2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment
2nd Battalion (Air Assault), 135th Infantry Regiment

The 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry provides the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division with a trained and ready combat force. Additionally, the 2-135th Infantry, a Minnesota Army National Guard battalion, is prepared to support the State of Minnesota with troops capable of assisting in a disaster. The Battalion is headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota. As of 11 January 2011, there were 4 major units in the 2-135th Infantry: the Battalion's Headquarters and Headquarters Company in Mankato, Minnesota; A Company in West St. Paul, Minnesota; B Company in Rochester, Minnesota; C Company in Winona and Owatonna, Minnesota; and D Company in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

The 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment was originally organized on 27 April 1861 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, from new and existing units as the 1st Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. It was mustered into Federal service on 29 April 1861. It was reorganized and redesigned in April 1864 as the 1st Battalion, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. It was then expanded, reorganized, and redesigned on 23 February 1865 as the 1st Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. It was mustered out of Federal service on 14 July 1865 at Jeffersonville, Indiana.

The unit was reorganized in 1870 in the Minnesota Enrolled Militia from the regimental veterans association as the 1st Regiment. The active or volunteer element of the Minnesota Enrolled Militia was redesignated on 1 March 1871 as the Minnesota National Guard. The Regiment was disbanded by November 1875 and elements continued in state service as independent companies. The companies in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were consolidated in 1880 to form the 1st Battalion, which was expanded, reorganized, and redesignated in 1883 as the 1st Infantry Regiment.

The 1st Infantry Regiment was mustered into Federal service on 7 May 1898 at St. Paul as the 13th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and mustered out of Federal service on 3 October 1899 at San Francisco, California. It was reorganized on 27 March 1900 in the Minnesota National Guard as the 1st Infantry.

The 1st Infantry was mustered into Federal service on 30 June 1916 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota and mustered out of Federal service there on 14 March 1917. It was again mustered into Federal service from 26 March to 7 April 1917 and drafted into Federal service on 5 August 1917. Reorganized, the unit was redesignated on 1 October 1917 as the 135th Infantry and assigned to the 34th Division before being demobilized on 18 February 1919 at Camp Grant, Illinois.

The unit was reorganized on 31 January 1920 in the Minnesota National Guard as the 1st Infantry. The 1st Infantry's Headquarters was Federally recognized on 6 January 1921 at Minneapolis. The unit was redesignated on 21 November 1921 as the 135th Infantry and assigned to the 34th Division (later redesignated as the 34th Infantry Division). Its Headquarters relocated on 29 October 1930 to Madison, Winnesota and on 16 November 1933 to Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was inducted into Federal service on 10 February 1941 at home stations and inactivated on 3 November 1945 at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia.

The unit was relieved on 19 June 1946 from assignment to the 34th Infantry Division, and reassigned to the 47th Infantry Division. It was reorganized (less former 3rd Battalion) and Federally recognized on 23 September 1946 with Headquarters at Mankato, Minnesota. The former 3rd Battalion, 135th Infantry thereafter had a separate lineage. It was ordered into active Federal service on 16 January 1951 at home stations. The 135th Infantry was organized and was Federally recognized on 16 January 1953 with Headquarters at Mankato, Minnesota. It was released on 2 December 1954 from active Federal service and reverted to state control. Federal recognition was concurrently withdrawn from the 135th Infantry.

The unit was reorganized on 22 February 1959 as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System to consist of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battle Groups, elements of the 47th Infantry Division. On it was reorganized on 1 April 1963 to consist of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Battalions, elements of the 47th Infantry Division. On 1 February 1968 it was reorganzied again to consist of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, elements of the 47th Infantry Division. It was withdrawn on 30 November 1988 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System.

1st and 2nd Battalions, 135th Infantry were relieved on 10 February 1991 from assignment to the 47th Infantry Division and assigned to the 34th Infantry Division. The 135th Infantry was reorganized on 1 September 1992 to consist of the 2nd Battalion, an element of the 34th Infantry Division. Initially assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 34th Infantry Division as an air assault infantry battalion, the unit was eventually reassigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division.