161st Infantry Regiment (United States)
| 161st Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
Coat of arms
|
|
| Active | 1886–present |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Allegiance | Washington |
| Branch | Washington Army National Guard |
| Type | Combined arms |
| Part of | 81st Armored Brigade Combat Team |
| Garrison | Spokane, Moses Lake, Yakima, Pasco, Wenatchee, Bremerton, Redmond, Washington |
| Nickname(s) |
"First Washington" "Highlanders" |
| Motto(s) | First In War, First In Peace |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
James Dalton II |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |  |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 160th Infantry Regiment | 162nd Infantry Regiment |
"First Washington"
The 161st Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army and the Washington Army National Guard. Its 1st Battalion is a combined arms element of the 81st Armor Brigade Combat Team consisting of two infantry and two armored companies, with its headquarters in Spokane, Washington.
The 161st Infantry was first organized on 9 March 1886 as the 1st Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Infantry Regiment (on 7 April 1887) from existing independent militia companies which traced their origins back to 1855 when the Federal Government granted permission to the Washington Territory to raise a voluntary militia to defend settlers against attacks by the Yakima Indians.
During the War with Spain the United States seized the Philippine Islands in 1898. Elements of the Filipino army, who wanted independence and resented the seizure of their islands by the United States, began hostilities against U.S. Army units stationed in the Philippines. To reinforce these units, the War Department mustered National Guard units into federal service. Among them were ten companies of the 1st and 2nd Infantry Battalions of the Washington National Guard mustered into federal service 6–13 May 1898 at Tacoma. The Washington National Guardsmen were then reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Regiment, Washington Volunteer Infantry.
The regiment was dispatched to the Philippines where it was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, VIII Corps. In what is known officially as the Philippine Insurrection and also known as the Philippine–American War, the 1st Washington participated in the Manila campaign as well as seeing additional action against the Filipino insurgents on the island of Luzon in 1899. The regiment was cited for valorous conduct at the Battle of Santa Ana. The First Washington spent a week in Japan en route back to America. It was mustered out of federal service on 1 November 1899 at San Francisco, CA.
Also known as Pancho Villa Expedition In 1916, the War Department once again mustered National Guard units into federal service to reinforce Regular Army units protecting the southern border of the United States from raids by the Mexican rebel Pancho Villa. The First Washington—now designated the 2nd Infantry Regiment, Washington National Guard—was mustered into federal service on 28 June 1916 at Camp Elmer M. Brown, WA and was dispatched to Calexico, CA for duty. Three months later the regiment returned to American Lake, WA where it was mustered out on 8 October 1916.
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Wikipedia