They come from all walks of life to do their duty for their country. The men and women who served are our grandfathers, our fathers, our sons, our brothers, our sisters and our daughters.

Follow along from World War I to the modern day. Start your journey through the history of America’s most storied division-the Big Red One (or BRO, as it is also known). The 1st Division’s contributions to this nation’s defense offer insights into the history of the Army and the United States. That human experience is an important part of the American national experience. In the process the “Big Red One” (so called for the red numeral that has adorned its shoulder patch since 1918) has also been characterized by a remarkable esprit that has remained with the veterans long after their active service has ended. Central to this learning has been the training of soldiers and the development of competent leaders at all levels. Often the first unit of the Army to deploy and engage the enemy, the division has been characterized by an ability to learn systematically from experience and to distill this learning into techniques and methods to improve battlefield performance. Organized on June 8, 1917, for duty on the Western Front in World War I, this first permanent division in the regular Army has seen action in all American wars since 1917, except the Korean, and has performed magnificently in all of its service. No institution save the Chicago Tribune was dearer to him. McCormick, benefactor of the McCormick Foundation, Cantigny and the First Division Museum at Cantigny, was a World War I veteran of the First Division, today’s 1st Infantry Division, of the US Army.

First tank battle in iraq