156th Infantry Regiment ( United States ) The 156th Infantry Regiment ( " First Louisiana " ) is an infantry regiment in the United States Army and the Louisiana National Guard . History . The 2nd Battalion , 156th Infantry Regiment was originally organized 9 and 17 May 1861 as the 2nd and 3rd Louisiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment s and mustered into Confederate service at New Orleans . The 2nd Louisiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment surrendered on 9 April 1865 at Appomattox , VA , with the Army of Northern Virginia ; the 3d Louisiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment disbanded on 20 May 1865 at Shreveport , LA . The 2nd and 3rd Louisiana Volunteer Infantry Regiments reconstituted on 30 March 1878 as the Special Militia Force to include separate companies and battalions outside Orleans Parish ; its elements organized between 1878 - 1890 embracing fifteen companies by 1890 . They were reorganized in part on 26 December 1891 as the 1st and 2nd Battalions of Infantry and transferred to the Louisiana State National Guard . The battalions consolidated on 17 March 1896 to form the 1st Regiment of Infantry with headquarters at Baton Rouge . The unit was mustered into federal service between 8 – 18 May 1898 at New Orleans as the 1st Louisiana Volunteer Infantry and mustered out of federal service on 3 October 1898 at Jacksonville , FL . It was reorganized on 8 August 1899 in the Louisiana State National Guard as the 1st Battalion of Infantry with headquarters at Monroe . It was expanded , reorganized , and redesignated on 6 December 1904 as the 1st Regiment of Infantry with headquarters at Monroe . The Louisiana State National Guard was meanwhile redesignated in 1910 as the Louisiana National Guard . World War II . The 156th Infantry was inducted into federal service on 25 November 1940 at home stations . It was relieved on 14 July 1942 from assignment to the 31st Division before inactivating between 13 – 22 March 1946 at Camp Kilmer , NJ . Assigned on 28 May 1946 to the 39th Infantry Division , it was reorganized and federally recognized on 18 December 1946 with Headquarters at Lafayette . Post - World War II . The 156th Infantry and 199th Infantry ( less 3d Battalion ) consolidated 1 July 1959 and consolidated unit reorganized as the 156th Infantry , a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System , to consist of the 1st , 2nd , and 3rd Battle Groups , elements of the 39th Infantry Division ( 3d Battalion , 199th Infantry , concurrently converted and redesignated as the 539th Transportation Battalion - hereafter separate lineage ) . The 156th Infantry reorganized on 1 May 1963 to consist of the 1st , 2nd , 3rd , and 4th Battalions , elements of the 39th Infantry Division / It reorganized on 1 December 1967 to consist of the 1st , 2nd , and 3rd Battalions , elements of the 256th Infantry Brigade ; on 1 March 1977 to consist of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions , elements of the 256th Infantry Brigade ; on 1 July 1991 to consist of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions , elements of the 256th Infantry Brigade , and the 4th Battalion ; and on 1 February 1993 to consist of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions , elements of the 256th Infantry Brigade . Organization . 2nd Battalion . The 2nd Battalion , 156th Infantry is headquartered in Abbeville , Louisiana in Vermilion Parish . It consists of the following : Headquarters and Headquarters Company ( HHC ) located in Abbeville , LA with a detachment in Jeanerette , LA . Alpha Company ( Rifle ) located in Breaux Bridge , LA with a detachment in Plaquemine , LA . Bravo Company ( Rifle ) located in New Iberia , LA with a detachment in Franklin , LA . Charlie Company ( Rifle ) located in Houma , LA . Delta Company ( Weapons ) located in Thibodaux , LA . Echo Company ( FSC attached from 199th BSB ) located in Jeanerette , LA with a detachment in Abbeville , LA . 3rd Battalion . The 3rd Battalion , 156th Infantry is headquartered in Lake Charles , Louisiana . It consists of the following : Headquarters and Headquarters Company ( HHC ) located in Lake Charles , LA with a detachment in DeQuincy , LA Alpha Company ( Rifle ) located in Fort Polk , LA with a detachment in DeRidder , LA Bravo Company ( Rifle ) located in Pineville , LA ( Camp Beauregard ) with a detachment in Oakdale , LA Charlie Company ( Rifle ) located in Crowley , LA with detachments in Jennings , LA and Eunice , LA Delta Company ( Weapons ) located in Opelousas , LA Foxtrot Company ( FSC attached from 199th BSB ) A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 1 / 8 inches ( 2 . 86 cm ) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned : Per fess enhanced Azure and Argent in chief a saltire couped of the second and in base a leopard passant guardant of the first armed and langued Gules . Attached below and to the sides of the shield a Blue scroll inscribed " DIEU ET MOI " in Silver letters . The shield is in the colors of the Infantry . The organization ’ s honorable Civil War service is shown by the saltire , ( St . Andrews cross ) , taken from the Confederate battle flag . The leopard is taken from the arms of Normandy and symbolized the campaigns fought in Northern France . The motto translates to " God and I . " The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 12 October 1951 .