31st Infantry Regiment (United States)

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

31st Infantry Regiment
Coat of arms
Active	1916 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry
Garrison/HQ	Fort Drum
Nickname(s)	Polar Bears (special designation)[1] "America's Foreign Legion" "Manila's Own Regiment" "The Thirsty First"
Motto(s)	"Pro Patria" (For Country)
Engagements	Russian Civil War Siberian Expedition Battle of Romanovka World War II Battle of Bataan Bataan Death March Korean War Battle of Inchon Second Battle of Seoul Battle of Chosin Reservoir Vietnam War Tet Offensive War on terror War in Afghanistan Iraq War
Commanders
Notable commanders	Don C. Faith Jr.
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The 31st Infantry Regiment ("Polar Bears"^[1]) of the United States Army was formed on 13 August 1916, and was part of USAFFE's Philippine Division during World War II. The unit is rare in that it was formed and has spent most of its life on non-American soil.^[2]

The regiment is the third to bear the designation; the first was formed for the War of 1812 and disbanded in 1815. The second was created from the 3rd Battalion of the 13th Infantry on 28 July 1866, in the reorganization of the U.S. Army following the American Civil War. The second organization to be called the 31st Infantry was consolidated with its sister regiment the 22nd Infantry (also formed out of the 13th) in an 1869 reorganization. Because the lineage of the previous regiments called the 31st were passed down to their successor units, the current 31st Infantry Regiment does not share their history or honors.