Both the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 28th Infantry Regiment were constituted in the Regular Army as Companies (A and B) on 2 February 1901 and organized on 17 June 1901 at Vancouver Barracks in Washington. Before that year was out, the Regiment would be sent to the Philippines to fight against the Moros in the Philippine Insurrection.
The Regiment earned credit for participation in seven campaigns while assigned to the 1st Division during World War I, but ironically the Regiment picked up its nickname of the “Lions of Cantigny” for its actions during The Battle of Cantigny, which took place during a campaign (Aisne) for which the Regiment did not receive credit. (Their actions at Cantigny are recognized by the Lion rampant on the 28th Infantry Regiment’s Regimental Distinctive Insignia, also called a unit crest.) The Regiment was also honored with two French Croix de Guerre with palm awards and the French Fourragere.
The Regiment was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division during World War II and took part in four campaigns—Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe—and was awarded three Presidential Unit Citations. During the Vietnam War, it fought in 11 of the 17 named campaigns and was recognized with two Republic of Vietnam Crosses of Gallantry with Palm and a Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class. And in the War on Terrorism, the 1st Battalion has earned credit for participation in two campaigns and earned a Valorous Unit Award (Company C), while 2nd Battalion’s Company A was the recipient of a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
In 2018, only the 1st Battalion is still active (the 2nd Battalion was inactivated on 31 May 2013 in Germany) as part of Task Force 1-28. Task Force 1-28 was chosen to provide security for the newly established 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade in 2017.