59th Infantry Regiment (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 59th Infantry Regiment is a Regiment
of the United States Army
first established in 1917.
Battalions Inactivated at Camp Cook, California 9-12 November 1945.
16th, 67th, and 59th Armored Infantry Battalions consolidated to form 59th Infantry 22 February 1952. relieved from the 13th Armor Division, and assigned to the 96th Infantry Division, and reorganized 1 March 1952 with Headquarters at Phoenix. reorganized 20 May 1959 as the 59th infantry, a parent Regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.
World War II
A gold color metal and enamel device consisting of a shield blazoned Or, a bend Azure charged with a ribbon laid potente of the field, on a chief of the second three alerions of the first. Attached below the shield a gold scroll inscribed "LET 'EM HAVE IT" in blue letters.
The symbolism is that of the coat of arms.
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion on 26 Oct 1951. It was redesignated for the 59th Infantry Regiment on 16 Jun 1952. On 5 Aug 1970 the insignia was amended to revise the symbolism.
Or, a bend Azure charged with a ribbon laid potente of the field, on a chief of the second three alerions of the first.
On a wreath of the colors Or and Azure the Lexington Minute Man Proper.
Motto
LET 'EM HAVE IT.
The 59th Infantry, organized in 1917 by transfer of men from the 4th Infantry, saw hard fighting as a part of the 4th Division in Champaign in the Aisne-Marne engagement, in Lorraine at St Mihiel and at the Meuse-Argonne. In the Aisne-Marne offensive the regiment did gallant service against the Chateau-de-Diable north of the Vesle River. In this action "a squad of machine gunners, in woolen olive drab uniforms were sighted approaching the flank of the 59th from the direction of the Chateau-de-Diable. Cautioned by one of his men that the approaching men were American the Sergeant commanding the flank platoon yelled, 'They come from the wrong direction, let 'em have it.' The dead men were later identified as Germans in American uniforms." The shield is gold with the upper portion of it blue. On the blue portion are three alerions (eagles without feet) in gold from the coat of arms of Lorraine. On the gold portion is a diagonal blue bend charged with the gold fret from the coat of arms of Champaign. The origin of the motto is cited above.
The coat of arms was originally approved for the 59th Infantry Regiment, Organized Reserves on 10 Sep 1921. It was amended on 18 Nov 1921 to correct the wording of the blazon. It was redesignated for the 59th Armored Infantry Regiment on 8 Jul 1943. On 30 Nov 1943 the coat of arms was redesignated for the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion. It was amended on 26 Oct 1951. On 16 Jun 1952 it was redesignated for the 59th Infantry Regiment, Organized Reserves. The coat of arms was amended on 24 Sep 1959 to withdraw "Organized Reserves" from the designation and to delete the Organized Reserves' crest. On 5 Aug 1970 it was amended to reinstate the crest of the Army Reserves and revise the symbolism.
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
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
first established in 1917.
Lineage
Constuted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as the 59th Infantry. Organized 8 June 1917 at Gettysburg National Park, Pennsylvania from personnel of the 4th Infantry Regiment. Assigned to the 4th Infantry Division 19 November 1917. relieved from the 4th Division and demoblized 28 September 1922.- Reconstuted in the Regular Army as the 59th Armored Infantry and assigned to the 13th Armor Division 7 July 1942. Activated 15 October 1942 at Camp Beale, California. Regement broken up 20 September 1943 and its elements reorganized as elements of the 13th armor Division and redesignated as follows-
- 59th Armored Infantry (less 1st, and 2nd Battalions) as the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion.
- 1st Battalion as the 67th Armored Infantry Battalion.
- 2nd Battalion as the 16th Armored Infantry Battalion.
Battalions Inactivated at Camp Cook, California 9-12 November 1945.
- withdrawn from the Regular Army and allotted to the Organized Reserve Corps 8 August 1947.
- 59th Armored Infantry Battalion activated 21 August 1947 with Headquarters at Phoenix, Arizona.
- 67th Armored Infantry Battalion activated 23 March 1948 at Los Angeles, California.
- 16th Armored Infantry Battalion activated 22 January 1948 with Headquarters at Tucson, Arizona.
16th, 67th, and 59th Armored Infantry Battalions consolidated to form 59th Infantry 22 February 1952. relieved from the 13th Armor Division, and assigned to the 96th Infantry Division, and reorganized 1 March 1952 with Headquarters at Phoenix. reorganized 20 May 1959 as the 59th infantry, a parent Regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.
Campaign Streamers
World War I- Aisne-Marne
- St. Mihiel
- Meuse-Argonne
- Lorraine 1918
- Champagne 1918
World War II
- Rhineland
- Central Europe
Distinctive Unit Insignia
- Description
A gold color metal and enamel device consisting of a shield blazoned Or, a bend Azure charged with a ribbon laid potente of the field, on a chief of the second three alerions of the first. Attached below the shield a gold scroll inscribed "LET 'EM HAVE IT" in blue letters.
- Symbolism
The symbolism is that of the coat of arms.
- Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion on 26 Oct 1951. It was redesignated for the 59th Infantry Regiment on 16 Jun 1952. On 5 Aug 1970 the insignia was amended to revise the symbolism.
Blazon
- Shield
Or, a bend Azure charged with a ribbon laid potente of the field, on a chief of the second three alerions of the first.
- Crest
On a wreath of the colors Or and Azure the Lexington Minute Man Proper.
Motto
LET 'EM HAVE IT.
- Symbolism
The 59th Infantry, organized in 1917 by transfer of men from the 4th Infantry, saw hard fighting as a part of the 4th Division in Champaign in the Aisne-Marne engagement, in Lorraine at St Mihiel and at the Meuse-Argonne. In the Aisne-Marne offensive the regiment did gallant service against the Chateau-de-Diable north of the Vesle River. In this action "a squad of machine gunners, in woolen olive drab uniforms were sighted approaching the flank of the 59th from the direction of the Chateau-de-Diable. Cautioned by one of his men that the approaching men were American the Sergeant commanding the flank platoon yelled, 'They come from the wrong direction, let 'em have it.' The dead men were later identified as Germans in American uniforms." The shield is gold with the upper portion of it blue. On the blue portion are three alerions (eagles without feet) in gold from the coat of arms of Lorraine. On the gold portion is a diagonal blue bend charged with the gold fret from the coat of arms of Champaign. The origin of the motto is cited above.
- Background
The coat of arms was originally approved for the 59th Infantry Regiment, Organized Reserves on 10 Sep 1921. It was amended on 18 Nov 1921 to correct the wording of the blazon. It was redesignated for the 59th Armored Infantry Regiment on 8 Jul 1943. On 30 Nov 1943 the coat of arms was redesignated for the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion. It was amended on 26 Oct 1951. On 16 Jun 1952 it was redesignated for the 59th Infantry Regiment, Organized Reserves. The coat of arms was amended on 24 Sep 1959 to withdraw "Organized Reserves" from the designation and to delete the Organized Reserves' crest. On 5 Aug 1970 it was amended to reinstate the crest of the Army Reserves and revise the symbolism.
See also
- United States Army branch insigniaUnited States Army branch insigniaBranch insignia of the United States Army refers to military emblems that may be worn on the uniform of the United States Army to denote membership in a particular area of expertise and series of functional areas...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Infantry RegimentsCoats of arms of US Infantry Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with infantry regiments in the US Army. By Army regulation, all regiments of the US Army organized under a Table of Organization and Equipment are authorized a coat of arms to be displayed on the organization's standard, called...
- 4th Infantry Division (United States)