Memorial Day, 2011

On this Memorial Day it seems fitting to honor a specific group of soldiers of WWI, the 168^th Infantry. You see, my Grandfather, 1st Lt. Clarence Green, was among this group to serve, and not to return…

To the Glorious Dead of the 168^th Infantry

Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead!

There’s none of these so lonely and poor of old,

But, dying, has made us rarer gifts than gold.

These laid the world away; poured out the red

Sweet wine of youth; gave up the years to be

Of work and joy, and that unhoped serene

That men call age; and those who would have been,

Their sons, they gave, their immortality.[1]

                Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)

     The entire nation was behind the president in April 1917 – send troops to aid our European allies. No state was more ready to do what was needed than Iowa. Among the organizations thus called into service was the Third Iowa Infantry. From Mexican border duty the Third was re-assembled and outfitted. Other units were brought in to strengthen its ranks.

     Early in August 1917 the War Department announced the organization of a purely National Guard division, to be named the Rainbow Division by Col. Douglas McArthur, which was to include the Third Iowa as one of its four infantry regiments. This division would not be known as the Third Iowa, for from now on it was to be called the 168^th U.S. Infantry.[2]

Honoring the Fallen,

Chris 

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[1]  John H. Taber, The Story of the 168^th Infantry, Vol I. (Iowa City, IA: State Historical Society of Iowa), 1925, v.

[2]   Ibid, pp. 1-3