What is the most distinctive Company/Battery/Troop sized unit in the US Army?

CW3 Kevin Storm — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 15:47:13 -0500

All of us have an opinion of what unit is better than the rest. Being a native Rhode Islander, and a former Redleg, I nominate the following unit as the best Company/Battery/Troop Size Unit of the US Army: Battery A, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery for Actions in the American Civil War. In numerous events the Battery did not yield the field,a nd often times was the unit that turned the tide against a vastly numerically superior foe. The "Bullies of the Battlefield" as they came to be known made the stand against Rebs at Dunkard's Church at the Battle of Antietam (to put this in perspective: one Battery versus a Corp of Infantry), At the Center of Gettysburg Battery A stood their ground exposed against Pickett's charge, when Union Infantry pulled back. The attached link describes in more details their numerous accomplishments. They were respected by Their Union and Confederate adversaries.

I look forward to hearing other submissions: Key note it must be a Company/Battery /Troop sized unit. Anything larger and I cry foul (for what that is worth)

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Jan 11 at 2018 4:06 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:06:10 -0500

America's History is more than the Civil War. My favorite would be 2nd Bn, 308th Infantry, the "Lost Battalion"

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2018 4:07 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:07:11 -0500

Units of the MA Guard have existed since 1636 and have participated in almost every conflict that this country has been in. The 772nd MP Co was originally organized in 1638 as the Cohannet Train Band, Plymouth Colony Militia, and is the is the oldest company-sized unit in the Army National Guard. It's also one of only nineteen Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812.

When it was organized as Company C, 4th Regiment, it was called into federal service twice during the Civil War; for three months in 1861, fighting in the Battle of Big Bethel, Va.; and for nine months from Sept. 1862 to August 1863, taking part in the siege of Port Hudson, La.

after the war as Company F, 3rd Regiment, the unit was converted to coastal artillery in 1897. During World War I, the Taunton unit served as the 24th Company, Coast Defenses of Boston. In 1920 the unit converted to field artillery as Battery F, 101st Field Artillery.

The battery was ordered into federal service in January 1941 when the 26th Infantry Division began training prior to World War II at Camp Edwards. Redesignated again as Battery C, 212th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, the Taunton unit, as part of the 6th Armored Division, fought in Europe. It took part in campaigns in France, Belgium and Germany as part of General Patton's Third Army.

In December 1967 the unit received its current designation as the 772nd Military Police Company. It also consolidated with the Attleboro unit which as, Company I, 101st Infantry, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for gallantry in action at Lorraine, France.

On 7 January 1991 the 772nd was ordered into federal service for duty in the Gulf War. It provided reconnaissance and security for main supply routes.

In 2002 they deployed in support of operation enduring Freedom in Bagram and Kabul Afghanistan providing base security. In 2009 the they deployed to Al Kut, Iraq, where they spent the year training the local police forces and assisted in Military operations.

Response by SGT Mark Halmrast made Jan 11 at 2018 4:07 PM

SGT Mark Halmrast — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:07:28 -0500

Two candidates:
- 1st Minnesota, especially Day 2 at Gettysburg (heroic)
- 2/505 82nd Airborne, esoecially as unit to liberate first French town on D-day

First MN: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Minnesota_Volunteer_Infantry

2/505: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/505th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)

Airborne!

1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry - Wikipedia

The First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment mustered for a three-year term (1861-1864) in the Union Army at the outset of the American Civil War when the prevailing enlistment period was three months. During offensive movements, it sustained high percentages of casualties at the Battles of First Bull Run (20%[1]) and Antietam (28%) and a catastrophic 82% at the Battle of Gettysburg. It is most noted for its service on the second day at...

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2018 4:09 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:09:28 -0500

I don't know if they are the most distinct, but the 58th CEC has a grand history

Lineage:
Constituted 15 August 1917 in the National Army as Company E, 26th Engineer Regiment
Organized in September 1917 at Camp Dix, New Jersey
Redesignated 1 November 1917 as Company E, 24th Engineer Regiment
Demobilized 3 June 1919 at Camp Jackson, South Carolina
Reconstituted 3 April 1931 in the Regular Army; concurrently consolidated with Company E, 24th Engineer Regiment (constituted 18 October 1927 in the Regular Army), and consolidated unit designated as Company E, 24th Engineer Regiment
Redesignated 13 January 1941 as Company E, 24th Engineer Battalion
Activated 15 April 1941 at Pine Camp, New York, as an element of the 4th Armored Division
Redesignated 1 January 1942 as Company E, 24th Armored Engineer Battalion
Reorganized and redesignated 10 September 1943 as the 988th Engineer Treadway Bridge Company and relieved from assignment to the 4th Armored Division
Reorganized and redesignated 6 May 1949 as the 58th Engineer Treadway Bridge Company
Reorganized and redesignated 25 January 1953 as the 58th Engineer Float Bridge Company
Reorganized and redesignated 1 April 1954 as the 58th Engineer Company
Inactivated 25 July 1955 in Japan
Redesignated 6 May 1957 as the 58th Armored Engineer Company
Activated 1 June 1957 in Germany
Reorganized and redesignated 10 June 1960 as the 58th Engineer Company
Inactivated 15 October 1993 in Germany
Activated 16 October 1994 at Fort Irwin, California

Honors:
Campaign Participation Credit

World War I: St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne
World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
Korean War: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea, Summer-Fall 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953
War on Terrorism: Campaigns to be determined

Decorations
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered KOREA 1952-1954
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2004-2005
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered KOREA 1950

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jan 11 at 2018 4:23 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:23:50 -0500

Please read the question and ask your self is a battalion greater in size than a Company/Battery or Troop? For the purpose of numbers: Units less than 200 soldiers+/-

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jan 11 at 2018 4:52 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:52:08 -0500

Really good question. One thing to keep in mind is that the definition of a troop sized element has changed over time. For, example, while there were companies within civil war regiments, the regiments often functioned and were identified more like our companies sized elements are now. Mostly because a Civil War era infantry company had about 50 soldiers (including officers) which is much closer in size to our definition of a platoon sized element. However a regiment had around 10 companies so one cannot say "since 19th cent company = 21st cent platoon, therefore 19th cent regiment = 21st cent company." There just isn't a common civil war era unit size that is comparable to our current definition of "unit."

Even though it's not a "company/battery/troop," my answer would be the 20th Maine. It's the closest thing I can come up with that fits the definition of a "unit" given it's historical context.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jan 11 at 2018 5:40 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 17:40:18 -0500

I nominate the 1st Bn 246th Armor (currently a retired Bn.)

Response by SSG Robert Webster made Jan 12 at 2018 9:59 AM

SSG Robert Webster — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 09:59:02 -0500

H&S Company, UNCSB-JSA
#1 reason - Continuously stationed in a combat zone for 65+ years, since it's original establishment as Army Unit 8020, United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission Support Group (Provisional) on 5 May 1952.

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Jan 13 at 2018 12:09 AM

SFC Joseph Weber — Sat, 13 Jan 2018 00:09:44 -0500

C Battery 149th Field Artillery, part of the 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division. Purely a biased thing. My grandfather and two of his brothers were in C Battery.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jan 14 at 2018 12:44 AM

COL Charles Williams — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 00:44:27 -0500

7th Cavalry. CW3 Kevin Storm

Response by LTC John Griscom made Jan 20 at 2018 11:58 PM

LTC John Griscom — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 23:58:11 -0500

E Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.