297th Infantry Regiment (United States)

297th Infantry Regiment
Coat of Arms of the 297th Infantry
Active	1939–1944 1959–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry (Parent regiment under United States Army Regimental System)
Part of	29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (1st Battalion)
Garrison/HQ	Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson
Motto(s)	"Yuh Yek" (Vigilance, Watchfulness)
Engagements	Iraq War
Commanders
Current commander	Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Roberts (1st Battalion)
Insignia
297th Infantry Distinctive Unit Insignia
297th Cavalry Coat of Arms
297th Cavalry Distinctive Unit Insignia

The 297th Infantry Regiment is a parent infantry regiment of the United States Army, represented in the Alaska Army National Guard by the 1st Battalion, tactically part of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Constituted in 1939 and organized in 1940 and 1941, the one-battalion regiment remained in Alaska during World War II, and became a separate infantry battalion in 1944. The 297th was reconstituted in 1959 with two battalions and a battle group, which later became a third battalion. In 1972, it was split into the 297th Infantry and the 297th Cavalry but both units merged as the 297th Infantry in 1976. The regiment's 3rd Battalion deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom between 2006 and 2007, and in 2009 it became the 297th Cavalry with 1st Squadron. In 2016, the 297th Cavalry became an infantry unit again.

The 297th Infantry Regiment (Separate) was originally constituted as the first unit of the Alaska National Guard on 21 October 1939. The four companies were organized and Federally recognized during 1940: Company A on 21 September at Juneau, Company B on 17 September at Ketchikan, Company C on 10 October at Fairbanks and Company D on 4 October at Anchorage. The 1st Battalion, including a headquarters and the four previously formed companies, was organized and Federally recognized on 11 January 1941 with headquarters at Juneau. It was commanded by Major Charles G. Burdick from 11 January to 27 June. On 15 September, the 1st Battalion was inducted into Federal service and moved to Fort Richardson for duty, where it arrived around 30 September. Meanwhile, A and B Companies were transferred to Chilkoot Barracks near Haines. The battalion was assigned to the Alaska Defense Command. On 26 January 1944, it was redesignated as the 208th Infantry Battalion (Separate). On 24 February 1945, the battalion arrived in the continental United States at the Seattle Port of Embarkation. On 14 April it was assigned to the Replacement and School Command. The 208th was inactivated at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, on 16 May 1945.