Photo By Spc. Luciano Alcala | Current and former Marne Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division and military attaches...... read more read more
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DISTRICT of COLUMBIA - The Rock of the Marne is the nickname of the 3rd Infantry Division, headquartered in Fort Stewart, Georgia, and it comes from the unyielding valor shown by the Marne Soldiers who repulsed German forces invading Paris during World War I. Members from the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, alongside military attaché from various nations, gathered to honor these Soldiers and all other Soldiers who served under the 3rd Division for the 3rd Division’s 106th birthday at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, Nov. 21st, 2023.
The celebration began in front of the 3rd Infantry Memorial monument. The monument is a nine-ton gray obelisk that stands several feet high and overlooks the Memorial Amphitheater.
The monument is cherished by former Marne Soldiers like retired Lt. Col. Timothy Stoy, the historian for the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division.
“My favorite spot is the 3rd Infantry Division Monument, because it’s the only division monument that’s inside the cemetery proper. It’s perfect because it’s looking right over the Memorial Amphitheater, which is a sacred place here in the cemetery where they celebrate Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Easter. The 3rd Division is sort of standing guard over the Memorial Amphitheater,” he said.
The celebration continued with speeches from current and retired Soldiers who served under the 3rd Division. Some of these Soldiers included Lt. Col. William Denn, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence G-2, retired Cpt. Monika Stoy, the current president of the International Outpost Society of the 3rd Infantry Division and retired Major General Tony Cucolo, who served as the Division Commander for the 3rd Division.
Their words honored the deeds of the brave Soldiers who fought for the 3rd Division and the speakers echoed the rich history of the 3rd Division so that it could be remembered by future generations.
“You can’t underestimate the value of an observance. These moments, like the division birthday, you pause and you tell a story. If you tell the story in a memorable, shareable, and repeatable way, the division lives on, the pride of the division lives on, the spirit of the division lives on, and the story of those who passed before us, is told again and they live on,” said Cucolo.
Finally the celebration concluded in front of the Memorial Amphitheater at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The event ended with a wreath laying ceremony, conducted by the 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The Old Guard watches over the tomb which is the final resting place of unidentified Soldiers who served during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. The wreath laying ceremonies honor the sacrifices of American service members and show respect to them and their families.
“I like to continue these types of events, they mean a lot. Today we had various defense attaché, especially from Poland, because our 3rd ID is currently deployed to Poland. We are sharing a bond between these military soldiers, the partners in arms and we are going forward together, and that’s extremely important,” said retired Cpt. Monika Stoy.
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.27.2023 09:17 |
| Story ID: | 458519 |
| Location: | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 110 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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