"Old Ironsides"
The
1st Armored Division's commitment to the civic and military
values for which "Old Ironsides" has been renowned for half
a century (patriotism, discipline, readiness, self-sacrifice,
combined arms cooperation, shock action, decisiveness, and generosity
in victory) remains relentlessly strong today.
The distinctive insignia of the 1st Armored Division is drawn
in bold colors characteristic of the division. The insignia
is designed from the triangular coat-of-arms of the American
World War II Tank Corps. The yellow, blue, and red colors of
the shoulder sleeve insignia represent the combined arms nature
of the armored division (Armor, Infantry, and Artillery).
Superimposed on the triangle is the insignia of the former Seventh
Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized), the predecessors of the Old Ironsides.
The tank track represents mobility and armor protection, the
gun denotes firepower, and the chain of lightening symbolizes
speed and shock action. Mobility, firepower, and shock action
are the basic attributes of Armor.
The Arabic numeral in the apex of the triangle indicates the
First Armor Division. The nickname of the division, officially
sanctioned by the Department of the Army is
emblazoned
under the triangle and is an integral part of the insignia.
Old Ironsides Designation
The 1st Armored Division was activated at Fort Knox on July 15, 1940.
Its first commander was Major General Bruce R. Magruder from July 1940
to March 1942.
In
1941 General George S. Patton Jr. had just named his 2nd Armored
Division "Hell on Wheels" and everyone thought that the 1st Armored
Division needed a name too. Major General Bruce Magruder announced a
contest to find a suitable name for his Division.
Approximately 200 names were submitted including "Fire and Brimstone"
and "Kentucky Wonders." The General took them home to study over the
weekend but failed to find any that appealed to him.
While mulling the matter over, he happened to glance at a painting of
the U.S.S. Constitution that he had bought during a drive for funds for
the preservation of that famous fighting ship. From the painting of the
U.S.S. Constitution.
he noted its nickname, "Old Ironsides". Impressed with the parallel
between the early development of the tank and the Navy's "Old
Ironsides" spirit of daring and durability he decided the 1st Armored
Division should also be named "Old Ironsides." Thus a famous warship of
the US Navy and the famous 1st Armored Division of the US Army are
historically and appropriately welded by name "Old Ironsides."
That
ended the search for a name. The 1st Armored Division became "Old
Ironsides" that same day and forty months of fighting later testified
that its name was well chosen. This was a fighting Division.
NORTH AFRICA
As
part of Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of French Northwest
Africa, November 8, 1942. In doing so, Old Ironsides became
the first American Armored Division to see combat. Although
encountering unexpectedly heavy Vichy-French opposition, the
Allied invasion force suppressed all resistance in the beachhead
within three days.
The Division then advanced toward Tunisia where it clashed with
Axis forces and learned many hard lessons in armored warfare.
Harsh conditions and primitive roads spoiled an early opportunity
to capture Tunisia and cut off Rommel's supply lines.
January 1943 found the Division under control of the II Corps.
Old Ironsides received the mission of defending central Tunisia
against an Axis counterattack. A month later, the 1st Armored
Division collided with a superior German armored force at Kasserine
Pass. Sustaining heavy personnel and equipment losses, Old Ironsides
withdrew, battered but wiser. Outrunning his supply lines and
facing stiffening Allied resistance, Rommel's advance ground
to a halt. Regardless, three more months of fierce fighting
followed before the Allies could finally claim victory in North
Africa.
On
25 March 1944, Private Nicholas Minue, Company A, 6th Armored
Infantry, 1st Armored Division, was awarded the Congressional
Medal of Honor for gallantry and intrepidity at the loss of
his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the
enemy on 28 April 1943 in the vicinity of MedjezelBab, Tunisia.
ITALY
The
fall of Sicily in the summer of 1943 cleared the way for an
Allied Invasion of the Italian mainland. As part of General
Mark Clark's Fifth Army, the 1st Armored Division crushed enemy
resistance in an assault landing at Salerno on September 9,
and led the drive to Naples. The city fell on October 1, and
the Allies pressed onto the Volturno River.
In November, the 1st Armored Division attacked the infamous
Winter Line. Although breaching the line, the Allied advance
came to a halt in the mountainous country near Cassino. To break
the stalemate, the Allies made an amphibious assault well behind
enemy lines at Anzio on January 23, 1944. Beating back repeated
German counterattacks, the 1st Armored Division led the Allied
breakout from the beachead on May 23, and spearheaded the drive
to Rome, liberating the city on June 4.
The 1st Armored Division continued its pursuit of the enemy
to the North Apennies where the Germans made their last stand.
Rugged mountains and winter weather now stood between the Allies
and the open land of the Po Valley. The 1st Armored Division
broke into the valley in April 1945 and on May 2, 1945, German
forces in Italy surrendered.
1950s
In
June 1945 the 1st Armored Division was transferred to Germany
to serve as part of the Allied occupation forces. Old Ironsides
returned to the United States in April 1946 and was inactivated
at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Several of the Division's Units,
however, remained in Germany as part of the U.S. Constabulary.
The success of the Russian made T-34 Tank at the outbreak of
the Korean War in 1950 brought renewed enthusiasm for armor.
As part of the Korean War build up of American forces, the 1st
Armored Division was reactivated at Fort Hood, Texas on March
7, 1951.
Continuing its tradition of "firsts", Old Ironsides became one
of the first divisions in the Army to integrate black soldiers
throughout the ranks. It was also the only combat-ready armored
division in the continental United States and the first to receive
the M48 Patton Tank.
Training for nuclear war became a major theme in the mid-1950s.
Accordingly, the 1st Armored Division participated in tests
of the "Atomic Field Army" at Fort Hood and in Operation Sagebrush,
the largest joint maneuver conducted since World War II. Upon
completion of the exercise in February 1956, the 1st Armored
Division moved to its new home at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
CUBA
Toward
the end of the 1950s, the Army's preoccupation with a nuclear
battlefield waned. The Army experienced years of austere budgets.
Reduced in size and moved back to Fort Hood, the 1st Armored
Division reverted to a training cadre for new inductees. The
start of the 1960s, however, inaugurated a period of military
renewal. Important changes in organization, doctrine, and equipment
stemmed from the realization that the Army must be prepared
to fight anytime, anywhere.
In 1962, the 1st Armored Division was brought back to full strength
and reorganized. Brigades replaced Combat Commands, and the
Division's aviation assets doubled.
Intense training followed the reorganization. In October 1962
the 1st Armored Division was declared combat ready, just in
time for the Cuban Missile Crisis. In response to the Soviet
stationing of missiles in Cuba, Old Ironsides deployed from
Fort Hood, Texas to Fort Stewart. The entire operation took
just 18 days.
For the next six weeks, the 1st Armored Division conducted live-fire
training and amphibious exercises on the Georgia and Florida
coasts. One highlight was a visit from President John F. Kennedy
on November 26, 1962.
Shortly thereafter, tensions eased and the 1st Armored Division
returned to Ft. Hood.
VIETNAM
Although
the 1st Armored Division did not participate as a Division in
the Vietnam War, two units, Company A, 501st Aviation and 1st
Squadron, 1st Calvary served with distinction. Both earned Presidential
Unit Citations, and 1-1 Cavalry received two Valorous Unit Awards
and three Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry. Neither unit was
officially detached from the 1st Armored Division and veterans
of both units may wear the Old Ironsides as a combat patch.
In addition, in 1967 the 198th Infantry Brigade was formed from
three of the Division's Infantry Battalions and deployed from
Fort Hood to Vietnam. After the war, two of the three battalions,
1-6 Infantry and 1-52 Infantry, returned to the 1st Armored
Division.
1968 was a crisis-filled year of domestic unrest. After the
assassination of Martin Luther King, several inner cities exploded
into violence. The 3rd Brigade deployed to Chicago to assist
in restoring order.
The early 1970's brought the withdrawal of American Forces from
Vietnam and a major restructuring of the Army. Old Ironsides
was rumored to be on the list of units to be inactivated. Veterans
of the Division organized a letter-writing campaign to "save"
the 1st Armored Division. Their efforts were rewarded when on
May 10, 1971, 1st Armored Division left its home at Fort Hood,
Texas to replace the 4th Armored Division in Germany.
DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM
Old
Ironsides marched into its second half century celebrating victory
in the Cold War - a triumph symbolized by the fall of the Berlin
Wall, the unification of Germany, and the crumbling of East
European, communist regimes.
Almost immediately the 1st Armored Division was called upon
to meet a new challenge. In November 1990 it was alerted for
deployment to the Middle East in response to the Iraqi invasion
of Kuwait. In less than two months the Division moved 17,400
soldiers and 7,050 pieces of equipment by rail, sea, and air
to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. The Division's
own 1st Brigade stayed in Germany and was replaced by 3d Brigade,
3d Infantry Division.
On February 24, 1991, the 1st Armored Division crossed into
Iraq leading VII Corp's main flanking attack - its mission to
destroy the elite, Iraqi Republican Guards Divisions. In its
89-hour blitz across the desert Old Ironsides traveled 250 kilometers;
destroyed 768 tanks, APCs and artillery pieces; and captured
1,064 prisoners of war. Four 1st Armored Division soldiers made
the ultimate sacrifice in this historic effort.
Old Ironsides marked its successful return to Germany on May
8, 1991, when MG Griffith uncased the Division Colors in Ansbach.
The 1st Armored Division celebrated its triumph with a visit
from the Vice President of the United States and attendance
at victory parades in Washington, D.C. and New York City.
TASK FORCE EAGLE
On
December 14, 1995, the 1st Armored Division was ordered to Bosnia-Herzegovina
as part of Operation Joint Endeavor. This task force, known
as Task Force Eagle, assumed control of its area of responsibility
during a transfer of authority ceremony with United Nations
forces at Eagle Base, Tulza on December 20, 1995.
After the historic bridging of the Sava River on December 31,
1995, the Old Ironsides Division, with supporting forces from
the 5th U.S. Corps, was joined by Nordic-Polish, Turkish, and
Russian brigades - in total - 12 Nations: Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia,
Sweden, Turkey, and the United States.
Task Force Eagle, one of the most powerful formations ever fielded,
enforced the cease-fire, supervised the marking of boundaries
and the zone of separation between the former warring factions,
enforced withdrawal of the combatants, and the movement of the
heavy weapons to designated storage sites.
Task Force Eagle also supported the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe's efforts to administer the country's
first ever democratic national elections.
On November 10, 1996, the 1st Armored Division transferred authority
for command and control of Task Force Eagle to the 1st Infantry
Division. The 1st Infantry Division deployed as a covering force
to allow the safe return of the 1st Armored Division to Germany.
KOSOVO
In
April 1999, the 1st Armored Division was alerted to send soldier
to Albania as part of Operation Allied Force in response to
the ethnic cleansing and fighting in Kosovo. The 1st Armored
Division then sent the first soldiers into Kosovo in operation
Joint Guardian to uphold the United Nations Security Council
resolution to bring peace back to the Kosovo region.
On
June 20, 2000, the 1st Armored Division took over the mission
as the U.S. contingent in Kosovo assuming control of the Multinational
Brigade - East, and continues to bring a lasting peace and stability
to the region and help build the infrastructure for all in Kosovo.
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
The
Division again answered the Nation’s call to duty March
4, 2003 when it received orders to deploy to the U.S. Central
Command area of responsibility in support of the global war
on terrorism . “Old Ironsides” began moving out
April 15 in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The
division and task force marked some major “firsts”
during the 15-month long mission. For Soldiers of the 1st Armored
Division, this was longest deployment of any division in Iraq.
Task Force 1st Armored Division was the largest division-based
task force in U.S. Army history. Units serving with the Task
Force included brigade-sized elements of the 82nd Airborne and
3rd Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions, the 2nd Armored Cavalry
Regiment, the 124th Infantry Battalion, the 18th and 89th Military
Police Brigades and 168th MP Battalion.
Engineer
units serving with the task force included the 153rd, 203rd,
389th, 439th, 535th, 842nd and 1457th Engineer Battalions, the
493rd Engineer Group, and the 249th and 671st Engineer Companies.
Also serving the task force were the 55th Personnel Service
Battalion, the 8th Finance Battalion, the 350th and 354th Civil
Affairs Battalions, the 315th and 345th PSYOP Battalions and
the 16th Corps Support Group.
At
its height, more than 39,000 Soldiers were part of the task
force.
The task force secured some of Baghdad’s roughest neighborhoods
and brought stability to the city and its surrounding countryside.
The
Task Force’s accomplishments included planning and executing
Operations Iron Hammer, Iron Justice, Iron Grip, Longstreet,
Iron Bullet, Iron Promise and Iron Sabre. During these task
force operations, Soldiers captured more than 700 criminals
and former regime insurgents. They also confiscated thousands
of rockets, mortars, tank rounds, rocket-propelled grenades
and small arms.
In addition to combat, task force Soldiers protected and improved
the quality of life for over 5 million Iraqi residents in the
city of Baghdad. The task force trained Iraqi police and national
guardsmen, renovated schools, established neighborhood councils
and spent over $60 million on these and other projects.
After turning the city over to the 1st Cavalry Division April
15, the task force headed south to pacify the cities of Najaf,
Diwaniyah, Al Kut and Karbala.
Extended for 120 days to tackle the new mission, elements of
the task force moved south and took over 17,000 square kilometers
in southern Iraq to dismantle a radical militia that had taken
control of a number of cities and was trying to discredit its
nation’s new-found freedom. In 60 days of combat operations,
Task Force 1st Armored Division defeated the militias and restored
stability to the nation’s southern region.
Those
mission successes and achievements did not come without cost.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom, 133 Iron Soldiers lost their
lives while serving in Iraq and 1,111 were wounded in combat.
http://www.1ad.army.mil/History.htm