106th Infantry Regiment (United States)
| 106th Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
Coat of Arms.
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| Active | 1916-1919, 1940-1945 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch | Army National Guard |
| Type | Infantry regiment |
| Motto(s) | Fidelis et Constans |
| Engagements | |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
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| 105th Infantry Regiment | 107th Infantry Regiment |
The 106th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the New York Army National Guard that traces its history to the 23rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment which fought in the American Civil War and the Pancho Villa Expedition in 1916. When the United States entered World War I on the side of the Allied Powers, it was assigned to the 27th Infantry Division. During World War II, the 106th served in the Pacific Theater and acted both independently and as parts of larger divisions.
The 27th Infantry Division was organized in November 1917 into a typical infantry "square division" of the US Army National Guard. It had two infantry brigades (each with two infantry regiments), along with an artillery brigade, a machine-gun brigade, and a headquarters detachment. During the reorganization, the 23rd New York was converted into the 106th Infantry Regiment under the command of COL Franklin W. Ward, and it was assigned to the 53rd Infantry Brigade (now the 53rd Troop Command) alongside the 105th Infantry Regiment. When the regiment arrived in France, it had an operational strength of 3,003 officers and enlisted men, and it was moved into the front lines on 25 June 1918. The regiment relieved elements of the British 6th Division along the East Poperinghe Line in Belgium, where it remained with the other elements of the 27th Division. On 31 August 1918, the Ypres-Lys Offensive began, and the 106th Regiment was engaged in the reconnaissance efforts prior to the main battle. Alongside the 53rd Brigade and the rest of the 27th Division, the 106th attacked German position in the Second Somme Offensive from 24 September to 21 October 1918.This offensive proved to be the decisive action which broke the Hindenburg Line. The desperate fighting is clearly demonstrated by the actions of LTC J. Leslie Kincaid, the Judge Advocate of the Division Staff. From 25–28 September, LTC Kincaid took command of a leaderless battalion of the 106th Infantry and managed to hold off an enemy counterattack by organizing every man in the battalion including runners, cooks, signalmen, etc. in the defense; he even personally manned a Lewis Gun during the action. He was awarded the British Distinguished Service Order. On 21 October 1918, the entire division was relieved from front line duty, and returned to the US on 19 March 1919. The regiment was mustered out, and was recast as the 186th Field Artillery Regiment. By the end of its combat action in World War I, the 106th Infantry Regiment suffered 1,955 casualties including 1,496 wounded, 376 killed, and 83 who later died of their wounds.
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