The 47th Infantry Regiment is an
infantry regiment of the
United States Army. Constituted in 1917 at
Camp Syracuse, New York, the regiment fought in the
Great War, and was later inactivated in 1921. Reactivated in 1940, the regiment fought during
World War II in
North Africa,
Sicily, and
Western Europe, then was inactivated in 1946. During the
Cold War, the regiment saw multiple activations and inactivations, with service both in the
Regular Army and the
Army Reserve; it fought in
Vietnam. Ultimately it was reactivated as a training regiment, and as of 1999, it has been assigned to
Fort Moore and consists of two active battalions.[8]
It ended the war near
Fays, Vosges, and served in the
Army of Occupation near
Koblenz until July 1919.[17] Following the Great War, the army contracted in size;[18] due to this downsizing, the regiment was inactivated in 1921.[19] Although inactivated, the regiment was relieved of its assignment to the 7th Infantry Brigade in 1927, and reassigned to the
13th Infantry Brigade, which was part of the
7th Division.[20]
Still in North Africa, along with the rest of the 9th Division, the regiment fought in the
Battle of El Guettar, which resulted in a significant number of casualties;[26] for actions during the battle, the regiment's commander, received the
Distinguished Service Cross (he would later go on to be promoted to be the assistant division commander of the
77th Division).[5][27] Following El Guettar, the regiment moved north, and fought in the
Battle of Sedjenane, and soldiers of the regiment's 2d Battalion, were the first Allied soldiers in
Bizerte.[28][29] After Colonel Patch was promoted and parted ways with the regiment, Colonel
George W. Smythe became the regiment's commander.[30] Along with the rest of the 9th Infantry Division, the regiment was sent to Sicily, in 1943;[28][31] in Sicily the regiment was tangentially involved during the
Battle of Troina, which saw the 9th Infantry Division's other infantry regiments in significant combat.[32]
Remaining in Sicily after the Axis forces retreated, the regiment received orders to move in November 1943, making its way to
England;[28] with the rest of the 9th Infantry Division, the regiment trained until June 1944.[24] The division was garrisoned around
Winchester and during this time a number of personnel
married local women.[33] While stationed around
Alresford, the regiment adopted a dog as a
mascot, but it died when struck by a vehicle in May 1944.[34]
On 10 June, four days after
D-Day, the 9th Infantry Division landed at
Utah Beach. Assigned to
VII Corps, it was allocated to the liberation of the
Cotentin Peninsula and was the division that sealed off the peninsula to prevent additional German reinforcements from breaking through.[24][35] Medical supplies for the regiment had been lost during its movement from England to Normandy, but were replaced and captured German vehicles were pressed into service by the regiment's medical detachment.[33] By 14 June, the entire regiment had landed, and the following day the 47th began combat operations, fighting alongside regiments of the
82nd Airborne Division, attacking along a path which was near, or included,
Orglandes,
Hautteville-Bocage, and
Ste. Colombe.[36] The regiment reached
Saint-Lô-d'Ourville, via
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte,
Saint-Sauveur-de-Pierrepont, and
Neuville-en-Beaumont, by 18 June.[37]
Relieved by the
357th Infantry Regiment (of the
90th Infantry Division) along the English Channel, facing Jersey, the regiment moved to
Saint-Jacques-de-Néhou where it began its push northward to
Vasteville, via
Bricquebec; on 20 June it began its push towards Cherbourg, but was initially halted near
Sideville by stiff German prepared defenses around the outskirts of the port city.[38] On 22 June, the attack on Cherbourg began, with the regiment errantly being attacked by aircraft of the
IX Bomber Command, and the
39th Infantry Regiment following behind its advancement;[39] by the 24th the regiment had broken through the enemy defenses, and along with the 39th, where fighting within the suburb of Octeville.[40] The regiment continued to fight in the western portion of Cherbourg, and by the 26th it captured German General
Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben and Admiral
Walter Hennecke. The city fell to the Allies by the next day; following the liberation of the port city, along with the
60th Infantry Regiment, the 47th fought the remaining German forces in
Cap de la Hague, ultimately capturing over 6,000 Germans by 1 July.[41]
By 10 July, the 9th Infantry Division was tasked to join the effort to
liberate Saint-Lô; the next day it was attacked by the
Panzer Lehr Division.[42] On 11 July, wounded men and medical officers of the regiment's third battalion, were captured by German forces; one of the medical officers would later be killed by friendly fire and buried at
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial, while the other was liberated at
Château-Thierry while taking care of wounded
prisoners of war.[33] In early August the regiment, along with the 60th Infantry Regiment, was fighting in the area of
Gathemo.[43] The liberation of Château-Thierry occurred on 27 August, while the 9th Infantry Division was following the wake of the movement of the
3d Armored Division.[24]
On 14 September, the regiment entered Germany, at or near,
Roetgen;[44] it was the first German city to fall to the Allies.[45] The regiment penetrated the
Siegfried Line near Schevenhütte on 16 September.[46] This was followed by fighting in the
Hürtgen Forest;[47] during the battle the regiment captured
Frenzerburg Castle.[48] By 30 September, the regiment had lost 163 officers; one company alone lost 18 officers killed, leading to a loss of experienced leadership over time.[49] During the
Battle of the Bulge, the regiment served as a cornerstone of American resistance around
Eupen.[6][50] The regiment had the distinction of another first; on 8 March 1945, soldiers of the regiment became the first infantry troops to cross the
Rhine River, doing so at
Remagen;[35][51] for its actions during the crossing of the Rhine, the regiment was awarded a
Distinguished Unit Citation.[24] During March the regiment experienced multiple changes in command, at the beginning of the month Colonel Smythe departed the regiment, leaving Lieutenant Colonel Herman A. Schmidt to act as the regiment's commanding officer, only to be succeeded by Colonel Peter O. Ward a week later.[52]
By early April, the 9th Infantry Division was assigned to
III Corps, and was part of the effort against the
Ruhr Pocket;[53] once again the Panzer Lehr Division attacked the 9th Infantry Division. For its actions in repelling the attack the regiment earned another Distinguished Unit Citation.[54] By mid-April 1945, the 9th Infantry Division was reassigned to VII Corps, and fought against remaining German forces in the
Harz Mountains; there they encountered concentration camps near
Nordhausen.[55] After the
Germans surrendered, the regiment conducted
occupation duty in Germany, which lasted until late 1946.[35]
Part of the Regiment's postwar occupation duty included a stint at the
Dachau Concentration Camp.[56][57][58][59][60][35] Elements of the 47th were assigned guard and administrative duty from July, 1945. [56][59][57] By this time Dachau had been converted to its postwar use as an internment camp that would intern former SS, Nazi functionaries, and officers of the German army.[61]
In December 1946, the regiment was deactivated in Germany.[62]
Cold War
In July 1947 the regiment was reactivated at
Fort Dix.[62] In 1957, the regiment was reorganized into the
Combat Arms Regimental System.[62][b] In 1957, the regiment's 2d Battalion was relieved from the 9th Infantry Division, returning to assignment with the 4th Infantry Division.[64] Also 1957, the regiment's 3d Battalion was inactivated and relieved from the 9th Infantry Division, and two years later allotted to the
United States Army Reserves'
81st Infantry Division.[8]
In 1961, the regiment's 2nd Battle Group (the redesignated 2d Battalion) was deployed to Germany. Stationed in Berlin, the regiment remained there for a year;[65] the following year the regiment's 2d Battalion was inactivated at Fort Lewis, and the 3d Battalion was inactivated at Atlanta.[8][64] In July 1963, the 1st Battalion was reactivated as a part of the
171st Infantry Brigade.[66] In 1966, at
Fort Riley, both the 2d and 3d Battalions were reactivated, with the 3d Battalion being reassigned to 9th Infantry Division.[8][64]
During the conflict three of the regiment's battalions served;[11] the 2d Battalion was deployed from January 1967 until October 1970, the 3d Battalion was deployed from January 1967 until July 1969, and the 4th Battalion was deployed January 1967 until July 1969.[70] For the most part the regiment's battalions were assigned to the 9th Infantry Division's 2d Brigade, except for the 2d Battalion, which was temporarily assigned at various times in 1968 to the division's other two brigades.[71][c] During its time in Vietnam, the regiment conducted
joint operations with the
United States Navy, during which its soldiers deployed from, and billeted aboard, naval vessels.[74]
In 1966, upon learning of the regiment's upcoming riverine mission, the regiment's leadership worked with the Navy's Amphibious Training School, in
Coronado, to gain the skills needed for the expected deployment.[69]: 54 In January 1967, the regiment deployed from
Fort Riley, by way of San Francisco, disembarking at
Vũng Tàu.[69]: 59 From mid-February to late-March 1967, the regiment's 3d Battalion conducted combat training, with the
USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) and the
9th River Assault Squadron, in the
Rung Sat Special Zone.[69]: 59–67, 70 In April and May 1967, the regiment's 4th Battalion conducted operations in the Rung Sat Special Zone.[69]: 67, 70
Beginning in April 1967, the regiment's 3d Battalion deployed to the Mekong Delta proper.[69]: 75 By May of that same year it began to conduct combat operations near Ap Bac;[69]: 77 that same month, the regiment's 4th Battalion completed operations in Rung Sat and began operations in the Mekong Delta.[69]: 81 On 19 May 1967, the 2d Brigade's headquarters came under attack on the banks of the
Mỹ Tho River, and the regiment's 3d Battalion was heavily engaged in thwarting the attack.[69]: 83 In June 1967, the regiment took part in
Operation Concordia, with the
USS Colleton (APB-36) providing medical support.[69]: 105–108 In early July 1967, operations were conducted in the
Gò Công Province;[69]: 110–112 at the end of that month, the regiment moved to
Can Guioc.[69]: 114–120 In August, and early September, the regiment operated in the
Long An Province, supporting units from the
Republic of Vietnam Marine Division.[69]: 125–127 From October 1967 until January 1968, the regiment was involved in
Operations Coronado V &
IX, which ended when the regiment embarked on the
USS Benewah (APB-35).[69]: 128–143
During the
Tet Offensive, in early February, the regiment fought heavily in and around
Mỹ Tho in
Operation Coronado X.[69]: 150–151 [d] From mid-February and into early March, the regiment took part in
Operation Coronado XI.[69]: 151–160 Following that operation, the regiment took part in
Operation Truong Cong Dinh until April. Several helicopters were lost due to enemy fire, and two artillery barges sunk; the Benewah was struck by enemy fire, and one LCM was sunk.[69]: 160–163 In July, the regiment's 4th Battalion conducted operations with the
South Vietnamese Army's 9th Division.[69]: 165 In October, two of the regiment's battalions conducted pacification operations in Kiến Hòa province.[69]: 171
Post-Vietnam and 21st century
Following the regiment's deployment to Vietnam, its battalions were progressively inactivated. The 3d Battalion was the first to be inactivated, doing so at Fort Riley in August 1969;[8] this was followed by the 2d Battalion, which was inactivated at Fort Lewis in October 1970,[64] and the 1st Battalion in November 1972.[66] This period of inactivation was short lived, as the 2d Battalion was reactivated at Fort Lewis in November 1972,[64] while the 3d Battalion was reactivated at the same base in March 1973.[8] During the remainder of the 1970s and into the late 1980s, the 2d and 3d Battalions remained with the 9th Infantry Division.[8][64] although, the regiment was withdrawn from the
Combat Arms Regimental System and was reorganized into the
United States Army Regimental System.[62] This process continued until August 1988 when the 2d Battalion was inactivated again.[64] In 1991, the 9th Infantry Division was inactivated;[76] due to this the 3d Battalion was assigned to the
199th Infantry Brigade, but was later inactivated in January 1994 at
Fort Polk.[8]
^During the
Meuse–Argonne offensive, a battalion of the regiment was commanded by Major James Stevens.[15] During the battle the regimental surgeon, Major Harrison Webster, was killed.[12]: 103
^This occurred around the time of the
Pentomic reorganization of the army.[63]
^During 1967 and 1968,
Chuck Hagel served in Vietnam as a sergeant within 2d Battalion's Company B.[72] In fiction,
Forrest Gump is shown to be a member of the regiment, wearing the regiment's
distinctive unit insignia on his Class A Dress Green Uniform. In the film he is cast as a member of the 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry, then a unit of the 9th Infantry Division in the Vietnam War.[73]
^Later-Major General
William Matz served in the regiment's 3rd Battalion, being injured during the Tet Offensive.[75]
^
ab"William G. Thiele"(PDF). Halfmoon Veterans Memorial Park. Town of Halfmoon, New York. Retrieved 11 August 2019. The 47th Infantry Regiment was activated on June 1st, 1917 at Camp Syracuse in New York. On May 25th, 1918 the 47th Infantry Regiment landed at Brest in France.
^Kaune, Patrick N. (19 May 2011).
General Troy H. Middleton: Steadfast in Command(PDF) (Monograph). United States Army Command and General Staff College. Docket School of Advanced Military Studies.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019 – via Defense Technical Information Center.
^
abcd"47th Infantry Regiment, 1940–1946"(PDF). The Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home. National Archives and Records Administration. 1946. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
^Blumenson, Martin (1993) [1961].
Breakout and Pursuit(PDF). Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. pp. 468–169.
OCLC78605078. CMH Pub 7-5-1.
^"9th Infantry Division". Order of Battle for U.S. Army Divisions in World War II European Theater of Operations prepared by the ETO Historical Office, December 1945. U.S. Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
^
abRoberts, Donald R. (2008). Biola, Heather R. (ed.). The Other War, a World War II Journal. Elkins, W.V.: McClain Printing Co.
ISBN978-0-87012-775-5.
^Tucker, Spencer C. (20 May 2011).
"River Assault Groups". The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History, 2nd Edition [4 volumes]: A Political, Social, and Military History. ABC-CLIO. p. 978.
ISBN978-1-85109-961-0.
Gillespie, David E., ed. (1946). Raiders: History of the 47th Infantry Regiment.
Mittelman, Joseph Bernard (1948). Eight Stars to Victory: a History of the Veteran Ninth Infantry Division. Washington: Ninth Infantry Division Association.
Blann, Jack R. (1997). A Private's Diary: The Battle of Germany as Seen Through The Eyes of an 18 Year Old Infantry Rifleman. J&L Pub.
ISBN978-0965465304.
Roberts, Donald R. (2008). Biola, Heather R. (ed.). The Other War, a World War II Journal. Elkins, W.V.: McClain Printing Co.
ISBN978-0-87012-775-5. Biography of a World War II surgeon of the 47th Infantry