105th Infantry Regiment (United States)

105th Infantry Regiment (2nd New York)
Coat of Arms.
Active	1898, 1916-1919, 1940-1945.
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	New York
Branch	Army National Guard
Type	Infantry regiment
Motto(s)	Possumus et vincemus (We Are Able and Will Conquer)
Engagements	World War I Battle of the Lys (1918) Second Battle of the Somme (1918) Meuse-Argonne Offensive World War II Battle of Makin Battle of Saipan Battle of Okinawa

The 105th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the New York Army National Guard that saw combat in the American Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Originally, it was known as the 2nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, but it was redesignated in 1916. The 105th fought as a part of the 27th Infantry Division during both World Wars, and was highly decorated for its actions during the Battle of Saipan, where its dogged defense against the largest Japanese Banzai charge of the war decimated its ranks, but prevented the American effort on the island from collapsing.

The 105th Infantry traces its origins to the 2nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, first formed in 1898. (An earlier 2nd New York Volunteer Infantry, known as the Troy Regiment, had served in the Civil War; this was a different regiment with no connection to the later 2nd.) On 17 May 1898, the 2nd New York Infantry was reformed for service in the Spanish–American War. The 2nd New York was supposed to join the U.S. forces in Cuba, but was kept in the States because of an initial lack of transport ships and then because of an outbreak of Typhoid among the soldiers already serving in Cuba. Nevertheless, the 2nd Regiment lost 32 men, all to disease.

The 2nd New York was mustered up again for the Border War in 1916, and was thus prepared for when the US Army mobilized for the First World War in April 1917. The 2nd New York was redesignated as the 105th Infantry Regiment and was assigned to the 53rd Brigade of the 27th Infantry Division. Serving with the 105th in the 53rd Brigade was the 106th Infantry Regiment. At the beginning of the war, the 105th had a strength of 2,720 officers and men. The regiment shipped out for France in May 1918, and upon arrival, was sent to the East Poperinghe Line with the rest of the 27th Division. On 25 July 1918, the 105th rotated into the frontline to relieve elements of the British 6th Division. German offensives in the spring of 1918 had penetrated deep into the allied lines, and created salients near Amiens and Hazebrouck. On 31 August 1918, the Ypres-Lys Offensive began in order to force the Germans out from the Dickebusch/Scherpenberg area, and thus reduce the Amiens salient. The assault began with the 105th on the left side of the advance (abreast with the 106th Infantry), and fighting continued for a few days until the regiment was relieved by the British 41st Division. The Second Somme Offensive began on 24 September 1918 and concluded on 21 October 1918. Its main objective was piercing the Hindenburg Line, an intricate system of German defenses with an average depth of six to eight kilometers. On 27 September, elements of the 105th moved forward in support of an attack by the 106th Regiment. The two regiments of the 53rd Brigade made moderate gains near Guillemont, but were thrown back by a German counterattack. It was here, near Ronssoy, that 1LT William B. Turner earned the Medal of Honor. On 27 September 1918, 1LT Turner was leading his men in an attack, under terrific artillery and machine-gun fire, after they had become separated from the rest of the company in the darkness. He singlehandedly charged enemy machine-gun positions and led his men through three lines of trenches. He managed to capture a fourth and final trench-line, but was killed when the Germans counterattacked. On 29 September, the 105th attempted to capture a formidable German strongpoint known as "The Knoll," but the New Yorkers were halted by savage amounts of machine-gun fire that rained down from the elevated German positions. On 1 October, the entire 27th Division was moved to Prémont to serve with the II Corps and helped spearhead an assault against the German defenses on 17 October 1918. The regiment swiftly captured a portion of the enemy line at L’Arbe de Guise, holding it against powerful German counterattacks. The following day, 18 October, the 105th was on the offensive again, advancing on one of the primary north-south German lines before being halted by strong resistance. On 19 October, the regiment again advanced from their forward positions, this time in the face of only slight opposition, and easily took the main German works. The 105th remained in combat for a few more days before the entire division was relieved on 21 October 1918. By 19 March 1919, the regiment had returned in full to the United States where it was quickly mustered out. During its combat action in the First World War, the 105th Infantry Regiment suffered 1,609 casualties including 1,284 wounded, 253 killed, and 72 who later died of their wounds.