Lineage And Honors Information
Lineage and Honors Information as of 20 May 2016
161st Infantry Regiment
(First Washington)
- Organized 9 March 1887 from existing companies in the Washington Territorial Militia as the 1st (west of the Cascade Mountains) and 2d (east of the Cascade Mountains)
- (Washington Territorial Militia designated 28 January 1888 as the Washington National Guard)
- 2d Infantry Regiment reorganized and redesignated 23 July 1895 as the 1st Infantry Battalion
- 1st Infantry Regiment reorganized and redesignated in 1897 as the 2d Infantry Battalion
- Ten companies of the 1st and 2d Infantry Battalions mustered into Federal service 6-13 May 1898 at Tacoma as elements of the 1st Regiment, Washington Volunteer Infantry, and mustered out of Federal service 1 November 1899 at San Francisco, California; two companies of the 1st and 2d Infantry Battalions mustered into Federal service 2-15 July 1898 at Tacoma as elements of the Independent Battalion, Washington Volunteer Infantry, and mustered out 28 October 1898 at Vancouver Barracks, Washington
- Elements of the former 1st and 2d Infantry Battalions consolidated 9 November 1899 with the 1st and 2d Infantry Regiments (organized in 1898 in the Washington National Guard) and consolidated unit redesignated as the 1st Infantry Regiment
- Redesignated 15 May 1903 and the 2d Infantry Regiment
- Mustered into Federal service 28 June 1916 at Camp Elmer M. Brown, Washington; mustered out of Federal service 8 October 1916 at American Lake
- Drafted into Federal service 5 August 1917
- Consolidated 19 September - 20 October 1917 with elements of the 3d Infantry Regiment (District of Columbia National Guard) to form the 161st Infantry and assigned to the 41st Division
- Demobilized 1-8 May 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey, and Camp Dodge, Iowa
- Reorganized 1 January 1921 in the Washington National Guard as the 161st Infantry, with Headquarters at Spokane, and assigned to the 41st Division
- (1st Battalion and Headquarters and Supply Companies, 161st Infantry, consolidated 10 May 1921 with the former Washington National Guard field artillery battalion to form the 146th Field Artillery - hereafter separate lineage)
- 161st Infantry inducted into Federal service 16 September 1940 at home stations
- Relieved 17 February 1942 from assignment to the 41st Division
- Assigned 3 August 1942 to the 25th Infantry Division
- Inactivated 1 November 1945 in Japan and relieved from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division
- Assigned 17 June 1946 to the 41st Infantry Division
- Reorganized and Federally recognized 24 March 1947 with Headquarters at Spokane
- Reorganized 15 April 1959 as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st and 2d Battle Groups, elements of the 41st Infantry Division
- Reorganized 1 March 1963 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions, elements of the 41st Infantry Division
- Reorganized 1 January 1968 to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the 81st Infantry Brigade
- Reorganized 1 May 1971 to consist of the 1st and 3d Battalions, elements of the 81st Infantry Brigade, and the 2d Battalion
- Reorganized 1 January 1974 to consist of the 1st and 3d Battalions, elements of the 81st Infantry Brigade
- Withdrawn 1 May 1989 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized within the United States Army Regimental System with Headquarters at Spokane
- (1st Battalion ordered into active Federal service 15 November 2003 at home stations; released from active Federal service 12 May 2005 and reverted to state control)
- Reorganized 1 September 2005 to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 81st Armored Brigade Combat Team
- Redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 161st Infantry Regiment
- (1st Battalion ordered into active Federal service 16 August 2008 at home stations; released from active Federal service 19 September 2009 and reverted to state control)
Campaign Participation Credit
- Philippine Insurrection
- Manila
- Luzon
- World War I
- Streamer without inscription
- World War II
- Guadalcanal
- Northern Solomons
- Luzon
- War on Terrorism
- Iraq:
- Iraqi Surge
- (Additional campaigns to be determined)
Decorations
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2004-2005
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2008-2009
- Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 1 JULY 1945
By Order of the Secretary of the Army:
CHARLES R. BOWERY, JR.
Chief of Military History