The 366th Infantry was constituted 16 August 1917 in the National Army as the 366th Infantry, assigned to the 92nd Division, and organized at Camp Dodge, Iowa, in November 1917.
In World War I the regiment served overseas as a part of the 92nd Division, National Army and earned credit for battle participation as follows:
St. Die Sector (Lorraine), 23 August 1918 – 20 September 1918
Meuse-Argonne Sector, 26 September 1918 – 5 October 1918
Marbach Sector (Lorraine) 8 October 1918 – November 1918
Assigned to XXII Corps 21 January 1944, and staged at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia 22 March 1944, until it departed Hampton Roads P/E (Port of Embarkation) 28 March 1944.
Assigned to Fifth Army 4 November 1944 and arrived Livorno, Italy 21 November 1944, for attachment to the 92nd Infantry Division until 25 February 1945.
Disbanded in Italy on 28 March 1945, and personnel transferred into the 224th and 226th Engineer General Service Regiments.
Combat chronicle
Colonel Howard D. Queen was the commanding officer (CO) at the time of embarkation in March 1944. Although the 366th Infantry had been at "combat readiness", after a prolonged period which was devoted only to guard duty, Queen felt that they needed at least three months for preparation to be "combat ready". Queen wrote a significant request for withdrawal from active command and included his guarded reservations in regard to his deeply held tenets. In spite of this upper officials decided in November 1944 to attach the 366th Infantry to the 92nd Division. [citation needed]
After continuing poor combat performance, including many instances of unauthorized withdrawals upon meeting the enemy, low morale, and malingering, the 92nd Infantry Division was believed by both German and American commands to be fit for only defensive roles. The division was completely withdrawn from the front in early 1945, with the infantry components of the division being reorganized from the ground up. Two of the 366th Infantry's three battalions were recommended "not be used again for offensive action unless urgent military necessity required it." The 92nd Division commanders proposed that the "366th be removed from the front lines and disposed of as higher headquarters might direct," which was accepted. The 366th Infantry Regiment was disbanded on 28 March 1945, with personnel transferred to the 224th and 226th Engineer General Service regiments.[citation needed]
Notable veterans
West A. Hamilton, commander who later served on the D.C. School Board and advocated for a National Memorial building for African Americans in D.C.