120th Infantry Regiment ( United States ) The 120th Infantry Regiment ( " Third North Carolina " ) is an infantry regiment of the United States Army National Guard . The unit is an organic element of the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team of the North Carolina Army National Guard . Currently , 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 1st Battalion , 120th Infantry Regiment ( 1 / 120th IN ) is headquartered in Wilmington , North Carolina . The 2nd Battalion , 120th Infantry Regiment was most famous for its actions in the Battle of Mortain ( German : Operation Lüttich ) , repelling a German advance and preserving an American breakout from 7 – 13 August 1944 . The 2 / 120th ' s actions sustained the American initiative as Allied forces pushed through Northern France after the Normandy invasion . Distinctive unit insignia . The 120th Infantry Regiment ' s distinctive unit insignia , approved on 28 June 1928 , consists of a gold metal and enamel device 1 5 / 32 inches ( 2 . 94 cm ) in height overall , consisting of a shield blazoned azure , in pale a prickly pear cactus and the entrance to the canal tunnel over the St . Quentin Canal . Attached below the shield is a blue scroll inscribed VIRTUS INCENDIT VIRES ( " Virtue Kindles Strength " ) in gold . The shield is blue for infantry . The cactus represents service on the Mexican border as the 3rd Infantry , North Carolina National Guard . The tunnel symbolizes the mouth of the tunnel in the Hindenburg Line at Bellicourt , France , captured by the 120th Infantry on 29 September 1918 . Recent history . The 1 / 120th , known as the " Tusk Hogs , " was deployed to combat for the first time in nearly 60 years in early 2004 as part of the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team , North Carolina Army National Guard . In Iraq , the 30th HBCT served under the 1st Infantry Division . Brigade headquarters was at FOB Caldwell , east of Baghdad , while the 1 / 120th battalion headquarters and Charlie Company was based ( for most of the deployment ) at FOB Bernstein , about 45 miles south of Kirkuk . The brigade , including the 120th , redeployed Dec . 2004 - Feb . 2005 . On 6 June 2004 – 60 years after the D - Day invasion - soldiers of the 1 / 120th were awarded right - shoulder unit patches signifying wartime service . The 1 / 120th lost four soldiers during the 2004 deployment : Spc . Jocelyn Carrasquillo ( HHC , 1 / 120th , 13 MAR 2004 , Baghdad ) , Cpt . Christopher S . Cash ( Commander , Alpha Company , 1 / 120th , 24 JUN 2004 , Baqubah ) ; Spc . Daniel A . Desens Jr . ( Alpha Company , 1 / 120th , 24 JUN 2004 , Baqubah ) ; and Staff Sgt . Michael S . Voss ( HHC , 1 / 120th , 8 OCT 2004 , near Kirkuk ) . The Tusk Hogs were again called to serve in late 2008 . Following training at Camp Shelby , Miss . , and Fort Stewart , Ga . , the 1st Battalion ( Combined Arms ) , 120th Infantry Regiment deployed with the 30th HBCT to central Iraq in early 2009 , this time under the 1st Cavalry Division . The 120th redeployed with the 30th HBCT in January – February 2010 . Notable members . Francis S . Currey earned the Medal of Honor for his actions as a Sergeant in Company K , 120th Infantry Regiment , 30th Infantry Division . On 21 December 1944 , in Malmedy , Belgium , Currey repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire to attack the German forces and rescue five comrades who had been pinned down by enemy fire . He was awarded the Medal of Honor eight months later , on 17 August 1945 . Paul Luther Bolden earned the Medal of Honor as a Staff Sergeant in Company I , 120th Infantry Regiment , 30th Infantry Division . On 23 DEC 44 , at Petit - Coo , Belgium , he and another soldier advanced on a German - held house . While his comrade provided covering fire from across the street , Bolden tossed grenades through a window , rushed to the door , and began firing . Wounded by the greatly superior number of German soldiers inside , he retreated from the house . Realizing that the Germans would not surrender , he returned to the house despite his serious wounds and killed the remaining soldiers . For these actions , he was awarded the Medal of Honor eight months later , on 30 August 1945 . Jack James Pendleton earned the Medal of Honor as a Staff Sergeant in Company I , 120th Infantry Regiment , 30th Infantry Division . On 12 OCT 44 , in Bardenberg , Germany , Pendleton voluntarily led his squad in an attack against an enemy machine gun . After being seriously wounded , he continued forward alone , purposely drawing the machine gun ' s fire so that another squad could advance and destroy the enemy position . Killed by the intense fire from the machine gun , Pendleton was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor six months later , on 6 April 1945 . Newscaster David Brinkley served with the 120th Infantry Regiment before and during the early stages of the U . S . involvement in World War II . He was discharged for a medical condition , which prevented him from serving in the war . Author J . D . Salinger , then a member of the 4th Infantry Division , is believed to have been at Mortain , France , for the battle of 7 – 13 August 1944 . His unit was briefly attached to the 30th Infantry Division and worked with the 2 / 120th in preserving the American advances after the Normandy invasion .