175th Infantry Regiment (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 175th Infantry Regiment ("Fifth Maryland") is an infantry
regiment
of the United States Army National Guard.
.
The unit, formerly a part of the 29th Infantry Division, is currently an organic element of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division. Currently, 1st Battalion is the only active battalion in the Regiment and is organized as an Infantry
battalion
under the Brigade Unit of Action table of organization and equipment
.
The battalion is currently deployed as part of the Multinational Force & Observers formed by the Treaty of Peace that resulted from the Camp David Accords.
A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 5/16 inches (3.33 cm) in height consisting of a cross bottony quarterly Gules and Argent surmounted by a Gray roundel bearing the number "5" in Gold within a Red belt garnished Gold with the inscription "DECUS ET PRAESIDIUM" in Gold letters.
The red color of the annulet is symbolic of the red uniforms of the Baltimore Independent Cadets, the military forebears of the Regiment, which during the War of the Revolution were incorporated in Smallwood's Regiment of the Maryland Line. Superimposed on the annulet is a belt of military design and origin containing the inscription "Decus Et Praesidium," the regimental motto which is translated "An Honour and a Guard." The belt is the heraldic symbol of knighthood and identifies the insignia as being of the military order, while the gray field represents the Confederate Service in the War Between the States. The numeral "5," the historic designation of the regiment, was assigned following the Revolutionary War by act of the General Assembly of Maryland in 1794. The insignia is the design of the Crossland Arms, Alicia Crossland having been the mother of George Calvert, first Baron of Baltimore and planner of the colony of Maryland. The insignia symbolizes the historic record of the regiment from 1774 to 1931. The cross bottony forms the escutcheon, and the annulet represents the five most significant periods in the regiment's history until the time of adoption: 1774--the organization of the Baltimore Independent Cadets; 1776--the Revolutionary War; 1814--War of 1812; 1861--The war Between the States, Confederate Service; and 1918--World War I.
The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 9 July 1958.
Azure, two pallets Argent, a torteau charged with a swan's head erased of the second, on a chief paly of six Or and Sable a bend counterchanged, a bayonet (circa 1776) fesswise Silver.
That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Maryland Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Azure, a cross bottony per cross quarterly Gules and Argent.
Motto DECUS ET PRAESIDIUM (An Honour and a Guard).
The colors blue and white are for Infantry, white the original color of Infantry facings has been superseded by blue; the combination of the old and new colors signifies the regiment has been Infantry since organization. The five stripes have a dual significance. They represent the regiment's participation in five major wars, i.e., The Revolution, War of 1812, War Between the States (C.S.A.), World Wars I and II. The Whiskey Rebellion 1794, Harpers Ferry 1859, War with Spain 1898 and The Mexican Border Incident 1916, are not referenced, though Federal Service, since combat was not involved. They also indicate the former regimental designation, 5th Regiment, 1794-1941, and the popular sobriquet, "The Dandy Fifth of Maryland." The torteau alludes to the red of the uniform of the Baltimore Independent Cadets, the initial uniformed militia company of the Colony of Maryland; this uniform was later adopted during the Revolutionary War by Smallwood's Regiment of the Maryland Line. The swan is from the coat of arms of the Gist family and commemorates Mordecai Gist who on 3 December 1774 organized and commanded the Baltimore Independent Cadets, the parent unit of the regiment. The gold and black pattern in chief is from the reverse of the Great Seal of the proprietary Colony of Maryland, the family coat of arms of the Calverts, under whose authority the Mordecai Gist company was organized. The bayonet is representative of its introduction to American arms at the Battle of Long Island 1776, by the Maryland Line and in the use of which it became famed throughout the War. It is also symbolic of the "Maryland 400" which by repeated charges and sustaining heavy losses delayed General Howe's army, which enabled General Washington to successfully withdraw his defeated army across the Hudson River.
The crest is that of the Maryland Army National Guard.
The coat of arms was approved on 9 July 1958.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the United States Army National Guard.
History
The 175th Infantry is one of only nineteen Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812
Nineteen current units of the Army National Guard perpetuate the lineages of militia units mustered into federal service during the War of 1812. Militia units from nine states that were part of the Union by the end of the War of 1812 , plus the District of Columbia, are the predecessors...
.
The unit, formerly a part of the 29th Infantry Division, is currently an organic element of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division. Currently, 1st Battalion is the only active battalion in the Regiment and is organized as an Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
under the Brigade Unit of Action table of organization and equipment
Table of Organization and Equipment
A table of organization and equipment is a document published by the U.S. Department of Defense which prescribes the organization, staffing, and equippage of units. Also used in acronyms as 'T/O' and 'T/E'....
.
The battalion is currently deployed as part of the Multinational Force & Observers formed by the Treaty of Peace that resulted from the Camp David Accords.
Distinctive Unit Insignia
- Description
A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 5/16 inches (3.33 cm) in height consisting of a cross bottony quarterly Gules and Argent surmounted by a Gray roundel bearing the number "5" in Gold within a Red belt garnished Gold with the inscription "DECUS ET PRAESIDIUM" in Gold letters.
- Symbolism
The red color of the annulet is symbolic of the red uniforms of the Baltimore Independent Cadets, the military forebears of the Regiment, which during the War of the Revolution were incorporated in Smallwood's Regiment of the Maryland Line. Superimposed on the annulet is a belt of military design and origin containing the inscription "Decus Et Praesidium," the regimental motto which is translated "An Honour and a Guard." The belt is the heraldic symbol of knighthood and identifies the insignia as being of the military order, while the gray field represents the Confederate Service in the War Between the States. The numeral "5," the historic designation of the regiment, was assigned following the Revolutionary War by act of the General Assembly of Maryland in 1794. The insignia is the design of the Crossland Arms, Alicia Crossland having been the mother of George Calvert, first Baron of Baltimore and planner of the colony of Maryland. The insignia symbolizes the historic record of the regiment from 1774 to 1931. The cross bottony forms the escutcheon, and the annulet represents the five most significant periods in the regiment's history until the time of adoption: 1774--the organization of the Baltimore Independent Cadets; 1776--the Revolutionary War; 1814--War of 1812; 1861--The war Between the States, Confederate Service; and 1918--World War I.
- Background
The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 9 July 1958.
Blazon
- Shield
Azure, two pallets Argent, a torteau charged with a swan's head erased of the second, on a chief paly of six Or and Sable a bend counterchanged, a bayonet (circa 1776) fesswise Silver.
- Crest
That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Maryland Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Azure, a cross bottony per cross quarterly Gules and Argent.
Motto DECUS ET PRAESIDIUM (An Honour and a Guard).
- Symbolism
- Shield
The colors blue and white are for Infantry, white the original color of Infantry facings has been superseded by blue; the combination of the old and new colors signifies the regiment has been Infantry since organization. The five stripes have a dual significance. They represent the regiment's participation in five major wars, i.e., The Revolution, War of 1812, War Between the States (C.S.A.), World Wars I and II. The Whiskey Rebellion 1794, Harpers Ferry 1859, War with Spain 1898 and The Mexican Border Incident 1916, are not referenced, though Federal Service, since combat was not involved. They also indicate the former regimental designation, 5th Regiment, 1794-1941, and the popular sobriquet, "The Dandy Fifth of Maryland." The torteau alludes to the red of the uniform of the Baltimore Independent Cadets, the initial uniformed militia company of the Colony of Maryland; this uniform was later adopted during the Revolutionary War by Smallwood's Regiment of the Maryland Line. The swan is from the coat of arms of the Gist family and commemorates Mordecai Gist who on 3 December 1774 organized and commanded the Baltimore Independent Cadets, the parent unit of the regiment. The gold and black pattern in chief is from the reverse of the Great Seal of the proprietary Colony of Maryland, the family coat of arms of the Calverts, under whose authority the Mordecai Gist company was organized. The bayonet is representative of its introduction to American arms at the Battle of Long Island 1776, by the Maryland Line and in the use of which it became famed throughout the War. It is also symbolic of the "Maryland 400" which by repeated charges and sustaining heavy losses delayed General Howe's army, which enabled General Washington to successfully withdraw his defeated army across the Hudson River.
- Crest
The crest is that of the Maryland Army National Guard.
- Background
The coat of arms was approved on 9 July 1958.