163rd Infantry Regiment ( United States ) The 163rd Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the Montana National Guard . It went overseas with the 41st Infantry Division in World War II . History . In December 1942 , General Douglas MacArthur decided to commit more American troops to the Battle of Buna - Gona . The 163rd Regimental Combat Team , under the command of Colonel Jens A . Doe , was alerted on 14 December 1942 . It arrived at Port Moresby on 27 December . The first elements , which included the 1st Battalion and regimental headquarters , flew over the Owen Stanley Range to Popondetta and Dobodura on 30 December , where they came under the command of Lieutenant General Edmund Herring ' s Advanced New Guinea Force . The 163rd Regimental Combat Team was attached to Major General George Alan Vasey ' s 7th Division and Doe assumed command of the Sanananda Front from Brigadier Ivan Dougherty on 3 January 1943 . The front line consisted of a raised road with Japanese positions on relatively dry ground astride it , surrounded by jungle swamp . Roadblocks had been established behind the Japanese positions but they had not been budged ; both sides resupplied their positions through the swamp . Vasey ' s plan was for the Americans to fix the Japanese in position while he attacked with Brigadier George Wootten ' s 18th Infantry Brigade , supported by M3 Stuart light tanks of the 2 / 6th Armoured Regiment and 25 pounder s of the 2 / 1st Field Regiment . Lineage . Constituted in the Montana National Guard as the 1st Regiment of Infantry and organized 1884 - 1887 from existing companies . A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1 / 8 inches ( 2 . 86 cm ) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned : Per fess Argent and Azure , in chief a palm tree on a mount Proper and in base a giant cactus and fleur - de - lis Or . Attached below the shield is a Blue scroll doubled and inscribed “ MEN , DO YOUR DUTY ” in Gold letters . The palm tree represents Philippine service , the giant cactus Mexican Border duty and the fleur - de - lis service in France during World War I . Blue and white are the colors associated with Infantry and refer to the organization ’ s combat service as the 163d Infantry during World War II . The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 163d Infantry Regiment , Montana National Guard on 8 December 1941 . It was redesignated for the 163d Armored Cavalry Regiment , Montana National Guard on 17 September 1953 . It was amended to change the symbolism on 21 January 1970 . The insignia was updated to include both the Montana and Nevada Army National Guard on 20 January 1975 . It was redesignated for the 163d Infantry Regiment , Montana Army National Guard on 1 February 1989 . Per fess Argent and Azure , in chief a palm tree on mount Proper and in base a giant cactus and a fleur - de - lis Or . That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Montana Army National Guard : On a wreath of the colors Argent and Azure a fleur - de - lis the middle leaf and tie Or , and outside leaves Argent . Motto : MEN , DO YOUR DUTY . The palm tree represents Philippine service , the giant cactus Mexican Border duty and the fleur - de - lis service in France during World War I . Blue and white are the colors associated with Infantry and refer to the organization ’ s combat service as the 163d Infantry during World War II . The crest is that of the Montana Army National Guard . The coat of arms was originally approved for the 163d Infantry Regiment , Montana National Guard on 15 December 1941 . It was redesignated for the 163d Armored Cavalry Regiment , Montana National Guard on 17 September 1953 . The insignia was amended to change the symbolism on 21 January 1970 . It was amended to add the crest of the State of Oregon on 22 March 1971 . It was amended to delete the crest of the State of Oregon and add the crest of the State of Nevada on 20 January 1975 . The insignia was redesignated for the 163d Infantry Regiment and amended to delete the crest of the State of Nevada on 1 February 1989 Campaign streamers . Philippine Insurrection World War I World War II