180th Cavalry Regiment

180th Cavalry Regiment
coat of arms
Active	1890
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States
Branch	Oklahoma Army National Guard
Type	Cavalry
Nickname(s)	Oklahoma Warriors (Special Designation)
Motto(s)	TANAP-NANAIYA KIA ALHTAIYAHA (Ready In War Or Peace)
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia

The 1st Squadron, 180th Cavalry Regiment is headquartered in Durant, Oklahoma. It is a part of the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard and is the oldest battalion in the brigade.

The 180th Infantry Regiment (redesignated to Cavalry in 2008) saw action during World War I as the 142nd Infantry Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division (Texas and Oklahoma) and World War II and the Korean War as part of the 45th Infantry Division and again in Afganistan and Iraq as part of the 45th Infantry Brigade.

History

The 1st Infantry Regiment, Oklahoma Volunteer Militia was first formed in 1890 and organized as the Oklahoma National Guard on 21 December 1895. Three years later with impending hostilities between the United States and Spain, the Oklahoma and Indian Territories Guard and those of the Territories of Arizona and New Mexico would be consolidated to form the 1st Regiment Territorial Volunteer Infantry, United States Volunteers. This Regiment was mustered into Federal service 4-23 July 1898 but too late to join the fighting in Cuba, the Regiment would muster out on 11-15 February at Albany, GA.

On 20 March 1916 Pancho Villa, a Mexican bandit and revolutionary raided the town of Columbus, New Mexico. President Woodrow Wilson ordered Army and Guards to border patrol duty and expeditions into Mexico to hunt down the bandit. Villa would not be caught, but the former 1st Infantry Regiment, Oklahoma National Guard which has been reorganized in 1899 as the 1st Regiment of Infantry, was ordered to Federal service 27 June-1 July 1916 at Fort Sill, OK, for this duty and mustered out 1 March 1917 at Fort Sill.

It was called back to Federal service on 31 March 1917 and assigned on 18 July 1917 to the 36th Division (Oklahoma and Texas). It was drafted into Federal service on 5 August 1917 at Fort Sill and was consolidated on 15 October 1917 with 7th Infantry, Texas National Guard, and redesignated as 142nd Infantry. At the same time the 3rd Infantry, Oklahoma National Guard was organized in Eastern Oklahoma for service at home and was federally recognized on 3 September 1918. The 36th Division was demobilized on 17 June 1919 at Camp Bowie, TX.

During WWI, 2 Oklahoma members of the 142nd Regiment would be presented with the Medal of Honor; Cpl Samuel M. Sampler and Cpl Harold L. Turner, both credited with eliminating machine gun nests and continuing an advance near St. Etienne, France in October 1918 wich would prepare for a major attack along the Aisne River.

On October 12-13 1918, the regiment attacked toward the line of the Aisne (Ayn) River on the right of a four regiment/two brigade attack that advanced the American Line and eliminated a German salient south of the Aisne. During this campaign the numerous American Indian members of the old Oklahoma National Guard were used as telephone talkers, becoming a legend as the "Choctaw Talkers", presaging the “Code Talkers” of WWII. Fourteen Choctaw Indian men, trained to use their language, helped the American Expeditionary Force win several key battles in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign in France, the final big German push of the war. The fourteen Choctaw Code Talkers were Albert Billy, Mitchell Bobb, Victor Brown, Ben Caterby, James Edwards, Tobias Frazer, Ben Hampton, Solomon Louis, Pete Maytubby, Jeff Nelson, Joseph Oklahombi, Robert Taylor, Calvin Wilson, and Walter Veach. With at least one Choctaw man placed in each field company headquarters, they handled military communications by field telephone, translated radio messages into the Choctaw language, and wrote field orders to be carried by "runners" between the various companies. The German army, which captured about one out of four messengers, never deciphered the messages written in Choctaw. The Choctaws were recognized as the first to use their native language as an unbreakable code in World War I. The Choctaw language was again used in World War II.

In 1919, the 3rd Infantry Regiment would be called out to protect coal mining operations during threatened strikes and to enforce martial law in 6 southeast Oklahoma counties.

The returning Eastern Oklahoma elements of former 142nd Infantry merged during 1920-1921 with the 3rd Infantry, and the resulting unit was designated in the Oklahoma National Guard as 3rd Infantry. During this time the Regiment would respond to a declaration of Martial Law in Tulsa, Oklahoma in order to restore order following the Tulsa Race Riot.

3rd Infantry was redesignated on 14 October 1921 as 180th Infantry Regiment, and assigned to the newly organized 45th Division, reuniting Oklahoma’s Guardsmen with those from Arizona and New Mexico and adding Colorado as well.

In preparation for possible entry into World War II and in response to obvious changes in military doctrine as practiced in the new conflict, the 180th was inducted into Federal service on 16 September 1940 at Muskogee to participate in the experimental Louisiana Maneuvers. The 45th Division itself was reorganized and redesignated on 11 February 1942 as 45th Infantry Division. After 511 days of combat in Europe the unit inactivated 22-29 November 1945 at Camp Bowie, TX. WWII produced 6 recipients of the Meadl of Honr form the 180th Infantry: 2LT Ernest Childers, PFC William Johnston, 1LT Jack Montgomery, all for actions in Italy and CPT Jack Treadwell for a ctions along the Sigfried Line in Germany.

The 180th was again ordered into active Federal Service on 1 September 1950, this time to prepare of mobilization to Korea. The 180th Infantry [NGUS] was organized and Federally recognized on 15 September 1952 with Headquarters at Holdenville. After 429 days of combat it was released from active Federal service 30 April 1954 and reverted to State control.

One of the most significant actions was the assault on Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hills. The 45th Infantry Division was holding the right flank of the I Corps' line in west-central Korea, facing the 39th Army of the Chinese 13th Field Army. In order to take the high ground in front of the division's main line of resistance Division developed a plan to seize a dozen forward hills, stretching from northeast to southwest. The last two in the southwest, Pork Chop and Old Baldy (Hill 266), were held by the Chinese 116th Division. On June 6 and 7, the 180th Infantry advanced on the six southern hills. Company I of the 180th took Pork Chop after a one-hour firefight and immediately fortified the position. The Chinese 346th, 347th and 348th regiments counterattacked over the next several days, but I Company, with artillery support, held off the human wave counter assaults.

In two further reorganizations, the 180th Regiment was reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of 1st and 2nd Battle Groups, on 1 May 1959 and again on 1 April 1963 to consist of 1st and 2nd Battalions. It was again reorganized on 1 February 1968 to consist of the 1st Battalion, a non-divisional unit of the 45th Infantry Brigade, with the 45th Division being reorganized as the 45th Infantry and Field Artillery Brigades and 90th Troop Command. In 1973, the 1-180th was one of many Guard units activated to quell a major prison riot at McAlister State Prison. In 2001, following a severe winter storm on 4 January, members of the 1-180th rendered humanitarian assistance, delivering water to persons whose water and electricity had been knocked out by heavy ice.

11 September 2001 witnessed the worst foreign attack on US soil, which altered the character of the planned six-month deployment of the 1-180th to Egypt in 2002 as a part of the Multinational Force and Observers. The MFO is an independent, non-UN peacekeeping force made up of ten participating nations. The force was created in 1982 as a result of the 1978 Camp David Accords and the 1979 Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel. The United States is one of the original partners and has provided a battalion-sized force for the mission since it began. The 180th was the 44th battalion to complete an MFO rotation.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the US Gulf Coast in September 2005. The 180th was part of a massive National Guard response, deploying to provide security and humanitarian assistance.

In 2006, the 1-180th deployed as the Security Force (SECFOR) to Oregon’s 41st Infantry Brigade to provide for a secure training environment while the 41st trained and certified the Afghan National Army even taking the lead in picking up a new training mission for the Afghan National Police.

Current units

Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1-180th Cavalry Squadron at Durant, OK Troop A, 1-180th Cavalry Squadron at Ada, OK Troop B, 1-180th Cavalry Squadron at Poteau, OK Troop C, 1-180th Cavalry Squadron at Ada, OK

Additionally, the 180th is supported by its Forward Support Company (FSC) D Co., 700th Brigade Support Battalion at McAlester, OK

Campaign Streamers

World War I

• Meuse-Argonne

World War II

• Sicily (with Arrowhead)
• Naples-Foggia (with Arrowhead)
• Anzio
• Rome-Arno
• Southern France (with Arrowhead)
• Rhineland
• Ardennes-Alsace
• Central Europe

Korean War

• Second Korean winter
• Korea, Summer-Fall 1952
• Third Korean winter
• Korea, Summer 1953

Global War on Terror

• Afghanistan, Consolidation I
• Afghanistan, Consolidation II
• Iraq Surge
• Iraq Current Campaign (unnamed)

Distinctive Unit Insignia

• Description

A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 5/16 inches (3.33 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Azure three Indian arrows pyramidwise Argent. Attached above from a wreath Argent and Azure an Indian’s head with war bonnet all Proper. Attached below and to the sides of the shield a Silver scroll inscribed “TANAP NANAIYA KIA ALHTAIYAHA” in Blue letters.

• Symbolism

The shield is blue for Infantry, the unit’s original designation. The arrows are indicative of the Indian heritage of Oklahoma. The language used in the motto is that of the Choctaw Indian and translates to “Ready In War Or Peace.”

• Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 180th Infantry Regiment on 30 October 1925. It was amended to revise the symbolism on 10 May 1979. It was redesignated for the 180th Cavalry Regiment with the description and symbolism updated effective 1 December 2008.

Coat Of Arms

Blazon

• Shield

Azure three Indian arrows pyramidwise Argent.

• Crest

That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Oklahoma Army National Guard: From a wreath Argent and Azure an Indian’s head with war bonnet all Proper.

• Motto

TANAP-NANAIYA KIA ALHTAIYAHA (Ready In War Or Peace).

Symbolism

• Shield

The shield is blue for Infantry, the unit’s original designation. The arrows are indicative of the Indian heritage of Oklahoma. The language used in the motto is that of the Choctaw Indian.

• Crest

The crest is that of the Oklahoma Army National Guard.

• Background

The coat of arms was originally approved for the 180th Infantry Regiment on 3 May 1923. It was amended to revise the symbolism on 10 May 1979. It was redesignated for the 180th Cavalry Regiment with the description and symbolism updated effective 1 December 2008.

See also

• Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry Regiments

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from 180th Cavalry Regiment. United States Army Institute of Heraldry.