338th Regiment (United States)

The 338th Infantry Regiment was a National Army Infantry Regiment first organized for service in World War I as part of the 85th Infantry Division in Europe. It later served in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II. Since then it has served as a training regiment, training Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers for overseas service after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

World War I
The regiment was constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army as the 338th Infantry and assigned to the 169th Infantry Brigade of the 85th Division. It was organized at Camp Custer, Michigan, on 30 August 1917. In August 1917, the regiment was organized with 3,755 officers and enlisted men: The Doughboys of the regiment deployed to France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces and were billeted in the cities of Nevers and Cosne. The regiment didn't participate in any named campaigns during the war; its Infantrymen were used as individual replacements to the fighting Divisions. After completing its war service in France it was demobilized at Camp Custer on 14 April 1919.
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company- 303
 * Supply Company- 140
 * Machine Gun Company- 178
 * Medical & Chaplain Detachment- 56
 * Infantry Battalion (x3)- 1,026
 * Headquarters- 2
 * Rifle Company (x4)- 256

Between the World Wars
The 338th Infantry was reconstituted 24 June 1921 and assigned to the 85th Division (later redesignated as the 85th Infantry Division). The headquarters was at Lansing, Michigan.

World War II


The 338th Infantry was ordered into active military service 15 May 1942 and reorganized at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. In July 1943, the regiment was organized with 3,256 officers and enlisted men: The regiment departed Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation in December 1943 aboard the USS General William A. Mann with its supporting 329th Field Artillery Battalion. Arriving in Italy on March 14, the 339th Regimental Combat Team was attached to the 88th Infantry Division and became the first regiment of the 85th to see combat during World War II on the Minturno-Castelforte front north of Naples, on 28 March. After service in the Mediterranean Theater it was disbanded 25 August 1945 at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia.
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company- 111
 * Service Company- 114
 * Anti-Tank Company- 165
 * Cannon Company- 118
 * Medical Detachment- 135
 * Infantry Battalion (x3)- 871
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company- 126
 * Rifle Company (x3)- 193
 * Weapons Company- 156

Post World War II
The 338th Infantry was reconstituted 6 November 1946 in the Organized Reserves and assigned to the 85th Infantry Division with headquarters at Peoria, Illinois. On 9 July 1952, the Organized Reserve was redesignated the Army Reserve. On 1 April 1952, the headquarters was relocated to Danville, Illinois. On 1 June 1959 the 338th Infantry was reorganized as a training unit and was redesignated as the 338th Regiment, an element of the 85th Division (Training), with headquarters at Chicago, Illinois.

Current assignment
As part of Operation Bold Shift, the 338th mission is to train Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers for war service before dispatch to the War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, or elsewhere. All three battalions are elements of the 85th Support Command under the operational control of First Army. , the 1st Battalion is stationed at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, with the 181st Infantry Brigade, while the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are stationed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, with the 157th Infantry Brigade. Each battalion provides Observer/Controllers to the NTC and JRTC to train units conducting rotations as well as conducting exercises at their home stations.