ABOUT 1st Infantry Division
- The 1st Infantry Division was the first division created in the United States Army, established on June 8, 1917, during World War I.
- During World War II, the 1st Infantry Division participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, landing on Omaha Beach.
- The division's distinctive shoulder patch, the "Big Red One," was designed by American artist and illustrator James Montgomery Flagg in 1918.
- General Theodore Roosevelt Jr., son of President Theodore Roosevelt, served as a brigade commander in the 1st Infantry Division during World War I and later commanded the division during World War II.
- The 1st Infantry Division earned the nickname "The Fighting First" for its actions in combat throughout history, including in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Iraq War.
- In 1945, a soldier from the 1st Infantry Division, PFC Charles Fischer, famously raised the American flag atop the Reichstag building in Berlin during World War II.
- The 1st Infantry Division was the first American unit to deploy to Vietnam in 1965, where it participated in combat operations until 1970.
- The division's headquarters is currently located at Fort Riley, Kansas, but it has deployed to various locations around the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.
- The 1st Infantry Division's motto is "No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First," reflecting its dedication to duty and its history of perseverance in challenging situations.
- The 1st Infantry Division has received numerous awards and decorations for its service, including multiple Presidential Unit Citations and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for its actions in World War II.