2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment

2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment
87th Infantry Regiment distinctive unit insignia
Active	1942–present
Country
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Battalion
Role	Infantry
Nickname(s)	"Catamounts"
Motto(s)	Vires Montesque Vincimus (We Conquer Men and Mountains)
Decorations	Meritorious Unit Commendation(2) , Valorous Unit Award (2)
Commanders
Current commander	LTC Hammonds

The 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry battalion. Originally formed during World War II, the battalion took part in the Aleutian and Italian campaigns before being deactivated after the war. Later, however, it was reactivated and in recent times has served in the Sinai Peninsula and in Afghanistan.

The battalion was formed in May 1942, several months after the American entry in World War II the 87th Infantry, Mountain, 2nd Battalion, Reinforced at Fort Lewis, Washington. It along with 1–87 Mountain Infantry, comprised the 87th Mountain Infantry. The battalion was made up of world-famous skiers, mountaineers, forest rangers, trappers, lumberman, guides, cowboys, muleskinners, horseman, and Regular Army cadre.

As the battalion was conducting maneuvers in Jolan, California in November 1942, the army was preparing a brand new camp to house the 87th on the Continental Divide at Camp Hale, Colorado, at 9,480 feet (2,890 m) above sea level. 2–87 moved to Camp Hale in late December 1942. During the winter of 1942–43, the battalion conducted extreme cold weather and high altitude training and tested over one hundred types of equipment and vehicles.

On 11 June 1943, the battalion deployed to Fort Ord, California for amphibious training in preparation of combat operations. Within weeks after this training, the battalion sailed to the Aleutian Island as part of Amphibious Technical Force Nine. The 2–87 Mountain Infantry took part in regimental amphibious assault of Kiska on 1–16 August 1943 and occupied the island until withdrawal to Camp Carson, Colorado in December 1943.