174th Infantry Regiment (United States)

174th Infantry Regiment (74th New York)
Coat of Arms.
Active	1861–1864, 1898–1945, 1947–1955
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	New York
Branch	Army National Guard
Type	Infantry regiment
Motto(s)	Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful)
Colors	White, red, silver.
Engagements	Pancho Villa Expedition

The 174th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, New York Army National Guard. It traced its heritage back to the 74th New York State Militia formed in Buffalo in 1854.^[1] It was deactivated in 1945.

History

During the Civil War, members of the 74th helped formed the 21st New York Volunteer Infantry (the First Buffalo Regiment). The 74th was mustered into active service twice in 1863 for a period of thirty days each time. The 74th New York Volunteer Infantry that also existed during the war was a different unit with no connection to the 74th regiment of Buffalo.^[2]

On 19 July 1898, elements of the 74th New York mustered in for service in the Spanish–American War, but their units were soon absorbed into the 202nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiments. On 15 April 1899, the 74th New York Infantry was reorganized in Savannah, Georgia. The regiment was again mustered for service on 2 July 1916 for service along the Mexican border, to guard against raids from Pancho Villa's banditos. On 24 February 1917, they were mustered out. This wouldn't last long, however, and the regiment was reactivated on 38 March 1917 for service in World War I. On 1 October, approximately 1,600 men from the 74th New York were transferred to the 108th Infantry Regiment, 106th Field Artillery Regiment, and the 102nd Engineer Regiment; all parts of the New York National Guard's 27th Infantry Division.^[3] The remnants were reorganized on 4 January 1918 as the 55th Pioneer Infantry Regiment at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina, and they arrived in France in September 1918. They returned to the United States, and were deactivated on 8 February 1919 at Camp Hill, Virginia. They regained the title of 74th New York Infantry on 22 April 1919.^[4]

On 18 October 1921, they were redesignated as the 174th Infantry Regiment. On 16 September 1940, the regiment was inducted into federal service and was assigned to the 44th Infantry Division. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the 174th moved west to defend against possible Japanese attacks on the West Coast. Moving around and training in the US, the 174th was relieved of assignment with the 44th Division on 27 January 1943.^[5] They remained in the US for the duration of the war as part of Western Defense Command until inactivation at Camp Rucker, Alabama on 27 September 1945. The 174th was reorganized on 15 April 1947 in Buffalo, New York and assigned to the 27th Infantry Division. It was eventually broken up and converted into other units on 1 February 1955.^[6]

References