2nd Battalion - 159th Infantry Regiment
As or early 2002, the 2nd Battalion, 159th Infantry Regiment appeared to have inactivated.
The 2nd Battalion, 159th Infantry Regiment, was originally constituted on 12 Decembeer 1879 in the California National Guard as the 2nd Infantry Battalion and organized from existing companies. It was redesignated on 30 December 1879 as the 5th Infantry Battalion.
The unit was expanded, reorganized, and redesignated on 4 August 1885 as the 5th Infantry Regiment with Headquarters at San Francisco (Six companies were mustered into Federal service on 6-9 July 1898 at Fruitsvale as elements of the 8th California Volunteer Infantry; and mustered out of Federal service on 28 January 1899 in Washingotn and California). It was mustered into Federal service on 28 June 1915 at Sacramento; and mustered out of Federal service on 7 October 1916 at Sacramento. It was drafted into Federal service on 5 August 1917.
It consolidated on 24 September-1 November 1917 with the 2nd Infantry Regiment (less 2nd BAttalion, Companies L and W, and Sanitary Detachment), California National Guard; the consolidated unit was reorganized and redesignated ast the 159th Infantry and assigned to the 40th Division. It demobolized on 1 May 1919 at the Presidio of San Francisco, CA.
Elements of the former 5th Infantry Regiment reorganized in 1920-1921 in the California National Guard as seven independent companies. It was reorganized adn redesignated on 2 October 1921 as the 159th Infantry and assigned to the 40th Division; Headquarters was Federally recognized on 14 June 1922 at Berkeley. Headquarters relocated on 25 March 1931 to Oakland.
The unit was inducted into Federal Service on 3 March 1941 at home stations. It was relieved on 29 October 1941 from assignment to the 40th Division an dassigned to the 7th Division (later redesignated as the 7th Infantry Division). It was relieved on 23 August 1943 from assignment to the 7th Infantry Division. It inactivated on 4-6 November 1945 at Camp Shanks, NY, and Cmap Kilmer, NJ.
The unit was assigned on 5 August 1946 to the 49th Infantry Division. It reorganized and was federally recognized on 28 January 1947 with Headquarters at Alameda.
It was reorganized on 1 May 1959 as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st and 2nd Battle Groups, elements of the 49th Infantry Division; on 1 March 1963 to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 49th Infantry Division, and the 2nd Battalion, an element of the 49th Infantry Brigade; on 28 January 1966, to consist of the 1st Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, an element of the 49th Infantry Brigade; on 13 January 1974 to consist of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, elements of the 40th Infantry Division; and on 1 November 1976 to consist of the 2nd Battalion, an element of the 40th Infantry Division.
The unit was withdrawn on 19 January 1988 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the UNited States Army Regimental System, with Heaquarters at San Jose.
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