111th Infantry Regiment "Ben Franklins Associators"

Home
United States
Plymouth Meeting, PA
111th Infantry Regiment "Ben Franklins Associators"

This page is the official page of the 111th Infantry Regimental Association.

Founded by Benjamin Franklin at Roberts Coffee House in South Philadelphia on November 21, 1747, the Associators have a long legacy of service to Commonwealth and Country. This page is created to provide a connection and share information and events to the current and past members of the 111th Infantry Regiment.

08/10/2026

SGT James Mestrovich earns the Congressional Medal of Honor

August 10th, 1918, during arguable one of the 28th Division’s most violent battles, SGT Mestrovich and his unit were pinned down in heavy house to house fighting. In a battle that would see several companies of the 111th and 112th Infantry nearly wiped out, Mestrovich took action which would forever place his name among America's most heroic soldiers.

During the worst part of the fighting at Fismette, Mestrovich and his squad were taking cover in a courtyard under heavy shelling. What occurred next was described in his citation:

“Seeing his company commander lying wounded 30 yards in front of the line after his company had withdrawn to a sheltered position behind a stone wall, Sgt. Mestrovitch voluntarily left cover and crawled through heavy machine gun and shell fire to where the officer lay. He took the officer upon his back and crawled to a place of safety, where he administered first-aid treatment, his exceptional heroism saving the officer's life. "

Born Joko Meštrović in what is now Montenegro, Mestrovich emigrated to the United States in 1913, initially living in California. When his new homeland's entry into the war seemed imminent Mestrovich enlisted in Pittsburgh PA in the local National Guard unit, the 18th Pennsylvania. Mestrovich served with the 18th on the Mexican Border in 1916, rising to the rank of Corporal. When the unit was federalized in 1917 and shipped to Camp Hancock, this western PA regiment was combined with the 6th Pennsylvania from the Philadelphia area, becoming the 111th Infantry. Mestrovich was eventually promoted the SGT and the unit shipped to France in 1918.

SGT Mestrovich would continue to serve with the 111th Infantry after his heroic act, despite multiple wounds received in action, but would tragically be killed in action leading his Company during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive a week before the end of the war.

08/09/2026

Never Forgotten

The 111th Infantry Regiment asks you to honor and remember SGT Francis Straub, SPC Gennaro Pellegrini, SPC John Kulick, and PFC Nathan DeTample today.

On August 9, 2005, while they were investigating a rocket-propelled gr***de incident in Bayji, Iraq, enemy forces ambushed their up-armored HMMWV by detonating a mine and attacking with small-arms fire, killing all four Soldiers.

They deployed with A Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry as part of Task Force Dragoon for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Please keep these fallen heroes, and their families in your thoughts and prayers today.

08/06/2026

Never forgotten.

The 111th Infantry Regiment asks you to honor and remember SGT Brahim Jeffcoat and SPC Kurt Krout today.

On August 6, 2005, SGT Brahim J. Jeffcoat and SPC Kurt E. Krout were killed when the blast of an IED caused their up-armored HMMWV to roll near Samarra, Iraq. SGT Jeffcoat and SPC Krout were deployed with A Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry as part of Task Force Dragoon for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

07/08/2026

An Associator Reads the Declaration of Independence

While the Independence Day holiday is ending for us, in 1776 a member of the Regiment was beginning the celebration in Philadelphia. On July 8th, 1776, Colonel John Nixon, member of the 3d Battalion, Philadelphia Associators, read aloud the Declaration of Independence for the first time publicly to a crowd outside Independence Hall.

Nixon is most often remembered for this historic act following the signing of the Declaration, but his impact on the regiment and the cause go far beyond this public reading. An early vocal proponent of colonial rights, Nixon actively opposed the Stamp Act, was an early leader of the Philadelphia Committee of Safety, and eventually joined and helped raise a Battalion of "Ben Franklins Associators".

Not one to rest on his words alone, COL Nixon entered combat with his Battalion a few months after this reading at Trenton and Princeton, and later commanded defenses in the Philadelphia area.

Members of the regiment can be proud knowing that not only did Associators advocate for our independence in the halls of congress and on the streets of Philadelphia, but the followed words with deeds and earned our freedom on the battlefield.

07/03/2026

The Regiment turns back the high tide of the Confederacy

July 3rd 1863 the course of the entire Civil War was changed along a stone wall in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. But did you know the 111th Infantry played a critical role in this action?

During the Civil War the Regiment was raised as the 72nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and served as part of the “Philadelphia Brigade.”

On July 3rd this section of stone wall would become famous in history as 12,500 Confederate soldiers stepped off from covered positions nearly a mile away making the fateful advance known as “Pickett’s Charge” in an attempt to break the Union line along Cemetery Ridge. As they smashed into “the Angle”, or the most exposed position in the Union line, they engaged the 69th Pennsylvania in fierce hand to hand combat. The 72nd advanced to the top of the crest from their reserve position and fired a volley into the charging Confederate forces. It is believed that a round fired from the regiment felled Confederate General Lewis Armistead as he crossed by the guns of Cushing's Battery perched along top of the ridge. Initially reluctant to advance into the maelstrom along the stone wall from their high ground, they eventually charged forward clearing the line of the remaining Confederate forces and bolstering the position of the 69th.

“The color bearer, seizing the stump of the staff of the colors, whirling his hat around his head, moved with the regiment down to the wall; many of our men being wounded or killed in the advance…” -Major Samuel Roberts

Today the iconic monument to the Regiment stands along the stone wall at Cemetery Ridge. It has become one of the most well known fixtures of the entire Battle of Gettysburg and was featured on the America the Beautiful Quarter representing the Battle in 2011.

On July 3rd we in the Regiment remember the sacrifice of our forbearers in this heroic action. Of the 458 men of Baxter’s Fire Zouaves who marched to Gettysburg on July 2nd, 62 would be killed and 133 wounded. Their charge would play a crucial role in the turning back of Pickett’s Charge, and the outcome of the Civil War.

Nulla Vestigia Retrorsum
No Step Backward

07/02/2026

This years annual regimental mess date has been decided! Mark your calendars, more info to follow soon!

07/01/2026

First To Fight!

On July 1st 1918 the 111th Infantry Regiment became the first unit of the entire 28th Infantry Division to enter combat in World War I. The 111th Regiment and the rest of the 28th Division had landed at Calais France in May, but had spent the majority of their time training with British and French Advisors. On the evening of June 30th while marching with French troops to a new training area, Col Shannon, the regimental commander of the 111th Infantry, received a request from French forces to provide two platoons to join French troops on a raid. The raid would take place on the German occupied Hill 204, today the site of the famous Chateau-Theirry American Monument. Company’s A and B were selected to provide a platoon each to accompany the French.

Lt Cedric Benz of A Company and Lt John Shenkel of B Company readied their detachments in the early hours of July 1st. Their objective was a fortified German position on top of the heavily defended hill. Alongside their French comrades, Benz and Shenkel led elements of the 111th Infantry to storm and eventually capture the positions in a full day of fighting. Lt Benz led a flanking maneuver which collapsed the German positions, and his men captured 39 German prisoners. Lt Shenkel’s platoon fought hard as well, and when he was cut off with a squad of his men, he personally shot down a German Officer and led a breakout back to US forces.

For their actions on July 1st, Lt Shenkel and Lt Benz would both receive the Distinguished Service Cross. Additionally they would receive the French Croix de Guerre, both individually and as a unit award to each platoon. The platoons suffered 39 casualties, with 9 being killed. They rest of the 28th Division looked on with envy as these Platoons filed back into camp, the first Pennsylvania Guard combat veterans of the European war.

Within days the Keystone Division would be launched into full scale combat as part of the Second Battle of the Marne, a fight which would overshadow in history books the first action of 28th Division in the World War.

For more information about the fight at Hill 204 check out this Pennsylvania National Guard article :
https://www.pa.ng.mil/Site-Management/News-Article-View/Article/3079675/hill-204-the-28th-divisions-first-combat-action-of-world-war-i/

06/09/2026

Saber Strike 2016

Initiated in 2010, Saber Strike is an international training exercise hosted by United States Army Europe in Baltic States such as Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

The 56th Brigade Combat Team has long been a participant in the exercises, and the 111th Infantry has provided platoon and company sized over the years.

These photographs show members of Alpha Company, 111th Infantry during Saber Strike 2016 in Lithuania.

05/25/2026

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy

Let us remember this Memorial Day weekend those from the Associators who came before us and laid their lives down for the protection of others.

These men inspire us to continue the tradition of service. We will remember their stories and repeat their names to those that follow in their footsteps.

05/24/2026

Remembering the Spence Family on Memorial Day Weekend

Charles and William Spence came from a small farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Before the war both brothers travelled to Chester, PA to find work as machinists in the city. With war on the horizon the younger William enlisted in the local Company C, 6th Infantry PNG, and about a week later his older brother Charles enlisted with the same unit.

After training in Georgia, both brothers shipped to France with the newly formed Company C, 111th Infantry. They survived the unit’s initial combat actions along the Marne, and both crossed the Vesle into Fismette on August 10th, 1918 as part of 1st Battalion’s attack into the town. The fighting in Fismette was brutal, house to house, street to street urban warfare. Both brothers would fall in the fighting there where so many other Pennsylvanians gave their last full measure.

Charles was recovered by his comrades and buried in a temporary cemetery in Fismes, later he was repatriated and sent home to his family in Peach Bottom, PA. There he was reinterred next to a memorial to his younger brother Spencer, who was lost in the ruble and alleys of Fismette, never to be found. His name is inscribed on the wall of the missing at the Oise Aisne American Cemetery.

Henry and Mary Spence applied for service medals and pensions for their two fallen sons after the war, and established the joint memorial pictured in 1921. For them, Memorial Day would be a painful reminder of their families sacrifice for democracy and the world.

We remember the fallen of the Regiment this weekend, and we honor their sacrifices each in our own way.

Address

Plymouth Meeting, PA

Website

https://associators111.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when 111th Infantry Regiment "Ben Franklins Associators" posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Plymouth Meeting?