4th Brigade MP Platoon Comes Home from Afghanistan Duty A military policeman assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, greets his wife and daughter Nov. 28 after returning from a four-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Spc. Dan Balda, 4th BCT PAO) A platoon of military policemen assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, missed celebrating Thanksgiving with their loved ones by five days. Regardless of a missed holiday, the Soldiers were happy to be on United States soil Tuesday after serving a four-month rotation in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 20 MPs and two infantry Soldiers served primarily as force protection assets for Kandahar Air base, but also performed checkpoint security, said Capt. Kimberley Crichlow, the HHC company commander.

 

Marne Week Report This is a recap of the activities of Marne Week that Janet and I attended on November 20 and 21, 2007 along with several other Society members, namely Henry Burke, Jim Beckworth, MOH recipient Charles Murray, Dennis Noes, Monika Stoy and LTC Tim Stoy. SFC Paul R. Smith Education Center Building Dedication Ceremony We arrive at our hotel at about 3pm Monday and after relaxing for awhile we entered Ft. Stewart for the 5pm CG's Reception which was attended by several hundred guests and active duty personnel in casual dress. Snack and drinks were available to all. MG Lynch gave an excellent talk on the 3ID and the future course of the division. He made mention of the veterans in the audience which drew a loud appreciative response from the soldiers. He then invited the veterans on the stage to blow out the candles on a very large cake well decorated for the 3ID's 89th birthday. After everyone sung the Dogface Soldier, the vets huffed and puffed and blew all the 89 candles out. The audience then were served a piece of the delicious cake. Many in the audience stood around and enjoyed each others company and others attend the various concerts that were going on in the area. In addition throughout the entire day there were many games and other forms of entertainment for the younger children of the soldiers. Col. Charles M. Murray MOH WWII vet and OP7 member marches in the Pass and Review Ceremony On Tuesday, November 21, at 9am there was the Division Pass and Review Ceremony. After a short talk MG Lynch invited all the 3ID veterans to march in the parade behind the Division Band for a short distance and with this came a loud applause from the audience in the stands and around the area. General Lynch, along with Medal of Honor recipient COL. Charles Murray, were on the reviewing stand to observe the many Brigades of the Division pass in review. It was a very cold and windy day and the Golden Knights parachute team's performance had to be canceled, however there was a fly over by several helicopters. After the singing of the Army Song, the vets of the 15th Infantry Regiment to a lunch hosted by COL Wayne Grigsby and his Brigade of Ft. Benning. After lunch and the cutting of the cake by the Colonel and myself, he gave a short talk about the brigade and the great relation they have with the veteran of the 15th. I made a few comments about the respect that the veterans have for the active duty soldiers and to wish them well when the are deployed again to Iraq in the near future. A few more comments were made by Henry Burke about the advantages of being an Army retiree. Monika Stoy then gave a short talk on the Marne Trail project that her Outpost Europe had in France where a plaque was place in the center of each town that had been liberated by the 3ID in WW II. A plaque was shown to all the people in the audience. At 1pm we attended the dedication of Army Education Center Building to the memory of SFC Paul R. Smith where his wife Birgit Smith, his son David and his Mother were in attendance. MG Lynch's remarks were appropriate for the occasion which was followed by refreshments. Since it was mid afternoon Janet and I took off for the Marriott Savannah Riverfront Hotel where the Birthday Ball was being held at 6pm. The event started with the posting of the Colors, the National Anthem and the 3ID song, followed by the Invocation, Toasts and the remarks by MG Lynch. After dinner a Marne Video was shown and the guest speaker LTG Dan McNeill, CG US Armed Forces Command spoke to the audience with an inspiring talk about the duties and responsibilities of the soldiers that will be departing for Iraq in the near future. The Benediction was follow by the Retiring of the Colors and the Army Song. Dancing and socializing took place thereafter. Janet and Jim Tiezzi with LTC Shawn Weed at the Birthday Ball I had the opportunity to talk to MG Lynch privately about the Marne Association and he informed me that there will be a meeting of the Association before the end of the year for the election of the officers for the Outpost. He is very enthusiastic about the soldiers joining the Society and is projecting at least 6000 will become members of the Society during the next year. We discussed the thought that these soldiers will some day be the veterans that we currently are and will then be the leaders of the Society. He has a great respect for the 3ID veterans and will help in any way he can to have the Society grow in numbers. I truly believe that we are very fortunate to have this individual as the CG of the 3ID and one that honors and respects the 3ID veterans as he does. He is a down to earth sincere person and is respected by his soldiers and his peers. Respectfully submitted, Jim Tiezzi, Immediate Past President and Membership Chairman

Ninth Annual Edward. J. Herlihy Awards Banquet Saturday, November 11, 2006 6:30 PM Honoring America’s Heroes From the Greatest Generation through the Latest Generation The Audie Murphy Award For Extraordinary Service During World War II Recipients: The Doolittle Raiders Presentations Include: The Ray Davis Award For Extraordinary Service During the Korean War Recipient: Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura The Joe Ronnie Hooper Award For Extraordinary Service During the Vietnam War Recipient: Col. George “Bud” Day The Paul Ray Smith Award For Extraordinary Service During Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Recipients: SSgt. Anthony Viggiani (Afghanistan) Sgt. Timothy Connors (Iraq)   Hershey Miyamura, a 3rd ID MOH recipient, his wife Terry, myself, and my wife, Joan attended the Banquet and Conferences. It was a great event, and we met many great and heroic Americans, from WW1, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and the current conflict in the Mideast. Joe Annello Hershey receiving the General Ray Davis Award Hershey, Terry Miyamura, and Joe and Joan Annello at the Banquet Hershey, BG Ritchie Fighter Ace, Viet Nam, & Joe Annello at the service conducted at the Nat'l Cathedral, Wash. DC Jim Roberts, President of American Veterans Center, assisting Hershey & Joe at the Korean War Memorial Hershey and Colonel Day with MOH recipient SFC Paul R. Smith's widow Hershey and Colonel Bud Day

 

Wreath Laying at Arlington Natl Cemetery Nov. 11, 2006-Washington DC Marne veterans who served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam stood shoulder to shoulder with those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as Outpost 7 continued its tradition of honoring our fallen comrades by conducting impressive wreath laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day Nov 11, 2006. As hundreds of tourists looked on, Rock of the Marne Veterans, supported by a number of spouses and friends gathered at the Third Infantry Division Memorial in front of the Arlington Amphitheater. In a somewhat “rout step” formation the group marched from the front of the Arlington Amphitheater to the Third Inf Div Memorial and placed a large wreath at the base of the Memorial. Chaplain Thompson, who served as a chaplain with the 7th Inf Regt in Korea in 1952-53, presented a spiritual remembrance and invoked God’s blessing on our veterans and our armed forces. John L. Insani addressed the group with comments that today’s Veterans Day has more meaning than ever, and despite the fact that there are fewer of us than there were 35 years ago and despite the division at home about Iraq, we need to honor and support our veterans now more than ever. John noted that in addition to the 2,838 military deaths and the 21,578 wounded in Iraq (as of Nov 10) that there our troops and veterans needed our continuing support. Reading from a letter from a friend currently serving in Iraq, John noted that morale among our troops was high but they are dismayed by what they read in the press. Following the ceremony at the Third Infantry Division Memorial, we moved through a crowd of tourists to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers where, escorted by the Tomb Sgt of the Guard, we formed a cordon of twos down the steps leading to the Tomb where we placed a large wreath with blue and white flowers and a blue banner at the Tomb. TAPS was then played by a bugler from the US Army Band. Following the ceremony, our group met with a group of French veterans who had followed us in laying a wreath at the Tomb and who expressed their support in Tim & Monica Stoy’s Marne Trail Project. Tim & Monica Stoy, who have done a super job in organizing OP Europe, reported that there are many citizens in France who speak fondly of what 3rd Inf Div veterans did liberating their communities in WWII. Those communities have enquired if any veterans who fought with the 3rd in Southern France would like to return and take part in anniversary celebration ceremonies next year. The Stoys then displayed a memorial plaque similar to those which they arranged to be placed in several French cities liberated by the 3rd. Additionally, as part of their MARNE TRAIL project the Stays noted that many French Cities along the Marne Trail do not have an American Flag to display when they host anniversary liberation celebrations. Accordingly, they are now seeking donations of American flags, any size, which they can deliver to those communities.

 

Veterans Day Festivities at Fort Benning Folks in picture; L - R Col Wayne Grigsby, Jr. Commander of the Third BCT - Third Infantry Division, Bob Bailey Secretary-Treasurer OP 60, ret. Maj. John Burke, OP 60 member, and CSM Jesse Andrews, Jr. Third BCT CSM. Bob Bailey receives the Audie Murphy Achievement Award at his Outpost Veterans Day ceremony and meeting. Outpost 60 along with the Sledgehammer Soldiers of the Third BCT had a very impressive Veterans Day ceremony. Col. Wayne Grigsby, Jr. opened the ceremony by extending a big welcome to the members of the Society of the Third Infantry Division and all the veterans, their families and their guest. He also gave a very impressive report on the activities of the Third BCT from the past right up to today and what we could expect from the Sledgehammer soldiers in the future. Col. Grigsby then introduced the guest speaker ret CSM James McDonough OP 60 member. When Jim finished his remarks, he was given a standing ovation Jim is also a past President of OP 60. The placing of the wreaths followed Jim's remarks, the wreaths were put in place next to the Sledgehammer Memorial by Col. Wayne Grigsby and ret Maj John Burke. Following the ceremony, everyone had a great time looking over the fire power that was captured from Iraq and set on display by the memorial. The Brigade also had several tanks, troop carriers, guns, etc on display for all to look at and in some cases a few of the guest got an inside view. Everyone seemed to have a great time. We had 125 - 150 in attendance for the ceremony. There were no strangers at this ceremony. following this little adventure of sightseeing, lunch was being served at the Gibson Dining Hall. Following lunch, ( we had around 60-70 Outpost 60 members, their families, guest and several sledgehammer soldiers in attendance for lunch) the Outpost was recognized by receiving a certificate from National on their being the top Outpost in the recruitment for this past year. Jon Ready Outpost 60 President received the award on behalf of the membership of Outpost 60 from John Burke. Another member who had already received his award is John Burke. John received the Society Service Award at the National Reunion in Sept.. John received this award for his outstanding and dedicated service not only to the Society at National level, but at the local level and to the Sledgehammer Soldiers and their families. John has also been a big help in assisting in various ways to the OP Secretary - Treasurer also. The last award given out was to Bob Bailey, the Society's Audie Murphy Achievement Award. Bailey has proven his qualifications for the Audie Murphy Award by his dedication of service not only to the Society of the Third Infantry Division, but to the active duty Sledgehammer Soldiers of the Third BCT ( where he serves as the BCT liaison), and their families. He has assisted in family day programs while the troops were deployed. Bob currently serves the Society as its Nomination - Elections Chairman, Eastern Region Executive Committeeman, Secretary - Treasurer of Outpost 60 for the past 13 years. bob is a Life Member of OP 60 Submitted by Bob Bailey OP 60 Secretary/Treasurer

 

Marine and Army units at Hunter Army Airfield to Enrich Terminally Ill Boy’s Life Wednesday Public Affairs Office Hunter Army Airfield 685 Horace Emmet Wilson Boulevard Hunter Army Airfield, GA 31409-5517 Nov.1, 2006-Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. – A seven-year-old boy from Florida who suffers from cystic fibrosis will visit the 2nd Beach and Terminal Operations Company (BTO), a Marine Corps Reserve unit based here, Wednesday. In December 2005, the boy participated in a Make-A-Wish Foundation-sponsored event at Camp Lejeune, N.C. that made him an honorary Marine. As a spin-off of that event, which fulfilled the youngster’s lifelong dream, the 2nd BTO has invited the boy to tour their headquarters facility and to participate in a mock air assault of a notional objective. The “military operation” includes the boy being transported alongside “fellow” Marines in a UH-60L from the 3rd Infantry Division. The boy will participate in the Marine Corps Ball scheduled for Friday in Savannah’s Marriott Hotel.
Lt. Col. Alex Covert, commander, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, presents an Army beret, complete with Lt. Col. rank, to Brandon Rasnick.  Brandon holds the honorary rank of sergeant with the Marines, but for his visit with 2-3 Avn. Brandon was “promoted” to Lt. Col.	Lt. Col. Alex Covert, commander 2-3 Avn., presents a flight suit to Brandon Rasnick for his upcoming flight on an Army helicopter.  Brandon had said he always wanted to be a Marine, and he had always wanted to fly in a helicopter.  2-3 Avn., with help from the Marines, made it happen.
Brandon tries on his new flight suit, which has a nameplate with the rank of Lt. Col. and master aviator wings, before flying in a UH-60 Blackhawk.	Brandon Rasnick goes through a safety briefing before loading onto a 2-3 Avn., Combat Aviation Brigade, 3d ID UH-60 Blackhawk.  Brandon flew in the Blackhawk to a Advanced Military Operations in Urban Environment “shoot house” on Hunter Army Airfield.
Brandon Rasnick, age 7 and an honorary Sgt. in the Marine Corps, waits on a 2-3 Avn, Combat Aviation Brigade, 3d ID UH-60 Blackhawk before flying to a “shoot house” to train with the Marines.	A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 3d ID, takes off from an LZ near the “shoot house” on Hunter Army Airfield.  The squad of Marines, including Brandon Rasnick, had just assaulted the “shoot house” successfully.
Brandon Rasnick (right, foreground), watches as Marines assault the building during his visit to Hunter Army Airfield.	Marine 1st Sgt. David Devaney (right) adjusts Brandon Rasnick’s weapon during his visit to Hunter Army Airfield.
Brandon Rasnick (center) readies his weapon during reflexive fire training with the Marines on Hunter Army Airfield.	Brandon Rasnick aims his weapon during reflexive fire training with the Marines on Hunter Army Airfield.
Marine Sgt. Jose Brandon shows Brandon Rasnick how to eat a Meal Ready to Eat.	Brandon Rasnick learns how to “flexi-cuff” a prisoner during training with Marines on Hunter Army Airfield.
Thanks to SFC Thomas G. Mills, Combat Aviation Brigade, 3ID PAO for these photographs

Florida middle school named in honor of 3rd ID hero SPC Chris Erickson 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   HOLIDAY, Fla. – A year after being posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, a 3rd Infantry Division Soldier had a middle school named after him during a ceremony Aug. 25.   Soldiers from the 3rd Inf. Div., students, faculty, family and members of the local community gathered at the newly-built Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith Middle School to celebrate the NCO’s legacy.   Col. Mark McKnight, 3rd ID chief of staff, thought naming the school after Smith was a fitting honor.   “I think it’s very appropriate,” McKnight said during his remarks at the ceremony in the school’s gymnasium. “Smith wasn’t born a hero, he was developed a hero, and part of that development is your school experience. What an honor and a lasting tribute to a Medal of Honor winner to name a school in his legacy because they’ll develop Medal of Honor winners in this school. They may not earn them on the field of battle but they’ll earn them in communities, churches, and government, so I think it’s great.”     Other Soldiers in attendance agreed dedicating the school to Smith’s memory was a wonderful act by the community, although some felt that Smith was such a humble Soldier, he wouldn’t have wanted the recognition.   “I’m very glad that they did it,” said Sgt. 1st Class Glenn A. Goody, an operations sergeant with 3rd ID’s 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. “It is an honor for him to have a school that’s going to affect so many children. Sgt. 1st Class Smith wouldn’t have liked all the fuss…To him, he was doing his job.”   Smith’s widow, Birgit, agreed that her husband wouldn’t have sought the attention. “If he were here today, he would be explaining he was only doing his job,” she said. “He was a modest man who did not enjoy being in the spotlight.”       Smith earned the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 4, 2003 when his unit, the 11th Engineer Battalion, was engaged by enemy forces near Baghdad International Airport. He and his platoon were building a prisoner-of-war holding area when they were attacked by a company-sized element of Iraqis.   An excerpt from the Medal of Honor citation reads: “Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow Soldiers, Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded Soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket-propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force.”   Smith continued to fire on enemy forces, reloading the machine gun three times, before he was mortally wounded by an enemy bullet.   Those who knew Smith remember him as an NCO who demanded a lot from his Soldiers, but produced dedicated, disciplined troops as a result.     “Sgt. 1st Class Smith was one of those guys you thought of as Superman,” said Staff Sgt. Robert P. Puckett, a platoon sergeant with Co. E, 2-7 Inf., after the school ceremony. “In my opinion, there is nothing they could ever do to commemorate him, there is no dedication worthy. However, I think it’s a great thing they’re doing here. Hopefully, it will reflect on the students and the students will grow up to be good people in the world.”   The school was one of six built in Pasco County this year, and one of two named after a person, said Dr. Christopher Dunning, the middle school’s principal. Smith’s name was chosen after a recommendation to a committee because he had grown up in the area, and many people felt honored to have the school named after him.     “As with the award of the Medal of Honor, I know Paul is looking down on us and he is amazed that the Americans are making such a big deal about what he did on the battlefield three years ago,” Birgit said during the ceremony. “Without regards to his own life, he saved the lives of many Soldiers. With uncommon valor and extraordinary heroism, he always thought of his Soldiers first. This loyalty and devotion to his country was remarkable.   “The naming of the new middle school after him assures that the community where he grew up will never forget his name and the bravery he displayed at the battle at the Baghdad International Airport,” she added. “It was an important battle that had to be won so coalition forces could bring stability to a city of chaos. A city where citizens, for their entire life, never had the opportunity to make their own decisions and choices as we do here in the United States. My husband is a man worthy of being remembered.     “According to the Soldiers he commanded, he always gave 100 percent,” Birgit continued. “He expected and inspired those around him to also give 100 percent. I’m hoping students here will want to learn more about the man whose name graces this school. In doing so, I hope they find encouragement to try and emulate his character, his selflessness, his action of bravery, loyalty and devotion to a cause greater than himself, and especially his desire to inspire those around him to be better people.”   Puckett agreed Smith was a hard worker, and said it showed in the way he led his troops.   “They were always working late, they were always squaring their things away, they were always taking time away from their families to make sure they were ready to go to war, that they were ready to do their job,” he said. “But it showed, because they were a good platoon. They had good Soldiers, good leaders, and he was one of them.”     This is not the first time Smith has been honored in his hometown. The Holiday post office has been dedicated to Smith and in November 2003 the former Simulation and Training Technology Center in Orlando, Fla., was renamed in his honor.   Throughout Friday’s emotional dedication ceremony, people from all walks of life spoke of Smith and the way his memory will live on. Dunning talked about how people from the community showed the same work ethic as Smith by helping get the school ready for the beginning of the semester.     “(There was a) phenomenal reaction from the people of Holiday,” he said. “We had 100 some people show up to help the first Saturday and 80 on the second Saturday. They volunteered to help set up the classrooms – carrying materials in, setting up desks and file cabinets and book shelves.”   They finished their work in the school just in time for the first day of classes on Aug. 8 for about 850 students.   The day was also memorable for another reason: Smith’s son David began the seventh grade here.

 

FT. STEWART MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE The Ft. Stewart Memorial  Day service was well attended by representatives of various Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs), Unit Bn Colors from all 4 Brigades to include their CSMs, distinguished guests, and solders and families from the division.   It was a solemn memorial service that remembered the loss of 315 Marne men and women that sacrificed their life's to maintain freedom and democracy for us, and at the same time to provide these same freedoms to the people of IRAQ. On a positive note, the dedication of the Marne men and women has resulted in over 6500 reenlistments.   Next year, I strongly encourage local Society members  to try and attend the divisions 2007 Memorial Day event. Rock of the Marne! Dennis Noes Society Active Duty Liaison   For those of you with DSL or Broadband, you can click on the link below for a local news station clip of the event. The Society's wreath is just to the right of MG Webster. Click Here for WTOP Video

 

Dowd House Re-Dedication CAMP GREENE was named after a Revolutionary hero Nathaniel Greene The Dowd House was selected to be the Headquarters for Camp Greene where history was to be made. Three major Army Infantry Divisions were formed in this house to fight in the War to End All Wars, World War 1. Each Division the 3rd, 4th, and 41st were assembled and began to effect the history of war and our Nation, the United States of America. If it hadn’t been for the efforts of David T. Ritch in 1977 the house would have been torn down. With the history of the house and over 60,000 soldiers story’s the house was rededicated and its historic slice of our history preserved. At 10 am April 22, 2006 William W. Chandler, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Commission, welcomed the enthusiastic veterans and concerned citizens. After the Invocation, the 3rd Infantry Division Color Guard presented the Colors for the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem, played by the 3rd Infantry Division Band. Following the Anthem the band played “Dog Faced Soldier”, and the official Army song “The Army Goes Rolling Along”. Robert M. Patterson, Chairman, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Commission, led speaking of the past and future of the Dowd House. Brigadier General Karl Horst Assistant Division Commander-Maneuver, 3rd Infantry Division spoke eloquently of the past and future of the 3ID. Due to circumstances beyond their control the 41st was unable to send representation. The 41st Brigade was in training at Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, MS for deployment to Afghanistan. The Society representative had a medical emergency. Vince Coscia volunteered to read a speech supplied by the 41st Division Society and presented a framed replica of the 41st Brigade Combat Team Patch sent by Commander Colonel Cameron Crawford to be placed in the house. The 4th Infantry Division Society was well represented by its members and Bob Babcock who spoke about the 4ID both past and present with its current tour in Iraq. The 3rd Infantry Division Society speaker Henry Burke along with a large contingent of members reviewed both the Divisions and the Society’s history. After Henry’s speech he presented a plaque based on the history of the 3ID to the Dowd House. Henry Burke presenting Society Plaque to Mecklenbourg County Commissioner Following the speakers a US Army Military Academy Sword was used for the Ribbon cutting, with Brigadier General Horst, Allen L. Brooks, and Robert M. Patterson doing the honors. All present were then allowed to tour the house, view the WW 1 artifacts, photos, and enjoy snacks from recipes of the early 1900’s.   The rain by all means did not dampen the spirit of the attendees who were able to renew old friendships and develop new ones. The key to this Rededication was we were able to pay homage to our past, live in the day, and look to the future. God Bless America and to our troops serving us, and defending freedom. Vince Coscia

PRESIDENT TIEZZI VISITS WIFE OF MOH RECIPIENT PAUL R. SMITH (L-R) President Jim Tiezzi, Birgit Smith, Frank Kane On Friday, November 4, 2005, President Jim Tiezzi, accompanied by Outpost 2 Treasurer, Frank Kane and their wives, visited Mrs. Birgit Smith as previously arranged, for the purpose of presenting her with the two Society Special plaques. These plaques were announced at the banquet at the San Diego reunion and were available for review by those in attendance. (L-R) Janet Tiezzi, Birgit Smith, Jim Tiezzi The first plaque presented was the shield with the engraved photo of SFC Paul R. Smith as Medal of Honor recipient for his heroic actions. Mrs. Smith was so pleased with the picture of her husband as it was her favorite.     Jim also presented her the Society Memory Pin and pinned it on her blouse and stated that by wearing this pin, Paul would be with her always. It was a very poignant moment during the entire time we were at her home. The second plaque presented had the wording of the citation with the super imposed Medal of Honor on it. At the top was the Third Infantry Division patch. As a courtesy for our visit, she displayed the actual Medal of Honor for us to view and hold. Normally it is in safe keeping in a bank vault so we were very appreciative of her consideration in doing so.      Jim Tiezzi Holding Medal of Honor                     The First Plaque                                                         The Second Plaque The presentation of both plaques was made on behalf of the entire 3500 membership of the Society and was greatly appreciated by Mrs. Smith. She is an exceptional lady and has stood up under all her grief during the many events she was invited to over the past several months. She has attended 75 events since the presentation of the Medal of Honor by President Bush in Washington which she and her family considers it to be the most memorable occasion of all. Her courage is admirable and matches her out going personality. As a finale to our visit Jim invited her out to lunch with our group where we had continued conversations about her back ground, and her daughter Jessica and son David. She joyously told us of the thrill of recently becoming a U.S. citizen with a great sense of pride, and now being a true American. We wished her well in the future and told her that the Society was proud and honored to have had Paul as a Rock of the Marne soldier. Jim Tiezzi, National President

 

Coastal Empire honors 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers FORT STEWART, Ga.- March 25, 2006 — Gov. Sonny Perdue and leaders from the communities around Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield joined Maj. Gen. William Webster and Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division in kicking-off the Coastal Empire’s Welcome Home Celebration with a ceremony at Fort Stewart’s Marne Garden today. Local area businesses and government officials showed their appreciation for 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers from their tour of duty in Iraq during an official Welcome Home Celebration today. Dozens of food vendors, businesses, music groups and non-profit organizations lined Fort Stewart’s Donavan Field to feed and entertain an expected crowd of 14,000 Soldiers and family members. To officially start the celebration, the Green Beret Special Forces Jumping Team from Fort Bragg, N.C., performed a demonstration jump. The team then presented 3rd Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. William Webster with the American flag that flew over Camp Liberty in Baghdad during the division’s deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. Soldiers who received Silver Stars, Bronze Stars, Purple Hearts, and Army Commendation Medals for Valor for their duty in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III in 2005 stood in formation at the ceremony. Webster thanked the local communities for their support during the division’s year-long deployment. “You were always with us in spirit and prayer and we appreciate you coming together today for the official Welcome Home Ceremony for the 3rd Infantry Division,” he said. “My special thanks to the awesome families of the 3rd Infantry Division and the retirees and civilians who work on post and those who support us downtown for being here today and their continued support to allow us to honor these Soldiers on the field and the rest of the Soldiers who could not be here today.” Webster briefly outlined the successes that his division, as part of Task Force Baghdad, accomplished in Iraq. “We left Iraq in better condition than it was when we arrived,” he said. “When we arrived, there was one Iraqi Army battalion, now there are over 22 battalions.” After the demonstration, other distinguished guests took time to thank the Soldiers and their families for their service, as well as the local community for its continuing support of the division. “You do it as a free choice to place yourselves in harm’s way for the benefit of others,” Hinesville Mayor Thomas J. Ratcliffe told the gathered Soldiers. “We want you to know that we’re grateful for that sacrifice. This is but a token of our appreciation.” Gov. Sonny Purdue also expressed how thankful he and the people of Georgia were for the 3rd Inf. Div. troops. “We’re proud of our Soldiers and proud to claim to the 3rd Inf. Div. as Georgia’s own,” Purdue said. “By your actions, you have made our country and our families safer.” The Welcome Home Celebration featured carnival rides, games, the Budweiser Clydesdales, a petting zoo and free food for Soldiers and their families. Live entertainment was provided throughout the day by local musicians, culminating with a concert by comedian Jeff Foxworthy and country-western singer Chely Wright. Throughout the day, Soldiers basked in the glow of a sunny afternoon and the warmth of the local area residents.  “It’s great—we’ve got a lot of people volunteering their own time and donating food,” said Sgt. Denny Montanez, who served with the now-deactivated 94th Maintenance Company. “It’s good for us to feel the appreciation. They took very good care of us while we over there.”

 

Hershey Miyamura, MOH Korea Monument Dedication Reported by: Carl Miyagishima, FBA Hershey Miyamura (Outpost 15) is a life long resident of Gallup, NM. But he’s also a quiet hero and recipient of the nation’s highest honor: the Medal of Honor. The citation for Hershey’s award describes how he single handedly held off the enemy to save his men on 24 April 1951 while serving as a machine-gun squad leader with Company H, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was captured by the Chinese enemy and endured 28 months as a prisoner of war. Last 19 Aug 2006, on a cool and overcast afternoon that included a brief shower, a dedication ceremony was held in Gallup, NM for the unveiling of a monument to Medal of Honor recipient Hershey Miyamura. The monument is part of 12 ten foot pillars, a project of the Gallup Veterans Committee to honor the City’s veterans. The monuments are located in the downtown civic center complex in front of the McKinley County courthouse. Pillars from the front facing the courthouse include tributes to KIA, MIA, POW and Veterans (pillars 1 to 4), WWI and WWII (pillars 5 and 6), New Mexico National Guard captured at Bataan and Navajo Code Talkers (pillars 7 and 8), Korean War Vets and Miyamura (pillars 9 and 10) and veterans from Vietnam and current Gulf Wars from Desert Storm to Operation Iraqi Freedom (pillars 11 and 12). The glassed paneled pillars for each war era include the names of local veterans who served. Hershey Miyamura at the Gallup, NM Monument Photo by Bacon Sakatani, photographer and member of the Japanese American Korean War Veterans in Los Angeles There is night illumination for the pillars at the base. The west-to-east thoroughfares bisecting Gallup are Interstate 40, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe main railway and historic Route 66. Throughout the ceremony the ubiquitous train whistles and hourly chimes were heard. An audience of around 300 people included area dignitaries, Miyamura’s family and friends, Gallup residents and Korean War Veterans from the Los Angeles area. Two special friends who attended were platoon-mates Joe Annello (Outpost 88) and Eugene Ramos, who were also captured by the Chinese Communists on the same night as Miyamura in April 1951. During his acknowledgment speech, Miyamura mentioned that as a kid growing up in Gallup, the city was a racial melting pot of people who came to work in the coal mines just north of the town. He commended the city for standing up for the Japanese residents at the start of the Second World War by petitioning the Federal government not to relocate them into camp. After the unveiling ceremony, Hershey Miyamura was greeted by a long line of well wishers. The dedication was a memorable event and the monument a long awaited tribute.

 

Veterans Day Wreath Laying Ceremony Nov. 11, 2005 Outpost 7 continued its tradition of honoring our fallen comrades by conducting impressive wreath laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day Nov 11,2005.  As hundreds of tourists looked on, Rock of the Marne Veterans, supported by a number of spouses and friends gathered at the Third Infantry Division Memorial in front of the Arlington Amphitheater. Attendees included two active duty Marne Officers who recently served with the Third in Operation Iraqi Freedom: Mike Birmingham and Larry Burris. Also in attendance were: Gen “Dutch” Kerwin, Chaplain (Ret BG) Parker Thompson, George and Phyllis Cox, Harold Davis, Mr. and Mrs. John Everton, Arnold Fieldman, Dennis & Steve Hannan, Ray and Martha Hergenreder with daughter “Cate” (Retired USAF Col) Bacon, Lauren Lampert, John and   Richard Maniscalco, Mr. and Mrs. George Mitchell Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Werner Michel, George Autism and Mrs. Sherman Pratt, Hedy Werth, and John L. Insani.       In a somewhat “rout step” formation the group marched from the front of the Arlington Amphitheater to the Third Inf Div Memorial and placed a large wreath at the base of the  Memorial. John L. Insani addressed the group with comments that despite the heartbreaking and pessimistic press reports about our war dead and the sorrowful articles about the many vets who have been fearfully wounded and maimed, this was not a day of pity but rather a day of honor. A day to honor those who did their duty, and a day to honor the living vets who currently number: WW I 50, WW II 3.5 million, Korea 3.2 million, Vietnam 8 million, Desert Storm & Desert Shield 625,000 and Iraq/Afghanistan 423,000.       Chaplain Thompson, who served as a chaplain with the 7th Inf Regt in Korea in 1952-53, presented a spiritual remembrance and invoked God’s blessing on our veterans and our armed forces. Chaplain Thompson was followed by George Mitchell Sr. who spoke as a devoted parent about his son George Mitchell Jr. who was recently fatally wounded while serving with the 3d Inf Div in Iraq. He displayed photos of his son in Iraq and described the circumstances surrounding his son’s death. He stressed that the pessimistic press reports in the US contrasted sharply with the actual situation in Iraq. That is, troops in Iraq were much more optimistic and were doing much more good than what was being reported back home.         Following the ceremony at the Third Infantry Division Memorial, the veterans moved to the tomb of the Unknown Soldiers where they formed a cordon of twos down the steps leading to the Tomb where a large wreath with blue and white flowers and a blue banner was placed at the Tomb. TAPS was then played by a bugler from the US Army Band. Outpost 7-Washington D.C.

 

Tree Dedication-Warriors Walk November 17, 2005
I just returned from Ft. Stewart where the Tree Dedication took place for 26 of our Marnemen. The 26 honored Marnemen consisted of not only active duty 3rd ID soldiers, but solders from attached units from:  •   California National Guard (NG) - 184th Infantry, 40th Inf Division  •   Illinois NG - 2/130 Inf BN..  •   Tenn. NG, 3, 278 AR BN.,  •   Georgia NG, 878 Eng, 48th Brigade  •   Arizona - 860th MP Company As you can see, the 3rd is definitely an all American division. With the division scheduled to rotate back to home station in March; we should see an end to the tree ceremonies...let's hope. I included a few pictures of Warrior Walk long with I believe is a new OP2 members son's dedicated tree. ROTM, Dennis R. Noes 3ID Society Active Duty Liaison

 

Tree Dedication Ceremony October 20, 2005  3ID Tree Dedication Ceremony at Fort Stewart, Georgia

FORT STEWART – A memorial tree dedication ceremony at Warrior’s Walk Thursday, October 20 will honor 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers who have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Soldiers attached to the 3rd Infantry Division at the time of their death. The ceremony will be at Cottrell Field here at 10 a.m. The ceremony will honor the following Soldiers: 1st Lieutenant Carlos J. Diaz, Engineer Company, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga. 1st Sergeant Alan N. Gifford, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Sergeant First Class Robert L. Hollar, Jr., Echo Troop, 108th Cavalry, 48th Brigade Combat Team, Griffin, Ga. (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant First Class Lawrence E. Morrison, Alpha Company, 490th Civil Affairs, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Fort Sill, OK (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant First Class Lonnie J. Parson, Alpha Troop, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Staff Sergeant George R. Draughn, Jr., Echo Troop, 108th Cavalry, 48th Brigade Combat Team, Griffin, Ga. (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Staff Sergeant Jude R. Jonaus, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Division Support Brigade, Fort Stewart, Ga. Staff Sergeant Victoir P. Lieurance, Howitzer Battery, 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Spartan, Tenn. (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Staff Sergeant Paul C. Neubauer, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry, California Army National Guard (Fuller, Calif.), (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Staff Sergeant Alfredo B. Silva, 1st Detachment, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery, Modesto, Calif. (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant Kurtis D. Arcala, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Sergeant Matthew C. Bohling, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Sergeant Jeremy M. Campbell, 108th Military Police Company, 16th Military Police Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C. (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant Andrew J. Derrick, 411th Military Police, Fort Hood, Texas (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant Matthew L. Deckard, Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Sergeant Joseph D. Hunt, Howitzer Battery, 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Spartan, Tenn. (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant Monta S. Ruth, Echo Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga. Sergeant Mike T. Sonoda, Jr., Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry, California Army National Guard (Fullerton, Calif.), (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant Franklin R. Vilorio, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Corporal Luke C. Williams, Alpha Troop, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Specialist David H. Ford, IV., Charlie Company, 4th Battalion 64th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Specialist Hatim S. Kathiria, Delta Company, 703rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. There is a quote from the introduction of the book called Shrapnel of the Heart by Laura Palmer that may explain the photos and the mood of the day of the ceremony here at Ft. Stewart. "...I don't know if their deaths were a waste, but I know most assuredly that their lives were not. They mattered passionately to the people who loved them, and that has never changed...It is by peering through the wretched gloom of their deaths that we see the magnificence of the love that still binds them to the living..." Contributed by Vicki Hester

 

Tree Dedication Ceremony

September 15, 2005.  3ID Tree Dedication Ceremony at Fort Stewart, Georgia   There were Forty Three (43) Honorees.  Ten (10) Assigned to 3ID, and Thirty Three (33) Attached to 3ID in Iraq. Below is a list of Third Infantry Division Soldiers in grateful Memory of those who have sacrificed their lives for us. Sergeant Christopher J. Taylor of Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion 41th FA Specialist Adam J. Harting of Alpha Company, 3d Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment Specialist Edward L. Myers of Bravo Company, 3d Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment Specialist Migual Carrasquillo of Howitzer Battery, 1st Battalion, 76th FA 1st Lieutenant Davis L. Giaimo of Delta Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Inf. Regiment Specialist Rusty W. Bell of Alpha Company, 603d Aviation Support Battalion Staff Sergeant Jeremy W. Doyle of Hq & Hq. Company 3d Battalion, 69th Armor Sergeant Nathan K. Bouchard of Hq & Hq. Company 3d Battalion, 69th Armor Private First Class Timothy J. Seamans of Hq & Hq. Company 3d Battalion, 69th Armor Specialist Ray M. Fuhrmann, II of Hq & Hq. Company 3d Battalion, 69th Armor "ROCK OF THE MARNE" Jerry Cunningham

Fort Stewart Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005 Sgt. Harold Pinkava removes the cover from Sgt. Arthur R. McGill's granite memorial, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, at Fort Stewart, Ga., during a tree dedication ceremony along Warriors' Walk to honor soldiers recently killed in action in Iraq. At least 53 soldiers of the Fort Stewart-based 3rd Infantry have died since the division returned to Iraq in February, surpassing the 42 deaths it suffered during the 2003 invasion of Baghdad. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton) Photo Credit: AP Photo  Click here for full AP story. FORT STEWART August 16, 2005– A memorial tree dedication ceremony at Warrior’s Walk Thursday, August 18 will honor 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers who have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Soldiers attached to the 3rd Infantry Division at the time of their death. The ceremony will be at Cottrell Field here at 9 a.m. The ceremony will honor the following Soldiers: Chief Warrant Officer 4 Keith R. Mariotti, Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Steven E. Shepard, Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. 2nd Lieutenant Matthew S. Contu, 64th Military Police Company, 720 Military Police Battalion (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant First Class Christopher W. Phelps, India Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Staff Sergeant Scottie L. Bright, Howitzer Battery, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Staff Sergeant Chad M. Mercer, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Staff Sergeant Jorge L. Pena-Romero, Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant Arnold Duplantier, II, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant Arthur R. McGill, Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Sergeant Timothy J. Sutton, Tank Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Sergeant Joseph M. Tackett, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Corporal Lyle J. Cambridge, Howitzer Battery, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Specialist Charles A. Kaufman, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Specialist Rafael A. Carrillo, Jr., Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Specialist Jared D. Hartley, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 125th Forward Support Battalion (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Specialist Timothy J. Hines, Jr., 64th Military Police Company (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Specialist David L. Rice, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Specialist Ronnie D. Williams, Kilo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (attached to 3rd Infantry Division) Specialist Benyahmin B. Yahudah, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Private First Class Anthony M. Mazzarell, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 13th Armor Regiment (attached to 3rd Infantry Division)

 

March 16, 2005 Tree Dedication, Warriors Walk-Ft. Stewart, Georgia Attending the tree Dedication for March 16, 2005 representing the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division was Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Cunningham. These were the troopers that were honored: Cpt Joe Lusk-------------HHC, 3-3 Avn SSG Steven Bayow------B CO, 2-7 Inf SGT Daniel Torres------B CO, 2-7 Inf. SGT Renee Knox, Jr.----C BTRY, 5-7 CAV SGT Dakotah Gooding--C BTRY, 5-7 CAV SSG Chad Lake------------C BTRY, 5-7 CAV SPC David Brangman----A CO, 3-69 ARMOR SFC David Salie------------B CO, 2-69 Armor SPC Justin Carter-----------E CO, 1-15 Inf. CPL Jacob Palmatier------1-30 Inf.

 

Outpost Europe #5845 Veterans Day at Sicily-Rome American Military Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy  Tim and Monika Stoy with Joe Bevilaqua Click Here for Outpost Europe 5845 News for complete story

 

Place John Shirley Dedicated in Bennwihr, France John’s address after the unveiling Saturday, 14 May 2005 was a great day in the life of John Shirley and in the life of the Alsatian village of Bennwihr, France. 60 years ago, John had the experience of being wounded, being taken prisoner, and escaping all in the space of four hours. 60 years later Place John Shirley was dedicated in the presence of numerous regional and local dignitaries, the Mayors of Mittelwihr and Bennwihr, the villagers, children, and many guests. It was a marvelous ceremony, with John and the Mayor unveiling the sign and a brass plaque to much applause. School children even sang a special song for John. The genesis for Bennwihr’s project came after the very successful 3ID veterans visit to Bennwihr last August as a part of their European tour and the service commemorating the village’s liberation on 24 December at which Tim and I represented the Regiment and Division. At that time we approached Mayor Fuchs with the idea of emplacing a sign in Bennwihr that prominently displays the Marne patch. We suggested the village honor the 3ID or possibly Gus Kefurt, a CMH recipient. He very much liked the idea, but wanted to name a place after a living veteran so that the children could touch and hear living history. John has visited Bennwihr numerous times over the years, and he so impressed the villagers with his friendly manner and his very interesting relationship to the village, that the Mayor decided to name the square in front of the fire station, just below the school, in John’s honor. It is the Mayor’s fervent hope that these children will long remember John, and the event on 14 May, and pass these on to their children someday so that the memory of what American soldiers did for the village 60 years ago does not die. Both John and the Mayor stressed this in their respective addresses. Following the dedication ceremony, the dignitaries moved to the village’s war monument and laid a wreath in honor of the fallen. The village band played the national anthems and French taps. The Rock of the Marne Association led by Chris Viller was present with a color guard, proudly displaying the national colors and our beloved Marne Division flag. They looked superb. Thanks to the local historians, chaired by Mrs. Wagner, the village held an exhibition reflecting the destruction and reconstruction of the village. Later that afternoon we met John in Holtzwihr, where the Mayor showed him the sign with the Marne patch prominently displayed that had been emplaced in January marking the village’s liberation. Holtzwihr Place de la Liberation with L-R : LTC Mike Donovan, Monika Stoy, Mayor Gerber, John Shirley, Patrick Baumann (local historian), Tim Stoy A Two Day Visit John’s visit to Bennwihr actually lasted two days with John arriving on 13 May. In the afternoon he joined a group of villagers who had been in the village as children in December 1944. Although they had all been evacuated from the village by 15 December and did not return until March 1945, they had memories of the early fighting of the 36th Division in Bennwihr to share. They also were able to provide detailed descriptions of the terrible destruction of the village, of the conditions they had to live in for a period of ten years after the war as the village was rebuilt, and were able to relate many interesting stories and facts. After this roundtable discussion, we went on a terrain walk to find the location of John’s action from December 1944. Using the collective memory of the villagers and John’s vivid memory of the fighting, the group found the courtyard where John and the members of his squad had been trapped by a German tank in the basement of the house which once stood there. The same family still lives there and confirmed those details John had in his memory. Much different from 60 years ago! The group then backtracked through the upper part of the village along the route John’s platoon had followed in its attack on Bennwihr. The walk ended at the Bouxhof, which is a former convent and at the time of the fighting in December 1944 was a winery where John’s company had spent several days before launching its attack on Bennwihr. The proprietress of the Bouxhof, Mrs. Edel, was kind enough to allow the group into the wine cellar, and offered a very tasty sampling of her wines. Mrs. Wagner, Mrs. Edel, Monika and TimStoy, John, Pascal Mitchy While we were in Bennwihr we also delivered the third batch of English language books to Mrs Selz, the town librarian, in our continuing project to establish Marne Bookshelves in the villages the division liberated. During our visit, much to our surprise, we discovered a street named in honor of the Commander of the 3d Battalion, 15th Infantry during the fighting in December 1944, Major O’Connell. The older villagers state that the street naming had to have come in the mid 1950s during the village’s reconstruction, but the local historian could not tell us when, why, or how it occurred. This remains a mystery to be solved. On Saturday morning, before the ceremony started at 1100, John met another group of villagers at 0930 to further talk about the village before, during and after the war. Again, these were all people who had been children at the time of the fighting. The discussion was very, very interesting. Afterward, concluding in his own words John said, " It is hard to imagine how they can appreciate their liberation with their village completely destroyed and 20 civilians killed by our fire and another 15 dead from exposure, heart problems, stress, etc. The fact they are grateful for the liberation is a commentary on how much they disliked the German annexation and occupation of Alsace." Our heartiest congratulations go out to John and to the village of Bennwihr. We owe a big thank you to Mayor Fuchs for adding another visible mark on the trail of the 3d Infantry Division through France. Rock of the Marne, and a hearty Can Do! More photos click on http://www.warfoto.com/3rdsocietyphotos3.htm

 

Memorial Day by Children of FRANCE AMERICAN CEMETERY of DINOZE (EPINAL, France) May 25 2005
Last September 12, 2004, the citizen of Saulx de Vesoul (East of France) dedicated a plaque for the memory of the soldiers of the Third Infantry Division US killed in action during the liberation of their city (September 13 1944). Jean-Claude Lachat, first deputy mayor of Saulx de Vesoul was the responsible of this project… In his team there were others deputies mayor of Saulx de Vesoul, some responsibles of French patriotic associations, but also a member of the French association “Rock of the Marne” (Eric Vandroux from Vesoul, in charge to coordinate with veterans of the Third Infantry Division, American administration and US Army, Vesoul City). During the ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Stoy and Captain Monika Stoy represented US Army, the Third Infantry Division US.But after this commemoration, for the citizen of Saulx de Vesoul the work for memory was not finished.
Several great projects ! But one of them was to organize a visit of the US Cemetery of Dinoze (near Epinal, East of France) by the children of Saulx de Vesoul, last may 25 2005. We wanted a “MEMORIAL DAY by CHILDREN OF FRANCE” ! This day, 18 young boys and girls,  9 to 11 years old were there ! With them, teachers of Saulx de Vesoul, representatives of French Patriotic associations (Rhin et Danube, Union National des Combattants, Souvenir Français) of Vesoul, Saulx de Vesoul and Lure areas,  French veterans and some parents of these children…A deputy mayor of Fremifontaine (near Epinal, Vosges mountains), and Jean-Marie Siret (Frémifontaine too) were there too…Jean-Marie Siret is  member on good standing for life in the 180th Infantry association  of the 45th Infantry Division.These two last persons represented not only Fremifontaine, but also the GI’s of this division who delivered Fremifontaine. They helped us for the organisation of this special day…
Then, at the Museum room of the Memorial, at the bottom of the  large colored glass mosaic map depicting American and Allied military operations, the veterans and the representatives of  French Patriotic Associations explained World War Two to the children. Great emotion for the veterans… And the children were very interested…  Then, walk among the graves… We wanted to honor the KIA of the US Divisions who delivered our area and Vosges Mountains area… The same… For this reason, we choose several graves among the 3rd, 36th, 45th, 70th Infantry Divisions US, US Air Force, and one unknown soldier… Why the 70th Infantry Division too ? A lot of reasons…But the most important is that we have a lot of good friends among them… Great men too !  Each time, near each grave, there were the flag holders, the veterans and representatives of French Patriotic Associations, and of course the children… Each time, a small ceremony…. Each time a little boy or girl of FRANCE laid a rose of France at the bottom of the grave of the American brave… Each time, a thought for this brave…   3 roses were offered on the wall of the Court of Honor… For the memory of these 424 Missing in Action.  50 roses were offered on 47 graves… A gift from the citizen of Vesoul and Saulx de Vesoul… On each rose, a ribbon ! The colors of these ribbons : BLUE     WHITE     RED    ! The colors of the flag of France ! The colors of the flag of USA ! The colors of the democracy ! The colors of freedom ! The colors of the country of the child who offered this rose to this American brave…For his memory… The colors of  the country of this American brave who gave his life for this little child of France, for freedom… But also the colors of the country of these French veterans who wanted to honor theirs American comrades in arms…  But of course, we couldn’t offer a rose to each of the 5255 braves who are buried in this cemetery… But during this special day, everybody had a thought to all of them… We don’t want to forget them !  There will be others “Memorial Days  by Children of France”… We, French people, will work for that !
A great thank to Mr Robert T. Cavaness, Superintendant, to Mr Wilfred J. St. Pierre Assistant Superintendent and Mr Dominique Jeambois, guide of the Dinoze American Cemetery…They helped us in our project… Thanks to them, our day was a great day…God Bless America ! Eric Vandroux Coordinator and public relation for this project
The Graves Decorated…  Gus J. Kefurt                                S. Sgt                 15 Inf                        3rd DIV  Medal of  Honor Charles E. Kleber                         Pvt                     15 Inf                        3rd DIV John E. Lavelle                             Tec 5                 15 Inf                        3rd DIV Ned W. Thompson                        Pfc                     15 Inf                        3rd DIV Stanley C. Banek                          S. Sgt                15 Inf                        3rd DIV Francis D. De Roche                    Pfc                     30 Inf                        3rd DIV Orville L. Cox                                Pfc                    30 Inf                        3rd DIV Richard A. Selkirk                        Cpt                  142 Inf                        36th DIV William D. Bane                            Pvt                   141 Inf                        36th DIV John S. Bassetti                            Pvt                   141 Inf                        36th DIV Frank J. Dilernia                           Pfc                   141 Inf                        36th DIV  Robert A. Calabrese                      Pfc                   179 Inf                        45th DIV Lyle F. Barnett                               Pvt                   157 Inf                        45th DIV Peter Ashley                                   Pfc                   157 Inf                        45th DIV Richard J. Conway                         Pfc                   180 Inf                        45th DIV Lawrence C. Goldschmidt              1lt                    254 Inf                        63rd DIV James Brey                                     Sgt                   254 Inf                        63rd DIV Benjamin F. Janke                          Pfc                   274 Inf                        70th DIV John W. Bain                                   Pfc                   274 Inf                        70th DIV Raymond S. Joiner                          Pfc                   274 Inf                        70th DIV Loren E. Hull                                   Sgt                   274 Inf                        70th DIV William Flenn II                              1lt                    555 Bomb SQ 386 BOMB  GP  (M) Wayne D. Hick                               2lt                    555 Bomb SQ 386 BOMB  GP  (M) Everett C. Johnson                         2lt                    555 Bomb SQ 386 BOMB  GP  (M)  And the children chose the others graves…

 

Enclosed you will find a few pictures about our meeting of Vesoul and John Shirley's "great day of Bennwihr" ! I am preparing the visit of the US Cemetery of Dinoze by the children of Saulx de Vesoul next may 25 ! Rock of the Marne !    Can do ! Your friend Eric Vandroux