The 2nd Wisconsin was joined by several other regiments to form the famous "Iron Brigade," which soon became one of the most feared and respected units on either side in the Civil War for its performance in such battles as Antietam and Gettysburg.

[5] A letter from a member of the 2nd Wisconsin describes some of the details of the guardsmen's role in the conflict: "We landed here at Ponce Friday without opposition by the Spaniards.

The 3rd Wisconsin [National Guard] got into battle yesterday and one man was wounded in the hip, and one of the Massachusetts boys got shot in the neck, and went a mile, and a half before he fell.

In the closing months of the war, the 128th Infantry participated in several major campaigns including Alsace, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne and Meuse-Argonne.

[11][12] The 128th Infantry arrived at the port of New York on 5 May 1919 on the USS George Washington and was demobilized 19 May 1919 at Camp Grant, Illinois.

The division trained at Ft. Lewis, WA, for 10 months, maintaining a high level of readiness until the crisis abated.

[18][19] A metal and enamel device 1+1⁄16 inches (2.7 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned as follows: Azure, on a pale Or the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 32nd Division Proper (a Red arrow having shot through a line), on a chief of the second three fountains.

The pale, dividing the shield into thirds, alludes to three of the major offensive engagements in which the organization as an element of the 32nd Division participated in World War I.

Traditionally, the word "Wisconsin" means "wild rushing waters," thus the three fountains, heraldic symbols for water, appropriately stand for the Wisconsin Army National Guard regiments: First, Second and Third, from which elements stemmed to make up the organization during World War I.