6th Infantry Regiment | |
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6th Infantry coat of arms
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Active | 1812 – present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Army |
Type | Infantry |
Garrison/HQ | Ft. Bliss, Texas |
Nickname(s) | "Regulars" |
Motto(s) | Unity is Strength |
Engagements | War of 1812 Mexican War American Civil War Indian Wars War with Spain Philippine-American War Mexican Expedition World War I World War II Vietnam War Panama War in Southwest Asia Iraq Campaign |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders |
Zachary Taylor Henry W. Wessells Norman Schwarzkopf (1st BN) Carter Ham(1st BN) |
Insignia | |
Distinctive unit insignia |
U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
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5th Infantry Regiment | 7th Infantry Regiment |
The 6th Infantry Regiment ("Regulars") was formed 11 January 1812. Zachary Taylor, later the twelfth President of the United States, was a commander of the unit. The motto, "Regulars, By God!" derives from the Battle of Chippawa, in which British Major General Phineas Riall noticed that the approaching regiment had on the uniforms of militia, which the British had defeated at Queenston Heights. Instead, the Americans pressed the attack. Riall is assumed to have said, "Those are Regulars, By God!" (though the only source of this was opposing U.S. general Winfield Scott).
The regiment participated in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the American Civil War, the Indian Wars (1823-1879), the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War (1899–1913), the Pancho Villa Expedition (1916–1917), World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. Elements of the 6th Infantry were also part of IFOR, Task Force Eagle, which was charged with implementing the military aspects of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In September 1989, the 4th Battalion 6th Infantry deployed to Panama, playing a key role in Operation Just Cause. In January 1994, the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry deployed to Macedonia for Operation Able Sentry as part of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force. In May 1998, Company B was deployed again to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Endeavor, Operation Joint Forge (OJE/OJF). In 1999, elements were deployed again to Macedonia for the initial launch of support and liberation of Kosovo. In March 2003, Company C, 2nd Battalion deployed with HQ V Corps to Kuwait and participated in the initial invasion of Iraq. The rest of the 2nd Battalion and 1st Battalion deployed to Iraq in late April 2003 as part of 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. The "Regulars" arrived in Baghdad in May 2003 and were the first to relieve elements of the 3rd Infantry Division in Baghdad. The 1st and 2nd Battalions deployed again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in November 2005 and April 2008. The 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn from May 2009 to May 2010. In August 2011, the 4th Battalion deployed to Al-Asad and FOB Hammer in Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn. They returned in December of that year when the U.S and Iraqi government failed to come to an agreement concerning soldiers diplomatic immunity, making the Regulars one of the last units to withdraw from the Iraq.