111th Infantry Regiment

111th Infantry Regiment
Coat of arms
Active	1747[1]
Allegiance	Federal, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Branch	Army National Guard
Type	Infantry
Role	Stryker
Garrison/HQ	1st Battalion - Plymouth Meeting, PA
Nickname	The Associators (Special Designation) [2]
Motto	Nulla Vestigia Retrorsum (No Step Backward)[3]
Commanders
Current commander	Lieutenant Colonel Mike Wegscheider[4]
Notable commanders	John Cadwalder
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia

The 111th Infantry Regiment is represented in the U.S. Army by 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry assigned to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division.^[5] The regiment was founded by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 21, 1747 as the Associators and is the oldest regiment in Pennsylvania.^[3]

The 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation^[6] - Operation Iraqi Freedom

Lineage

• 1747 Constituted December 7, 1747 by official recognition of the Associators, founded 21 November 1747 in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin.
• 1747 Organized December 29, 1747 as Associated Regiment of Foot of Philadelphia.
• 1775 Reorganized as Associates of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia, with five Battalions.
• 1777 Reorganized as the Philadelphia Brigade of Militia, commanded by Brigadier General John Cadwalader.
• 1793 Reorganized April 11, 1793 as Volunteer Infantry Elements of 1st Brigade, 1st Division Pennsylvania Militia.
• 1814 Volunteer Infantry Companies of 1st Brigade reorganized as 1st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel Clement C. Biddle; entered Federal Service August 24, 1814 and relieved January 4, 1815.
• 1816 Reorganized March 19, 1816 as Volunteer Infantry Elements of 1st Division.
• 1846 Federal service December 15, 1846 to 27 July 1847 in War with Mexico.
• 1858 Reorganized as 1st Infantry Regiment, 1st Division.
• 1861 Regiment consisted of the following companies: State Fencibles Infantry Corps; Washington Blues; Minute Men of '76; National Grays; Garde Lafayette; Zouaves. Mustered into Federal service April 24, 1861 as 18th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment, mustered out August 7, 1861 at Philadelphia.
• 1870 Pennsylvania Militia redesignated Pennsylvania National Guard by Act of Legislature 1870.
• 1866 Perpetuated 1866-1878 by Weccacoe Legion and State Fencibles Infantry Corps. Weccacoe Legion originated in August 1861 in Weccacoe Volunteer Fire Company and Baxter's Fire Zouaves which formed the nucleus of the 22nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, in Federal service August 10, 1861 - August 24, 1864; this Regiment also contained veterans of the 18th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
• 1879 Weccacoe Legion expanded and redesignated July 31, 1879 as 3rd Regiment Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard.
• 1898 Mustered into Federal service May 9, 1898 as 3rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Mustered out 22 October 1898 at Philadelphia.
• 1916 3rd Infantry Regiment mustered into Federal service July 1, 1916 for Mexican Border service. Mustered out October 18, 1916.
• 1917 Called into Federal service March 25, 1917 and mustered in March 28, 1917 at Philadelphia.
• 1917 Consolidated October 11, 1917 with 10th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard to form 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. Demobilized May 28, 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey.
• 1919 Reorganized as 3rd Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard, October 16, 1919 in Philadelphia.
• 1921 3rd Infantry Regiment and 6th Infantry Regiment consolidated and redesignated April 1, 1921 as 111th Infantry.
• 1941 Inducted into Federal service February 17, 1941 at Philadelphia.
• 1945 Inactivated November 22, 1946 at Camp Anza, California.
• 1947 Reorganized with Headquarters Federally recognized 27 February 1947 at Philadelphia, as elements of 111th Regimental Combat Team.
• 1959 Reorganized and redesignated June 1, 1959 as 111th Infantry, a parent Regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of 1st and 2nd Battle Groups, elements of the 28th Infantry Division.
• 1963 Reorganized April 1, 1963 to consist of 1st and 2nd Battalions.
• 1968 Reorganized February 17, 1968 with 1st Brigade 28th Infantry Division redesignated 56th Brigade, 42 Infantry Division, with 2nd Battalion, 111th Infantry attached.
• 1976 Reorganized April 15, 1975 and redesignated 56th Brigade, 28th Infantry Division, with 1st and 2nd Battalions 111th Infantry attached.

Lineage of precursor units

Provisional Headquarters Company, 6th Infantry Regiment (PAARNG)

• Organized December 31, 1914 in the Pennsylvania National Guard at Philadelphia as the provisional Headquarters Company, 6th Infantry Regiment.
• Mustered into federal service July 7, 1916 at Philadelphia.
• Reorganized September 7, 1916 as Headquarters Company, 6th Infantry Regiment.
• Mustered out of federal service February 28, 1917.
• Drafted into federal service August 5, 1917.
• Consolidated October 11, 1917 with Headquarters Company, 18th Infantry Regiment (organized in 1914), and consolidated unit reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters Company, 111th Infantry, an element of the 28th Division.
• Demobilized May 13, 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey.
• Former Headquarters Company, 6th Infantry Regiment, reorganized November 1, 1919 in the Pennsylvania National Guard at Philadelphia as Headquarters Company, 6th Infantry.
• Redesignated April 1, 1921 as Headquarters Company, 111th Infantry, an element of the 28th Division;
• Federally recognized August 5, 1921.

Hospital Corps, 6th Infantry Regiment (PAARNG)

• Organized May 1, 1903 in the Pennsylvania National Guard at Philadelphia as the Hospital Corps, 6th Infantry Regiment.
• Redesignated December 20, 1915 as the Sanitary Detachment, 6th Infantry Regiment.
• Mustered into federal service July 7, 1916 at Philadelphia;
• Mustered out February 28, 1917.
• Drafted into federal service August 5, 1917.
• Consolidated October 11, 1917 with the Sanitary Detachment, 18th Infantry Regiment (organized in 1903), and consolidated unit reorganized and redesignated as the Sanitary Detachment, 111th Infantry, an element of the 28th Division.
• Demobilized May 13, 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey.
• Former Sanitary Detachment, 6th Infantry Regiment, reorganized August 7, 1920 in the Pennsylvania National Guard at Philadelphia as the Sanitary Detachment, 6th infantry.
• Redesignated April 1, 1921 as the Medical Department Detachment, 111th Infantry, an element of the 28th Division;
• Federally recognized July 29, 1921.
• Redesignated May 1, 1940 as the Medical Detachment, 111th Infantry.
• Inducted into federal service February 17, 1941 at Philadelphia.
• 111th Infantry relieved February 17, 1942 from assignment to the 28th Division, and reorganized as a Separate Regiment.
• Assigned to the Eastern Defense Command on April 30, 1942.
• Attached to the Chesapeake Bay Sector on February 8, 1943.
• Relocated to Camp Pendleton, Virginia on October 15, 1943.
• Staged at Camp Stoneman, California on November 3, 1943.
• Departed San Francisco Port of Embarkation on November 9, 1943.
• Arrived Hawaii on November 12, 1943, and assigned to the Central Pacific Base Command.
• 1/111th Infantry Regiment Assaulted Kwajalein on January 31, 1944, and remained there as the Garrison Force.
• Company I Assaulted Ujelang Atoll near Eniwetok on April 22, 1944.
• The Regiment reassembled, and moved to Peleliu on February 1, 1945, where they were attached to the Western Base Command on May 15, 1945.
• The 111th Infantry Regiment returned to the Los Angeles Port of Embarkation on November 21, 1945, where they moved to Camp Anza to prepare for Inactivation.
• Inactivated November 22, 1945 Camp Anza, California.
• Reorganized and federally recognized March 29, 1948 at Philadelphia.
• Reorganized and redesignated December 1, 1948 as the Medical Company, 111th Infantry.
• Home Station: Philadelphia

Distinctive unit insignia

• Description

A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/4 inches (3.18 cm) in height overall consisting of an oval Azure a reproduction of the statue of Benjamin Franklin, by R. Tait McKenzie, affronté Or.

• Symbolism

The field is blue for Infantry. Benjamin Franklin was the organizer of the “Associators,” to which organization the 111th Infantry traces its history.

• Background

The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 27 June 1929.

Coat of arms

Blazon

• Shield

Azure, on a saltire Argent voided Gules a fleur-de-lis Or; on a canton of the second a fess Sable charged with three plates.

• Crest

That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Azure, a lion rampant guardant Proper holding in dexter paw a naked scimitar Argent, hilted Or, and in sinister an escutcheon Argent on a fess Sable three plates. Motto NULLA VESTIGIA RETRORAUM (No Steps Backward).

Symbolism

• Shield

The shield is blue for Infantry. The saltire is for the Civil War service and the fleur-de-lis for World War I service. The canton represents the shield that appeared on the “Associators’” flag, indicating the Revolutionary War service of the organization. The silver saltire has been voided with red in similitude to the colors of the uniforms of the Pennsylvania troops as prescribed by General Washington in 1779. The motto was used by the 3d Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard, for a number of years.

• Crest

The crest is that of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

Background

The coat of arms was approved on 13 June 1929

See also

• Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry Regiments

References

•  This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Institute of Heraldry document "111th Infantry".