26th Infantry Regiment (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 26th Infantry Regiment


caption=26th Infantry Regiment coat of arms
dates= 1901-
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= U.S. Army
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nickname=Blue Spaders
patron=
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battles=Philippine Insurrection
World War I
World War II
Vietnam War
Kosovo Campaign
Iraq Campaign
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current_commander=
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notable_commanders=Theodore Roosevelt Jr
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identification_symbol_label=Distinctive Unit Insignia
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identification_symbol_2_label=US Regiments
previous=25th Infantry Regiment
next=27th Infantry RegimentThe 26th Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. Its nickname is Blue Spaders, taken from the spade-like device on the unit badge.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the United States Army was sorely pressed to meet its overseas commitments in Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. As a result, in 1901 Congress authorized five additional Regular Army Infantry regiments; the 26th, 27th, 28th, , 29th, and 30th Infantry. All five regiments subsequently served the Army well. The 27th Wolfhounds of the 25th Division, the 28th Black Lions of the 1st and 8th Divisions, the 29th "school troops" of Fort Benning, and the 30th Rock of the Marne of the 3d Division, have earned a special place in Army history.

Philippines

The 26th Infantry began its life overseas in the Philippines and spent its first 20 years of service on deployments to the Southwest Pacific, the Mexican and Indian frontier and in Europe. It earned its first battle streamer during the Philippine-American War within two years of its forming as a unit.

World War I

After returning to the same location for another tour of duty (a habit the Blue Spaders would keep for the entire century), the regiment fought off Mexican bandits and settled disputes in the Indian Territory until it was selected as one of only four Regular Army Infantry Regiments deemed fit for immediate combat to form the first American Expeditionary Division in June 1917. This expeditionary division would later be renamed the First Division and thus began the regiment's long association with the "Big Red One".

As part of the first American soldiers to arrive in France, the regiment immediately left for the front. Along with its sister regiments of the division, it earned more campaign streamers than any other regiments during the World War I However, they came at a terrible cost. Over 900 Blue Spaders lost their lives in a six-month period. At Soissons alone, the regimental commander, executive officer, two of three battalion commanders and the regimental sergeant major were killed in action; sixty-two officers were killed or wounded; and out of 3,100 Blue Spaders that started the attack, over 1,500 had been killed or wounded. But the battle was won and this turned the tide for the Allies at a crucial period during the summer of 1918. By war's end, the soldiers earned seven battle streamers and two foreign awards. Following a brief occupation duty in Germany, the regiment returned to the United States and served as a part of a smaller peacetime Army.

World War II

In 1941, the regiment once again stood with its sister regiments and prepared for war in Europe. In World War II, the 26th Infantry led America's first-ever amphibious assault in North Africa, fought at the Kasserine Pass, assaulted Sicily, invaded Normandy, conquered the first German city of the war at Aachen, vaulted the Rhine and attacked all the way to Czechoslovakia by war's end. The regiment conducted three amphibious assaults, and earned seven battle streamers, a Presidential Unit Citation, and five foreign awards.

Beginning another occupation of Germany, the Blue Spaders were given the honor of bearing the United States National Colors at the Allied Victory in Europe parade, and were selected to serve as America's guard of honor at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. Thus began a lengthy stay in Germany, first as conquerors and later as friends and allies. Called again to serve in the United States after a reorganization of the Army, the unit was redesignated 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry and had a very short stay in the United States.

Vietnam War

After serving as a battle group in Europe in the early 1960s, the battalion rejoined the 1st Infantry Division shortly before receiving orders to deploy as a part of the Army's first divisional-sized unit in Vietnam in 1965. The Blue Spaders served longer in Vietnam with their Big Red One units than any other division. After five continuous years of combat, the Blue Spaders received orders to return home in 1970 with eleven battle streamers, a Valorous Unit Award and two foreign awards for its colors.

At the conclusion of Vietnam, the battalion returned to Germany as part of a forward-deployed brigade of the Big Red One. During the 1980s, when that brigade returned to the United States, the 26th Infantry was reassigned to TRADOC, where Spader battalions spent several years training recruits.

Recent History

In 1996, the battalion rejoined the Big Red One in Germany only to send its soldiers to Bosnia as part of the first American forces to enter the Balkans from February to September 1996. The entire battalion followed its initial deployment from October 1996 to April 1997. In March 1998, the Blue Spaders deployed again to the Balkans, this time to the Republic of Macedonia. Returning briefly in September 1998, the battalion was the first unit alerted for deployment to Kosovo in June 1999. It returned in December 1999. During this period, the unit earned the Superior Unit Award streamer and the Defense of Kosovo streamer for our colors. Three of the Task Force 1-26 Infantry soldiers lost their lives in Kosovo.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

2004-2005, the "Blue Spaders" deployed to Iraq as part of OIF II. The unit primarily bore responsibility for Sammara, the capital of Salahuddin province, a major part of the so-called Sunni Triangle. On their most recent deployment they are the main force in the areas of Ramadi, and other areas of northern Iraq. On 05 Aug. 2006 the "Blue Spader" Task Force deployed to Eastern Baghdad in support of the "Operation Iraqi Freedom". Task Force 1-26 operated as the primary maneuver element in the Eastern Baghdad area. The unit returned to Germany in October 2007. On June 1st 2008 PFC Ross McGinnis was posthumously award the Congressional Medal of Honor. As part of Cco 1st Battalion 26th Infantry he save four of his buddies when he laid on a grenade thrown into his HMMWV. He saved three other members of the armed forces to receive this award during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

External links

* [http://www.bluespader.org/ 26th Infantry Regiment Association]
* [http://www.armytimes.com/bloodbrothers/ Army Times Story "Blood Brothers"]