1917 marks the beginning of the First Infantry Division, better known as The Big Red One. General John (Blackjack) Pershing arrived in France with the first American Expeditionary Force. The fighting first lead the way for troops in World War One. The troops had a patch with the number one in red on it.
During World War One they fought battles at Cantigny,Soissons, and the Argonne Forest. The men proudly wore the patch on their left sleeve.
In World War Two, they were the first to fight in North Africa and Sicily. They were also some of the first to reach the beaches at Normandy on D-Day June 6th, 1944. They are also credited with taking the first town in Germany. The First spent nearly 6 months in action as they drove across France and into Germany. They faced bitter battles in the Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. They went through Germany and into Czechoslovakia.
They remained in Germany until 1955. They were a part of the NATO force until that time. Then in 1955 they were redeployed to Ft. Riley, Kansas.
In 1965, they were sent to Vietnam. They battled the enemy there for five years while helping the South Vietnamese. In April of 1970, they returned to Ft. Riley Kansas again. They became a dual branched division with the third brigade in West Germany.
1990 brought the Big Red One to Saudi Arabia. They quickly became part of Desert Shield/Storm. That November 12,000 troops along with 7,000 pieces of equipment was deployed for readiness. They then lead the charge into Iraq. On February 27,1991, they broke through the Iraq defenses and cut off the path of retreat by the Iraqi Army.
During those 100 hours they raced across Iraq and into Kuwait. Along the way they destroyed 11 Iraqi divisions,and over 500 tanks and 480 armored personnel carriers. They captured 11,400 prisoners of war.
From 1996 to 2000, The Big Red One helped to support and keep the peace in Kosovo. They were a part of Task Force Sabre in Macedonia at the end of this period.
In 2003 they took part in a joint effort with the 63rd Armored division that entered Iraq through Kuwait. Once again the Big Red One was involved with combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom. They returned to Germany in 2004.
The motto for the Big Red One is “no mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great.” Some great men have been a part of the Big Red One. Here are just a few. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., James F. Hollingsworth, and Bernard W. Rogers. Some Major Generals have had the opportunity to lead the Big Red One on several occasions. Some of them being Charles Sumerall, Hugh Drum, and Frank Parker.
There have been many from the Greatest Generation that have served with the Big Red One. Names like Roosevelt, George C. Marshall, Pvt. Thomas Enright, Robert R. McCormick, Ralph Huebner, and William Depuy have made big impacts on the efforts of the First division
On the fourth of July in 1917, one of General Pershing’s officers reached the grave of the famous Revolutionary War hero Lafayette. He said aloud,”Lafayette we are here.” This helped to booster the sagging spirit of the French at that time.
In mid July 1943, the Big Red One came into combat with the German General Herman Goering. With the help of both naval and land artillery, they drove Goering and his 100 Tanks into retreat.
On D-Day, General George Taylor told his troops that, ” there are two types of soldier on this beach.” “The Dead and those that are going to die.” “Now let’s get the hell otta here.” This helped to slowly get the men to advance and to undertake many acts of heroism on that day.
Down through the years and many battles, many a brave soldier has given his all for his country and the Big Red One. Too many to mention here but not forgotten. Since its beginning in 1917, the Big Red One has been a building block for freedom across the globe. That block is still in place and solid as it was in 1917. The Big Red One is 90 years old this year.
Sources:www.1id.army.mil
