1st Battalion (Airborne) 143rd Infantry Regiment

The 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment combines a longstanding Texas National Guard infantry heritage with a modern airborne mission. The battalion belongs to the Texas Army National Guard's 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and has developed an associated-unit training relationship with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Its history should be distinguished from that of the 36th Infantry Division as a whole.

Texas Guard Origins and World War I

The regiment's Texas antecedents date to 1880, when the Third Regiment, Texas Volunteer Guard, was organized. It later became the Third Infantry of the Texas National Guard. In 1917, the Third and Fifth Texas infantry regiments were combined to form the 143rd Infantry within the 36th Division.

The 143rd served in France during World War I, including the Meuse-Argonne campaign. Its lineage therefore predates both World War II and the modern battalion's airborne role.

World War II

Mobilized with the 36th Division, the regiment fought in Italy, beginning with the Salerno landings in September 1943. Its subsequent service included San Pietro, the fighting along the Rapido, the Anzio breakout, and the advance toward Rome. The regiment later fought in Southern France and Germany.

This is the combat heritage of the 143rd Infantry Regiment. The later adoption of an airborne mission by its 1st Battalion does not mean the regiment fought as parachute infantry during World War II.

Modern Airborne Battalion

Reactivated as an airborne battalion in 2010, 1-143 Infantry brought a parachute infantry capability to the Texas Army National Guard. Its Soldiers subsequently mobilized for overseas service, including a deployment to Afghanistan in 2012 supporting provincial reconstruction team security.

Organization and the 173rd Relationship

The Texas Military Department lists 1-143 Infantry under the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. In 2016, the battalion established a formal training and readiness relationship with the 173rd Airborne Brigade through the Army's Associated Units initiative. That association did not convert the battalion into a Regular Army unit or remove its Texas National Guard parent-command relationship.

• Texas: Home to the battalion headquarters and its principal Texas National Guard elements.
• Rhode Island: Company C, 1-143 Infantry, is a Rhode Island Army National Guard organization, reflecting the battalion's multistate structure.
• Historical Alaska connection: An Alaska-based Company B was formerly part of the battalion. Army reporting records that company's departure from the Texas-parented organization in August 2016; it should not be listed as a current Alaska company of 1-143.

Mission and Training

The battalion trains for airborne infantry operations and participates in exercises with active Army and allied forces. As a National Guard organization, it prepares for federal mobilization while also maintaining responsibilities under its state chain of command. Training partnerships support readiness; they are not a guarantee that the entire battalion is continuously available for immediate overseas deployment.

Identity & Legacy

The regimental motto is “Arms Secure Peace.” The insignia reflects the regiment's infantry and Texas service history, including earlier campaigns; it was not created solely to represent the modern airborne mission.

The 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment connects generations of Texas infantry service with today's National Guard airborne community, including its Rhode Island company and its training relationships with other airborne formations.

Airborne Apparel Company is proud to offer reproductions and unique designs that celebrate the legacy of the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment.