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Vol. 90 No. 2 “Nous Resterons La” October 2008

The Official Publication of the Society of the Third Infantry Division, United States Army

Since 1919 n n n The Oldest Continuous Army Division Association

The Watc h Rh ineon t he

Please turn to BLUNDERS on page 9

2nd Platoon, C Co., 65th INF (LT Clark front row, seventh from left).

MAMBO ON HILL 167By Bill Buemi

My time in the Army still has methinking, and two things, two blun-ders have bugged me on and off for quite

a few years.

After I completed basic training at

Camp Perry, OH, I was transferred to

Camp Waters, TX, where I trained for

IRTC (Infantry Replacement Training

Center) and where I became a “top dog” in

handling the Browning Automatic Rifle

(BAR).… After I placed first in a BAR

shoot-out, I started to get some respect. I

was the guy that you wanted to be next to

if times got tough.

After training, we shipped out for the

Invasion of North Africa. The landing area

where our LST [landing ship, tank]

dropped us off at was in about three feet of

water and the enemy was shooting at us. I

hit the water and a wave knocked me over.

I couldn’t get up. I was loaded withBy Baltazar Soto, LTC, USA (Ret.)

This Korean War battle was officially

named “Operation Red Rooster” by

some officer in the regiment, but to

1LT Walt B. Clark and the men of his pla-

toon, it will always be called “Mambo on

Hill 167.”

LT Clark was platoon leader of the 2nd

Platoon, C Co., 1st BN, 65th INF

“Borinqueneers,”

3ID. He had

recently graduated

from the Citadel,

the Military

College of South

Carolina and the

Infantry Officer

Basic Course. The

young 21-year-old

looked at his

assignment as a

challenge in leadership, since he was

selected to lead these mostly Spanish-

speaking soldiers from the tropical Puerto

Rican and Virgin Islands.

Many officers at the time thought it was

the kiss of death to be assigned to the

Puerto Rican Regiment. Critics called it the

“seeeexty feeeeth” mockingly imitating the

Spanish accent of most of the regiment’s

Puerto Rican soldiers. It was considered by

some in high command at the Pentagon and

by some senior leaders as that “rum and

Many officers at the time thought it wasthe kiss of death to be assigned to thePuerto Rican Regiment. Critics called itthe “seeeexty feeeeth” mockingly imitat-ing the Spanish accent of most of theregiment’s Puerto Rican soldiers.

Two Blunders

1LT Walt B. Clark Please turn to MAMBO on page 6

The Anzio Landing was virtually unopposed.This scene, photographed at Yellow Beach on22 January, show troops of the 3d Division asthey waded the last few yards to shore.

The Watch on the Rhine

President O

LTC Tim Stoy6531 Milva LaneSpringfield, VA 22150(703) [email protected]

Immediate Past President O

Charles C. Trout 10191 Birchwood Dr.Huntington Beach, CA 92646-5432(714) [email protected]

Secretary-Treasurer O

Raymond C. Anderson10 Paddington Ct.Hockessin, DE 19707(302) 239-1525 [email protected]

Eastern Region VP O

John Fisher36 Alden RdParamus, NJ 07652-3708(201) [email protected]

Committeeman O

Robert D. Bailey160 Huguley Rd.Opelika, AL 36804-1891(334( [email protected]

Committeeman O

Patrick Williamson530 Hemingway DrHockessin, DE 19707-1112(302) [email protected]

Central Region VP O

Jim Drury 716 9th St.Camache, IA [email protected]

Committeeman O

Joe Ball2010 Worcester Ln.Garland, TX 75040(972) [email protected]

Committeeman O

David T. Martin5447 Beacon Hill DrFrisco, TX 75034-1724(972) [email protected]

Western Region VP O

Michael J. Baker4630 W Orchid LnChandler, AZ [email protected]

Committeeman O

John B. Shirley4218 Drake WayLivermore, CA 94550-4914(925) 447-2256 FAX: (925) [email protected]

Committeeman O

Bruce Monkman7731 Etiwanda Ave.Reseda, CA 91335-2021(818) [email protected]

Honorary President Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo, CG 3ID (Mech)Honorary Vice President CSM Jesse Andrews, Division CSM, 3ID (Mech)Editor Cath Bacon

PO Box 7069Hampton, VA 23666-7069(757) [email protected]

Active Duty Liaison* Patrick A. Schado675 Laurenburg DrRichmond Hill, GA 31324-4353(912) 429-7074 [email protected]

Chaplain Jerome DaddatoW 4150 Co. Rd. KRandom Lake, WI 53075-1308(920) [email protected]

Historian Tim Stoy6531 Milva LaneSpringfield, VA 22150(703) [email protected]

Judge Advocate Hon. Bob Poydasheff944 2nd Ave.Columbus, GA 31901(706) 327-9415 FAX (706) [email protected]

Medical Officer Bae Suk Lee, MD3151 Brinton TrailCincinnati, OH 45241(513) 769-3627

Sergeant-at-Arms Henry H. Burke1122 Palisades CircleColumbia SC 29223-3409(803) [email protected]

Webmaster / Richard W. HellerDatabase Manager 1515 Ramblewood Dr.

Hanover Park, IL 60133-2230(630) 837-8871e-mail: [email protected]: http://www.3rdiv.org

The Watch on the RhineThe Watch on the Rhine is the official publication of The Society of the Third Infantry Division, U.S. Army. The Watch on the Rhine is pub-lished bi-monthly for members of the Society by Finisterre Publishing Incorporated, 3 Black Skimmer Ct., Beaufort, SC 29907

([email protected]). A subscription may be obtained at a cost of $15 by applying to the National Headquarters, The Society of the Third

Infantry Division-U.S. Army, 10 Paddington Ct., Hockessin, DE 19707. Contributions and suggestions are welcome and should be sent to

Cath Bacon, Editor, PO Box 7069, Hampton, VA 23666-7069.

Officers & Staff 2007-2008

Audit Committee David W. Mills8059 E. Michelle Dr.Scottsdale, AZ 85255(480) 473-8259

Awards Committee Nile Stuart1720 Elmsford Ave..La Habra, CA 90631-6424

Communications Committee7th RGT Leonard Collins15th RGT Dave Adams, Tim Stoy30th RGT Robert D. Bailey, Carl Topie65th RGT Dr. George Bjotvedt, Anthony Mele5th RCT Jim Evans, Bill Kane9TH FA Jim Hughes, Bruce Monkman10th FA Ed Damaso, John Fisher10th Engineers Ken Dudonie2nd Rec Sqd, 7th CAV Glenn Schneider3rd Sqd, 7th CAV David Adams58th FA Dick Gallemeyer64th Tank Fred MoehleOP Harry Survivors Ray Anderson, Dick Martinet

Constitution and John Shirley Bylaws Committee 4218 Drake Way

Livermore, CA [email protected]

Membership Chairman TBA

Nominations Committee Robert D. Bailey160 Huguley Rd.Opelika, AL 36804-1891(334) 298-8622 [email protected]

Public Relations Carl Q. TopieCommittee 27 Apple Lane

Milford, OH 45150(513) 831-2636 [email protected]

Scholarship Foundation Lynn Ball2010 Worcester Ln.Garland, TX 75040(972) [email protected]

Society Troop Support Committee Cath Bacon (see address above, Editor)

Committees 2008-2009

LEGEND: O Elected Officer (EXCOM)

President’s MessageLTC Tim Stoy

The Watch on the Rhine Page 3

Fellow members of the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to serve as yourpresident. I would like to thank Chuck Trout, his officers, and the

members of the Executive Committee for their hard work on

behalf of our Society. Well done!

Our members include veterans who served in the pre-WWII

Army, WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War, Desert Shield/Desert

Storm and finally, Iraqi Freedom, as well as family members of

vets, and associate members who hold a strong affinity for our

great Division. Our members range from their late 90’s to Soldiers

barely in their 20’s. This mix gives us tremendous diversity. I am

excited to have the chance to work with the Executive Committee

for you together to make the most of this diversity.

The Executive Committee and our elected officers are tasked

with day-to-day management of the Society, but we can only serve

you well if you are engaged. We will inform you of matters of

importance to the Society so that you can make your views known

before we make our decisions. This will be done through TheWatch on the Rhine, through regional and outpost newsletters,through our website, and through letters from committeemen and

outpost officers. I ask you to please read these informative sources

and tell us what you think. Work through your outpost officers,

committeemen and regional vice presidents.

We have almost 3,700 members—unfortunately, the number of

ballots we receive annually in elections is significantly lower than

that. I encourage all of you to participate in our elections and our

annual raffle, which remains our primary fund-raising vehicle. The

leadership will remain open to ideas and input from the member-

ship, but at some point, we will end discussion, then make, and

implement decisions as we judge them to be for the greatest good

of the Society. That is why you selected us.

The new slate of elected and appointed officers is printed in this

issue of The Watch on the Rhine. While I am still looking for a ded-icated, imaginative and energetic Membership Committee Chair, I

thank all our officers for stepping up on behalf of our great Society.

The purpose of our fraternal organization is to honor our divi-

sion, our war dead, and provide opportunities for camaraderie for

our members. I am totally dedicated to our division’s great histor-

ical achievements which are sum of the contributions of every sol-

dier who has served in its ranks—everything we do should honor

those who served and are still serving in the Rock of the Marne—

the best combat division in the US Army since those days on the

Marne 90 years ago!

The aggressive spirit we must display is reflected in a slogan

borrowed from a man whom I never had the chance to meet though

I very much admire, former division commander MG “Iron Mike”

O’ Daniel: “Sharpen your bayonets!” Let’s be aggressive in keep-

ing our Society vibrant!

Rock of the Marne!

Tim Stoy

We have almost 3,700 members—unfor-tunately, the number of ballots wereceive annually in elections is signifi-cantly lower than that. I encourage all ofyou to participate in our elections and our annual raffle,which remains our primary fund-raising vehicle.

After much prayer and meeting with the doctors on Sep 8,I made the decision not to attend the Reunion in Georgiabecause of my wife Joan’s health. Since we have all worked

together these last two years, I wanted to thank you for your

support and dedication to our great Society. But Joan was

diagnosed with breast cancer several months ago with a rapid-

ly-spreading type of cancer that is very difficult to detect. Joan

is the oldest of three children; her siblings have both passed

away with her youngest sister having died from the same type

of cancer at the age of 48.

Joan’s medical treatments have been difficult. After having

a mastectomy, she began four chemotherapy treatments. After

three sessions, her liver and other organs repelled the treat-

ments. The only option was to place her on another chemo

treatment that is usually not given to anyone over 65 because

it is very rough on the heart. These chemo treatments are tak-

ing their toll on her body. I waited until early last month to

make the decision. Though I will regret having missed the

Reunion, I know that I have made the right decision.

In 1990, my first wife died when I was away with the mil-

itary. I guess I feel somewhat guilty for not having been there;

I do not want that to

happen again. I hope

you understand. Per

Section VII of the

Society C&BLs,

“Vacancies,” I asked

Ray Anderson to put

in effect the

“Succession of

Duties” which

means that he con-

tacted the Society

vice-presidents to

arrange coverage in

my absence.

A Note from the Past PresidentChuck Trout

Chuck and Joan TroutContinued on page 7

The 89 th Annua l Reun i onThe 89 th Annua l Reun i on

Welcome to the Reunion

Mike Halik & Joe Herron Mary Lou Marker and Dorothy Tonini

Registration with Linda Irvine

3HBCT

Sgt Bob Wakefield

Rich Heller with new dues collection toolWeapon DisplayCarmel and Judy Solano

Wel

com

e

Ben

nin

g T

ou

r

Weapon Display

Hosp

itali

ty R

oom

Reg

istr

ati

on

Tour Guide LT Bradley Ortman

Mem

ori

al

Mea

l

Jane Dojutrek and Roberta HellerThe Daddatos and MG Webster Bill Tonini and Dale Marker

Three Sgts—Proft, Grant and CunninghamCol James Carlisle, Nile Stuart and Henry Burke3ID Display

James Campbell, Gen Kendall & John Shirley

CSM Jesse Andrews, Jerry Cunningham and MG Anthony Cucolo

T Fallen Heroes Monument Lunch at Ft. Benning

Th

e B

an

qu

et

Reunion Banquet at Ft Benning O Club


coke” outfit. One general called it a regi-

ment of “colored” troops, unreliable and

inferior to continental “white” soldiers. But

through two years of intense front line

combat in the Korean War, the 65th

Infantry Regiment proved all the critics

wrong.

Ever since Lt. Clark had first taken com-

mand of the 2nd Platoon in Mar 1952, he

wanted to instill in his men aggressiveness,

“the spirit of the bayonet.” He always had a

kitchen grinding stone and had his men

sharpen their 10 inch blades, insisting they

have their bayonet on them at all times—

the men even slept with their M-1 rifles

with bayonets fixed.

After months of outpost duty, Clark and

his platoon got the chance to attack. The

mission was conceived on short notice. The

orders were to “raid Chinese outpost posi-

tions on Hill 167 in stealth and darkness;

capture prisoners; leave a squad of volun-

teers on 167 to observe Chinese Main Line

of Resistance (MLR) area—squad to

remain for 48 hours.” Clark’s unit was the

assault platoon for the company, so it was

his mission to go into the objective, seize

the hill, and take the prisoners. POWs were

needed for gathering intelligence on the

enemy, and Third Division had taken no

prisoners of war (POWs) in a number of

weeks.

C Co. Commander Capt. Henry E.

Hutcheson told Clark that the S-2

(Intelligence) estimated “half an enemy

squad” occupied the objective and assured

him that his platoon would have no prob-

lem. The rest of the company would pro-

vide suppression, security, and support. A

tank section on the MLR would provide

support by fire. The plan sounded good, but

when any plan is “executed” in a field envi-

ronment during wartime, unpredictable

obstacles—friction—can occur.

After assembling in darkness on 18 Jul

1952 near the steep slopes of Hill 250 along

the Outpost Line of Resistance, C Co.

moved out and crossed the Line of

Departure (LD) at 2400 (thus, enemy con-

tact would occur on 19 Jul), and quickly

became lost in the dark. Noise discipline

was poor, undoubtedly providing the

enemy early warning. It was not until the

sun began to rise that C Co. found the

objective, negating the “stealth” part of the

mission. Clark’s 2nd Platoon began the

assault from the north. Someone once said,

“No plan survives contact with the enemy”.

C Co. had a plan, but so did the Chinese.

The Chinese allowed 2nd Platoon scouts

to move within a few feet of the objective

before releasing a murderous fire with four

Soviet Maxim Heavy Machine Guns, small

arms, and grenades. All hell broke loose

resulting in total chaos. The infantrymen

instinctively threw themselves down to hug

the earth for cover. A Chinese soldier on top

of the hill signaled with a large red flag.

Clark and the 2nd Platoon quickly found

out what it meant. “Fire within the battle

position!” The Chinese, with complete dis-

regard for their own soldiers, fired mortar

and artillery shells into their battle position

as 2nd Platoon advanced.

Clark knew he had to do something. He

immediately charged into the enemy posi-

tion leading his platoon of infantry with

fixed bayonets shouting “Arriba mucha-

chos!” Clark’s platoon sergeant, MSG

Santos Candelario helped to rally the rest of

the platoon to follow their lieutenant.

Clark fearlessly led his men into a hill

position of three concentric trench lines.

Though wounded by an enemy grenade, he

continued his charge, hurling grenades and

shooting several enemy soldiers. Then he

entered a trench and turned a corner, and

came face to face with a Chinese soldier.

Several things happened almost instanta-

neously. Both men raised their weapons

and fired. Clark’s M2 Carbine jammed, but

the enemy’s didn’t, and a burst from a

Soviet Model PPSh41 “Burp Gun” hit

Clark in the thigh. Clark threw his carbine

away and instinctively jumped on the sol-

dier. At the same time, he took his steel pot

off and began beating the Chinese soldier

senseless. When the soldier moved, Clark

remembered he still had his Smith &

Wesson 45 revolver and shot him. Other

enemy soldiers nearby hurled grenades at

Clark wounding him in the legs, knee, and

face.

Cpl. José Otero-González ran through

the hail of fire, following Clark, firing his

rifle, and throwing hand grenades at the

Chinese. Near one of the enemy trenches,

he found his platoon leader injured and

stretched out on the ground. Otero told his

lieutenant, “I’ll save you.” PFC Maximino

Paoli, who had charged with Otero, was

suddenly knocked down, wounded in the

head. Clark thought he was dead, but Paoli

jumped back up furious and bayoneted the

two Chinese who were throwing grenades

directly at Clark. Later Paoli discovered a

bullet wedged in his helmet between the

liner and the steel pot. Cpl. Otero spotted

another 2nd Platoon NCO and rescued him,

too.

The intensity of the enemy fire was so

severe; it did not allow the other two C Co.

rifle platoons to the east to provide any sup-

port. The promised tank fire support from

the MLR never materialized either. The 2nd

Platoon was already intermingled with the

Chinese on the hill, and the tanks could not

risk firing into friendly forces.

Except for a small attached rifle team,

2nd Platoon was on its own. Chinese

bunkers were blown up by the 57mm

recoilless rifle team or were directly

assaulted by the infantryman. As the brutal

fight progressed for several hours, it

became apparent that the alleged “half

squad” of 3-4 enemy riflemen was a lot

more, possibly an enemy Company of a

hundred Soldiers. On its own and outnum-

bered at least two to one, 2nd Platoon still

managed to chase the enemy from the posi-

tion, then machine gun the Chinese who

were running away back to their lines. Then

Clark directed fire against outlying Chinese

mortar positions. The 2nd Platoon succeed-

ed in capturing two Chinese Prisoners in

the gruesome melee.

Perhaps the bravest man Clark wit-

MAMBO from page 1

Clark fearlessly led his men into a hill position of three concentric trenchlines. Though wounded by an enemy grenade, he continued his charge, hurl-ing grenades and shooting several enemy soldiers. Then he entered a trenchand turned a corner, and came face to face with a Chinese soldier.


nessed that day was the medic attached to

his platoon, PFC Demetrio Villalobos-

Melendez. With all the death and maiming

going on in the bloody brawl, he calmly

saved lives, attended the wounded and

moved through enemy fire.

Clark and his platoon of Puerto Rican

infantry owned Hill 167 until they received

orders to withdraw from the position.

Refusing medical aid and with complete

disregard for his own personal safety, Clark

moved through the heavy hostile fire assist-

ing in the evacuation of the wounded.

During the withdrawal, the POWs were

killed by the intense Chinese fire.

Clark was the last platoon member to

leave the enemy position. The platoon had

taken all their wounded and dead back with

them, including the upper half of one of its

soldiers. No platoon member living or dead

was left behind.

During the platoon’s withdrawal to the

MLR, the Chinese fired an estimated 3,000

rounds of mortar and artillery. Clark was

unable to keep up with his men since he

was severely wounded and since he was the

last to leave the objective. During his lone-

ly walk back, he was lifted off the ground

three times by the 122mm mortar shelling

along the withdrawal route. Miraculously,

he finally reached the Battalion Aid Station

at approximately 1100 hours.

As 2nd Platoon neared the MLR, other

soldiers including Capt. Enrique A. Vicéns,

risked their lives to run to the aid the

wounded C Co. First Sergeant MSG Rafael

E. Balzac also assisted in evacuating a

wounded comrade. Upon reaching friendly

positions, he refused medical aid for his

own wounds, and after calling for volun-

teers to accompany him, returned to help

evacuate more wounded. As he was carry-

ing a fallen comrade on his shoulders to

safety, a devastating barrage of enemy mor-

tar fire swept the entire area, killing him

instantly. His body was not recovered until

a couple of days after the battle. The casu-

alty rate for 2nd Platoon was 50% with 7

killed and 24 wounded.

The Borinqueneers gave a special name

to Hill 167: Mambo 167. Mambo was a

very popular Latin music and dance that

swept the Latin world in the early 1950s;

when the men of the 65th were going to

“rumble” in combat, they referred to it as

“going to the Mambo.” Clark learned about

the name while in the hospital recovering

from his wounds; it was months before he

recovered.

Clark was awarded the Silver Star and

two purple hearts for six separate grenade

wounds and the bullet wound he received.

First Sergeant Balzac was posthumously

awarded the Silver Star and Capt. Vicéns,

Cpl. Otero and PFC Villalobos-Melendez

received the Bronze Star. Two Silver Stars

and nine Bronze Stars were awarded that

day, most to the soldiers of 2nd Platoon

The Puerto Rican soldiers had shown

what they could do with good leadership.

Despite being outnumbered and out-

gunned, these fierce warriors won the day

against a heavily armed and entrenched

enemy force that outnumbered them two-

to-one. Today Hill 167 is deep inside the

Demilitarized Zone near North Korea, but

Borinqueneers will never forget their

Mambo 167.

LTC Baltazar (Bart) Soto is a 1976

ROTC graduate of the Inter-American

University of Puerto Rico. He was one of

the researchers for the 2007 PBS documen-

tary, “The Borinqueneers,” a documentary

about the all-Puerto Rican 65th Infantry

Regiment.

Check your label

*************************************************5 Digit3928 June 2007 OP 3 ER ALTA MILLING 4738 DATURA RDCOLUMBIA SC 29205-2109

Check your name and address ( Apt./Bldg/Lot No.). Notify the MembershipChairman if you find an error. If your zip code does not contain 9 digits(zip+4), your address is not correct according to the USPS. Contact your localPost Office for proper format.

DELIVERY POINT BARCODE

Dues Date: Paid until dateshown or LIFE

Important: If bar-code does notextend across fulllabel, your zip codedoes not have 9digits and youraddress is not cor-rect according tothe USPS. Contactyour local PostOffice for properformat.

Outpost AffiliationYour ID Number

Region: ER = Eastern,CR = Central, WR =Western

From the Editor’s Bunker

Cath Bacon

Hello Team-mates,

October already, the Reunion come

and gone. We had a great time and real-

ly enjoyed the Reunion Banquet at the

Ft. Benning

Officers’ Club.

Met many old and

new friends,

including young-

at-heart members

Frank Evans and

John Hackler. Nice

meeting you, guys!

Unfortunately,

because of logisti-

cal issues, there are not any other

Reunion photos in this issue. Several

people surely took a lot of great photos,

but I have not received any yet. One of

the missing photos is of Frank and me—

so all of you fellow Reunion attendees

who took pictures, be sure to send good

printable copies to me and to Rich

Heller who will post the photos on the

Society website.

Lastly, let me put in a plug for the

4BCT Vanguard Soldiers and former

Marne Soldiers like WO1 Rich

Gooding—they’re still in Iraq, and the

holidays are just around the corner.

Addresses and POCs are posted in the

Society Troop Support Report, so please

do your best to send cards, mail or “we

care” packages to these Soldiers! Once

a Marne Soldier, always a Marne

Soldier.

Shoulder to shoulder,

Cath

John Hackler atReunion Banquet

I would be grateful for your prayers

for Joan during her cancer treatments,

and again, I thank you for your help and

professionalism during my tenure as

president of our great Society. I am con-

fident that you will give Tim Stoy, our

next president, the same outstanding

support during his term as president.

Rock of the Marne.

Chuck

TROUT from page 3


2008 Society Awards

Society Special Service Award

n Jerome A. Manley — (upon his retirement from national

office) for distinguished service over many years in a variety of

executive positions.

President’s Special Awards

n Raymond C. Anderson — for service as Secretary-

Treasurer.

n Robert D. Bailey Sr. — for service as Chairman of both the

Nominations Committee and the New Board Members

Mentors’ Committee.

n Jerome D. Daddato — for service as national chaplain to

members and to fallen comrades and their families.

n John L. Insani — for service in visiting wounded soldiers.

n Carol Megathlin — for setting up, managing, and promoting

the “Adopt a Soldier Program” and for special efforts to unite

supporters with their special soldiers upon their return to

America.

n Dr. Bernhard Oswald — for efforts in arranging the place-

ment of the 3 ID plaque at Berchtesgaden.

n Timothy R. Stoy — for service as historian and for special

efforts in visiting wounded soldiers.

n Angelo “Jim” Tiezzi — for service as Chairman of the

Membership Committee.

n Carl Q. Topie — for service as Public Relations Chair and

for managing the Society’s “Reciprocal Ad Program.”

Soldier of the Year 2008

n SPC Michael R. Holbrook, 2BCT — for distinguished mil-

itary service and personal achievement.

NCO of the Year 2008

n SSG Joshua M. Ridge, 4BCT — for distinguished military

service and personal achievement.

Society Service Awards

n C. Monika Stoy — for organizing and serving aspresident of OP Europe #5845, for efforts in placing3ID monuments and memorials in Europe, and forwork with “Wounded Warriors.”

n Timothy R. Stoy — for organizing OP Europe#5845, for efforts in placing 3ID monuments andmemorials in Europe, for work with “WoundedWarriors,” and for service as the Society Historian.

Associate Member Service Award

n Justin D. Valle — for service to the Society insharing skills in graphics design, photography,research, and writing.

Audie Murphy Achievement Award

n John W. Sneddon — for exemplary military ser-vice and outstanding dedication to the Society and tothe nation. Retiring President’s Award

n Charles C. Trout — for service as President from2006-2008.

At the Society’s 89th annual reunion banquet at Ft. Benning, Georgia, seventeen award winners were named during an awardsprogram conducted by Chairperson Lynn Ball. Among the awards were the return of Soldier and NCO of the Year awards for activeduty Soldiers and a special award for now Past-President Chuck Trout.


ammo, the BAR, a Thompson machine

gun and a .45 caliber pistol. The weight I

had on me was too heavy, and I was get-

ting shot at—Frank Landati stopped to

help me up. Without Frank’s help, I would

surely have been killed. From then on,

you couldn’t separate Frank and me.

But the blunders that keep bugging me

have to do with two other combat opera-

tions. After Kasserine Pass, we were

asked to help the British in a push, so

about 100 of us volunteered. We drove

two nights to get to the British position,

joined up, got the Germans on the run,

when all of a sudden, we stopped for tea.

I couldn’t believe it. After tea, the bag-

pipers began to pipe an attack song, let-

ting the Germans know that we were

preparing to attack. What a blunder! I

know we lost a few men; I wonder how

many British troops were killed in the

attack?

The second blunder happened when we

were making the Invasion at Anzio. Not a

shot was fired. The Germans had made

Anzio an R&R [rest & recuperation]; they

were drunk, shacked up with women, etc.

We caught them red-handed—they never

knew we were there. About 14 of us

grabbed three jeeps and drove through the

ring of mountains to Cisterna. No

Germans there either. We radioed in to the

beachhead that we had the town and to

come on up. They radioed back to return

to the beachhead. I couldn’t believe it.

“’Return to the beachhead?’ You gotta be

kidding!” I thought. But the platoon

sergeant said, “Orders are orders. The

general wants us back.” So we went

back… The Germans occupied the hills

and began shooting—it was like shooting

in a barrel…

I was wounded badly at Ponte Rotto,

Anzio. But … I lived through these two

blunders; now that I have them off of my

mind, I can rest at ease.

Editor’s Note: According to the AnzioBrochure, http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/anzio/72-19.htm, the campaignlasted four months with over 29,200 com-bat casualties (4,400 killed, 18,000wounded, 6,800 prisoners or missing) and37,000 noncombat casualties.

BLUNDER from page 1

Newsbreak in AnzioLull: LA Times,Boston Traveler,Atlanta Journal—withBill Buemi at farright.

“’Return to thebeachhead?’ Yougotta be kidding!” Ithought. But theplatoon sergeantsaid, “Orders areorders. The generalwants us back.”

Anzio

Armed Forces RetirementHome ReceivesPrestigious Accreditation

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2008 – For the

first time in its history, the Armed Forces

Retirement Home has applied for and

received accreditation from the presti-

gious Commission on Accreditation of

Rehabilitation Facilities - Continuing

Care Accreditation Commission.

The accreditation, which will extend

through August 2013, results from the

findings of an on-site survey of the AFRH

facilities conducted Aug. 18-22, 2008. It

was awarded in five services and pro-

grams at the home, which is an indepen-

dent federal agency serving more than

1,100 military retirees and veterans.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit

accrediting body whose mission is to pro-

mote the quality, value and optimal out-

come of services through a consultative

accreditation process. The survey report

labeled these five retirement home areas

exemplary: There are a wide variety of on

and off-campus activities. The on-campus

activity facilities include a movie theater,

bowling alley, and a 50,000 volume

library.

The retirement home currently holds

an accreditation through the Joint

Commission on Accreditation of

Healthcare Organizations, which evalu-

ates and accredits more than 15,000

health care organizations and programs in

the United States. The home was estab-

lished in 1851 for eligible retirees and has

two campuses, Washington and Gulfport,

MS, which provide on-site healthcare,

dental and pharmacy services to residents.

Severe damage by Hurricane Katrina

caused the Gulfport location to temporar-

ily close, but plans are underway to

rebuild by 2010.


2008 Scholarship Grant Recipients

Kristin Costa, sponsored by herpaternal grandfather, Alfred Costa, isthe recipient of the “Thomas W.Mason Old China Hand” award,endowed by Mr. Mason. Miss Costa isa sophomore at The University ofDelaware, majoring in pre-veterinarymedicine. Entering university with ahigh grade point average with honorsclasses, she maintained high scholas-tic standing throughout her freshmanyear. Miss Costa volunteers at St.Joseph’s High School, Bergen County

Animal Shelter and participates in “Community Service Committee”programs. Listed as an English and history honors student, she holdsseveral “Academic Achievement.” High school extracurricular activi-ties included serving as captain in a retreat organization and partici-pating in high school Student Council and swim team. Additionally,Miss Costa received two varsity letters for basketball. Throughouthigh school, Miss Costa held part-time jobs, and she earned aKnights of Columbus scholarship. Her essay, entitled “The Distinctionof the 3rd Infantry Division,” provides a brief and extremely accuratehistory of the Division and describes her grandfather’s pride in serv-ing with the Division and her family’s pride when her grandfatherspoke at the Paterson, New Jersey, premier of “To Hell and Back”starring Audie Murphy.

Christine M. Nussio, sponsored byher father, LTC Ricky J. Nussio, is therecipient of the “Thomas W. MasonOld China Hand” award, endowed byMr. Mason. She is a freshman atChristendom College, Front Royal,VA, majoring in history. At KolbeAcademy, she won honors in theolo-gy, history, literature, and English,earned a “Presidential Active LifestyleAward,” multiple awards from “Fort

Knox Catholic Community,” and graduated as a National MeritScholar. Her vitae included 21 extracurricular and community serviceactivities. Miss Nussio’s essay entitled “Standing Firm throughout theYears” begins, “Down south in the swamplands of Georgia is anArmy post called Fort Stewart…. the official home of the toughestbreed of soldiers, better known as the Dog Face Soldiers of the 3rdInfantry Division.” Her excellent four-page historical summary spansthe years from 1918 to the present, using active adjectives to capture

not only the historical facts but also the pride and commitment toduty of the soldiers of the Division. It concludes, “Americans of allages can be encouraged and thankful knowing the Rock of the Marnewill always stand to defend their freedom, as long as there are ordi-nary American citizens ready to serve their country as heroes in theuniform of the Dog Face soldier.”

Ashleigh Roberts, sponsored by hermaternal grandfather, Chester L. Ball,is a sophomore at Texas A&MUniversity, majoring in engineering.Completing high school with a veryhigh grade point average, she hasmaintained her scholastic standingthroughout her college freshman. Inhigh school sports, she held the titleof Co-Captain in varsity cross-coun-try, basketball, and volleyball. Sheserved as treasurer of Marching Band,and holds leadership roles in Youth

Group at her church where she also participates in choir, Angel FoodMinistries, and the Christmas Play. In university, she is a member ofBeta Club, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and is list-ed as an “Elite All-American Cheerleader” and on theSuperintendent’s Honor Roll. Her essay, entitled “The Importance ofSetting Goals in Life,” begins “In today’s society, the world is basedupon setting and achieving goals.” The essay describes goals held assmall children, to those in the indecision of the teen years, to the real-ization that as adults we are responsible for setting our own goalsand ensuring that they are both measurable and achievable. Theessay ends with the feeling of accomplishment when goals, large andsmall, are met. This, Miss Roberts believes, sets an example for oth-ers to follow.

Erin K. Willis, sponsored by hermother, SFC Sonya K. Willis, is therecipient of the “Thomas W. MasonOld China Hand” award, endowed byMr. Mason. Miss Willis is a sopho-more at Kennesaw State University,majoring in early childhood education.Entering university with a 4.0 gradepoint average, she has maintained herscholastic standing. Among her manyactivities include sports leadershipactivities, tutoring and community

The Society of the 3rd Infantry Division Scholarship Foundation, Inc. announced five 2008 scholarship grants at the Society Reunion atFt. Benning in Sep. Foundation judges Thomas R. Maines, Jerome A. Manley, Marco Montoya, Whitney P. Mullen, and Lynn D. Ball eval-uated the applications and awarded grants of $1,000 to the following individuals: Kristin Costa, Bogota NJ; Christine M. Nussio, DumphriesVA; Ashleigh Roberts, Bells TX; Erin K. Willis, Fort Stewart, Georgia, and Kurt A. Yaeger, Swampscott MA.


service through. Miss Willis is a member of Phi Eta Sigma (freshmenhonor society), the soccer team, the swim team, and the art club.Her essay, entitled “American Patriotism,” begins “On September 11,2001, outside forces determined to destroy us attacked the UnitedStates.” Miss Willis’s essay dramatically summarizes the event andmarvels at the demonstration of American patriotism she witnessedin the days, weeks, and months following. She provides an extendeddefinition of “being an America,” in which she expresses her opinionthat American patriotism has less to do with where one was bornthan it has to do with freedom from prejudice and support forAmerica, her people, and her direction. As Miss Willis’s essay clos-es, she reminds us: “America is, if not the only country, a countrywhere freedoms are granted so that people can achieve their ultimatepotential in life.”

Kurt A. Yaeger, sponsored by hismaternal grandfather, Charles M.Lamlein, is the recipient of the“Whitney P. Mullen Award,” presentedin honor of soldiers of the 15thRegiment of the 3rd Infantry Division,past and present. Mr. Yaeger is asophomore at Lafayette College,Easton, Pennsylvania, majoring inmedicine. Entering college as an honorstudent, he maintains his high GPA. Inhigh school, he excelled in academics,athletics, leadership, community ser-vice, and worked part-time. He has

traveled to Boston and Washington D.C. for symposia on genocide,and he has organized service projects for Asian and American dis-aster victims from 2005-2006. An Advanced Placement Scholar, hereceived the John & Abigail Adams Scholarship and the StimsonMarine Corps Scholarship for Outstanding Public Service. His essay,simply entitled “Essay,” discusses lessons learned from authorsSteven Ambrose and David McCollough and describes a “commonthread” among brave soldiers showing that “they all strive to upholdtheir honor and patriotism even in the face of grave danger.” Heremembers conversations with his grandfather, “Pops,” and attribut-es his love of the uniform to early experiences of feeling like a hero“wearing” his grandfather’s Army uniform, probable motivation forjoining the Boy Scouts, eventually attaining Eagle Scout rank. “Thosein uniform” he believes “are the country’s true heroes.” Yeager’sdeep patriotism is leading him toward a life of service as a physician.He ends his essay with “I am confident that my ideals, inspired byour country’s veterans, will carry me through.”

On 22 Sep 1950, the 65th Infantry

Regiment was officially assigned

to the Third Infantry Division

and on 28 Sep, it became the first unit of the

3ID to fight in the Korean War.

The circumstances were unusual. The

65th was not one of the historic 3ID units

that had fought so valiantly in either World

War I or World War II. Indeed, before 1948

it would have been illegal to assign that regiment to the Division.

Organized in Puerto Rico after the US acquired that island in the

Spanish-American War, it was considered a “non-white” unit and

so could not be assigned to the “white” 3ID. Instead, it had served

in World War II as a non-divisional infantry regiment in Italy,

France, and Germany participating in the Naples-Foggia, Rome-

Arno, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns.

Post-WWII staffing reductions, however, had reduced the 3ID

approximately a cadre-strength unit at Fort Benning when the

Korean War broke out in Jun 1950. The Division had only 5,179

of its 18,894-man authorized strength and was short two infantry

battalions, one tank battalion and a field artillery battalion. But

General MacArthur, heading the Far East Command, wanted the

3ID sent to Japan by mid-Sep. Despite opposition by many in the

Pentagon, which thought the 3ID “untrained and worthless for

combat”, the Army decided to send it. To bring the division up to

strength, the Army zeroed out the 30th Infantry, dividing its offi-

cers and men between the 7th and the 15th Infantry Regiments,

with the 15th Infantry receiving the lion’s share. And it assigned

the 65th Infantry to the Division to build it up “to a semblance of

operational strength.”

The Pentagon had been very impressed by the performance of

the Puerto Rican soldiers during exercises on Vieques Island ear-

lier in 1950, where they had prevented one division from landing

on the beaches and inflicted heavy [exercise] “casualties” on a bat-

talion of the 82d Airborne Division jumping onto the island.

In Aug, the commander of the 65th, COL W.W. Harris, was told

that his unit would depart shortly for Korea, where it would

become part of the 3ID upon arrival. He was also directed to

increase his unit to war strength, which he easily did by recruiting

some 600-men in ten days and recalling 1,200 of the 65th’s expe-

rienced World War II veterans. On 22 Aug the 65th Infantry left

Puerto Rico and, practiced constantly while en route, and arrived

in the port of Sasebo in Japan on 22 Sep. It was then officially

assigned to the 3ID and ordered to proceed to Korea immediately.

The next day, 23 Sep 1950, the 65th Infantry became the first unit

of the 3ID to set foot in Korea, in Pusan in the southeastern corner

of the country. While waiting for the rest of the 3ID to arrive, the

65th Infantry proceeded to a staging area about 50 miles north the

Marne History Note

65th Inf. First in Korea

Continued on page 16

Watch ScheduleThe Watch is your magazine, but the editor needs your help tokeep it at the top of its class. The schedule for each issue is:Deadline to the Editor Publication

January 10th ..................................................FebruaryMarch 10th ....................................................AprilMay 10th ........................................................JuneJuly 10th ........................................................AugustSeptember 10th ..............................................OctoberNovember 10th ..............................................December


Letters to the Editor

Dear Cath,

You published my “Letter to the Editor” in the Apr issue. The

date that was printed in the newsletter, “May 4, 1944 (not 1945)”

was not the date that I referenced in my letter.

I assume that, in relation to the Marne Trail Report,” the intend-

ed date to be print was “May 4, 1945 (not May 5).” However, the

date was misprinted. And I do not even understand that much edi-

torial license…Additionally, in the Aug issue, you even stated that

I may have been confused about the date that I quoted.…

I request that a correction to my letter be made. I understand

that mistakes can be made, but in this instance, I feel that absolute

accuracy should have been in place for the quote of a [sic] histori-

cally significant date. Please set the facts straight.

Sincerely,

Joe Kolacz

w w wDear Cath,

My name is Kathy Brinson; I am Joe Kolacz’s daughter. We are

both members of the Society of the Third Infantry Division.

You published a letter of his in the April 2008 issue of TheWatch on the Rhine (page 12). A reference date in my father’s let-ter … contained an error. “May 4, 1945” was misprinted as “May

4, 1944 (not 1945).”

The 1944 date was not referenced at all in my dad’s original let-

ter that was submitted to you. I have the original letter that your

copy was made from. Perhaps you meant to print “May 4, 1945

(not May 5),” but a mistake was made.

We have noticed that the Aug issue has two letters responding

to my dad’s letter… This is very upsetting to me and my father. A

mistake that was made by the newsletter staff has reflected badly

on my father at the least, and, as one of the letters stated “cast sus-

piscion [sic] on the entire account.”

As the daughter of a veteran, being a veteran myself, and the

wife of a retired veteran, we know the importance of accurately

depicting military history.

I request that a correction to this mistake be acknowledged to

my father personally and in the next newsletter.

We understand that mistakes can be made, but we ask you to

please set the facts straight in this instance.

Sincerely,

Kathy Brinson/ [email protected]

Dear Joe and Kathy,As the granddaughter, daughter, sister, and aunt of veterans,

and as a veteran myself, I too appreciate military history beingaccounted for accurately. Having reviewed my paper and emailfiles, I have found the original letter as submitted, which is reprint-ed below:

It was with a great deal of interest that I read the “Marne Trail

Report” in the current issue of The Watch on the Rhine. Finally afterall these years the proper recognition is being given to the 3rdInfantry Division for being the first unit to enter Berchtesgaden onMay 4, 1945. It is extremely important how history is written for ourfuture generations and the facts clearly documented.

After conducting extensive research, I had a discussion with“the newsletter staff” (which consists of me), and I determined thatI had meant to include an emphatic note, but should have done soby using brackets [like this]. Additionally, I determined that I hadmeant to include that note in reference to a background dialoguethat had ensued as a result of the error in the Bertchesgaden arti-cle in the Feb 2008 issue (p. 11). The bottom line is that while I hadmeant to emphasize the correct date, I again, erroneously mixedthe dates. Maybe I should schedule an appointment with my physi-cian about dyslexia!

I did not state or imply any confusion on your part, Joe; never-theless, I regret the offense to you and to Kathy, I apologize, and Iaccept full responsibility for the errors.

CathHistory is always written wrong, and so always needs to be rewritten...George Santayana

w w wDear Editor

I belong to the Society of the Third Infantry Division thanks to

Tim and Monika Stoy whom I met in Cavalaire in August 2007. I

am proud to have joined the Society; and I receive The Watch onthe Rhine…

I live in a small town near Versailles. I am the “conseiller

Municipal” and one of my responsibilities is to coordinate with

military societies. My military background was with the French

Navy.

With my friendly feelings,

Joel Cavarero

[email protected] w w

Dear Ms. Bacon,

I am a Korean War vet and proud to have participated in that

campaign!

I was born in May 1934, and I lived in the Belgian Ardennes. I

remember the winter of 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge; I will

never forget that bad winter! And your brave American Soldiers

came to my country to rescue and restore the freedom of Europe!

Yes! Freedom is not free!

Now, I am the creator of the Memorial for the Korean War

Veterans in the Ardennes.

Sincerely,

Claude Billiet

Rue du Doyard, 44

4990 LIERNEUX

BELGIUM


Dear Editor,

The photos that Eric Vandroux in the Aug issue are wonderful!

And we are continually impressed with the yearly dedication of the

school children participating in honoring the fallen soldiers each

Memorial Day. We also commend him for always being involved

and participating and keeping us apprised of these events. We look

forward hopefully to seeing you and other friends in 2009 with John

Shirley.

Sincerely,

Del and Jerry Papin


Dear Cath,

Just finish reading the Aug issue and want to respond to Mr.

Underwood’s letter about the 38INF. I can provide a little informa-

tion on the unit. I arrived in Schweinfurt, Germany in Mar 1961. I

was assigned to A Co., 2nd Battle Group, 38th INF, 3ID. In late Apr

or early May 1963, we were told that we would be A Co., 2nd

Battalion, 30INF, 3ID.

Mr. Underwood did say what Battle Group he was in; the Army

Center for Military History lists the Battle Group as assigned 19 Feb

1962 to the 2ID. My question is what Battle Group? If memory

serves me the 1st and 2nd Battle Groups were changed at the same

time, 1963 to the 1st and 2nd BN, 30INF. I always consider myself

to be a member of the 38th because I was with them for two years

and only 6 months with the 30INF. I hope this helps a little.

Sincerely,

Charles Laster OP7, [email protected] N Gorsuch Rd

Westminster, MD 21157-3933

w w wHello, Cath and Darwin,

I received the Aug. issue of The Watch today and read DarwinUnderwood‘s letter [Aug 2008, p. 12] with a great deal of interest.

Something is missing from the 38th’s history as shown in the

answer, as I was stationed in Schweinfurt, Ledward Barracks, from

June, 1962 until Jan 1964 in the 1st Bn. 30INF, and present at the

same time and still there when I left was the 2nd Bn. 38INF, all of

us in the 3ID.

Best Regards,

Craig North


Editor

In Darwin Underwood’s letter, he stated he was a former mem-

ber of Co. D, 2nd Battle Group, 38INF, 3ID in Schweinfurt,

Germany in 57-58 (I had formerly served with Co. C, 38th IR, 2ID

in Korea in 1951.)

I also was with Company D, 2nd BG, 38INF, 3ID at Ledward

Barracks in Schweinfurt during that period. I actually joined the unit

in 1956 at Ft. Benning, GA. I was a SFC E-6 at the time. When I

joined the unit at Benning, we conducted basic training for the new

members prior to going to Germany as a Division. The

Commanding General was Major General Lundquist (or Lindquist).

His son was also a Company Commander in the Division. I was on

the 3rd ID advance party to Germany in Jan 1957, and we replaced

the 10th Mountain Division. The 1st BDE, 30INF, 3ID was also at

Ledward Barracks. We trained at Hohenfels and Grafenwehr.

I enjoyed my assignment with the unit very much. I would very

much love to hear from anyone who served in the unit at the time.

Wilbur “Will” Corbitt, MAJ, USA, Ret.

Sqd Ldr/Plt Sgt Co D 2nd BG 38INF

13296 S. US Hwy 441, Lake City, FL 32025

386-752-8166 Home / 386-867-1687 Cell

w w wHello Cath,

Sorry it has taken so long to write this, I wanted to as soon as I

got your last email. I have been pretty busy the last few weeks.

Currently I am in Iraq.

After I left the DC area and did my Warrant Officer Training I

was reassigned to Ft. Hood Texas. Within two months of getting

there I was on another plane to the sand box. I am assigned to the

41st FIRES BDE. We are normally a MLRS (Multiple Launch

Rocket System) unit but have been tasked to do other things while

here.

One of our units is acting as correction officers to a prison the

other is doing patrols in our local area and manning checkpoints

throughout the province.

My unit is at FOB Delta near the town of Al Kut, it is in the

Wassit province. The town we are near is closer to Iran then

Baghdad. It makes for interesting things. The area however is very

quiet and we have little to no contact that is worth our time.

Our main mission here is getting the area back on its feel and we

are doing a pretty good job. We are the first large US unit here as its

been mainly run by the Coalition Forces. The largest of those up

until last week was Georgia. There are 8 other countries on this FOB

making for a lot of cultural differences that take some time getting

use to.

Well I will cut this off for now, I hope you’re doing well and

things are great there. I am not getting our magazines because the

mail is slow; can you send me The Watch digitally please? I really

love reading what’s going on with my Marne brothers.

WO1 Richard Gooding

[email protected] w w w

Dear Editor,

I was very much impressed with the poem, “Past and Present”

[Aug 2008, p. 14]. I have read several other poems written by Don

Chase, and can attest to the great ability he has in inserting the “been

there and went through that” feeling in his verse. It would be a plea-

sure to see more of Don’s verse in future issues …

Rock of the Marne!

William “Bill” K. Wayne / M/15/3ID

SOP guidance for The Watch is to not include poetry. I do some-times “press the envelope” as the Air Force lingo goes—and includ-ed Don’s poem last August. Poetry may occasionally be included,but as a rule, it cannot be a regular feature.

Cath


Looking for...

…Anthony Carty Family Members?Anthony Carty, a Marne-man from 1957-59 and former mem-

ber of the Society was

last known to be an inpa-

tient at the Kingsboro

Psychiatric Center in

Brooklyn, NY. My wife

and I visited him there

several times, but he has

since been transferred.

The hospital sent me a

form letter indicating it

was unable to provide

info without the patient’s

consent… Tony has not

contacted me—and I

know he would have if

possible. I’m not sure if

he has any living family

members, but I would

appreciate it if anyone

knows a family member or has a recommendation on how I can

get back in touch with Tony, that they would contact me.

Paul Desroches / [email protected]

…Flack Kaserne or Harvey Barracks PalsI was posted to HHQ, 9FA, 3ID from 1959-62, and I’m inter-

ested in rekindling friendships from that time. I now live in

Bradenton, FL and am the OP 2 Secretary. Anyone out there from

FK or HB please drop me a line!

Adrian Krieg / [email protected] /www.a2zPublications.com

…Carl E. Carter, White IL, 15 INF, KIA in Korea, June 11, 1953

I am writing to pay tribute to MSG Carter who died for the lib-

erty in the world. I am very interested in the Korean War—and I

wonder if someone knows about MSG Carter—I would like to

send an humble letter of gratitude from Belgium.

Respectfully,

Kenneth J. Heselwood

Rue Emile Bouilliot 2

BE – 1050 Brussels BELGIUM

…Billy Joe Hooper…I’m still looking for Hooper. I drove trucks with him in Korea

during my last few weeks with the 39FA over there, resupplying

the Iron Triangle area. This photo is from Dec 1952. Would like to

reconnect with Hooper.

Andy Mafucci / 7 Churchill Pl, Pueblo, CO 81001

…6th Engineers, 3IDI am trying to locate my Grandfather’s military history. His

name is Harry P. Coons and I know before leaving the service he

was stationed at Camp Pike, AK in 1920. My mother told me he

had shrapnel wounds in his back and had been stabbed during the

war. I don’t have more information to go on but I sincerely hope

you might be able to help me or point me in the right direction.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Cara / [email protected]

…Bobby Allen at KitzingenMy father, Retired SFC Howard Ladnier, last four of social

9119, was stationed in Kitzigen Germany 1978-79. I am looking

for a fellow soldier whom was close to my father—Robert or

“Bobby Ray” Allen from Brunswick, GA, who I think was in the

same platoon as my father. My father speaks fondly of him and is

having a birthday this Dec 5. He is not in very good health, and I

am trying to surprise my father by finding this gentleman—I’m

guessing he’s between 52-57. If you can help me or give me an

address, it would make my dad’s birthday very special. Thanks.

Annette Moore

14926 Hillside Dr, Ocean Springs, MS. 39565

(228)217-5298 / [email protected]

...Veterans autographsI’m 18 and I have a big interest in history, specifically WWII.

I collect military medals, patches, badges, insignia, field gear, and

something else unique: veteran autographs. I have a collection of

autographs from military veterans who served during WWI,

WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the present war in Iraq

I have been interested in history for over 6 years now, and I

have collected the autographs and stories from nearly 1,600 vet-

erans in 20 countries. The oldest veteran is currently 112 years old

and the youngest enlisted at age 14. I have autographs from Pearl

Harbor survivors, D-Day veterans, Airmen, POWs, USS

Indianapolis survivors, Holocaust survivors, and even German

soldiers!

Back in June (of 2007), I was interview by PBS, to talk about

my collection for an interview that was to be shown online

(YouTube). After that, I was interviewed for “The Columbus

World War II Roadshow.” Recently, I was interviewed by the

American Legion for an article that will appear in their August

magazine (http://www.legion.org/whatsnew/publications/

newsletter/story?id=635).

So I’m looking for more veterans’ autographs. You can down-

load a form at this site (http://www.militarycontact.com/signa-

ture_collector.doc), fill it out and mail it to me. Also, if they have

any pictures of yourself in your military uniform, would it be pos-

sible to make a copy and autograph them for my collection? My

main purpose for writing it to share with you that people from our

generation do remember the past and the sacrifices that were made

for our great country.

Sincerely,

Kyle Nappi / [email protected] / 740-363-8095

1890 Warren Rd / Ostrander, OH 43061

“Let’s go, Maffucci! Gotta go up the firingbatteries. Wanna help breakdown the foodrations? Nice ride! Ok, let’s get going!”


Marne Trail Report

On 15 Aug, a Marne Trail plaque

was dedicated at Ramatuelle or

“Yellow Beach to WWII 3ID vets,

marking the 64th anniversary of Operation

Dragoon. This village also has a stone

monument for General Patch, the 7th

Army Commander. Sgt Audie Murphy,

15INF, earned the DSC for his bravery

there. Later he returned to retrace his bat-

tlefields, and the local people still fondly

talk of his last visit when he became an

honorary citizen.

As a part of the ceremony, the “Dog

Faced Soldier” was rousingly played

twice on the peaceful beach. After the cer-

emony, all participants, including two

government ministers, the Assistant

Interior minister and the Veterans Affairs

minister, convoyed through heavy sum-

mer traffic to attend ceremonies at La

Croix-Valmer and then at Cavalaire-sur-

Mer. Newly elected Mayor Annick

Napoleon of Cavalaire-Sur-Mer, (Marne

Member since 2007) provided a wonder-

ful lunch.

This year marks the first time the OP

Europe flag was displayed at the cere-

monies; Adriano Pescia, Jean-Claude

Routard and Michelene Atkinson served

as flag bearers. Together with Monika

Stoy, these loyal members and true friend

attended 35 ceremonies in an areas

stretching more than covering over 3000

km, from Le Rayol Canadel to

Montelimar—in just one month.

17 Aug, Sainte Anastasie. Plaque

unveiled honoring Marne veterans. Mayor

Jean-Pierre Morin had arranged for many

young children to attend. The ceremony

message about “passing the torch to the

next generation” was especially appropri-

ate, and it was great to see the children

hear those words. A big banquet followed,

and everyone shared in the warm fellow-

ship.

26 Aug, Orange. Plaque dedicated in

the presence of a French Foreign Legion

squad from the Foreign Legion barracks

located outside of town. 1Lt Harold K.

Toomer, 7INF, was awarded the Silver

Star for his valor in the Orange fighting.

This was a third MT visit, and it was

encouraging to see the plaque finally ded-

icated. Everyone stood at attention as the

“Dog Faced Soldier” song played to close

the ceremony.

OP members represented the Society

and the US Army at other liberation cere-

monies honoring the First Airborne Task

Force, the First Special Service Force, the

45th ID, and the 3ID in the communities

of La Motte, Le Rayol Canadel,

Draguignan, Vidauban, Neoules, Varages,

Brignoles, Le Val, Puyricard, Aix-en-

Provence, Salon-de-Provence,

Peymeinade, Le Tignet, Cabris , Grasse,

Pegomas, Carpentras, Cagnes-sur-Mer, La

Colle-sur-Loup, Nice, Montelimar,

Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Sault. The

speeches give by the mayors of these

towns heavily focused on French resis-

tance groups. They did not liberate them-

selves. Of course, local resistance groups

did a lot to aid our soldiers but the bottom

line is they could not have survived with-

out our soldiers! The value of OP Europe

and Society presence at these ceremonies

and of passing down the division’s proud

heritage to the next generation in both

France and in the U.S. is inestimable.

To improve communication with

locals, the OP is making the following

changes:

Membership Chair — Jean-Claude

Routard replaces Andre Watrinet. Jean-

Claude has established a local bank

account for members to renew the mem-

bership which has been a very difficult

task for OP members in the past. Thank

you to both Jean-Claude and Andre

Watrinet for your efforts.

Protocol/Translator in Franc —

Michelene Atkinson. She was the first

woman to carry the OP flag at Sault,

attended the meetings with mayors and the

representatives at St. Tropez, Ramatuelle,

La Croix-Valmer, Cavalaire-sur-Mer, and

Nice, and even took a photo of Capt. Stoy

and Prince Albert of Monaco.

Protocol/Translator in Germany and

Austria — Florian Beierl was instrumen-

tal in helping arrange the plaque dedica-

tion on the Obersalzberg.

Ceremony at St.Anastasie; OP Europemembers pose withthe mayor and childrenafter the ceremony.The OP flag can beseen at the left

Plaque at Orange

Errata:Aug 2008, p. 12: Letter to editor fromHarold Unger was mistakenly attributedto “Howard.” And on p. 18, COL MikeMichel was mistakenly identified as LTC“Mike” Werner.

This year marks the first time theOP Europe flag was displayed atthe ceremonies;...


Courtesy of Dept. of Veterans Affairs

In Flanders FieldsBy John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, fly.Scarce heard amid the guns below.We are the dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glowLoved, and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.

This was the poem written by World War I Colonel John

McCrae, a surgeon with Canada’s First Brigade Artillery. It

expressed McCrae’s grief over the “row on row” of graves of

soldiers who had died on Flanders’ battlefields, located in a

region of western Belgium and northern France. The poem pre-

sented a striking image of the bright red flowers blooming

among the rows of white crosses and became a rallying cry to all

who fought in the First World War. The first printed version of

it reportedly was in December 1915, in the British magazine

Punch.McCrae’s poem had a huge impact on two women, Anna E.

Guerin of France and Georgia native Moina Michael. Both

worked hard to initiate the sale of artificial poppies to help

orphans and others left destitute by the war. By the time Guerin

established the first sale in the U.S., in 1920 with the help of The

American Legion, the poppy was well known in the allied coun-

tries — America, Britain, France, Canada, Australia and New

Zealand — as the “Flower of Remembrance.” Proceeds from

that first sale went to the American and French Children’s

League.

Guerin had difficulty with the distribution of the poppies in

early 1922 and sought out Michael for help. Michael had start-

ed a smaller-scaled Poppy Day during a YMCA conference she

was attending in New York and wanted to use the poppies as a

symbol of remembrance of the war. Guerin, called the “Poppy

Lady of France” in her homeland, and Michael, later dubbed

“The Poppy Princess” by the Georgia legislature, went to the

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for help. Following its first

nationwide distribution of poppies, the VFW adopted the poppy

as its official memorial flower in 1922.

However, a shortage of poppies from French manufacturers

led to the idea of using unemployed and disabled veterans to

produce the artificial flowers. In 1924, a poppy factory was

built in Pittsburgh, Pa., providing a reliable source of poppies

and a practical means of assistance to veterans. Today, veterans

at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities and veterans

homes help assemble the poppies, which are distributed by vet-

erans service organizations throughout the country.

Donations received in return for these artificial poppies have

helped countless veterans and their widows, widowers and

orphans over the years. The poppy itself continues to serve as a

perpetual tribute to those who have given their lives for the

nation’s freedom.

The Flower of Remembrance

city. On 28 Sep, less than a week after its arrival in Korea, it con-

ducted its first tactical mission, when it relieved a battalion of the

9ID in an attack on the hill defended by a strong enemy force. It

achieved its objective at the cost of six casualties.

From 23 Sep until early Nov, when it joined the recently arrived

3ID, the 65th was temporarily attached at various times to IX

Corps, the 2ID and the 25ID, or was Eighth Army reserve. During

that time, it inflicted more than 1,500 casualties on the enemy and

suffered 221, with five of its men earning the Silver Star. In the

3ID’s first major action, the defense of the Hungnam beachhead in

North Korea after the Chinese entry into the war, troops of the 2-

65 INF were among the last 3ID forces leaving the beach on 24

Dec when the evacuation was completed. Members of the 65th

Infantry earned 11 of the 42 Silver Stars awarded by X Corps for

the North Korean operation. They had not been part of the 3ID for

long, but they had already proven themselves.

65th Inf. from page 11

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

Total membership as of Jul 10, 2008: ..............................3,669New membership since last Reunion ..................................906Gift memberships since July 10, 2008 ................................191Wounded in Action Gift Memberships....................................42

GET ONE FOR THE ROCK


On July 27, 2008 in front of the

Korean War Monument on the

Mall in Washington, D.C., a cere-

mony was held commemorating the 55th

anniversary of the signing of the Korean

War Armistice. Despite heat, humidity and

rain, Marne members came from miles

away to attend this event. The first part of

the ceremony started at 10:00 a.m., with

entertainment having preceded it at 9:00

a.m. Monika Stoy, who served in Korea

1979-80, and 1987-1988) participated on

the National Planning Committee for the

past two years. In that capacity, Stoy “vol-

unteered” several Society members to take

part in the ceremony.

LTC Tim Stoy, whose father is a Korean

War veteran, was the Master of

Ceremonies; former POW David Mills,

15INF, led the Pledge of Allegiance; and

Rhonda Gloodt , daughter of CPL Ronald

Bradley, 15INF (MIA since Jul 1953) car-

ried the folded U.S. flag as a part of the

Missing in Action Ceremony. David Mills

sat next to retired Maj. Gen. (Ret.) John K.

Singlaub, who had been his battalion com-

mander in 2BN, 15INF, and whom he had

not seen since the first battle of Outpost

Harry in Apr 1953. It was a very emotional

reunion for both of them as Gen. Singlaub

had not been aware that one of his soldiers

had been taken as a POW. David was

amazed to be sitting next to his old battal-

ion commander. Korean Ambassador

Taesik Lee emphasized both his personal

gratitude and that of his country to all vet-

erans. Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs Dr.

James B. Peake was the keynoted speaker.

The second part of the ceremony began

at 2:00 p.m. at Arlington National

Cemetery beginning at 1400 hours with a

wreath laying ceremony by

Maj. Gen. John K. Singlaub, ROK Maj.

Gen. Dae Young Kang, Korean Minister of

Veterans Affairs Yang Kim and former

POW David Mills laid a wreath at the

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Maj. Gen.

Singlaub delivered remarks at the Korean

War Peace Bench next to the Amphitheater,

and the ceremony concluded with each par-

ticipant placing a single flower on the

Peace Bench as they departed.

After the ceremony, all Marne members

gathered with Minister Kim in front of the

Marne Monument to take a group photo.

Present were Ray and Frances Anderson;

Ed Bierce, Rhonda Gloodt; John Insani and

his daughter; Jerry and Joan Lang and

daughter; David and Shirley Mills; CPL

Nicholas Minto (who had assisted in set-

ting up and taking down the display),

Sherm and Anastasie Pratt with their son

and grandson; and Joe Todisco. Also pre-

sent was LTC (Ret.) Lee Yarborough, the

son of LTG Bill Yarborough, who as

Commander of the 509th PIB, was attached

to the 3rd Infantry Division at Anzio.

LTC Stoy, PO Gloudtand Capt. Stoy atArlington.

Maj. Gen. John Singlaub and former POW DavidMills at Arlington.

55th Anniversary Korean War Armistice

Society DECALS PEEL & STICK – NO WATER MESS

1. Inside Rear Window Decal with Society’s Patch—2 ½ inches round, blue &white, silk-screened, self-clinging, and easy to remove.

2. General All Purpose Decal with Society’s Patch—3 inches round, blue & whitevinyl, and it has a permanent adhesive. It can be used on bumpers, books, suit-cases, etc.

Donations accepted. Donors will be recognized in The Watch. Make checkspayable to the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division. Send a #10 (large) stampedself- addressed envelope to:

Carl Q. Topie 27 Apple Lane Milford, OH 45150

This ceremony is not only for Korean War veterans, but also for any servicemembers who have served in Korea from the time the Armistice was signed tothe present. All are encouraged to mark their calendars and to plan to partici-pate in this annual event on the Mall in Washington, D.C. next 27 Jul 2009.Freedom is not Free!


News From The Outposts

Meeting Announcement. Our last meeting of this year will

be a luncheon on Nov 23, 2008 at West Point, NY at 11:00 a.m.

The cost will be $20.00 per person all family members are wel-

come. Checks should be made out to “THE SOCIETY OF THE

3RD ID” and mailed to Bart Viruso (info, p. 31).

Patrick Williamson, P

George G. FrostNY & North East5

Meeting. The OP summer luncheon meeing was held on Aug

2, 2008 and hosted by Dave and Edith Martin at Golden Corral in

The Colony, TX with the following members and guests in atten-

dance: Frank Avaritt, Joe and Lynn Ball, Lula Coble, Joe and

Lucia Hilderbrand, Dave and Edith Martin, Joanne Sherard, and

James Timmens.

Meeting Announcement. A fall meeting will be held at

Albert Lea, MN on Oct 4-5, 2008.

Jerry Manley, S-T

Minutes. After a social hour and luncheon, Joe Ball opened

the meeting. The invocation was provided by Frank Avaritt and

the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Dave and Edith Martin. The

group then sang “Dog Face Soldier.” Frank Avaritt drew James

Timmens’ name for the door prize, a photo album with the

Division Patch mounted in a “gold” setting. Next, Timmens was

presented a special flag by the OP in appreciation for his many

visits to wounded warriors at Brooke Army Medical Facility, Ft.

Sam Houston, TX. (For more info, see www.3rdiv.org.) A report

was presented by S/T Lynn Ball, and then P/Joe Ball provided

updates on a variety of topics including Society 2008 and 2009

Reunion plans and Society membership.

New Business. The OP donated $500.00 to the Society of the

3ID Scholarship Foundation, and determined that the fall meet-

ing will be held in Georgetown, TX to be hosted by Ron and

Marilyn Miloch on Nov 8, 2008. The 2009 spring meeting will

be held in San Antonio, TX, hosted by James Timmens, with

wounded soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center invited as

honored guests.

Adjournment. The meeting closed with the Convocation by

Frank Avaritt.

Lynn Ball, S-T

Tommy ThompsonMinneapolis, MN12

Audie L. Murphy35

Lynn Ball and LTC James Timmens with the flag presented to him by theOP. The flag had been flown on a mission over Baghdad in honor of the 3ID

Golden GateSan Francisco, CA54

Meeting Announcement. The next meeting, honoring Veterans

Day, will be Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Brass Door Restaurant, 2154 San

Ramon Valley Blvd. San Ramon, CA. (925-837-2501) with doors

opening at 11:00 a.m. and the luncheon beginning at noon. With

many OP WWII and KW veterans of the OP, it is understandable that

those with aging or medical issues cannot attend, but it is hoped that

younger veterans from subsequent wars/conflicts can take up the

challenge and fill up the ranks in the OP and in the Society.

Program. Michael McClintock, a 3ID CW veteran, historian and

collector of military equipment, will present a program about

infantrymen from the Revolutionary War to the Global War against

Terrorism, and will show and discuss the rifles used in these conflicts.

There is also a possibility that several Associate Members who also

participate in a reenactment group representing 15 INF/I Co may

attend the meeting.

Reports. Scheduled updates include one on the Reunion, one on

the status of the JROTC program in the Bay Area, and other OP offi-

cer reports. Additionally, the OP raffle will be held—the raffle sup-

ports the OP JROTC scholarship program. Contact John Shirley (info

on p. 31) for more details. OP members will receive a meeting notice

in October. Northern California veterans are invited and are welcome

to attend the OP meeting!

John Shirley, P


membership of O/P # 57 that I felt it was time for me to relin-

quish the post of S/T and allow some other member to have the

opportunity to serve.

L.D. Whitmer, S/T

Meeting. The OP held its quarterly meeting on Jul 19, 2008 at

Zeb’s Seafood and Chicken Restaurant in Ladonia, AL, with a

great turnout for a good fellowship time. Special guest included

13 Warriors from Ft. Benning who had just returned from deploy-

ment in Iraq. Several OP members these Soldiers to a free lunch

of their choice from the menu. Three new members signed up at

the meeting and about 35 applications were sent out to Ft.

Benning units.

Minutes. Not reported.

New Business. Due to higher gas prices and members ages, it

was voted to reduce the number of annual OP meetings to three.

Next year’s dates are Feb 21, 2009, Jun 20, 2009, and Oct 17,

2009. Mark your calendars now for next year’s meetings.

Bob Bailey, S-T

3ID TAPS on the Webhttp://www.warfoto.com/3rdtaps.htm

Meeting. The spring meeting was held on May 7, 2008 at the

Dutch Heritage Restaurant in Bellville OH, on a beautiful spring

day with lilacs, dogwoods, and crabapples all in full bloom - a

delight to enjoy the splendor of this great country. Thirty-five

people including spouses and guests attended.

Agenda. After a hearty lunch and a short business meeting,

Cold War vets, Korean War vets, and WWII vets all recited their

various experiences. All in attendance had the same common rec-

ollection - which forty, fifty sixty and seventy years have man-

aged to wash away the hurt. All had the same memories of sub-

zero temperatures, standing in line with a mess kit in hand while

water ran off their helmets and cooled their chow before it could

be eaten. The conversation turned to reminiscences of songs and

ballads of a bygone era many of which could not be recited in the

presence of spouses and daughters. It was refreshing to see that

crusty 80-year-old veterans could still blush at the thought of

some of the old x-rated songs.

One WWII vet started to recite a verse about a girl named

Gertie from Bizerte. When asked if he remembered the second

verse, he remained mute. Near the end of the recollections, a

WW2 vet from the 10ENGs reminded us of the most famous

song “captured” or “borrowed” from the Germans during WWI;

the mere reminder of “Lilli Marlene” moistened the eyes of more

than a few vets assembled there.

Adjournment. Before the meeting ended, I informed the

I Co., 15th INF Reenactors at a Salute to WW II Veterans gathering in San Jose, CA on Oct 10, 2007. “I Company” displays WWII equipment and partici-pates in a parade. Several of the reenactors, including the Company Commander and the First Sergeant, are Associate Members of the Society.

Western ReserveOhio57

Fort BenningColumbus, GA60


Bayonet to Scalpel: Book One, a Marine’s Odyssey

by Ed Krekorian M.D., Col., (Ret).

The timeframe of this novel is from WWII-Korea, beginning in 1943with the war generation is coming of age, bringing with it values ofpatriotism, honor, and commitment. Seventeen-year-old J.P. Franklin,fired with these values, enlists in the Marine Corps. Sent to thePacific, his innocence is torn from him by the realities of combat.…[Later] sent to Korea when that war begins, he commands a platoonof self-propelled automatic weapons. Under his leadership, the pla-toon evolves into a highly efficient killing machine. After taking someof the wounded to a field hospital, he observes surgeons as theywork to save lives. Inspired by their skill, dedication, and compas-sion, he vows to become a doctor.

University Editions, ISBN: 1-56002-647-2, (Paperback), 1996,

Editor’s Note: With apologies to Dr. K—this book was featured in theAugust 2008 issue, but most of the review/synopsis was unfortu-nately truncated.

The Day of the Panzer: The Story of AmericanHeroism and Sacrifice in Southern France

by Jeff Danby

This is a rarely detailed “you are there” account of World War IIcombat, describing a brief but bloody tank/infantry action in August1944. Based on six years of research—drawing from interviews, pri-mary documents, and visits to the battlefield—the book transportsthe reader into the ranks of L Company, 15th Regiment, Third InfantryDivision, and its supporting M4s of the 756th Tank Battalion as theygrapple head-on with the Wehrmacht. … The minute-by-minute con-fusion, thrill and desperation of WWII combat are placed under amicroscope, as if the reader were a participant. In this small but sin-gular battle, the courage of US troops in their liberation of France isgiven full due.

Casemate Publications / hardback / 350 pages / 44 b/w photos / maps,ISBN: 978-1-932033-70-0 /1-932033-70-X, [Available at Amazon.comfrom $21.75.]

Greetings from the Presidentby Frank T. DeAngelo, WWII, 30th INF

You will find in the author’s story over 100 photographs and manyfunny (and some not so funny) situations in each chapter. Whetherfrom a military or non-military background, readers are able tounderstand the issues fully, just as if the author is standing next tothe reader, explaining every circumstance.

Signed copies are available, hardback or soft cover at $26.00 or$22.00 respectively; a $5.00 shipping fee must also be included.Send to Frank T. DeAngelo / 4080 Drifting Sand Trail, Destin, FL32541-3302

Jack Toffey’s War: a Son’s MemoirJohn J. Toffey IV

Written about the actions of Lieutenant Colonel Jack Toffey whofought with the Third Infantry from Africa to the capture of Rome, thispowerful story “articulates a young man’s journey to know a fatherwho went to war in 1942 and never came home.” Publisher’s Weekly

Fordham University Press (October 15, 2008) / hardback / 280 pages,ISBN: 10: 0823229793 / 13: 978-0823229796 [Available atAmazon.com from $19.97]

Off the Shelf

Society Author, Jeff Danby with WWII Vet Dale Marker, 15 INF/L

ShortRounds

Birgit Smith to Call USS Freedom Crew to Stations

According to an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, BirgitSmith, widow of SFC Paul R. Smith, MOH, will call the crew of thenew USS Freedom to their stations on Nov 8, 2008 at Veterans Park,Milwaukee in the first commissioning of a naval vessel on the GreatLakes since WWII. The USN “Fact Sheet” describes the USS Freedomis the Navy’s first littoral combat class (LCS) vessel, designed tooperate in near-shore environments yet be capable of open-oceanoperation. It has been designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access”threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surfacecraft. For more info, see http://www.ussfreedom.org/home.

Salute to Veterans Cruise 8-15 Nov 2009A special cruise honoring veterans is scheduled on the Carnival

Valor. The seven-day cruise out of Miami, FL will make four ports ofcall in the Western Caribbean. More information can be obtained bycalling (888) 900-8020 or going online at http://www.cruisings-mart.com/cruises/default.asp?sid=3737&pid=24065 .

DUES ARE STILL DUE471 Members with outstanding annual dues372 Delinquent Annual Members102 Delinquent Associate Annual Members131 Responses from “Past Due Cards


Society Annual Reunions 2009-2010w 2009 Springfield, MO—Sept 16-20, Clarion Hotel; OP 35 will

host, in cooperation with the Reunion Brat.w 2010 Washington DC—OP 7 will host and WWII and KW

anniversaries will be observed.

DAVID W. MILLS8059 E. Michelle DriveScottsdale, AZ 85255

To the President and the Executive Committee The Society of the Third Infantry Division

I have reviewed the accompanying Statement of Cash Receipts,Disbursements, and Fund Balances of The Society of the ThirdInfantry Division for the year ended June 30, 2008. My review con-sisted of reviewing on a test basis, the cash receipts and dis-bursements as well as the cancelled checks, deposits, bank state-ments, bank reconciliations, general ledger, and the resulting state-ments.

Based on my review I am not aware of any material modi ficationsthat should be made to the accompanying state ment in order for itto present fairly the financial activity and conditions of The Societyof the Third Infantry Division for the year ended June 30, 2008.

As an accommodation only, the National Secretary Treasurer, RayAnderson, is a co-trustee on the Chateau Thierry Monument Fundwhich has a CD maturing on January 27, 2011. Value at 6/30/08is $5,646 per the SunTrust Bank. This is not part of the SocietyFunds and is reported here for information only.

the watch rhine onthe - 3rd infantry divisionwarfoto.com/watch_sept-oct 2008.pdfaudit committee...

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