39th Infantry Regiment | |
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Coat of arms
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Active | 1917- |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Army |
Type | Infantry |
Nickname(s) | "Fighting Falcons" (World War I), "AAA-O (Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, Bar Nothing)" (special designation) |
Motto(s) | D'une Vaillance Admirable (With A Military Courage Worthy of Admiration) |
Engagements |
World War I World War II Vietnam War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders |
James K. Parsons Troy H. Middleton Harry A. "Paddy" Flint |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol |
U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
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38th Infantry Regiment | 40th Infantry Regiment |
The 39th Infantry Regiment is a parent regiment in the United States Army. Originally organized for service in World War I, the 39th fought in most of the conflicts involving the United States during the 20th century, and since 1990 the 2nd Battalion has served as a training unit stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. On 21 October 2015 3rd Battalion was stood up as a new BCT training unit stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
There was a 39th United States Infantry raised in Tennessee for service in the War of 1812. In 1815, after that war ended, the 39th was consolidated with the 8th and 24th Regiments to form the 7th Infantry Regiment.
In the 1866 reorganization of the Regular Army after the American Civil War, Congress authorized a 39th Infantry Regiment, one of four so-called "Colored Troops" regiments with African-American enlisted men and white officers. The Army was reduced in size in 1869, and the 39th and 40th were consolidated into the 25th Infantry Regiment.
The 39th Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Syracuse, New York on 1 June 1917 by transfer of veteran troops from the 30th Infantry Regiment.
In December, the 39th was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division and in the spring of 1918, sailed for France as part of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I. Its service in this war earned the regiment its nickname "Fighting Falcons".
During the lull between wars, the regimental crest was designed and approved. The shield is blue for infantry. The fleur-de-lis is from the coat of arms of Soissons, a town in France recaptured by the 39th Regiment in 1918. The two trees represent the Groves of Cresnes, the site of the regiment's first military success in France during World War I. The boar's head on the canton is taken from the crest of the 30th Infantry Regiment and indicates the 39th was organized with personnel from the 30th Infantry Regiment. The crest is a falcon's head, for Mount Faucon in Meuse-Argonne. The falcon holds an ivy leaf in its bill, in recognition of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 4th Infantry Division to which the regiment was assigned during World War I. The motto "D'une Vaillance Admirable" is a quotation from the French citation which awarded the Croix De Guerre with Gilt Star to the regiment for its distinguished service in World War I. The motto best translates - "With a Military Courage Worthy of Admiration".