1st Battalion, 27th Infantry
"Wolfhounds"
The 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry was activated 12 February 1901 into the Regular Army at Fort McPherson, Georgia. In December, the Battalion deployed to the Philippines to defeat Moro insurgents on the island of Mindanao. After the Moro's defeat, the Battalion deployed to Camp Sheridan, Illinois in 1904.
After service in Cuba, Texas, and again in the Philippines, the Battalion sailed to Vladivostok, Siberia in 1918 as part of the Allied Expeditionary Force. One of their missions was to guard the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which often resulted in combat with communist Bolsheviks. While in Russia, the Battalion earned its nickname "The Wolfhounds," because of its aggressive pursuit of retreating Bolshevik forces.
In 1921, after brief stays in Japan and the Philippines, the Wolfhounds made their home at Schofield Barracks, Territory of Hawaii, where they earned an enviable reputation in training and athletic prowess. In August 1941, they became part of the 25th Infantry Division. On December 7, 1941, Wolfhounds fought back against Japanese aircraft from its D-Quad rooftops. As part of the Tropic Lightning Division, the 1st Wolfhounds fought through the Southwest Pacific at Guadalcanal, the Northern Solomons, and finally, the island of Luzon in the Philippines, where the Battalion earned a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
After World War II, the Battalion served a occupational forces in Japan. They earned their nickname the "Gentle Wolfhounds," for their loving support of the Holy Family Orphanage in Osaka, which continues to this day.
In July 1950, the Battalion, as part of the 25th Infantry division, deployed to South Korea to defeat the North Korean invasion. Their actions near Sangyong-Ni earned the first Presidential Unit Citation of the war. During the defense of the Pusan Perimeter, the Wolfhounds became known as the Eighth Army's "Fire Brigade" for their rapid and violent counter-attacks. For the defense of Taegu, they earned a second Presidential Unit Citation. After the Chinese entered the war in late 1950, the Battalion earned is third Presidential Unit Citation for assaulting across the Han River, which culminated in the recapture of Seoul in April 1951. The Battalion redeployed to the Territory of Hawaii in 1954.
The First Wolfhounds arrived in South Vietnam in January 1966. During their five-year stay in Vietnam, the Wolfhounds were considered one of 25th Infantry Division's most effective units, earning a Valorous Unit Citation in 1967. Primarily operating from Chu Chi in the Tay Ninh Province, the Battalion participated in Operation Attleboro, Cedar Falls, Junction City, the '68 and '69 Tet Offensives, and the 1970 invasion of Cambodia. One of last of the 25th Infantry Division's units to depart Vietnam, the Wolfhounds arrived home in Hawaii in April 1971.
Since their return to Oahu, the 1st Battalion has deployed to Tinian, Guam, Korea, Thailand, Australia and Japan as well as the Training Centers in the continental United States. The Wolfhounds spearheaded relief operations on hurricane-ravaged Kauai in September 1992. Recently, the Wolfhounds deployed to Guam for Operation Pacific Haven where they provided security for Kurdish refugees from October to December 1996.
Almost a mile above sea level and about 300 miles away from Mount Everest lies the small Nepalese town of Panchkhal and a large United Nations training base that was the stage for Exercise Shanti Prayas, which when translated means "to keep peace." U.S. soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry scout platoon as well as soldiers from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and observers from 19 other countries participated in the peacekeeping training 16-30 January 2000. During the exercise, the soldiers had to complete 32 peacekeeping tasks split up over six lanes -- two of them taught by the Americans, two by the Nepalese, one by Sri Lanka and one by Bangladesh.
Soldiers rolled into Aibano Training Area, Japan, as 502 Wolfhounds from 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry, arrived 02 November 2000 for Operation Keen Sword 2001, a three-week, joint training exercise. The annual exercise is designed to refine and improve bilateral operations between the U.S. Army and the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force at the regimental, battalion and company levels. Along with the 1st Bn., 27th Inf. Soldiers, nearly 100 additional U.S. Army, Japan, troops including active duty, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers are attached to the task force for the exercise. The combined exercise in-cludes 595 personnel from the 15th Regiment, 2nd Combined Brigade, Middle Army, Japanese Ground Self Defense Force. The training includes squad maneuver live-fire training, anti-tank firing, military operations, medical evacuation training, field training exercises, convoy operations, containerized delivery system airdrops, and combat search and rescue missions.
