A Summary History of the 1st Aviation Brigade

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"Golden Hawks"
(Original article written by Jim Broumley, 5/15/2008)

1st Aviation Brigade SSI
 

In 1965, as the U.S. Army's involvement in Vietnam grew deeper, the ubiquitous use of the helicopter in the new "frontless" war became apparent. The Army had to have the means to maintain tactical and administrative control over all of its divisional and non-divisional aviation assets in the country. It did this with the creation of the 1st Aviation Brigade, the Golden Hawks.

In April 1965 the USA Aviation Brigade (Provisional) was activated in Vietnam with the existing 13th, 14th, 52nd, and 145th Aviation Battalions reporting to it. In August it became the 12th Aviation Group. Now doubled in size, the 12th Aviation Group was used as the basis to form the 1st Aviation Brigade in March 1966.

The Brigade served in Vietnam from May 1966 until March 1973. At its peak strength, the 1st AVN BDE had over 4,000 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and 24,000 soldiers assigned. The organization became so large that the Brigade was organized into Aviation Groups. The Groups were then assigned Aviation Battalions and Companies, or Squadrons and Troops in the case of Cavalry units. The 1st Aviation Brigade was responsible for forty percent of the Army's helicopter assets and one hundred percent of its fixed-wing assets in Vietnam. In 1969, the brigade carried more than 6.5 million troops in more than 4 million sorties, flying more than 1.5 million hours to accomplish this monumental mission. Units of the Brigade performed brilliantly throughout the war and were instrumental in inventing and perfecting the art of helicopter warfare. Upon withdrawal from the Republic of South Vietnam, the Golden Hawks were sent to Fort Rucker, Alabama, to serve as a training brigade where they are still stationed today.

During the Vietnam War, the 1st Aviation Brigade and its support units constituted the largest operational aviation brigade in the Army. As such, the Golden Hawks were involved in practically every operation of note during the conflict. However, Lam Son 719 stands out because it involved heavy use of aviation assets, including the 1st Aviation Brigade. This Operation demonstrates both the successes and the failures in the use of helicopters during the, up to that date, unconventional war that was Vietnam. It is also demonstrative of the sacrifices made by the aircrews who manned them.

Operation Lam Son 719 involved a mass use of Army helicopters. The Operation took place from February 8th to March 25, 1971. Its mission was the coordinated insertion of South Vietnamese troops by air and armored units into Laos. While ground troops were strictly South Vietnamese, the United States provided logistical, aerial, and artillery support. The intent of the operation was to drive the North Vietnamese regular army out of areas of Laos contiguous to the South Vietnamese border.

As United States forces were not allowed to operate on the ground inside of Laos, the American portion of the mission was given the name Operation Dewey Canyon II. American lift helicopters ferried South Vietnamese troops into Laos. Helicopter gun-ships provided close air support for the South Vietnamese ground forces (ARVN) and destroyed an estimated 88 North Vietnamese P-76 tanks. Unfortunately, the operation was considered a failure on the ground when the South Vietnamese forces took heavy losses in their withdrawal from Laos. Combined U.S./ARVN helicopter losses totaled 108 destroyed and 618 damaged. During Lam Son 719 American helicopters had flown more than 160,000 sorties and 19 U.S. Army aviators had been killed, 59 were wounded, and 11 were missing at its conclusion. Many of the helicopters were shot down by Soviet-built 37-millimeter (mm), radar-directed, antiaircraft guns.

During Lam Son 719, Army helicopter pilots often were forced to fly in what at best could be discerned as marginal weather. Helicopters serving in the Vietnam War did not have tactical radar on board, so pilots had a difficult time flying during inclement weather. The fact that more helicopters were not lost during this operation was due, in large measure, to the flying skills and bravery of these pilots. Lam Son 719 itself incurred a great deal of controversy inside and outside of military circles as to its efficacy and results. The operation served as a lessons-learned report for the Army. None of which detracts from the hard work and courage of the aircrews who wore the Golden Hawks shoulder patch.

Today, the 1st Aviation Brigade is responsible for training aviation officers, warrant officers, and soldiers with a variety of aviation military occupational specialties (MOS). The Golden Hawks Brigade Headquarters and most subordinate units are stationed at the United States Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama. The 1st Aviation Brigade commands four distinctly different battalions, each with a unique mission to train young soldiers and officers - the 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment; the 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment; 1st Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment; and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Training Battalion at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Additionally, the 1st Aviation Brigade commands the U.S. Army's Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Level C Training Detachment. Along with its many command responsibilities, logistical support requirements, and administrative duties, the Brigade's primary mission is to train and develop future aviation warfighting leaders.

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The 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate)

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A Norwegian-American Unit formed during World War II.
(Original article written 7-14-2013 by Jim Broumley)

99th Infantry Battalion
Shoulder Patch

One of the reasons I enjoy studying and writing about WWII is that during that time the concept of "special operations" was really taking root. There are a lot of interesting stories in the histories of these types of military units. Quite a few units were conceived on paper, or actually formed and began training, to fulfill specific missions or operate in a particular theater or environment. Units like the 1st Special Service Force, Darby's Rangers, Merrill's Marauders, etc, easily come to mind. Even the airborne was initially conceived as a small unit, special operations force, according to General William Yarborough. (The general made that statement in an oral history interview that I used as a reference while researching the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion.)

Upon the United States' entry into World War II, plans for unconventional warfare operations in Norway began developing under the code name "Plough." The goals of these operational plans were to eliminate Norway as an economic asset for Germany, keep large numbers of German troops on occupation duty in Norway, limit German troops deployed in Norway the ability to attack allied convoys headed to supply the Russian port of Murmansk, to prepare for the liberation of Norway, and open a link through Norway to Russia. The unit first envisioned for this mission was the 1st Special Service Force, "the Devil's Brigade," activated on July 2, 1942. The 1st SSF began its training with skills in winter warfare like skiing and mountain climbing.

Concurrently, U.S. Army planners knew that they needed soldiers who could blend in with the local Norwegians. It was determined that the Army should recruit native speakers of Norwegian and Americans of Norwegian descent for a special unit. On July 10, 1942, the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) was activated. Many of the men who volunteered for the unit came from Minnesota and the Dakotas. There were also a number of Norwegian merchant seamen who were locked out of their home country when the Germans invaded. All the volunteers were either American citizens or were required to apply for citizenship.

The 99th Battalion began their training at Camp Ripley, Minnesota on August 15, 1942. The Battalion's first commander was Captain Harold D. Hanson. Their strength was 884 men, led by Norwegian-American officers until native Norwegians could be trained at officer candidate schools. They adopted a shoulder sleeve insignia representative of their native origins: a Viking ship on a shield utilizing the Norwegian national colors of red, white, and blue. The unit's training began with soldier skills and physical conditioning. Fort Ripley was built for summer training, so in September the 99th moved to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, at the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The local Scandinavian immigrant communities in the area made the soldiers feel at home with a number of social events.

On December 17, 1942, the 99th Infantry Battalion moved out to Camp Hale, Colorado for winter training on skis and snowshoes. When the snow melted in the spring the soldiers were trained in rock climbing and mountaineering. The 99th Battalion arguably received the best winter warfare training available to American troops at the time. President Roosevelt, known to champion special ops units of the day, reviewed the Battalion on Easter Sunday, 1943. During their nine months of training in Colorado, the unit took on the nom de guerre of the "Norwegian Avengers."

Unfortunately, in the spring of 1943, the Allied Powers decided to take the Norwegian operation away from the 1st Special Service Force and their attached 99th Infantry Battalion. It was determined that once such a large ground force was inserted into Norway that they could not be supplied or extracted if necessary. Their mission could actually be accomplished by bombers of the Royal Air Force, despite the belief by the Norwegian government that the damage caused by any of these combat operations would hurt the economy and the people of Norway more than the German occupation. However, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the CIA, had an interest in Norway (as well as every other occupied country). In June 1943, about a hundred Norwegian speakers from the 99th Battalion were recruited for OSS operational teams. Some of these men would eventually parachute into Norway with Major William Colby as part of OSS "Operation Rype."

Two months after their mission was scrubbed, the 99th Infantry Battalion was ordered overseas. In August the Battalion moved to Camp Shanks, New York. Then on September 5, they departed for Great Britain on the troopship SS Mexico. While in England the 99th continued to hone their mountaineering skills, but they also trained as armored infantry (infantry that supported tanks). The "Norwegian Avengers" became part of the great Allied army preparing to cross the channel and fight for the liberation of Europe.

The 99th Infantry Battalion landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on June 21, 1944, and by June 30th was participating in the liberation of Cherbourg. While attached to the 2nd Armored Division in mid-August, the commanding general said that the Norwegians were the only infantry unit that his tanks had trouble keeping up with. The last week of that month saw the 99th Infantry Battalion fighting to secure the bridge over the Seine River in the city of Elbeuf. This was one of only two escape routes for the Germans fleeing Normandy. By September the Battalion, still attached to the 2AD, saw heavy action along the Meuse Canal near Maastrict, Holland. October saw the 99th attached to the 30th Infantry Division and engaged in their most intense combat of the war, blocking the German retreat from Aachen by attacking the German city of Wurselen. During November and December, the Norwegians served as the U.S. 1st Army reserve against possible German airborne operations.

The day after the Germans began their offensive in the Ardennes area of Belgium, kicking off what became known as the "Battle of the Bulge," the 99th Infantry Battalion was ordered forward into a defensive position south of Malmedy. They were part of Task Force Hanson, named for their commander LTC Harold Hanson, which consisted of the 99th along with the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion and the 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion. On December 21, Task Force Hanson was attacked by Panzer Brigade 150. This German unit, commanded by SS Colonel Otto Skorzeny, was intended to operate behind Allied lines posing as Americans. They wore American uniforms and drove captured American vehicles. When their initial clandestine mission failed, they re-entered the fight as a regular armored unit. Their combat mission was to take Malmedy in order to attack the rear of the Americans who were blocking the advance of the 1st SS Panzer Corp at Elsenborn Ridge. The 99th Battalion and other units of the 30th ID stopped Skorzany's attack, inflicting heavy losses on the Germans. However, due to the accents of the Nowegian-Americans, during the Battle of the Bulge more than a few members of the 99th Infantry Battalion were detained as suspected German infiltrators.

After the fight for Malmedy, the Norwegians spent the next 31 days on the line between Malmedy and Stavelot, conducting raids and running combat patrols. When they came off the line they were moved to Tilff, Belgium for several days then on January 22, 1945, the Battalion moved by rail to Barneville, in Normandy. In France, the 99th Infantry Battalion became part of the newly created 474th Infantry Regiment (Separate). The 474th Infantry was a collection of the elements left from deactivated special-purpose units. Along with the 99th, the 474th included the 1st Special Service Force, and the surviving members of the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Ranger Battalions. Backing up the infantry was an artillery company of 105mm self-propelled cannon and the 552nd Anti-Tank Company with M-8 armored cars and light tanks.

99th Infantry Bn arrives in Norway

On February 22, 1945, the 474th Infantry was given the mission of providing security for the 12th Army Group rear area. The 474th was then attached to Patton's Third Army. The 474th was tasked with clearing out bypassed German units and demilitarizing civilian populations. In April LTC Hanson was tasked to provide guards and vehicles from his 99th Infantry Battalion to transport Nazi gold and art treasures from the Kaiseroda salt mine in Merkers, Germany to the Reichsbank in Frankfurt. The estimated value of these treasures was 2.1 billion dollars.

Two days after VE day (Victory in Europe, May 7, 1945) the 474th Infantry, including the 99th Battalion, finally received orders to go to Norway. Their mission there was to assist in the disarming and demobilization of approximately 300,000 German soldiers there. The regiment arrived in Oslo on June 8, where the 99th was quartered at Camp Smestad, a former German army camp. By August the 99th had assisted in processing and transporting nearly 100,000 military personnel back to Germany. When King Haakon returned from exile to Norway, he was greeted by an honor guard from the 99th Infantry Battalion. Consequently, the king designated the Norwegian Americans his personal honor guard unit. The 99th also took part in several large parades commemorating the Allied victory in the World War.

The 99th Infantry Battalion had received a large number of replacements due to combat losses. Nevertheless, the unit retained a strong Norwegian presence. Those men were able to take advantage of a generous leave and pass policy to look up relatives and friends with which they had no contact for five years. There was also a great deal of fraternization with the local civilian population. At least fifty new brides followed the 99th Infantry Battalion home.

On October 16, 1945, the 99th Infantry Battalion departed Oslo, Norway aboard the SS Bienville. They arrived in Boston on November 1. The 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) was demobilized at Camp Miles Standish on November 2, 1945. The Norwegian-Americans had earned five Campaign streamers for Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe. The Battalion had spent 101 days in combat, losing 52 men killed and 207 wounded, with six unaccounted for. Members of the 99th were awarded fifteen Silver Stars and twenty Bronze Stars.

The 99th Infantry Battalion was a unique unit in American military history. With the origins of the Battalion in the Scandinavian communities of Minnesota, it is not surprising that there is an exhibit honoring their service at the Minnesota Military Museum located at Camp Ripley, near Little Falls, Minnesota.

References:

99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) WWII Educational Foundation: http://www.99battalion.org

Bekke, Maj Doug (Ret), "Norwegian-Americans and the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate)," a paper for the Military Historical Society of Minnesota, accessed at: http://www.mnmilitarymuseum.org/files/5613/2261/5287/99th_Infantry_Battalion_Sep.pdf

Minnesota Military Museum Website: http://www.mnmilitarymuseum.org/

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A Summary History of the 1st Marine Division

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1st Marine Division SSI

"The Old Breed"
(Original article by Jim Broumley, 10/30/2008)

The 1st Marine Division is the largest unit on active duty in the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed "the Old Breed," or the "Blue Diamond," the 1st Marine Division is also the most decorated unit of its size in the USMC. The 1st Marine Division is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) and is stationed at Camp Pendleton in California.

The primary mission of the Blue Diamond Division is to conduct amphibious assault operations as part of the Naval Expeditionary Force (NEF) and other military force operations as part of the MEF in any operational environment as directed. The 1st Marine Division is comprised of Headquarters Battalion, the 1st, 5th, 7th, and 11th Marine Regiments, the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, the 1st and 3d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions, the 1st Tank Battalion, and 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion. These units represent a combat-ready force of more than 22,000 Marines and Sailors. As part of a Marine Expeditionary Force, the 1st Marine Division is supported by a Marine aircraft wing and other support elements.

While some of the Old Breed Regiments were in existence as early as 1911, the 1st Marine Division was activated on February 1, 1941, aboard the battleship USS Texas (BB-35). This was the first Division to be formed in U.S. Marine Corps history. Following the outbreak of World War II, the Division sailed to the Southwest Pacific. On August 7, 1942, the Blue Diamond conducted the initial assault against the Japanese-occupied islands of Guadalcanal and Tulagi. After defeating the Japanese in a six-month-long struggle, which cost over 3000 casualties, the Division moved to Australia for rest and reorganization. It was in Melbourne that the division adopted the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda" as its marching song. To this day, 1st Division Marines still ship out to this song being played.

The Guadalcanal campaign was the first major American Pacific campaign in World War II and the first time the 1st Marine Division conducted combat operations as a division. The Division's actions during this operation won it the first of three World War II Presidential Unit Citations (PUC). The division would next see action during Operation Cartwheel, the campaigns in Eastern New Guinea and New Britain. The Old Breed came ashore at the Battle of Cape Gloucester on December 26, 1943, and fought on New Britain until February 1944. The 1st Marine Division also won Presidential Unit Citations for the battles of Peleliu from September through November of 1944, and Okinawa from March through June of 1945. Three weeks after Japan surrendered, the Division was dispatched to North China for occupation duty. While in China, the Division had numerous encounters with the Chinese Communists.

At the start of the Korean War in June of 1950, the Blue Diamond, like much of America's military, found itself under strength as a result of the post-WWII drawdown of forces. Part of the 1st MarDiv, the 5th Marine Regiment, was rushed to Korea to help hold the Pusan Perimeter, while the rest of the Division prepared for their role in the new conflict. The Old Breed was picked to lead the amphibious assault known as the Inchon Landing on September 15, 1950. After landing the 1st Marine Division moved north and secured the South Korean capital of Seoul after heavy fighting with North Korean Communist forces. Later that fall as Communist China entered the war; the 1st Marine Division was attacked by seven Chinese divisions on November 27, 1950. The Old Breed fought their way out of the Chosin Reservoir while suffering over 900 killed and missing, over 3,500 wounded, and more than 6,500 non-battle casualties mostly from frostbite during the battle. The greater part of the Chinese 9th Army was rendered ineffective as they suffered an estimated 37,500 casualties trying to stop the Marines' march out of the "Frozen Chosin." These combat actions in Korea earned the 1st Marine Division its fourth, fifth, and sixth Presidential Unit Citations. The next two and one-half years saw the Division employed as a front-line unit against the Communist Forces. After the fighting had ended in July 1953, the 1st Marine Division remained in defensive positions for nearly two more years.

In 1965, 7th Marines participated in the first major engagements for American ground troops in South Vietnam, called Operations STARLITE and PIRANHA. By March of 1966, the 1st Marine Division Headquarters was established at Chu Lai. By June of that same year, the entire Division was in South Vietnam. The Blue Diamond's zone of operation was the southern two provinces of the I Corps area, Quang Tin and Quang Ngai. Between March 1966 and May 1967, the Division conducted 44 named and unnamed operations. Major engagements included Operations HASTINGS and UNION I and II. In these operations, 1st Marine Division units decisively defeated the enemy.

During the 1968 Tet Offensive, the Old Breed was involved in fierce fighting with both Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army elements. It successfully beat back and decimated every enemy assault in its area of operations, pursuing the enemy into his sanctuaries. It was during this period that Marines from the 1st and 5th Regiments fought in the Battle of Hue. The Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City is named in their honor. It is the only naval vessel named for a battle of the Vietnam War. U.S. Marine Sergeant Alfredo Gonzalez was awarded the Medal of Honor for his fearless gallantry above and beyond the call of duty at Hue. The USS Gonzalez (DDG-66), an Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer, honors the memory of this hero. It was also during this period that the 1st Marine Division earned its seventh and eighth Presidential Unit Citations.

After six hard years, the 1st Marine Division returned to Camp Pendleton, California in 1971. However, the Vietnam era chapter of their service was not over. In 1975, the Division supported the evacuation of Saigon by providing food and temporary shelter at Camp Pendleton for Vietnamese refugees as they arrived in the United States.

On August 26, 1990, the Blue Diamond Division deployed to Saudi Arabia in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. During Operation DESERT SHIELD, the 1st Marine Division served as a deterrent force to prevent further Iraqi aggression. With the start of Operation DESERT STORM on January 17, 1991, the Division conducted numerous combined arms raids against enemy forces culminating in the ground assault to liberate Kuwait on February 24, 1991. The Division fought alongside the 2nd Marine Division under I MEF and with the rest of the Coalition Forces went on the offensive. In only 100 hours of ground combat, the 1st Marine Division destroyed the enemy in its path as it led the breakthrough to Kuwait City.

During the 1990s the Old Breed was called on to serve in humanitarian relief missions as well as their primary mission of preparing for war. Immediately following the Persian Gulf War, the Division sent units to Operation SEA ANGEL, a humanitarian relief mission conducted after a devastating typhoon hit the country of Bangladesh. The 1st Marine Division also sent units to the Philippines in Operation FIERY VIGIL after the eruption of the volcano Mount Pinatubo. In December of 1992, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) supported by the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines landed in Somalia as part of Operation RESTORE HOPE to bring relief to that famine-stricken country.

In early 2003, the 1st Marine Division deployed by air and sea to link up with its advanced headquarters deployed to Kuwait under I MEF. In a high-speed attack, in conjunction with The United Kingdom's 1st Armored Division and the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division, the Marines and Sailors covered 808 kilometers in 17 days of sustained combat to complete the deepest penetrating ground operation in Marine Corps history. Attacking Baghdad alongside the 3rd ID and eventually seizing Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, the Old Breed again demonstrated the Marine Air-Ground team in action. The 1st Marine Division conducted stability operations in Baghdad, Tikrit, and then in south-central Iraq from May to October of 2003. The Division then returned home to Camp Pendleton and Twenty-nine Palms and prepared for redeployment. The Blue Diamond's actions in the invasion of Iraq earned the Division its ninth Presidential Unit Citation.

In March 2004, the 1st Marine Division relieved the 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq's Sunni Triangle and took control of the Al Anbar province. The Old Breed was the lead unit in Operation VIGILANT RESOLVE and Operation PHANTOM FURY in 2004. During Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II, the Division conducted counter-insurgency operations that culminated in Operation AL FAJR which liberated the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah and enabled the first legitimate elections to occur in Iraq. During February and March 2005, the Blue Diamond was relieved by the 2nd Marine Division, concluding the largest relief in place in the history of the Marine Corps.

As early as 2006, elements of the 1st Marine Division were once again in Iraq as the ground combat element for I MEF in the Al Anbar province. Currently, in 2008, continue to deploy in support of the Global War on Terror in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Currently, in 2008, elements of the 7th Marine Regiment are deployed in Afghanistan while the 5th Marine Regiment, the 1st Marine Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines are deployed with the Multi-National Force - West (MNF-West) in Iraq.

The Old Breed will continue to serve the Corps and their country as long as they are needed. The Marines of the Division are living up to their motto of "No better friend, no worse enemy," while participating in Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan.

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What happened at Howland Island during WWII?

If the name “Howland Island” rings a bell with you at all, it’s probably because it was the spot in the Pacific Ocean that Amelia Earhart was trying to locate during her around-the-world flight. She didn’t find it. Her plane disappeared on July 2, 1937. But something I didn’t know is that the Japanese bombed Howland Island on December 8, 1941, one day after their attack on Pearl Harbor.

Howland Island is located about 1700 miles southwest of Hawaii. It lies roughly halfway on a direct line from Hawaii to Australia, which made it a good spot to refuel in the early days of transoceanic flying. That is if you could find it. The island is only 1.4 x .55 miles, approximately one square mile in size. Howland came up on my radar when I was watching an excellent YouTube video on World War II in the Pacific. In the list of locations that the Japanese attacked on December 7-8 that we all know, (Hawaii, the Philippines, Wake, Guam, etc.) the narrator included Howland Island. Since I had not heard this before I had to look into it.

Howland Island was on sailing maps by the late 1700s. It is believed that Captain Bligh landed on the island for a short stay in 1789 after being set adrift by the mutineers of the HMS Bounty. Whalers in the early 1800s knew where it was. The United States gained possession of Howland Island in 1856, but really the island was a hazard to navigation (there were multiple shipwrecks on the island) and a place to harvest bird guano. In 1935, colonists came to the island to establish both a scientific research facility and to solidify American claims to this and other South Pacific islands. The belief was that the island would be used as part of a chain of refuel stops for commercial aircraft. In fact, WPA funds were used to build an airstrip on the island specifically for Earhart’s flight.

The Japanese attacked the island on December 8, 1941, with 14 bombers based in the Kwajalein Islands. Two colonists were killed in the attack. There was extensive damage to the airstrip. Two days later a Japanese submarine shelled the island, destroying the remaining buildings that had survived the first attack. Two times a single bomber flew over and dropped bombs on the island, even though there was nothing left to bomb. The U.S. Navy rescued the survivors on January 31, 1942. A battalion of U.S. Marines occupied Howland in September of 1943 and the island was called Howland Naval Air Station. But the war moved on and it was abandoned in May 1944.

Today, Howland is an uninhabited, unorganized, territorial possession of the United States. In 1974, a wildlife refuge was created that included Howland and 12 miles of ocean around it. Entry to the Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge is only by a special permit granted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

A Summary History of the 18th Engineer Brigade

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18th Engineer Brigade
Shoulder Patch

 "Swords Up! Stay Sharp!"
(Original Article written by Jim Broumley, 11/24/2010)

The 18th Engineer Brigade (Theater) is part of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command. The unit's headquarters was stationed at Tompkins Barracks in Schwetzingen, Germany. The brigade mission statement reads: "The 18th Engineer Brigade plans, integrates, and provides command and control of full spectrum engineer missions in support of expeditionary, joint or combined operations for the Regional Combatant Commander." In other words, soldiers of the 18th Engineer Brigade provide various forms of support to other Army units, including combat engineer support, construction, and mechanical work. The Brigade's subordinate units include the 15th Engineer Battalion, the 54th Engineer Battalion, the 60th Engineer Detachment (Geospatial), the 243rd Construction Management Team, and an Emergency Management Assessment Team. The Brigade has participated in World War II, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 18th Eng Bde has been assigned to USAREUR since 2007.

18th Engineer Brigade
Unit Crest

The 18th Engineer Brigade traces its lineage back to the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment which was constituted in the organized reserves on July 29, 1921. The 347th was ordered to active duty in the build-up for WWII on May 6, 1942, and reported to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. The Regiment deployed to England in February 1944 and entered combat in France on June 29. The 347th participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. The unit won its first Meritorious Unit Commendation in Europe during WWII. After the war, the 347th Engineers stayed on occupation duty in Germany until it was deactivated on June 1, 1946.

On June 15, 1947, the 347th Engineer Regiment was reactivated in the organized reserves and headquartered in Salt Lake, Utah. They remained there until it was again deactivated on March 16, 1949. On October 25, 1954, the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment was re-designated the 18th Engineer Brigade for the first time and activated as a Regular Army unit at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where it remained until being deactivated on March 26, 1963.

The 18th Engineer Brigade was reactivated on July 16, 1965, at Fort Bragg, N.C. and prepared for deployment to Vietnam. From September 1965 until December 1966, the U.S. Army Engineer Command, Vietnam (Provincial) was created and the 18th Engineer Brigade became responsible for engineer support in the I and II Corps Tactical Zones. The Brigade Headquarters was located at Dong Ba Thin. The Brigade's initial activities centered around the rapid development of the port facilities, ammunition dumps, base camps, and airfields necessary to support the build-up of U.S. combat forces that were rapidly deploying to Vietnam. The 18th Engineer Brigade also provided support for combat search and destroy missions. On September 20, 1971, the Brigade was inactivated. The 18th Eng Bde had remained in Vietnam for over six years and participated in fourteen campaigns. The Brigade earned four more Meritorious Unit Citations during Vietnam.

The 18th Engineer Brigade was reactivated at Karlsruhe, Germany on October 21, 1977. For the next 15 years, the Brigade served as the principal construction brigade for the United States Army Europe and Seventh Army. The Brigade performed numerous construction projects in military communities and training areas throughout USAREUR that included massive range upgrades at Grafenwoehr, and the construction of the Range 23 complex at the Wildflecken Major Training Area. The 18th Engineer Brigade was also responsible for providing topographic support to the European Theater.

In 1990 and 1991, during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the 18th Engineer Brigade provided rail and sea deployment support to the VII Corps and deployed a Combat Heavy Battalion and Topographic Company to support operations in Southwest Asia. In April 1991, the Brigade Headquarters, along with the subordinate Combat Heavy Battalion, deployed to Zakho, Iraq in support of Operation Provide Comfort and was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award for their performance during this operation. As part of the reduction of forces in Europe, the Brigade was deactivated once again on October 15, 1992.

On October 18, 2002, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army approved the USAREUR and Seventh Army Concept Plan to activate the Theater Army Engineer Brigade (TAEB), beginning the process in 2000. The 18th EN BDE (TA) was activated on January 21, 2003. In February 2003, portions of the Brigade deployed to Turkey in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The 18th EN BDE (TA) deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI as Task Force Sword in April of 2005. TF Sword was made up of over 1,800 soldiers, including engineers from Slovakia, Poland, and Korea, and was responsible for the reconstruction of the country's infrastructure and the assured mobility of Coalition Forces. After redeployment, the 18th Engineer Brigade transformed into a functional engineer brigade and began train-up for the next deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

On April 30, 2008, the 18th Engineer Brigade deployed to Tikrit, Iraq in support of OIF 08-10. The brigade planned, coordinated, and tracked force protection construction, base expansion and closure, and quality of life improvements throughout Multi-National Division-North. While on this deployment, the Brigade's rear detachment relocated to Tompkins Barracks, in Schwetzingen, Germany in May 2008. In August 2008, the Brigade relocated to Kirkuk. Then in January 2009, the Brigade received a change of mission and in February 2009 moved to Mosul to take on the mission of the Mosul Reconstruction Operations Center. On July 17, 2009, the 18th Engineer Brigade handed over responsibility of Mosul to the 130th Engineer Brigade. The 18th Engineer Brigade subsequently returned to Schwetzingen, Germany after its 15-month deployment.

The soldiers of the 18th Engineer Brigade continue to serve the country in an exemplary manner, as they always have in times of peace and war. The motto "Essayons et Edifions" emblazoned on the unit's crest is translated as "Let Us Try and Let Us Build." You can count on the 18th Engineer Brigade to do just that.

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Free Book Weekend!

"The War in Venafro" is now
available on Amazon.

We recently released the third book in The Jack Bell WWII Novels series, “The War in Venafro.” The book takes place in Naples, 1943, and the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion’s time in combat in the mountains above Venafro, Italy. While his battalion reconstitutes in Naples, Paratrooper Lieutenant Jack Bell is reunited with his cousin Nadia. The only problem is, she is now the head of an organized crime family, and she threatens to pull Jack and his friend Captain “Doc” Allen into her world to stop an American deserter from taking over. Meanwhile, Staff Sergeant Roland “Rube” Roubideaux and the rest of Jack’s platoon are preparing for their next combat operation. There’s friction between the veterans and some of the new men. When the Geronimos leave Naples to fight in the mountains above Venafro, will they be able to work together to fight a dreaded German sniper known as the Hunter?

Start the series with "The Bridge
at El Djem," for free.

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A Summary History of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

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"Brave Rifles"
(Original article written 7-7-08 by Jim Broumley)

The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, is at present the only heavy Armored Cavalry Regiment in the U.S. Army. The other two regiments that make up the "Lucky 16," the 2nd SCR and 11th ACR, have been organized as brigade combat teams. The regiment operates independently over wide areas and is a highly mobile force that can conduct reconnaissance, security, offensive, and defensive operations. It has over 320 armored vehicles (M1A1 Abrams tanks and M3A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles) and over 80 aircraft (including the AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter). The regiment has a total strength of over 4,700 soldiers. The 3rd ACR is part of the U.S. Army's contingency force and can rapidly deploy in the event of emergency situations around the world.

The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, whose nickname is the "Brave Rifles," is currently deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Their mission there is to conduct area security and counterinsurgency operations, develop a credible and capable Iraqi Security Force, and enable economic and political development in a secure and stable Iraq. The current deployment began in the fall of 2007.

The Regiment's history began on May 19, 1846, when it was formed as the "Regiment of Mounted Riflemen" at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. The Regiment was organized into the regular army for "establishing military stations on the route to Oregon" but the Mexican War diverted the Mounted Riflemen from their original mission. As fate would have it, the Regiment lost most of its horses in a storm at sea during the crossing to Mexico from New Orleans. As a result, the Regiment avoided the usual cavalry assignments of the period such as chasing guerrillas and protecting supply lines. Instead, the Regiment fought as infantry in six campaigns during the Mexican War.

It was in the Mexican War that the 3rd Cavalry Regiment earned their moniker of "Brave Rifles" and their motto of "Blood and Steel." Legend has it that as the men of the Regiment lay bloodied and exhausted from fierce fighting at Contreras, Mexico, the General of the Army, Winfield Scott approached to order them into another tough fight. As General Scott approached, each man stood at attention. The General was so overcome by their display of valor that he removed his hat, bowed, and then proclaimed, "Brave Rifles! Veterans! You have been baptized in fire and blood and have come out steel!"

At the end of the Mexican War, the Regiment returned to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, and began the grueling 2,000-mile march to the Oregon Territory to accomplish the mission for which it had originally been organized - the establishment of military outposts on the route to Oregon. In December of 1851, the regiment was ordered to Texas, and for the next four years operated against the Indian tribes living in that area. In 1856, Indian troubles in the New Mexico Territory required additional troops, and the Regiment moved further west, marching through and also garrisoning in Fort Bliss, Texas.

The beginning of the Civil War brought the reorganization of the mounted arm of the United States Army. In August of 1861, the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen was re-designated as the 3rd United States Cavalry Regiment. The 3rd Cavalry remained in New Mexico Territory as security against hostile Indians and possible Confederate incursion. Confederate forces out of Texas did start a campaign to take New Mexico and Colorado Territories early in the war. They were defeated by Union forces that included the 3rd Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of Glorieta Pass, near Santa Fe, in March of 1862. This defeat caused Confederate forces to withdraw back to Texas.

In December of 1862, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment moved to Memphis, Tennessee to join the western theater of the war. During the Civil War, the 3rd Cavalry fought in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and North Carolina, participating in the Chattanooga Campaign as part of the advance guard of Sherman's Army. After the war, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment was again sent to New Mexico to help settle the frontier and participate in the Indian Wars.

From 1866 until 1871 the 3rd U.S. Cavalry participated in operations against the Apache in New Mexico and Arizona. In late 1871 the Regiment was transferred north to the Department of the Platte, which covered an area that covered the states of Wyoming, Montana, the Dakotas and Nebraska. The Regiment participated in the Little Big Horn Campaign against the Sioux and Cheyenne. On June 17, 1876, ten companies of the 3rd Cavalry fought in the Battle of Rosebud Creek. This was the largest battle between the Army and the Indians in the history of the American West. The final surrender of Geronimo to elements of the 3rd Cavalry in 1886 signaled the end of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment's participation in the Indian Wars.

In April of 1898, the 3rd United States Cavalry found themselves assembled at Camp Thomas, Georgia as an element of a provisional cavalry division, part of the army gathering for the invasion of Cuba and the Spanish American War. During the Spanish-American War, the 3d Cavalry Regiment participated in the attacks on San Juan and Kettle Hills, placing the first American flag at the points of victory. After the war, the Regiment was ordered to the Philippines, this time for garrison duty. At the outbreak of World War I, the Regiment was transferred to Europe. Arriving in France in November 1917, the Regiment was scattered, and its squadrons operated remount depots for the duration of the war. In 1919, the Regiment returned from Europe and was stationed throughout the Eastern United States. The Regiment executed a garrison mission until the beginning of World War II. Although one historical footnote is that in July of 1932, Major George S. Patton, under the orders of Douglas MacArthur, led the 3d Cavalry against the Bonus Army during the veteran's protest in Washington D.C.

During the Second World War, the Regiment was re-designated as the 3rd Cavalry Group (Mechanized). The Cavalry Group landed in France in August 1944 and became the spearhead of the XX Corps. The Regiment was the first unit of the 3rd Army to reach the Meuse and Moselle Rivers. Troopers of the 3rd Cavalry Group were also the first elements of the 3rd Army to enter Germany. The 3d Cavalry Group was the first military unit to cross the Alps since Hannibal. The 3d Cavalry accounted for over 43,000 enemy troops killed, wounded or captured. After World War II, the Regiment returned to the United States and resumed its garrison activities. It was after WWII that the 3d Cavalry Group was re-designated the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, the name it bears today.

During the Cold War, the 3rd ACR was a major part of American military readiness. The first time the 3d Cavalry served on the Iron Curtain was in August 1955, when it replaced the 2nd Cavalry as part of the Army's Gyroscope plan that rotated entire units between Germany and the United States. The Brave Rifles rotated home in February of 1958. In 1958 the Regiment became part of the Strategic Army Corps, or STRAC, and received four streamers for superior readiness and training. In November of 1961, the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment was again deployed to Germany in response to the Soviet threat during the Berlin Crisis. The regiment remained in Germany conducting border operations until 1968 when it was re-deployed to Fort Lewis, Washington. In July of 1972, the 3d ACR moved to Fort Bliss, Texas. Here they became a major REFORGER unit and trained for the defense of West Germany in the event of a Warsaw Pact invasion.

During this time, in Nuremberg, Germany, the 2nd and 11th Cavalry Regiments began a close working relationship resulting in a tradition called the "Lucky 13." These two cavalry units trained together and often confronted one another in exercises. Lucky 13 conferences were about war and warfighting and included seminars on fielding new systems, maneuver techniques, and training. When the 3rd Cavalry joined the 2nd and 11th in the General Defense Plan of Europe, the regiments became known as the "Lucky 16." Whenever two of the Lucky 16 Regiments are in the same location the Lucky 16 convenes.

On August 7, 1990, the Regiment was alerted to move overseas in defense of Saudi Arabia. In September 1990, the Regiment arrived in country as part of the XVIII Airborne Corps and moved into defensive positions south of the Kuwaiti border. On January 22, 1991, elements of I Troop engaged in the first ground combat of the XVIII Airborne Corps. On February 22nd, F Troop led the Regiment across the berm into Iraq. In 100 hours, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment moved over 300 kilometers and left remnants of three Iraqi Republican Guard Divisions in its wake. As quickly as they deployed, the Regiment deployed back to the U.S. arriving on April 5, 1991. In April of 1996, the Regiment completed its move to its new home at Fort Carson, Colorado.

In August 1998, the Regiment was notified that it would participate in the Bosnian peacekeeping mission as part of Stabilization Force 7 (SFOR 7). When the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment deployed, beginning in February of 2000, it represented 75 percent of the American contribution to the Multinational Division North (MND-N), part of Task Force Eagle, and constituted the bulk of the American maneuver element. There were no major incidents or violent demonstrations in the Brave Rifles' area of responsibility during their deployment. All nits came home to Fort Carson by October 7, 2000.

Beginning in August 2002, the Regiment began to prepare for operations in the Central Command Area of Operations (CENTCOM AOR). The preparations included a National Training Center rotation, Warfighter exercises with III Corps and V Corps, intensive individual and collective training, weapons qualification, and lane training at Fort Carson.

The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment is now on its third tour in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror. In 2003, the Regiment was to invade Iraq from Turkey but was forced to enter Iraq from Kuwait after Turkey denied the United States permission to launch an attack from its territory. This delayed the 3d Cavalry's entry into the war. Once the Brave Rifles arrived in Iraq in late April 2003, it assumed an economy of force mission to secure and stabilize the western province of Al Anbar. This area had been bypassed during the advance to Baghdad, and the Regiment had little intelligence on what would be found there. The Regimental Area of Operations covered one-third of the country or about 140,000 square kilometers. This was the largest single operational area of any unit, including divisions, in the theater and it included the "Sunni Triangle", the part of Iraq that Saddam Hussein, his family, and the senior leaders of the Ba'ath Party called home. Al Anbar was home to 48 primary and 14 sub-tribes and it shared a 900-kilometer western border with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment became the nucleus of a Regimental Combat Team named Task Force Rifles. Task Force Rifles included 8,300 soldiers assigned. During this tour 31 cavalry troopers and 18 soldiers of units attached lost their lives. The 3d ACR rotated back to Fort Carson in March of 2004.

In less than eleven months after returning home, the Brave Rifles deployed again to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. The lead elements of the Regiment arrived in February 2005. The Regiment served from South Baghdad province to Western Ninewa Province in Northwestern Iraq. In September 2005, the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment conducted Operation Restore Rights to defeat an insurgent stronghold in the city of Tal Afar. The Third Armored Cavalry Regiment lost forty-four troopers during its deployment that ended in late February 2006.

In July 2005, the Army announced that the Regiment would re-station to Fort Hood within months of returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment officially departed Fort Carson, Colorado in July 2006.

In October of 2007, the 3rd ACR began its third tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 1st and 3rd Squadrons are deployed in the Ninawa Province: the 1st Squadron in Qayarrah, and the 3rd Squadron in Mosul. The 2nd Squadron is currently attached to 4/2 ID and serving in the Diyala Province. The 4th Squadron is serving in Baghdad.

The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment celebrated its 162nd birthday on May 19, 2008, from their deployed bases in Iraq. Under various names the Regiment has seen action during ten major conflicts: the Indian Wars, the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, World War I, World War II, the Persian Gulf War, SFOR in Bosnia, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Through it all the cavalry troopers have lived their motto of "Blood and Steel" and each time earned the Regiment's nickname of "Brave Rifles"!

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A Summary History of the 1st Infantry Division

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"The Big Red One"
(Original Article by Jim Broumley, 5/9/08)

The 1st Infantry Division, nicknamed "The Fighting First" or "The Big Red One" after its shoulder patch, is the United States Army's oldest division. They have provided continuous service to the country since their organization in 1917. The 1st Infantry Division currently consists of four brigade combat teams, a combat aviation brigade, a combat support brigade, a separate cavalry squadron, and various other attached units. They are home-based at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Upon the United States' entry into the First World War, an American Expeditionary Force for deployment to France was quickly formed. Small units that were in service along the Mexican border and at various posts throughout the country were brought together to form the First Expeditionary Division, formally organized on June 8, 1917. Members of the Division paraded through the streets of Paris on July 4th, bolstering the sagging spirits of the French people who had already suffered through almost three years of war. On July 6, 1917, the First Expeditionary Division was designated as the First Infantry Division. With the wearing of the red number one on the left shoulder, the Big Red One was born.

Two days after their designation as the 1st Infantry Division, the Big Red One suffered the first casualties of the war. The "Fighting First" led the way for American troops in World War I. They participated in battles at Cantigny, Soissons, St. Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne Forest. When the Armistice was signed, the Division was at Sedan, the farthest American penetration of the War. The 1st Infantry Division was the first to cross the Rhine into occupied Germany. During the war, the Big Red One suffered 4,411 killed in action, 17,201 wounded in action, and 1,056 soldiers missing or later dying of wounds. The Fighting First Infantry Division can boast five Medal of Honor recipients from World War I.

Unlike many units in the regular army, the 1st Infantry Division was not deactivated during the interwar period. The Big Red One returned to the United States in September of 1919 and took up peacetime status with its headquarters at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. In preparation for World War II, the Division began reorganizing and training in November of 1939. After training at Fort Benning, GA, and participation in the Louisiana Maneuvers during May of 1940, the Division was moved to Fort Devens, MA on December 6, 1941. The next day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the United States was thrust into World War again.

After further training in the United States and Great Britain, the Big Red One landed on the coast of Algeria near Oran on November 8, 1942. This landing, Operation Torch, was the first American campaign against German forces. The initial lessons of combat were expensive and the Division suffered many casualties during the following campaign in Tunisia.

Now an experienced Division, the Big Red One took part in the campaign to take Sicily, landing at Gela on July 10, 1943. At the end of the Sicilian campaign, the 1st Infantry Division returned to England to prepare for the Normandy invasion. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the 1st Infantry Division stormed ashore on Omaha Beach. After almost six months of continuous combat, the First Infantry Division had fought across France, entered Germany, and taken the city of Aachen. The Division's well-deserved rest was interrupted by the Battle of the Bulge. The Big Red One raced to the Ardennes on December 17th to help blunt the German offensive.

Before the end of WWII, the Big Red One would breach the Siegfried Line and fight across the Roer to the Rhine River. There the Division crossed the Rhine at the Remagen bridgehead. The 1st Infantry Division would continue to fight across Germany and finish the war in Czechoslovakia. During the Second World War, the Big Red One suffered 3,616 killed in action, 15,208 wounded, and another sixteen members of the Division were awarded the Medal of Honor.

During the Korean War, the Big Red One was assigned to occupation duty in Germany. Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division secured the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials and later transported seven convicted Nazi war criminals to Spandau Prison in Berlin. In 1955 the Division left Germany and relocated to Fort Riley, Kansas. However, for the next 10 years, the Division continued to send troops to supplement the Berlin Brigade, making the largest deployment of troops during the early days of the Cold War.

The Big Red One was the first divisional unit called to fight in Vietnam. The 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division deployed in July of 1965 and began combat operations within two weeks of their arrival. By the end of 1965, the Division had participated in three major operations: Hump, Bushmaster I, and Bushmaster II. 1966 saw participation in Operations Marauder, Crimp II, Rolling Stone, and Attleboro. The Division took part in the battles of Ap Tau O, Srok Dong, and Minh Thanh Road. In 1967 troops of the 1st ID were taking part in Operations Cedar Falls, Junction City, Manhattan, and Shenandoah II. On October 17, 1967, the Division suffered 58 KIA at the Battle of Ong Thanh.

During the Tet Offensive of early 1968, the Big Red One secured the massive Tan Son Nhut Airbase. In March of '68, the Division took part in Operation Quyet Thang (Resolve to Win). In April the Fighting First participated in the largest operation in the Vietnam conflict, Operation Toan Thang (Certain Victory). On September 13, 1968, the Division Commander, Major General Ware, was killed in action when his command helicopter was shot down by enemy fire. During the first half of 1969, the Division conducted reconnaissance-in-force and ambush operations. The Big Red One was also a part of the multi-divisional Operation Atlas Wedge and participated in the Battles of An Loc. The second half of 1969 saw the Division attempt to turn combat operations over to their South Vietnamese allies. However, the 1st I.D. took part in battles along Highway 13, known as "Thunder Road" until the end of the year.

In January of 1970, the Big Red One was ordered to return to Fort Riley, Kansas. During almost five years of fighting in Vietnam, the 1st Infantry Division lost 6,146 soldiers killed, 16,019 wounded in action, and 20 soldiers taken as prisoners of war. Eleven more members of the Big Red One were awarded the Medal of Honor.

After returning from Vietnam the 1st Infantry Division continued its Cold War mission of defense and deterrence by maintaining one brigade forward deployed in West Germany and the remainder of the Division participating in numerous REFORGER Exercises with our NATO allies. The 1st ID also trained for operations on desert terrain during rotations to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. This training proved crucial when the Division was alerted for deployment to Saudi Arabia on November 8, 1990.

Over a two-month period, the 1st Infantry Division deployed more than 12,000 soldiers and 7,000 pieces of equipment to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield, preparing for the impending Gulf War. On February 24, 1991, the 1st I.D. lead the armored attack for VII Corps into Iraq, starting Operation Desert Storm. The Division was responsible for the initial breach of the Iraqi defenses and consequently rolled over the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division taking 2,600 prisoners of war. During the "100-hour War," the Big Red One assaulted through 260 kilometers of enemy territory, engaged eleven Iraqi divisions, destroyed 550 tanks and 480 armored personnel carriers, and took 11,400 prisoners. By the morning of February 28th, the Division had assumed a blocking position along the "Highway of Death," preventing any enemy retreat. Perhaps due to this position, the Big Red One took nearly twice as many prisoners as any other allied unit during the Gulf War. The Division lost eighteen soldiers during the conflict.

In April of 1996, the 1st Infantry Division moved to a new home station at the German city of Wurzburg. In October of the same year, the Big Red One deployed its 2nd Brigade Combat Team to Bosnia to assume a peacekeeping mission in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. The Division deployed to the Balkans twice in 1999, first as part of Task Force Sabre in Macedonia, then in Kosovo with NATO's Task Force Falcon. This mission lasted until June of 2000, then deployed again in November of 2002.

In January 2003, elements of the 1st Infantry Division deployed to Turkey to prepare the way for the 4th Infantry Division to enter Northern Iraq through Turkey. Approximately 1,800 soldiers from the Big Red One were deployed for this logistical mission. When the Turkish government denied access through their border, this mission ended and the 4th ID entered Iraq through Kuwait.

The Fighting First had a more direct role in the invasion of Iraq by deploying the 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment to Northern Iraq. Operating in the Sunni Triangle, Task Force 1-63 conducted combat operations while helping to bring stability to the region. When Task Force 1-63 returned home to Germany in February 2004, the rest of the 1st Infantry Division deployed to Northern Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In July 2006, the 1st Infantry Division was removed from its home base in Germany and stationed back at Fort Riley, Kansas. The 2nd Brigade was slated to remain based in Schweinfurt, Germany as the only organic heavy mechanized brigade assigned to the United States European Command Area of Responsibility. In the fall of 2006, the 1st Brigade of the Big Red One deployed to Iraq as the Division continues to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In the Fall of 2007, the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade (Demon Brigade) deployed to Iraq and was placed under the command of Multinational Division - North located at COB Speicher.

The Big Red One has had many firsts since its inception in 1917. Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division are the mainstay of the Active United States Army. They have always lived up to the Division's motto of "No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great - Duty First!"

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A Summary History of the 10th Mountain Division

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"Climb to Glory"
(Original article written 5/9/08 by Jim Broumley)

The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a non-mechanized, light infantry division that is currently part of the XVIII Airborne Corps. Like the rest of the 18th Corps, the 10th Mountain is designed to be rapidly deployed anywhere in the world. The 10th Mountain Division is currently home based at Fort Drum, in upstate New York.

The specialty of the 10th Mountain Division (LI) is to fight on harsh terrain. This comes from their origins as a unit designed for winter warfare. In November of 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland. Finnish soldiers on skis humiliated the Russians depending on armor in the harsh winter conditions. Forward-thinking Americans watched these developments. They assumed that the United States would be soon drawn into the escalating World War. Charles Minot (Minnie) Dole, the president of the National Ski Patrol, knew that the U.S. Army would need mountain troops in the upcoming war. He lobbied the War Department to train troops in mountain and winter warfare. In September of 1940, Dole made a presentation to the Army Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, and convinced him to act on Dole's proposals for ski units.

On December 8, 1941, the 87th Mountain Infantry Battalion was activated at Fort Lewis, Washington. The 87th was the Army's first mountain unit and would later be expanded to a regiment. The Battalion was nicknamed "Minnie's Ski Troops" in honor of Minnie Dole. The National Ski Patrol took on the role of the recruiter for the 87th Infantry Regiment and later the Division. The 87th trained on Mount Rainier near Fort Lewis and participated in the Kiska Campaign in the Aleutian Islands. After returning home the 87th formed the core of the new 10th Mountain Division.

The Division was activated on July 15, 1943, at Camp Hale, Colorado as the 10th Light Division (Alpine). The maneuver brigades of the Division were contained in the 85th, 86th, and 87th Infantry Regiments. The Division's year of training at the 9,200-foot-high Camp Hale provided the skills necessary to fight and survive in mountain terrain and winter conditions.

On June 22, 1944, the Division moved to Camp Swift, Texas to prepare for the Louisiana maneuvers of 1944. Although those maneuvers were canceled, a period of acclimation to low altitude and hot climate was necessary to prepare for the maneuvers. On November 6, 1944, the Division was re-designated as the 10th Mountain Division and that same month the blue and white "Mountain" tab was added to the Division's shoulder patch.

The 10th Mountain Division started to arrive in Italy in late December 1944. It was one of the last Divisions to enter combat during World War II. However, after a brief training period, the 10th Mountain entered combat on January 8, 1945, near Cutigliano and Orsigna. The initial defensive actions were followed by Operation Encore which kicked off on February 18, 1945. The Division conducted attacks on the Monte Della Torraccia ridge and Monte Belvedere which constituted an approximately five-mile front. Other divisions had attempted to assault this sector three previous times, but none had any lasting success. The 10th Mountain Division cleared the sector in a few days of heavy fighting. The Germans had made seven counterattacks to retake the ground but never succeeded.

In early March the Division fought to a line north of Canolle and moved to within 15 miles of Bologna. The 10th Mountain Division maintained defensive positions for the next three weeks before starting another offensive. The Division captured Mongiorgio on April 20th, and then entered the Po Valley. The 10th Mountain Division crossed the Po River on April 23rd and reached Verona by April 25th. Here the Division met heavy resistance at Torbole and Nago. After an amphibious crossing of Lake Garda, the 10th Mountain Division secured Gargnano and Porto di Tremosine on April 30th as German resistance in Italy ended. The Germans in Italy surrendered on May 2, 1945. After serving some time on security duty and receiving the surrender of various German units, the soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division returned to the United States. The Division was deactivated on November 30, 1945.

Veterans of the 10th Mountain Division were in a large part responsible for the development of skiing into a big-name sport, national pastime, and vacation industry in the years after World War II. Former soldiers from the 10th laid out ski hills, built ski lodges, designed ski lifts, and improved ski equipment. They started ski magazines and opened ski schools. Winter resort towns of Vail, Aspen, Sugarbush, Crystal Mountain, and Whiteface Mountain are but a few of the ski areas built by 10th Mountain Division Veterans.

The Division was reactivated as the 10th Infantry Division to operate as a training division in 1948. It was deactivated again in 1958 with no service in the Korean War. It was not until Reagan's buildup of the military in the 1980s that the 10th Mountain Division was brought back to the active army. On September 11, 1984, the Army announced that Fort Drum, New York would be the new home of the 10th Light Infantry Division. The unit was officially activated on February 13, 1985, with the designation changed to 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). The 10th was the first division of any kind formed by the Army since 1975 and the first based in the Northeast United States since WWII. The Division was designed to meet a wide range of worldwide infantry-intensive contingency missions. Equipment design was oriented toward reduced size and weight for reasons of both strategic and tactical mobility.

The modern 10th Mountain Division's first deployment came in 1990 when some Division units were deployed to support Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Although the Division didn't deploy to Southwest Asia as a unit, about 1,200 10th Mountain Division soldiers did go. The largest unit to deploy was the 548th Supply and Services Battalion with almost 1,000 soldiers. The 548th supported the 24th Infantry Division (Mech) as it drove into Iraq.

After Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in August of 1992, an estimated 250,000 people were left homeless and damages were in excess of 20 billion dollars. The 10th Mountain Division deployed to assist in the recovery effort. Soldiers of the Division set up relief camps, distributed food, clothing, medical necessities, and building supplies as well as helped to rebuild homes and clear debris.

In 1993, the 10th Mountain Division was deployed to Somalia as part of Operation Restore Hope. When Task Force Ranger and the SAR team were pinned down during a raid in what later became known as the Battle of Mogadishu, 10th Mountain Division units provided infantry for the UN quick reaction force sent to rescue them. The Division had two soldiers KIA during the fighting.

The 10th Mountain Division was also deployed to Haiti and Bosnia in the 1990s. Due to the number of deployments, the 10th Mountain Division gained a reputation as the most deployed division in the army. During the 2000 presidential campaign, the readiness of the 10th Mountain Division became a political issue when then candidate George W. Bush asserted that the division was "not ready for duty". The division's low readiness was attributed to the recent redeployment of division units which had not had the time to refit for future missions.

Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, 10th Mountain units have deployed at an even greater frequency. Division units have played significant roles in Afghanistan and Iraq. Among these has been the rescue of downed Navy SEALs during "Operation Anaconda" in Afghanistan in 2001, and the successful maintenance of security of Western Baghdad during the first democratic Iraqi elections of 2004. They returned from that duty in November of 2004. The 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team returned to Iraq in 2007.

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Museum Review: The National Museum of the United States Army

The National Museum of the United States Army (NMUSA) opened in 2020. There is certainly some competition for history museums in this region, like the Gettysburg Battlefield Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. But I can’t give a higher recommendation than for the NMUSA. I’ve wanted to visit it since it was under construction. It was worth the wait.

First, I liked that the museum was focused solely on the history of the U.S. Army; the unbiased story of the men and women who have served from the first muster of militia in 1636 to our most recent deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are no controversies offered, and no political commentary is displayed. This museum is purely a celebration of the people who answered their country’s call and an educational opportunity for American military history.

When you enter the museum, I recommend that you go to the Army Theater and watch the introductory movie “Of Noble Deeds.” As one of the docents described it, “It will get you in the mode of the museum.” The theater is state-of-the-art. Surround sound and a 360-degree screen. The floor vibrated during battle scenes and I swear there was a blast of cold air blowing down from the ceiling during the segment on the Battle of the Bulge. The movie starts every fifteen minutes, so really, see the movie.

The first floor of the museum holds permanent exhibits that trace the Army’s history. There are seven galleries that each have a different theme. The theme also corresponds to a period of American history. There are plenty of pictures on the museum’s website, but they don’t do these displays justice. It is a total sensory experience of image, light, and sound. There are full-size, real vehicles like a Sherman Tank and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The displays were so lifelike (particularly the mannequins) that I was reminded of the movie “Night at the Museum.” Do they come to life at night?

If you are going to read every word on every display, you’re going to need a long day. The Special Exhibits area (traveling or temporary exhibits) is on the second floor. We had to save them for another visit, which we are planning for the near future. There is a lot to see. I won’t go over everything in the museum here. Instead, do a deep dive on the NMUSA website.

The NMUSA is located on Fort Belvoir, Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C., and Alexandria. The museum sits on an open part of the base so you do not have to stop at a gate and sign in or show a picture ID. For driving directions, Google Maps took me right to the parking lot. Their address is 1775 Liberty Drive, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060. Parking is free. Entry into the museum is free, but you are asked to secure a timed ticket on the museum’s website. Probably a good idea during the busy tourist season. When you enter the museum, you will be required to go through a screening similar to an airport. See the NMUSA website for a list of items you are prohibited from bringing into the museum.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that there is a nice cafeteria on the first floor of the museum. But if you want other food options, you’ll have to get in your car. The large, well-stocked, gift shop is also great for souvenir tee shirts and hats (I bought a cool new Army sweatshirt). My only criticism of the museum is that they could offer more books in the gift shop.

When you take a vacation to D.C., I realize that there are a lot of sites competing for your time. But if you are a student of American military history, the National Museum of the United States Army needs to be on your itinerary.