A Summary History of the 2nd Infantry Division

  View the Index of Unit Histories

 "Second to None"
(Original article by Jim Broumley, 6/10/08)

The 2nd Infantry Division's primary mission is the defense of South Korea in the event of an invasion from North Korea. The Warrior Division has approximately 17,000 soldiers who wear the Indianhead shoulder patch, prepared to finish the Korean War, which was technically never concluded. As a result, the 2nd Infantry Division is the most forward-deployed unit in the U.S. Army without being in direct combat.

The 2nd ID is the only division in the American army that has a large number of foreign soldiers assigned to it, made up partially of Korean soldiers. These South Koreans are called KATUSAs (Korean Augmentation to US Army). The program began in 1950 by agreement with South Korean President Syngman Rhee. Some 27,000 KATUSAs served with the US forces at the end of the Korean War. As of May 2006, approximately 1,100 KATUSA Soldiers serve with 2ID.

The 2nd Infantry Division was formed at Bourmont, France on October 26, 1917, during the First World War. As such the 2nd I.D. is one of the few active army units organized on foreign soil. At the time of activation, the Indianhead Division had one infantry brigade and one marine brigade assigned. During WWI the 2nd Infantry Division was commanded twice by Marine generals: Major General C.A. Doyen and Major General John A. Lejune. This was the only time in U.S. military history when an Army Division was commanded by a Marine Corps officer.

The 2nd ID spent the winter of 1917/1918 in training. Although judged to be not ready for combat by their French Army trainers, the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) needed the Warrior Division in a desperate attempt to halt a German advance toward Paris. As a result, the 2nd Infantry Division entered combat for the first time during Belleau Wood in June 1918. The Indianhead Division went on to participate in the Chateau-Thierry campaign, won victories at Soissons and Mont Blanc, and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. On 11 November 1918, the Armistice was declared, and the 2nd Infantry Division marched into Germany where it performed occupational duties until April of 1919. During WWI, the 2nd ID, including their assigned marines, had 4,478 of its soldiers killed in action. The 2nd Infantry Division was returned to the United States in July 1919.

During the Interwar years, the 2nd Infantry Division was home-based at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The Warrior Division remained there for the next 23 years, serving as an experimental unit, testing new concepts and innovations for the Army. The Indianhead Division participated in extensive training and maneuvers for the coming war. Major events included the Louisiana Maneuvers in August of 1941 and winter warfare training at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin beginning in November of 1942. The 2ID sailed from New York on October 8, 1943, en route to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and then later to Wales to train and stage for the invasion of Europe.

Operation Overlord, the invasion of France by Allied Forces, began on June 6, 1944. The Second Infantry Division landed on Omaha Beach on D-day plus one, June 7, 1944. The Division attacked across the Aure River, liberating the town of Trevieres on June 10th. The Warrior Division continued to fight through the hedgerow country of Normandy, ending their participation in the campaign by seizing the heavily defended port city of Brest on September 18, 1944.

After about a week's rest, the 2nd Infantry Division moved to defensive positions at St. Vith, Belgium on September 29, 1944. The 2nd ID entered Germany on October 3rd and was ordered on December 11, 1944, to attack and seize the Roer River dams. Having pierced the dreaded Siegfried Line, the Division was advancing when Nazi Field Marshal Gerd Von Rundstedt unleashed the powerful German offensive in the Ardennes. In mid-December the Indianhead Division was forced to withdraw to a defensive position near Elsenborn. Throughout this Battle of the Bulge, the 2nd Infantry Division held fast, preventing the enemy from seizing key roads leading to the cities of Liege and Antwerp. The 2nd Infantry Division went back on the attack on February 6, 1945. The Division reached the Rhine River on March 9th and crossed it on March 21, 1945.

Transferred from the First Army to Patton's Third Army, the Indianheads spent their last days of the war in Europe with a dash across Czechoslovakia, finally halting in the town of Pilsen on VE Day, May 8, 1945.

The 2nd Infantry Division returned to the United States through New York and arrived at Camp Swift, Texas on July 22, 1945. There the Warrior Division began to prepare for the invasion of Japan, but they were still at Camp Swift on VJ Day, September 2, 1945. From Camp Swift, the Division moved to their new home base at Fort Lewis, Washington in April of 1946. During WWII, the 2ID participated in five campaigns for a total of 303 days of combat. Six Indianhead Division soldiers were awarded Medals of Honor. The Division lost 3,031 soldiers killed in action during World War Two.

The Korean War began when the North Korean Army invaded the South on June 25, 1950. The 2nd Infantry Division was quickly alerted and arrived in Pusan, South Korea on July 23, 1950, becoming the first unit to reach Korea directly from the United States. Like all units early to arrive in Korea, the 2ID was employed piecemeal to stem the tide of the invading Communists. The entire division was committed as a unit on August 24th, relieving the 24th Infantry Division at the Naktong River Line. A sixteen-day battle began on the night of August 31, 1950, that required the Warrior Division's clerks, band, and logistics personnel to join in the fight to hold the "Pusan Perimeter."

On September 16, 1950, one day after the Inchon Landing, the 2nd Infantry Division was the first unit to break out of the Pusan Perimeter. The Indianhead Division led the Eighth Army drive to the Manchurian Border. The Division was within fifty miles of the Manchurian border when Chinese forces entered the fight, first encountering American troops on November 1, 1950. Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division were given the mission of protecting the rear and right flank of the Eighth Army as it retired to the South. Fighting around Kunu-ri cost the 2nd ID nearly one-third of its strength, but was ten times more costly to the enemy. Routes south were kept open.

The Chinese Winter Offensive was finally blunted by the 2nd ID on January 31, 1951, at Wonju. Powerful counter-offensives were repulsed in February and the United Nations front was held. Again in April and May of 1951 the 2nd Infantry Division was instrumental in stopping the communist's spring offensive, earning the Warrior Division a Presidential Unit Citation. The remainder of the Indianhead Division's participation in the Korean War was a series of alternating periods of rest and combat. The Division participated in the Battles at Bloody Ridge and Heartbreak Ridge. A ceasefire agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, ending the main hostilities of the Korean War.

On August 20, 1954, four years after its last unit arrived in Korea, the 2nd Infantry Division was alerted for redeployment to the United States. During the Korean War, 17 Warrior Division soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor. The 7,094 combat deaths of the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea are the highest total among any modern U.S. division in any war since 1900.

The 2nd Infantry Division returned to Fort Lewis, Washington, where it remained for only two years. In August of 1956, the Division was transferred to Alaska. After a brief threat of deactivation, the unit was again transferred, this time to Fort Benning, Georgia to be reorganized with the personnel and equipment of the 10th Infantry Division returning from Germany. Fort Benning remained the home of the new 2nd Infantry Division from 1958 to 1965, where they were initially assigned the mission of a training division. In March 1962 the 2ID was designated as a Strategic Army Corps (STRAC) unit. Following this designation, the Division became engaged in intensified combat training, tactical training, and field training exercises, in addition to special training designed to improve operational readiness.

As a result of the formation of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) at Fort Benning in 1965, the 2nd Infantry Division's stateside units were reassigned to the new formation and the existing 1st Cavalry Division in Korea took on the title of the 2nd Infantry Division. Thus the division formally returned to Korea in July 1965. North Korean forces were engaging in increasing border incursions and infiltration attempts and the 2nd Infantry Division was called upon to help halt these attacks. On November 2, 1966, soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment were killed in an ambush by North Korean forces. In 1967 enemy attacks in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) increased, as a result, 16 American soldiers were killed that year. North Korean probes across the DMZ continued in 1968. In 1969, four soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment were killed while on patrol.

On August 18, 1976, during a routine tree-trimming operation within the DMZ, two American officers of the Joint Security Force (Joint Security Area) were axed to death in a melee with North Korean border guards called the Axe Murder Incident. What resulted was known as Operation Paul Bunyan. The 2nd Infantry Division was chosen to support the United Nations Command response to this incident and on August 21, Task Force Brady (named after the 2d ID Commander) in support of Task Force Vierra (named after the Joint Security Area Battalion Commander), a group of Republic of Korean (ROK) soldiers, American infantry, and engineers, swept into the area and cut down the infamous "Panmunjom Tree." The 2nd Infantry Division delivered an unmistakable message to the North Koreans, as well as to the world.

Throughout the 1980s, soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division continued to patrol along the DMZ. With the end of the Cold War, 2ID Warriors left the DMZ in 1991 but remained forward deployed along the most heavily defended frontier in the world. In 1994, the death of the North Korean leader, Kim Il Sung, issued a period of increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula, now with the North threatening nuclear development. The 2nd Infantry Division is still stationed in Korea, with a number of camps near the DMZ. The Warrior Division faces a real threat. One of the largest armies in the world sits just across the DMZ. The fighting stopped in 1953, but the Korean War never officially ended.

Beginning in 1995, the 2nd Infantry Division began to change to reflect the modularization of the U.S. Army in the 21st Century. This included changing from a two maneuver-brigade formation to a structure of four Brigade Combat Teams (BCT). While the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, the Combat Aviation Brigade, Division Fires Brigade, and various support troops remain in Korea, three additional BCTs have been formed in the United States. The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team was moved from Korea to Fort Carson, Colorado after their deployment to Iraq in 2004/05, and is structured like a traditional mechanized infantry, reinforced brigade. The 3rd and 4th Brigades were re-activated at Fort Lewis, Washington, and have fielded the Stryker Armored Vehicle. These two brigades now are designated as Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCT). They bridge the gap between the heavy mechanized infantry formations and light infantry troops.

While the North Korean threat is ever-present, the Warrior Division also participates in the Global War on Terror. In August of 2004, the majority of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) of the 2nd Infantry Division was deployed to Iraq. The 2nd BCT was given strategic command to much of the sparsely populated area south and west of Fallujah. Their mission changed when major insurgent actions began to take place within the city proper. At this time, the Brigade Combat Team was refocused and given control of the eastern half of the volatile city of Ar-Ramadi. Within a few weeks of taking over operational control from the previous units, the 2nd Brigade began experiencing violent activity. The primary focus of the 2nd BCT for much of their deployment was the struggle to gain local support and to minimize casualties. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team was in action in the city of Ramadi for several historical events, but most notably the Iraqi national elections of January 2005. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team left Iraq in July of 2005. The 3rd and 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, 2nd Infantry Division are the latest Warrior Division units to be deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007.

Like all U.S. military units, the primary mission of the 2nd Infantry Division is to deter war. Should that deterrence fail, the soldiers of the Warrior Division are ready to defend "Freedom's Frontier." As in their history, the units that wear the Indianhead patch will live up to their motto of "Second to None."

  View the Index of Unit Histories

Veterans Visit National Parks for Free (and some Antietam pictures)

We visited the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland and learned that veterans get access to National Parks and other Federal Public Lands for free. Forever.

Last week (September 17^th) was the 161^st anniversary of the Battle of Antietam. We have visited many times. Antietam, located next to the small town of Sharpsburg, Maryland, is my favorite Civil War battlefield. Antietam has historical significance in that the battle has a combined casualty count of 22,727 killed, wounded, and missing. That makes Antietam (or Sharpsburg to the Confederates) the highest one-day casualty count in American military history. It was the impetus for Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which changed the Federal cause for fighting the war from preserving the Union to ending slavery. Moreover, it is an easy battlefield to view the terrain and understand the flow of the battle. Climb the observation tower. It’s worth it. And finally, the battlefield park is more than a park or a tourist attraction. It’s hallowed ground where thousands of Americans fought and died. That being said, Antietam is also a beautiful place to go for a walk and enjoy the fall weather.

I was going to talk about the battle and the remodel of the Visitor Center. Also, I wanted to point out how cool it is to visit a battlefield as near to its anniversary as possible. That way you have good odds of similar weather and you get an idea of what the foliage looked like at the time of the battle. Instead, I wanted to make sure that you are aware of the new program that allows free access to active military, veterans, and Gold Star family members.

It was time to renew my annual National Park Pass. I was thinking that I’d score on that senior discount this year (one of the few advantages of getting old). When we walked up to the counter and told the Ranger on duty what we wanted, he asked if I was a veteran. I am, I said, and so is my wife. He then went on to explain that since last November, the National Park Service has been providing free lifetime access to NPS and other Federal lands to active military, veterans, and Gold Star families. Would I like an “America the Beautiful” lifetime pass for free? Yes, please.

Here are the official rules. To get your pass you need a Veteran ID. You can obtain a digital Veteran ID from the VA’s website. (When they started producing those, I had no idea. I’ve obviously been asleep at the wheel on these things over the years.) The NPS is not supposed to accept your DD214 as proof of your veteran status. They need to see your Veteran ID. To obtain the Veteran ID you can use a copy of your DD214. Sound bureaucratic? Hey, it’s the government, and if you are a veteran then this Catch-22 logic should make you feel right at home. But it’s worth the trouble. If you have your Veteran ID, then not only can you use it to get a lifetime pass to National Parks, but there are a bunch of other perks and discounts out there for veterans (like the ten percent discount at Cabela’s). So get your Veteran ID from the VA website (links below), then go in person to any NPS site and pick up your lifetime pass.

Enjoy some pictures of the battlefield from our trip last Wednesday. If you are looking for background on the Battle of Antietam, I have “Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam” by Stephen Sears on my shelf. Get out and enjoy a historic site while the weather is nice. Maybe I’ll see you at Valley Forge next week. 😉

Link: Information on National Park Passes

Link: VA website to obtain a Veteran ID

A Summary History of the 2nd Armored Division

  View the Index of Unit Histories

"Hell On Wheels"
(Original article written 6/2/08 by Jim Broumley)

The United States Army's 2nd Armored Division, nicknamed "Hell On Wheels," is one of the most storied shoulder patches from World War II. The Second Armored Division's combat history in WWII covered three years, two continents, and ten countries. The 2nd A.D. is remembered by most Cold War veterans for its service at Fort Hood, Texas, with a reinforced brigade forward stationed in West Germany. After participating in the Persian Gulf War, the 2nd Armor Division was deactivated as part of the downsizing of the Army in the 1990s.

The 2nd Armored Division was formed on July 15, 1940, at Fort Benning, Georgia. Then Colonel George S. Patton was in charge of training the new division, and later that year was promoted to Brigadier General and took command. The 2nd AD continued training through 1941 with maneuvers in Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, and the Carolinas. Reportedly, Patton boasted during these maneuvers that the 2nd Armored Division would be "Hell on Wheels" when it met the enemy. The moniker stuck and became the Division's nickname and part of the unit shoulder sleeve insignia.

The 2nd Armored Division was organized as a "heavy" armored division that had two armored regiments of four medium tank battalions and two light tank battalions. The heavy division also maintained an "armored infantry regiment" organization. Hell On Wheels and the 3rd Armored Division kept this structure throughout the war; while the army's other 14 armored divisions were reorganized as "light" armored divisions.

The core units of 2AD were the 41st Armored Infantry Regiment, the 66th Armored Regiment, the 67th Armored Regiment, the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, the 82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and the 142nd Armored Signal Company. The 2d Armored Division Artillery was composed of the 14th, 78th, and 92nd Armored Field Artillery Battalions. However, there was a variety of attachments throughout the war.

Some elements of the 2nd Armored Division saw combat for the first time when Allied Forces landed at Casablanca, in North Africa, on November 8, 1942. However, the Division as a whole did not enter combat until the invasion of Sicily on July 10, 1943. The Hell On Wheels Division saw action at Butera, Campobello, and through to Palermo. During the fight for Sicily, the 2nd AD fought against the German's elite Hermann Göring Panzer Division. In November of 1943, the 2nd Armored Division was moved to England to train for the invasion of Europe, Operation Overlord.

The 2AD was landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-day plus 3, June 9, 1944. Hell On Wheels raced across France with the rest of the Third Army during July and August. The Division reached the Albert Canal in Belgium on September 8, 1944, and crossed the German border north of Schimmert on September 18, 1944. On October 3, 1944, the 2nd Armor attacked the Siegfried Line, breached it, and then crossed the Wurm River, seized Puffendorf on November 16th, and Barmen on November 28th. The 2d Armor Division was holding positions on the Roer River when ordered to help contain the German's Ardennes offensive, the Battle of the Bulge.

During the Battle of the Bulge, Hell On Wheels fought in eastern Belgium, blunting the German Fifth Panzer Army's penetration of American lines. The Division helped reduce the Bulge in January, fighting in the Ardennes forest in deep snow and freezing winter conditions. After a rest in February, the Division drove on across the 1,153-foot wide Rhine River on March 27, 1945, in an unprecedented seven hours while under mortar fire. On April 11, 1945, the 2nd Armored Division was the first American Division to reach the Elbe River. On orders, the Division halted on the Elbe. In July 2nd A.D. was the first American unit to enter the German capital city of Berlin.

During World War II, Hell On Wheels took 94,151 prisoners of war, liberated 22,538 Allied prisoners of war, shot down or damaged on the ground 266 enemy aircraft, and destroyed or captured uncountable thousands of enemy tanks and other equipment and supplies. 2nd Armored Division soldiers had been awarded 9,369 awards for distinguished service and bravery including two Medals of Honor, twenty-three Distinguished Service Crosses, two thousand three hundred two Silver Stars, and not to mention nearly six thousand Purple Hearts. In 238 battle days, the 2nd Armored suffered 7,348 casualties, including 1,160 killed in action. After a brief period of occupation duty, the 2nd Armored Division returned to Fort Hood, Texas in 1946.

Based at Fort Hood, the 2nd Armored Division furnished thousands of trained replacements to units serving in the Korean War. In 1951 the Hell on Wheels division returned to Germany to serve for six years in support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and then returned to Fort Hood. The 1/50 Infantry; 2/1 Cavalry; 1/40 Field Artillery; and 1/92 Field Artillery fought in the war in Vietnam, but not the Division as a whole. The main division, however, would spend much of the next 35 years at Fort Hood.

During the Cold War, the 2nd Armored Division's primary mission was to prepare to conduct heavy armored combat against Warsaw Pact forces in defense of NATO. Hell On Wheels formed a key component of the U.S. military's plan to move "ten divisions in ten days" to Europe in the event of a Soviet threat to NATO. The division practiced this task numerous times during Exercise REFORGER (Return of Forces to Germany) from 1967 to 1988. To build and maintain combat skills, the division's maneuver brigades deployed almost annually to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, to face an opposing force modeling Soviet military weapons and tactics.

In 1978 the 2nd Armored Division's 3rd Brigade deployed to the Federal Republic of Germany and was assigned to NATO's Northern Army Group (NORTHAG). The 3rd Brigade received additional aviation, engineer, military intelligence, medical, and logistics support units. Now designated as the 2nd Armored Division (Forward), the unit was based at a new military facility near the village of Garlstedt just north of the city of Bremen. The unit's primary mission in the event of conflict with the Warsaw Pact was to either secure airfields or staging areas for the deployment of III Corps from the United States or to deploy directly to the Inter-German Border (IGB) and establish a blocking position as part of a NATO combat force. However, with the end of the Cold War, the U.S. military began to draw down its combat units. The 2nd Armored Division was scheduled to be inactivated in the spring of 1990.

The invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein in August 1990 caught the division in the midst of the post-Cold War drawdown of the U.S. military. On October 10, 1990, the division began to deploy more than 5,000 soldiers to Saudi Arabia to participate in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The 2nd Armored Division's Second Brigade could not be deployed as it was in the middle of deactivating. The Division's 1st Brigade deployed to Saudi Arabia independently and participated in Operation Desert Storm by providing heavy armor for USMC forces in their attack into Kuwait. The 3rd Brigade - 2nd Armored Division (Forward) - based in Germany, conducted combat operations as the third maneuver brigade of the 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley, Kansas. On February 24, 1991, the Second Armored entered Iraqi-held Kuwait. In 100 hours Allied Forces had taken back the country of Kuwait and defeated the Iraqi Army.

Between the cease-fire and the official end of the war in April 1991, the 2nd Armored Division (Forward) took part in security operations to ensure peace in Kuwait. Hell On Wheels then redeployed to Saudi Arabia where some of its soldiers established and ran three refugee camps near Raffia, Saudi Arabia. Division relief workers processed over 22,000 Iraqi refugees between April 15 and May 10, 1991.

Desert Storm had temporarily interrupted the inactivation of the division that had begun in 1990. However, after the Persian Gulf War, the 2nd Armored Division went through a confusing series of deactivations and re-designations. The 1st Brigade returned to Fort Hood and was re-designated the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. On September 1, 1991, the 2nd Armored Division (Forward) officially became the 2nd Armored Division (-). Over the summer and fall of 1992, the 2nd Armored Division (-) was inactivated. In 1992, the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Polk, Louisiana was re-designated the 2nd Armored Division. In 1993 that unit moved to Fort Hood. In December 1995 the 2nd A.D. was again re-designated, this time as the 4th Infantry Division. This ended more than 55 years of continuous active duty for the "Hell On Wheels" Division. 

  View the Index of Unit Histories

Book R & R: Rampage by James M. Scott

This Book Recommendation and Review is for Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manilla by James M. Scott.

I don’t remember how this book has been sitting on my “to be read” shelf for so long. I do remember that I had read another book by the author (Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor) and that I enjoyed his writing style. Moreover, I admit that before reading this book I had very little knowledge about the Battle of Manila, and I wanted to know more. So I bought it. Right away I should have moved it to the top of the pile.

General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the “Tiger of Malaya,” was tasked to defend the Japanese-occupied Philippines in September 1944, just ten days before American forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur landed on Leyte. By January 1945, the Americans had landed in two places on the island of Luzon and were working to encircle Manila, the Philippine capital. Yamashita did not declare Manila an open city like MacArthur did in 1941 (to prevent the city’s destruction). He did, however, order a subordinate commander, Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi, to withdraw from the city. Iwabuchi commanded approximately 16,000 Japanese sailors and marines. Rather than leave the city, he had his troops dig in and fight to the death. During the battle, his troops also systematically destroyed the city’s business buildings, burned entire neighborhoods of civilian homes, and killed every Filipino they could find. For what became known as the “Manila Massacre,” Yamashita was charged with war crimes.

In Rampage, James M. Scott provides appropriate background on MacArthur, Yamashita, and the invasion of the Philippines in order to set the stage for the Battle of Manila. The actual fighting and tactics involved are covered in broad brush strokes. The battle primarily involved soldiers from the 1^st Cavalry Division, the 37^th Infantry Division, and the 11^th Airborne Division. Much attention is given to the rescue of the internees held at Santa Tomas University and their hardships during over three years of captivity. An even greater percentage of the book is dedicated to telling the story of war crimes committed by the Japanese Marines against Filipino civilians. Warning: The descriptions are direct quotes from survivors’ accounts and they are graphic. It is estimated that over 100,000 civilians were killed. The book concludes with the trial of General Yamashita immediately after his surrender at the end of the war.

I enjoyed the book. It was readable and paced well so that the pages kept turning. I learned some things I did not know before reading Rampage and I’m left wondering why the atrocities committed during the Manila Massacre are not better known in the United States. I recommend the book because I was entertained and educated and you can’t really ask for more from a nonfiction book. But I think it’s important to remember exactly what kind of horrible acts mankind is capable of committing. So this book is going to stay on my "read again someday" shelf next to The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang, and Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher R. Browning.

Full Disclosure: Neither the author nor the publisher provided a review copy of this book. It’s true, I only review books that I like and recommend that you read. And yep, the links to Amazon are affiliates, so I’ll get a few pennies if you choose to purchase one of the books I’ve mentioned above. Thanks!

A Summary History of the 1st Aviation Brigade

  View the Index of Unit Histories

"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.

View the Index of Unit Histories

The 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate)

 View the Index of Unit Histories

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/

 View the Index of Unit Histories

A Summary History of the 1st Marine Division

 View the Index of Unit Histories

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.

View the Index of Unit Histories

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

View the Index of Unit Histories

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.

View the Index of Unit Histories

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.

With the release of "The War in Venafro," we are once again offering a Kindle version of "The Bridge at El Djem" for free, in order to introduce the series to more readers. Do you know someone who would enjoy a fun, fast-paced action/adventure historical fiction, set during the WWII combat history of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion? Then get them started on The Jack Bell WWII Novels, for free!
Use this link to download a free copy of “The Bridge at El Djem,” available today through Tuesday (4/25):

https://amzn.to/3KVmU89

The Jack Bell WWII Novels are available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, and on Kindle Unlimited.

A Summary History of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

  View the Index of Unit Histories

"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"!

View the Index of Unit Histories