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Wolfhound History
The Wolfhounds came into being in 1901, and have been one of the Army's fightingest units ever since. Their nickname was given them in World War I by the White Russians, who likened their fighting ferocity to a wolfhound. The Wolfhounds, along with the 24th Division, were among the first army units to see combat in World War II, firing on the Japanese planes who were strafing Schofield Barracks, Hawaii after bombing Wheeler Field. They would go on to fight at Guadalcanal, the Northern Solomons, New Georgia and Kolombangara. In Korea, their actions at Sangyong-Ni earned the Wolfhounds the Distinguished Unit Citation. They participated in the defense of Taegu, fought at the Nam River and Chinju, met the Chinese Communists when they crossed the Yalu River and were the last American troops to withdraw across the Han River after Seoul fell. When delegations to discuss a truce were formed, the Wolfhounds were chosen to serve as honor guard.
The Wolfhounds in Vietnam
On 18 January, 1966, the 1st Battalion waded ashore in the Republic of Vietnam as part of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. The Battalion was immediately assigned to the Viet Cong dominated Cu Chi district, in the II Field Force Area (equivalent to a current corps.) The Wolfhound's mission was two fold: first, defeat the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces in the area and second, to restore security and help establish government control in the area. This was a new kind of war, one which initially focused on small units. Again the Wolfhounds excelled. Under MAJ Guy Meloy, the Battalion quickly gained the confidence of the local villagers. This was evidenced by the relationship which existed between the local Popular Force Unit and the Battalion. So close was this relationship that the PF unit actually began carrying a guidon into its operations identifying it as D/1-27.
The Battalion remained in the Cu Chi area for over three years, seeing action in such famous Viet Cong strongholds as the Iron Triangle, the Filhol Plantation, the Ho Bo Woods, the Boi Loi Woods, and War Zone C. The Battalion also participated in large scale operations such as Attleboro, Cedar Falls, Junction City, Waialua, Makalapa II, Manhattan, Kolekole, Atlanta, and Saratoga. The Battalion's stay in the Cu Chi area was highly successful in driving the enemy from his sanctuaries and destroying his equipment and supplies. For its success the Battalion was awarded the Valorous Unit Citation in 1967.
In Operation Attleboro in November, 1966, The first battalion was attached to the 196th Infantry Brigade to help secure and remove a large cache of enemy supplies. Almost immediately the battalion's operation grew to involve 11 companies from various Battalions under the command of MAJ (later General) Meloy. Although wounded early in the operation, MAJ Meloy refused evacuation, continuing to orchestrate the movements of all eleven companies. After a tough fight against a determined enemy, Meloy's troops carried the day and drove off the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces. When the operation was over the enemy had lost over 1000 dead or captured. For his actions, Major Meloy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
On the night of 30 January, 1968 a series of enemy attacks hit the towns and installations in the Battalion's area - the famous Tet Offensive of 1968 was under way. The goal of the communist forces in the region was to tie U.S. forces down at their forward bases and prevent them from reinforcing the larger, more important cities and installations under attack. Although this initially succeeded, soon the staggering losses inflicted on the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forced them to withdraw from fight. As a result of the Tet Offensive the Viet Cong were virtually destroyed in the II FFA.
In 1970, as the role of U.S. combat forces diminished, the Battalion continued to see small unit action against the enemy as they moved from fire base to fire base. During this period the Battalion would also be involved in the last major U.S. offensive of the War - The Cambodian Raid. This operation's aim was to locate and destroy the Communist's theater headquarters known to the Americans as the Central Office of South Vietnam or COSVN. The 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry was given the main effort for the operation, an air assault into the area intelligence believed to be the Headquarters of COSVN. When the operation kicked off on 9 May all the Landing Zones Proved to be Cold but the one Assigned to A company. Taking only one Casualty, A company captured a supply depot over four hundred meters in circumference. After the air assault, the 2nd Brigade continued to pursue the illusive enemy by forming heavy/light task forces. Relatively small engagements continued and although many more caches of supplies and equipment were captured or destroyed COSVN was never Located and by late June the Battalion had returned to bases in Tay Ninh Province.
The Battalion's final action in Vietnam was to secure the 25th Infantry Division's base at Cu Chi while the Division prepared to redeploy to Hawaii. After the Division's main body departed the 1st Battalion moved to Camp Frenzell Jones and prepared for redeployment to Hawaii.
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Lineage and Honors 2d BATTALION, 27th INFANTRY (THE WOLFHOUNDS) Constituted 2 February 1901 in the Regular Army as Company F, 26th Infantry
Organized 18 March 1901 at Fort McPherson, Georgia
Redesignated 29 May 1901 as Company B, 27th Infantry
(27th Infantry assigned 1 March 1921 to the Hawaiian Division; relieved 1 October 1941 from assignment to the Hawaiian Division and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division)
Inactivated 1 February 1957 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and relieved from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division; concurrently redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battle Group, 27th Infantry
Redesignated 22 June 1960 as Company B, 27th Infantry
Activated 24 June 1960 in Korea
Inactivated 26 March 1962 in Korea
Redesignated 21 June 1963 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry, and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division (organic elements concurrently constituted)
Battalion activated 26 August 1963 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Inactivated 5 June 1972 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Relieved 10 June 1987 from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division, assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, and activated at Fort Ord, California
Inactivated 15 September 1993 at Fort Ord, California, and relieved from assignment to the 7th Infantry Division
Assigned 16 August 1995 to the 25th Infantry Division and activated at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT
Philippine Insurrection * Mindanao
World War I * Siberia 1918 * Siberia 1919
World War II * Central Pacific * Guadalcanal * Northern Solomons (with arrowhead) * Luzon
Korean War * UN Defensive * UN Offensive * CCF Intervention * First UN Counteroffensive * CCF Spring Offensive * UN Summer-Fall Offensive * Second Korean Winter * Korea, Summer-Fall 1952 * Third Korean Winter * Korea, Summer 1953
Vietnam * Counteroffensive * Counteroffensive, Phase II * Counteroffensive, Phase III * Tet Counteroffensive * Counteroffensive, Phase IV * Counteroffensive, Phase V * Counteroffensive, Phase VI * Tet 69/Counteroffensive * Summer-Fall 1969 * Winter-Spring 1970 * Sanctuary Counteroffensive * Counteroffensive, Phase VII
Armed Forces Expeditions * Panama
DECORATIONS
* Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered SANGNYONG-NI
* Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered TAEGU
Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered HAN RIVER
* Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered CU CHI DISTRICT
* Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered SAIGON
* Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945
* Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered MASAN-CHINJU
* Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered MUNSAN-NI
* Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered KOREA
* Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966-1968
* Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1970
* Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer
embroidered VIETNAM 1966-1970
Wolfhound Links
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