Constituted in 1939 and organized in 1940 and 1941, the one-battalion regiment remained in Alaska during World War II, and became a separate infantry battalion in 1944.

The regiment's 3rd Battalion deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom between 2005 and 2006, and in 2009 it became the 297th Cavalry with 1st Squadron.

The 297th Infantry Regiment (Separate) was originally constituted as the first unit of the Alaska National Guard on 21 October 1939.

[6] On 24 February 1945, the battalion arrived in the contiguous United States at the Seattle Port of Embarkation.

[7] On 15 March 1949, the 207th Infantry Battalion, Separate, was constituted and allotted to the Alaska National Guard.

On 12 July, the 208th Infantry Battalion, Separate, was reactivated, covering southeastern Alaska with headquarters at Juneau.

[3][8] On 1 May 1972, the 3rd Battalion was converted and redesignated as the 297th Cavalry, a CARS parent regiment that included the 5th Squadron.

[9] On 1 May 1989, the 297th was withdrawn from CARS and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System (USARS).

[13] In July 2007, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin visited the unit in Kuwait.

[14] The 3rd Battalion returned to Camp Shelby in October,[15] and was released from active Federal service 1 January 2008, reverting to state control.