The Saturday morning mist did not dampen the spirits of participants and guests at the 94th Division (Force Sustainment) activation ceremony, where the division officially became fully mission capable at Fort Lee, Va., Oct. 17.
Dressed in authentic World War II uniforms, the Army's Fife and Drum Corps (U.S. Army Old Guard) participated in the ceremony by providing music for the event. Additionally, the Old Guard provided three individuals from their Salute Battery to train 94th Soldiers on operating the cannons for the ceremony. During the ceremony, a 13 gun (cannon) salute was rendered.
In this same historical theme, Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, Master Sgt. Ivan Lopez and Master Sgt. Carroll Hopkins also wore WWII Army uniforms. These uniforms symbolized the history of the division and provided a representation of the many WWII veterans from the 94th and their families who attended the ceremony.
The pinnacle of the ceremony came when the official party, headed by the 80th's Commander, Maj. Gen. John P. McLaren, Jr., uncased the colors. The official party included 80th Training Command Sgt. Maj. Robert D. Riggs, 94th Division Commander, Brig. Gen. Karen LeDoux, and 94th Division Command Sgt. Maj. Stallard W. Robinette.
Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the Lee Club, where WWII artifacts, uniforms, photographs, and memorabilia were displayed.
"The war stuff is really cool," said nine-year-old Elizabeth Jackson, daughter of Lt. Col. Brydon Jackson, 94th Division. "Everything in these [displays] tells me the story of the 94th from a long time ago, and it's like seeing how the past connects with the present."
The 94th is one of the three major divisions under the umbrella of the 80th Training Command (The Army School System), the third-largest command organization in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Organized as the 94th Infantry Division in the Territory of Puerto Rico in 1918, the division was never activated because of the end of World War I hostilities. The division survived on paper until 1921, when it was constituted as an organized reserve unit dubbed the "Pilgrim Division," as much because of its New England roots as the unit's shoulder patch depicting a blunderbuss-wielding pilgrim.
When the 94th Inf. Div. was activated at Fort Custer near Kalamazoo, Mich., Sept. 15, 1942, the shoulder patch was changed to the now-familiar half black-half gray circle with the Arabic numerals nine and four superimposed in reverse colors.
As part of Gen. George Patton's Third Army, the 94th Inf. Div. was known as "Patton's Golden Nugget," and fought in numerous battles within the European Theater of Operations.
Through a recent major transformation, the then 94th Regional Readiness Command was re-designated as the 94th Division (Force Sustainment) at Fort Lee, Va., Sept. 16, 2008.