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"Rock of the Marne"
 (Updated 7-22-08)
The 3rd Infantry Division is a mechanized infantry division of
the United States Army based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Nicknamed the "Rock of
the Marne," the 3rd Infantry Division's current configuration consists of four
Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), one Aviation Brigade, and various support elements.
The unit has served the United States in World War I, World War II, Korea, the
Cold War, and now in Iraq.
The 3rd Division was activated at Camp Greene, North Carolina
in November of 1917 for service in the First World War. The 3rd Division was
composed of the 4th, 7th, 30th, and 38th Infantry Regiments, the 10th, 18th,
and 76th Field Artilleries, and the 6th Engineers, with a total of 28,000 men.
The Division as a whole entered combat for the first time during WWI on July
14, 1918. During the German's last offensive of the war, the 3rd Division held
their positions on the Marne River as units on either side of them withdrew.
This action spoiled the German bid for Paris and earned the Division their
nickname, the "Rock of the Marne." The Division's motto, "Nous Resterons
Là" which is French for "We shall remain there," also comes from that
action. During WWI, two members of the 3rd Division were awarded the Medal of
Honor.
The 3rd Division was designated the 3rd Infantry Division in
1941. The Division first saw action on November 8, 1942, landing in French
Morocco. The Rock of the Marne was in the vicinity of Salzburg, Austria when
World War Two ended on May 6, 1945. During the course of the war, the 3rd
Infantry Division fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Germany and
Austria for a total of 531 consecutive days of combat. 3rd Infantry Division
soldiers earned 36 Medals of Honor during WWII. At Anzio in the Italian
Campaign, the Division fought off three German divisions. While there it
suffered more than 900 casualties, the most in one day of any division in World
War II. The most highly decorated soldier of the war, Lieutenant Audie Murphy,
served with the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.
When North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, the 3rd
Infantry Division was one of ten active divisions in the U.S. Army. The
division arrived in Korea in September 1950 and joined in the operations in the
Hamhung-Hungnam area. On November 23, 1950 China entered the war and the
massive strength of the Chinese Army was felt all along the front. During the
Korean War, the Division was known as the "Fire Brigade" for its rapid response
to crisis.
By 1951, elements of the 3rd ID helped recapture Seoul, the
South Korean capital, and the Chinese were pushed back to the 38th Parallel. As
the Chinese tried to recapture the capital, the brunt of the attack fell on the
3rd Infantry Division's sector and the Marne division became the "Rock of
Seoul." Again the Chinese were driven back to the 38th Parallel. The war ended
when an Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953 and by October 1954 the division
had returned to Ft. Benning, Georgia. During the Korean War, eleven more Medals
of Honor were awarded to 3rd Infantry Division soldiers.
From 1958 to 1996, the 3rd Infantry Division was stationed in
Germany as part of the main defense protecting Western Europe from the threat
of attack by Warsaw Pact Nations headed by the Soviet Union. As part of the
U.S. Army's VII Corps, the 3rd ID was stationed throughout various towns in
Bavaria. The division remained on constant alert as the arms race continued.
The Division was a key link in American Cold War strategy and their readiness
throughout those years contributed greatly to the West's ultimate victory over
Communism at the end of the Cold War in 1989.
On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and posed a threat to
Saudi Arabia. Units of the Rock of the Marne Division deployed with VII Corps
from Germany for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The 3rd Brigade, 3ID was
attached to the 1st Armored Division in their race through Iraqi territory in
the "100-hour war." By the time the Persian Gulf War was declared over on
February 28, 1991, the 3rd Infantry Division had destroyed 105 enemy tanks, 70
enemy armored personnel carriers, 92 enemy trucks, 4 enemy artillery pieces and
captured 836 prisoners.
During the 1990's the Army went through a downsizing with the
goal of maintaining a ten-division active force. As such, the 24th Infantry
Division was inactivated and re-flagged as the 3rd Infantry Division on
February 15, 1996. The Division was consequently re-stationed from its bases in
Germany to Fort Stewart, Fort Benning, and Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. The
Division repeatedly demonstrated its deployability since then by maintaining a
battalion, and later a brigade task force presence in Kuwait. It has also moved
sizeable forces to Egypt, Bosnia and Kosovo in partnership training and
peacekeeping missions. Since Sept 11, 2001 units have been sent to Afghanistan,
Pakistan and other Middle Eastern countries to support the War on
Terrorism.
In January 2003, Soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Division
(Mechanized) were officially informed that they were headed for the Middle East
to do their part in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The entire division deployed in
weeks to Kuwait. It was called on subsequently to spearhead Coalition forces in
Operation Iraqi Freedom, fighting its way to Baghdad in early April, leading to
the end of the Saddam Hussein regime. After combat, Soldiers from 3rd Inf. Div.
shifted focus to support and stabilization operations in an effort to rebuild
the war-ravaged country. The division returned to Ft. Stewart in August
2003.
The Marne Division was selected as the first division in the
Army to be organized under the new modular system. Beginning in 2004, the 3rd
Infantry Division began re-organizing. The division shifted from three maneuver
brigades to four "units of action," which are essentially smaller formations,
with one infantry, armor, cavalry, and artillery battalion in each brigade
combat team (BCT). A Combat Aviation Brigade is also part of the Division
structure. Each of these units of action engaged in several mock battles at the
National Training Center (NTC) and Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), in
preparation for a second deployment to Iraq.
The Third Infantry Division was the first division in the U.S.
Army to serve a second tour in Iraq. In January 2005, the division returned to
Iraq and led U.S. and coalition forces in Baghdad. The 1st and 3rd Brigades of
the division supported the 42nd Division in Northern Iraq. The hard work
created conditions for a secure Iraqi election and transfer of power to the
first democratically elected national government in Iraq. The Division served
with its coalition partners during Operation Iraqi Freedom III for a year
before returning to Georgia in January 2006.
On November 17, 2006, the Army announced that the 3rd I.D.
would be the first Army division to serve three tours in Iraq as part of the
2007 "troop surge." The Division Headquarters deployed from Fort Stewart in
March of 2007. Task Force Marne was composed of more than 20,000 U.S. soldiers,
more than 26,000 Iraqi army soldiers, and over 46,000 Iraqi police. Along with
combat operations, Task Force Marne focused on rebuilding the local government,
Iraqi security forces and the economy. The 3rd Infantry Division Colors
returned to Fort Stewart in June of 2008. The 1st and 3rd Brigade Combat Teams
have also returned home, while the "dog faced soldiers" of the 2nd and 4th
BCTs, the Aviation Brigade, and the 3rd Sustainment Brigade are still in Iraq
completing their 2007-2008 tours.
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