History of the Regiment, created 2012 by Historian Jim Sheppard: 50th Infantry Regiment Download.
Constituted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as the 50th Infantry. Below
is a photo of the original 50th Infantry at Syracuse, taken October 16th, 1917. Our
Association Archives has the only known original copy of this photo.
Organized 1 June 1917 at Syracuse, New York. The unit was initially
assembled with personnel from the 23d Infantry.
Assigned 31 July 1918 to the 20th Infantry Division. Below is a photo
labeled "Part of 'H' Company, 50th Infantry" Obtained from Richard Sawyer,
author of the book: "Greetings from Camp Sevier". The Photo was
taken on October the 12th...just one month from the end of World War I on November 11th.
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The 20th Division was stationed at Camp Sevier at
Greenville,South Carolina. Camp Sevier was initially established in July 1917 to train
draftees and recruits from South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee, but within three
months draftees from other states arrived and wags suggested that the "Southern
Division" (30th Division) be renamed the "Moonshine Division". The
20th Division moved in as the 30th Division joined the Allied Expeditionary Force in
France. |
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Relieved 28 February 1919 from assignment to the
20th Division. Following the end of the war on 11 November 1918, the 50th
Infantry continues and completes its training . The 50th Infantry then joins the Army of
Occupation in Germany, being joined by many seasoned veterans from units sent home.
Photo below is the 50th Infantry Regiment at Laacher See, Germany in
August of 1921.
 A
decorated sergeant from the 50th Infantry was given the significant honor of selecting the
remains that were interred in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with full military honors.
Left: photo of patch worn by Gustave Perla. Contributed by Arthur W.
Jablon. |
WW Victory Medal |
Inactivated 31 December 1921 in Germany.
Demobilized 31 July 1922.
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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. The 50th was
activated with the 6th Armored Division.
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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. The battalion fought throughout World War II
with the 6th Armored Division as part of General George S. Patton's Third Army. It was
involved in the breakout from Normandy (D-Day), the Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne, the
liberation of Buchenwald and other famous battles.
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. There is no record of
the (44th Armored Infantry) battalion serving in Korea: however, it may well have been
with U.S. units rotated through Europe during the Korean War.
Although the official record shows that the 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, new evidence has surfaced to show that there was
a "1st Armored Rifle Battalion, 50th Infantry", 2nd Armored Division, Fort Hood
Texas in 1958! Historian Jim Sheppard has obtained an official yearbook (Pictured at
left) with photos of all the existing elements...including HQ, A, B, C, and D Companies!
The unit appears to have been a training unit at that time.
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Reorganized and redesignated 1 July 1963 as the 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry
and assigned to the 2d Armored Division (at Fort Hood, Texas). From 1st hand
knowledge (Member Jim Sheppard was stationed at Fort Hood from 1965 on) there was a 2nd BN
(M) 50th Infantry assigned also to the 2nd Armored Division at Fort hood from 1965 to 1967.
Other unofficial documentation shows the 2nd of the 50th assigned to Ferris Barracks, Erlangen, Germany between 1957
and 1964 (Dates approximate). Official Unit Activation Dates & Duty Locations
for the 2/50th are estimates and unofficial as of 2007. See separate page dedicated to the
2nd Battalion, 50th Infantry. For
a period from April of 1958 to July 15th, 1962, The 3rd Armored Rifle
Battalion, 50th Infantry operated as an opposing force for training
purposes at Wildflecken, Germany.
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Relieved 1 September 1967 from assignment to the 2d Armored Division for duty in the
Republic of Vietnam.
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Served in Binh Dinh Province Sep 67 - Feb 68 under the 1st Cavalry
Division (Airmobile). |
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Served in Binh Dinh and Kontum Provinces Mar 68 - Apr 68 under the 3d
Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. |
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Served in Binh Dinh Province May 68 - Sep 69 under the 173d
Airborne Brigade (Separate). |
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Served in Binh Thuan Province Oct 69 - Dec 70 under Task Force
South, 1st Field Force Vietnam. |
Note: Other 50th Infantry units that also served in Vietnam included:
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Co. E (LRP), 50th Infantry, 9th
Infantry Division, Dec 67 - Jan 69: became Co. E, 75th Infantry (Ranger). |
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Co. F (LRP), 50th Infantry, 25th
Infantry Division, Dec 67 - Jan 69: became Co. F, 75th Infantry (Ranger). |
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Company E
(Rifle Security), 50th Infantry and/or Company
F (Rifle Security), 50th Infantry served Jun 71 - Nov 72 as security for U.S.Army
Support Command, DaNang. |
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50th Infantry Platoon
Scout Dogs (50th IPSD), 4th Infantry Division, 7 March 1967 - 10 December 1970,
Pleiku. |
Assigned 16 December 1970 to the 2d Armored Division(at Fort Hood, Texas).. .
Inactivated 15 March 1983 at Fort Hood Texas and relieved from assignment to the 2d
Armored Division.
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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. The
1/50 is now an Infantry training battalion at Fort Benning. |
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Infantry Training Brigade Deactivated 18 May, 2007 and
replaced with the newly Activated 198th Infantry Brigade, United States Army Infantry
Center, Fort Benning, Georgia. The 1/50th will continue to train our country's finest
Infantry Soldiers under the new "Brave And Bold" 198th Infantry Brigade! |
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Combat Infantry
Battalion Streamer
 
Valorous Unit Award,
Streamer embroidered BINH DUONG PROVINCE. (Earned 1-22/2/69 by Co. F, 50th Infantry (LRP),
25th Inf. Div.)
 
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, DAGO 51 (1971)
 
Republic of Vietnam Cross
of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970, DAGO 11 (1973)
Republic of Vietnam Cross
of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1971, DAGO 54 (1974), *IFFV
(confirmed)
Republic of Vietnam Cross
of Gallantry with Silver Star, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970, DAGO 52 (1971)
 
Republic of Vietnam Civil
Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970, DAGO 42
(1972)
 
Unit
Awards and Decorations (Awarded
to Parent Units for periods when 1/50(M) was assigned or attached.)
1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), attached September 1967 to February 1968
Republic of Vietnam
Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1969, DAGO 59 (1969).
3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, attached March 68 to April 68
Republic of Vietnam
Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1969, DAGO 53 (1970)
Republic of Vietnam Civil
Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1969, DAGO 53
(1970)
173d Airborne Brigade (Separate), attached May 69 to September 1969
Republic of Vietnam
Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1970, DAGO 51 (1971)
Republic of Vietnam Civil
Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1971, DAGO 5 (1973)
I Field Force Vietnam, attached October 1969 to December 1970
Meritorious Unit
Commendation, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1971, DAGO 16 (1972)
 
*Republic of Vietnam Cross
of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1971, DAGO 54 (1974),
includes 1/50
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World War II
 
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Normandy |
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Northern France |
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Rhineland |
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Ardennes-Alsace |
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Central Europe |
Vietnam War
 
Campaign |
1st Bn, 50th Infantry
(Mechanized) |
Co. E. (LRP), 50th Inf.
9th Inf. Div. |
Co. F. (LRP), 50th Inf.
25th Inf. Div. |
Co. E and/or F, 50th Inf., Support Cmd,
USARV, Da Nang |
| Counteroffensive, Phase III |
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| Tet Counteroffensive |
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| Counteroffensive, Phase IV |
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| Counteroffensive, Phase V |
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| Counteroffensive, Phase VI |
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| Tet 69/CounterOffensive |
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Co. E, 75th (Ranger) |
Co. F, 75th (Ranger) |
| Summer-Fall 1969 |
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Co. E, 75th (Ranger) |
Co. F, 75th (Ranger) |
| Winter-Spring 1970 |
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Co. E, 75th (Ranger) |
Co. F, 75th (Ranger) |
| Sanctuary Counteroffensive |
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Co. E, 75th (Ranger) |
Co. F, 75th (Ranger) |
| Counteroffensive, Phase VII |
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Co. E, 75th (Ranger) |
Co. F, 75th (Ranger) |
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| Consolidation I |
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| Consolidation II |
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| Cease-Fire |
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