185th Armor Regiment ( United States ) The 185th Armor Regiment is an armor regiment of the United States Army consisting of soldiers from the California Army National Guard . History . The 185th Armor Regiment was created on 1 July 1959 by combining several existing units . The 185th Armor Regiment shares the lineage of some of those existing units , which can be traced back to 1885 with the 7th Infantry Regiment ( California ) . 1885 - 1917 7th Infantry ( California ) . On 22 July 1885 , the 7th Infantry Battalion was constituted in the California National Guard by consolidating existing companies in Los Angeles and San Diego . On 5 May 1888 , the 7th Infantry Battalion was expanded , reorganized , and redesignated as the 7th Infantry Regiment ( California ) . On 7 November 1895 the 7th Infantry Regiment ( California ) was consolidated with the 9th Infantry Regiment ( California ) , which had been organized on 8 February 1890 in the California National Guard , and the consolidated unit was designated as the 7th Infantry Regiment ( California ) . Spanish American War . On 9 May 1898 , the 7th Infantry Regiment ( California ) was mustered into federal service at the Presidio of San Francisco , California , as the 7th California Volunteer Infantry . On 2 December 1898 , the regiment mustered out of federal service at Los Angeles . World War I . On 29 June 1916 , the 7th Infantry Regiment ( California ) was mustered into federal service at Sacramento . On 11 November 1916 , the regiment was mustered out of federal service at Los Angeles . On 5 August 1917 , the 7th Infantry Regiment ( California ) was drafted into federal service . From 25 September 1917 through 1 November 1917 , the 7th Infantry Regiment ( California ) was consolidated with the 2nd Battalion , Companies L and M , and the Sanitary Detachment of the 2nd Infantry Regiment ( California ) . The consolidated unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 160th Infantry and assigned to the 40th Division . 1919 - 49 precursor elements . The 160th Infantry ' s performance during World War 1 is discussed here . On 7 May 1919 , the 160th Infantry demobilized at Camp Kearny , California . 1919 - 41 . From 23 August 1921 through 6 October 1921 , the former southern California elements were reconstituted and reorganized as the 160th Infantry and assigned to the 40th Division in the California National Guard , with headquarters at Los Angeles . On 31 January 1922 , the 160th Infantry was federally recognized . On 1 April 1929 , the 2nd Battalion , 160th Infantry was withdrawn , reorganized , and redesignated as the 2nd Battalion , 185th Infantry , an element of the 40th Division ( later redesignated as the 40th Infantry Division ) . Concurrently , the 160th Infantry reorganized with a new 2nd Battalion . From March through April 1930 , the 2nd Battalion , 185th Infantry expanded and reorganized as the 2nd and 3rd Battalions , 185th Infantry . World War II . On 3 March 1941 , the 160th Infantry and 185th Infantry were inducted into federal service at home stations , and more information regarding their service during the war is available here for the 160th Infantry and here for the 185th Infantry . On 7 April 1946 , the 160th Infantry and 185th Infantry were inactivated at Camp Stoneman , California . 1946 - 50 . On 5 August 1946 , the 185th Infantry expanded and reorganized , with the 2nd and 3rd Battalions redesignated as the 223rd and 224th Infantry and assigned to the 40th Infantry Division . On 14 October 1946 , the 160th Infantry was reorganized and federally recognized with headquarters at Los Angeles . On 15 October 1946 , the 223rd Infantry and 224th Infantry were organized and federally recognized with headquarters at Pasadena and Ontario , respectively . Korean War . On 1 September 1950 , the 160th Infantry , 223d Infantry , and 224th Infantry were ordered into active federal service at home stations . On 2 September 1950 , the 160th Infantry [ NGUS ] , 223d Infantry [ NGUS ] , and 224th Infantry [ NGUS ] were organized and federally recognized with headquarters at Los Angeles , Pasadena and Ontario , respectively . The three regiments consisted of the three maneuver units of the 40th Infantry Division , which saw significant action in the Korean War in 1952 . More information regarding their service during the war is available here . 1954 - 1959 . On 30 June 1954 , the three regiments were released from active federal service and reverted to state control . Federal recognition of 223rd Infantry ( NGUS ) , 224th Infantry ( NGUS ) and 160th Infantry ( NGUS ) was concurrently withdrawn . On 1 July 1954 , the units underwent the changes described below that are germane to the lineage of the 185th Armor Regiment . For more information regarding the lineage of the other elements , refer to their respective lineage . On 1 July 1959 , the 185th Armor Regiment was created as an element of the 40th Armored Division by consolidating the following units : 133rd and 139th Tank Battalions , 111th Reconnaissance Battalion , and 140th and 134th Tank Battalions . The lineage of the 140th and 134th Tank Battalions is described below . 1959 – present . 1959 - 2000 . On 1 May 1962 , the 6th and 7th Medium Tank Battalions were added to the regiment through a reorganization . On 1 March 1963 , the 3rd Medium Tank Battalion was added and the 7th Medium Tank Battalion was removed from the regiment through a reorganization . On 15 March 1964 , the 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron was removed from the regiment through a reorganization . On 29 January 1968 , the regiment was reorganized to include three battalions ( 1st , 2nd and 3rd ) of the 185th Armor Regiment , an element of the 40th Armored Brigade . On 13 January 1974 , the regiment and its three battalions were assigned as an element of the 40th Infantry Division . On 1 May 1992 , the regiment was ordered into active federal service at home stations and released on 9 May 1992 . 21st century . 2004 - 05 Iraq . In early 2004 , first battalion was mobilized for a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 08 - 09 as part of the 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team . The battalion was responsible for security for three bases south of Baghdad and corresponding route security along main supply routes between Baghdad and Kuwait . The battalion returned to California in March 2005 . The first battalion ' s Bravo Company received a Valorous Unit Award for actions as part of the 1st Brigade , 25th Infantry Division in early 2005 as part of operations in support of Iraq ' s first elections after the fall of Saddam Hussein . 2005 - 06 Iraq . In September 2005 , the second battalion ’ s Bravo Company was mobilized for a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . In Iraq , Bravo Company was responsible for the security of more than 2 , 200 detainees at Baghdad Central Prison ( formerly known as Abu Ghraib ) until June 2006 when the camp was closed . During their time at the prison , Bravo Company Soldiers foiled several escape attempts . Upon the closure of the prison , it was then the responsibility of the unit to transport approximately 5 , 000 detainees to various holding facilities throughout Iraq . Following that mission , Bravo Company Soldiers were responsible for convoy security and operational control of a forward operating base where the company ’ s convoy team operated without any coalition or civilian casualties for more than 10 , 000 miles . In December 2006 , Bravo Company demobilized at Fort Lewis , Washington before returning to San Diego , California . The second battalion ' s Bravo Company received one Iraq Campaign streamer with the following inscription : NATIONAL RESOLUTION . Bravo Company also received a Meritorious Unit Commendation as part of the 43rd Military Police Brigade , Rhode Island Army National Guard . 2008 - 09 Iraq . In August 2008 , the first battalion was mobilized for a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 08 - 09 as part of the 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team . As part of the mobilization , Alpha Company was attached to the first battalion , 184th Infantry Regiment to provide the only mechanized infantry company for their mobilization for Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo . In turn , the first battalion was augmented with Alpha and Bravo companies from the first battalion , 184th Infantry Regiment . After mobilization , the first battalion completed training in Fort McCoy , Wisconsin , and arrived in Iraq in October 2008 . While in Iraq , the first battalion ' s Echo Company and Alpha and Bravo companies from the first battalion , 184th Infantry Regiment were attached to the 30th Support Battalion . The remainder of the first battalion performed a security force mission throughout Multi - National Division - North at COB Speicher near Tikrit , Iraq . With the battalion ' s headquarters and headquarters company providing command and control , the three companies provided convoy security support to corps assets , which included coalition force operational moves , Kellogg , Brown and Root , and third country national logistical convoys . The first battalion executed more than 1 , 500 missions , totaling more than 1 , 000 , 000 mission miles , throughout MND - N and Multi - National Corps - Iraq without incident . In August 2009 , the first battalion returned to California . The first battalion ' s Bravo , Charlie and Delta Companies received two Iraq Campaign streamers with the following inscriptions : IRAQI SURGE and IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY and a Meritorious Unit Commendation . The first battalion ' s Echo Company received two Iraq Campaign streamers with the following inscriptions : IRAQI SURGE and IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY and a Meritorious Unit Commendation . 2008 - 09 Kosovo . In October 2008 , the first battalion ' s Alpha Company was mobilized under the command of the 184th Infantry Regiment for a deployment to Kosovo as part of the 40th Infantry Division as the only mechanized infantry company . The company mobilized ahead of other units and conducted most of its training separate from its parent unit , because of the need for specialized gunnery training on the company ' s Bradley vehicles . This training was conducted at Fort Irwin in November and Camp Shelby in December . Once the gunnery training was completed , the company traveled to Camp Atterbury to join its parent unit to complete the required training . The company traveled to JMRC Hohenfels for additional training , before arriving in Kosovo in February . The company was utilized as one of three maneuver companies tasked with providing a safe and secure environment and ensuring freedom of movement in accordance with United Nations Resolution 1244 . While accomplishing this mission , the company also was required to both maintain their Bradley Fighting Vehicles as well as their proficiency with using them . In November 2009 , the company departed Kosovo to conduct demobilization operations at Fort Lewis near Seattle , Washington and returned to California a few weeks later . While the battalion did not receive campaign participation credit , those Soldiers who served with Alpha company during this deployment received the Kosovo Campaign Medal and the NATO Non - Article 5 Medal . Subordinate units . The first and second battalions remain as active units . First Battalion . The first battalion currently serves as one of two armor battalions of the 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team in the Washington Army National Guard . Second Battalion . The second battalion is stationed in southern California as part of the California Army National Guard .