The 179th Infantry Regiment ("Tomahawks") is an infantry regiment of the United States Army's National Guard.
Currently, the 1st Battalion is the only active battalion in the regiment and is organized as a combined arms battalion under the brigade unit of action table of organization and equipment. The battalion is an organic element of the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oklahoma Army National Guard.
Constituted 2 May 1890 in the Oklahoma Volunteer Militia as the 1st Infantry RegimentOrganized 21 December 1895 from new and existing militia companies as the 1st Infantry Regiment, with headquarters at Guthrie (Oklahoma Volunteer Militia concurrently redesignated as the Oklahoma National Guard)Consolidated with elements from the Indian Territory and the Territories of Arizona and New Mexico to form the 1st Regiment Territorial Volunteer Infantry, United States Volunteers, and mustered into federal service 4-23 July 1898; mustered out of federal service 11-15 February 1899 at Albany, GeorgiaFormer 1st Infantry Regiment, Oklahoma National Guard, reorganized in 1899 as the 1st Regiment of Infantry, with headquarters at GuthrieMustered into federal service 27 June-1 July 1916 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; mustered out of federal service 1 March 1917 at Fort Sill, OklahomaCalled into federal service 31 March 1917; drafted into federal service 5 August 1917Consolidated 15 October 1917 with the 7th Infantry, Texas National Guard, and consolidated unit redesignated as the 142d Infantry, an element of the 36th DivisionDemobilized 17 June 1919 at Camp Bowie, TexasCentral Oklahoma elements of former 142d Infantry merged during 1920-1921 with elements of the 2d Infantry (organized and federally recognized 31 August 1918 in Central Oklahoma, with headquarters at Chandler), to form the 2d Infantry, with headquarters at Oklahoma City (former elements of the 142d Infantry in the eastern part of the state merged with the 3d Infantry—hereafter, separate lineage)Redesignated 14 October 1921 as the 179th Infantry, and assigned to the 45th DivisionInducted into federal service 16 September 1940 at Oklahoma City(45th Division redesignated 23 February 1942 as the 45th Infantry Division)Inactivated 17-29 November 1945 at Camp Bowie, TexasReorganized 10 September 1946 in the Oklahoma National Guard as the 179th Infantry, with Headquarters federally recognized at EdmondOrdered into active federal service 1 September 1950 at Edmond(179th Infantry [NGUS] organized and federally recognized 15 September 1952 with headquarters at Edmond)Released from active federal service 20 April 1954 and reverted to state control; federal recognition concurrently withdrawn from the 179th Infantry (NGUS)Reorganized (less 2d Battalion) 1 May 1959 as the 179th Infantry, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st and 2d Battle Groups, elements of the 45th Infantry Division (2d Battalion concurrently reorganized as the 2d Reconnaissance Squadron, 245th Armor -- hereafter separate lineage)Reorganized 1 April 1963 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions, elements of the 45th Infantry DivisionReorganized 1 February 1968 to consist of the 1st Battalion, and relieved from assignment to the 45th Infantry Division(Location of Headquarters changed 1 April 1979 to Stillwater)Withdrawn 1 May 1989 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental SystemOrdered into active federal service 30 November 2002 at home stations; released from active federal service 26 August 2003 and reverted to state controlRedesignated 1 October 2005 as the 179th Infantry RegimentOrdered into active federal service 20 October 2007 at home stations; released from active federal service 22 November 2008 and reverted to state controlAssigned 1 September 2008 to the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat TeamOrdered into active federal service 27 March 2011 at home stations1st Battalion is a subordinate unit of the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, headquartered in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The battalion commands six companies. These units are:
HHC, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment (Stillwater, Oklahoma)Company A, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment (Rifle Co.) (El Reno, Oklahoma)Company B, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment (Rifle Co.) (Enid, Oklahoma)Company C, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment (Rifle Co.) (Edmond, Oklahoma)Company D, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment (Heavy Weapons Co.) (Ponca City, Oklahoma)Company E (Forward), 700th Support Battalion (Stillwater, Oklahoma)World War I
Meuse-ArgonneWorld War II
Sicily (with Arrowhead)Naples-Foggia (with Arrowhead)AnzioRome-ArnoSouthern France (with Arrowhead)RhinelandArdennes-AlsaceCentral EuropeKorean War
Second Korean winterKorea, Summer-Fall 1952Third Korean winterKorea, Summer 1953Global War On Terrorism
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Iraq Surge 2008Operation Enduring Freedom
Consolidation III - (1 DECEMBER 2009 – 30 JUNE 2011)Transition I - (1 JULY 2011 - TO A DATE TO BE DETERMINED)Battlefield or campaign honors, citations and decorations
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2008
Additionally, the following units are entitled to the Meritorious Unit Citation
A Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry RegimentB Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry RegimentC Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry RegimentPer DAGO 208-11 (Corrected Copy) (2011)
*B Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry RegimentPer DAGO 2009-23 (2009)