160th Infantry Regiment ( United States ) The 160th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army . The 1st Battalion , 160th Infantry is a light infantry component of the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team ( IBCT ) . History . The regiment was established in 1885 as the 7th Infantry Battalion and became the 7th Infantry Regiment three years later . The regiment was formed during the Spanish - American War in 1898 . Its initial training took place at the Presidio of San Francisco . It later served under General John J . Pershing during the Mexican Border Campaign of 1914 . During World War I , the regiment participated in the French Meuse - Argonne Offensive in 1918 and the Battle of St . Mihiel . During the Meuse - Argonne Offensive , units of the 160th Regiment along with units of the 307th Infantry Regiment became known as the " Lost Battalion " . Captain Nelson Holderman , a member of the 160th Regiment , was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Lost Battalion action . Interwar period to the Cold War . The regiment ' s armory , located in Los Angeles , California , hosted the fencing competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics as well as the fencing part of the modern pentathlon . As part of the United States mobilization during World War II , the 160th was federalized at Los Angeles , California , on 3 March 1941 and moved to Camp San Luis Obispo , California , within two weeks . The regiment trained there for over a year as part of the 40th Division before relocating to Fort Lewis , Washington , on 29 April 1942 . From there , the regiment went to San Francisco , on 1 September 1942 , and was shipped to Hawaii the following month . The regiment trained in jungle warfare there for over a year before being moved forward during January 1944 to the Solomon Islands . From April through December the regiment fought on New Britain Island during the New Britain campaign . The regiment redeployed through New Guinea and they invaded the Japanese - held Philippines on 9 January 1945 . The regiment participated in various actions in the Philippines ' Campaign ( 1944 to 1945 ) during the rest of the war . It returned to San Francisco on 5 April 1946 and was inactivated the next day . For actions in the Zambales Mountains , Company I was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation . The regiment fought in the Korean War . As part of the United States National Guard , the unit was not mobilized for Vietnam , but engaged in suppressing civil disturbance s . During the 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles , the 160th Regiment was among the first units deployed . Post Cold War to present . They were also activated during the 1992 Los Angeles riots in the wake of the Rodney King trial . Following the 1994 Northridge earthquake , the regiment provided humanitarian aid and security to the area affected by the earthquake . Company B of 1st Battalion was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for their service in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 , and the remainder of 1st Battalion was awarded an Army Superior Unit Award for service in Kosovo during a similar period . The regiment served in Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 15 February 2007 through 8 August 2008 ; during this period Company C of 3d battalion was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation , and two soldiers from the regiment were killed . Lineage . Constituted 22 July 1885 in the California National Guard as the " 7th Infantry Battalion " and organized from existing companies in southern California Expanded , reorganized , and redesignated on 5 May 1888 , as the 7th Infantry Regiment Consolidated 7 December 1895 with the 9th Infantry Regiment ( organized on 8 February 1890 in the California National Guard ) and consolidated unit designated as the 7th Infantry Regiment Mustered into Federal service on 9 May 1898 at the Presidio of San Francisco as the 7th California Volunteer Infantry ; mustered out of Federal service on 2 December 1898 at Los Angeles Mustered into Federal service on 29 June 1916 at Sacramento ; mustered out of Federal service 11 November 1916 at Los Angeles Drafted into Federal service 5 August 1917 Consolidated 25 September to 1 November 1917 with the 2nd Battalion , Companies L and M , and the Sanitary Detachment , 2nd Infantry Regiment , California National Guard ; consolidated unit concurrently reorganized and re - designated as the 160th Infantry and assigned to the 40th Division Demobilized on 7 May 1919 at Camp Kearny , California Former southern California elements reorganized on 23 August to 6 October 1921 in the California National Guard as the 160th Infantry and assigned to the 40th Division ; Headquarters Federally recognized on 31 January 1922 at Los Angeles 2nd Battalion , 160th Infantry , withdrawn , reorganized , and re - designated on 1 April 1929 as the 2nd Battalion , 185th Infantry , an element of the 40th Division ( 160th Infantry - hereafter separate lineage ) Expanded and reorganized March to April 1930 , as the 2nd and 3rd Battalions , 185th Infantry , elements of the 40th Division ( later redesignated as the 40th Infantry Division ) Inducted into Federal service on 3 March 1941 at home stations Inactivated on 7 April 1946 at Camp Stoneman , California 2nd and 3rd Battalions , 185th Infantry , re - designated on 5 August 1946 as the 223rd and 224th Infantry and remained assigned to the 40th Infantry Division After 5 August 1946 , the above units underwent changes as follows : 223rd Infantry reorganized as well as Federally recognizing on 15 October 1946 with Headquarters at Pasadena ordered into active Federal service on 1 September 1950 , at home stations ( 223d Infantry ( NGUS ) organized and Federally recognized on 2 September 1952 , with Headquarters at Pasadena ) Released 30 June 1954 , from active Federal service and reverted to state control . Federal recognition concurrently withdrawn from the 223rd Infantry ( NGUS ) 1st Battalion , 223rd Infantry , reorganized and redesignated on 1 July 1954 , as the 223rd Armored Infantry Battalion . This is an element of the 40th Armored Division , with Headquarters at Glendale ( remainder of 223rd Infantry - hereafter separate lineages ) 224th Infantry reorganized and Federally recognized on 15 October 1946 , with Headquarters at Ontario ordered into active Federal service on 1 September 1950 at home stations ( 224th Infantry [ NGUS ] organized and Federally recognized on 2 September 1952 , with Headquarters at Ontario ) Released 30 June 1954 from active Federal service and reverted to state control ; Federal recognition concurrently withdrawn from the 224th Infantry ( NGUS ) 1st and 3rd Battalions 224th Infantry , reorganized and re - designated on 1 July 1954 , respectively as the 224th Armored Infantry Battalion , with Headquarters at San Bernardino , and the 161st Armored Infantry Battalion , with Headquarters at Orange ( changed 1 November 1957 to Santa Ana ) , elements of the 40th Armored Division ( remainder of 224th Infantry - hereafter separate lineages ) 161st , 223rd , and 224th Armored Infantry Battalions consolidated , reorganized , and re - designated on 1 July 1959 as the 160th Infantry , a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System , to consist of the 1st , 2nd , 3rd , and 4th Rifle Battalions , elements of the 40th Armored Division Reorganized on 1 March 1963 , to consist of the 1st , 2nd , 3rd , and 4th Battalions , elements of the 40th Armored Division Reorganized on 1 November 1965 , to consist of the 1st , 2nd , and 3rd Battalions , elements of the 40th Armored Division , and the 4th Battalion , an element of the 29th Infantry Brigade Reorganized on 29 January 1968 , to consist of the 1st , 2nd , and 3rd Battalions , elements of the 40th Infantry Brigade , and the 4th Battalion , an element of the 40th Armored Brigade Reorganized on 13 January 1974 , to consist of the 1st , 2nd , 3rd , and 4th Battalions , elements of the 40th Infantry Division Reorganized 1 August 1985 to consist of the 2nd , 3rd , and 4th Battalions , elements of the 40th Infantry Division Withdrawn on 19 January 1988 , from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1 / 8 inches ( 2 . 86 cm ) in height blazoned : Azure , two bendlets Gules and Vert fimbriated Or between an angel ’ s wings conjoined and inverted Argent and a fleur - de - lis , within a diminished bordure engrailed of the fourth . The shield is blue for Infantry . The red bendlet denotes service during the Spanish War and the green bendlet , Mexican border duty . The angel ’ s wings represent Los Angeles , the headquarters of the 160th Infantry , and the fleur - de - lis symbolizes World War I service . The gold engrailed border symbolizes the State of California on the shores of the Pacific Ocean . The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 160th Infantry Regiment on 22 May 1928 . It was redesignated for the 160th Armored Infantry Battalion on 7 January 1955 . The insignia was redesignated for the 160th Infantry Regiment on 24 April 1961 . Azure , two bendlets Gules and Vert fimbriated Or between an angel ’ s wings conjoined and inverted Argent and a fleur - de - lis , within a diminished bordure engrailed of the fourth . That for the regiments and separate battalions of the California Army National Guard : On a wreath of the colors Or and Azure , the setting sun behind a grizzly bear passant on a grassy field all Proper . Motto : Habeant ( Strike ) . The shield is blue for Infantry . The red bendlet denotes service during the Spanish War and the green bendlet , Mexican border duty . The angel ’ s wings represent Los Angeles , the headquarters of the 160th Infantry , and the fleur - de - lis symbolizes World War I service . The gold engrailed border symbolizes the State of California on the shores of the Pacific Ocean . The crest is that of the California Army National Guard . The coat of arms was originally approved for the 160th Infantry Regiment on 23 May 1928 . It was redesignated for the 160th Armored Infantry Battalion on 7 January 1955 . The insignia was redesignated for the 160th Infantry Regiment on 24 April 1961 . See also . People