There’s an Army Urban Legend that there’s no 1st-3d battalions of the 31st in the force structure because the 31st was part of the 1942 surrender in the Philippines and those battalions were never reformed because they had surrendered. A variation on this legend states that the 1st-3rd battalions were “banished” from serving in the US due to their surrender.
As interesting as those stories sound they’re not true. 4-31 ended up staying active by luck and timing as it moved to 10th Mountain and weathered the deactivation of sister battalions in Korea (1st), Fort Ord (2d), and Fort Irwin(6th). As the most decorated battalion (one more PUC than the rest)in the regiment it was chosen to remain active in a lucky break from the tradition of maintaining the lowest numbered battalion on active status.
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