Fort Riley — Fort Riley's 1st Infantry Division, better known as the "Big Red One" for its distinctive patch, is about to turn 95.
Readying for war
Fort Riley-based infantry division goes through desert training in California before possibly leaving for Iraq
The 1st Infantry Division has been around for nearly 100 years. Fort Irwin, Calif., has been training troops to fight America's wars for decades. In preparation for possible deployment to Iraq, the Big Red One is spending three weeks at Fort Irwin. More
The division was formed in 1917 during World War I when it arrived in Europe with Gen. John Pershing and was known as the First American Expeditionary Force. The soldiers began wearing the red patch on their left shoulders to identify them on the battlefield.
Based now at Fort Riley, the division will celebrate its history with a series of events beginning Thursday with a carnival beginning Thursday. The division will participate in a "Victory Run" that starts a week of competitions and ceremonies on the northeast Kansas post.
The division's headquarters is currently deployed to Afghanistan.
Comments
consumer1 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Congrats! The pride of the Army!!
hipper_than_hip 11 months, 3 weeks ago
The Big Red One Leads The Way!
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