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| 12th Infantry Regiment (United States) | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | 12th Infantry Regiment |
| Caption | Distinctive unit insignia |
| Dates | 1861–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Light infantry, mechanized infantry |
| Garrison | Fort Benning |
| Nickname | "The Bloody Twelfth" |
| Motto | "Ducti Amore Patriae" |
| Notable commanders | Winfield Scott Hancock, John Gibbon, William J. Hardee |
12th Infantry Regiment (United States) is a regiment of the United States Army with service history spanning the American Civil War, the Indian Wars, the Spanish–American War, the Philippine–American War, both World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and post‑Cold War operations. The regiment has been assigned to multiple divisions including the 3rd Division, the 4th Infantry Division, and the 8th Infantry Division, and has earned campaign streamers and unit citations for actions from Antietam to Iraq War operations.
Constituted in 1861 during the American Civil War and organized under the United States Regular Army, the regiment served in the Army of the Potomac and fought in major Eastern Theater battles such as Second Battle of Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg. Postwar service placed elements on frontier duty during the Indian Wars confronting bands associated with leaders like Sitting Bull and Geronimo. During the Spanish–American War the regiment deployed to Cuba and later to the Philippine–American War against insurgents led by figures such as Emilio Aguinaldo. In World War I the regiment served in the American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front, participating in operations including the Meuse‑Argonne Offensive. In World War II assigned forces fought in the North African Campaign and the Italian Campaign, engaging Axis formations including units under Erwin Rommel. Cold War reorganizations saw the regiment serve with the United States Army Europe in garrison roles and later fight in Korea and Vietnam under corps such as I Field Force, Vietnam. In the 1990s and 2000s battalions deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Global War on Terrorism, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Historically organized into multiple battalions, the regiment's battalions have been elements of infantry brigades within divisions such as the 1st Infantry Division, the 2nd Infantry Division, and the 25th Infantry Division. Typical regimental structure included headquarters companies, rifle companies (A–M), heavy weapons companies, and later mechanized infantry companies equipped by units like 1st Battalion and 2nd Battalion. Under the Pentomic and later Reorganization Objective Army Division schemes, the regiment adapted to brigade combat team concepts and modular force designs, integrating support from Field Artillery, Engineer Battalion, and Military Police Corps attachments during deployments.
The regiment's campaign credits encompass Peninsula Campaign, Maryland Campaign, Chancellorsville Campaign, and Overland Campaign actions during the Civil War. Frontier engagements included battles during the Great Sioux War of 1876 and operations along the Texas–Mexico border during the Mexican Revolution era. In World War I the regiment took part in the Saint‑Mihiel Offensive and Meuse‑Argonne Offensive. In World War II notable engagements included the Tunisia Campaign, Sicily Campaign, and the push up the Italian peninsula during battles such as Anzio and the Gothic Line. During the Korean War elements fought in operations including the Pusan Perimeter and the Battle of Chipyong-ni. In Vietnam the regiment participated in operations like Operation Junction City and counterinsurgency campaigns in provinces such as Binh Duong. More recent deployments saw battalions in stabilization and counterinsurgency operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The regiment has received multiple unit decorations including the Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, and foreign honors from allied governments encountered during the World War II and Korean War eras. Campaign streamers on the regimental colors reflect participation in major conflicts such as the American Civil War, Philippine Insurrection, World War I, and World War II. Individual soldiers from the regiment have been awarded high honors including the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Silver Star for actions in battles like Antietam, Meuse‑Argonne, and Anzio.
Prominent officers and enlisted personnel who served with the regiment include Civil War leaders such as Winfield Scott Hancock and John Gibbon, tactical innovators like William J. Hardee, and 20th‑century commanders who later rose to prominence in the Department of Defense. Recipients of the Medal of Honor from regimental actions include figures recognized for valor during the Philippine–American War and World War I. Veterans went on to serve in senior posts within the United States Army and in national roles tied to institutions such as the United States Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The regiment's distinctive unit insignia and coat of arms incorporate symbols reflecting service in campaigns across Cuba, Philippines, and the European Theater, with heraldry elements drawn from periods under commanders associated with the Army of the Potomac and American Expeditionary Forces. Traditions include regimental colors ceremonies, annual observances linked to battles such as Gettysburg and Antietam, and unit songs performed alongside military bands like the United States Army Band. The motto "Ducti Amore Patriae" commemorates longstanding esprit de corps preserved in veterans' organizations including chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
Category:Infantry regiments of the United States Army Category:United States Army regiments with lineage from the American Civil War