The service of the Regiment is unique in that it has never been stationed in the United States.
A few months after the Regiment was organized, the United States entered the World War, but the chances of the 31st Infantry participating appeared very slim because of the fact that it was here in the Philippine Islands. However, with the dissolution of the Russian Army in the Spring of 1918, the Allied War Council decided to send troops to Siberia to assist in the withdrawal of Czech troops, to keep the Trans-Siberian railroad open and to guard allied supplies that had been shipped there for the Russian Army. The 31st Infantry was one of the organizations of the U.S. Army designated for service in Siberia and on August 13, 1918, just two years after its organization the Regiment sailed from Manila enroute to Vladivostok, where it landed on August 21st and established camp east of the city. The Regiment was then broken up into detachments of varying size and located at important points along the Trans Siberian railroad and a branch line of 81 miles to the Suchan mines.
To understand conditions pertaining to service in Siberia, it is essential to realize that a state of civil war existed. The country was over-run with partisan bands engaged in guerilla warfare and in addition, bandit groups were very active. While the United States was not at war with any of these factions, our troops, in carrying out their missions of guarding supplies and keeping the railroad open, were frequently fired upon. Pursuit of those guerilla bands occupied much time of small detachments and in some cases it was necessary to organize expeditions of several companies to proceed against organized resistance.
The Regiment suffered its first battle casualties on August 29, 1918, just eight days after landing, when the troops were fired on near Ugolnaya, 28 miles north of Vladivostok.
During its tour of service in Siberia, 1 officer and 29 enlisted men were killed in action and there were approximately double this number wounded.
One Congressional Medal of Honor and fifteen Distinguished Service Crosses were conferred upon individuals of the Regiment.
In addition to battle casualties, the severe winter weather was responsible for very great suffering and hardship and a large number of men lost an arm or leg because of severe frost bite.
In April, 1920, the Regiment returned to the Philippine Islands and was stationed at Fort McKinley until December of that year when it moved to Manila.
During the following eleven years, duties were those normal to garrison life in the Islands.
At 8:30 A.M., February 1, 1932, orders were received directing the Regiment to proceed to Shanghai, China, to protect the lives and property of United States citizens. It embarked at 10:40 P.M., February 1st on the Navy Transport Chaumont and sailed at 4:10 A.M., February 2nd.
The arrival in Shanghai was in the midst of the Japanese-Chinese struggle for possession of the city and the Regiment was assigned the mission of guarding a section of the International Settlement. While carrying out its mission considerable fighting of the Japanese and Chinese was in the vicinity of and under the observation of personnel of the Regiment.
After five months of rather strenuous field service the Regiment returned to Manila on July 5, 1932.
Since that date it has been stationed in Manila performing duties normal to such stations as the Post of Manila.
Source: reprinted from Warrant Officer Charles D. Brown's Thirty-First U.S. Infantry Organization Day Twenty-Fifth Anniversary program. p. 5