The 26th Infantry Regiment organized
on 28 December 1900 in the Regular Army at the Presidio of San Francisco, California
as Company B, 1st Provisional Battalion of Infantry. On 7 February 1901, they
were consolidated with and designated as Company B, 26th Infantry. During
its first decade and a half, Soldiers of B Company rotated service between the Philippine
Islands and along the Mexican Border.
With our entry into World War I, Soldiers
of the 26th came to be known as Blue Spaders and were part of the 1st Expeditionary
Division (later redesignated as the 1st Infantry Division). The name refers
to the Regimental shield which consists of the Mohawk arrowhead. Colonel Hamilton
A. Smith selected this to represent the regimental spirit of courage, resourceful
daring and relentless pursuit of an enemy.
During the war, the 26th participated
in five major offensives and lived up to the qualities exemplified by the Mohawk
symbol.
In the 1920s and 30s, the unit’s permanent
home station became Plattsburg Barracks, New York. These years would involve
training exercises and maneuvers along with the normal routines of garrison duty.
The Blue Spaders
deployed to England and then North Africa when the United States entered World War
II. Through four years of war, campaigns were fought from French Morocco,
Tunisia, and Sicily to Normandy and Central Europe.
The unit remained assigned to the 1st
Infantry Division during its occupation duty and return to the United States and
Fort Riley in 1955. On 15 February 1957, the 2nd Battalion inactivated and
redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battle Group, 26th Infantry.
On 13 January 1964, the battalion inactivated and relieved from assignment to the
1st Infantry Division.
The 2ND Battalion,
26th Infantry was reassigned under First Infantry Division, with stationing
at Fort Hood Texas, effective April 19, 2007. In June 2008, the
unit deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan.
Now redeployed, the unit will be stationing at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Fall 2009.