2nd Battalion - 108th Infantry Regiment

The 2nd battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment, was originally constituted on 27 April 1898 in the New York National Guard as the 3rd New York Volunteer Infantry and organized on 29 April 1898 from the 8th (Rochester), 34th (Geneva), 41st (Syracuse), 48th (Oswego), 42nd (Niagara Falls), 29th (Medina), 25th (Tonawanda), 1st (Rochester), 43rd (Olean), 47th (Hornell), 30th (Elmira), and 2nd (Auburn) Separate Companies of the 4th Brigade. The unit mustered into federal service on 17 May 1898 at Hempstead, NewYork,and marched to Thoroughfare Gap, VA, and Camp Meade, PA, before being mustered out on 30 November 10 December 1898 at New York and resuming State status.

It reorganized on 22 December 1898 as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Infantry Battalions, New York National Guard. Battalions consolidated on 30 March 1907 to form 3rd Infantry, New York National Guard. It mustered into Federal service on 5 July 1916 at Camp Whitman, NY, for Mexican Border and stationed at Pharr, TX, and mustered out on 5 October 1916 at Camp Whitman at which point it resumed State status.

The unit was mustered into Federal service between 15-20 April 1917, and was drafted into Federal service on 5 August 1917. It was redesignated as the 108th Infantry and was assigned to the 27th Division on 1 October 1917. It demobilized on 31 March 1919 at Camp Upton, NY. It reorganized on 1 August 1919 in the New York National Guard as the 3rd Infantry and was Federally recognized on 24 April 1920 with Headquarters at Syracuse. It was redesignated as the 108th Infantry on 1 May 1921 and was reassigned to the 27th Division (later designated as the 27th Infantry Division). The 2nd Battalion, with Headquarters at Auburn was redesignated the 3rd Battalion. The 3rd Battalion at Rochester was redesignated the 2nd Battalion.

Inducted into Federal service on 15 October 1940 at Syracuse, it was relieved from the 27th Infantry Division and assigned to the 40th Infantry Division on 1 September 1942. It inactivated on 7 April 1946 at Camp Stoneman, CA. It was relieved from the 40th Infantry Division and assigned to the 27th Infantry Division on 17 May 1947. It was reorganized and Federally recognized on 23 July 1947 with Headquarters at Syracuse (2nd Battalion formed by redesignation of 2nd Battalion, 106th Infantry, located at Binghamton, Walton, and Oneonta). (Former 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry, located at Rochester and Medina concurrently converted, reorganized, and redesignated as the 127th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion).

The 27th Infantry Division converted to 27th Armored Division on 1 February 1955: The Regiment was broken up on 1 February 1955 and elements converted, reorganized and redesignated as follows:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company (Syracuse) was redesignated Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Combat Command B, 27th Armored Division;
• Headquarters and Headquarters Company lst Battalion (Syracuse), Service Company (Syracuse), Tank Company (Watertown), and Companies A (Syracuse) and B (Oneida) consolidated to form the 208th Tank Battalion;
• Headquarters and Headquarters Company 2nd Battalion (Binghamton), Heavy Mortar Company (Elmira), and Companies E (Elmira), F (Binghamton) and H (Walton), consolidated to form the 175th Armored Infantry Battalion;
• Headquarters and Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion (Auburn) and Companies I (Auburn), G (Oneonta), L (Geneva), and M (Oswego) consolidated to form the 108th Armored Infantry Battalion;
• Company C (Rome) was redesignated as Tank Company, 3rd Battalion, 101st Armored Cavalry;
• Company D (Ogdensburg) was redesignated as Battery B, 186th Field Artillery Battalion;
• Company K (Hornell) was redesignated as Company D, 174th Armored Infantry Battalion; and
• Medical Company (Syracuse) was redesignated as Company B, 134th Armored Medical Battalion.

The unit was relieved from the 27th Armored Division on 16 March 1959 and reorganized as the 108th Infantry, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

The 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry from the New York National Guard was activated in late 2003 and left their families, civilian occupations, and college to do their duty as part of the Dagger Brigade Combat Team. They come from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Vermont, and a couple of other states in the northeast US, and they are now part of the BCT and will serve in Iraq.