The 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment was first constituted on 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as Company B, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry. It was organized on 20 October 1861 at Fort Hamilton, New York. During the American Civil War, the 12th Infantry Regiment as a whole fought in campaigns with the Army of the Potomac, and played pivotal roles in some of the greatest battles of the war. Its first engagement at Gaines' Mills, Virginia, between 27 and 28 June 1862, was notable for the Regiment's losses of almost 50 percent. After the war, the unit was reorganized and redesignated on 7 December 1866 as Company B, 12th Infantry.
The 12th Infantry Regiment subsequently served in 3 major Indian campaigns, Modocs, Bannocks, and Pine Ridge, during which 6 Warriors won the Medal of Honor. During the Spanish American War, the 12th Infantry was dispatched to Cuba, where they participated in the Santiago campaign. The Regiment was also sent the help suppress the insurrection in the Philippines, where they campaigned around Manila and throughout the island of Luzon, participating in 3 campaigns: Malolos, Tarlac, and Luzon 1899.
The 12th Infantry as a whole was assigned on 17 December 1917 to the 8th Division. It was relieved on 15 August 1927 from assignment to the 8th Division and assigned to the 4th Division. It was relieved on 1 October 1933 from assignment to the 4th Division and reassigned to the 8th Division.
The Regiment was relieved on 10 October 1941 from assignment to the 8th Division and assigned to the 4th Division (later redesignated as the 4th Infantry Division. During World War II, the 12th Infantry spearheaded the Normandy Invasion on D-Day. Between 9 and 12 August 1944, the Regiment engaged and destroyed the famed SS Adolph Hitler Panzer Division, then went on to wins a Presidential Unit Citation during the Battle of the Bulge. After the end of the Second World War, the unit was inactivated on 27 February 1946 at Camp Butner, North Carolina
Company B, 12th Infantry was rectivated on 15 July 1947 at Fort Ord, California. The unit was inactivated on 1 April 1957 at Fort Lewis, Washington, and relieved from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division. It was redesignated 1 August 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battle Group, 12th Infantry, assigned to the 8th Infantry Division, and activated in Germany, with its organic elements concurrently constituted and activated. It was relieved 24 March 1959 from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division and assigned to the 1st Infantry Division.
The Battle Group was reorganized and redesignated on 1 October 1963 as the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry. It was concurrently relieved from assignment to the 1st Infantry Division and assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. Deployed to Vietnam, 2-12th Infantry operated as an element of the 4th Infantry Division until it was relieved on 1 August 1967 from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. The 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry participated in 11 campaigns in Vietnam: Counteroffensive Phase II, Counteroffensive Phase III, Tet Counteroffensive, Counteroffensive Phase IV, Counteroffensive Phase V, Counteroffensive Phase VI, Tet 69/Counteroffensive, Summer-Fall 1969, Winter-Spring 1970, Sanctuary Counteroffensive and Counteroffensive Phase VII. After returning from Vietnam, the Battalion was inactivated on 17 April 1971 at Fort Lewis, Washington.
The Battalion was relieved on 1 April 1976 from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division, assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, and activated at Fort Carson, Colorado. It was inactivated on 21 September 1976 at Fort Carson, Colorado. It was reactivated on 16 June 1989 at Fort Carson, Colorado and inactivated again on 15 September 1995 at Fort Carson, Colorado, being relieved from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division.
The Battalion was reactivated on 29 September 2005 at Fort Carson, Colorado, as an element of the 2nd Infantry Division. It was redesignated on 1 October 2005 as the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment. It was relieved on 16 November 2005 from assignment to the 2nd Infantry Division and assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division.
In 2008, the US Army conducted a major realignment involving the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Brigade Combat Team was reflagged as the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado was reflagged as the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Instead of being reflagged as a different unit as part of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry was relieved on 16 March 2008 from assignment to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and was assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
Notable Persons
2-12th Infantry Commander 1966-67 -
LTG Marvin Fuller
Lieutenant Colonel Marvin "Red" Fuller was the 2/12th battalion commander from September 1966 until the Spring of 1967. He "trained-up" the battalion at FortLewis, WA and was it's first commander in Viet Nam.
2-12th Commander 1967 -
COL Joe Elliott
Rumor had it that the 2/12th was tagged to be the lead element going into LZ Gold. LTC Elliott was hand picked by MG C.F. Tillison to replace LTC "Red" Fuller with designs of grooming him for advancement. When Tillison was told by Elliott that he would be in the lead flight going into Gold, Tillison ordered COL Garth to put the 3/22 in first and have the 2/12th follow. Tillison didn't want Elliott getting killed. He was awarded the Silver Star for his leadership during the battle of Soui Tre.
Details behind Award: The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded by direction of the President of the United States to THE 3D BRIGADE, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION and Assigned and Attached Units FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM The 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and the Attached and Assigned Units distinguished themselves by extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations on 21 March 1967 in the vicinity of Suoi Tre, Republic of Viet Nam. The members of this Brigade and the foregoing units demonstrated indomitable courage and professional skill while engaging an estimated force of 2,500 Viet Cong. During the early morning hours of 21 March 1967, an estimated force of 2,500 Viet Cong launched a massive and determined ground attack against elements of the 3d Battalion, 22d Infantry and 2d Battalion, 77th Artillery located at Fire Support Base Gold near Soui Tre, Republic of Viet Nam. Opening the engagement with an intense mortar attack, the enemy force, later identified as the 272d Main Force Regiment reinforced by two additional infantry battalions, struck the perimeter in three separate locations. Due to the ferocity of the assault and the overwhelming number of enemy troops, untenable positions in the north and southeast were overrun within the first 30 minutes of the battle despite determined resistance by friendly forces. As the enemy penetrated the perimeter, the American troops set up an internal perimeter and continued to direct withering fire on the enemy. When the Viet Cong directed anti-tank fire upon the artillery positions, heroic gun crews cannibalized parts from damaged guns, and, at several points, fired directly into the advancing enemy including the firing of "bee-hive" ammunition through gaps in the perimeter. While the battle continued to rage and grow in intensity, the Brigade Commander was directing the 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry, the 2d Battalion, 22d Infantry (Mechanized) and the 2d Battalion, 34th Armor, to the besieged fire support base. At the same time, the support and service elements of the brigade began a furious aerial resupply of ammunition and medical supplies from the Brigade Rear base camp at Dau Tieng. As the 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry began its overland move to the fire support base approximately 2,500 meters distant, a heavy concentration of enemy mortar fire was directed upon their position, killing one man and wounding 20 others. Undaunted, the battalion moved nearly 2,500 meters in less than two hours despite constant blocking and harassment efforts by the enemy. Concurrently with the movement of the 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry, mechanized and armor elements began moving across the Suoi Samat River at a ford which had only recently been located and which previously had been thought impassable. Driving towards the fire support base, the mechanized unit followed by the armor battalion, drove into the western and southern sector of the engaged perimeter passing through engaged elements of the 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry. Striking the Viet Cong on the flank, the 2d Battalion, 22d Infantry smashed through the enemy with such intensity and ferocity that enemy attack faltered and broke. As the fleeing and now shattered enemy force retreated to the north-east, the 2d Battalion, 34th Armor swept the position destroying large numbers of Viet Cong who were now in full retreat. Throughout the battle, fighters of the United States Air Force, directed by the Brigade's Forward Air Controllers provided close support to the fire support base and hammered enemy concentrations outside the perimeter. As the FAC aircraft dived through heavy anti-aircraft fire to mark enemy positions, the plane was hit by ground fire and crashed, killing both occupants. After securing the fire support base, a sweep of the area was conducted, revealing a total of 647 Viet Cong bodies and 10 enemy captured. It is estimated that an additional 200 enemy were killed as a result of the aerial and artillery bombardment. Friendly casualties were extremely light, resulting in only 33 killed and 187 wounded of whom approximately 90 were returned to duty. Through their fortitude and determination, the personnel of the 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and attached units were able in great measure to cripple a large Viet Cong force. Their devotion to duty and extraordinary heroism reflect distinct credit upon themselves and the Armed Forces of the United States.
Last Updated: Apr 20, 2018
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The 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment was first constituted on 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as Company B, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry. It was organized on 20 October 1861 at Fort Hamilton, New York. During the American Civil War, the 12th Infantry Regiment as a whole fought in campaigns with the Army of the Potomac, and played pivotal roles in some of the greatest battles of the war. Its first engagement at Gaines' Mills, Virginia, between 27 and 28 June 1862, was notable for the Regiment's losses of almost 50 percent. After the war, the unit was reorganized and redesignated on 7 December 1866 as Company B, 12th Infantry.
