June 1953 the 110th was being reorganized in Western Pennsylvania, while the colors were still on German soil. In 1954, during the first annual training camp since reorganizing after the Korean emergency, the regimental colors were returned to Pennsylvania.
In April 1968 the 110th Infantry, was placed in the 56th Brigade (made up of Pennsylvania units) and assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division, New York National Guard.
In December 1971 the Regiment was returned to the 28th Infantry Division Pennsylvania Army National Guard and redesignated the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 110th Infantry, with headquarters in Scottdale and Indiana, Pennsylvania respectively.
In September 1995 the 110th was reorganized, combining the 1st and 2nd Battalions, and redesignated the 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized).
In the wake of the Attack on America, 11 September 2001, the men of the 1-110th were again called to service. In October 2001, as part of Operation Noble Eagle, units from the 110th were deployed to guard nuclear power plants and airports across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. These elements are still on duty today.
In June 2002, a detachment of HHC, 1-110th IN (M) was mobilized and deployed to the Federal Republic of Germany as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The detachment was attached to 55th BDE, 28th ID to conduct Stability and Support Operations in support of the War on Terrorism. The unit conducted mobilization training at Fort Dix, NJ until August 2002, then deployed forward to multiple locations throughout Germany and returned to CONUS in February 2003.
In September 2002, the 110th was again reorganized, this time into a completely modernized Mechanized Infantry Battalion, equipped with the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, further increasing the capability of the battalion to accomplish any mission, whether in Pennsylvania or abroad. The units are presently located as follows: HHC in Mt. Pleasant, Co. A in Indiana, Co. B in Greensburg, Co. C in Waynesburg, and Canonsburg.
In March 2003, C Company, 1-110th, with additional soldiers from A and B Companies, 110th, mobilized and deployed to the Kosovo as part of KFOR 5-A. C Company was attached to the 1-111th, 56th BDE, 28th ID to conduct Stability and Support Operations in support of UN Resolution 1255. The unit conducted mobilization training at Fort Stewart, GA until June 2003. Following training at Fort Stewart, GA the unit conducted their Mobilization Readiness exercise at Fort Polk, LA. C Company deployed to Kosovo from July 2003 until February 2004.
In January 2004, 1-110th was mobilized and deployed to Iraq in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Task Force 1-110th (TF Panther) was organized with two Motorized Rifle Companies and one Tank Company; A/1-110th (with soldiers from Companies B & C, 110th), B/1-125 IN (Michigan Army National Guard) and C/1-103d Armor. In addition to the aforementioned companies, additional soldiers from the 28th ID and KYARNG were assigned across the battalion. The 110th was assigned to 2nd BDE, 2nd Marine Division. The 1-110th conducted mobilization training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Following mobilization training at Camp Shelby, the 110th conducted a Mobilization Readiness Exercise at Fort Irwin, CA in May 2004. In June 2004, the 1-110th deployed forward to Ramadi, Iraq where it is currently serving on active duty.
The above history highlights mainly the active federal service of the 110th Infantry. It must be remembered that federal service makes up less than nine years of the over 200 years of total service. Interspersed among these calls to active duty are many years of hard work and training by dedicated citizen-soldiers to ensure the battalion’s readiness to answer any emergency. Foremost among the state emergencies are the Johnstown Flood of 1936, the civil disturbances in Pittsburgh, PA in April 1968 and Hurricane Agnes in June 1972.
Crest: That for the Regiments of the Pennsylvania National Guard on a wreath of the colors (Argent and Gules) a Lion Rampant Guardant proper, holding in dexter paw a naked scimitar argent. Hilted or, and in sisister an escutcheon argent on a fess sable three plates.
Shield: The castle represents the engagements at Manila during the Spanish War. The red background and gold charge are in the Spanish colors.
The palm tree is for service in the Philippine Insurrection and the two stars, the engagements Manila and Malolos. The five pointed stars appear on the Philippine flag.
The six Fleurs-de-lis symbolize the battle honors won during the World War. They are:
Lorraine, Aisne-Marne, Champagne, Oise-Aisne, Champagne-Marne, and Meuse-Argonne
Motto: Cuisque Devotio Est Vic Regimenti (The devotion of each is the strength of the Regiment)
Song: “Khaki Bill”