Approved on 28 July 1931, the 168th Infantry Regiment Unit Crest—a device technically designated as a Distinctive Unit Insignia, or DUI—has a white background reflecting its Federal service as an Infantry organization during the period white was still the branch color (1886 to 1902). A rainbow serving as a bend commemorates the organization’s service with the 42nd Division in World War I (the 42nd is the “Rainbow Division”), while the cactus in the upper right denotes service along the Mexican Border in 1916. A palm tree in the lower left recalls the Regiment’s action in two campaigns of the Philippine Insurrection. “On Guard,” the unit motto, is a slight play on words with several meanings, from the words spoken at the start of a fencing match to a statement of readiness to a reference to the unit’s status as a unit in the Iowa Army National Guard.
Distinctive Unit Insignias are worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
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The 168th Infantry Regiment was originally organized from independent companies in southwestern Iowa and mustered into Federal service between 8 and 31 August 1861 as the 4th Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry. It fought in seven Civil War campaigns in the Union Army, taking part in the last battle fought by Union General William T. Sherman’s Army of the Tennessee at Bentonville, North Carolina. After several reorganizations, it was mustered into Federal service as the 51st Iowa Volunteer Infantry to fight in the Philippine Insurrection in 1898, earning battle honors for action at Manila and Malolos.
The Regiment’s nickname, “Third Iowa,” is derived from the designation it held at the time it was drafted into Federal service, the 3rd Infantry Regiment, on 5 August 1917; it was subsequently reorganized and redesignated as the 168th Infantry. Assigned to the 42nd Division, it would take part in all six World War I campaigns in which the Division fought. After being demobilized briefly following the war, it was reorganized in the Iowa National Guard as the 168th Infantry and assigned to the 34th Division (which became the 34th Infantry Division in February 1942).
It was still assigned to the 34th ID when it was inducted into Federal service on 10 February 1941 and would go on to take part in seven campaigns in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater, earning an Arrowhead device denoting participation in an assault landing for the Algeria-French Morocco campaign; it also was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and a French Croix de Guerre with Palm. Not called into service during the Korean War, the unit was reorganized in 1959 as a parent regiment in the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 34th Infantry division.
It would undergo several reorganizations in the coming decades, including a twenty-three year period where the Battalion was an element of the 47th Infantry Division (1968 to 1991). 1st Battalion was “reunited” with the 34th Infantry Division in 1991 and served with it until relieved from assignment on 1 September 2005. During the War on Terrorism, the 1st Battalion has deployed once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan; Company D, 1st Battalion was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation following its Iraq deployment during 2007-2008, and the entire Battalion/Regiment was the recipient of another Meritorious Unit Commendation for the 2010-2011 deployment to Afghanistan. As of Winter 2023, the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment is assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard.