JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. (Dec. 22, 2014) -- Dozens of Army Reserve Soldiers paid tribute Dec. 16 to the members of America's "Greatest Generation" who fought in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.
The commemoration event of the battle's 70th anniversary was hosted by Stephen Harlan, command historian for the Army Reserve's 99th Regional Support Command, at the Maj. John P. Pryor Army Reserve Center here.
"I want to thank you for taking the time to honor the memory of the Soldiers who came before us, serving on this thin line in the winter, facing snow, ice, continual mortar fire and continual artillery fire," Harlan said, referring to the Allied defensive line in Europe that repelled the Axis offensive in December 1944, effectively destroying German offensive power along the war's Western Front.
Three Army Reserve units stationed here -- the 75th Training Command's Atlantic Division, the 78th Training Division and the 99th Regional Support Command -- are legacy units that trace their lineage to infantry divisions of the same nomenclature. All three of these divisions played a large part in the Battle of the Bulge, and Soldiers from each of these legacy units were on hand to learn about their unit's history.
"This is one of the first instances that each of these divisions during World War II encountered enemy combat," explained Harlan, who also serves as a lieutenant colonel in command of the Army Reserve's 314th Press Camp Headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.
"Over the course of my career, I've worn the 78th patch twice, the 75th patch once and the 99th patch twice -- I'm very happy to wear these legacy patches," he said. "When you put on a patch, think about those who came before us, and think about what we do now in our current jobs as support, trainers and evaluators in order to prepare the current U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers in their missions going forward."
As these Army Reserve commands continue to move forward to meet 21st century challenges and threats, the Soldiers who attended the Battle of the Bulge briefing gained a better understanding of their predecessors by looking back to one of the great challenges and threats of the 20th century.
"It was good to pay homage to our past Soldiers as we continue to live the history of the 78th," said Maj. Henry Falcon, secretary of the general staff for the 78th Training Division. "We are primary executors of instituting Army Reserve training, so we are still putting Soldiers on the battlefield."
"What stood out most for me was the amount of 99th ID Soldiers who had involvement in the Battle of the Bulge, and how much impact we had," said Lt. Col. Richardean Foster-Daniels, director of Plans, Analysis and Integration for the 99th Regional Support Command. "I think we still play a vital role, making sure we get what we need to help Soldiers continue to do their job, and always letting them know we're here to support them and that they can always count on the 99th to give them what they need to carry out their missions."
Social Sharing