143rd Infantry Regiment

143rd Infantry Regiment. . , The 143rd stems from the Third Regiment of Infantry which was organized in 1880 from existing companies of the Texas Volunteer Guard, five of which participated in the Spanish American War. Company I of the Third Regiment served in the army of occupation after hostilities ceased. In 1905 the regiment was redesignated as Third Infantry, Texas National Guard and later served on the Mexican border with General Pershing during the border disturbance of 1916-17. The regiment was inducted into Federal service 5 August 1917 and along with the Fifth Regiment was redesignated 143rd Infantry 36th Division. The regiment served with destinction in World War I; while attached to the First French Army during the Muese Argonne campaign. Company C 143rd was mustered into service in Beaumont 24 November 1926 and served under state control prior to its induction into Federal service 25 November 1940. The company was moved to Camp Bowie in January 1941 where it was brought up to war time strength with draftees. After over a years intensive training and sucessive moves to Florida, the Carolinas and Cape Cod Massachusetts, Company C was shipped overseas to north Africa. Following debarkation at Oran Algeria, there was more training and moves, the last of which was to the staging area for the initial invasion of continental Europe. The 143rd regimental combat team waded ashore at Salerno at 7 30 a.m. D-Day 9 September 1943 as the designated reserve for the division but came under attack immediately. The successes at Salerno and southern France D-Days are history as are the final outcome of all of the other campaigns in which the 143rd and the 36th division were engaged. After V-E Day the division was demobilized and the personnel sent home.