181st Infantry Regiment (United States)
| 181st Infantry Regiment (6th Massachusetts) | |
|---|---|
Coat of arms
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| Active | 1636–present |
| Country |
 England (1636-1707) Great Britain (1707-1776) United States (1776-Present) |
| Branch | Massachusetts Army National Guard |
| Size | Battalion |
| Motto(s) | "Keep Your Powder Dry” |
| Anniversaries | 19 April (Anniversary of Lexington (1775) and Pratt Street Riot (1861)) |
| Engagements |
French and Indian Wars American Revolution War of 1812 American Civil War Spanish–American War Mexican Expedition World War I World War II Guantanamo Bay detention camp Iraq War Afghanistan War (2001–present) |
| Battle honours | Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for actions in the ARDENNES (1944) French Croix de Guerre with Gilt Star (1918) French Croix de Guerre with Palm (1945) French Fourragère (1945) |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
LTC Luis A. Rodriguez (1st/181st) |
| Notable commanders |
Edgar C. Erickson |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive Unit Insignia |  |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 179th Infantry Regiment | 182nd Infantry Regiment |
The 181st Infantry Regiment shares the distinction of being the oldest combat regiment in the United States Army. The regiment traces its history to 13 December 1636, when it was one of four colonial regiments of foot of the British Crown in Massachusetts. It later served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, with Union forces in the American Civil War, and as a federalized Massachusetts National Guard regiment with the U.S. Army during War with Spain, Mexican Border Campaign, World War I and World War II. Most recently the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry has served in Iraq, in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, and in Afghanistan. The only active element of the regiment is the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, which returned from a year of service in Afghanistan in July 2011. The 1st Battalion was mobilized in March 2017 for one year of service with the Multinational Force & Observers in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.
The 181st Infantry Regiment was organized 13 December 1636 in the Massachusetts Militia from existing train bands as the North Regiment. Redesignated 7 September 1643 as the Middlesex Regiment. Expanded 13 October 1680 to form the 1st (or Lower) Middlesex Regiment and the 2nd (or Upper) Middlesex Regiment (consisting of companies from Concord, Bedford, Sudbury, Marlborough, Chelmsford, Billerica, Groton, Acton, Lancaster, and Dunstable) (1st Middlesex Regiment – hereafter separate lineage (see 182nd Infantry Regiment (United States)).
The soldiers of the 2nd Middlesex Regiment fought at the Battle of Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775. The regiment was reorganized and entered the Massachusetts Army as elements of Prescott's Regiment, Thomas' Regiment, Bridges' Regiment, Nixon's Regiment and Johnathan Brewer's Regiment of the Massachusetts Line.
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