Oregon Battalion Deactivates After More Than 100 Years

(Salem) - The formal deactivation ceremony for the 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard was held Saturday at the Salem Armory Auditorium.

The ceremony marked the passing of one of Oregon's finest infantry battalions.

The 1st Battalion 162nd Infantry is a proud organization tracing its lineage to 1887 as it formed from existing companies of the Infantry Brigade, Oregon National Guard. Through multiple Company reorganizations, the Infantry Brigade mustered into Federal service in May of 1898 at Portland as the 2nd Regiment, Oregon Volunteer Infantry.

The unit served proudly during the Spanish American War and was mustered out August 7th, 1899 in San Francisco, California. Portland elements of the Infantry Brigade were reorganized in 1900 as the 3rd Regiment of Infantry. Again they were activated in 1916, in those days-called Mustered, into Federal service in Portland, Oregon for Mexican Border service.

The regiment was drafted into Federal service in 1917 at Camp Withycombe, Oregon, and in October, were formed with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry, District of Columbia National Guard and were reorganized and redesigned as 162nd Infantry, an element of the 41st Division.

Following World War I, the unit was demobilized on March 1st, 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey. Oregon elements were reorganized as the 3rd Infantry, Oregon National Guard.

The unit was redesigned in 1920 as the 5th Infantry, and again redesigned in 1921 as 162nd Infantry and assigned to the 41st Division.

Inducted into Federal service September 16th, 1940 at Portland for service in preparation for World War II, the unit served in the South Pacific during the War and was inactivated on December 31st, 1945 at Kure, Japan five years later.

In 1946, following the war, the unit was again reorganized and federally recognized with its Headquarters in Portland. In 1959 it was reorganized as the 162nd Infantry, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st and 2nd Battle Groups, element of the 41st Infantry Division, and in 1963 the unit was reorganized consisting of the 1st and 2nd Battalion, 41st Infantry Brigade, 41st Infantry Division.

The unit was reorganized again on March 1st, 1968 to consist of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, elements of the 41st Infantry Brigade. When the Division was inactivated, the Battalion was also reorganized and became the 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry.

The thousands of unnamed people that have given their time, service and even their lives are duly recognized for the commitment and dedication they have demonstrated over the many years of the proud heritage of this Oregon-based battalion.

This is part of the Army transformation plan put forward by LTG Blum. The battalion will be transforming as outlined below:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company located in Forest Grove will become Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2-218th Field Artillery.
• A Company 1-162 in Hillsboro will become D Company 2-162 Infantry
• B Company 1-162 located in McMinnville will consolidate into B Company 2-218th Field Artillery.
• C Company located in Gresham becomes C Company 2nd Battalion, 162 Infantry.
• D Company 1-162 located in St. Helens becomes Detachment 1, B 1-186th Infantry.
• E Company 1-162 located in Salem is totally inactivated and these soldiers will move into various units located throughout the north valley and the Salem area.