| Unit Name: | 338th Infantry Regiment |
| Dates: | 1917-1919 1921-1945 1946–present |
| Branch: | U.S. Army |
| Role: | Infantry |
| Size: | Regiment |
| Command Structure: | First Army |
| Motto: | Marchons |
| Anniversaries: | Constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army |
| Decorations: | Presidential Unit Citation Army Superior Unit Award |
| Battle Honours: | World War I World War II |
| Identification Symbol Label: | The Regiment wears the 85th Division shoulder sleeve insignia[1] |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | First Army shoulder sleeve insignia (worn 2007-2018) |
| Identification Symbol 3 Label: | Coat of Arms |
The 338th Infantry Regiment was a National Army Infantry Regiment first organized for service in World War I as part of the 85th Infantry Division in Europe. It later served in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II. Since then it has served as a training regiment, training Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers for overseas service after the September 11 terrorist attacks.[2] [3]
The regiment was constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army as the 338th Infantry and assigned to the 169th Infantry Brigade of the 85th Division. It was organized at Camp Custer, Michigan, on 30 August 1917. In August 1917, the regiment was organized with 3,755 officers and enlisted men:
The Doughboys of the regiment deployed to France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces and were billeted in the cities of Nevers and Cosne. The regiment didn't participate in any named campaigns during the war; its Infantrymen were used as individual replacements to the fighting Divisions.[5] [6] [7] After completing its war service in France it was demobilized at Camp Custer on 14 April 1919.[8] [9]
The 338th Infantry was reconstituted 24 June 1921 and assigned to the 85th Division (later redesignated as the 85th Infantry Division). The headquarters was at Lansing, Michigan.[1]
The 338th Infantry was ordered into active military service 15 May 1942 and reorganized at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. In July 1943, the regiment was organized with 3,256 officers and enlisted men:[10]
The regiment departed Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation in December 1943 aboard the USS General William A. Mann[11] [12] with its supporting 329th Field Artillery Battalion.[13] Arriving in Italy on March 14, the 339th Regimental Combat Team was attached to the 88th Infantry Division and became the first regiment of the 85th to see combat during World War II on the Minturno-Castelforte front north of Naples, on 28 March. After service in the Mediterranean Theater it was disbanded 25 August 1945 at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia.[14] [15] [16]
The 338th Infantry was reconstituted 6 November 1946 in the Organized Reserves and assigned to the 85th Infantry Division with headquarters at Peoria, Illinois. On 9 July 1952, the Organized Reserve was redesignated the Army Reserve. On 1 April 1952, the headquarters was relocated to Danville, Illinois. On 1 June 1959 the 338th Infantry was reorganized as a training unit and was redesignated as the 338th Regiment, an element of the 85th Division (Training), with headquarters at Chicago, Illinois.[1]
As part of Operation Bold Shift, the 338th mission is to train Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers for war service before dispatch to the War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, or elsewhere.[17] [18] All three battalions are elements of the 85th Support Command under the operational control of First Army., the 1st Battalion is stationed at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, with the 181st Infantry Brigade,[19] while the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are stationed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, with the 157th Infantry Brigade. Each battalion provides Observer/Controllers to the NTC and JRTC to train units conducting rotations as well as conducting exercises at their home stations.[20]
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| World War I | No Inscription | |
| World War II | Rome-Arno[21] | 1944 |
| North Apennines[22] | 1944-1945 | |
| Po Valley[23] | 1945 |
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Subordinate Elements | Embroidered | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Unit Citation | 1944 | Entire Regiment | Mount Altuzzo | General Orders #9, 21 October 1947[24] | |
| Army Superior Unit Award | 2003-2004 | 1st Battalion | 2003-2004 | Permanent Order 232-07, 20 August 2007[25] & General Order 2009-23 [26] | |
| Army Superior Unit Award | 2004-2006 | 2nd and 3rd Battalions | 2004-2006 | Permanent Order 202-27, 21 July 2009[27] & General Order 2013-16 | |
| Army Superior Unit Award | 2008-2011 | Entire Regiment | 2008-2011 | ||
| None | Secretary of the Army Superior Unit Certificate | 1961-1962 | Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion | None | |
