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History of the Regiment, created 2012 by Historian Jim Sheppard: 50th Infantry Regiment Download.


Constituted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as the 50th Infantry. Below is a photo of the original 50th Infantry at Syracuse, taken October 16th, 1917.  Our Association Archives has the only known original copy of this photo.

1917.jpg

Organized 1 June 1917 at Syracuse, New York. The unit was initially assembled with personnel from the 23d Infantry.


Assigned 31 July 1918 to the 20th Infantry Division.  Below is a photo labeled "Part of  'H' Company, 50th Infantry" Obtained from Richard Sawyer,   author of the book: "Greetings from Camp Sevier".  The Photo was taken on October the 12th...just one month from the end of World War I on November 11th.

1918.jpg

The 20th Division was stationed at Camp Sevier at Greenville,South Carolina. Camp Sevier was initially established in July 1917 to train draftees and recruits from South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee, but within three months draftees from other states arrived and wags suggested that the "Southern Division" (30th Division) be renamed the "Moonshine Division". The 20th Division moved in as the 30th Division joined the Allied Expeditionary Force in France.
Relieved 28 February 1919 from assignment to the 20th Division.

Following the end of the war on 11 November 1918, the 50th Infantry continues and completes its training . The 50th Infantry then joins the Army of Occupation in Germany, being joined by many seasoned veterans from units sent home. Photo below is the 50th Infantry Regiment at Laacher See, Germany in August of 1921.

1918.jpg

A decorated sergeant from the 50th Infantry was given the significant honor of selecting the remains that were interred in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with full military honors.

Left: photo of patch worn by Gustave Perla. Contributed by Arthur W. Jablon.


WW Victory Medal

Inactivated 31 December 1921 in Germany.

Demobilized 31 July 1922.

Reconstituted 8 January 1942 in the Regular Army as the 50th Armored Infantry and assigned to the 6th Armored Division.

Activated 15 February 1942 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The 50th was activated with the 6th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as elements of the 6th Armored Division as follows:

 50th Armored Infantry (less 1st and 2d Battalions) as the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion

 1st Battalion as the 44th Armored Infantry Battalion. The battalion fought throughout World War II with the 6th Armored Division as part of General George S. Patton's Third Army. It was involved in the breakout from Normandy (D-Day), the Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne, the liberation of Buchenwald and other famous battles.

 2d Battalion as the 9th Armored Infantry Battalion

After 20 September 1943 the above units underwent changes as follows:

 50th and 9th Armored Infantry Battalions inactivated 18 September 1945 at Camp Shanks, New York

 Activated 5 September 1950 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

 Inactivated 16 March 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division. There is no record of the (44th Armored Infantry) battalion serving in Korea: however, it may well have been with U.S. units rotated through Europe during the Korean War.

Although the official record shows that the 50th, 44th, and 9th Armored Infantry Battalions consolidated 1 July 1959 to form the 50th Infantry, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, new evidence has surfaced to show that there was a "1st Armored Rifle Battalion, 50th Infantry", 2nd Armored Division, Fort Hood Texas in 1958!  Historian Jim Sheppard has obtained an official yearbook (Pictured at left) with photos of all the existing elements...including HQ, A, B, C, and D Companies!   The unit appears to have been a training unit at that time.


 
Reorganized and redesignated 1 July 1963 as the 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry and assigned to the 2d Armored Division (at Fort Hood, Texas). From 1st hand knowledge (Member Jim Sheppard was stationed at Fort Hood from 1965 on) there was a 2nd BN (M) 50th Infantry assigned also to the 2nd Armored Division at Fort hood from 1965 to 1967.   Other unofficial documentation shows the 2nd of the 50th assigned to Ferris Barracks, Erlangen, Germany between 1957 and 1964 (Dates approximate).  Official Unit Activation Dates & Duty Locations for the 2/50th are estimates and unofficial as of 2007. See separate page dedicated to the 2nd Battalion, 50th Infantry. For a period from April of 1958 to July 15th, 1962, The 3rd Armored Rifle Battalion, 50th Infantry operated as an opposing force for training purposes at Wildflecken, Germany.

Relieved 1 September 1967 from assignment to the 2d Armored Division for duty in the Republic of Vietnam.

Served in Binh Dinh Province Sep 67 - Feb 68 under the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).
Served in Binh Dinh and Kontum Provinces Mar 68 - Apr 68 under the 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.
 Served in Binh Dinh Province May 68 - Sep 69 under the 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate).
 Served in Binh Thuan Province Oct 69 - Dec 70 under Task Force South, 1st Field Force Vietnam.

Note: Other 50th Infantry units that also served in Vietnam included:

Co. E (LRP), 50th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Dec 67 - Jan 69: became Co. E, 75th Infantry (Ranger).
Co. F (LRP), 50th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, Dec 67 - Jan 69: became Co. F, 75th Infantry (Ranger).
 Company E (Rifle Security), 50th Infantry and/or  Company F (Rifle Security), 50th Infantry served Jun 71 - Nov 72 as security for U.S.Army Support Command, DaNang.
50th Infantry Platoon Scout Dogs (50th IPSD), 4th Infantry Division, 7 March 1967 - 10 December 1970, Pleiku.


Assigned 16 December 1970 to the 2d Armored Division(at Fort Hood, Texas).. .

Inactivated 15 March 1983 at Fort Hood Texas and relieved from assignment to the 2d Armored Division.

Withdrawn 28 August 1987 from the Combat Arms Regimental System, reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System, and transferred to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command with Headquarters at Fort Benning, Georgia. The 1/50 is now an Infantry training battalion at Fort Benning.
Infantry Training Brigade Deactivated 18 May, 2007 and replaced with the newly Activated 198th Infantry Brigade, United States Army Infantry Center, Fort Benning, Georgia. The 1/50th will continue to train our country's finest Infantry Soldiers under the new "Brave And Bold" 198th Infantry Brigade!

Unit Awards and Decorations

Combat Infantry Battalion Streamer
 
Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered BINH DUONG PROVINCE. (Earned 1-22/2/69 by Co. F, 50th Infantry (LRP), 25th Inf. Div.)
 
French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered BREST
 
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1969, DAGO 51 (1971)
 
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970, DAGO 11 (1973)
 
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1971, DAGO 54 (1974), *IFFV (confirmed)
 
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970, DAGO 52 (1971)
 
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970, DAGO 42 (1972)
 

Unit Awards and Decorations (Awarded to Parent Units for periods when 1/50(M) was assigned or attached.)

1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), attached September 1967 to February 1968

Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1969, DAGO 59 (1969).
 

3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, attached March 68 to April 68

Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1969, DAGO 53 (1970)
 
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1969, DAGO 53 (1970)
 

173d Airborne Brigade (Separate), attached May 69 to September 1969

Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1970, DAGO 51 (1971)
 
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1971, DAGO 5 (1973)
 

I Field Force Vietnam, attached October 1969 to December 1970

Meritorious Unit Commendation, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1971, DAGO 16 (1972)
 
*Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1971, DAGO 54 (1974), includes 1/50
 



Campaign Participation Credit

World War II

 

Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe

Vietnam War

 

Campaign

1st Bn, 50th Infantry
(Mechanized)

Co. E. (LRP), 50th Inf.
9th Inf. Div.

Co. F. (LRP), 50th Inf.
25th Inf. Div.

Co. E and/or F, 50th Inf., Support Cmd,
USARV, Da Nang

Counteroffensive, Phase III
 
Tet Counteroffensive
Counteroffensive, Phase IV
Counteroffensive, Phase V
Counteroffensive, Phase VI
Tet 69/CounterOffensive

Co. E, 75th (Ranger)

Co. F, 75th (Ranger)

Summer-Fall 1969

Co. E, 75th (Ranger)

Co. F, 75th (Ranger)

Winter-Spring 1970

Co. E, 75th (Ranger)

Co. F, 75th (Ranger)

Sanctuary Counteroffensive

Co. E, 75th (Ranger)

Co. F, 75th (Ranger)

Counteroffensive, Phase VII

Co. E, 75th (Ranger)

Co. F, 75th (Ranger)

Consolidation I  
Consolidation II
Cease-Fire

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