50th Infantry Regiment (United States)

50th Infantry Regiment
Coat of arms
Active	1917 -
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry training
Motto	Play the Game
Engagements	World War II Vietnam War
Commanders
Current commander	Lieutenant Colonel William A Kahmann
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

U.S. Infantry Regiments
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49th Infantry Regiment	51st Infantry Regiment

The 50th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment.

Lineage

Constituted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as the 50th Infantry.
Organized 1 June 1917 at Syracuse, New York.
Assigned 31 July 1918 to the 20th Division.
Relieved 28 February 1919 from assignment to the 20th Division.
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.
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
- 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.
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.
Reorganized and redesignated 1 July 1963 as the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry.
Relieved 1 September 1967 from assignment to the 2d Armored Division.
Assigned 16 December 1970 to the 2d Armored Division.
Inactivated 27 January 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Withdrawn 28 August 1987 from the Combat Arms Regimental System, reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System, and transferred to the United States Army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.

In addition to the 1st Battalion, the separate Company E (Long Range Patrol), 50th Infantry, was active with the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam.^[1] Also, Company F (LRP), 50th Infantry, was active in Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division.^[2]

Campaign participation credit

World War II

Vietnam
- Counteroffensive, Phase III
- Tet Counteroffensive
- Counteroffensive, Phase IV
- Counteroffensive, Phase V
- Counteroffensive, Phase VI
- Tet 69/CounterOffensive
- Summer-Fall 1969
- Winter-Spring 1970
- Sanctuary Counteroffensive
- Counteroffensive, Phase VII
- Consolidation I
- Consolidation II
- Cease-Fire

Vietnam War Memorial

"In remembrance of those killed while serving with the 1st Battalion, 50th United States Infantry Regiment during the War in Vietnam. 1967-1970. May God have mercy on their souls and grant them peace."

Decorations

Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered BINH DUONG PROVINCE, 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
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970

Motto

The unit's motto "Play the Game" was taken from "Vitai Lampada" ("They Pass On The Torch of Life"), a poem written in 1892 by Sir Henry Newbolt (1862–1938).

Distinctive unit insignia

Description

A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 ¹⁄₈ inches (2.9 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Argent, on a pale wavy Azure a dolphin hauriant embowed of the field, on a canton of the second the totem pole of the 23d Infantry Tenné. Attached below the shield a Silver scroll inscribed "PLAY THE GAME" in Blue letters.

Symbolism

The Regiment was organized in 1917 at Syracuse, New York, by drafts of personnel from the 23d Infantry. The shield is white and blue for Infantry. The device of Syracuse is a dolphin. The parentage of the Regiment is indicated in the canton. The 23rd took over Alaska in 1867 and this is commemorated by the crest of that Regiment which is an eagle, the new owner America, upon a plate which is upon the head of a bear, the old owner Russia, the story being that the old owner gave a feast to the new owner when the country changed hands. The 50th’s overseas service in World War I was in the Army of Occupation in the Rhine country indicated by the pale with wavy edges. It had been under orders for Silesia at the time of the Armistice.

Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 50th Armored Infantry Regiment on 14 October 1942. It was redesignated for the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion on 10 November 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 50th Infantry Regiment on 25 November 1958.

Coat of arms

Blazon
- Shield: Argent, on a pale wavy Azure a dolphin hauriant embowed of the field, on a canton of the second the totem pole of the 23d Infantry Proper.
- Crest: In a wreath of the colors an eagle’s head erased Sable, beaked and langued Gules (of the Rhine Province).
- Motto: PLAY THE GAME.
Symbolism
- Shield: The Regiment was organized in 1917 at Syracuse, New York, by drafts of personnel from the 23rd Infantry. The shield is white and blue for Infantry. The device of Syracuse is a dolphin. The parentage of the Regiment is indicated in the canton. The 23d took over Alaska in 1867 and this is commemorated by the crest of that Regiment which is an eagle, the new owner America, upon a plate which is upon the head of a bear, the old owner Russia, the story being that the old owner gave a feast to the new owner when the country changed hands. The 50th’s overseas service in World War I was in the Army of Occupation in the Rhine country indicated by the pale with wavy edges. It had been under orders for Silesia at the time of the Armistice.
- Crest: The crest is the eagle’s head of the two provinces of Rhine and Silesia.
Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 50th Infantry Regiment on 11 April 1922. It was redesignated for the 50th Armored Infantry Regiment on 7 August 1942. It was redesignated for the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion on 10 November 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 50th Infantry Regiment on 25 November 1958.

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Institute of Heraldry document "50th Infantry Regiment".

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