Rocky Mountain High!Join us for the 2008 Annual Reunion in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 20-24 August

This year the Big Red One’s 90th annual reunion will be in Colorado Springs, CO! Spend time with old buddies and meet new friends while you enjoy the ameni-ties at the newly renovated Crowne Plaza Hotel and take in the incred-ible sights of Colorado.

From the majestic view atop Pikes Peak, to the quaint Old West towns of Manitou Springs and Cripple Creek, Colorado Springs offers an abundance of places to visit and things to do. Be inspired by the beautiful red rock forma-tions of the Garden of the Gods and the sheer depth of the Royal Gorge. Shop for Native Ameri-can crafts and jewelry, play golf, or, if you prefer, just kick back and relax. So many opportuni-ties combined with the excellent location of our hotel in Colorado Springs will give you the chance to

take full advantage of this exciting location.

We have arranged a selection of tours that should meet most tastes and pocketbooks. You won’t want to miss the Air Force Academy, the Olympic Training Complex, Old Colorado City or any of the other tours offered. There will be a trip to Cripple Creek for anyone interested in gambling and a little taste of the Old West. For complete information see the article below.

Our Welcome Party will offer you a chance to mix and mingle and enjoy some unique local entertainment. Please don’t miss it on Thursday night. It’s free, and everyone, of course, is WELCOME!

Our spacious Unit Command Posts, Supply Sarge and Museum CP will be in the conference center on the other side of the grand ballroom.

Reunion tours and special eventsThis is such a majestic part of the country that you will have a difficult

time selecting tours. You will have plenty of choices in which to enjoy the splendor of the region. We have arranged many optional tours to enhance your visit to Colorado Springs. Don’t forget your camera! We have tried to integrate the tours into the program so they won’t conflict with other reunion activities. These are optional events and require pre‑registration. All buses for tours will load outside the main entrance. Due to the altitude change in Colorado Springs we ask that you please check with your physician about your ability to take our tours, especially the Cog Railway to Pikes Peak. In order to take this trip you must also have been in the city at least two days before the tour to become acclimated to the altitude.

Continued on Page 10...

Although another year is well on its way, this is our first chance to talk, so I want to begin with the hope that 2008 will be a happy and prosperous year for every member of this great organization. Most of you have paid your dues in combat, others during dangerous periods of Cold War. In all cases, you served your country honorably, bravely and selflessly and have certainly earned it.

A brief report on our 2007 operations: financially, we finished the year in the black. Not by much, but it was positive for us. One of the reasons was the terrific success of our first-ever drawing during the annual reunion. It was so popular, in fact, that we are doing it again—

and have increased the prize amounts. Our 89th annual reunion in St. Louis was a really great event! We had an enormous number of 1st-time attendees, the location and hotel were excellent, and the weather cooperated. The active Division reunion support was tremendous, at all levels. The incoming (at the time) 1st Infantry Division CG, MG Bob Durbin and his lovely wife, Dianna, broke their leave to be with us. Bob’s remarks at the banquet and his assistance with the winners of our drawings was a big hit.

Unfortunately, membership in our Society could be better. We closed out the year with just over nine thousand members, but the

rate of growth has slowed. It is a constant challenge to replace the losses among our older genera-tions. You can help here. Almost everyone is in contact with at least

Colorado Springs City Tour (4 Hours–$30/pp)

Board the deluxe tour coach bus and take a driving tour of the sights that made this area famous. Our guide will share interesting stories of the history, geography and culture of the region. You will also be making a stop at the famous five star, Broadmoor Hotel where you will have time to explore its scenic grounds and then on to visit Old Colorado City.

Seven Falls & Miramont Castle (4 Hours–$40/pp)

Seven Falls is located in a natural box canyon. The one-mile drive winds along South Cheyenne Creek between steep cliffs covered with pines. The falls are best viewed from Eagle’s Nest Observa-tion platform, accessed by the mountain elevator located inside the mountain. A Native-American

Update on the Society from our President, LTG Tom Rhame

Continued on Page 4...

LTG Rhame, Society President.

Non-ProfitU.S. Postage

P A I DPermit No. 2279

Wheaton, IL 60187

Society of the First Infantry Division1933 Morris Road Blue Bell, PA 19422-1422

N O M I S S I O N T O O D I F F I C U L T. N O S A C R I F I C E T O O G R E A T. D U T Y F I R S T !

A P U b L I C A T I O N O F T h E S O C I E T Y O F T h E F I R S T I N F A N T R Y D I v I S I O N

Register for the 2008 Annual Reunion Page 10

2nd Infantry Regiment celebrates 200 years Pages 13

90 years ago, the Battle of Cantigny, WWI Page 6 7th FA soldier revisits his service, WWII Page 7

Clockwise from top:“Siamese Twins” rock formation in the Garden of the Gods; Rocky Mountain Columbine, Aquilegia caerules, the Colorado state flower; the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Rock formation and Columbine photos courtesy of Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak, the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

�Bridgehead Sentinel

MG Robert Durbin.

First, thank you to the Society of the First Infantry Division for providing me the opportunity to update the distinguished alumni of the Big Red One. We remain very aware, here in the Division, that we are a unit of honor and heri-tage because of a proud lineage of distinguished veterans. My personal thanks, and the gratitude of 20,000 Soldiers now a part of the Division, for all of your service, sacrifice, and courage.

As always in the history of the 1st Division, we are at the vanguard of battle, and on many fronts. Your Division currently has more than 11,000 Soldiers deployed in support of the war effort, which is more than we have at home stations. We have three brigades fighting in Iraq, our 70th Engineer Bn in Afghanistan, and thousands of Transition Team members deployed to both countries.

We also recently activated the Warrior Transition Battalion at Ft. Riley. This battalion allows our wounded warriors to focus on one mission—healing. I know that all of you will agree that the WTB is our top priority mission. We must take care of our wounded warriors.

With so many Soldiers in the fight, with so many Soldiers recently returned from the fight, and with more preparing to go, it is imperative that we focus now on quality of life initiatives for Soldiers and families. These twelve and fifteen month deploy-ments—often in short succes-sion—cause considerable strain on Soldiers and families. Knowing this, the Army and this Division have fully recognized our critical obligation to provide a quality of life at home that is commensurate to the service and sacrifices of our Soldiers and families.

As part of our commitment, in October we signed an oath to fami-lies. The Army Family Covenant is our sacred pledge to take care of our families, recognizing the sacrifices made on the home front while the Army is at war. As GEN Charles Campbell, Commanding General of Forces Command said when he signed the Covenant with me, “Our Army is the strength of our nation, and the strength of our Army depends on the strength of the Army Family.”

As important as the pledge is the funding behind the promise. The Army is very serious about taking care of families and has committed $1.4 billion dollars to:

• Standardize and fund existing family programs and services

• Increase accessibility and quality of healthcare

• Improve Soldier and family housing

• Ensure excellence in schools, youth services, and child care

• Expand education and employment opportunities for family members

Here at Ft. Riley, we began

our drive towards dramatically improving the quality of life even before the Army Family Covenant was signed. Since this last summer, we’ve improved and put into place a number of programs designed to take care of our families.

We hired Family Readiness Support Assistants at brigade and battalion levels to assist our superb volunteers in meeting family needs before, during and after deployments. Additionally, we recently signed an agreement with Kansas State University that will put specialists from the college in place on post to provide enhanced services to our families through our Army Community Service programs.

We are building three new child development centers by 2010 and expanding two other centers. We’re building a new Post Exchange—to open this summer—that is twice the size of the old PX. We’ve got plans to expand the Commissary. We are working very closely with the greater Ft. Riley community to improve quality of life for our families off-post as well, with initiatives in off-post housing, healthcare, education, child care, shopping, and dining.

We are working very hard to take care of the Soldiers and fami-lies of your Big Red One. I know you understand the importance of this commitment, as your service and sacrifice in years past provide you an understanding of the chal-lenges Soldiers and families face.

I also know that the Society of the First Infantry Division has always been at the forefront of caring, and provides significant benefits to Soldiers and families. Should you wish to embrace the Soldiers and families of our Warrior Transition Battalion, you can contact Kathy Monge at 785-239-8367 or kathy.cintrode-monge@us.army.mil. Some of the battalion’s more pertinent needs are weekend excursions, phone cards, personal hygiene items and—most importantly—your time. Monge said WTB Soldiers enjoy just communicating with vets and others who understand what they’re going through.

For all you do on a daily basis, we thank you. You have truly provided us the basis for understanding the meaning of “No Mission too Difficult. No Sacrifice too Great. Duty First!”

MG Robert DurbinDanger 6

Honoring Soldiers who have paid a high price to serve their country was at the forefront Jan 23 as the Warrior Transition Battalion was activated at King Field House.

The former Warrior Transition Unit is commanded by LTC Lee Merritt.

“We let our Soldiers down,” said MG Robert Durbin, CG of the 1st Div and Ft. Riley. “These Warrior Transition units are our Army’s way of making things right and ensuring this will never happen again. I guarantee you it will never happen at Ft. Riley.”

Durbin said the image of Soldiers on medical hold needed to be swept away. Instead of

medical hold, Active, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers are placed in the WTB while recovering from serious illness or injuries—both combat and non-combat related. The battalion’s mission is to estab-lish and promote conditions for healing and assist Soldiers with the transition either to civilian life or back to a military unit. About 35 Warrior Transition Units currently exist, and the mission of healing Soldiers, physically, psychologi-cally and emotionally, is a mission that is high on the Army’s priority list. Soldiers are placed in the WTB if they have a medical condi-tion that will require six or more months to heal. The injuries are

Letter from the CG Warrior Transition Battalion on a mission to healvaried, from intensive physical combat injuries to the less visible post traumatic stress disorder.

The units were set up at installations across the Army as an answer to the Walter Reed situ-ation which brought to light staff shortages and poor living condi-tions at the hospital.

“This is a real unit, with real warriors, with real dedication,” Durbin said. “We will do what’s right to ensure that they are given what they deserve. That’s a level of care commensurate with their level of service, their level of sacri-fice and their level of courage.”

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team returned to Germany in Oct and Nov 2007 after a 15 month deploy-ment to Iraq. The units included:

HHC, 2nd Bde, “Silver Lions.”Task Force 1-18 Infantry Bn,

“Vanguards” Task Force 1-26 Infantry Bn,

“Blue Spaders” Task Force 1-77 Armor Bn,

“Steel Tigers” Task Force 1-7 Field Artillery

Bn, “First Lightning” 9 Engineer Bn, “Gila”2/1st MP, “Regulators”299 Forward Support Bn,

“Lifeline” E/4 Cavalry Troop, “Renegade” 57th Signal Co, “Dagger Voice”

C/101 Military Intellegence Co, “Cobras”

On 23 Jan 2008 the 2nd BCT conducted a memorial service to honor over 60 soldiers from the brigade who were killed in combat. According to Stars and Stripes (22 Oct 07), the brigade has endured the deadliest deploy-ment of any Europe-based U.S. military brigade in Iraq.

VanguarD Week

The same week of the Brigade memorial service, the 1/18th Inf celebrated “Vanguard Week.” Held from 22–28 Jan, it included Valor Award presentations, a battalion memorial service, the Vanguard

Above: (Clockwise from top) 2nd Brigade Memorial Service at their memorial for those killed in OIF ’06 –’07; 1/18th Inf Memorial for all those killed in Desert Storm and OIF; Lt Noyes, Walt Ehlers, MOH, and George Gentry, 18th Inf, 1967, Vietnam.

Banquet/Ball, the unveiling of the Walt Ehlers, MOH, WWII painting and autographing of the print, and the 1/18th Inf Change of Command ceremony. 14 vets, including 3 wives, and 20 family members of soldiers killed in Iraq attended these and other unofficial activities held throughout the week.

WelCome Home!

Members of the largest transition team class trained so far at Fort Riley (more than 400 Soldiers) recently returned to post from one-year deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. They were welcomed home during two redeployment ceremonies Jan 26 and 28.

Welcome home soldiers! Germany and Fort Riley

U.S. Army Photo.

By anna Staatz, Staff writer

14Bridgehead sentinel

The 16th Infantry Regiment Association is looking for past and present members to join their association. You may join by going directly online to www.16thinfantry-regiment@org or go to the links page on the Big Red One Society home page. The benefits are too numerous to list but they include a data base to all era’s of service, website with help lines and contacts as well as reuniting with your BRO’s from your time served. Your membership is needed and your support is appreciated

RANGERS SEEKING RANGERS

wwii eRa I am a great-nephew of LTC Samuel Bleichfeld [photo at right], who during WWII was Battalion Commander of the 1st Medical Bn from 3/43 to 5/45, and prior to that was Regimental Surgeon, 26th Inf. My uncle was with the BRO in North Africa, Italy, and Europe. He won numerous decorations, including a Silver Star for establishing the first clearing station for treatment and evacuation of wounded on Omaha Beach on D-Day. I am trying to find out more information about his activities. Howard Bleichfeld 256-325-8031 howard@robinsong.com

[ed. Currently the soldiers are believed to be Joseph T. Aiello, D Co, 18th Inf, and William D. Lutz, A Co, 18th Inf. If you have any new information please contact Mr. Sparla, Boehm or Gentry.]

ColD waR eRa Cecil Hoelting is looking for anyone from B Btry, 32nd FA, Aschaffenburg, Germany, 1953–54. He would also like to find a roster of B Btry. Please contact him at 202 S 2nd Street, Nazareth, TX 79063 or phone 806-945-2635.

PFC Alfred Johnson is looking for PFC James McGill. Germany

LTC Samuel Bleichfeld, front row, third from the right, wearing glasses.

Division HQ [photos below]. I assume this was the Main River. I am not being critical of the article, only of my own memory. I remember the airstrip up the hill, behind the HQ and Leighton Barracis in Würzburg. But I have lost Hindenburg Kaserne. Maybe I never went there. I thought I went everywhere where the Big Red One was. Still, we are talking about 50 years ago. I am trying to put on paper my experiences serving with the 1st Div. If you could help me locate Hindenburg Kaserne. I would be most appreciative. Additionally, I would like to find out what other divisions were in the Seventh Army in Germany between 1953 and 1955. I remember the 2nd Armored Division HQ at Bad Kreuznach. Was another the 4th Inf? Where was its HQ? I don’t know the other two. I think there were 5 divisions in Germany at that time. Westley Olmsted 12370 Hanover Road Silver Creek, NY 14136

[ed. Germany had a number of Kasernes—the German word for barracks—both before and after WWII named for the famous Paul von Hindenburg. A few cities that had a Hindenburg Kaserne in the post WWII era were Würzburg, Weisbaden and Ansbach.

Würzburg’s Hindenburg Kaserne was located on Weißenburger Strasse]

vietnaM eRa I would appreciate very much if you could help me to find two men [photo below]. I was in Vietnam with them, and if I could talk to them it would be great. They

Westley Olmsted in Würzburg, Germany 1955, and the 1st MP company building in Würzburg.

Two trees outside of Aachen, Germany with carvings from 1944.

In the forest of Aachen, Germany, we found on two trees the names carved in of American Army soldiers [photos above]. We suppose they were serving in the 18th Inf Regt which was stationed at that time at Gemmenich, Belgium, and Vaals, Netherlands. It was the time of the battle of Aachen. The two trees are standing approx. 200 m east of the bunkers of the Westwall/Siegfried Line. The names are AIELLO and the date 09-13-1944, and the Second is [W.D.] LUTZ and Sept. (?) 1944. We would like to have some more information about these two servicemen because we try to conserve the trees as a historical monument. We hope they survived the war healthy and maybe can be contacted. Please contact p.sparla@orange.nl or caroline.boehm-de-roo@t-online.de; Or contact George GentryHQ18INF@aol.com, phone: 562-596-8097. Sincerely, Peter Sparla (historian of Vaals, in personal contact with Robert W.Baumer) and Roland Boehm

1950–52, I/3/18th Inf. Please contact him at 36446 County Road 42, Big Fork, MN 56628 or phone 218-743-3553.

Charles Meece, I Co, 18th Inf, 1948–50, is searching for a copy of the book 18th Infantry Regiment, 1950 by MG John E. Dahlquist. If anyone has a copy or could help him find one, please contact him. He does not have access to the internet. 1843 Quincy Street, Salina, KS 67401 or phone 785-827-3391.

On the front page of the Summer 2006 Bridgehead Sentinel, there was an article with a photo of SP3 Don Jensen [at] Hindenburg, Kaserne and the Thanksgiving menu (1955) for the 1st Signal and 1st Quartermaster Co. in Würzburg, Germany. I was an M.P. in the 1st MP Co stationed at Emery Barracks in 1955 (the article misspelled it as “Emory” Barracks.) I have no recollection of the Hindenburg Kaserne, which the article stated was across the river from the 1st

could help me to get some records cleared up. The two men I am looking for are SGT Donald “Pappy” Eakins And SGT Steve Sanhorn(sp?). Ray Collins 1/18th Inf, 1966 Vietnam P.O. Box 312 Yarnell, AZ 85362 928-427-6521

[L to R] E-5 Donald “Pappy” Eakins, Ray Collins, and E-6 Steve Sanhorn(sp?), 1/18th Inf , Bear Cat, Vietnam. “We were together at three different bases in Vietnam.”

spring 200815

I had been a member of the 1st Division Society for the past few years, and I have enjoyed reading the informative articles in your newsletter. The article concerning Mr. Pete Piekos of the 18th Inf receiving his overdue Bronze Star was of particular interest since my father, SSG Earl W. Rogers, was also in the 18th Inf, Co H during WWII [photos at right] and was supposed to be awarded a Bronze and Silver Star, neither of which were received. Because of this article and the fact that he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, I became inspired to pursue this. Even though my father’s military records were destroyed in a fire, I had enough documentation for the Bronze Star. Because I had a copy of his records, as well as an article written about him in his hometown newspaper in 1945, and the article about Mr. Piekos, I was able to present the information to my congressman’s office and within a month, I had the Bronze Star in his memory. I will probably never receive the Silver Star, but I am happy to receive the Bronze Star in recognition of his service to the country.Unfortunately, my father passed away in 1978. He had belonged to the 1st Division Society and had even been to several reunions. This showed how much the “Big Red One” meant to him, and so it means a lot to me. Cathy Rogers

I was very surprised to hear a recent newscast that said 1/3 of all homeless in the U.S. were veterans. I would think that a

country that can support war after war can support housing for its soldiers. How about a program like Habitat? How about converting unused barracks into useable housing? I lived in a lot of converted barracks during my Army career. But what can we do as individuals? We can look for a buddy—we can be a friend. Find a buddy…be a friend. They are out there, your military companions, who can’t cope with what they did, what they saw, what they recall from their military actions. You can find them sleeping in the doorways in the Bronx, living under a bridge in Oklahoma, or under a park bench in California. They don’t want your money, just a little of your time, to listen and agree. A little understanding will go a long way. If you didn’t march in their boots, you can [still] sympathize. If you did, you can empathize. As General Sherman said, “War is Hell.” Modern technology hasn’t changed that. Where else do you find these comrades? Try the Chaplain at the nearest VA hospital. Try the Chaplain at the American Legion or VFW. Even your minister might know someone that you could help. Don’t wait; you are needed today. It is said, “Wear red on Friday for remembrance.” I say wear red on Friday and find a “buddy” every day of the week. CSM George Garrett, Ret.

I have e-mailed you in the past concerning my dad, Jack W. Glass. He served with the 16th Inf from 1951 to 1954. He had left

school during his freshman year because older family members had enlisted and were serving during WWII. Years later, my dad enlisted and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Almost two years ago, I saw an article in the local newspaper about two WWII Veterans being given their high school diplomas. They had left school during WWII to serve and never went back to graduate. The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs has been granting these Veterans their diploma through the school district they had attended. I decided to check into this and see if my dad would qualify. He did. Here are pictures from the day my Dad got his high school diploma from representatives of Barren County Public Schools. He also received a certificate of appreciation from the local Marine

Ralph Morton Sr. of Tecumseh, MI, is a proud Black Lion. He sent this photo of a custom air brush job he had done to his car. He served in C Co, 2/28th Inf, June 67–June 68, Vietnam.

I was born Aug 13, 1924 and was raised in Greenville, TN. I was drafted into the army April 14, 1943 at the age of 18. I took 13 weeks of basic training at Ft. Bragg, NC in 1943 during the months of May, June, and July. I thought it was the hottest place I have ever been with temperatures reaching 100 degrees and the sand was a foot deep. I boarded the Queen Mary on Nov 14, 1943. Four days and 10 hours later I was in Scotland. I joined C Btry, 7 FA Bn, Dec 1 1943 in England. I landed on Normandy, Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944. I crossed France, Belgium, Aachen, Germany, and was in the Battle of the Bulge. I then went to the Hürtgen Forest, Rhineland and Central Europe. I was in Czechoslovakia on VE Day, May 8, 1945. I left C Btry in Aug. 1945 at the end of WWII and returned to Greenville, TN. I then moved to Bristol, TN in 1948. I was married in Sept 1950 and was in the Army Reserves. The Korean war broke out June 25, 1950. I was called up for active duty in Sept 1950. I was in Korea by Nov and was there for one year. I received the Korean Service Medal, three Bronze Stars and a CIB. I was with the 3rd Inf Div while in Korea. I was back home Oct 1951. I have lived in Bristol since with my wife Irene and two children. I retired in 1987. Henry B. Mitchell

[L-R]: Jack W. Glass and Al Broussard, Adjutant MCL Detachment #729.

Corps League Detachment for his service to the U.S. during time of war. This took place on Dec 5, 2007 at my parents’ home in Valley Station, KY. Many stories of past days in Barren County, and several military tales (most pictured are Veterans), were told before and after the presentation. All present enjoyed them. My parents are so proud and excited that this is all they have talked about since. Semper Fidelis, Tony Glass USMC Veteran, 1974-78

Above: Earl Rogers, a forward observer for a mortar crew, in Sicily, 1943.At Left: A homemade Easter card sent by Earl Rogers to his mother, Mary during WWII.

tHanKs! Thanks for placing my ad in the Bridgehead Sentinel [Fall ’07]. I did get a response from a former member of G Co, 16th Inf from 1947–54, Cold War. It really perked me up. What a bond of brothers we have in the Big Red One. (ex SGT) Bob Boisse 62 Beachwood Terrace Wells, ME 04090

[ed. Bob Boissee was recovering from surgery and looking for buddies from G Co, 16th Inf 1948–54]