The 151st Infantry Regiment traces its roots to the Indiana TerritoryIndiana Rangers militia. It was in the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe that it earned its motto "Wide Awake! Wide Awake!"[1] In 1846, the 2d Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, Indiana Brigade was mustered into Federal Service for the Mexican–American War, and was again federalized in 1861 during the American Civil War.[2] It was reorganized in 1882 into the Indiana Legion, which was renamed the Indiana National Guard 5 March 1895.[2] The 151st Infantry Regiment is credited with 24 campaigns from the Civil War due to lineage traced to the 7th, 10th, and 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiments.[3]
The Regiment was again federalized in 1898 for service in the Spanish–American War. In 1900, it was reorganized as the First Infantry, Indiana National Guard.[2] The First Infantry was mustered into federal service at Fort Benjamin Harrison in 1916 for service in the Mexican Border Campaign.
With the outbreak of World War I, the First Infantry was reorganized into the 151st Infantry Regiment, and assigned to the 76th Infantry Brigade, 38th Division.[4] The division was mobilized for Federal service in 1917 and demobilized in 1919.[2] The division was again activated in 1941 in preparation for World War II. In the South Pacific, the 151st Regiment earned three battle streamers (New Guinea, Leyte and Luzon) helping the 38th Infantry Division win the nickname "Avengers of Bataan."[5]
Company D (Ranger), 151st Infantry Regiment on patrol in Vietnam (from United States Army Center of Military History
Elements of the 151st Regiment served in the Vietnam War. Company D (Ranger), "Delta Company," was the only National Guard Infantry unit to serve intact,[6] and earned more medals in 1969 than any other Army infantry company during a 1-year period,[5] and has been credited with reintegrating National Guard units with the United States Army after they were intentionally separated during the Vietnam War.[7] The company was eventually assigned to II Field Force Vietnam[8] with the mission of conducting long range patrols in War Zone D, in the III Corps Tactical Zone. After the company's arrival, the 199th Infantry Brigade (Light) oversaw its initial administration and support.
Organized and Federally recognized 9 December 1940 in the Indiana National Guard at Indianapolis as the Antitank Company, 151st Infantry, an element of the 38th Division (later redesignated as the 38th Infantry Division)
Inducted into active Federal service 17 January 1941 at Indianapolis
Inactivated 9 November 1945 at Camp Anza, California
Reorganized and Federally recognized 11 April 1949 at Greenfield as the Tank Company, 151st Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 1 February 1959 as the Combat Support Company, 1st Battle Group, 151st Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 1 March 1963 as Company B, 2d Battalion, 151st Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 1 December 1967 as Company D, 151st Infantry, and relieved from assignment to the 38th Infantry Division
Ordered into active Federal service 13 May 1968 at Greenfield; released from active Federal service 26 November 1969 and reverted to state control
Consolidated 1 April 1971 with Company E, 151st Infantry (organized and Federally recognized 1 December 1967 at Muncie), and consolidated unit designated as Company D, 151st Infantry, at Muncie
Converted and redesignated 1 March 1977 as Troop A, 1st Squadron, 238th Cavalry, an element of the 38th Infantry Division
Reorganized and redesignated 3 October 1986 as the Long Range Surveillance Detachment, 1st Squadron, 238th Cavalry
Converted and redesignated 1 October 1989 as the 151st Infantry Detachment
Location changed 1 September 1990 to Indianapolis; on 1 September 1996 to Darlington
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT
World War II
New Guinea
Leyte
Luzon (with arrowhead)
Vietnam
Counteroffensive, Phase VI
Tet 69/Counteroffensive
Summer–Fall 1969
Winter–Spring 1970
DECORATIONS
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945[11]
United States
United States Army
