[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 115 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 115

   Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1st Infantry Division.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                April 5 (legislative day, April 4), 2017

    Mr. Moran (for himself and Mr. Roberts) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1st Infantry Division.

Whereas June 8, 2017, is the 100th anniversary of the organization of the 1st 
        Infantry Division;
Whereas the 1st Infantry Division was established in 1917 as the First Division, 
        the first combat division in United States history, and has been on 
        continuous active duty since 1917;
Whereas, from the heroic start of the 1st Infantry Division, the 1st Infantry 
        Division has played an integral part in United States history by serving 
        in--

    (1) World War I;

    (2) World War II;

    (3) the Cold War;

    (4) the Vietnam War;

    (5) Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm;

    (6) the Balkans peacekeeping missions;

    (7) the War on Terror; and

    (8) as of April 2017, multiple operations around the globe;

Whereas, immediately after its establishment, the First Division started to 
        build a prestigious reputation for its service in World War I;
Whereas, in May 1918, the victory of the First Division at the Battle of 
        Cantigny, France, was the first United States victory of World War I, 
        and despite suffering more than 1,000 casualties in that battle, the 
        First Division seized the village from German forces, defended the 
        village against repeated counterattacks, and bolstered the morale of the 
        Allies;
Whereas, after the Battle of Cantigny, the First Division played a central role 
        in other monumental battles of World War I, such as--

    (1) the Battle of Soissons;

    (2) the Battle of Saint-Mihiel; and

    (3) the Meuse-Argonne Offensive;

Whereas 5 soldiers of the First Division received the Congressional Medal of 
        Honor during World War I;
Whereas the First Division--

    (1) remained on occupation duty in Germany to enforce the Armistice; 
and

    (2) in September 1919, was the last combat division to return home 
after World War I;

Whereas, by the end of World War I, the First Division was 1 of only 4 United 
        States divisions to remain on active duty, which is a strong testament 
        to its accomplishments;
Whereas, in November 1939, the 1st Infantry Division was called to action again 
        and, in August 1942, became the first United States division sent to 
        Europe during World War II;
Whereas, during World War II, the 1st Infantry Division fought bravely in 
        Algeria, Tunisia, and Sicily in 1942 and 1943 before the courage and 
        resolve of the 1st Infantry Division was tested on Omaha Beach in 
        Normandy, France;
Whereas the 1st Infantry Division, reinforced by units of the 29th Infantry 
        Division, made the assault landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 
        1944, which began the liberation of Europe from Nazi control;
Whereas the 1st Infantry Division continued its invaluable service throughout 
        World War II, including in--

    (1) the liberation of France and Belgium;

    (2) the seizing of Aachen, the first city of Nazi Germany to fall to 
the Allies;

    (3) the Battle of the Huertgen Forest;

    (4) the Battle of the Bulge, in which the 1st Infantry Division held 
the critical northern shoulder at Butgenbach, Belgium;

    (5) the crossing of the Rhine River at Remagen;

    (6) the battles around the Ruhr Pocket in Germany; and

    (7) the offensive into Czechoslovakia, where the 1st Infantry Division 
liberated Nazi labor camps at Falkenau and Zwodau;

Whereas 17 members of the 1st Infantry Division received the Congressional Medal 
        of Honor for their service during World War II;
Whereas, in recognition of exemplary service during World War II, the 1st 
        Infantry Division was the recipient of--

    (1) the French Croix de Guerre with Palm and Streamers embroidered with 
``Kasserine'' and ``Normandy'';

    (2) the French Fourragere, embroidered with ``World War II'';

    (3) the Belgian Fourragere; and

    (4) the subordinate units of the 1st Infantry Division earned numerous 
Presidential Unit Citations and Army Valorous Unit awards;

Whereas the 1st Infantry Division guarded the Nuremburg Trials and remained on 
        occupation duty in Germany before returning home to Fort Riley, Kansas, 
        in 1955;
Whereas, in 1965, the 1st Infantry Division was 1 of the first 2 divisions sent 
        to the Vietnam War, and the 1st Infantry Division remained in Vietnam 
        for 5 years, during which the 1st Infantry Division--

    (1) protected the capital, Saigon, from attack by the North Vietnamese 
Army;

    (2) conducted hundreds of--

    G    (A) offensive operations between Saigon and Cambodia against Viet 
Cong and North Vietnamese Army units; and

    G    (B) civil action and pacification operations to protect and assist 
the Vietnamese people; and

    (3) responded to the 1968 Tet Offensive by clearing Tan Son Nhut Air 
Force Base of enemy forces, securing Saigon and counterattacking 
vigorously;

Whereas 12 soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division earned the Congressional Medal 
        of Honor during the Vietnam War;
Whereas, in recognition of exemplary service during the Vietnam War, the 1st 
        Infantry Division was the recipient of--

    (1) the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for 1968;

    (2) the Civic Action Honor Medal First Class;

    (3) the United States Army Meritorious Unit Commendation; and

    (4) the subordinate units of the 1st Infantry Division earned numerous 
Presidential and Army awards;

Whereas, from 1970 to 1990, the 1st Infantry Division--

    (1) was a key component of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
deterrent strategy;

    (2) deployed annually to Germany on major exercises that demonstrated 
United States resolve to friend and foe alike; and

    (3) contributed directly to the peaceful end of the Cold War;

Whereas, in November 1990, the 1st Infantry Division deployed to Saudi Arabia 
        and played a key role in the famous ``left hook'' attack of the U.S. VII 
        Corps through the deserts of western Iraq to destroy the Tawakalna 
        Division of the vaunted Republican Guard of Saddam Hussein, among many 
        other enemy forces;
Whereas the 1st Infantry Division deployed to Bosnia for 31 months between 1996 
        and 2000, to Macedonia for 4 months in 1999, and to Kosovo for 22 months 
        between 1999 and 2003--

    (1) to enforce international peace agreements;

    (2) to halt the worst ethnic violence in Europe since the Holocaust; 
and

    (3) to bring peace and stability to the Balkans;

Whereas, in 2004, the 1st Infantry Division deployed to Iraq in Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom as Task Force Danger and conducted sophisticated 
        counterinsurgency operations that led to the first free and fair 
        elections in Iraqi history in 2005;
Whereas, between 2005 and 2014, the brigade combat teams and other major 
        headquarters and units of the 1st Infantry Division have deployed 
        repeatedly to Iraq and Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom, 
        Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn;
Whereas Specialist Ross A. McGinnis, a 1st Infantry Division soldier, is one of 
        the very few people of the United States to receive the Congressional 
        Medal of Honor in the War on Terror;
Whereas, in the defense of United States interests, the 1st Infantry Division 
        deployed its units and soldiers to Africa in 2015 and Kuwait in 2016;
Whereas, since November 2016, the headquarters of the 1st Infantry Division has 
        been in Iraq, where the 1st Infantry Division is--

    (1) engaged in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria 
(ISIS); and

    (2) providing the leadership structure for the Combined Joint Forces 
Land Component Command-Operation Inherent Resolve;

Whereas, as of April 2017--

    (1) the Combat Aviation Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division is 
deployed to Afghanistan and is conducting combat aviation operations in 
support of the Afghan and international security forces battling the 
Taliban;

    (2) the 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division is 
deployed to the South Korea, where it bolsters United States deterrence 
against North Korea; and

    (3) the 2nd Armor Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division is 
at Fort Riley, Kansas, where it is honing its combat-readiness in 
preparation for deployment; and

Whereas, since the establishment of the 1st Infantry Division in 1917--

    (1) the 1st Infantry Division has been present all over the world, 
assisting in combat and noncombat missions for 100 years;

    (2) more than 13,000 soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division have 
sacrificed their lives in combat; and

    (3) 35 soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division have received the Medal of 
Honor: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commemorates ``A Century of Service'', the 100th 
        anniversary of the 1st Infantry Division on June 8, 2017;
            (2) commends the 1st Infantry Division for continuing to 
        exemplify the motto of the 1st Infantry Division, ``No Mission 
        Too Difficult. No Sacrifice Too Great. Duty First!'';
            (3) honors the memory of the more than 13,000 soldiers of 
        the 1st Infantry Division who lost their lives in battle;
            (4) expresses gratitude and support for all 1st Infantry 
        Division soldiers, veterans, and their families, including 1st 
        Infantry Division soldiers and their families of the past and 
        future and those who are serving as of April 2017; and
            (5) recognizes that the 1st Infantry Division holds an 
        honored place in United States history.
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