A co, 1st Bn 35 Armor 1st Armor Div.

• Origins in WWII: The 35th Armor Regiment was constituted on July 1, 1941, and activated at Fort Knox, Kentucky, as part of the U.S. Army’s expansion for World War II. • North Africa and Italy Campaigns: The unit saw its first combat with the 1st Armored Division in North Africa in 1942, participating in Operation Torch, then fought in Tunisia and later in the Italian Campaign. • Nickname - “Iron Knights”: The battalion, including Alpha Company, is known as the "Iron Knights," a name reflecting its legacy of armored warfare excellence. • First Armor’s “Old Ironsides” Connection: As part of the 1st Armored Division, A Co, 1-35 AR shares in the division’s famous nickname, “Old Ironsides,” adopted in 1941 by the division’s first commander, Major General Bruce Magruder. • Cold War Service: During the Cold War, 1-35 AR was stationed in Germany as part of NATO’s forward defense, regularly training for the possibility of conflict with the Warsaw Pact. • Gulf War Actions: The 1st Battalion, 35th Armor, including A Company, played a significant role in Operation Desert Storm (1991), conducting armored assaults and breaching Iraqi defenses. • Peacekeeping in the Balkans: In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the unit deployed to Bosnia and Kosovo as part of peacekeeping and stabilization missions. • Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan: A Co, 1-35 AR participated in multiple deployments to Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom), conducting a wide range of combat and security operations. • Modernization and Transition: The unit has transitioned through various main battle tanks, from the M4 Sherman, M48 Patton, M60, to the current M1 Abrams, reflecting the evolution of U.S. armored warfare. • Distinguished Unit Citations: The battalion and its companies, including Alpha Company, have earned numerous unit citations and awards for valor, including Presidential Unit Citations for actions in World War II and other conflicts.