" I am the Infantry, Follow me .......... For I am Mentally Tough,Physically Strong and Morally Straight." To hell and back Sir!".
12TH INFANTRY REGIMENTAL HISTORY
THE ORIGINAL 12TH INFANTRY REGIMENT WAS ESTABLISHED ON JULY 31, 1798 AND FIRST SERVED IN COMBAT DURING THE WAR OF 1812 ALONG THE NIAGARA FRONTIER BEFORE BEING ORDERED SOUTH TO BALTIMORE WHERE THEY MANNED THE BREASTWORKS AT FORT MCHENRY DURING THAT FAMOUS BATTLE. DURING THE MEXICAN WAR OF 1847 THE REGIMENT BECAME PART OF THE INVASION FORCE THAT CONQUERED MEXICO CITY. SOON AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF THE CIVIL WAR THE PRESENT DAY 12TH INFANTRY REGIMENT BECAME PART OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC AND ENGAGED IN 10 OF THE 11 MAJOR BATTLES THAT WERE FOUGHT BY THAT ARMY. THEY SERVED AT GAINES MILL, MALVERN HILL, CEDAR MOUNTAIN, SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN, ANTIETAM, FREDERICKSBURG, CHANCELLORSVILLE, GETTYSBURG, BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS, SPOTSYLVANIA, AND PETERSBURG. FROM 1869 TO 1890 THE REGIMENT SERVED IN THE WEST DURING THE INDIAN WARS PARTICIPATING IN FIVE CAMPAIGNS INCLUDING VS. THE MODOCS, BANNOCKS, AND AT PINE RIDGE. DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR OF 1898 IT CAMPAIGNED AT SANTIAGO, CUBA, EL CANEY AND SAN JUAN. WHEN THE PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION OF 1899-1902 TOOK PLACE, THE REGIMENT PARTICIPATED IN CAMPAIGNS AT MALALOS, TARLAC, LUZON, AND ZAPOTE. THE 12TH WAS CALLED INTO ACTION AS PART OF THE MEXICAN PUNITIVE EXPEDITION OF 1915-1917 VS. PANCHO VILLA FORCES, SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTING OFF THE MEXICAN BANDIT’S ARMY. IN 1917 THE REGIMENT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 8TH DIVISION AND WAS DUE TO SERVE IN EUROPE DURING WORLD WAR I. HOWEVER, THE WAR ENDED JUST AS THE UNIT WAS ABOUT TO BOARD A TROOPSHIP TO TAKE THEM TO EUROPE. IN 1919 THIRTEEN HUNDRED MEN FROM THE 12TH WERE SENT TO SIBERIA WITH THE 31ST INFANTRY REGIMENT. EVENTUALLY THE 12TH WAS REBUILT WITH NEW RECRUITS. IN AUGUST OF 1927, THE 12TH INFANTRY WAS REASSIGNED TO THE 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND IN BETWEEN WORLD WARS THE REGIMENT BECAME KNOWN AS THE ‘PRESIDENT’S OWN’, SERVING IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL DISTRICT AS AN HONOR GUARD UNIT FOR INAUGURALS AND OTHER FUNCTIONS OF STATE. DURING WWII, THE 12TH SERVED WITH DISTINCTION AT NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE, CENTRAL EUROPE, HURTGEN FOREST, THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE AND THE GERMANY INVASION AS PART OF THE 4TH ID. AS A RESULT OF THEIR ACTION IN WWII THE REGIMENT WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR THE LUXEMBOURG BATTLE . THE REGIMENT DEPLOYED FIVE BATTALIONS TO SOUTH VIETNAM DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, MORE THAN ANY OTHER REGIMENT. THEIR UNITS EARNED FOUR PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS FOR THEIR ACTION AT THE BATTLES OF SUOI TRE, DAK TO AND PLEIKU IN ADDITION TO FIVE VALOROUS UNIT CITATIONS. DURING THE WAR ON TERROR THE REGIMENT SERVED IN KUWAIT, DURING OPERATION INTRINSIC ACTION TWO MONTHS AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACK OF 2001. IN QUICK SUCCESSION, IT SERVED IN IRAQ FOR TWO TOURS DURING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. IN 2009, THREE YEARS LATER, THE REGIMENT DEPLOYED TO KUNAR PROVINCE AFGHANISTAN IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AND EARNED THE VALOROUS UNIT CITATION. TO DATE THE REGIMENT HAS SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR DEPLOYMENTS.
MAY 2017
THE ORIGINAL 12TH INFANTRY REGIMENT WAS ESTABLISHED ON JULY 31, 1798 AND FIRST SERVED IN COMBAT DURING THE WAR OF 1812 ALONG THE NIAGARA FRONTIER BEFORE BEING ORDERED SOUTH TO BALTIMORE WHERE THEY MANNED THE BREASTWORKS AT FORT MCHENRY DURING THAT FAMOUS BATTLE. DURING THE MEXICAN WAR OF 1847 THE REGIMENT BECAME PART OF THE INVASION FORCE THAT CONQUERED MEXICO CITY. SOON AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF THE CIVIL WAR THE PRESENT DAY 12TH INFANTRY REGIMENT BECAME PART OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC AND ENGAGED IN 10 OF THE 11 MAJOR BATTLES THAT WERE FOUGHT BY THAT ARMY. THEY SERVED AT GAINES MILL, MALVERN HILL, CEDAR MOUNTAIN, SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN, ANTIETAM, FREDERICKSBURG, CHANCELLORSVILLE, GETTYSBURG, BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS, SPOTSYLVANIA, AND PETERSBURG. FROM 1869 TO 1890 THE REGIMENT SERVED IN THE WEST DURING THE INDIAN WARS PARTICIPATING IN FIVE CAMPAIGNS INCLUDING VS. THE MODOCS, BANNOCKS, AND AT PINE RIDGE. DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR OF 1898 IT CAMPAIGNED AT SANTIAGO, CUBA, EL CANEY AND SAN JUAN. WHEN THE PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION OF 1899-1902 TOOK PLACE, THE REGIMENT PARTICIPATED IN CAMPAIGNS AT MALALOS, TARLAC, LUZON, AND ZAPOTE. THE 12TH WAS CALLED INTO ACTION AS PART OF THE MEXICAN PUNITIVE EXPEDITION OF 1915-1917 VS. PANCHO VILLA FORCES, SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTING OFF THE MEXICAN BANDIT’S ARMY. IN 1917 THE REGIMENT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 8TH DIVISION AND WAS DUE TO SERVE IN EUROPE DURING WORLD WAR I. HOWEVER, THE WAR ENDED JUST AS THE UNIT WAS ABOUT TO BOARD A TROOPSHIP TO TAKE THEM TO EUROPE. IN 1919 THIRTEEN HUNDRED MEN FROM THE 12TH WERE SENT TO SIBERIA WITH THE 31ST INFANTRY REGIMENT. EVENTUALLY THE 12TH WAS REBUILT WITH NEW RECRUITS. IN AUGUST OF 1927, THE 12TH INFANTRY WAS REASSIGNED TO THE 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND IN BETWEEN WORLD WARS THE REGIMENT BECAME KNOWN AS THE ‘PRESIDENT’S OWN’, SERVING IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL DISTRICT AS AN HONOR GUARD UNIT FOR INAUGURALS AND OTHER FUNCTIONS OF STATE. DURING WWII, THE 12TH SERVED WITH DISTINCTION AT NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE, CENTRAL EUROPE, HURTGEN FOREST, THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE AND THE GERMANY INVASION AS PART OF THE 4TH ID. AS A RESULT OF THEIR ACTION IN WWII THE REGIMENT WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR THE LUXEMBOURG BATTLE . THE REGIMENT DEPLOYED FIVE BATTALIONS TO SOUTH VIETNAM DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, MORE THAN ANY OTHER REGIMENT. THEIR UNITS EARNED FOUR PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS FOR THEIR ACTION AT THE BATTLES OF SUOI TRE, DAK TO AND PLEIKU IN ADDITION TO FIVE VALOROUS UNIT CITATIONS. DURING THE WAR ON TERROR THE REGIMENT SERVED IN KUWAIT, DURING OPERATION INTRINSIC ACTION TWO MONTHS AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACK OF 2001. IN QUICK SUCCESSION, IT SERVED IN IRAQ FOR TWO TOURS DURING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. IN 2009, THREE YEARS LATER, THE REGIMENT DEPLOYED TO KUNAR PROVINCE AFGHANISTAN IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AND EARNED THE VALOROUS UNIT CITATION. TO DATE THE REGIMENT HAS SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR DEPLOYMENTS.
MAY 2017
Ft Benning, Georgia at the National Infantry Museum. The monument is placed in the " Walk of Honor ", where there are numerous memorials and monuments all dedicated to a unit, i.e. Regiment, Division, etc.
12th Inf Monument Executive Committee
Ed Northrop 1-12th - Project Coordinator
Herb Taylor 1-12th - 12th Inf Chapter President
Tim Swan 1-12th - 12th Inf Chapter Treasurer
Bill Comeau 2-12th - Historian
Bob Pearson - Monument Concepts
Dennis Witt 1-12th - MOH Researcher
Rusty Armstrong 1-12th - Publicity
Jim Daniels & Wilford Pla 1-12th Contacts
Bill Comeau and Arnold Krause - 2-12th
Contacts
Mike Hamer & John Sommer - 3-12th Contacts
Ed Northrop 1-12th - Project Coordinator
Herb Taylor 1-12th - 12th Inf Chapter President
Tim Swan 1-12th - 12th Inf Chapter Treasurer
Bill Comeau 2-12th - Historian
Bob Pearson - Monument Concepts
Dennis Witt 1-12th - MOH Researcher
Rusty Armstrong 1-12th - Publicity
Jim Daniels & Wilford Pla 1-12th Contacts
Bill Comeau and Arnold Krause - 2-12th
Contacts
Mike Hamer & John Sommer - 3-12th Contacts
May 31, 2017 - Ed Northrop conducted the dedication ceremony and did a tremendous job seeing the project thru completion. As part of the recognition in completing this project, each member of the committee was nominated to be a DMOR, a Distinguished Member of the Regiment, an honor bestowed by the Secretary of the Army and nominated by the 1st Bn, 12th Infantry commander, LTC Troy Mills. To help perpetuate the history and traditions of the Regiment and enhance unit morale and esprit,
DMORs are individuals who have served with the regiment on Active Army or in the Army Reserve and who have distinguished themselves through their military service, civilian service, or other significant service rendered for the betterment of their community, state, or nation.
DMORs are individuals who have served with the regiment on Active Army or in the Army Reserve and who have distinguished themselves through their military service, civilian service, or other significant service rendered for the betterment of their community, state, or nation.
Click on a photo for slideshow presentation
2/12th Veterans