Afternoon Everyone,
I felt I'd share some knowledge today of the unit I portray which served on all fronts of World War II both in the Mediterranean and European Theatres of Operations. This is the only concise history of the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment anywhere on the internet other than the fact its on our website.
Thank your for your time and enjoy,
Very Respectfully,
Sgt. James Dunigan III
Able Co., U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment
U.S. 3rd Infantry Division(Reenacted)
U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 3rd Infantry Division
Constituted: Spring-Fall 1813
Unit: U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 3rd Infantry Division
Nickname: Friscans
Unit Motto: Our Country, Not Ourselves
Days in Combat: 531
Theatres of Operation: Mediterranean and European
Casualties: 8,308
Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients: 12
Distinguished Service Cross Recipients: 39
Silver Star Recipients: 854
Bronze Star Recipients: 1,068
Legion of Merit Recipients: 29
Soldier's Medal Recipients: 28
Campaigns:
WWI:
Champagne-Marne Defensive
Aisne-Marne Counter Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
WWII:
Algeria-French Morocco
Tunisia
Sicily
Naples-Foggia
Anzio
Rome-Arno
Southern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
The lineage of the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment does not begin in 1901 like half of the on-line websites say they were formally commissioned into the U.S. Army. Their beginnings come to light long before, in the Summer of 1813.
The War of 1812
The U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment was formed in North Carolina in the Summer of 1813 to combat the invading English forces both off the shores of North Carolina and, within the state. In the heightening crisis which had already resulted in Washington, D.C. being burned, they were to move to Washington, D.C. shortly thereafter to protect her from further invading forces. In the Summer of 1814, the War of 1812 would draw to a close and, the need for the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment became great and, were retained as one of the Regular Infantry Regiment. Regulars, pertaining to a regiment of career/veteran well-trained soldiers with the intent on making a life of the U.S. Army.
The U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment would miss out on the Mexican War of 1844-1847 but, would be recalled to service for the gathering storm that was to become the War Between The States from 1861-1865. The U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment would be however, redesignated(only for this war)the U.S. 12th Regular Infantry Regiment on May 4th, 1861 by the President. The actual U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment bearing this designation would be a so-called "colored" regiment. The U.S. 12th Infantry Regiment's service record for the War Between The States was:
The War Between The States
SERVICE:
(1862)
Virginia Peninsula, March 1862
Siege of Yorktown, April 4th - May 4th
Seven Days before Richmond, June 25th - July 1st
Battle of Mechanicsville, June 26th
Gaines Mill, June 27th
Turkey Bridge, June 30th
Malvern Hill, July 1st
At Harrison's Landing till August 16th. Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville, August 16th - 28th
Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia, August 28th - September 2nd
Battles of Groveton, August 29th
Bull Run, August 30th
Maryland Campaign, September 6th - 22nd
Battle of Antietam, September 16th - 17th
Sheperdstown Ford, September 19th - 20th
At Sharpsburg, Maryland till October 29th.
Kearneysville and Sheperdstown, October 16th - 17th. Movement to Falmouth, Virginia, October 29th - November 19th
Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, December 12th - 15th
(1863)
"Mud March", January 20th - 24th
Chancellorsville Campaign, April 27th - May 6th
Battle of Chancellorsville, May 1st - 5th
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Campaign, June 11th - July 24th
Battle of Gettysburg, July 1st - 3rd
Pursuit of Lee, July 5th - 24th
Moved to New York City, August 16th - 19th(Co.'s "F" and "H", 2nd Battalion, in New York most of July 1863)
Duty in New York till September 14th. Rejoined army in Culpepper, Va., September 22nd
Bristoe Campaign, October 9th - 22nd. Advance to the line of the Rappahannock, November 7th - 8th
Mine Run Campaign, November 26th - December 2nd
(1864)
Rapidian Campaign: Battles of the Wilderness, May 5th - 7th
Spotsylvania Court House, May 8th - 21st
North Anna River, May 22nd - 26th
On the line, the Pamunkey, May 26th - 28th
Totopotomoy, May 28th - 31st
Cold Harbor, June 1st - 12th
Bethesda Church, June 1st - 3rd
Before Petersburg, June 6th - 18th
Siege of Petersburg, June 6th - November 2nd
Battle of the "Crater", Petersburg, July 30th(in reserve)
Weldon Railroad, August 18th - 21st
Poplar Springs Church, Peebles Farm, September 29th - October 2nd
Boydton Plank Road, Hatchers Run, October 27th - 28th
Moved to New York, November 2nd - 6th
1st Battalion on duty at Elmira, New York and, 2nd Battalion; Fort
Hamilton, New York till July 1865.
After the American War Between The States. The U.S. 12th Regular Infantry Regiment would be deactivated due to a lack of need, the war was over and, the U.S. Army as it always does after war downsizes its land forces. It wouldn't be until thirty-seven years later that the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment would once again; rise from the ashes of the War Between The States.
The Phillipine Insurrection
In 1901, in Logan, Colorado the U.S. Army formally ordered the re-commissioning of the 1st Battalion, U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment. Spanning the rest of the year of 1901 the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment would see itself grow from one battalion to three. Shortly following the formation and commissioning of the entire U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment into active service once again, the far side of the world was in turmoil. An insurrection had occurred in the Phillipine Islands. However, unfortunately for the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment who disembarked from the Presidio for the Phillipines, the insurrection had been quelled by the time of their arrival.
The U.S. 30th Infantry Regiments new task however, was not to embark and go home but, instead their numbers were put to good use building roads all over the southern province of Mindinao. While building many of these roads for the new Phillipine government a few of the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment would contract Malaria and, die from this disease. The U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment would return home however, in the early part of 1909 to the Presidio Fort in San Francisco.