The Roving Historian

A Summary History of the 3rd Infantry Division

"Rock of the Marne"
(Original article written 7-22-08 by Jim Broumley)

The 3rd Infantry Division is a mechanized infantry division of the United States Army based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Nicknamed the "Rock of the Marne," the 3rd Infantry Division's current configuration consists of four Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), one Aviation Brigade, and various support elements. The unit has served the United States in World War I, World War II, Korea, the Cold War, and Iraq.

The 3rd Division was activated at Camp Greene, North Carolina in November of 1917 for service in the First World War. The 3rd Division was composed of the 4th, 7th, 30th, and 38th Infantry Regiments, the 10th, 18th, and 76th Field Artilleries, and the 6th Engineers, with a total of 28,000 men. The Division as a whole entered combat for the first time during WWI on July 14, 1918. During the German's last offensive of the war, the 3rd Division held their positions on the Marne River as units on either side of them withdrew. This action spoiled the German bid for Paris and earned the Division its nickname, the "Rock of the Marne." The Division's motto, "Nous Resterons Là" which is French for "We shall remain there," also comes from that action. During WWI, two members of the 3rd Division were awarded the Medal of Honor.

The 3rd Division was designated the 3rd Infantry Division in 1941. The Division first saw action on November 8, 1942, landing in French Morocco. The Rock of the Marne was in the vicinity of Salzburg, Austria when World War Two ended on May 6, 1945. During the war, the 3rd Infantry Division fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Germany, and Austria for a total of 531 consecutive days of combat. 3rd Infantry Division soldiers earned 36 Medals of Honor during WWII. At Anzio in the Italian Campaign, 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, Lieutenant Audie Murphy, served with the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

When North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, the 3rd Infantry Division was one of ten active divisions in the U.S. Army. The division arrived in Korea in September 1950 and joined operations in the Hamhung-Hungnam area. On November 23, 1950, China entered the war and the massive strength of the Chinese Army was felt all along the front. During the Korean War, the Division was known as the "Fire Brigade" for its rapid response to a crisis.

By 1951, elements of the 3rd ID helped recapture Seoul, the South Korean capital, and the Chinese were pushed back to the 38th Parallel. As the Chinese tried to recapture the capital, the brunt of the attack fell on the 3rd Infantry Division's sector and the Marne Division became the "Rock of Seoul." Again the Chinese were driven back to the 38th Parallel. The war ended when an Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, and by October 1954 the division had returned to Ft. Benning, Georgia. During the Korean War, eleven more Medals of Honor were awarded to 3rd Infantry Division soldiers.

From 1958 to 1996, the 3rd Infantry Division was stationed in Germany as part of the main defense protecting Western Europe from the threat of attack by Warsaw Pact Nations headed by the Soviet Union. As part of the U.S. Army's VII Corps, the 3rd ID was stationed throughout various towns in Bavaria. The division remained on constant alert as the arms race continued. The Division was a key link in American Cold War strategy and their readiness throughout those years contributed greatly to the West's ultimate victory over Communism at the end of the Cold War in 1989.

On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and posed a threat to Saudi Arabia. Units of the Rock of the Marne Division deployed with VII Corps from Germany for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The 3rd Brigade, 3ID was attached to the 1st Armored Division in their race through Iraqi territory in the "100-hour war." By the time the Persian Gulf War was declared over on February 28, 1991, the 3rd Infantry Division had destroyed 105 enemy tanks, 70 enemy armored personnel carriers, 92 enemy trucks, 4 enemy artillery pieces and captured 836 prisoners.

During the 1990s the Army went through a downsizing to maintain a ten-division active force. As such, the 24th Infantry Division was inactivated and re-flagged as the 3rd Infantry Division on February 15, 1996. The Division was consequently re-stationed from its bases in Germany to 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.

In January 2003, Soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) were officially informed that they were headed for the Middle East to do their part in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The entire division was deployed to Kuwait in weeks. 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 regime. After combat, Soldiers from 3rd Inf. Div. shifted focus to support and stabilization operations in an effort to rebuild the war-ravaged country. The division returned to Ft. Stewart in August 2003.

The Marne Division was selected as the first division in the Army to be organized under the new modular system. Beginning in 2004, the 3rd Infantry Division began re-organizing. The division shifted from three maneuver brigades to four "units of action," which are essentially smaller formations, with one infantry, armor, cavalry, and artillery battalion in each brigade combat team (BCT). A Combat Aviation Brigade is also part of the Division structure. Each of these units of action engaged in several mock battles at the National Training Center (NTC) and Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), in preparation for a second deployment to Iraq.

The Third Infantry Division was the first division in the U.S. Army to serve a second tour in Iraq. In January 2005, the division returned to Iraq and led U.S. and coalition forces in Baghdad. The 1st and 3rd Brigades of the division supported the 42nd Division in Northern Iraq. The hard work created conditions for a secure Iraqi election and transfer of power to the first democratically elected national government in Iraq. The Division served with its coalition partners during Operation Iraqi Freedom III for a year before returning to Georgia in January 2006.

On November 17, 2006, the Army announced that the 3rd I.D. would be the first Army division to serve three tours in Iraq as part of the 2007 "troop surge." The Division Headquarters deployed from Fort Stewart in March of 2007. Task Force Marne was composed of more than 20,000 U.S. soldiers, more than 26,000 Iraqi army soldiers, and over 46,000 Iraqi police. Along with combat operations, Task Force Marne focused on rebuilding the local government, Iraqi security forces, and the economy. The 3rd Infantry Division Colors returned to Fort Stewart in June of 2008. The 1st and 3rd Brigade Combat Teams have also returned home, while the "dog-faced soldiers" of the 2nd and 4th BCTs, the Aviation Brigade, and the 3rd Sustainment Brigade are still in Iraq completing their 2007-2008 tours.

By 1951, elements of the 3rd ID helped recapture Seoul, the South Korean capital, and the Chinese were pushed back to the 38th Parallel. As the Chinese tried to recapture the capital, the brunt of the attack fell on the 3rd Infantry Division's sector and the Marne Division became the "Rock of Seoul." Again the Chinese were driven back to the 38th Parallel. The war ended when an Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953 and by October 1954 the division had returned to Ft. Benning, Georgia. During the Korean War, eleven more Medals of Honor were awarded to 3rd Infantry Division soldiers.

In January 2003, Soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) were officially informed that they were headed for the Middle East to do their part in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The entire division was deployed to Kuwait in weeks. 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 regime. After combat, Soldiers from 3rd Inf. Div. shifted focus to support and stabilization operations to rebuild the war-ravaged country. The division returned to Ft. Stewart in August 2003.

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The Sunshine Mine Disaster

I'm still learning about the history of the Inland Pacific Northwest. But that's what makes going to a new area interesting. We drove to the old mining town of Wallace, Idaho last weekend to do just that. Wallace is in the Idaho panhandle right on I-90. Like me, you've probably driven by there multiple times and noted this charming little town and thought, "I should visit there one day." After all, it is the center of the universe.

On the way back to Coeur d'Alene (CDA for the locals), we decided to get off the interstate. We took Silver Valley Road, which follows I-90 but at least we got to slow the pace down and see what that part of Idaho really looks like. About eight miles west of Wallace we stumbled across a monument dedicated to the Sunshine Mine Disaster that occurred May 2, 1972. The monument includes a statue of a miner and the names of each worker who died in the tragedy. I had never heard of this event. Time to do some research.

I was surprised at how many silver mines are still in operation in the area. The Sunshine Mine is a large operation that surpasses the others in the area. In 1979 alone, the mine produced 18% of the country's silver. On May 2, 1972, there were 173 workers inside the mine. At 11:40 am a fire started in the mine and an evacuation was ordered 23 minutes later when the location of the fire could not be determined. Before the mine could be completely cleared, men began to succumb to carbon monoxide poisoning. Ninety-one men died, 80 escaped. Two men were rescued a week later, after finding a safe area 1,600 meters below the surface.

The Sunshine Mine was closed for seven months after the disaster. It is one of the worst mining disasters in U.S. history. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (part of the CDC) created a documentary on it. You can watch it on YouTube. I also ran across a local news clip commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the tragedy. The mine is still in operation today, located a couple of miles south of the monument and the interstate. You can check out their website to see what it looks like today. It's amazing what you discover when you get off the interstate.

New Book Release: Operation Dragoon, Jack Bell #5

We are happy to announce that we just released “Operation Dragoon: A Jack Bell WWII Novel.” This is the fifth book of historical military fiction in the Jack Bell Series.

The main characters in the series are part of the 509^th Parachute Infantry Battalion during World War II. Factually, the 509^th PIB was an independent battalion formed before the more well-known regiments of the 82^nd and 101^st Airborne Divisions. The Geronimos, as the members of the 509^th were called, had many firsts during the war. Most noteworthy, they were the first parachute unit to deploy overseas and the first paratroopers to jump into combat. Their story is documented in The Boldest Plan is the Best: The Combat History of the 509^th Parachute Infantry Battalion during WWII by Jim Broumley.

Although works of “WW2 Fiction,” each book in the series is set during one of the deployments of the 509^th PIB. Operation Dragoon is the invasion of Southern France, “the other D-day,” on August 15, 1944. The Gingerbread men (their nickname drawn from the caricature on the unit patch) are part of the First Airborne Task Force that jumped fifteen miles forward of the beach landings. Their mission is to secure the town of Le Muy. This French town and surrounding terrain create a bottleneck that the airborne forces must hold to prevent German armor from attacking the beachhead.

In the novel Operation Dragoon, the fictional Captain Jack Bell is the battalion’s intelligence officer. After the jump, he is tasked to take a squad from his old platoon and go behind the lines to pick up a wounded Air Corps officer who is being hidden by a local French Resistance group. They are set up by a group of Vichy French and ambushed by the Germans. They take refuge with the real French resistance in a remote farmhouse. They are stuck without transportation and in an indefensible position if the Germans show up. But Jack’s former platoon sergeant, “Rube” Roubideaux, has a plan. Complicating matters, the French have a spy in their midst, the Air Corps officer must get to a hospital as soon as possible, and the Americans have to deal with a headstrong girl who leads the resistance group. As if fighting a war wasn’t demanding enough.

Operation Dragoon: A Jack Bell WWII Novel by Jim T. Broumley is available on Amazon in print, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited. If you’re new to the series, check out the other Jack Bell Novels.

Books by Jim T. Broumley:

The Jack Bell WWII Novels (Fiction)

The Bridge at El Djem
The Avellino Jump
The War in Venafro
Anzio
Operation Dragoon

Nonfiction

The Boldest Plan is the Best: The Combat History of the 509^th Parachute Infantry Battalion during WWII

A Summary History of the 9th Infantry Division

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"Old Reliables"
(Original Article written 7/5/2010 by Jim Broumley)

The 9th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army is nicknamed the "Old Reliables." It was created during World War I as the 9th Division but was never deployed overseas. The division proved to be an important asset during World War II, Vietnam, and the Cold War.

During the pre-war buildup for World War II, the 9th Infantry Division was constituted on August 1, 1940, at Fort Bragg, NC. The Old Reliables were among the first U.S. troops to enter combat in WWII. Along with the 3rd Infantry and 2nd Armored Divisions, the 9th landed in North Africa on November 8, 1942. It pushed through Tunisia into Bizerte, which fell in May 1943. The 9th Infantry Division then entered the Sicily campaign with landings at Palermo in August. The Division took part in the capture of Randazzo and Messina.

After Sicily, the Old Reliables were sent to England to re-equip and train for the impending cross-channel invasion of France. The 9th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach in Normandy on June 10, 1944 (D-day plus 4). The Division advanced to cut off the Cotentin Peninsula and assisted in the capture of the fortified French port city of Cherbourg. In July, the division participated in the breakthrough at St.-Lo and in August helped to close the Falaise Gap. The Old Reliables then swept across northern France. The 9th Infantry Division held defensive positions near the Roer River from December 1944 through January 1945, and then crossed the Rhine at Remagen Bridge on March 7, 1945, pushing into the German Harz Mountains. On April 21, 1945, the Division relieved the 3rd Armored Division along the Mulde River near Dessau and held that line until VE Day, (May 8, 1945).

During WWII, the Old Reliables spent 264 days in combat, participating in eight separate campaigns. The 9th Infantry Division lost 4,581 soldiers killed in combat, 16,961 wounded, 750 missing in action, and 868 captured. Their total battle and non-battle casualties represented more than 240 percent of their authorized strength. Along with this sacrifice, Old Reliable soldiers earned 4 Medals of Honor, 86 Distinguished Service Crosses, 1,789 Silver Stars, and 5,518 Bronze Stars.

Shortly after the war, the 9th Infantry Division was inactivated. Nevertheless, they were re-activated on July 15, 1947, at Fort Dix, NJ, serving some 15 years before being inactivated once more. On February 1, 1966, however, the Old Reliables were called on again. The Division was re-activated at Fort Riley, Kansas, and deployed to the III Corps Tactical Zone in Vietnam on December 16, 1966. During the Vietnam War, the 9th Infantry Division's units often served with the Mobile Riverine Force and other US Navy units that made up the Brown Water Navy. Its area of operations was in the rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta from 1967 to 1972.

The division swept through Dinh Tuong Province from January 6 to May 31, 1967, in Operation PALM BEACH, spending February and March with South Vietnamese forces combating the enemy in Long An Province. Meanwhile, Old Reliable's 2nd Brigade was selected to fulfill the concept of a Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) created in 1967 and integrated with Navy Task Force 117 at each level of its command. One of the unique units serving with the division was the experimental Armor Platoon (Air Cushion Vehicle) which used the specially designed hovercraft to patrol marshy terrain like the Plain of Reeds along the South Vietnamese/Cambodian border.

For the first time since the Civil War, when Union Army forces operated on the Mississippi, Cumberland, and other rivers, the U.S. Army was utilizing an amphibious force operating afloat. The force was a complete package, independent of fixed support embarked or in tow. The troops lived on barracks ships docked at the MRF anchorage. On tactical operations, Navy armored troop carrier boats, preceded by minesweeping craft and escorted by armored boats (monitors) transported the soldiers along the vast waterways in the Delta. The first element of the Mobile Riverine Force (2nd Brigade) arrived in Vietnam in January 1967 and after training in the Rung Sat swamps moved into a base near My Tho. This base was named Dong Tam, a 600-acre island created among inundated rice paddies by dredging earth from the bottom of the Mekong River. The MRF often operated with other specialized units such as Navy Seal teams, South Vietnamese Marines, units of the ARVN 7th Division, and River Assault Groups on reconnaissance blocking and pursuit operations.

During the Tet Offensive in 1968, the 9th Infantry Division engaged in bitter fighting in the Saigon area. After the battle, General Westmoreland stated that the Old Reliables and the Mobile Riverine Force saved the Delta region from falling to the North Vietnamese Army. In 1969, the division also operated throughout the IV Corps Tactical Zone. As part of the U.S. draw down in Vietnam, two brigades were brought home in August 1969. The 3rd Brigade stayed in Vietnam (and fought in Cambodia) until October 1970. Elements of the 9th Infantry Division had served 1,440 days in Vietnam.

After Vietnam, the 9th Infantry Division was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington for the remainder of the Cold War. Beginning in the mid-1980s, the division served as the high-technology test-bed for the army. This led to the division testing the concept of "motorized infantry," designed to fill the gap between light infantry and heavy mechanized forces. The idea was to create lighter, mobile units capable of rapid deployment with far fewer aircraft than a heavier mechanized unit. Motorized infantry doctrine concentrated on effectiveness in desert warfare.

The Division eventually fielded two brigades of motorized infantry in battalions designated either "motorized" or "attack." Motorized units fielded the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV or "humvees") and attack units drove Fast Attack Vehicles (FAV), which were essentially dune buggies (later designated the "Desert Patrol Vehicle"). The FAVs were prone to rollover and offered the crew little protection from enemy fire. They were eventually all replaced by versions of the Humvee.

The Old Reliables was one of the divisions identified for inactivation at the end of the Cold War. Although their special training and equipment made them a logical asset to deploy to the Gulf War, they did not deploy to the Middle East. Since the 9th Infantry Division was already in the process of inactivation, during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the division provided soldiers and equipment to fill out deploying units from other divisions and trained National Guard and Army Reserve units deploying to the Persian Gulf.

The existing 3rd Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division did not inactivate and was reflagged as the 199th Light Infantry Brigade and assigned directly to I Corps. By December of 1991, all of the units of the 9th Infantry Division had cased their colors. This ended over 50 years of service to the country, earning the Division's nickname: The Old Reliables.

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Book R & R: Judgment at Tokyo

This Book Review and Recommendation is for "Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia" by Gary J. Bass.

(Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library and there are no affiliate links on this page.)

Remember when Amazon wouldn’t let you just rate a book, you had to write a review? I used to hate it when occasionally (actually more times than I care to remember) someone would one-star a book and comment “This book was not about what I thought it was.” Totally not fair to the author or potential readers. Way uncool.

I picked up this book because I was looking for something else. Collectively, we know about war crimes committed by the Japanese during WWII. Conditions in POW camps, summary executions, killing of civilians, and similar war crimes are commonly depicted in documentaries, books, and movies. I wanted to know about the trials of front-line perpetrators. The people who did these things. Their capture, trials, and punishments. This book was not so much about that. Rather, “Judgment at Tokyo" is about the prosecution of those men at the top.

The book goes into great detail on the trial of twenty-eight of the most visible war criminals captured in Japan, including Hideki Tojo. They were to be tried by an International Military Tribunal, consisting of judges representing the Allied Powers that fought the war against Japan. The standard for charges was based on whether the defendants ordered the crimes or knew about crimes and did nothing to either stop them, or investigate charges by the Allies during the war.

What were some of the crimes? A few mentioned include the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, the Bataan Death March, the Burma-Thailand Death Railway, and specifically the mistreatment of POWs which includes beheadings. During the war the Japanese took 132,134 prisoners, mostly from Great Britain, the United States, Australia, and the Holland. Of those, 35,756 died in captivity. That’s a mortality of 27 percent. Compare that to 4% for those POWs held by Germany and Italy. There is even a charge of cannibalism. Eight downed American Navy fliers picked up and taken to the island of Chichi Jima were murdered and ritualistically eaten by Japanese officers there. One Navy flier rescued before drifting to the island was nineteen-year-old future President George H.W. Bush. After the trial, seven of the defendants were sentenced to hang. Sixteen others received life in prison, the remaining had lesser sentences.

Author Gary Bass thoroughly covers the two-and-half-year trial, including background on the judges, the charges, and the events that have anything to do with the trial. As you can imagine, it is lengthy at just under seven hundred pages, excluding front and back matter. But the book is very readable and I found it interesting. My only criticism is that the author tends to view the past through the lens of today’s values. Particularly so when it comes to the dropping of the atomic bombs. So, the book didn't cover exactly what I was looking for, but overall, it was worth the time.

And the answer to my question is that it looks like most of the low-level offenders were captured and tried in the country where they committed the crime. Some where noteworthy, like the trial of General Tomoyuki Yamashita in the Philippines (Read “Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila by James M. Scott for an excellent coverage of the Manila Massacre and Yamashita’s trial). Rough totals: an estimated 5,000 Japanese were tried for war crimes. Half the total charged received prison sentences. As many as 900 were put to death. (Ref: PBS American Experience website.)

A Summary History of the 5th Infantry Division

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"The Red Devils"
(Original Article Written 6-2-10)

The 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) has the nicknames of "Red Devils" or the "Red Diamond" for the simple design of their shoulder sleeve insignia. The 5th I.D., currently inactive, is a regular army division that saw service in WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and Operation Just Cause in Panama.

As part of the United States Army's buildup for World War I, the Fifth Division was activated on December 11, 1917, at Camp Logan, near Houston, Texas. The Division's organization called for four infantry regiments. However, only the headquarters and a few units were at Camp Logan. The Division's remaining units were training at locations spread over the Eastern and Southern United States. The 5th Division did not assemble as a unit until their arrival in France was completed on May 1, 1918.

It was during WWI that the 5th Infantry Division adopted their shoulder patch, the red diamond, and their nom de guerre. German soldiers during the St. Mihiel campaign called the American soldiers "Die rote teufel," which means "red devils."

The Red Diamonds were the eighth division to arrive in France. On arrival, the 5th Division conducted intensive training under the tutelage of French instructors. By the end of May the 5th Division was declared ready for combat and placed at the disposal of the French to reinforce the French Seventh Army in the Anould Sector in the Vosges Mountains in Alsace. Here they occupied trenches with French troops and suffered the Division's first casualties on the night of June 14, 1918.

On July 14, the Red Diamond was removed from the line and took over the St. Die Sector, relieving French troops. The 5th Division immediately initiated aggressive patrolling. The Division's artillery relished the opportunity to fire on live targets. As a result, "No Man's Land" became "Our Land." The 5th Division's machine gunners even brought down the first enemy airplane from ground fire.

By Armistice Day, the 5th Division had advanced further east than any other Allied division. In World War I, the 5th Division participated in the following campaigns: Alsace 1918, Lorraine 1918, Saint Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne. Since its first introduction into the trenches in June 1918, the Red Diamond had been in the line for 103 days. The 5th Division captured 2,367 German soldiers. The Red Devils sustained 9,981 casualties, 1,098 of those were killed in action. Decorations for valor were awarded to 351 Red Devils.

After the Armistice on November 11, 1918, the 5th Division was one of ten American divisions that served as occupation troops. Beginning November 27, the Red Diamond was stationed in Luxembourg and southeastern Belgium where it guarded the line of communications for Allied troops in Germany. During the summer of 1919, the Red Devils returned to the United States. The 5th Division was inactivated on October 4, 1921, at Camp Jackson, South Carolina.

With the American concern over the start of World War II in Europe, the 5th Infantry Division was once again activated on October 16, 1939, at Fort McClellan, Alabama. This time the Red Diamond was formed as a "triangular" division with the 2nd, 10th, and 11th Infantry Regiments for an authorized strength of approximately 15,000.

After periods of intensive training, the Red Diamond settled in their permanent post at Fort Custer, Michigan in September 1940. By April of 1941, the 5th Infantry Division had received their first batch of draftees, approximately 5,000, that brought the Division up to authorized strength. In September 1941, units of the Red Diamond began deployment to Iceland. The remainder of the Division had arrived by May 1942. While in Iceland, the Red Devils performed arduous and monotonous duties of operating observation posts, unloading boats, and building roads and buildings, all while still maintaining training schedules.

In August 1943, the 5th Infantry Division moved from Iceland to Tidworth Barracks, England. Then in October, the Red Devils moved to Northern Ireland to continue training for the invasion of France. The Red Diamond landed in Normandy at Utah Sugar Red Beach, in the St. Mere Eglise area, on July 9, 1944. It was assigned to the V Corps, First Army, and relieved the 1st Infantry Division in the Coumont area. The division launched its first attack on Vidouville on July 26, 1944. From August 3, 1944, the 5th Infantry Division served in the XII and XX Corps, in Patton's Third Army until the end of hostilities on May 7, 1945.

The 5th Division, from its landing in Normandy on July 9, 1944, to the last Division Headquarters in Vilshofen, Germany, traveled 2049 miles and engaged in all five of the ETO's major campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. The Red Diamond had spent 300 days in combat, where they suffered battle casualties of 2,659 killed in action, 9,153 wounded, 1,050 missing in action, and 101 captured. Red Devils recognized for valor included the Medal of Honor (to Private Harold A. Garmen, a medic), 34 Distinguished Service Crosses, 602 Silver Stars, 10 Soldiers Medals, and 2,066 Bronze Stars.

The Red Diamond Division was inactivated on September 20, 1946, at Camp Campbell Kentucky. However, this was not the end of the Red Diamond's history. The 5th Infantry Division would be activated and inactivated many times in the future. The Red Devils were part of NATO forces in Germany in the mid-1950s as part of the United States' Cold War defense of Europe. On March 25, 1968, the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) was alerted for deployment to Vietnam.

To make the Red Devil's 1st Brigade combat effective as a separate maneuver unit, there were several new assignments and attachments. In addition to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized); the following units were assigned: 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment; 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment (Mechanized); 1st Battalion, 77th Armor; A Troop, 4th Squadron, 12th Cavalry Regiment; 5th Battalion, 4th Artillery; 75th Support Battalion; A Company, 7th Engineers; 298th Signal Company; 517th Military Intelligence Detachment; 86th Chemical Detachment; 48th Public Information Detachment; 407th Radio Research Detachment; and the 43rd Scout Dog Platoon. On February 24, 1969, the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mech) was assigned operational control of the 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry. Charlie Troop, 3rd Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry was placed under the operational control of the Red Devil Brigade in the summer of 1970. At peak strength, the brigade had over 6,000 personnel assigned and was one of the most potent fighting forces in the Republic of Vietnam.

Initially the Red Diamond Brigade conducted a 13-week training and familiarization program to adjust the brigade's personnel to situations in Vietnam. The emphasis was on independent small unit tactics and rapid response to alerts. In June 1968, the brigade began the long and difficult overseas movement. The advance party arrived in Quang Tri base on July 2, 1968. The remainder of the Brigade had closed on Quang Tri by July 22, and three maneuver battalions were located at separate base camps outside Quang Tri base proper.

A Company, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor was the first unit of the Red Diamond Brigade to be tactically committed. On August 12, 1968, the unit moved north to Con Thien to support the 1st Marine Regiment for ten days against North Vietnamese Army units attempting to infiltrate through the demilitarized zone. A Company made five contacts, was credited with 80 killed, and set the standard for the Brigade.

The Red Devils continued to operate in an area known as "Leatherneck Square," assisting the 3rd Marine Division deny access to the south through the DMZ. During April and May 1969, the Red Diamond Brigade attempted to deny the enemy access to the rice harvest. To accomplish this, the Brigade provided security for the friendly populace as they harvested their crops and patrolled at night to inhibit the movement of North Vietnamese tax collectors. The Red Diamonds showed that mechanized forces could be effective, even though they operated in terrain that was not optimal for armored forces.

In August 1969, the Red Devils assumed full responsibility for "Leatherneck Square." For six weeks, constant activity kept all units of the Brigade busy in this area. On October 22, the Brigade was removed from the operational control of the 3rd Marine Division and placed directly under the commanding general of XXIV Corps. In conjunction with the 1st ARVN (South Vietnamese) Division, the Brigade now had sole responsibility for the defense of Quang Tri and Dong Ha combat bases.

In January 1971, the reinforced 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, initiated Operation Lam Son 719. The Brigade opened the QL9 Road from Dong Ha to the Laotian border; at the same time, engineers constructed access roads from the Rock Pile through the Punch Bowl to Khe Sanh. Following this, a 20,000-man ARVN Task Force moved to the Laotian border. The Red Diamond Brigade's missions were to secure QL9 as a supply route and provide mobile defense for the huge forward support area of Vandergrift and Khe Sanh. For 69 days of increasingly confused and bitter fighting, the Red Devils prevented the enemy from making a successful offensive move against any of these vital links in the ARVN offensive. A body count of 400 North Vietnamese was made, and the primary mission to keep the logistical support channels operational at all times was accomplished. When the last of the logistical units had withdrawn, the Red Diamond resumed its search and cordon patrols and rice denial efforts in eastern Quang Tri Province.

In June, the Red Devils received stand-down orders with stateside redeployment to commence on July 1, 1971. Brigade activities were limited to base security in anticipation of a North Vietnamese Army effort to achieve a propaganda victory over the departing unit. The Brigade colors departed Quang Tri on August 8, 1971, after a ceremony the previous day in which several Vietnamese decorations were awarded to the Brigade and to Brigade personnel. The Red Devils returned to Fort Carson, leaving the defense of Quang Tri in the hands of the ARVN 1st Division, a unit that they had largely trained. On August 22, 1971, the Brigade colors were cased at Fort Carson, Colorado. The Red Diamond was inactive once again.

The 5th Mechanized Infantry Division was re-activated and reorganized at Fort Polk, LA in 1976. From 1989 through 1992, the division was attached to III Corps and shared its Cold War mission of reinforcing Allied Forces in Central Europe. According to the Army doctrine of the time, the division was organized with two active brigades and "rounded out" by a brigade from the Army National Guard. In 1989, after months of deteriorating relations between the governments of the United States and that of Dictator Manuel Noriega of Panama, the situation became critical with the killing of a Marine officer and the harassment of American personnel by the Noreiga forces. When it came time for U.S. President George H.W. Bush to stop Noriega's repressive regime, the Red Diamond was standing in the wings and ready to be called.

A part of the division had been deployed in the Panama City area in May 1989 to secure American facilities. The following September these troops were replaced by "Task Force Regulars." This task force consisted of the 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), and supporting elements. Task Force Regulars was assigned the mission of the assault of "la Comandcia," the headquarters of Noriega's Panama Defense Forces (PDF). Augmenting the 4/6 Infantry were Company A, 7th Engineers, elements of 5th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery, 5th Support Battalion (Forward), Company C, 508th Airborne Infantry Regiment, four M551 Sheridans from the 82nd Airborne Division, four Marine light armored vehicles (LAVs) and two platoons of military police from Fort Benning, GA. Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama, opened in the first hours of December 20, 1989. Task Force Regulars returned to their home station, Fort Polk, Louisiana, in late January. The returning Red Diamond veterans of Operation Just Cause were honored with a division review and awards ceremony on February 9, 1990.

The last inactivation of the Red Diamond was on November 24, 1992, exactly 75 years from the date of its first order to activate, November 24, 1917. Through the efforts of the unit soldiers, the Red Devils, the 5th Infantry Division earned its motto: "We Will."

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Visit Fort Spokane

Photo from NPS: Site Entrance

One of the last frontier forts built in the West.

Yesterday was forecast to be sunny and 80 degrees in the Inland Northwest so we decided to take a long drive and wound up at Fort Spokane, Washington. It’s arguably a long drive (who am I kidding? It’s out in the middle of nowhere). But it was worth the time in the car. Fort Spokane is a beautiful site that is loaded with history.

The Fort is located where the Spokane River enters the Columbia in northwest Washington state. It’s an hour-and-ten-minute drive from Spokane (60 miles west of the city) or a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Seattle (250 miles east). Today, the fort is inside the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and is managed by the National Park Service.

In the 1860s and 70s, more and more settlers entered the Inland Northwest. Conflicts between those settlers and Native American tribes at times turned violent. Most notably the Nez Perce War (1877) and the Bannock War (1878) were fought over the forced resettlement of those tribes. In this area of Washington, the Spokane and Colville reservations had been created north of the Spokane River. Fear of those tribes leaving the reservation caused the local people to call for a permanent military presence. As a result, Fort Spokane was established in 1880. By 1884 there were twenty-five permanent structures. That included barracks, an administrative building (headquarters), a schoolroom, and an icehouse. At its height, the fort had fifty buildings housing up to three hundred soldiers, both infantry and cavalry.

Soldiers at Fort Spokane never had any engagements with the local tribes. In fact, their presence was more of a deterrence to settlers encroaching on reservation land, rather than the other way around. The Spanish-American War in 1898 required the troops stationed at Fort Spokane to be deployed elsewhere. The empty fort was turned over to the Colville Indian Agency which established an Indian Boarding School in 1900. With the establishment of local schools on the reservations, the number of students at the school fell and the school closed in 1916. Fort Spokane was then turned into a hospital and tuberculosis sanitorium. That facility closed and the site was abandoned in 1929. When the National Park Service took over the property in 1960, only four buildings were standing.

Today, the Fort Spokane Visitor Center and Museum is open Thursday through Monday, 9:30 am to 5 pm. While the grounds are open year-round, the Visitor Center is open seasonally from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There is no entrance fee. Tip: Google Maps will try to have you turn onto a walking path. Turn onto the paved road under the white sign for the fort.

Your first destination from the parking lot is the Visitors Center and Museum. The building used to be the fort’s guardhouse. It is full of displays and artifacts covering the history of the site and the region. There is also a friendly and helpful park ranger on duty. It’s a small museum but packed with a large number of photographs from when the site was a military base and then an Indian School. The Visitors Center is one of only three buildings on the site (along with the mule barn and magazine). The real quality experience is taking the walking paths around the site of the fort. Some waysides tell you what building used to stand in each location along the way. Prepare to walk a mile or more. It was a large military installation in its day. On a beautiful early summer day, you might find that this was the best part of the visit.

There is no doubt that Fort Spokane is an “out of the way” destination. I must emphasize that there are no amenities for miles. You might want to pack a lunch. Definitely bring some water. That being said, there are other attractions in this part of the state. Grand Coulee Dam is about fifty miles away. There are numerous camping, fishing, and hiking opportunities along the Spokane and Columbia Rivers. And who knows? You might find yourself driving between Seattle and Spokane, yet again, and finally decide to take the road less traveled.

References:

NPS Website for the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and Fort Spokane.

Anna Harbine, “Welcome to Fort Spokane,” Spokane Historical, accessed June 7, 2024, https://spokanehistorical.org/items/show/354.

Wikipedia contributors, "Fort Spokane," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 7, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fort_Spokane&oldid=1173379135.

A Summary History of the 2nd Marine Division

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"Follow Me"
(Original article written 8/17/2010)

The 2nd Marine Division is an infantry division of the United States Marine Corps. The 2nd MarDiv serves the USMC as the ground maneuver element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force. The Marines of the second division have served their country with distinction during World War II, the Persian Gulf War, and now in the Global War on Terror. The 2nd Marine Division is stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

The unit's shoulder patch was designed and authorized in late 1943 for wear by 2nd Marine Division units serving in the Pacific Theater. The spearhead-shaped patch is scarlet and gold, in the center is a hand holding a torch with the number two. Around the torch are the stars of the Southern Cross constellation as a reference to Guadalcanal. Although the Marine Corps officially disallowed shoulder patches in 1947, the insignia still appears on buildings, signs, documents, and non-uniform clothing.

With the threat of WWII on the horizon, the 2nd Marine Division was created through a re-designation of the 2nd Marine Brigade on February 1, 1941, at Camp Elliott, California. Because of the growing threat of a German invasion of Iceland, the 6th Marine Regiment and other 2nd MarDiv units were sent to garrison Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, the 8th Marine Regiment was sent to defend American Samoa.

The 2nd Marine Division participated in the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands from January 4 to February 8, 1943. However, even before the Division headquarters was deployed, the 2nd and 8th Marine Regiments reinforced the 1st Marine Division in the early weeks of the battle. The 2nd Marine Regiment participated in the Guadalcanal and Tulagi landings Aug 7-9, 1942. The 8th Marine Regiment went ashore on November 2, 1942. The 2nd and 8th Marine Regiments were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for their performance while attached to the 1st Marine Division.

In the Pacific Theater of WWII, the 2nd Marine Division also saw action on Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands from November 20 to December 4, 1943, where the Division was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The 2nd MarDiv fought in the battle for Saipan in the Mariana Islands Campaign from June 15 to July 24, 1944. The Division participated in the capture of Tinian Island from July 24 to August 10, 1944. Their last combat action of WWII was to act as a floating reserve for the Battle of Okinawa from April 1-10, 1945. A detachment from Division Headquarters and the 8th Marine Regiment went ashore to reinforce June 1-30, 1945. At the end of the war, elements of the 2nd Marine Division were part of the occupation of Nagasaki, Japan. They arrived just twenty-five days after the dropping of the nuclear bomb.

The 2nd Marine Division did not deploy to the Korean or Vietnam wars. The decades following WWII were highlighted by multiple peacekeeping and security deployments for elements of the Division. Noteworthy deployments include the U.S. intervention in the Lebanon crisis of 1958, the reinforcement of Guantanamo Bay during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, and Operation Power Pack where elements of the Division landed in the Dominican Republic in 1965. The 2nd Marine Division deployed as part of the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon from August 1982 until February 1984. The 2nd MarDiv suffered the loss of 241 Marines and Sailors during the 1983 bombing of the Beirut barracks. In December 1989, the 6th Marine Regiment and other elements of the 2nd Marine Division participated in Operation Just Cause, the deployment to liberate the country of Panama from Dictator Manuel Noriega.

The 1990s began with elements of the Division participating in Operation Sharp Edge, the evacuation of American and allied civilians out of war-torn Liberia. On August 2, 1990, Iraqi Dictator Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait. The 2nd Marine Division deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield, which began on August 7, 1990, to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Operation Desert Storm, the battle for the liberation of Kuwait began on January 17, 1991, with an extensive air campaign. The ground campaign kicked off on February 23, 1991, when the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions, along with Kuwaiti forces crossed into Kuwait and headed toward Kuwait City. They overran the well-designed, but poorly defended, Iraqi trenches in the first few hours. The Marines crossed Iraqi barbed wire obstacles and mines, and then engaged Iraqi tanks, which surrendered shortly thereafter. Most Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait opted to surrender rather than fight. Following the war, elements of the Division participated in Operation Provide Comfort to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War.

In early 2003, elements of the 2nd Marine Division deployed to Kuwait to reinforce the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in preparation for the invasion of Iraq. These units formed a Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) designated Task Force Tarawa. Task Force Tarawa crossed into Iraq on March 21, 2003, the first day of the ground war, with the initial task of seizing Jalibah airfield in southern Iraq. Following this, the Task Force pushed north and took part in a major battle in Nasiriyah. After the war, these Marines were moved north to Al Kut, where they provided security and stabilization operations in central Iraq. Task Force Tarawa returned to the United States via Kuwait on May 14, 2003.

The 2nd Marine Division deployed to Camp Fallujah, Iraq as the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) headquarters in January 2005 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom III (OIF III, later re-designated OIF 04-06) to relieve the 1st Marine Division in the Al Anbar province. The division again deployed for another yearlong tour at Camp Fallujah from 2007 to 2008.

As of 2010, units of the 2nd Marine Division continue to serve their country in the Global War on Terror in deployments to Afghanistan. Members of this storied marine division persistently live up to their motto, "Follow Me!"

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A Summary History of the 3rd Armored Division

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"Spearhead"
(Original article written 7/10/08 by Jim Broumley)

The 3d Armored Division is a heavy mechanized division of the United States Army that served in World War Two, the Cold War defense of Western Europe, and the Persian Gulf War. The 3rd Armor Division was reduced to zero strength in 1992, but not inactivated.

The Third Armored Division was activated on April 15, 1941, at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, and by June had moved to Camp Polk to begin training. The 3rd AD arrived in England on September 15, 1943, and conducted training in the Liverpool and Bristol Areas. By June 29th the first elements of the 3rd Armored Division entered combat in the Normandy area of France. The Spearhead Division was assigned to First Army for the duration of its WWII European service.

The 3d Armored Division entered combat as a whole on June 29, 1944, taking part in the hedgerow fighting. The Division broke out at Marigny and with the 1st Infantry Division swung south in an exploitation of the St. Lo break-through. In August 1944, the Division participated in the heavy fighting involved in closing the Falaise Gap, pocketing the German Seventh Army. Six days later, on August 25, 1944, the Spearhead Division had cut across the Seine River and was streaking through Meaux, Soissons, Laon, Mons, Namur, and Liege. The 3rd Armored Division breached the Siegfried Line with the capture of Rotgen, on September 12, 1944, and continued a slow advance against heavy resistance to the vicinity of Langerwehe.

At the start of the Battle of the Bulge, the 3rd Armor was shifted to Houffalize, Belgium, where it severed a vital highway leading to St. Vith, and in January 1945, participated in the reduction of the German salient west of Houffalize. After a brief rest, the Division returned to the front, crossed the Roer River into Duren, broke out of the Duren bridgehead, and drove on to capture Koln, Germany on March 6, 1945.

The Division began a thrust into the Rhineland of Germany on February 7, 1945. On March 31, 1945, the commander of the division, Major General Maurice Rose, famed as one of few commanding generals to frequent the front lines during combat, rounded a corner in his jeep and came face to face with a German tank. As he withdrew his pistol to surrender, the young German tank commander, apparently misunderstanding Rose's intentions, shot and killed the general.

The Division took Paderborn, assisted in mopping up the Ruhr pocket, crossed the Saale River, and after overcoming stiff resistance took Dessau. On April 11, 1945, the 3rd Armored discovered the Dora-Mittelbau concentration camp. The Division was first to arrive on the scene, reporting back to headquarters that it had uncovered a large concentration camp near the town of Nordhausen. Requesting help from the 104th Infantry Division, the 3rd A.D. immediately began transporting some 250 ill and starving prisoners to nearby hospital facilities.

As the war drew to a close in May of 1945, the 3d Armored Division consolidated near Dessau. The 3rd Armor performed occupation duty near Langen until it was inactivated on November 10, 1945. During the war, the 3d Armored Division participated in 231 days of combat. They had lost more tanks in combat than any other U.S. division. The Division's casualties included a total of 2,540 killed, 7,331 wounded, 95 missing, and 139 captured. Total battle and non-battle casualties came to 16,122.

With the Cold War starting to heat up, the 3rd Armored Division was reactivated on July 15, 1947, at Fort Knox, Kentucky as a training unit. In 1955 it was reorganized for combat and the next year shipped out to Germany once again. In the event of war in Europe, the 3d Armored Division's primary mission, along with other V Corps units, was to defend the well-known Fulda Gap between East and West Germany against numerically superior Warsaw Pact forces. At the peak of East/West tensions during the 1980s, as many as nineteen Soviet and East German divisions faced off against V Corps units in West Germany.

To prepare their defenses against an invasion, the Division's units frequently conducted field training at Hohenfels, Wildflecken, and Grafenwöhr training areas. The 3d Armored Division would also frequently take to the German countryside for training maneuvers, including what became an annually staged war game, REFORGER, which simulated an invasion of Western Europe by Warsaw Pact forces.

The most famous soldier in the 3rd Armored Division during the 1950s was Elvis Presley, assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment, Combat Command C at Ray Barracks in Friedberg. After his time in service, Elvis made the movie G.I. Blues, in which he portrays a 3rd Armored Division tank crewman with a singing career. Former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell also served in the 3d Armored Division and went on to command V Corps in Germany.

By 1990, the Iron Curtain over Eastern Europe collapsed, East and West Germany would soon be reunited, and the Soviet Army was being withdrawn back to the Soviet Union. With these events, the Cold War came to a peaceful conclusion, freeing U.S. army units in Europe for other deployments.

In November of 1990, VII Corps departed West Germany for Saudi Arabia to take part in Operation DESERT SHIELD and, later, in Operation DESERT STORM. Because the 3rd Armored Division was more advanced in its modernization process, and well-equipped with Abrams Tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, they deployed with VII Corps to Southwest Asia.

On February 23, 1991, the 3d Armored Division crossed the Line of Departure into Iraq with the 1st Armored Division on their left and the 2nd Armored Cavalry on their right. The Iraqi Army was surprised by the VII Corps end run into Iraq. Most of the enemy forces were focused on defending the Kuwait border with Saudi Arabia. By the fourth day of the war, the Spearhead had advanced over 50 miles into Iraq and defeated all enemy forces they encountered, including divisions of the Iraqi Republican Guard. In the 100-hour Gulf War, 3AD destroyed hundreds of Iraqi tanks and vehicles, and captured more than 2,400 Iraqi prisoners, with 15 division troops killed between December 1990 and late February 1991.

Following Operation Desert Storm and the liberation of Kuwait, the Spearhead Division returned to Germany. Camp Doha emerged as the focal point for the U.S. Armed Forces in Kuwait. The threat of future aggression necessitated the presence of U.S. forces to maintain security and stability in the Gulf region. U.S. military forces began rotating into Kuwait to provide security assistance, conduct training exercises, and perform necessary contingency planning. Among the first U.S. Army units deployed to Camp Doha after the Persian Gulf War were the 3d Armored Division, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and the 8th Infantry Division.

On January 17, 1992, the 3rd Armored Division officially ceased operations in Germany, with a ceremony in Frankfurt at Division Headquarters, Drake Kaserne. The division colors were then returned to the United States, with the 3d AD still officially active, since Army Regulations state that Divisional "Casing of Colors" cannot occur on foreign soil. Official retirement took place at Fort Knox, on October 17, 1992. At that time, the 3rd Armored Division was removed from the official force structure of the U.S. Army.

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A Summary History of the 44th Medical Brigade

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"Ready, Reliable, and Relevant"
(Original Article written 5-17-08)

The job of the 44th Medical Brigade, now the 44th Medical Command, is to organize, train, deploy, command, and control their subordinate medical units to provide corps-level combat medical, and community health support, across all levels of conflict and in a peacetime garrison environment. The 44th Medical Command is currently stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Fort Bragg subordinate units include the HHC 44th MEDCOM, the 28th Combat Support Hospital, the 261st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional), the 51st MED (VS), The 248th MED (VS) and the 257th MED (DS). The 44th Medical Command also controls the 86th Combat Support Hospital at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, the 14th Combat Support Hospital at Ft. Benning, Georgia, the 6th Medical Logistics Management Center (MLMC) at Ft. Detrick, Maryland, and the 1st Area Medical Laboratory (AML) and the 9th AML at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.

The 44th Medical Brigade was formed on 30 December 1965 and was activated on 1 January 1966 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the home of the Army Medical Branch. The Brigade deployed to Vietnam, where it participated in 12 of the 17 campaigns, including Counteroffensive, Counteroffensive Phases II through VII, Tet Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970, and the Sanctuary Counteroffensive.

In March 1970, the 44th Medical Brigade Headquarters was merged with the United States Army, Vietnam Surgeon's Office to form the Medical Command, Vietnam (Provisional). The 44th Medical Brigade's colors were returned to the United States in December of 1970. During the Brigade's service in Vietnam, it was awarded two Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamers. The streamers are embroidered "Vietnam 1969-1970" by the government of the Republic of Vietnam.

On March 19, 1973, the 44th Medical Brigade was inactivated at Fort Meade, Maryland. The Brigade was reactivated on September 21, 1974, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. On July 16, 1993, the 44th Medical Brigade became a separate major subordinate command reporting directly to the XVIII Airborne Corps with a general officer commanding.

Since moving to Ft. Bragg, elements of the 44th Medical Brigade have participated in Operation URGENT FURY in Grenada (October 1983), Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama (December 1989), Operations DESERT SHIELD (August 1990), and DESERT STORM (February 1991) in Saudi Arabia, and Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY in Haiti (September 1994). The Brigade has also participated in humanitarian relief missions. Of note are the hurricane relief efforts in the United States, including those following Hurricanes Andrew (1992), Katrina (2005), and Rita (2005).

The Brigade was converted to a Medical Command on 16 October 2001 and became a multi-component unit. While at Fort Bragg the 44th Medical Brigade had become an airborne unit, but as part of its conversion the 44th Medical Command lost this designation. Elements of the 44th Medical Brigade have deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism. During 2006 the 14th Combat Support Hospital deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 28th Combat Support Hospital and the 86th Combat Support Hospital have both deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-06. These two units served as the "Baghdad ER," which was highlighted by the 86th CSH in the HBO documentary of the same name.

The 44th Medical Command transferred their responsibilities as the commanding medical unit in Multinational Corps-Iraq to the 30th Medical Brigade from Heidelberg, Germany on October 18, 2005. During their tour, the 44th Medical Command conducted more than 400 brain surgeries, nearly 7,000 general surgery procedures, 6,000 orthopedic procedures, and close to 1,500 subspecialty surgical procedures.

The 44th MEDCOM's stated mission is to "Organize, resource, train, sustain, deploy, command, control, and support assigned and attached healthcare capabilities to provide flexible, responsive and effective health service support and force health protection to supported forces conducting joint and simultaneous full spectrum operations." The professionals who are assigned to this command perform this mission superbly, proving their motto, that they are "Ready, Relevant, and Reliable."

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A Summary History of the 4th Infantry Division

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"The Ivy Division"
(Article written 9/3/08 by Jim Broumley)

The 4th Infantry Division, whose motto is "Steadfast and Loyal," is a heavy mechanized division in the United States Regular Army. The 4th ID has a storied history from WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Arguably the most modernized division in the army, the 4ID is currently organized with four Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), a fires brigade, an aviation brigade, and various supporting units. Currently home-based at Fort Hood, Texas, the "Ivy Division" is in the process of re-stationing to Fort Carson, Colorado, around unit deployments to Iraq.

The 4th Infantry Division is nicknamed the "Ivy Division." This comes from the design of the shoulder sleeve insignia which has four green ivy leaves joined at the stem and opening at the four corners. The word "Ivy" is a play on the Roman numeral four, IV. Ivy leaves are symbolic of tenacity and fidelity, the basis of the Division's motto, "Steadfast and Loyal." The Division's second nickname, "Iron Horse," has been recently adopted to indicate the speed and power of the division.

The 4th Division was formed at Camp Greene, North Carolina on December 10, 1917, for service in World War One. The 4th Infantry Division went into action in the Aisne-Marne campaign in July 1918, at which time its units were piecemealed and attached to several French infantry divisions. Almost a month later, the Division was reunited for the final days of the campaign. During the next four months, the 4th I.D. saw action on the front lines and as reserves. Suffering over 11,500 casualties in the final drive for the Allied victory, the 4th Infantry Division was the only division to serve in both the French and British sectors of the front.

By the end of WWI, 2,611 Ivy Division soldiers were killed in action and 9,895 others were wounded. The 4th Division remained in Europe for occupation duty until returning to the United States on July 31, 1919. The 4th Division was inactivated at Camp Lewis, Washington on September 21, 1921.

The 4th Infantry Division was reactivated on June 1, 1940, at Fort Benning, Georgia as part of the U.S. Army buildup before the country entered into World War II. From June of 1940 until late in 1943, the 4th Infantry Division served as an experimental division for the Army, testing new equipment and tactics. Finally, after years of training, the Ivy Division moved to England in January of 1944 to prepare for Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings in Normandy.

The amphibious invasion of Europe began on June 6, 1944. The Division's 8th Infantry Regiment was the first Allied ground unit to assault German forces on the Normandy Beaches. The remainder of the Division quickly followed, landing on Utah Beach. For 26 days the Division pushed inland, reaching the Port of Cherbourg and sustaining over 5,000 casualties. Breaking out of the Beachhead and expanding operations well into France, the Division was given the honor of being the first Allied unit to participate in the liberation of Paris. The Ivy Division quickly moved on through northern France reaching Belgium and the border of Germany by September 1944. In November, the 4th Infantry Division moved into the Hurtgen Forest and fought what was to be its fiercest battle. The 4th Infantry Division held its ground during the Battle of the Bulge; crossed the Rhine, then the Danube, and finally ceased its advance at the Isar River in southern Germany.

When the 4th Infantry Division's WWII combat operations ended on May 2, 1945, 4,097 soldiers had been killed in action, 17,371 were wounded, and 757 would later die from their wounds. The Division returned to the United States in July 1945 and was stationed at Camp Butner, North Carolina, preparing for deployment to the Pacific. However, the Japanese surrendered before the 4th ID was deployed. After the war ended the 4ID was inactivated on March 5, 1946. The Division was reactivated as a training division at Fort Ord, California on July 15, 1947.

On October 1, 1950, the 4th Infantry Division was re-designated as a combat division, training at Fort Benning, Georgia. In May 1951 it deployed to Germany as the first of four U.S. divisions committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during the early years of the Cold War. The division headquarters was located in Frankfurt, West Germany. After a five-year tour in Germany, the division redeployed to Fort Lewis, Washington in May of 1956. The 66th Armor Regiment and 4th Signal Company of the 4th Infantry Division served in the Korean War.

The 4th Infantry Division deployed from Fort Lewis to Camp Holloway, Pleiku, Vietnam on September 25, 1966, and served more than four years, returning to Fort Carson, Colorado on December 8, 1970. Two brigades operated in the Central Highlands/II Corps Zone, but its 3rd Brigade, including the division's armor battalion, was sent to Tay Ninh Province northwest of Saigon to take part in Operation Attleboro (September to November 1966), and later Operation Junction City (February to May 1967), both in War Zone C.

Throughout its service in Vietnam, the Ivy Division conducted combat operations in the western Central Highlands along the border between Cambodia and Vietnam. The 4th Infantry Division experienced intense combat against NVA regular forces in the mountains surrounding Kontum in the autumn of 1967. The division's 3rd Brigade was withdrawn from Vietnam in April 1970 and deactivated at Fort Lewis. In May the remainder of the division conducted cross-border operations during the Cambodian Incursion. The Ivy Division returned from Vietnam in December and was rejoined in Fort Carson by its former 3rd Brigade from Hawaii, where it had re-deployed as part of the withdrawal of the 25th Infantry Division. One battalion remained in Vietnam as a separate organization until January 1972. During the four and a half years of combat operations during the Vietnam War, 2,531 Ivy Division soldiers were killed in action and another 15,229 were wounded.

After Vietnam, the Division settled at Fort Carson, Colorado where it reorganized as a mechanized infantry division and remained at Carson for 25 years. It was during the Division's time at Fort Carson that it had the unofficial nickname of the "Ironhorse" Division. The 4th Infantry Division moved its colors to Fort Hood, Texas in December 1995 to become the Army's first Digitized Division under the Force XXI program. In this program the Division was thoroughly involved in the training, testing, and evaluation of 72 initiatives to include the Division's Capstone Exercise (DCX I) held at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California in April 2001 and culminating in the DCX II held at Fort Hood in October 2001.

Division elements have supported rotations to Bosnia and Kuwait as well as providing a Task Force to fight forest fires in Idaho in 2000. 4ID Soldiers supported the Winter Olympics in Utah. Since November 2001, the Division's mission was the Division Ready Brigade-prepared to deploy at a moment's notice to anywhere in the world.

The 4th Infantry Division was alerted for the Iraq War on January 19, 2003. The Division's mission was to lead an advance from Turkey into Northern Iraq. Unfortunately, the Turkish government did not give their permission for U.S. Forces to use Turkey to attack Iraq, and the Ivy Division had to reroute to the war through Kuwait. Arriving after the invasion had started, the 4th Infantry Division entered Iraq as follow-on forces in April of 2003. The 4th ID was deployed in the northern area of the Sunni Triangle near Tikrit. The Ivy Division became a major part of occupation forces during the post-war period.

In Operation Red Dawn, conducted on December 2003, the Iron Horse Division in coordination with a special unit captured the top High Value Target of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. Hussein was located about 10 miles south of Tikrit, cowering in a "spider hole." His capture has been described by news media as the number-one news story of 2003. The Division returned to the United States by April of 2004 with a most successful completion of their tour as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom I. Sadly, 81 Iron Horse soldiers gave their lives in OIF 1.

The 4th Infantry Division's second deployment to Iraq began in the fall of 2005. The Division headquarters replaced the 3rd Infantry Division, which had been directing security operations as the headquarters for Multi-National Division - Baghdad. The 4th ID assumed responsibility on January 7, 2006, for four provinces in central and southern Iraq: Baghdad, Karbala, An-Najaf, and Babil. On January 7, 2006, MND-Baghdad also assumed responsibility for training Iraqi security forces and conducting security operations in the four provinces. The 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division was assigned to conduct security operations under the command of Task Force Band of Brothers, led initially by the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). During this deployment, 229 soldiers were killed in action.

Today, the 4th Infantry Division is the most lethal, modern, and deployable heavy division in the world; it is prepared to conduct full-spectrum combat operations. The Iron Horse has earned twenty-one campaign streamers with sixteen 4th Infantry Division Soldiers presented the Congressional Medal of Honor. The Ivy Division began its third deployment to Iraq in late 2007 and is scheduled to return to the U.S. in 2009. The Division will continue its move to Fort Carson upon their return. The soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division continue to serve their country and live up to their unit's motto of "Steadfast and Loyal."

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