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U.S. Army Soldiers patrol an area near the 

village of Kowtay, Khowst province, Afghanistan, 

July 22. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt Andrew 

Smith, 55th Signal Company (COMCAM))

November 2009 www.riley.army.mil 

The Duty First is an unofficial 

publication produced under 

the provisions of AR 360-1, 

published by Soldiers of the 

1st Infantry Division. Editorial 

views and opinions expressed 

are not necessarily those of 

the Department of Defense, 

the Army or the 1st Infantry 

Division. All photos are 

Army photos unless otherwise 

noted. Circulation is 6,000 per 

issue, printed monthly. Story 

and photos submissions are 

welcome and should be sent to: 

1st Infantry Division

Public Affairs Office 

ATTN: Editor 

Bldg. 580

RM 213

Fort Riley, Kan. 66442. 

Telephone number

COM 239-6821 

 DSN 856-6821 

or visit Duty First online at www.riley.army.mil.

1st Infantry Division 

Commander

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks

1st Infantry Division CSM

Command Sgt. Maj. 

Jim Champagne

1st Infantry Division PAO 

Lt. Col. Matt Hackathorn

Editor

Anna Staatz

Staff Writer

Jordan Chapman

Shelley Roten

Illustrator 

Floyd Hansford

Visual Information Support Center

Command Group

Danger 6 ... 3

Danger 7 ... 4

Brigade News

1st Brigade ... 5

2nd Brigade ... 7

3rd Brigade ... 9

4th Brigade ... 11

1st Sustainment Brigade ... 13

Combat Aviation Brigade ... 15

75th Fires ... 16

4th MEB ... 17

Feature Stories

BG Dragon Promotion ... 18

World War I ... 19

World War II ... 21

Vietnam War ... 23

Gulf War ... 25

Iraq War ... 27

Afghanistan War ... 28

Cartoons ... 29

Front Cover: CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Doing 

an exercise for blocking, Spc. Andre Doute, 

from Fayetteville, N.C., readies himself for a 

combatives tournament being held on Aug. 29. 

(U.S Army photo by Sgt. Travis Zielinski, 1st 

ACB, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs)

Duty First!

Back Cover: Veterans from all braches of the 

U.S. Miltary gather for Veterans Day. (U.S Army 

photo courtesy Photo)
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Philippine Insurrection. There was no sacrifice too great 

for those Soldiers serving in some of our division’s most 

historic regiments.

Since 1917, Soldiers have worn 

the Big Red One patch and fought 

for freedom and justice at all points 

across the globe. There has been no 

mission too difficult. From the Argonne 

Forest to the beaches of Normandy 

and from the jungles of Vietnam to the 

concrete jungles of the Balkans, 1st 

Inf. Div. Soldiers have served gallantly 

and heroically, paving the way for 

the generations now serving in this 

historic division.

Today’s Big Red One Soldiers have 

kept peace on the streets of Baghdad 

and helped rebuild a safer, stable and 

increasingly independent Iraq. They 

have also fought hard in some of the 

most remote areas of Afghanistan, 

watching over valleys from high mountain outposts and 

rooting out the Taliban threat in an effort to bring peace to 

the Afghan people. The Soldiers in today’s division have 

and will continue to put duty first.

The history of this division is truly amazing, and it is the 

men and women who have worn the Big Red One patch 

who penned those historic chapters. We should honor 

them each and every day, but especially on Veterans 

Day. I want to personally thank all of the veterans who 

have proudly served in the ranks of the Big Red One. 

You are the giants on whose shoulders we stand. And 

we salute you.

Duty First!

3 4

On Nov. 11, 1918, World War I came to an end as the 

Allied and German forces signed an armistice agreement, 

bringing an end to the fighting in 

Europe and bringing Soldiers of the 

Big Red One home to their Families 

and friends after a successful 

campaign. Our 1st Infantry Division 

“doughboys” were the first to fight in 

The Great War, and the first American 

unit to win a battle when the 28th 

Infantry Regiment secured the French 

village of Cantigny.

Twenty years later, legislation 

was passed for a national holiday 

– Armistice Day – recognizing the 

signing of that agreement and to honor 

the veterans who fought in World War 

I. In 1954, after our nation had been 

through another World War and the 

Korean conflict, Armistice Day was 

redesignated as Veterans Day, a day 

to honor the legacy, the sacrifice,and the courage of the 

hundreds of thousands who have served in our nation’s 

military. 

Each year we pay tribute to both our present and past 

veterans. We have parades, ceremonies and honor the 

fallen at cemeteries across the nation. Among those we 

honor are the thousands who have worn the Big Red One 

patch and all of the historic regiments that have made up 

the ranks of the Fighting First. Some of those regimental 

histories date back to the Revolutionary War, others fought 

in the Mexican War, against brothers in the Civil War, kept 

peace here on the plains and defended freedom in the 

We Salute Our Veterans!

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks

In World War I, Pfc. Max Ottenfeld struggled for miles 

to return to his beloved 18th Infantry Regiment. Jack 

Streeter charged Normandy Beach 

on D-Day, crashing through debris, 

bodies and enemy fire. Retired colonel 

Billy Murphy served four times with the 

Big Red One, including with the Black 

Lions during the Vietnam War. 

During Desert Storm, one of 

Greg Fontenot’s defining moments 

as a leader came as he led the 2nd 

Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment 

through the breach. In Iraq, Sgt. 1st 

Class Eric Cole helped his fellow 

Soldiers by clearing the roads of 

improvised explosive devices and in 

Afghanistan, James Price helped build 

a more secure environment.

Each of these Big Red One Soldiers 

had a complex and varied mission. 

Each of them carried it out with pride 

and the dedication that comes with 

the uniform they chose to wear. The 

stories of these great veterans are told 

in this month’s magazine as a way for us to relive the 1st 

Infantry Division’s legacy.

November’s Veterans Day gives us the opportunity to 

honor the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans. Unlike 

Memorial Day, in which we honor the fallen, Veterans 

Day gives us the opportunity to honor not just those who 

have gone before, but those with us who have sacrificed 

part of their lives for our freedom.

Big Red One Soldiers have served our nation in 

times of war and peace. They have 

represented some of the best the 

Army has to offer, regardless of the 

challenges they faced.

As citizens of this country, we have 

an obligation to honor our veterans 

and pledge to them the support they 

have earned in putting their lives on 

the line to protect the American way of 

life. Caring for our veterans is just one 

way to thank them for their service.

As Soldiers, we know in the military 

there is a fellowship which lasts long 

after the uniforms are hung up in the 

back of the closet. We experience a 

lifetime of camaraderie that few ever 

get to share, and even as we put the 

uniform away, on the inside we are 

Soldiers for the rest of our lives. Never 

think for a moment you are escaping 

from that life. You are only escaping 

from the job.

Someday, we will all cross that line, when we are 

no longer active duty Soldiers. My wish for you is that 

whenever you ease into retirement, in your heart you 

never forget that you are still a member of the greatest 

fraternity the world has ever known.

Now, get after it!

Duty First!

Division Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Champagne
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those present to remember the fallen, support the Soldiers 

and maintain the traditions for future generations to come. 

“This regiment is an idea, not a unit and ideas must be 

nurtured and defended against the ravages of time and 

short memories,” he said.

5 6

into the DMOR.”

Along with recognizing accomplishments, 

the DMOR is an association that helps 

the battalion by providing aid in areas 

ranging from Family support groups and 

organizational days to sharing experiences 

and history with their younger counterparts.

“These retirees will enhance morale 

and espirit de corps by supplying current 

Soldiers with a sense of pride in the regiment 

as well as supporting them in any way they 

can through other organizations, events and 

advice,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Wilbeck, 

the current commander of 2nd Bn., 34th 

Armor Reg.

With the ongoing war on terror, often ceremonies 

such as these are ignored as the needs of combat take 

a priority over pomp and circumstance, said Wilbeck. 

However, recognizing the outstanding contributions from 

retirees help today’s Soldiers appreciate and understand 

those that came before them. 

“Due to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation 

Iraqi Freedom, stuff like this gets pushed to the back, but 

the goal is to incorporate more of the retirees because 

they are the continuity book for the regiment,” Wilbeck 

said. “Senior noncommissioned officers and officers 

come and go, but the retirees remain to provide us with a 

link between the past and the present.”

The ceremony ended with Fontenot challenging all 

From right to left, 2nd Bn., 34th Armor Regt. Command Sgt. Maj. John 

McDwyer, Lt. Col. Christopher Wilbeck, current Battalion Commander, 

and retired Col. Gregory Fontenot, honorary colonel of the regiment, 

raise their arms in salute during the national anthem. (U.S. Army Photo 

by Sgt. Scott Kim, 1st HBCT Public Affairs)

Cannons stand ready to be fired prior to a DMOR Ceremony Sept. 22 

at Fort Riley. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Scott Kim, 1st HBCT Public 

Affairs)

By Sgt. Scott Kim

1st HBCT Public Affairs

FORT RILEY, Kan. – The past and the present gathered 

to recognize accomplishments during the 2nd Battalion, 

34th Armor Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team’s 

Distinguished Members of the Regiment Ceremony Sept. 

22 at Fort Riley.

The award, which was given to 10 new recipients, 

recognized the exploits and deeds of Soldiers that have 

dedicated their lives, not just to regiment, but to the Army 

as a whole. 

“The Army has a program regarding all units that allow 

them to recognize distinguished members for the works 

they’ve done both for the military and their country,” said 

retired Col. Gregory Fontenot, honorary colonel of the 

regiment and retired commander of 2nd Bn., 34th Armor 

Reg. “That is our purpose here today – to celebrate our 

history and to develop a relatively new tradition inducting 

distinguished members of the regiment.”

Standards for receiving the award are extensive as one 

day of praiseworthy work does not automatically entail 

entrance into the DMOR, but instead acts as an example 

allowing those Soldiers to be considered for the honor.

“This award is for an entire body of work not for a single 

event,” Fontenot said. “However, those single events 

assist in identifying that Soldier or officer for consideration, 

but it’s the overall performance that helps them gain entry 

Soldiers stand in formation wearing period uniforms during the 2nd 

Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team’s 

Distinguished Members of the Regiment Ceremony. (U.S. Army 

Photo by Sgt. Scott Kim 1st HBCT Public Affairs)

1st HBCT
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“The Dagger’s focus shifted,” said Maj. Gen. Vincent K. 

Brooks, commanding general of the 1st Inf. Div and Fort 

Riley. “Where they had been leading from the front, they 

were now mentoring from behind; working by, with and 

through the Iraqis. By doing that, they also enabled the 

Iraqi people to take charge of their own destiny.”

The Soldiers improved Iraqis’ lives by working with the 

local government to improve the infrastructure in their 

area of responsibility, spending about $33 million, Martin 

said.

He added that through the openings of schools, water 

treatment facilities and solar-powered clinics, the people 

of northwest Baghdad saw improvements they haven’t 

seen in years. 

“These relentless security operations, partnered with 

the ISF, allowed us to accelerate civil-capacity efforts in 

support of the local Iraqi authorities,” Martin said. “We 

facilitated over 280 projects and programs that targeted 

reconstruction of the Iraqi infrastructure and reduced 

human suffering.”

When the Dagger Brigade redeployed from Camp 

Liberty, Iraq, it cased its colors before making the journey 

to Fort Riley. In the ceremony, the Brigade handed the 

reins to the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd 

Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.

“In the long history of the Dagger Brigade, this is just 

another amazing chapter completed with this ceremony,” 

Martin said. “We walk in the footsteps of giants that began 

as Daggers back in 1917. We proudly served our nation 

under these colors and we’re even prouder to be a part of 

the 1st Inf. Div.”

Maj. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley commanding 

general, speaks to attendees of a ceremony uncasing the colors of 

the “Dagger,” Brigade, 1st Inf. Div. at King Field House Oct. 22. The 

ceremony signified the return of the “Dagger” Brigade, which recently 

spent a year deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. 

Army Photo by Sgt. Dustin Roberts, 2nd HBCT Public Affairs)

Veterans, Family members and friends witness the uncasing ceremony 

of the colors belonging to the 2nd HBCT, 1st Inf. Div. Oct. 22 at King 

Field House. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Dustin Roberts, 2nd HBCT 

Public Affairs) 

By Sgt. Dustin Roberts

2nd HBCT Public Affairs Office

FORT RILEY, Kan. – After a year of 

sweat, struggle and accomplishment, a 

brigade serving under the oldest and most 

decorated division in the U.S. Army has 

returned home from combat.

The 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 

1st Infantry Division uncased the “Dagger” 

Brigade’s colors in a ceremony at King 

Field House Oct. 22, signifying the return 

of more than 3,800 Solders from a yearlong deployment in Iraq.

“The unit colors are a symbol for the 

entire unit’s history,” said Col. Joseph 

Martin, Dagger Brigade commander. “The 

Daggers witnessed history in Iraq.”

In a speech during the ceremony, the 

commander described the significance of 

the Dagger Soldiers’ efforts in Iraq. Martin 

said the brigade was present in northwest 

Baghdad and Abu Ghraib, the county west 

of Baghdad, in order to assist local civilians 

and military leaders assume full control of 

the nation.

 “We established a foundation of visual 

security through several years of work to 

eliminate terror cells and networks. We built 

a partnership with Iraqi security forces,” 

Martin said. “We established and cleared 

1,500 kilometers of roads of improvised 

explosive devices, reduced violence in 

our area by 40 percent and reduced IED 

activity by 60 percent, all by capturing over 

700 terrorists and prosecuting them within 

the Iraqi courts under the authority of Iraqi 

law.”

Martin emphasized the changes the 

brigade saw during the deployment, from 

prosecuting criminals under Iraq law to 

giving the Iraqi security forces the lead in 

security. 

Above and Below – Col. Joseph Martin, commander, 2nd HBCT, 1st Inf. Div., and Command 

Sgt. Maj. Donald Battle, the brigade’s senior enlisted leader, uncase the brigade colors in 

a ceremony at King Field House Oct. 22. (U.S. Army Photos by Sgt. Dustin Roberts, 2nd 

HBCT Public Affairs)

2nd HBCT

continued on page 8
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housing. 

Pfc. Michael Elm, a Duke infantryman, agreed with 

Toner. Having lived in a college dorm, he said the college 

rooms were never as nice as his barracks room.

“I heard horror stories about four men to a room —

like a dorm room — and everybody sharing a shower,” 

EKM said. “The amenities are wonderful here. Fort Knox 

is a very nice post and I wouldn’t mind coming back here 

again.”

Elm is among more than half of the Soldiers who are 

new to the brigade or the Army. 

He also echoed the sentiments of his brigade 

commander when he said the Fort Knox community is 

a wonderful and fantastic duty assignment. He said that 

Knox and its surrounding communities have embraced 

him and his fellow Soldiers and he has seen nothing but 

friendly faces.

Toner pointed out that 3rd Brigade Family and 

community members are truly the unit’s unsung heroes.

“We couldn’t accomplish our mission without the strong 

support, love and prayers from all of you,” Toner said. 

“Words will never express our undying gratitude. 

“May God bless you and your Families, this wonderful 

country of ours and the men and women who serve (and) 

who have served to keep us the land of the free and the 

home of the brave.” 

9

said. “Today before us are over 600 representatives of 

America’s team — the Soldiers of our great Army — the 

men and women of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.”

He added that the stands held the fans of America’s team 

— the Families and community members who have rallied 

to share a common love of the country.

Toner applauded the Duke Soldiers who stood before 

him for willingly being in harm’s way to bring peace and 

democracy to those who have been oppressed.

“They are the shield and the sword of our country and 

the less fortunate,” explained Toner. “They wear awards 

for valor or the Purple Heart as proof they know all too 

well the price of freedom.”

“Eight years of war have tested their strength and 

resolve. This is a testament to their commitment and 

professionalism, most importantly the result of their 

undying support and love rendered by their Families and 

communities.”

Even though Friday was the official activation, 

personnel from the brigade began arriving on post in the 

spring. Members of the brigade and their Family members 

have been volunteering in off-post communities, to assist, 

for example, in building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

“It’s important for us to give back to the community,” 

explained Toner. “We are working with Maj. Gen. Milano 

on this to align our units to the various communities 

around here – it’s important to us.”

The new post facilities have impressed the Duke 

Brigade because many of the Soldiers haven’t had an 

opportunity to live in what Toner calls state-of-the-art 

Members of the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard, 1st 

Infantry Division, participate in the uncasing ceremony of the 3rd Infantry 

Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. (U.S. Army photo by Sally 

Harding, Fort Knox Public Affairs Office)

10

By Catrina Francis

Fort Knox Public Affairs Office

FORT KNOX, Ky. – October 16 marked a new era 

at Fort Knox when the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st 

Infantry Division, uncased its colors during a ceremony 

on Brooks Field.

The “Duke” Brigade has a rich history which dates 

back to World War I. 

Fort Knox Commander Maj. Gen. James Milano said 

during the ceremony that he was extremely proud to be 

a part of the Duke’s activation, given his past association 

with the Big Red One as the 1st Brigade Combat Team 

commander.

“This is a historic day not only for Fort Knox, 

but also our surrounding communities and the 

state of Kentucky,” said Milano. “The arrival 

of the 3rd of the 1st Infantry greatly diversifies 

the population of Fort Knox and will enrich the 

Armor Center, the Fort Knox Team and our local 

communities.”

Milano added that the brigade can take 

advantage of the tremendous resources 

available on the installation.

“The Soldiers have everything from worldclass urban training areas and live-fire ranges 

that can accommodate just about anything a 

commander can imagine to some large swaths 

of beautiful Kentucky hills and woods to train in – 

and in my case, get lost in,” Milano said. 

“I trust that Fort Knox will once again be 

recognized as a much-desired, highly-soughtafter assignment location for (Forces Command) 

Soldiers once the word gets around.”

Although the post’s history has been primarily 

home to the cavalry and armor, Col. Chris Toner, 

the 3rd Brigade commander, said he is excited 

about being at Fort Knox. He added that the onpost populace and the surrounding communities 

have embraced the infantry Soldiers as their 

own.

“We train, we fight, we are all part of one team,” 

Toner said. “I have never seen the reception that 

we’ve received here, and I have never seen 

facilities that have been provided to our Soldiers 

like this. 

“It’s absolutely incredible. Our Soldiers do not want for 

anything here, and our Families do not want for anything.”

Toner also acknowledged the Gold Star Families in 

attendance.

The Soldiers “never forget those who have sacrificed 

for our nation,” he said. “Please know that no one holds 

a higher place in our hearts than you do. You honor us all 

with your presence.”

During his remarks, Toner thanked 1st Inf. Div. veterans 

for their sterling example of patriotism and their service as 

heroes and role models.

“What an amazing gathering of patriots,” Toner 

A cannon is fired during an uncasing ceremony for the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 

1st Infantry Division, at Fort Knox, Ky. (U.S. Army photo by Sally Harding, Fort Knox Public 

Affairs Office)

3rd IBCT
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facilities are designed so that once Iraqi Security Forces 

take control of U.S. bases, the businesses located on 

them will be Iraqi owned and operated, rather than foreign 

businesses. I-BIZ locations offer a “variety of businesses 

in secure areas to provide services and products to the 

coalition,” while at the same time “directing money into the 

Iraqi economy and stabilizing security through expanded 

employment,” according to its Web site.

Sgt. Janelle Nesmith, the vocational educational 

representative with the 1320th Civil Affairs, a Reserve unit 

from Queens, N.Y. attached to the Dragon Brigade, said 

local citizens are learning valuable skills at I-BIZ. 

“When they finish with their training, they can go to a 

business course and put in for a micro-grant and open 

their own business outside of post,” she said. 

Classes at the I-BIZ range from carpentry, construction, 

welding and plumbing, to electrical work and heating, 

ventilation and air conditioning maintenance.

“The Iraqi people can take these skills and go back 

home with them,” said Nesmith, “because everyone 

needs an electrician, mechanic or plumber.”

A repairman works on fixing a fan at one of the workshops of the IraqiBased Industrial Zone at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. 

(U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Shantelle Campbell, 4th IBCT Public Affairs)

Inside of the plumbing workshop of the Iraqi-Based Industrial Zone 

at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, plumbers work on 

completing sinks. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Shantelle Campbell, 4th 

IBCT Public Affairs)

By Spc. Shantelle Campbell

4th IBCT Public Affairs Office

TIKRIT, Iraq – Regardless of where a business is 

located, the keys to success are the same: customers, 

employees, a good product and a little education and 

know-how.

In Iraq, where the economy is being slowly rebuilt, the 

Iraqi-Based Industrial Zone provides educational and 

job opportunities for Tikrit-area residents. Soldiers of 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, 

toured the center to see how the “Dragon” Brigade can 

help move the Salah ad Din I-BIZ to the next level.

I-BIZ facilities are located throughout Iraq, in areas 

close to or inside a U.S. military base. Businesses can 

apply for a location in an I-BIZ area, which provides 

opportunities for owners to expand and sustain their 

company. I-BIZ facilities not only give businesses income 

opportunities, but also provide skills training and create 

job openings. 

Iraqi businesses in I-BIZ facilities provide such services 

and items as building materials, repair for equipment and 

vehicles, construction and retail stores.

In preparation for the withdrawal of U.S. forces, I-BIZ 

4th IBCT

Electricians at the Iraqi-Based Industrial Zone on Contingency Operating 

Base Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq, work on a concoction of wires in the 

electricial shop. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Shantelle Campbell, 4th IBCT 

Public Affairs)
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remarked on the importance 

of our partnership with them,” 

said Kamie Ethridge, assistant 

head coach of the K-State 

women’s basketball team.

The team also met with Col. 

Donnie Walker, commander 

of the 1st Sust. Bde., and 

listened as he spoke with them 

about teamwork, leadership 

and success.

After the meeting with 

the brigade commander, the 

team received a dose of Army 

training at the Close Combat 

Tactical Trainer on Fort Riley.

While at the training 

center, the team manned 

positions inside of Bradley 

Fighting Vehicle simulators 

and engaged enemy targets. 

Although it was a fun exercise, 

the scenario had given the 

team a life-changing perspective.

“Our players experienced a tank simulation that mirrors 

what our troops face in Iraq and Afghanistan. As I stated 

before, it was eye opening and frightening to imagine 

what our troops face day to day,” Ethridge said.

13 14

Members of the K-State women’s basketball team meet with Maj. Gen. 

Vincent K. Brooks, 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley commanding general at the 

1st Sust. Bde. headquarters. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. David Reardon, 1st 

Sust. Bde., Public Affairs)

Members of the K-State women’s basketball team enjoy dinner at the 

Cantigny Dining Facility during their visit to Fort Riley. (U.S. Army Photo by 

Sgt. David Reardon, 1st Sust. Bde., Public Affairs)

The K-State women’s basketball team coaches and players pose with 

the 1st Sust. Bde. command team and staff outside of the Cantigny 

Dining Facility Sept. 16. The team presented the leaders and staff 

member with basketballs signed by each member on the team. (U.S. 

Army Photo by Sgt. David Reardon, 1st Sust. Bde., Public Affairs)

By Sgt. Andrea Merritt

1st Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs

FORT RILEY, Kan. – As coaches and players from 

the Kansas State University women’s basketball team 

stepped into the 1st Sustainment Brigade headquarters 

Sept. 16, an air of excitement followed them through the 

door.

Although the team wasn’t sure what to expect during 

their first visit to Fort Riley, it was clear they were excited 

to learn more about the Big Red One and its Soldiers.

A few months ago, the 1st Sust. Bde. established a 

partnership with the K-State women’s basketball team. 

During this visit, the unit’s leaders and Soldiers became 

acquainted with their new counterparts and shared their 

experiences.

The team showed genuine interest in the unit, its 

leadership and its Soldiers by asking a number of 

questions regarding the Army rank structure, training and 

challenges Soldiers faced during deployment.

Throughout the day, the team met various people 

including Maj. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, 1st Infantry 

Division and Fort Riley commanding general, and Lt. Gen. 

R. Steven Whitcomb, the inspector general of the Army.

“Every step of the way, people welcomed our team and 

1st Sust
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Refueling Point, where ground crews serviced the aircraft 

before and after hitting the range. Families also toured the 

range tower, from which range operations are controlled. 

After watching their pilots in action, the Families got a 

chance to sit behind the controls of a Kiowa at a static 

display set up behind the range tower. 

“It’s good to have the Families out here, seeing what 

we do, the hard work that goes into making everything 

happen, all while having fun watching us,” Chief Warrant 

Officer 2 Patrick Young said.

The presence of the Families didn’t change the basic 

intent of the range, however, said Young. While there was 

a dedicated focus on the entertainment of the Families, 

pilots continued to qualify as they do on normal range 

days.

“We’ve got to qualify with our aircraft just like ground 

troops qualify with their rifles,” said Young. “It’s important 

that we stay up on these skills.”

During qualification, the pilots fired at an assortment of 

targets, including clustered silhouettes, mock-up buildings 

and moving objects simulating vehicles in motion.

The day culminated with fireworks – cavalry style. With 

the Kiowas’ red lights reflecting off the rotors, the pilots 

did just as they had before, this time sending a brilliant 

display of tracer fire into to the horizon. 

By Pfc. Roland Hale

Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs Office

FORT RILEY, Kan. – Aside from seeing their loved 

ones in uniform, Families usually don’t get a chance to 

see firsthand what their Soldiers in the 1st Squadron, 6th 

Cavalry Regiment, do on a daily basis.

The battalion changed that Sept. 16, inviting the 

squadron’s Families to attend a day at a Fort Riley range 

as the pilots qualified on the weapon systems of their OH58D Kiowa Warriors.

Families arrived at the range in groups and were 

escorted to several positions on the range, from which 

they could observe the different aspects of the qualification 

process. From a set of bleachers, Families watched as 

the pilots fired at targets down-range with the Kiowas’ 

mounted .50 caliber machine guns and training rockets.

“The kids love the helicopters, they already want to be 

Soldiers for Halloween,” said Colleen Murphy, wife of Chief 

Warrant Officer 2 Michael Murphy, one of the battalion’s 

pilots. “They get pretty excited to see the helicopters fire. 

It’s not something we get to see in person very often.”

 In addition to taking in the roar of the machine guns 

and the resonating boom of the Kiowas’ rockets, Families 

watched as pilots landed at the Forward Arming and 

15 16

Ground crews refuel and re-arm an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, preparing it 

for the range as another makes its approach Oct. 21. (U.S. Army Photo 

by Pfc. Roland Hale, CAB Public Affairs)

Family members watch as an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior heads towards 

the range . (U.S. Army Photo by Pfc. Roland Hale, CAB Public Affairs)

Combat Aviation Bde.

maintenance on unit vehicles.

But for a change of pace, many members of the 

“Diamond” Brigade had the opportunity to send rounds 

downrange at various sites around Fort Sill.

Over the week-long training period, Soldiers fired 

thousands of rounds from the M2 .50 Caliber Rifle, MK19 

40mm grenade launcher, M16 assault rifle, M249 

Squad Automatic Weapon, M240B machine gun 

and the 9 mm pistol.

The week consisted of preliminary 

marksmanship instruction, covering each weapon 

system so the Soldiers firing the weapon would 

be comfortable and handle them properly.

“I thought the PMI’s were well taught. I learned 

a lot about the 249 and the 240B that I never 

knew before,” said Pfc. James Curry, 75th Fires 

Brigade intelligence analyst. “It was a great 

learning experience for those of us who have 

never shot these weapons before.” 

For some, firing the weapons was a new 

experience and for othes the weapons brought 

back deployment stories to be shared with others.

“Getting to fire the 240B was a lot of fun and 

a lot different than firing the old M16 that we 

usually shoot,” said Pfc. Rudy Castillo, signal 

support systems specialist, Headquarters and 

Headquarters Battery, 75th Fires Brigade. “I’m 

glad that most of us were able to get out there 

and shoot some heavy weapons”

The range week was not only educational, but 

also a break from the normal routine for many of 

the Soldiers. 

“Going to the MK19 range was probably the 

best range I have been to all year,” said Staff 

Sgt. David Hamblin, 75th Fires Brigade senior 

intelligence analyst. “It was run quickly and 

proficient; we got in there and had our fun, it ran 

real smooth.”

At the end of the week, many of the Soldiers 

had qualified and fired weapons entirely new to 

them as well as those they have used since basic 

training.

By Sgt. David Chapman

75th Fires Brigade Public Affairs Office

FORT SILL, Okla. – For Soldiers of the 75th Fires 

Brigade, day-to-day tasks may consist of typing 

orders, preparing counseling statements or conducting 

Spc. Mary Yates, 75th Fires Brigade human resources specialist, lines up her ammunition 

prior to firing the 240B machine gun during the brigade’s range week. (U.S. Army Photo by 

Sgt. David Chapman, 75th Fires Bde., Public Affairs)

75th Fires
17 Duty First www.riley.army.mil www.riley.army.mil Duty First 18

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

FORT RILEY, Kan. -- A lowering sun shone brightly on 

the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters Oct. 23 as though 

a tribute to the ceremony taking place on the building’s 

parade field, where Fort Riley leaders, Soldiers, Family, 

friends and surrounding community representatives 

gathered to witness Col. Randal Dragon’s promotion to 

brigadier general.

Arriving at Fort Riley this previous summer, Dragon 

has been filling one of the 1st Inf. Div.’s two deputy 

commanding general positions since August 14.

“It is right and fitting in this case that his (Dragon’s) 

entry into the general officer’s ranks would occur in this 

division,” said Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding 

general of the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley. “I am blessed to 

have Gen. Dragon as my deputy commanding general for 

support to help carry that responsibility.” 

Brooks added that the ceremony also begins the 

process that will leave four general officers at Fort Riley 

by December’s conclusion.

“It is a terrific honor for me as the commander of the 

Fighting First to promote General Dragon ... because of 

(his) long history of outstanding service within the ranks 

of the Big Red One,” Brooks said.

Dragon presented flowers to each female member of 

his family, and extended family, who had traveled from 

“the four corners” of the United States to attend the windblown ceremony.

“When you look up and say, ‘What got you here?,’ 

for me it was patience, persistence, it was love of this 

profession and the Soldiers. It was luck in some cases 

and it was duty, always duty first,” Dragon said.

“You have to be a Soldier to lead Soldiers,” he 

continued, adding that he is proud of his promotion, but it 

is only a reflection of himself, his family and those he has 

been able to walk beside during his years of service.

“Throughout the 234-year history of our Army, general 

officers have been held in high regard,” Brooks said. “They 

are entrusted with great responsibility and in their hands 

they hold the safety of tens of thousands of Soldiers ... I 

am blessed to have Gen. Dragon as my deputy general 

commander for support to help carry that responsibility.”

Dragon previously served in the 1st Inf. Div. as a 

battalion and brigade commander while the division was 

headquartered in Germany. He commanded 2nd Brigade, 

1st Inf. Div., during deployments to Kosovo and Iraq.

The other deputy commanding general position is filled 

by Col. Ricky Gibbs, who is also slated for promotion prior 

to the division’s deployment to Iraq early next year.

Newly promoted Brig. Gen. 

Randal Dragon speaks to 

1st Infantry Division leaders, 

family and friends during a 

ceremony in honor in front 

of Division Headquarters 

building Oct. 23. (U.S. Army 

Photo by Jordan Chapman, 

Duty First! Magazine)

Brig. Gen. Randal Dragon 

and Maj. Gen. Vincent 

Brooks, commanding general 

of the 1st Infantry Division 

and Fort Riley, stand at 

attention during a promotion 

ceremony. (U.S. Army Photo 

by Jordan Chapman, Duty 

First! Magazine)

“You have to be 

a Soldier to lead 

Soldiers,” – Brig. 

Gen Randal Dragon

By Pvt. Alexis Koster

4th MEB Public Affairs

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. – Dauntless Week, 

which began Oct. 5, was a week of fun, friendship and 

celebration to commemorate the first anniversary of the 

4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade uncasing its colors. 

Dauntless Week aims to boost unit cohesion, enhance 

esprit de corps, improve morale and reflect on the 

brigade’s history and establish its lineage.

“I am happy and proud of all of the things that the 

brigade has accomplished in such a short amount of time,” 

said Col. Robert Risberg, 4th MEB Brigade commander. 

“The 4th MEB has become a valuable force not only to 

the installation but the 1st Infantry Division as well.”

Risberg commenced the first Dauntless Week with 

a brigade run at Gammon Field Oct. 5. Before the run, 

each battalion and company was called up so they could 

donate food to the brigade food drive. The food drive will 

help support the Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., community 

during the upcoming holiday season. 

After the run, Risberg spoke to the Soldiers about the 

importance of Dauntless Week. He also recognized a 

few Soldiers from the Company C, who are preparing to 

deploy soon.

The brigade celebrated the week with the units coming 

together to play team sports. Events were hosted every 

afternoon in which Soldiers could compete. 

“It’s really fun putting different units together to 

compete,” said Sgt. Kevin Smith, 193rd Brigade Support 

Battalion. “It’s a nice break for the Soldiers, and it’s really 

enjoyable. There is a good variety of activities so that 

everyone can participate.”

Sporting events included flag football, softball, golf, 

fishing, volleyball, paintball, bowling, basketball and trap 

shooting.

“I had a really good time, even 

with other opponents,” said Sgt. 

Eric Jackson, Headquarters and 

Headquarters Company, 4th 

MEB. “For what I’ve seen, there 

is really good sportsmanship 

between teams. I’ve met a lot 

of other people and made some 

good contacts.”

The week finished with a 

re-enlistment ceremony, an 

awards ceremony and the 

presentation of the Dauntless 

Cup. The festivities also 

included a barbeque for the 

Soldiers of the brigade and their 

Families. 

“I am very proud of all of 

things that our Soldiers and 

our Families accomplished this 

year, and I’m extremely grateful 

to you for your hard work, your 

dedication and your many 

sacrifices – large and small – that have helped to make 

us successful,” Risberg said.

Soldiers from the 193rd Battalion hold the company guidons after the 

4th MEB brigade run during Dauntless Week. (U.S. Army Photo by Pvt. 

Alexis Koster, 4th MEB Public Affairs)

4th MEB
19 Duty First www.riley.army.mil www.riley.army.mil Duty First 20

from shell shock.

“I think that’s what may 

have knocked me out. Of 

course, the gas may have,” he 

said. Soon after his admission 

to the hospital, the War 

Department sent a letter to his 

mother stating he had suffered 

injuries from gas, but she didn’t 

receive it for four months after 

he was wounded.

It wasn’t until Nov. 11, 

1918, that Ottenfeld was 

discharged from the hospital 

and notified that he would be 

sent to “replacement camps” 

instead of his unit, an action 

that was simply unsatisfactory 

to the veteran. Ottenfeld said 

no matter how hard he tried to 

explain that he needed to be 

back with the 18th Regt., no 

one listened.

“They had their orders ... well, I walked back to where 

the groups were and got what little I had to take and out I 

went by myself. I didn’t know where the hell I was going,” 

Ottenfeld remembered, adding that he didn’t have any 

money either because he had been away for so long he 

hadn’t been available to be paid.

Eventually vehicles began passing him. Ottenfeld was 

eventually able to find out that his unit was located in 

Luxembourg City, and started hitching rides to get there.

After arriving, he learned the 18th Regt. wasn’t there, 

but he kept traveling. It wasn’t until Ottenfeld reached 

Grevenmacher, Luxembourg along the Moselle River 

when he finally saw a familiar face.

“I think I arrived about three days before Thanksgiving 

... I had finally reached my unit, and, boy...,” Ottenfeld 

said, seemingly as thankful for finding his unit again in 

1989 as he was actually experiencing it in 1918.

Ottenfeld carried and “stretched” single strand wire up 

until the end of the war and worked hard to keep lines of 

communication open. 

One example of his prowess tells of him following his 

lines back under enemy fire to repair breaks for lines that 

fed directly to the command post of Gen. Frank Parker 

at the battle of the Argonne and went four to five days 

without food and was made sick by drinking from poisoned 

streams to do so.

Ottenfeld was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple 

Heart from Gen. Parker in June of 1919 for his efforts 

before he was discharged that October. Ottenfeld married 

his wife, Esther, on June 2, 1923. He died of malignant 

lymphoma in 1992.

Pfc. Max Ottenfeld (center) with fellow Soldiers in January 1919. (Photo 

courtesy of the 1st Division Museum)

Pfc. Max Ottenfeld practices firing in August 1918. (Photo courtesy of 

the 1st Division Museum)

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

Between the years 1914 and 1918, a generation of 

young men ventured into “no man’s land” to conquer their 

enemies in the world’s first “Great War,” where they won 

many victories, lost many friends and knew the cost of 

victory.

Among these men was World War I veteran, Pfc. Max 

Ottenfeld, a signalman for the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry 

Regiment, whose most intriguing memories of the war 

come directly after his 19th birthday on Oct. 3, 1918, when 

his unit was ordered to the Argonne Meuse offensive.

However, sometime soon after 

they marched out, he and his fellow 

Soldiers came under fire and a series 

of concussive blasts, one of which 

knocked Ottenfeld off of his feet and 

prompted him to take shelter in a nearby 

shell hole. He woke up drenched in rain 

and separated from the Soldiers he 

knew best.

Ottenfeld wasn’t alone for long. Upon 

crawling out of the mud he spotted more 

Soldiers heading in his direction.

“I guess I must have been a mess, 

because it usually always rained, 

especially when they were shelling, and 

I got out and (saw) some troops and 

they looked at me,” Ottenfeld told John 

Votaw, Executive Director of the First 

Division Museum out of Wheaton, Ill., in 

1989.

Walking up to his position were 

members of the Headquarters Company 

of the 26th Infantry Regiment, who took 

Ottenfeld into their ranks as their own 

signalman.

“We are short; very short signalmen, 

telephone men. Now you stay right here with us,” Ottenfeld 

said the company leader told him.

“I stayed with them and on the move, our artillery 

started falling short,” he said, explaining that because 

they were moving too fast, the Soldiers were moving into 

their own artillery fire. “We were losing men, and I mean 

losing men,” he said, adding that they all took cover in 

an opening along the side of a hill, but they couldn’t stop 

the explosions around them because all of telephone wire 

was beyond repair.

“Absolutely you couldn’t do anything. If anything, any 

kind of message had to be sent in person ... you did the 

best you could,” Ottenfeld said, later relating one memory 

from the bombardment that has stuck with him his entire 

life.

“They brought one man in ... he got a piece of shrapnel 

in the throat, right in the jugular and blood was pouring out 

of it,” he said, describing the hole to be about the size of a 

penny or dime,” he said.

Not knowing what to do, Ottenfeld 

yelled for the aid of a medic, who came 

rushing over. “The blood was spurting 

out and he said, ‘I’ve got to go. I can’t 

do anything.’ I knew (this Soldier) didn’t 

have everlasting blood and the way it 

was coming out I knew there was only 

a certain amount in your body. That has 

stayed with me. I have lost a lot of sleep 

over that,” Ottenfeld stated, unable to tell 

exactly how long it took for the man to die 

in front of him. “Was it a minute, was it 

two minutes, was it five minutes? I don’t 

know.”

As though a prelude to his own future, 

it wasn’t long after that Ottenfeld, too, 

was grazed by a piece of shrapnel on the 

back, but what came out wasn’t blood.

“The shrapnel” pierced the one side 

of my mess kit ... and the juice from the 

baked beans and the pork belly came 

out of that and down my back and these 

guys thought I was bleeding. Well, when 

we found out what it was there was a hell 

of a laugh, you know,” Ottenfeld related, 

saying that he kept that mess kit around 

for as long as he could, but most likely lost it when he was 

taken from St. Mihiel to the hospital for the first time Oct. 

12, 1918, on the back of a Signal Corps mule.

“The ones that used to carry the spoons,” he described, 

explaining he was carried out of combat because he had 

taken in phosgene and mustard gas and was suffering 

A Veteran’s Perspective

Pfc. Max Ottenfeld passes time in October 

1918. (U. S. Army Photo courtesy of the 1st 

Division Museum)
21 Duty First www.riley.army.mil www.riley.army.mil Duty First 22

time in the Army – a service record that includes a Silver 

Star with four oak leaf clusters, a Bronze Star with one 

oak leaf cluster, a purple heart with four oak leaf clusters, 

an Arrowhead Award for the assault landing at Omaha 

Beach on D-Day, and a French and Belgium Croix de 

Guerres with palm.

Streeter started his career in the Army through the 

ROTC program at the University of Nevada, and was 

commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in 1943. Streeter went 

straight to Europe, and served during World War II as a 

member of the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment.

He first served with the battalion’s 81 mm mortars in 

A Veteran’s Perspective

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

June 6, 1944, 2nd Lt. Jack Streeter was among the 

many 1st Infantry Division Soldiers who stormed Omaha 

Beach. As tracer bullets ripped into nearby landing craft, 

Streeter knew survival depended on moving forward, off 

the shore. He made his way through bodies, equipment 

and wreckage, attempting to lead his men through 

complete chaos and towards the enemy.

Sixty-five years later, in August at the Big Red One 

Reunion in Dearborn, Mich., Streeter looked back on his 

A division patrol from Co. F, 18th Inf. Regt. search the woods between Eupen and Butgenbach, Belgium for german parachutists who were dropped in that 

area. 18 Dec. 44. (U.S. Army Photo courtesy of 1st Infantry Division Museum)

Infantryman of Co. F, 18th Inf. Regt., 1st Division, move through the town of Stockheim, Germany, as artillery lays a barrage on the next objectives. 27 Feb 

45 (U.S. Army Photo courtesty of 1st Infantry Division Museum)

H Company, and then later 

commanded E Company. He 

earned his Silver Stars in the 

Battle of Mons, Belgium; Battle 

of Aachen, Germany; Huertgen 

Forest, Germany; Battle of the 

Bulge, Germany; and Remagen 

Bridgehead, Germany. To earn 

his third Silver Star, Streeter 

put himself under direct fire 

to distract three machine gun 

nests, and killed three Germans, 

allowing his assault unit 

freedom of movement. Because 

of his actions, his unit escaped 

destruction the following day. 

By the end of World War II, 

Streeter had attained the rank 

of captain, but he chose not to 

stay in the Army.

In 1945, he got out of Army 

and pursued a career in law, 

eventually becoming a district 

attorney in Nevada.

Streeter has visited 

Normandy several times 

throughout the years. He 

said now, nothing looks the 

same, and most of the time, 

the memories of that day are 

something he tries not to think 

about.

“It’s not something you like 

to think about, what happened 

there,” Streeter said.

In August, Streeter talked 

about days gone by with longtime friend John McHugh, who 

also served in World War II, 

with the 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt. 

The two did not know each 

other during World War II, but 

met at the annual reunion of 

the Society of the 1st Infantry 

Division in 1990. They’ve been 

friends since then, and even 

visited Normandy together.

The saddest thing for 

Streeter is realizing the stories 

of World War II are dying off with 

the veterans who lived them. He 

and McHugh both noted that 

there are fewer and fewer every 

year.

Streeter continues to make 

his home in Nevada.
23 Duty First www.riley.army.mil www.riley.army.mil Duty First 24

do need you.” 

As a lieutenant, Murphy became the S3 of the 2nd 

Bn., 28th Inf. Regt., and he left that tour at the end of 

August 1967. When Murphy came back to the states, he 

was assigned to an infantry unit at Fort McClellan, Ala. 

He remembers getting a call from one of the officers that 

he had been with in the 28th Inf. Regt., who asked him 

somewhat lightheartedly, “are you ready to go back to 

Vietnam?” 

At first Murphy thought his friend was kidding, but 

he learned that the turnaround time for company-grade 

infantry officers was about 11 months with a 30-day leave 

on both ends. 

He had only been home for a few months and wasn’t 

particularly interested in going back 

that soon and seriously considered 

getting out of the Army for a few 

brief moments.

His comrade asked if he was 

interested in going to flight school 

and explained that it was nine 

months long, which would postpone his return to Vietnam for the 

duration. 

He also learned that the Army 

was looking for a few Soldiers like 

him who had been on the ground 

in Vietnam as rifle platoon leaders 

and rifle company commanders. 

The Army wanted these individuals 

to go to helicopter school and go 

back over to Vietnam as flight leads and flight platoon 

leaders. After a few days of consideration Murphy decided 

to go to flight school and as soon as he finished, he went 

right back to Vietnam.

Murphy’s first battalion commander in the 2nd Bn., 

28th Inf. Regt., was an officer named Elmer D. Pendleton. 

Murphy found out that Pendleton was going back to 

Vietnam to take command of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st 

Div. Murphy got a copy of his orders to Pendleton and 

once he arrived back in Vietnam he went back to the 1st 

Div. 

“The 1st Div. has a tendency to take care of its own 

and I went to the 1st Combat Aviation Battalion, which 

was the 1st Division’s organic aviation battalion in those 

days,” Murphy said.

After returning from his second tour in Vietnam, 

Murphy attended the Infantry Officer Advanced Course. 

This was in 1970 to 1971, when Vietnam was winding 

down and the Army had an excess of officers. To eliminate 

the possibility of Murphy being a part of the involuntary 

reduction in force, leadership in the 1st Div. once again 

reached out to him and encouraged him to attend college.

Murphy got his first experience in the Midwest when 

he arrived at Park University in Parkville, Mo. in 1971. 

Although Murphy had served twice with the 1st Inf. Div. in 

Vietnam, he had yet to set foot on Fort Riley.

After college, the Army sent him to his second tour with 

the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, where he 

alternated between infantry assignments and aviation 

assignments. 

“It was a great assignment because the Army had just 

started its Air Assault Division in those days so we were 

doing some pretty neat things down there,” Murphy said.

He then was assigned to the 7th Corps in Europe where 

he worked in the G3 shop for Col. Gordon R. Sullivan, 

who later became the commanding general of the 1st Inf. 

Div. at Fort Riley.

After attending the general staff college and spending 

time at Forces Command Headquarters in Atlanta, 

Murphy got a call that a position was opening up in his 

designated command window at Fort Riley.

It was during his third assignment to the 1st Inf. Div. 

that Murphy finally got to experience the home of the 

Big Red One. He moved his 

wife and two daughters to Fort 

Riley in June 1983, where he 

commanded the 1st Combat 

Aviation Battalion, the same 

battalion he was a part of during 

his second tour in Vietnam.

And just a few years later in 

July 1988 he would return to Fort 

Riley for his fourth assignment 

and again command the 

aviation brigade.

Murphy had a total of four 

tours and duties with the 1st Inf. 

Div. 

“There aren’t many jobs that 

you could do in the Division that 

I haven’t had the chance to do,” Murphy said.

Murphy has been decorated with numerous awards 

and honors: the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the 

Distinguished Flying Cross, to name a few. He was also 

decorated by the Vietnamese government with their 

Cross of Gallantry. But the award he is most proud of is 

the Combat Infantrymen’s Badge. 

“I think you would get a similar response from any 

infantry guy,” Murphy said.

During his fourth assignment at Fort Riley as a brigade 

commander, Murphy was selected to be inducted into the 

Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame in Fort 

Benning.

Lt. Billy Murphy (second from the right) with some of his Soldiers in 

Vietnam. (Photo Courtesy of Billy Murphy)

Lt. Billy Murphy (right) in Vietnam in 1966. (Photo Courtesy of 

Billy Murphy)

By Shelley Roten

Duty First! Magazine

Billy Murphy made a decision at his high school career 

day that shaped the rest of his life and ultimately led to 

numerous military honors and awards, four assignments 

with the Big Red One and the title of honorary colonel for 

the 28th Infantry Regiment.

When Murphy enlisted at 17, his father, Fred Murphy, a 

coal miner from eastern Kentucky, was very pleased with 

his decision. Fred Murphy did not want Billy or his younger 

brother to go into the coal mines. His family had moved to 

Ohio in the mid-1950s and he graduated from high school 

there. 

“I guess to make sure we didn’t 

go into the mines he moved the 

family up into central Ohio,” Murphy 

said with a laugh.

The career day he attended at 

his high school was one of the most 

pivotal moments in his life. His father 

had drilled the concept of service 

into him and his younger brother, 

and looking around the career day 

he was immediately drawn to the 

serviceman. 

“I looked at the people from private 

industry and they were in business 

attire and I looked at those folks in 

uniform and I liked the uniform,” said 

Murphy. “They had something that 

identified them from everybody else 

and I thought that was pretty cool.”

It also occurred to him that there 

is a difference between policeman, 

fireman and the military serviceman. 

“It started to dawn on me that 

policemen are in the service of their community and 

firemen serve their community. And military people are in 

the service of their country. And that just appealed to me,” 

he said.

After he enlisted, Billy intended to do his three years 

and get out because his high school sweetheart was 

two years behind him in school. Murphy began his first 

assignment with the 11th Armor Calvary Regiment in 

Germany in 1960 and during those three years in Europe, 

he found a life he loved.

“I didn’t know what I was looking for in life, but the Army 

seemed to be ‘it’ and I reenlisted while I was in Europe,” 

Murphy said.

Murphy came back to the U.S. after his first assignment, 

married his high school sweetheart, Barbara – his wife of 

47 years – and was next assigned to the 101st Airborne 

Division at Fort Campbell, Ky.

He was a young noncommissioned officer at Fort 

Campbell, attended all the schools and academies 

expected of NCOs and did such a good job that he made 

an impression on Maj. Norman G. Delbridge, who in turn 

made a big difference in Billy’s life. 

Delbridge strongly encouraged 

Murphy to go to Infantry Officer 

Candidate School at Fort Benning, 

Ga., which Billy did in the fall of 

1965. Just a little more than five 

years after he enlisted, Murphy 

was commissioned as a second 

lieutenant.

 After finishing Infantry Officer 

Candidate School at Fort Benning, 

Murphy stayed on for a few months 

as a tactical officer before getting 

orders to go to Vietnam.

Murphy was told he was going 

to the 1st Cav. Div., but when he 

arrived in Vietnam they posted a list 

of names in the reception station 

of who was going to leave that day 

and what unit they were assigned 

to. “When I checked, my name was 

on that little list and it said I was 

going to the Big Red One. I thought, 

‘well my goodness, I was supposed 

to go to 1st Cav.,’” Murphy said.

Murphy was told there was a huge need for platoon 

leaders, so he went to the 1st Inf. Div. in August of 1966. 

After all the in-processing, he got to Charlie Company, 

2nd Bn., 28th Inf. Regt., and there wasn’t an officer to be 

found – just a young staff sergeant trying to hold his band 

of men together and Murphy said he will never forget their 

first meeting. The staff sergeant said, “Lieutenant, I sure 

Col Billy Murphy (Ret) (Photo Courtesy of Billy Murphy)
25 Duty First www.riley.army.mil www.riley.army.mil Duty First 26

officer who was flying over the fight that night at 50,000 

feet, tell me later that he could see tracer and gun fire from 

horizon to horizon.”

The night before the cease fire on February 28, 1991, 

Fontenot’s battalion had fought their way up to a place 

that the troops named “the valley of the boogers.” 

“They called it that because it was this low place where 

they had been quarrying things out of there which left 

holes and burns,” Fontenot explained.

“We literally fought all night long in a herringbone 

Vietnam-style formation all along this trail that went through 

there. Second Brigade had gotten by it. And so they’re in 

a big gun fight with bad guy tanks and we’re in a big gun 

fight with RPG-carrying infantrymen. The next morning at 

sunup, the infantrymen discovered they had surrounded 

two battalions and tanks and they surrendered. And that’s 

how the war ended for us,” Fontenot recalled

The battalion returned home on May 9, 1991, and on 

May 10 the Division displayed its colors at Fort Riley, 

signifying its return home.

Before they had ever left Fort Riley they knew what 

their mission would be. The 1st Inf. Div. was going to be 

the assault division that would breach the Iraqi’s defenses.

Now they just had to get out of port and up to where 

things were going to happen.

Fontenot’s battalion moved up in country in the middle 

of February as part of the 1st Brigade and assumed a 

security role on the border in the neutral zone.

On the morning of Feb. 24, 1991, under Maj. Gen. 

Thomas G. Rhame, the Big Red One initiated the armored 

attack into Iraq, with the breach battalions opening up 

lanes, minefields and the enemy positions for the followon battalions to go deep.

“Arguably the big fight for the division was not the 

breach, it was a fight at objective Norfolk, just east of a 

phase line on the 73 easting of longitude in the grid map 

called phase line smash,” Fontenot said. “A lot of people 

know about the 2nd Cav. Reg. getting in contact up there 

and the division passed through them at 10:30 at night on 

the 26th of February and attacked 20-plus kilometers to 

the east in an all-night tank battle.”

It was a big fight, he said. “In fact, I’ve had a Navy Lt. Col. Greg Fontenot in his tactical operations center in northern Saudi 

Arabia with then - Maj. Gen. Thomas Rhame. (Photo courtesy fo Greg 

By Shelley Roten

Duty First! Magazine

Even after a lifetime of service, 1st Infantry Division 

Soldiers never forget the defining moments that make 

them proud to wear the Big Red One patch.

For retired Col. Gregory Fontenot, one of those defining 

moments came during Operation Desert Storm, when he 

led a 1st Infantry Division battalion into battle.

Fontenot served in the 1st Inf. Div. as a 2nd lieutenant, 

1st lieutenant, major and lieutenant colonel. He was 

commissioned when he graduated from Kansas State 

University as a distinguished military graduate in May 

1971.

 “I don’t know anybody that ever served in the 1st Inf. 

Div. that wasn’t proud of it. To the day I die the thing that 

I will be proudest of is that I earned a combat patch in the 

1st Infantry Division,” Fontenot said.

Fontenot spoke highly of all the men he served for 

beginning with the drill 

instructor and captain 

at ROTC summer camp 

following his college 

graduation.

“Staff Sgt. Kidd and Capt. 

Scruggs were the kind of 

people you wanted to be 

like. Both of them were firstclass men,” recalls Fontenot 

when reflecting on his “boot 

camp” experience.

Fontenot feels blessed 

to have served under fine 

leaders.

“I served for great leaders 

and I hope that came 

through [in the interview],” 

he said. 

“But when I see those 

guys every year at the 

division officers’ reunion 

dinner and you’ve shared 

an experience like that it’s 

unforgettable.”

When Fontenot recalled 

the events leading up to the Big Red One’s Gulf War 

attack and the role his battalion played in it, it was easy 

to understand the prestige of being awarded the Combat 

Badge with the 1st Inf. Div.

On Aug. 2, 1990, Lt. Col. Greg Fontenot had his 

battalion, 2 Bn., 34th Armor, at tank gunnery when he 

got an out-of-the-ordinary call from his wife. He was in 

disbelief when she told him Iraq was invading Kuwait. 

Fontenot told her, “We’re going to war. This won’t stand. 

We are going to be in this fight.”

The 1st Inf. Div. was put on alert for deployment on 

Nov. 8, 1990. The division deployed more than 12,000 

Soldiers and 7,000 pieces of equipment to Saudi Arabia 

during the next two months.

Fontenot and his battalion arrived in Saudi Arabia on 

New Year’s Eve, 1990. 

Lt. Col Greg Fontenot standing in front of a T55 shortly after the cease 

fire on Feb. 28, 1991 (Photo courtesy of Gregory Fontenot)
27 Duty First www.riley.army.mil www.riley.army.mil Duty First 28

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

Capt. James Price, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat 

Team, was born in Yreka, Calif., joined the Army at 18, 

and served the United States Army during the end of the 

Cold War and in Korea, Germany and Alaska ... then the 

Twin Towers fell, calling Price and his fellow Soldiers into 

action yet again.

Though Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001, it 

wasn’t until after Price had completed embedded tactical 

training at Fort Riley that he was deployed to Afghanistan 

from Dec. 22, 2007, to Feb. 15, 2009.

“I enjoyed my tour over there,” Price said. “The people 

were receptive that we were around. It was nice to 

shift a country that was lacking economic structure and 

education and be able 

to take off some stress 

and provide them with 

security to hopefully 

get a generation or two 

educated, which will 

hopefully change their 

country around a little 

bit.”

Providing that 

security was not 

always easy, however, 

as Price did his part 

by becoming the 

operations officer for a 

commando program. 

“I was in charge of field equipment programming and 

training,” he said, adding that he and others were charged 

with building a permanent training facility for the program 

as well as coordinating all other commando camps to 

make operations work efficiently.

 “These guys are the cream of the crop. They are 

training all of the time,” Price said, describing the 

commandos and explaining they would be sent out in 

search of the leaders causing havoc for the country.

To coordinate so much activity and to pursue 

recruitment, which Price described to be much like a 

Special Forces selection, he was able to see almost all of 

Afghanistan, but even the flights throughout the country 

proved to be anything but dull.

Traveling by the Afghan Air Corps, Priced noted that all 

flying would be done by line of sight because the aircraft 

they were traveling in didn’t have instruments, something 

that isn’t good when presented with a sandstorm. 

“They had to take an emergency landing because they 

couldn’t see the road and they couldn’t see the mountain 

pass so they landed in the middle of a soccer field,” Price 

said, which happened be in the downtown marketplace of 

one town. 

“It was interesting 

because all of a sudden, 

a bunch of Afghans 

rushed the fence. We 

got the commandos out 

and got a perimeter set 

up,” he said, explaining 

further they called a 

nearby base for help and 

were eventually taken to 

safety.

“It turned out great but 

it was kind of ‘iffy’ at first,” 

Price said.

Another difficulty Price 

encountered was a lack 

of communication devices. Even with the challenges, 

Price said that overall, things went well for him while 

deployed.

“We had a great community network around our forward 

operating base that worked well with the coalition and the 

Afghans,” Price said. “We had no problems with them. We 

got along well.”

Member of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team were deployed to Afghanistan from 

2008-2009. (U.S. Army Photo by 3HBCT, Public Affairs)

“It’s like slow motion. When it goes off, you definitely 

know it and it’s like slow motion,” he described, explaining 

even with all of their body gear he and his men could feel 

the blast. “The concussion, you feel it ... the shrapnel hit 

the truck, nothing to penetrate but you definitely felt the 

effect of the explosion.”

Cole said if it weren’t for their vehicles, the RG-31 and 

the Buffalo, two mine-resistant vehicles, the IED’s would 

have stopped his team’s progress.

“The trucks are great. If it were a Humvee or something, 

it would have been done,” Cole said, adding that not even 

their armored vehicles could always drive away from a 

blast.

“If we didn’t have communication (after an explosion), 

the Buffalo would go around the truck, get a visual of 

everybody and see if everyone is (responsive)... check the 

area, make sure there are no secondary (IED’s) and once 

we establish that the area is secure ... depending on the 

situation request (recovery) support or air support. Every 

situation is different,” he said. “I had a good crew ... I was 

all about (the mission) because I liked the adrenaline.”

The 2006 deployment was Cole’s final deployment in 

the United States Army, as he retired July 31, 2008, after 

22 years of service. 

“I loved it,” he said.

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

With improvised explosive devices a leading cause of 

death for Soldiers supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, it 

was knowing how to stay alert and keep a watchful eye 

that helped retired Sgt. 1st Class Eric Cole return home 

safely after two deployments.

A member of the 1st Engineer Battalion, it was Cole’s 

job during his second deployment in September 2006 

to spend time clearing IED’s to facilitate the “freedom of 

maneuver” for combat logistical patrols and maneuver 

units on the ground, a daunting and dangerous task 

given that 72 IED events were reported daily when he 

arrived in theater.

Cole and his fellow Soldiers continued 

forward, however. To complete their mission they 

drove through and cleared the same roadway 

between forward operating bases every single 

day for 15 months straight, unless called upon 

to support a mission that could take advantage 

of their engineering capabilities.

Though Cole said some days could be long 

while completing up to 24-hour long patrols, the 

job never got old. “The (IED) you miss is the 

one that blows up,” he stated matter of factly, 

implying the importance and necessity to always 

be alert.

Items Cole and his 16-man team would look 

for included abandoned cars, additional craters, 

tampered craters, command and pressure wires; 

and remote control, surface-laid or cell-phone 

triggered IED’s.

With so much to look for, though, Cole explained 

his trucks were always organized in a way to allow for 

redundancy. 

“We had our team set up so two of each truck in 

each lane could identify those things (triggers), plus the 

redundancy for the other three vehicles we had in tow, in 

case somebody missed it,” he said.

Cole doesn’t know exactly how many IED’s his team 

found over the course of their deployment, but at least 

one-third of the bombs were found after the IED had 

already exploded, 16 of which went off a mere one meter 

from his own vehicle.

Eric Cole in Iraq in 2006 with fellow Soldiers from the 1st Engineer 

Battalion. (Photo Courtesy ofEric Cole
29 Duty First www.riley.army.mil www.riley.army.mil Duty First 30

bulletin of news, humor, baseball scores and happenings 

on other fronts.

Drawing cartoons wasn’t a foreign duty to Butler, who 

had previously illustrated cartoons as the chairman of the 

Yale Record. 

His new assignment was to depict the everyday 

occurrences of the First Division in a realistic-yetlighthearted manner.

The daily cartoon ran in the First Field Artillery Brigade 

Observer that started out as a daily “trench newspaper” 

and went out to every battalion in the division.

The Observer became a huge success and the 

distribution list grew and grew, largely to the popularity of 

Butler’s drawings.

Butler’s drawings were described as “always funny, 

absolutely true in every detail of material and equipment, 

sometimes a little cynical but never bitter.”

The division’s higher staff began to take notice and 

soon the neighboring French unit requested copies of the 

Observer.

According to “Happy Days!” the division staff learned 

that our Allies considered Butler’s cartoons as the finest 

caricatures of the French Army they had ever seen.

 “Happy Days” was published by the Society of the 

First Division, A.E.F in 1928 in order to permanently 

preserve Butler’s drawing and sketches that now serve 

as a priceless record of the First Division’s involvement in 

By Shelley Roten World War I.

Duty First! Magazine

It benefits a Soldier to cheerfully approach whatever 

task may fall upon him, according to Gen. Charles P. 

Summerall, in the foreword of “Happy Days! A Humorous 

Narrative in Drawings of the Progress of American Arms 

1917-1919.” 

It’s evident Summerall

had one of his Soldiers 

– an officer who 

would soon be known 

throughout Allied camps 

for his wartime cartoons 

– in mind when he wrote 

“The man who can 

contribute to his spirit of 

fun, and therefore, to his 

morale, is invaluable to 

any command.”

“Captain Alban B. 

Butler, Jr., A.D.C., was 

rarely gifted in his keen 

sense of humor and 

his artistic power of 

expressing it,” wrote 

Summerall.

The First Division was 

exuberant following the 

victory at Cantigny on 

May 28, 1918. They were 

ramped up and ready for 

their next mission, as the 

Second Division was on 

the way to provide relief. 

At the last minute, the 

Second Division was 

diverted, and the rest, 

as they say, is history for 

then-intelligence officer Butler.

Butler was serving under Summerall, who commanded 

the First Field Artillery Brigade, and later would go on to 

command the First Division, A.E.F.

In an effort to keep the morale of his troops up, 

Summerall tasked Butler with a project to provide a daily 

An Artist’s Depiction of 

the Division’s History