A Summary History of the 3rd Infantry Division
- Jim Broumley
- Jan 16
- 7 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
"Rock of the Marne"
Short History of the 3rd Infantry Division.
The 3rd Infantry Division is a mechanized division of the United States Army based at
Fort Stewart, Georgia. Nicknamed the "Rock of the Marne" soldiers wearing the 3rd ID’s patch have served the United States in World War I, World War II, Korea, the Cold War, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. This is a short history of the 3rd Infantry Division
The Third Infantry Division shoulder patch is a square field of blue containing three diagonal white stripes with an Army green border. The blue field symbolizes loyalty. The three white stripes are symbolic of the three major operations in which the Division
participated during World War I.
The 3rd Division was activated at Camp Greene, North Carolina in November 1917 for service in the First World War. The Division entered combat for the first time during WWI on July 14, 1918. During the German's last offensive of the war, the 3rd Division held their positions on the Marne River as units on either side of them withdrew. This action spoiled the German bid for Paris and earned the Division their nickname, the "Rock of the Marne." The Division's motto,"Nous Resterons Là" which is French for "We shall remain here" also comes from that action. During WWI, two members of the 3rd Division were awarded the Medal of Honor.
The 3rd Division was designated the 3rd Infantry Division in 1941. The Division first saw action in World War Two on November 8, 1942, landing in French Morocco as part of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. The division fought across Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, facing tough resistance and unforgiving terrain. After North Africa, the division took part in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. Under the command of Major General Lucian Truscott, the 3rd Infantry Division led the way during the amphibious assault at Licata. The division’s speed and aggression were critical in pushing German and Italian forces off the island. From Sicily, they crossed into Italy, fighting at Salerno, and later Anzio. The battle at Anzio was particularly fierce, with the division holding their share of the beachhead under constant attack until the breakout in May 1944.
The 3rd Infantry Division’s most famous campaign began in August 1944 with Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. Landing at Saint-Tropez, they swept northward, liberating towns and cities, and advancing rapidly toward Germany. Their relentless push brought them to the Vosges Mountains, where they fought through bitter winter conditions. Crossing the Rhine River in March 1945, the division pressed into Germany, capturing Nuremberg in April after intense urban combat.
Thirty-six soldiers of the Rock of the Marne division received medals of honor during World War Two. One of those soldiers, Lieutenant Audie Murphy, America’s most decorated combat soldier, served in the 15 th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division. By V-E Day in May 1945, the 3rd Infantry Division had fought its way from North Africa to Germany, participating in ten campaigns and earning a reputation for tenacity and effectiveness. The division suffered heavy casualties, but their sacrifice helped secure victory in Europe.
When North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, the 3rd Infantry Division
was one of ten active divisions in the U.S. Army. The division arrived in Korea in September 1950 and joined in the operations in the Hamhung-Hungnam area. On November 23, 1950, China entered the war and the massive strength of the Chinese Army was felt all along the front. During the Korean War, the 3rd Infantry Division was known as a "Fire Brigade" for its rapid response to crisis. By 1951, elements of the 3rd ID helped recapture Seoul, the South Korean capital, and the Chinese were pushed back to the 38th Parallel. As the Chinese tried to recapture the capital, the brunt of the attack fell on the 3rd Infantry Division's sector and the Marne division became the "Rock of Seoul." Again, the Chinese were driven back to the 38th Parallel. The war ended when an Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, and by October 1954 the division had returned to Ft. Benning, Georgia. During the Korean War, eleven more Medals of Honor were awarded to 3rd Infantry Division soldiers.
From 1958 to 1996, the 3rd Infantry Division was stationed in Germany as part of the
main defense protecting Western Europe from the threat of attack by Warsaw Pact Nations headed by the Soviet Union. As part of the U.S. Army's VII Corps, the 3rd ID was stationed throughout various towns in Bavaria. The division remained on constant alert as the arms race continued. The Division was a key link in American Cold War strategy and their readiness throughout those years contributed greatly to the West's ultimate victory over Communism at the end of the Cold War in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall.
On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and posed a threat to Saudi Arabia. Units of
the Rock of the Marne Division deployed with VII Corps from Germany for Operation
Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The 3rd Brigade, 3 rd ID was attached to the 1st Armored
Division in their race through Iraqi territory during the "100-hour war." By the time the Persian Gulf War was declared over on February 28, 1991, the 3rd Infantry Division had
destroyed 105 enemy tanks, 70 enemy armored personnel carriers, 92 enemy trucks, 4
enemy artillery pieces and captured 836 prisoners.
During the 1990's the Army went through a downsizing with the goal of maintaining a
ten-division active force. As such, the 24th Infantry Division was inactivated and re-flagged as the 3rd Infantry Division on February 15, 1996. The Division was consequently moved from its bases in Germany to Fort Stewart, Fort Benning, and Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. The Division repeatedly demonstrated its deployability by maintaining a battalion, and later a brigade task force presence in Kuwait. It has also moved sizeable forces to Egypt, Bosnia and Kosovo in partnership training and peacekeeping missions.
In January 2003, Soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) were informed that
they were headed for the Middle East to do their part in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The
entire division deployed to Kuwait. It was called on subsequently to spearhead Coalition
forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom, fighting its way to Baghdad in early April, leading to
the end of the Saddam Hussein regime. After combat, Soldiers from 3rd ID shifted focus
to support and stabilization operations in an effort to rebuild the war-ravaged country.
The division returned to Ft. Stewart in August 2003.
The Marne Division was selected as the first division in the Army to be organized under
the new modular system. Beginning in 2004, the 3rd Infantry Division re-organized from
three maneuver brigades to four "units of action"; which are essentially smaller formations, with one infantry, armor, cavalry, and artillery battalion in each brigade combat team. A Combat Aviation Brigade is also part of the Division structure. Each of these units of action engaged in several mock battles at the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center, in preparation for a second deployment to Iraq.
In January 2005, the 3 rd Infantry Division returned to Iraq and led U.S. and coalition
forces in Baghdad. The 1st and 3rd Brigades supported the 42nd Infantry Division in
Northern Iraq. Their hard work created conditions for a secure Iraqi election and transfer
of power to the first democratically elected national government in Iraq. The Rock of the
Marne Division served with its coalition partners during Operation Iraqi Freedom III for a
year before returning to Georgia in January 2006.
On November 17, 2006, the Army announced that the 3rd I.D. would be the first Army
division to serve three tours in Iraq as part of the 2007 "troop surge". The Division
Headquarters deployed from Fort Stewart in March of 2007. Task Force Marne was
composed of more than 20,000 U.S. soldiers, more than 26,000 Iraqi army soldiers, and
over 46,000 Iraqi police. Along with combat operations, Task Force Marne focused on
rebuilding the local government, Iraqi security forces, and the economy. The 3rd Infantry
Division Colors returned to Fort Stewart in June of 2008.
The 3rd Infantry Division assumed command of the Multi-National Division-North in
October 2009. This milestone marked the division's fourth tour in support of Operations
Iraqi Freedom I, III, V, and VII. The division had elements operating in every area of Iraq
as the mission changed from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn on
September 1, 2010. Operation New Dawn shifted the focus from combat operations to
stability and advise and assist operations throughout Iraq. During this deployment, the
higher headquarters Multi-National Force-Iraq was replaced by United States Forces -
Iraq and the division became United States Division - North.
During this same period, in late 2009, the division’s attention turned from Iraq to
Afghanistan, with the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade and other elements of the division
deploying in 2010. Subordinate units of the division would return to Afghanistan in 2012,
2013, 2015, and 2017. The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team deployed to Europe in
support of Operation Atlantic Resolve for two years beginning in 2016, then two 9-month rotations to Korea in late 2018 and late 2020. Then in early 2022, rotated to Europe as a show of force in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The 2nd Light Infantry Brigade deployed several times to Africa. In 2017, the brigade transferred back to a Armored Brigade Combat Team and deployed to Europe in support of operation Atlantic Resolve in 2020.
Today, the 3rd Infantry Division serves as the "armored fist" of the XVIII Airborne Corps. The Division's current organization includes a division headquarters and headquarters
battalion, two armored brigade combat teams, one aviation brigade, division artillery, a
sustainment brigade and a combat sustainment support battalion along with a maneuver enhancement brigade, that includes engineers, military police, signal, and the like. All these elements are based at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. From the Battle of the Marne to the Global War on Terror, the soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division live their motto, "Nous Resterons Là," "We Shall Remain Here"
