New York National Guard to Step Off with City's Saint Patrick's Day Parade - Fighting 69th Celebrates Homecoming for more than 300 Troops

Photo By Capt. Erika Wonn | Citizen-soldiers New York Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry march up Fifth Avenue in the lead of the citywide parade, March 17. The New York National Guard unit has led the citywide parade for 158 years, since the unit first formed from the large Irish immigrant population in lower Manhattan.  

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES

03.17.2009

Courtesy Story

New York National Guard

NEW YORK – For more than six generations, citizen-soldiers from the New York Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment have led the city celebration of Saint Patrick's Day. This year, the Soldiers of the 69th Infantry, the famed Irish combat unit known throughout the Army and the nation as the "Fighting 69th," marched up Fifth Avenue, March 17.

The organization has served as the St. Patrick's Day Parade's Honor Guard in New York City since it first organized in 1851.

Following the early morning mass at Saint Patrick's Cathedral for a special blessing for the regiment, the city parade and reserved subway ride back to its lower east side armory on Lexington Avenue, more than 1,000 Soldiers, family members and veterans gathered to honor the return of "Fighting 69th" troops back from Afghanistan.

The combat veterans served with the New York Army National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, providing training and mentoring for the Afghan national army and police forces.

The day's events conveyed the sense that even as the immigrant face of the battalion has changed over time, the legacy of the "Fighting 69th" will forever keep the unit and its Soldiers "Irish by adoption, Irish by association or Irish by conviction," as the regimental chaplain Father Francis Duffy wrote in his 1919 autobiography.

"It's about preserving our heritage and celebrating our traditions," said Lt. Col. John Andonie, commander of the infantry battalion.

"At the core, today we are all Irish. And for 158 years, we've been a symbol of Irish strength and Irish tradition," Andonie said in remarks to the unit.

Acknowledging the large number of Soldiers who served as the initial military responders at the World Trade Center in 2001, at West Point for homeland security missions in 2002, deployed to combat in Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2008, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice addressed the foreign policy burdens on the shoulders of America's Soldiers all around the world.

"We understand the challenge ahead and with you, we are determined to meet it," Rice said.

"You are always ready to defend your family, city, state and country," she said. "You have never, ever let us down and we will do the same for you."

Part of the unit's ceremony is to celebrate the unique service and contributions of the "Fighting 69th" in American history, explained Maj. Gen. Joseph J. Taluto, The adjutant general for New York State's military forces. The contribution of these Soldiers in this era will not be lost to history, he said.

"Years from now they will talk about this time," Taluto said. "And they will talk about you."

The 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry served in the Civil War as part of the Irish Brigade. Reportedly, the 69th received its nickname from Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee during the Battle of Malvern Hill in 1862 when it forced the Confederate "Louisiana Tigers" Brigade to retreat. The regiment's Civil War Era battle cry was "Fág an Bealach;" which is Irish Gaelic for "Clear the Way."

In World War I the 69th fought as part of the 42nd Infantry Division, the "Rainbow Division," with the American Expeditionary Force. In World War II, the 69th mobilized with the New York National Guard's 27th Infantry Division for service in the Pacific.

In 2004 the battalion mobilized for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ironically, the 69th fought alongside the same Louisiana Tigers in Iraq when the battalion was attached to the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana Army National Guard. The battalion secured "Route Irish," the road from Baghdad International Airport. At one time, this road was termed the most dangerous in Iraq and the 1-69th turned that around in the summer of 2005.

"I served with you in Iraq and recall vividly travelling on Route Irish [in Baghdad] where the Fighting 69th had again 'cleared the way,'" said Gen. Martin Dempsey, Commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, in his keynote address.

"Rededicate yourselves to your great legacy," Dempsey said. "When my career is done I'll be proud to say that I served with the Fighting 69th."

The ceremony included Soldier and family volunteer recognitions, part of the National Guard's Freedom Salute program. Celebrating the Soldiers return home was Gary Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band, performing for the group until the early evening.

"I had been outside the armory in September last year for a shoot of CSI New York," Sinise explained to the troops, "and wandered inside to find out more about this organization. I'm so proud to be able to join you today for this welcome home tribute"

"This place, this armory, is one of the most revered and historic sites in our Army," Dempsey said.

Dempsey concluded his remarks in a manner fitting for the day. With a thousand Soldiers and families clapping and singing along, Dempsey sang verses of the regimental marching tune, Garryowen. The 69th Infantry Regiment adopted the Irish drinking song before the Civil War. The tune later spread among various cavalry regiments of the Army serving in the old West.

"Our hearts so stout have got us fame, for soon `tis known from whence we came, where`er we go they fear the name, of Garryowen in glory," Dempsey sang with the troops.

• Date Taken: 03.17.2009
• Date Posted: 03.20.2009 11:07
• Story ID: 31386
• Location: NEW YORK, NY, US