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Patrol base Kelsey named for fallen soldier

Monday Dec 24, 2007- Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division named a patrol base after one of their own who was killed while attempting to render aid to a wounded fellow soldier. Patrol Base Kelsey was established Dec. 23 and named in honor of Sgt. Samuel Kelsey, 24, who was killed Dec. 13 during Operation Marne Roundup southwest of Baghdad near the city of Iskandiriyah.

According to an Army press release, Kelsey, a member of B Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated nearby while he was helping another soldier who had been hurt. Within a few days of his death, the release stated, Kelsey’s fellow B Company soldiers seized the town of Kidhr only a few kilometers away from where he had died.

Marne Roundup was being carried out with Iraqi security forces as part of an effort to root out suspected al-Qaida in Iraq fighters in northern Babil province. Kelsey’s company commander, Capt. Chris Neels, recommended the new patrol base be named in his honor. “Naming the patrol base after Sgt. Samuel Kelsey has meant a lot to the leadership and the soldiers of this company,” Neels said in the Army press release. “Kelsey was a phenomenal NCO who gave his life trying to save a wounded comrade.”

From Patrol Base Kelsey, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces will conduct patrols to provide security and bring stability to the local population, the release said. “Enough can’t be said of him or his actions that day. Each time we clear routes in the area or hear ‘Patrol Base Kelsey’ over the radio, we’ll be reminded of his heroic actions and our friend,” Neels said.

Honoring valor: Soldiers, Marines receive commendations
as America's War on Terror enters sixth year
Pamela E. Walck  

http://www.savannahnow.com/node/415641

 
Purple Heart medal bearing the silhouette profile of George Washington.  (Photo: John Carrington)

FORT STEWART - December 15, 2007 -It isn't sought out, expected or desired. Yet, many recipients become legendary when they receive one - members of an elite club they never asked to join. And their numbers are rising. Since Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001 - and then Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 - some 400,000 U.S. soldiers and 8,000 Marines have been honored for their valor on the battlefield. Some awards, such as the Medal of Honor, remain so sacred, few receive it. Others date back to America's Revolution. Although America's War on Terror is going into its sixth year, the number of soldiers and Marines honored still pales compared with the more than 2.8 million military awards presented during Vietnam.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, pins a Purple Heart on one of 10 soldiers during a ceremony at Fort Stewart who were presented the medal on Sept. 20 for injuries they suffered during combat in Iraq.  (Photo: John Carrington)

Army Spc. Christopher Hayes' chest puffed out in pride. Dressed in civilian clothes, a purple pin dangled from his shirt collar. Last Tuesday, the soldier became the 3rd Infantry Division's latest recipient of the Purple Heart after an improvised explosive device - or an IED - struck his Humvee while it was leading a convoy through the streets of Baghdad. For Hayes, Nov. 16, 2007, will be a day he won't easily forget.

Spc. Milton M. Mitchell Jr., left, stands with his 8-year-old son Anthony and fellow soldier Spc. Zacharie A. Nelson in the receiving line after a Sept. 20 Purple Heart medal ceremony at Fort Stewart. The two soldiers were among 10 troops who were presented the Purple Heart for injuries suffered during combat in Iraq. 3rd Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, who was home for his two-week leave, pinned the medals on each of the recipients.  (Photo: John Carrington)

The 3rd ID's 4th Brigade Combat Team was participating in a relief-in-place with the 25th Infantry Division - a formality on the battlefield that marks the end of one unit's deployment and the beginning of another unit's 15-month rotation. Hayes, a scout with the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry, was seated in the gunner's spot in the lead vehicle, behind the barrel of a loaded .50-caliber machine gun. When the IED exploded, the power of the blast threw the 22-year-old into the gun, knocking him unconscious and shattering his wrist and thumb.
"Honestly, in that moment, I thought I was going to die," said Hayes, who was on his second tour in Iraq. Hayes has a four-month recovery ahead of him - and an honorable discharge in his future. He and his wife, Johanna, have begun planning life after his four and a half years in the Army. "This is one of those awards I never wanted to get," Hayes said. "But now that I am still alive ... well, I'm proud."

Johanna Hayes wipes away a tear as her husband, Spc. Christopher Hayes, speaks to the audience attending an award ceremony in which he was presented a Purple Heart and a Combat Infantry Badge. Fort Stewart Garrison Commander Col. Todd Buchs, right, presented the awards to Hayes. (John Carrington/Savannah Morning News) (Photo: John Carrington)

Before pinning the medal to Hayes' chest, Col. Todd Buchs, the garrison commander at Fort Stewart, praised the soldier and his wife. "There is nothing more important than taking time out to honor a great hero," Buchs said. "On behalf of a grateful nation and a grateful Army, thank you." Hayes said the comments were overwhelming, and while it feels good to be honored, he hasn't lost sight of war's reality. "Soldiers die every day," he said. "But when it happens to you ..."

History of valor
Military history documents Gen. George Washington as the first to issue a "purple heart" to soldiers who fought with valor during the American Revolution. Washington only issued three such awards, each presented in purple cloth and pinned to a soldier's uniform. The Continental Congress asked him to stop in the summer of 1782. It would take 150 years before the honor was revived on Feb. 22, 1932. The fabric heart was replaced with metal, but it remains America's oldest military award in use. Since America's War on Terror began, 7,738 Marines and 7,159 soldiers have been awarded Purple Hearts.

But it is far from being the only military honor. The highest award anyone in uniform can receive remains the Medal of Honor. Two such medals have been issued since 1.4 million men and women began deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq. The first went posthumously to Sgt. 1st Class Paul Smith, 33, who served with the 3rd ID.
On April 4, 2003, Smith's platoon of combat engineers was charged with building a holding area for Iraqi prisoners near the Baghdad airport, when more than 80 members of the Iraqi Republican Guard attacked. Smith was credited for fighting off the attack, protecting his platoon and killing countless Iraqis with an open-mount .50-caliber machine gun before a round took his life.

A year later, on April 14, 2004, along the Syrian border, Cpl. Jason Dunham, 22, was fighting hand-to-hand with a suspected insurgent when the Marine saw the Iraqi had a grenade. Dunham quickly threw his helmet over the grenade and leaped onto the helmet. The helmet was destroyed and the Marine was severely injured. He spent a week in a coma before dying, but the Marine Corps credits his quick action with saving the lives of three comrades. Dunham reacted the way so many soldiers and Marines do, said William Daugherty, an associate professor of government at Armstrong Atlantic State University and a former Marine.
"I've watched the shows and read the books, and to a man, they all say, 'I was just doing my job,' " he said. Living recipients "are the first to say it was their colleagues who were the real heroes."

Daugherty also is quick to note the military branches have very different approaches to honoring men and women in uniform. For example, during the military operations in Grenada in 1983, Daugherty said, the Army issued some 5,500 awards, a majority of which were Bronze Stars. "A vast majority of those went to people working in the Pentagon," he said. "A lot was made at the time of the fact that so many Army folks in the Pentagon received medals that, perhaps, were questionable."

The Marine Corps takes pride in knowing it issues fewer honors. "Awards, there is a significance to them," said Russ Abolt, Chatham County's manager who served in Vietnam with the Marine Corps. "The expectation, as a Marine, is never to win awards or to seek individual glory. It's based on what you become: You become a Marine." For many, Abolt said, that is enough. 'This must be it'

A flood of decades-old memories crashed over Eugene Harmon as he watched Hayes receive his Purple Heart. "They awarded me mine from a hospital bed," said Harmon, a civilian post employee who attended the ceremony. "Yeah, it brings back a lot of memories." A special ops soldier during Vietnam, Harmon was assisting in the training of South Vietnamese Rangers at Kham Duc when the airfield was attacked by the North Vietnamese Army. Later, it would be estimated that about 1,000 allied forces were surrounded by some 10,000 North Vietnamese. "We were written off," he said. "They called us the walking dead." During the second day of battle, Harmon took a bullet in the shoulder. The tech communications chief continued to work until a grenade went off nearby, and he was hit a second time. Then, when medics were trying to airlift him out, Harmon was hit a third time, in the side. He figures it must have been a sniper. It all happened between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 12, 1968. "When I got hit the third time, I figured, this must be it," he said.
Instead, three days later, Harmon was presented a Purple Heart from his hospital bed."I still carry the metal,'' he said. "There's a lot of it inside me still.
"I remember going over there saying, 'I do not want a Purple Heart, I do not want to get shot,' " Harmon said. "But it happened so quickly. It's just one of those things that's bound to happen (in war). "It does give you a feeling, being recognized for something that happened. You don't want it, but at the same time, it is something George Washington started, and it was given to me."
© 2007 SavannahNOW and the Savannah Morning News.

Honoring 3rd ID Soldiers for the Holidays

By Alaina Anderson- WSAV-TV on your side

A little girl hangs a bell on one of the trees. Photo by Lewis Levine.

Dec 08, 2007 - Unfortunately, not all of our loved ones can be with us for the holidays. Saturday, Fort Stewart held a Bells for Trees Ceremony – hanging bells on each tree on Warriors Walk. It's done in memory of 3rd Infantry Division soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice – their lives.
"We want their family members and the rest of the United States to know this is an active memorial. These soldiers are not forgotten just because they have fallen," says Kathleen Thornton.
The bells were hung by spouses who are members of Support3rdID.com. It's a forum that supports family members of soldiers serving overseas.

Bells of blessing go up at Warriors Walk
Lewis Levine |


 

Brooke Dinkins gives her son Patton Dinkins a lift as he places a camel bell on one of the Eastern Redbud trees
that line Warriors Walk on Fort Stewart. (Photo: Savannah Morning News)

HINESVILLE - December 9, 2007 -If Kathleen Thornton has her way, the soldiers immortalized by Eastern Redbud trees in Fort Stewart's Warriors Walk will never be forgotten. On Saturday morning, Thornton and several members of the group Support3rdid.com hung tiny camel bells on the fallen soldiers' trees that had little or no decorations adorning them. The bare trees line Cottrell Field - the site of numerous homecomings for deployed soldiers.

Thornton talked beforehand about the somber Saturday mission. "We will be hanging bells on trees less visited because family members may be far away," she said. "We want their family members and the nation to know this is an active memorial." Fighting back her emotions, Thornton said the trees that make up the solemn memorial stand for soldiers who should always be remembered. "These soldiers are not forgotten just because they have fallen and paid the ultimate sacrifice," she said.

One by one, those in the group of eight adults and three children walked to each tree and suspended a camel bell on one of the branches. The bells, which normally are worn around the mane of a camel, are believed to provide the animal with a blessing and keep it safe in its travels. The organization purchased $600 worth of silver bells. Warriors Walk contains 373 trees in honor of fallen 3rd Infantry Division soldiers. Thornton is the wife of 3rd ID Special Troops Battalion Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Thornton, who is in Iraq as part of the division's third deployment there since the war began in March 2003.

Bells for Trees Ceremony at Warriors Walk

http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7471820&nav=0qq6


 

HINESVILLE, GA--It was an emotional day on Fort Stewart, family and friends of soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice, honored their loved one's with a bells for trees ceremony along Warrior's Walk. For families who live too far away, volunteers made sure the wind passed through a bell for each 3rd ID soldier no longer with us. It's a walk, most would say is too long.

"I'm blessed to live across from Warrior's Walk. I'm blessed to be a guardian of the walk," said support 3rdID.com member Kathleen Thornton. Kathleen Thornton's husband is a member of 3rd ID. She is very familiar with Warrior's Walk. "I come by every night, water the trees and check on David's tree," said Thornton. David is a soldier whose wife lives across the country. Kathleen and other members of support 3rd ID dot com hung bells on each tree along the walk in a special ceremony this morning.

"We want the family members of U.S. soldiers and the U.S. to know this is an active memorial. "It's an honor to do this.to remember our soldiers," said support 3rdID.com member Tara Pivotto. Tara Pivotto is a military wife as well and she was joined by Kathleen and other wives. They hung the camel bells attached to satin cords on the trees as a tribute and in memory of fallen soldiers. "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets it's wings and it's important for us to do this," said Pivotto.

Each bell represents a father, mother, son or daughter, or other family members lost defending our country. Kathleen says the bells may not last forever. but their memory will. "They made a sacrifice and when the wind touches these bells it would be as if someone was here touching the soldier," said Thornton.

The military wives are members of www.support3rdId.com, which is a forum created to help support spouses and other family members. The bells were bought through donations to the website.

Army says NJ soldier can be included in memorial
by South Jersey News Online
Wednesday December 05, 2007
By REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press Writer

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- The Army has reversed a decision that had barred a New Jersey soldier who died of an infection contracted in Iraq from being included in a war memorial because his death was "non-combat" related, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said Wednesday. Smith had been helping Suzette and Mark Detulio with their efforts to have their son, Pfc. Ryan D. Christensen, included in the Warriors Walk memorial at Fort Stewart, Georgia, a grove of trees planted for each soldier in the 3rd Infantry Division who died in the war.
The 22-year-old Christensen died in 2005 from an infection contracted in Iraq.

"I'm just so happy. He deserves it. I think it's the right thing that they did. I'm just happy that it has a happy ending," said Suzette Detulio, speaking from her Brick home after she received the news. Suzette Detulio said she was told by Lt. Col. P. Brian Gale, who called her at home Wednesday evening to let her know of the reversal, that including Christensen in the memorial was "the right thing to do." According to Smith, Gale will travel to New Jersey to meet with the Detulios next week and a ceremony dedicating a tree for Christensen will be held Jan. 17, 2008.
"It's an honor that should have been done right from the start for his memory," Smith said Wednesday evening. "I think they're going out of their way to right a wrong."

The Warriors Walk memorial is a grove of eastern redbuds which were first planted in April 2003 with 34 trees. The 373 trees currently there are for each member of the 3rd Infantry Division to die in the war as well as soldiers from other units who died while serving with the division. Family and friends leave mementos of their loved ones at their tree, and the division has ceremonies when new trees are planted.

Christensen, who grew up in Monmouth County, was a member of the division and had been in Iraq since January 2005 when he fell ill at the end of October 2005 and was sent back to the United States. He died about a month later. The Detulios first learned of the memorial and their son's exclusion when they visited Fort Stewart in the fall of 2006. Suzette Detulio wrote a letter to the division command pointing out that no tree had been planted for her son. In February of this year, she received a letter from Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, the division commander, offering his condolences for her son's death but saying that the memorial was specifically for people who lost their lives "due to combat actions."

The Detulios called Smith, who petitioned the Army to reconsider. Smith said he was told last week by the Secretary of the Army, Pete Geren, that the Army was taking another look at the family's request and that the secretary would personally monitor the review. The 3rd Infantry Division is currently on its third tour to Iraq. The Detulios' frustrations over the memorial have been compounded by the fact that they haven't been able to learn more about why their son died.

The walls of the Detulios home are hung with pictures of Christensen, many taken with Army buddies. A box holds the flag that hung on Christensen's coffin, and the bed is covered with a quilt made by a military support group. Outside the house, the Detulios have erected a flagpole and planted a Douglas fir in memory of their son. The couple has stayed in touch with members of their son's unit and recently sent over a care package to them. They're also organizing a gift drive for injured troops at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Suzette Detulio said the gift drive is a way to make "something good out of something bad."

Florida Fallen Heroes

Allow me to introduce myself, I am the father of Pfc. Timothy J. Seamans, US Army, 3ID 69AR 1st BAT, CHARLIE CO out of Ft. Stewart, GA who was KIA on August 18, 2005 in Samarra, Iraq. I am the founder and President of the Timothy J. Seamans Memorial Foundation, Inc. dba Florida Fallen Heroes www.floridafallenheroes.org  and our purpose and mission is to create, establish and help maintain the Fallen Soldier Monument at each home-town high school of a Florida graduate who have lost their lives defending the United States of America in our war against terrorism. In addition the foundation will honor all past alumni of these high schools who have also made the ultimate sacrifice in the defending the freedoms and liberties of this great nation we call America. These monuments cost $9700.00 each. We have been successful in raising enough money to place one monument in Jacksonville, FL.

On Friday, September 28, 2007, 7 PM our 1st Florida Fallen Heroes Monument was dedicated and commemorated at Terry Parker High School, Jacksonville, FL. In attendance were over 200 guest and visitors, among those in attendance were the American Legion Riders from Post 283 and 316; Beaches Honor Guard who rendered honors with 21 gun salute and taps; our Master of Ceremonies Mr. Dan McCarty, Director of Veterans Services, City of Jacksonville; and five fallen families from the Jacksonville area. The monument is approximately 5 1/2 feet tall with a red brick (symbolizing the bloodshed) walkway containing the names of fifteen (15) fallen heroes, 13 Vietnam Veterans and two Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans, along with three upgraded red bricks honoring those still serving and as a reminder more names could be added. The service was approximately 1 hour with refreshments provided the Navy Wives Club Dixie 300. At the conclusion we were interviewed by Channel 4 and Ms. Jennifer Robinson of the University of Florida newspaper who has been interviewing fallen families throughout Florida for her senior theses.

Dave Seamans  seascoutds@comcast.net
President
Florida Fallen Heroes www.floridafallenheroes.org 

Wounded Warrior Update 22 October 2007 

On 21 October we had the great pleasure of accompanying Society Member and WWII 30^th Infantry Regiment veteran Jack Sneddon with two of his close friends, CAPT Paul Gibberson (USNR) (ret.), and Larry Cummings - all three visiting from California – on a visit to our Marne Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. We were greeted and escorted by Major Curtis Douglass and SFC Ophelia Van Woert, the current 3^rd Infantry Division LNO section at Walter Reed. 

We visited three inpatient Soldiers: Captain Rick Vattuone, from El Cajon, California, who was wounded while supporting the 3^rd Infantry Division as an activated reservist serving with the 9^th PSYOP Battalion; PFC Robert King, from Loveland, Colorado, wounded while serving with the 293^rd MP Company, and Sgt Jamar Holt from Cyprus, Texas, who fell ill while serving with the 3^rd Signal Company.  All three of these soldiers showed very positive attitudes and are on the road to recovery.  We had a wonderful time meeting them. They greatly appreciated being able to talk to Jack as a WWII veteran; Larry as a Physical Therapist was able to talk knowledgeably with them about their treatment and therapy; and Paul as a very nice man and outstanding representative of the US Navy made a great impression on them too.  It was a great visit. We were able to present gift wallets to Captain Vattuone and Sergeant Holt on behalf of Henry and Penny Burke.  PFC King had earlier received a Marne wallet courtesy of John Shirley.  Jack, Paul and Larry were kind enough to bring bottled water with straws for our Soldiers too.   

After we left the hospital wards we moved on to visit some of our outpatient Soldiers at the Mologne House.  We were very fortunate to meet Sgt Robert Evans (USA) (ret.) formerly of A/1-15^th IN and his very supportive wife, Karen, the day before they were scheduled to return to Fort Benning.  Robert has been medically retired and will be moving to Nevada where he has great plans to continue his education, work with Northrop-Grumman, and eventually expand his hobby of upgrading diesel engines into a business.   

We also were very happy to be able to talk to T.J and Jackie Johannsen.  T.J. has both his prosthetic legs now and is able to walk with a cane.  Of course Jackie’s support is instrumental in his progress and they are both doing very well. They will be staying at WRAMC for a while longer. We also met Mrs. Mary McQuiston and her son, Evan, who is also recovering well from his wounds, but will also be staying longer for further treatment.  And we were very lucky to meet Sgt Ben Wilson, of the 1-30^th Infantry, who has moved from the Mologne House to the Abrams Building, but happened to passing through the lobby of the Mologne House.  He is now out of his back brace and out of the wheelchair!  All of them enjoyed talking to our three visitors from California, and we spent a wonderful time with them. Tim and I would really like to thank Jack, Larry, and Paul for visiting our Soldiers during their visit to Washington, DC.  We are sure that Jack agrees that the visit was just as good for him as a veteran as it was for our Soldiers. 

At this time we have our three Soldiers on the wards, and 37 out patients in and around WRAMC.  Major Douglass and SFC Van Woert have promised to keep us fully updated on any changes or additions to our Wounded Warriors passing through WRAMC.  They are doing a marvelous job! We are organizing a luncheon on 25 November at the Mologne House in honor of our Wounded Warriors and to celebrate the 90^th Birthday of the 3^rd Infantry Division.  If you would like to donate any money or would like to volunteer to assist during the event, please let us know.  Please send any checks to our home address.  We look forward to seeing many of you there!

ROCK OF THE MARNE!

Martin Markley Named "Personal Advisor to the President"

Martin Markley

Nov.25, 2007 — During my first year in office, this "green behind the ears kid" has learned much about the Society and how it operates. In this position, like any other position I have ever taken, I study how management operates and then make adjustments, modifications, or changes that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. To address specific problems within the Society, I have created the position of "Personal Advisor to the President".

I have asked, and Martin Markley has graciously accepted this position. The first assignment that Martin will under take is assisting outpost officers, the Excom, and the membership to identify potential candidates for the positions that are currently vacant. Martin will work with the outpost officers and the Excom to fill these positions. Please join me in welcoming Martin to this new post. His knowledge of the Society and his many, many, years of experience will prove very beneficial to me and the Society.
Blessings,
Chuck Trout, President

IL Fallen 3ID Soldier Honored In Suburban School Assembly
McHenry County Middle School Has Been Celebrating Veterans Day Each Year Since Sept. 11
Reporting
Katie McCall CBS-Chicago

Click here to go to cbs2chicago.com to see video
or
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=36827@wbbm.dayport.com  go to local news

 
Katie McCall interviews Jim Cooper

WOODSTOCK, Ill. ― Nov. 5, 2007 (CBS) ― A McHenry County school on Monday honored a soldier who died in the line of duty. As CBS 2 North Suburban Bureau Chief Katie McCall reports, 26-year-old Army Corporal Keith Nurnberg was honored in an emotional assembly. Nurnberg was serving a second tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed in combat on Sept. 5. As part of their Veterans Day celebration, teachers and students at Northwood Middle School remembered the McHenry County native by thanking his family for his service.

Northwood Middle School has an assembly for Veterans Day every year. It's a tradition the teachers started after Sept. 11. "I just wanted them to see that it's here, it could be anybody their brother their neighbor their uncle," said Northwood Middle School teacher Melissa Miller.

Married last Christmas, the soldier and his wife, Tonya, were anticipating the birth of their first child. The baby, a boy, is due in two weeks. His family says they will do their best to tell the child, who will be named after his dad, the kind of man Nurnberg was. "How wonderful his father was he gave up his life so he can grow up in a country that's free and he can do what he wants to do," said Nurnberg's sister, Kimmy Nurnberg.

"This is a real tribute for Keith," said Nurnberg's sister-in-law, Capri Nurnberg. "He's probably up there smiling down loving every bit of it." McHenry County has rallied around the Nurnberg family. At Monday's assembly flyers were handed out promoting a benefit to support his wife and their unborn child.

And four soldiers from the 3ID who served with Nurnberg came all the way from Georgia to help honor him. They say he was a man of integrity and courage, and they miss him. "Keith was a ….a brother an uncle and a soldier," said Sgt. Major Henry Knox Jr. "His loving nature and dedication will never be forgotten."

Tonya Nurnberg cradles Keith Nurnberg Jr., her five day old son, next to the flag she received at her husband, Army Cpl. Keith Nurnberg Sr.'s September funeral. Nurnberg senior died in Iraq when his Humvee was reportedly hit by a missile. (Rebekah Raleigh photo)

Click on logo or here for November 29th news story

Four Marne Men Cpt Walker, SGM Knox, Lt. Hunt, and Sgt Guinn Fort Stewart and Fort Benning	Tonya Nurnberg
Nurnberg Family	Helping out with the ceremony
Dick Koepke (OP1) shared his experiences in WWII with the students, poses here with Sgt. Guinn	SGM Henry L. Knox gives a speech about Cpl Keith Nurnberg during the ceremony

Wounded Warrior Update
By Monika Stoy

Tim and I were once again able to visit some of our Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on 23 September. The best thing to report is that we have very few soldiers on the inpatient wards. We were able to find one former Marne Man, now with a Stryker Brigade from Alaska, 1LT. Juan Guerrero, preparing to leave Ward 57 to move to the Mologne House. Wounded by an IED on 26 July in Iraq which caused severe damage to his legs, he is doing very well and just recently was able to stand. 

We were able to track down two of our outpatients at the Mologne House on what was a truly beautiful first day of fall. PFC Montesaltamirano is recovering well and has his full voice back.  He will be at Walter Reed for a while longer as the doctors ensure his full recovery before letting him take convalescent leave or possibly returning to his home station to continue healing.  SPC Justin Pinna is also recovering very well and was in high spirits when we found him.  He too will be remaining at Walter Reed for the foreseeable future but luckily has his mother to keep him company. 

On 17 September Tim was able to attend the Purple Heart Ceremony the United States Air Force held in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon to honor Technical Sergeant Jeramie Brown who had been wounded while on a mission at a 3^rd Infantry Division operating base in Iraq. In a very impressive ceremony Jeramie was very complimentary of the Marne Soldiers who undertook immediate life saving measures, as well as the Society of the 3^rd Infantry Division for having visited him frequently at WRAMC during his stay there. He has finally returned to Vogelweh, Germany where he will continue his convalescence in the company of his wife and friends.   

We continue to encourage all our members who travel through the Washington area to visit our Wounded Warriors. They appreciate your thoughtfulness, and it is a heart warming experience to talk to these impressive soldiers. Fall is coming, with colder weather and diminishing sunlight. They will need us as they continue to heal and prepare for their futures after the hospital. 

Veterans remember Camp Croft,
pretty girls and pecan pie, to boot

TimKimzey/tim.kimzey@shj.com
A large crowd (including Whit Mullen) showed up at the Spartanburg County Library Headquarters to listen to veterans
who trained at Camp Croft share their memories on Veterans Day.

A large crowd showed up at the Spartanburg County Library Headquarters to listen to veterans who trained at Camp Croft share their memories on Veterans Day. A vibrant 82 years old, New Jersey native Frank Kreisel leaned back in his chair, unaware he was the youngest in the group. The conversation had drifted to training with infantry weapons during World War II.

"Qualifying?" he asked rhetorically, to some muffled laughter. "Let me tell you a thing or two about qualifying." Kreisel recalled a story about the shooting range at the U.S. Army Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Croft, just outside Spartanburg. A young recruit - if he was like most of the men at Camp Croft, he was more familiar with a pellet gun than an assault rifle when he was drafted - at a formidable distance hit his target's bull's-eye. But when the commanding officer noticed this, Kreisel overheard him say, "Give him Maggie's drawers" - military slang signaling a complete miss of the target. A few of Kreisel's comrades on stage at the county library smiled and nodded.

It was Veterans Day, and they were trading war stories. Oddly enough, nearly every one of them had a peach story, to boot. About a half-dozen veterans (and one civilian) whose lives once intersected at Camp Croft were featured for a panel discussion. Other veterans joined the crowd to listen in. They talked for nearly two hours then went out to watch the parade down Church Street.
"There's three things I noticed about Spartanburg," said Glenn Philpott, 93, from northern Illinois. "One, the Southern hospitality. The people were wonderful. Two, I noticed there were a lot of pretty girls here. I really noticed that. And three, the pecan pie." He paused, thoughtfully. "That about sums it up."

Beside Philpott was Paul Grubb, who was an instructor at Camp Croft for a year during World War II. Next to him was Damon Clary of Cowpens. He not only trained at Camp Croft, but also helped build it before the war and worked to remake the barracks into apartments afterward. Collectively, they offered a glimpse into history from six different angles - not all of them flattering.

Four days after he was drafted, Aubrey Escoffery was told he was being sent to Camp Croft for training - he joined eight other black soldiers drafted from the New Haven, Conn., area. (The rest of the 120 or so draftees from New Haven were white.)
"Our hearts fell," said Escoffery, 84, who later became a clinical psychologist. "I had no experience in the deep South, but I had been reading, and I knew that South Carolina was still in the throes of ... Well, it was a situation I didn't want to be involved in. Coming here, it was really a culture shock. We were isolated. We didn't interact at all with the white troops."
The separate facilities - down to a chapel and movie theater - were a sharp contrast to what he was used to back home. At the time, Escoffery said he didn't feel it would be safe to go out on the street. That wasn't a problem for Kreisel and the other white soldiers.

Sunday, Kreisel told stories about how he and his friends paid 20 cents a head for a cab ride into town. He spoke glowingly of Spartanburg, saying that he never saw a fight, or anything being stolen. Spartanburg Sheriff Chuck Wright, who was in the crowd, chimed in: "Times have changed, sir." But things were changing, even back then.

Ola Kirby, 86, who has lived most of her life in Pacolet, worked in a dental clinic at Camp Croft. Sunday, she told the story of a German prisoner of war who came through and carved small cedar chests for all the women. "It dawned on me: These are somebody's sons," Kirby said. "They're German, but they're somebody's sons. And they're fighting, just like our sons are."

MARNE TRAIL UPDATE
By Monika Stoy

 
Monika Stoy at the site of the flag raising by the 7th Inf. Regt. of the 3rd Division at Berchtesgaden in May 7, 1945

On 29 October I met with the Mayor of Berchtesgaden, Mayor Schaup, and Mr. Florian Beierl, local historian for Berchtesgaden and author of a book on the Obersalzberg, to coordinate the dedication of a plaque honoring the 3rd Infantry Division’s role as the first allied unit to enter Berchtesgaden on 4 May 1944. Mr. Beierl and I also drove to the Obersalzberg to reconnoiter the site where the 7th Infantry Regiment and attached units raised the American flag on 5 May 1944 in the vicinity of Adolf Hitler’s Berghof. That particular location is now a field behind a German luxury hotel, with the land owned by the Bavarian state government.

 
Mayor Schaup, Monika, and Florian Beierl

The Mayor is very supportive of the idea of emplacing a plaque at what is the terminus of the Marne Trail in Germany. There are three locations inside the village, one in the courtyard in front of the church, another at the railroad station, and the third at a conference center.  I am working with the mayor to possibly emplace a plaque at all three locations.  I will also work with the Bavarian government to emplace an appropriate plaque at the site of the flag-raising.  Mr. Beierl is a great help in this effort.

   
Kirchplatz Berchtesgaden                                     Berchtesgaden War Memorial

Prior to traveling to Germany Tim and I visited Major General Ramsey and Sherman Pratt to get their guidance and more background on those final days of the war and the role their regiment and the remainder of the division played in the taking of Berchtesgaden.  It is of great importance that we emplace a plaque at Berchtesgaden to correct the error propounded in several histories that gives credit for the taking of this last Nazi bastion to the 101^st Airborne or the 2^nd French Armored Division

WOUNDED WARRIOR UPDATE

While in Germany I also visited our soldiers at Landstuhl and Vogelweh.  SFC Aten, the 3^rd Infantry Division LNO at Landstuhl, and his assistant, Corporal Brown, were very helpful and bent over backwards to make me feel welcome.  Our soldiers are receiving excellent care there, even though they do not stay there long.  Anyone needing more than two weeks is evacuated to the United States for further treatment.  

NEWS FROM OP EUROPE 
Garéoult Ceremony November 11, 2007

We have received a report from our Southern France Regional Chairman, Henri Galea, that the community of Lamanon was to dedicate a plaque to the Division on 11 November during its ceremony marking the end of WWI!  Unfortunately we were unable to have any of our OP members present for the ceremony, but we hope to be able to post pictures on the Society website soon. 

Armistice Day in Garéoult, France.  Provided by André Watrinet.  Despite the “Mistral”, the local wind, blowing strong, with gusts at around 60 M.P.H., the celebration of Armistice Day went on in the town’s cemetery. School children read letters of WW I French soldiers to their families and read the list of inhabitants of Garéoult KIA during WW I. After each name, Alain Montier, Deputy Mayor called out: “Mort pour la France” (Died for France).  Gérard Fabre, Mayor, then read the message of the Secretary of State for Veterans. The Mayor and the Presidents of patriotic associations laid wreaths at the Memorial monument to honor the dead.  The officials congratulated the flag bearers thus ending the ceremony.  Below are two pictures, one shows the flag bearers and some of the officials. On the other, Gérard Fabre, Mayor of Garéoult, Alain Montier Deputy Mayor, Michel Vanseveren, Flag bearer of the Franco-American Veterans Association and André Watrinet Representative of Franco-American Veterans Association for the Var “Département”, all four of these gentlemen are Associate Members of the Society of the 3^rd ID.   ROTM!  

               
Flag Bearers and Officials at Armistice Day Ceremony                       Four Associate Members of the Society

News from Ft. Myers Florida Excerpts from the New-Press-
Membership Chairman Jim Tiezzi and his wife Janet attended a ceremony at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Ft. Myers, FL where twenty-one soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan traveled from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon near Augusta, GA to Fort Myers on Thursday for a weekend of fun and received a spectacular welcome and shared a grateful goodbye. They were escorted to by six sheriff's deputies on motorcycles, two sheriff's cars, and a dozen bikers with Rolling Thunder and Legion Riders. The soldiers who lost limbs, suffered broken bones and extensive nerve damage, and endured countless surgeries were invited to Fort Myers because one man wanted them to feel appreciated.

    In 1967,Cliff Naylor was injured during the Vietnam War and spent a year at the Fort Gordon hospital. Near the end of his recovery, the city of Miami took 21 soldiers from Fort Gordon hospital and treated them like kings for a weekend. The trip reminded him that people still card.
   It was Naylor's dream to make that happen for other wounded soldiers. He organized fishing trips, spa treatments, dinners- the works. Naylor is touched by the soldiers' positive reactions and the outpouring of generosity by the community. "It's everything I expected it to be and more." he said.

Army veteran receives medal earned in WWII
Monday, May 21, 2007
By Len Barcousky, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Sixty-two years after he was almost killed by a German grenade, Army veteran Wayne T. Alderson still asks himself why he was spared while four of his good friends died. "The first thing I am going to do if I get to heaven," Mr. Alderson said, "is ask God why I lived while they died." Yesterday, the Canonsburg native finally received the Silver Star he had earned for combat heroism during the closing weeks of World War II in Europe. The medal is awarded for gallantry in action.

Mr. Alderson, now 80, and his wife, Nancy, have lived for many years in Pleasant Hills. In 1945, he was 18 and a private first class, serving as a scout with the 7th Infantry Regiment of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division. In March, his unit had broken through German defensive positions, known as the Siegfried Line, when they faced a heavy counterattack