Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Roberts | Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney R. Lewis, right, command sergeant major of 2nd “Dagger”...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD—Soldiers and leaders with the 2nd “Dagger” Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center gathered at the brigade’s dining facility at Camp Liberty, Iraq, to mark the 94th anniversary of the Dagger Brigade’s formation May 24.
Ninety-four years is a long time,” said Col. Paul Calvert, commander of the 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div. and an Athens, Ga., native. “A lot of people in this formation’s history have served underneath [the brigade] colors.”
Calvert noted the significance of the “Big Red One” shoulder sleeve insignia – former wartime service, worn by members of the 1st Infantry Division. For the brigade’s birthday, many of the soldiers in attendance had switched out their usual deployment patch, with its black “1,” for patches with a bright red “1.”
”It’s very fitting, for this brigade and our division, that we happen to wear the number one [on our shoulder sleeve insignia], and it happens to be colored red,” Calvert said. “Red for the courage displayed by numerous soldiers that have served underneath the colors, and red for the blood that’s been shed by numerous soldiers that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
The history of the Dagger brigade is a rich one. Constituted originally as Headquarters, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Expeditionary Division on May 24, 1917, during World War I, the brigade fought in France on the infamous Western Front, in campaigns such as Montdidier-Noyon, Aisne-Marne, and Meuse-Argonne.
A generation later, the brigade was called into action again, and earned a campaign credit for the Normandy invasion, fighting across France into Germany during the Second World War.
“The heritage of 94 years—the people that have worn this uniform before us—they’ve been everywhere representing this division and this [Big Red One] patch,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney R. Lewis, command sergeant major of 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div.
The Dagger Brigade next served during the Vietnam War, landing in 1965 at Cam Ranh Bay and fighting nearly nonstop for the next five years, earning at great cost 11 campaign credits.
In 1990s, the unit was again called on when Saddam Hussein’s Iraq invaded Kuwait, serving in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Later that decade, the brigade deployed twice to Kosovo and once to Bosnia.
The brigade is currently on its fourth deployment to Iraq since 2004, and its first under Operation New Dawn. It is now the only advise and assist brigade in Baghdad province, responsible for advising, training, and assisting two Iraqi Area Commands and seven Iraqi Security Force divisions. It is expected to be the final partnered unit in Baghdad.
“When you think in the many years prior to this campaign, and how many soldiers have fallen under these colors, and you should be absolutely proud to have had the opportunity to serve in [this brigade],” Calvert said to the soldiers assembled for the birthday celebration. “It’s an absolute honor for me to have the opportunity to lead this great formation and people like you.”
As part of the birthday celebrations, the oldest and youngest currently-serving Dagger Brigade soldiers were invited to cut the birthday cake with Calvert and Lewis. Staff Sgt. John Hatch, at 54 years old, an intelligence technician with Special Troops Battalion, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., and a Cortland, N.Y., native, and Pvt. Gregory Curtner, 18 years old, a tanker with Company D, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., and a Grand Junction, Colo., native, represented the extreme ends of the brigade’s age spectrum.
Curtner said while he was surprised to learn he is the brigade’s youngest soldier, that status has its perks.
Lewis and Calvert thanked the soldiers in attendance for honoring the brigade’s birthday celebrations with their presence.
“I think what we’re doing here today and every day, sporting this [Big Red One] patch, representing this society—it’s important for us, for past generations, and most importantly, for little fellows like Pvt. Curtner who are going to carry the torch someday,” Lewis said. “Thank all you guys for being here and participating.”
| Date Taken: | 05.24.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.31.2011 00:45 |
| Story ID: | 71336 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 149 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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