The 15th Infantry Regiment Association is selling Bumper Stickers for $3 each. These sales will be used to support Association activities. Make checks payable to the 15th Infantry Regiment Association and send checks and recipient addresses to Andrew Lerch at 15302 Iris Lane, Montclair, VA 22025-1015 and he will send out all Bumper Stickers via the US Postal Service.

                                       About Us                 
The 15th Infantry Regiment Association is dedicated to the preservation of the traditions and history of the 15th Infantry Regiment.

Our celebrated unit is the fourth to hold the number 15 in the infantry of the Regular Army.

The first unit to be the 15th Infantry was initially organized on 16 July 1798 as a result of the Quasi-War with France 1798-1800.

The second use of the 15th Infantry was as a volunteer unit in the War of 1812. The 15th Infantry participated in the expedition which captured Fort George, Canada. Following the capture of the post, a British counterattack drove the American Force into a nearly disastrous retreat. The movement
was covered successfully by the 15th Infantry which lost nearly half of its strength in a valiant fight against a much stronger foe.

Again as a volunteer unit, the 15th Infantry served in the Mexican-American War as a part of General Winfield Scott's expedition to Vera Cruz. The Regiment fought in the battle there as well as in others at Plandol Rio, Cerro Gordo, Churubusco, Las Animas, Jalapa, Chapultepec, and Mexico City.
When peace came, the 15th again was mustered out.

The 15th Infantry today traces its official Army lineage to the 1st Battalion of the 15th Infantry constituted on 3 May 1861 by General Order No. 33. By the end of the Civil War, our Regiment fought in 22 major engagements, including Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and Atlanta as a part of BG King's Brigade of Johnston's Division, XIV Army Corps of the Army of the Cumberland. The Regiment was a key element of the only Regular
Brigade in Sherman's Army. The Regiment's crest includes the acorn, the symbol of Major General George Thomas's XIV Corps, and the mountains of stone symbolize the XIV Corps firm stand as the "Rock of Chickamauga". The four acorns represent the four major engagements.

Since then, the 15th Infantry has served continuously in the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Philippine Insurrection, World War II, the Korean War, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Restore/Continue Hope, Somalia, Operation Uphold Democracy, Operation
Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the Global War on Terror.

The 15th Infantry has more overseas service than any other Regiment in our Army with 26 years in China and 32 years in Germany. In addition, between the World Wars it is the only Army Regiment permanently posted outside US territory.

The 15th Infantry Regiment Association is dedicated to the preservation of the traditions and history of the 15th Infantry Regiment.

The 15th Infantry Regiment Association is an IRS 501(c)(19).

             

                                                                                                              

A quarterly newsletter, The Dragon, is published to keep the membership informed on recently completed and ongoing activities as well as items of general interest. Regularly there are articles by the Association President, the Honorary Colonel of the Regiment, the current Battalion Commanders and the Association Chaplain. There are special sections for TAPS announcing deceased members and SICK CALL identifying ill members who need
our thoughts, prayers and cards of encouragement. A SEARCH section is dedicated to helping members locate information on past comrades and acquaintances. Members are encouraged to submit accounts of their experiences in the Regiment. Their articles have proven to be truly interesting and bring many favorable responses from the readers.

An annual CAN DO RENDEZVOUS is held each spring, hosted by the Active Duty Battalion. Generally, the Rendezvous consists of a welcome reception; tours; displays of weapons, equipment and vehicles; events arranged by the host and a banquet with the soldiers. The Rendezvous offers opportunities for the newer members of the Regiment to become acquainted with past members as well as time for past members to renew old friendships and swap stories. The annual general membership business meeting is held during the Rendezvous as well as every two years, the election of officers.

A Regimental Dinner is held in conjunction with an Annual Reunion. The event is normally scheduled in September. Generally the active Battalion has
attendees with the Battalion providing the Regimental Color Guard. A short program is normally conducted at the dinner.

The Association presents awards recognizing outstanding achievements to the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year and Soldier of the Year for our active duty battalion. The awards are named for Medal of Honor recipients from that battalion of the Regiment. These awards are traditionally made during the Can Do Rendezvous or at an Appropriate ceremony subject to operational requirements of the Battalion. In addition, Certificates
of Appreciation are presented to those deserving individuals who contribute significantly to the attainment of Association objectives.

In keeping with the Association objectives to promote morale and high esprit de corps the Association provides the active units with nominees for Distinguished Members of the Regiment. These are prior soldiers of the Regiment recognized for accomplishments within the Regiment or as a distinguished member of the civilian community who formerly served in the Regiment.

An impressive collection of Association memorabilia and artifacts is located with the 3rd Battalion at Fort Stewart, GA. Members of the Association donated these items. Through agreement with the Battalion these items of Association property are displayed along with items belonging to the unit. A Custodian of Memorabilia is appointed to maintain memorabilia and artifacts donated to and stored in the Associations Historical Repository. The Custodian maintains a current inventory and coordinates with units on loan and return of items. In the event of deployment of the unit, or inactivation, the custodian takes possession of the items and designates a place for display or storage.

The Association commemorates the outstanding history of the Regiment by placing plaques and monuments at significant locations. In the early years of the Association the members were most generous in supporting the Awards and Monument fund. Beautiful plaques were placed at Fort Lewis main gate, the China Gate at Fort Benning, the Marne Garden at Fort Stewart and at the China Room in the 3rd Battalion Headquarters
at Fort Stewart. In 2014, the Association spearheaded the effort and placed a new monument at the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to commemorate the service of our Regiment in the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 during the Civil War.

The Association is self-sustaining with no financial assistance from any source other than the membership. Annual and life membership dues, together with donations from members, are the primary source of financing. In addition, an annual raffle is held by mail. Cash prizes are awarded to winners with a nominal amount of profit going to the general fund. Association officers are reimbursed for out of pocket operating expenses only
(printing, copying, phone, etc.).

The Association fully supports our active battalion, whatever their mission, wherever they serve, in defending our nation. When duty calls, the soldiers
of the 15th Infantry Regiment--- Can Do