Photo By 1st Lt. Sean Daily | (From left to right) Commander Col. Randy Powell and Deputy Commander Col. Sonny...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT BENNING, Ga. – The 30th Infantry Division Association ensured that the North Carolina National Guard’s storied history will live on for generations to come in a special presentation that took place here June 2, 2013.
The 30th IDA unveiled a monument Sunday at the National Infantry Museum to honor the famed "Old Hickory" Division of World War I and World War II as well as the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) (the unit’s present day descendant) for their service during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
WWII veterans Edward Middleton of the 730th Ordinance Company, and Jack Kraus and Roger Casey, both of the 119th Infantry Regiment were in attendance for the historical event.
Also in attendance were President of the 30th Infantry Division Association Col. Cliff Wilkins, current Commander of the 30th ABCT Col. Randy Powell, the special assistant to the commanding general - Army National Guard (Fort Benning - Maneuver Center of Excellence), Col. Steve McCorkle, the Infantry Branch Historian-Maneuver Center of Excellence David Stieghan, as well as many other key leaders of the North Carolina National Guard and their families.
“Today is about the Old Hickory Legacy,” said Lt. Col. Wes Morrison, commander of the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 120th Infantry and vice president of the 30th IDA. “The monument we are about to unveil will be viewed not only by visitors to the National Infantry Museum, but also by soldiers in basic combat training and advanced individual training here at Fort Benning.”
The Division was named after former President and citizen soldier, Andrew "Old Hickory" Jackson, who was born near the North and South Carolina border. Jackson rose to fame in Tennessee and was most recognized for his service during the Indian Wars of the early 1800s and War of 1812.
Fort Benning is the Maneuver Center of Excellence, and home of the Armor and Infantry schools and their subordinate brigades.
“Future 30th soldiers will see their brigade recognized here on the Memorial Walk of Honor,” said Morrison. “Additionally, as other 30th soldiers return to Fort Benning to continue their military education, they will see the legacy of 30th recognized here.”
The 30th ID was known as the “Workhorse of the Western Front,” and participated in the “Battle of the Bulge,” during the great Ardennes-Alsace Offensive, and again near Malmedy, Belgium, during the winter of 1944-45.
The unit also succeeded in breaching the famed Siegfried Line, which led to the capture of the first German city of Aachen in 1944. For their outstanding drive and sacrifice, the 30th earned six Congressional Medals of Honor.
“It is fitting for the monument honoring Old Hickory be located in Fort Benning, where the Infantry school house is located,” said WWII veteran Edward Middleton. “In fact, it was the legacy fund of the 30th Infantry Division Association that made this monument possible.”
All funding for this monument was raised by or donated to the 30th Infantry Division Association by members or supporters of the 30th. Additionally, the Old Hickory Association (OHA) provided a WWI and WWII era combined Color Guard that represented the lineage of the unit. The OHA’s commitment to the history of the unit was the driving force behind making the monument unveiling such a success.
In the unit’s more recent history, the 30th ABCT has been deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving in 2004 in the Diyala Province and again in 2009 near Baghdad and the Sunni Triangle.
In 2004 the unit conducted nearly 19,000 combat patrols, 3,700 joint patrols with the Iraqi National Guard, 110 ambushes and 36 deliberate raids in efforts to capture or kill enemy forces. These operations resulted in the discovery of 251 improvised explosive devices, a combination of 369 ammunition and weapons caches and the capture of 452 insurgents.
Additionally, the brigade was also responsible training and mentoring three Iraqi National Guard Battalions in order to prepare Iraq for future sovereignty.
The brigade’s mission in 2009 was focused on developing relationships with the local populace, key leaders in the region and the Iraqi Security Forces.
The unit also worked to foster growth in the economy and the local communities by assisting with civil capacity projects that helped to create new jobs for local nationals, fix some pre-existing issues that limited agricultural production, education and in some cases, medical assistance as well.
For their efforts, every battalion in the 30th earned the esteemed Meritorious Unit Citation from the Department of the Army.
Now, the 30th’s legacy will live on for those new soldiers who enter the service of this historically significant unit.
“Here’s to you Old Hickory … To all past, present, and future,” said Powell. “You are the rarest of breeds … You are and always will be Old Hickory!”
If you would like to become a member of the OHA, or simply wanted to find out more information about the 30th ID, you can visit: http://www.campcroft.org/OHA/index.htm
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.05.2013 18:33 |
| Story ID: | 108117 |
| Location: | FORT BENNING, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 592 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NC National Guard unit honored for their service in WWII, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
