The rich heritage of the 7th Infantry Regiment spans 200 years, 12 wars with 80 campaign streamers earned and 13 unit decorations received. The Regiment has served in more campaigns than any other Infantry unit in the United States Army.
Its namesake encounter took place in the War of 1812 where the 7th Infantry saw action at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, while being commanded by Andrew Jackson, the 7th Infantry was dubbed the "COTTONBALERS." During that battle the 7th successfully held their position against the British forces from behind a breastwork of cotton bales. The nickname "Cottonbalers" was proudly accepted by the Regiment and a cotton bale was incorporated into the Regimental Coat of Arms and to the Distinctive Unit Insignia. Their distinguished history continued through the Mexican war, Spanish American War and up until WWI.
During WWI, the 7th Infantry landed in France as part of the newly formed 3d Infantry Division. It participated in the Aisne Defensive, the struggle at Chateau-Thierry, the Champaigne-Marne Defensive, where the Division earned its name, and proceeded onward in offensive actions at Aisne-Marne, Meuse-Argonne, and St. Michel. Following distinctive action in seven campaigns, the French Croix de Guerre with Star was added to its ever-increasing number of unit honors.
The Cottonbalers plunged into World War II by being among the first to land in North Africa in 1942 with their assault on Morocco. This was the beginning of a series of victories during WWII that added ten more battle streamers to their colors. The 7th Infantry pushed onward from North Africa through Italy and France to Germany, where the Cottonbalers capped their efforts by capturing Berchtesgaden, Hitler's mountain fortress.
The 7th Infantry Regiment continued to fight valiantly through Korea and Vietnam and deploying for the first time to the Middle East in 1990 for Operation Desert Storm and then again for OIF I , OIF III and most recently OIF V.
The Cottonbaler Battalion lived up to its history once again when in October of 2007, it was sent in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V along the Euphrates River valley south of Baghdad. The soldiers of the Cottonbaler Battalion found themselves along a sectarian fault line, rife with violence and with little hope for the regions future. Yet, the 3-7 Infantry stubbornly refused to let this be the case and went to work by aggressively attacking the enemy and building the local infrastructure to lay the foundation for a lasting peace and a brighter future. By the end of the deployment the enemies that had come to blows with 3-7 soldiers were left demoralized and found themselves without control in a region they had once called their own. Numerous bridges, roads, schools, and medical facilities had been restored, instilling faith in the American presence in the region and restoring the infrastructure needed to maintain a stable area in which the civilian population could live without fear. The 3-7 soldiers had also taught Iraqi army units and government leaders to defend and govern for themselves instilling a sense of duty and service to their reborn country. At the deployments end an area that had once taken more than a battalion of American Soldiers to control, a token force remained to supervise the Iraqis as they took the responsibility for the defense and governance of North Babil Province.
Today, as ever, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment stands by its motto, "Cottonbalers By God, Damn Fine Soldiers!" to defend freedom at a moment's notice, anywhere in the world. With its legendary history and numerous awards for valor, the 7th Infantry remains the most premier regiment in the United States Army.
|
