Posted on 11/08/2005 3:18:00 PM PST by SandRat
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Army News Service, Nov. 8, 2005) – Two hundred members of the 42nd Infantry Division headquarters returned to Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield Nov. 5 from a deployment to north-central Iraq.
It was the first time since the Korean War that a National Guard division headquarters has deployed into combat.
“Perhaps your greatest achievements are intangible,” said Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey as he welcomed the troops home. “You vividly demonstrated to the country what we in the Army have known for a long time, and that is the National Guard is a very competent organization that is very well-led with Soldiers who are dedicated, courageous, disciplined and professional.”
Rainbow Division had 4,500 raids
New York’s Rainbow Division worked in the heart of the Sunni Triangle where they captured or killed more than 2,000 insurgents, conducted more than 4,500 raids and captured more than 400 enemy weapons stockpiles.
About 3,000 Soldiers from the 42nd deployed to Iraq where they were part of Task Force Liberty, providing a foundation for the Army to build a combat task force for operations. They also provided the command and control, logistics and operational base for combat brigades to succeed in their missions.
Troops safeguarded voting sites
Harvey praised the role the division played in the successful referendum on the Iraqi Constitution that took place in October.
“During the referendum on the new constitution, voter turnout in the 42nd area of operation was well over 70 percent,” said Harvey. “This is a clear testament to the level of security your Soldiers provided. It also underscored your hard work in giving the Iraqi people confidence in the political process for the new Iraq.”
Task force helped Iraqis
Since February, Task Force Liberty assisted the Iraqi forces in becoming more capable of planning and executing independent operations against the insurgency. Nine forward operation bases in their area were closed or transferred to Iraqi control.
Before the transfer of authority Nov. 1, Task Force Liberty engineers supervised nearly 1,400 projects worth $757 million and initiated more than 800 projects that are still underway.
“These Soldiers represent all that is right and good about our Nation,” said Harvey, “and clearly they have helped advance the cause of freedom.
Personal Thank Yous from the Top mean a lot.
"New York’s Rainbow Division worked in the heart of the Sunni Triangle where they captured or killed more than 2,000 insurgents, conducted more than 4,500 raids and captured more than 400 enemy weapons stockpiles."
Wow. They did a great job in a very bad spot. Many, many thanks to these fine men and women.
BTTT
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