3RD INFANTRY
DIVISION (MECHANIZED)
History, Symbols and Traditions
Last Update
February 15, 2019
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A Condensed History of the 3rd
Infantry Division Memorial in Chateau-Thierry By Society Historian Tim
Stoy |
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In October 1955 Captain, retired, Frederick Winant, DSC,
WWI was appointed Chairman of the Memorial Committee which included
national officers of the Society, the Division Commander, the
Honorable Patrick J. Hurley, General Lucian K. Truscott (ret.), MG
Thomas J. Cross (ret.), COL Eugene Salet, Major John S.D.
Eisenhower, John C. Cattus, and J.R. Henneman.
Winant and Cattus represented WWI veterans, MG Cross and
COL Salet WWII veterans, and Major Eisenhower Korean War veterans.
The committee was charged with exploring the offer of the
Mayor of Chateau-Thierry to restore the original Third Division
Memorial on a new site along the Marne River.
The undamaged portions of the memorial had been stored by
the city since its destruction in 1940. The French Army demolished
the bridge in Chateau-Thierry in an attempt to stop German forces
from crossing the Marne River and the blast destroyed the memorial
standing adjacent to the northern end of the bridge.
At the annual reunion held in Washington, DC in July 1956
the committee was authorized to accept the Mayor’s offer and in 1957
MG Cross (a WWI veteran of the 7th Infantry Regiment and
3ID CG in the Korean War) approved the site location on behalf of
the Society during a visit to Chateau-Thierry.
This
was subsequently approved by the membership during the July 1957
reunion in Indianapolis.
The deployment of the 3rd Infantry Division to
Germany in 1958 added impetus to the project. The active division
sent representatives to discuss the memorial with Chateau-Thierry
city officials.
Architects were engaged to estimate the costs of
re-erecting the original WWI memorial - $40,000.00. This estimate
served as basis for the city’s claim for reparations from the French
government for the destruction of the original memorial.
Concurrrently, the architects were asked to prepare cost
estimates for a less expensive memorial.
The
French government granted the city $10,000.00 in response to the
damage claim.
By April of 1960 the architects had produced an estimate
of $12-15,000.00 for a new memorial, envisioning inclusion of some
of the stone from the original in its construction.
This later proved impracticable and the disposition of the
remains of the old memorial is lost to history.
The design was approved by the American Battle Monuments
Commission on 14 October 1960 and the Fine Arts Commission on 19
October 1960.
The cost estimate rose to $18,000.00 which included
establishment of a permanent maintenance fund.
French reparations worked out to $9,900.00 due to exchange
rate fluctuations and the Society started a campaign in February
1961 to raise an additional $9,000.00.
By April 1961 $8,600.00 had been raised through
contributions from the active Division and Society members.
Further minor revisions to the design were required by the
Beaux Arts Commission in Paris.
The Memorial was dedicated on 8 October 1961 with the CG
of the 3rd Infantry Division, MG William W. Dick, Jr.; MG
Eagles (ret.) and Mr. Ben Norton, President Society of the 3rd
Infantry Division, as the US speakers and the Mayor of
Chateau-Thierry, the Prefét of the Department of the Aisne, and the
President of the Association of Anciens Combattants as the French
speakers at the ceremony.
The active division participated with an honor guard,
color guard, and the division band.
Shortly after the dedication, the Society established the
maintenance fund to ensure long term viability of the memorial.
The 3rd Infantry Division contributed $500.00
to the fund which initially totaled $2,060.55.
In 1963 the money was deposited with the Perpetual
Building Association of Washington, DC.
Dividends would be mailed annually to the American Battle
Monuments Commission for a specific trust account to maintain the
memorial.
The Memorial Committee was discharged, having accomplished
its mission.
Captain Winant remained co-Trustee of the maintenance
fund, working in tandem with a trustee appointed by the American
Battle Monuments Commission.
The final financial statement for the memorial project
was: Contributions
- $5,383.50 from Society Members, $5,069.66 from the Active
Division; Reparations - $9,900.67; Transfer from original WWI
Monument Fund – $562.50; Sale of Dedication Record - $275.00.
Total receipts:
$21,696.33.
Disbursements:
$18,752.70 – Monument construction; $808.00 – Dedication
ceremony expenses; $75.00 – Auditing expenses; $2,060.55 –
Maintenance Fund. Total
disbursements: $21,696.33.
The city agreed to conduct basic maintenance of the
grounds and the flowers/shrubbery while long term repair and
preservation of the monument remained with the Society.
It was determined the memorial’s reflecting pool was too
expensive and it was converted to a flower bed in 1970.
On 27 January 1978 the Memorial Fund was transferred to
McLean Savings and Loan Association with a value of $2,178.42.
Regular withdrawals were made to fund repairs and maintenance on the
memorial, with occasional appeals to the membership to help restock
the fund.
Captain Carl Swickerath, retired, replaced Captain Winant
as co-trustee in 1967 and stated in 1989 that all memorial
maintenance through the end of 1988 had been paid through the fund
and interest accrued over time.
In 1988 the American Battle Monuments Commission informed
the active duty division the memorial required $4,850.00 in repairs
to remain viable.
The division commander contacted the Society, offering
$500.00 to assist in the memorial’s maintenance.
Society leadership voted to ask ABMC to assume
responsibility for the memorial and asked Captain Swickerath to
serve as a committee of one to explore the possibility.
Concurrently Mike Halik was asked by Society leadership to
research the history of the memorial and to determine its ownership.
He
was unable to locate any legal documents indicating official
ownership.
ABMC
declined to assume responsibility for the memorial and its
maintenance remains the responsibility of the Society.
At the time the Society was providing funds to help build
the Korean War Veterans Memorial and working on the Division
monument in Arlington National Cemetery; there was not a great deal
of money available to work on the Division’s oldest memorial.
The Society later paid around $5,000.00 in 2000 for
repairs.
De facto owner of the Memorial is the Society of the 3rd
Infantry Division.
The American Battle Monuments Commission considers the
memorial to be the Society’s responsibility, and has periodically
over the past 25 years reminded the Society of ABMC’s power to have
deteriorating monuments/memorials overseas torn down.
Chateau-Thierry owns the land and continues to pay for
landscaping and flowers.
The city has included the memorial in its periodic
cleaning of its memorials, but all major work performed in the 51
years since its construction and dedication have been paid for by
the Society, with occasional contributions from the active duty
division.
The original memorial was built with money donated by the
members of the 3rd Division serving on occupation duty in
Germany in 1919 (information from the Watch on the Rhine May and
August 1919).
The fund raising drive collected 492369.00 Reichsmarks
from officers and men of the division as of 15 August 1919, with a
further 25,000.00 Reichsmarks donated by the Knights of Columbus.
Exchange
rate was 32.85 RM to the dollar in 1919.
The estimated cost of the memorial was $25,000.00. The
memorial dedication took place on 9 August 1919 with Major General
Robert L. Howze laying the foundation stone.
The memorial was completed in 1927 and the first official
Society visit to the memorial was in 1929 on a reunion tour to the
Division’s WWI battlefields.
Any members who may have files on either of the 3ID
Memorials in Chateau-Thierry are asked to copy and share them with
the historian.
There is no file in the Society archives on the original
WWI Memorial, with all information in this article being gleaned
from a review of the Watch on the Rhine and correspondence with Mike
Halik and John Shirley.
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The Rock of the Marne Speech of May 1,
1920
Donated by Ray Heddleson 1Sgt U. S. Army (Ret) of
Spring Hill, Florida
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Fort Stewart Museum Contact the Fort Stewart Museum Curator to schedule a personal or tour group visit!
For information on the 3rd Infantry Division
contact: |
 Essebagger, John Jr. Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company A, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Popsudong, Korea, 25 April 1951. Entered service at: Holland, Mich. Born: 29 October 1928, Holland, Mich. G.O. No.: 61, 24 April 1952. Citation: Cpl. Essebagger, a member of Company A, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Committed to effect a delaying action to cover the 3d Battalion's withdrawal through Company A, Cpl. Essebagger, a member of 1 of 2 squads maintaining defensive positions in key terrain and defending the company's right flank, had participated in repulsing numerous attacks. In a frenzied banzai charge the numerically superior enemy seriously threatened the security of the planned route of withdrawal and isolation of the small force. Badly shaken, the grossly outnumbered detachment started to fall back and Cpl. Essebagger, realizing the impending danger, voluntarily remained to provide security for the withdrawal. Gallantly maintaining a l-man stand, Cpl. Essebagger raked the menacing hordes with crippling fire and, with the foe closing on the position, left the comparative safety of his shelter and advanced in the face of overwhelming odds, firing his weapon and hurling grenades to disconcert the enemy and afford time for displacement of friendly elements to more tenable positions. Scorning the withering fire and bursting shells, Cpl. Essebagger continued to move forward, inflicting destruction upon the fanatical foe until he was mortally wounded. Cpl. Essebagger's intrepid action and supreme sacrifice exacted a heavy toll in enemy dead and wounded, stemmed the onslaught, and enabled the retiring squads to reach safety. His valorous conduct and devotion to duty reflected lasting glory upon himself and was in keeping with the noblest traditions of the infantry and the U.S. Army.
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Gilliland, Charles L. Rank and organization: Corporal (then Pfc.), U.S. Army, Company I, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Tongmang-ni, Korea, 25 April 1951. Entered service at: Yellville (Marion County), Ark. Born: 24 May 1933, Mountain Home, Ark. G.O. No.: 2, 11 January 1955. Citation: Cpl. Gilliland, a member of Company I, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. A numerically superior hostile force launched a coordinated assault against his company perimeter, the brunt of which was directed up a defile covered by his automatic rifle. His assistant was killed by enemy fire but Cpl. Gilliland, facing the full force of the assault, poured a steady fire into the foe which stemmed the onslaught. When 2 enemy soldiers escaped his raking fire and infiltrated the sector, he leaped from his foxhole, overtook and killed them both with his pistol. Sustaining a serious head wound in this daring exploit, he refused medical attention and returned to his emplacement to continue his defense of the vital defile. His unit was ordered back to new defensive positions but Cpl. Gilliland volunteered to remain to cover the withdrawal and hold the enemy at bay. His heroic actions and indomitable devotion to duty prevented the enemy from completely overrunning his company positions. Cpl. Gilliland's incredible valor and supreme sacrifice reflect lasting glory upon himself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service.
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Gibson, Eric G. Rank and organization. Technician Fifth Grade, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Isola Bella, Italy, 28 January 1944. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Birth: Nysund, Sweden. G.O. No.: 74, 11 September 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 28 January 1944, near Isola Bella, Italy, Tech. 5th Grade Gibson, company cook, led a squad of replacements through their initial baptism of fire, destroyed four enemy positions, killed 5 and captured 2 German soldiers, and secured the left flank of his company during an attack on a strongpoint. Placing himself 50 yards in front of his new men, Gibson advanced down the wide stream ditch known as the Fossa Femminamorta, keeping pace with the advance of his company. An enemy soldier allowed Tech. 5th Grade Gibson to come within 20 yards of his concealed position and then opened fire on him with a machine pistol. Despite the stream of automatic fire which barely missed him, Gibson charged the position, firing his submachine gun every few steps. Reaching the position, Gibson fired pointblank at his opponent, killing him. An artillery concentration fell in and around the ditch; the concussion from one shell knocked him flat. As he got to his feet Gibson was fired on by two soldiers armed with a machine pistol and a rifle from a position only 75 yards distant. Gibson immediately raced toward the foe. Halfway to the position a machinegun opened fire on him. Bullets came within inches of his body, yet Gibson never paused in his forward movement. He killed one and captured the other soldier. Shortly after, when he was fired upon by a heavy machinegun 200 yards down the ditch, Gibson crawled back to his squad and ordered it to lay down a base of fire while he flanked the emplacement. Despite all warning, Gibson crawled 125 yards through an artillery concentration and the cross fire of 2 machineguns which showered dirt over his body, threw 2 hand grenades into the emplacement and charged it with his submachine gun, killing 2 of the enemy and capturing a third. Before leading his men around a bend in the stream ditch, Gibson went forward alone to reconnoiter. Hearing an exchange of machine pistol and submachine gun fire, Gibson's squad went forward to find that its leader had run 35 yards toward an outpost, killed the machine pistol man, and had himself been killed while firing at the Germans.
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Murphy, Audie L. Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company B 1 5th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Holtzwihr France, 26 January 1945. Entered service at: Dallas, Tex. Birth: Hunt County, near Kingston, Tex. G.O. No.. 65, 9 August 1945. Citation 2d Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by 6 tanks and waves of infantry. 2d Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in a woods, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, 1 of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. 2d Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, 2d Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machinegun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from 3 sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate 2d Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad which was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued the single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. 2d Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective.
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Murray, Charles P. Jr. Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company C, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Kaysersberg, France, 16 December 1944. Entered service at: Wilmington, N.C. Birth: Baltimore, Md. G.O. No.: 63, 1 August 1945. Citation: For commanding Company C, 30th Infantry, displaying supreme courage and heroic initiative near Kaysersberg, France, on 16 December 1944, while leading a reinforced platoon into enemy territory. Descending into a valley beneath hilltop positions held by our troops, he observed a force of 200 Germans pouring deadly mortar, bazooka, machinegun, and small arms fire into an American battalion occupying the crest of the ridge. The enemy's position in a sunken road, though hidden from the ridge, was open to a flank attack by 1st Lt. Murray's patrol but he hesitated to commit so small a force to battle with the superior and strongly disposed enemy. Crawling out ahead of his troops to a vantage point, he called by radio for artillery fire. His shells bracketed the German force, but when he was about to correct the range his radio went dead. He returned to his patrol, secured grenades and a rifle to launch them and went back to his self-appointed outpost. His first shots disclosed his position; the enemy directed heavy fire against him as he methodically fired his missiles into the narrow defile. Again he returned to his patrol. With an automatic rifle and ammunition, he once more moved to his exposed position. Burst after burst he fired into the enemy, killing 20, wounding many others, and completely disorganizing its ranks, which began to withdraw. He prevented the removal of 3 German mortars by knocking out a truck. By that time a mortar had been brought to his support. 1st Lt. Murray directed fire of this weapon, causing further casualties and confusion in the German ranks. Calling on his patrol to follow, he then moved out toward his original objective, possession of a bridge and construction of a roadblock. He captured 10 Germans in foxholes. An eleventh, while pretending to surrender, threw a grenade which knocked him to the ground, inflicting 8 wounds. Though suffering and bleeding profusely, he refused to return to the rear until he had chosen the spot for the block and had seen his men correctly deployed. By his single-handed attack on an overwhelming force and by his intrepid and heroic fighting, 1st Lt. Murray stopped a counterattack, established an advance position against formidable odds, and provided an inspiring example for the men of his command.
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A look back in history from the Frontline Ft. Stewart newspaper
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History of the 3d Infantry Division
(Mechanized) The 3rd Division (re-designated as the 3rd Infantry Division
August 1, 1942) was constituted November 12, 1917 in the Regular
Army and organized at Camp Greene, NC November 21, 1917. The
division was composed of the 4th, 7th, 30th, and 38th Infantry
Regiments, the 10th, 18th, and 76th FA Regiments and the 6th
Engineer Regiment with a total of 28,000 men. It underwent training
at Camp Greene, NC and Fort Bliss, TX and shipped to France arriving
in April 1918. A monument to the origination of the 3rd Division
stands today in Charlotte, NC at the corner of Wilkinson Blvd. and
Monument St.
Operation Iraqi Freedom The Fort Stewart-based 3rd Infantry Division, which helped lead the charge to Baghdad, is the first Army division tapped to return to Iraq since the March 2003 invasion. The Marne team continues our deployment to Kuwait and Iraq in support of our assigned mission as part of the global war on terror. 1st Brigade Combat Team arrived at its assigned Forward Operating Bases in Iraq and is initiating operations. Aviation Brigade is completing its move into Iraq and has also begun operations. The rest of the Division continues to move equipment and personnel to our camps in Kuwait. Thanks to Henry Burke, Outpost 3, for the history of the 3ID. |
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"ROCK OF THE MARNE!" |
| Near Mézy, France, July 1918. Here the German Army made
its last great attack of World War I.
It struck in the Marne River area
along the road to Paris, and the weight of the blow fell on the
30th and
38th U.S. Infantry Regiments of the 3rd Division. This was their first
fight.
Firing in three directions, blasted by artillery fire, taking all flesh and blood could stand, the regiments held on doggedly and threw the enemy back across the Marne. This defense checked the Germans' assault and made an Allied offensive possible. General Pershing called it "one of the most brilliant pages of our military annals." Thanks to Lew Pergament for this information. |
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Description: Upon a blue square three white stripes from heraldic sinister
chief to dexter base, the blue background between the white stripes, all within
a green border.
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The origin of
Nous Resterons La,
Distinctive Unit Insignia It was there that the commanding officer, Major General Joseph Dickman, stated "Nous Resterons LA." The wyvern, an heraldic form of the devil, bears the division's blue and white stripes on its wing in commemoration of the division's action at Anzio, Italy, in World War II where they were called "Blue and White Devils" by the enemy. |
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"Rock of the Marne!" The 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) has one of the most successful combat records of any U.S. Army division. It has paid a high price for this distinction, suffering nearly 35,000 wartime casualties. Forty nine members of the 3d Infantry Division have been awarded the Medal of Honor while serving our nation. |
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World War I Activated in November 1917 during World War I at Camp Greene, North Carolina,. It went into combat for the first time eight months later in France. At midnight on July 14, 1918, the Division earned lasting distinction. Engaged in the Aisne-Marne Offensive as a member of the American Expeditionary Force to Europe, the Division was protecting Paris with a position on the banks of the Marne River, surrounding units retreated, the 3rd Infantry Division remained rock solid and earned its reputation as the "Rock of the Marne". Although the stand was highly successful, a steep price was paid. General "Black Jack" Pershing said the Division's performance one of the most brilliant of our nation’s military history. During the war two members of the division were awarded the Medal of Honor (MOH).
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World War II World War II brought even greater glory. The 3rd Infantry Division fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Germany and Austria for 531 consecutive days of combat. 3rd Infantry Division soldiers earned 36 MOH during World War II. At Anzio the Division fought off three German divisions. While there it suffered more than 900 casualties, the most in one day of any division in World War II. The most highly decorated soldier of the war, LT Audie Murphy served with the 15th Infantry Regiment.
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Korean War During the Korean War, the Division, was known as the "Fire Brigade" for its rapid response to crisis. It received ten Battle Stars. The Division fought gallantly throughout the war, insuring the freedom South Korea maintains today. Eleven more MOH recipients were added to the division's list of heroes during the Korean War. |
Germany In April 1958 to April 1996, the Marne Division was station in Germany serving as a key link in securing the defense of Western Europe and contributing greatly to the ultimate triumph over Communism in the Cold War in 1989.
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Operation Desert Storm In November 1990, soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division were once again called into action. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, more than 6,000 Marne men and women deployed with the 1st Armored Division on Operation Desert Storm as part of the Allied Coalition. Later nearly 1,000 soldiers deployed to southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq to provide comfort to Kurdish refugees. Another group of nearly 1,000 were part of Task Force Victory rebuilding Kuwait. |
Egypt, Bosnia and Kosovo In 1996 the Division was restationed at Fort Stewart, Fort Benning, and Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. The Division repeatedly demonstrated its deployability since then by maintaining a battalion, and later a brigade task force presence in Kuwait. It has also moved sizeable forces to Egypt, Bosnia and Kosovo in partnership training and peacekeeping missions. Since Sept 11, 2001 units have been sent to Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Middle Eastern countries to support the War on Terrorism. |
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Operation Iraqi Freedom I Early in 2003 the deployability and fighting capability of the Marne Division was highly visible Worldwide when the entire Division deployed in weeks to Kuwait. It was called on subsequently to spearhead Coalition forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom, fighting its way to Baghdad in early April, leading to the end of the Saddam Hussein government imposed tyranny over the people of Iraq. |
Operation Iraqi Freedom
III The Fort Stewart-based 3rd Infantry Division, which helped lead the charge to Baghdad, is the first Army division tapped to return to Iraq since the March 2003 invasion. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and Aviation Brigade Combat Teams arrived at its assigned Forward Operating Bases in Iraq and completed its operations in January 2006. |
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Operation Iraqi Freedom
2007-8
Ready to shift The Defense Department announced Feb. 16, 2007 that the 3rd Infantry Division Headquarters, from Fort Stewart, Georgia, will deploy to Iraq beginning in March 2007. This headquarters previously was scheduled to deploy for Operation Iraqi Freedom in June 2007, as announced on November 17, 2006, but will now be accelerated by a little over three months. The unit leadership notified the Soldiers and their families prior to this announcement. RAMADI, Iraq — The Germany-bound “Ready First
Brigade” of the 1st Armored Division formally relinquished combat authority in
and around Ramadi following a fierce, eight-month campaign that commanders
say broke a long and bloody stalemate between U.S. soldiers, Sunni Arab tribes
and Islamist militants here. The breakthrough — which occurred when a majority
of local tribe leaders decided to ally with coalition forces against Islamist
militants — bodes well for the incoming 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division “Raider Brigade,” which is now on its third tour in Iraq. It appears as if the 3rd Brigade will be
stationed in the southeast section of Baghdad, possibly under the umbrella of
the 3rd Infantry Division. "General (Maj. Gen. Rick) Lynch and I are in contact
every other day and we have a pretty good relationship," said brigade commander
Col. Wayne Grigsby Jr. "It would be great to be part of his team."
Operation Iraqi Freedom
2009-10 3rd ID
arrives in Kuwait, trains for MND-N mission CAMP BUEHRING,
KUWAIT – About 400 Dog Face Soldiers of the Division Special Troops
Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division arrived in Kuwait Sunday October
11th as part of the division's deployment in support of Operation
Iraqi Freedom. |
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Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan Operation New Dawn 2010 - ? |
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Operation Iraqi Freedom-1
In grateful memory of those who have
SPC Anguiano, Edward John, A Co, 3d FSB These forever Remembered, these Keepers of the Constitution, these our Fellows gave their last full measure of devotion to duty that they might bless the world with Liberty.
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Operation Iraqi Freedom-3 Fallen Heroes  Many other units were also attached to the 3rd Infantry Division in Operation Iraqi Freedom, such as the 1-184TH INF AIR ASSLT unit which lost 22 members during OIF. We offer our thanks and condolences to these brave heroes who gave all. |
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Former
Army Chief of Staff
Early career Vietnam War Service Post-Vietnam
Commands and Chief of Staff Post Vietnam
Personal Life He was a Footsie Britt (At Large) member of the Society of the 3rd Division. |
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ALTON W.
KNAPPENBERGER ALTON
W. KNAPPENBERGER (1923-2008 ) From his
obituary: Knappenberger, Alton
W. Shortly thereafter, an enemy 20mm. antiaircraft gun directed fire at him, and again Pfc. Knappenberger returned fire to wound 1 member of the hostile crew. Under tank and artillery shellfire, with shells bursting within 15 yards of him, he held his precarious position and fired at all enemy infantrymen armed with machine pistols and machineguns which he could locate. When his ammunition supply became exhausted, he crawled 15 yards forward through steady machinegun fire, removed rifle clips from the belt of a casualty, returned to his position and resumed firing to repel an assaulting German platoon armed with automatic weapons. Finally, his ammunition supply being completely exhausted, he rejoined his company. Pfc. Knappenberger's intrepid action disrupted the enemy attack for over 2 hours. |
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To Ken Hart Composer of the Song "Dogface Soldier"
On behalf of all the members of the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division,
older veterans, newer veterans and current soldiers of the mighty 3rd
Infantry Division, I want to commend you and Mr. Gold for all you have done
for the foot soldier of all wars. Ken Hart, in his mid eighties, one of the composers of
"Dogface Soldier" would be so happy to hear from those who appreciate his
and Mr. Gold's tribute to the red-blooded American Soldier., |
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So go the words of the division's theme song. Thanks to the creative genius of Walt Disney Productions, that "Dog Face Soldier" was caricatured into a tan bulldog: "heroic, but humble, fierce, but gentle, quick-witted and wise, with a confidence and dignity that comes from having proved himself." Major General Albert O. Connor, a Third Division commander, visualized verbally what he wanted for a "Dog Face Soldier", Walt Disney Productions complied and the caricature was created. All it cost was one dollar. The bull-dog face soldier is the result of an exchange of letters between General Connor and Walt Disney Productions. In one of his letters to Disney, General Connor explained: "For many years, the 3d Infantry Division has been seeking a trademark based on the symbolism of the "Dog Face Soldier." The term "dog face," he continued, "is an old one in our Army, dating back to the Indian Wars." The division received the final design of the bull-dog face soldier in August 1965. Along with the drawing came a contract granting exclusive and perpetual right and license to reproduce the drawing. The one dollar bill provided by the Marne Association was autographed by the division's Sergeants Major. Along with the autographed bill, which was framed, a letter of thanks to Walt Disney and his staff was sent for bringing to life the verbal conception of a song. |
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I Wouldn't Give A Bean |
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History of Veterans Day 1921 - an unknown World War I American soldier was
buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Similar ceremonies occurred
earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried
in each nation's highest place of honor (in England, Westminster
Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). |
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