100th Anniversary

Last week the Missus and I had an opportunity to visit the Naked City for a movie premier.  It was fun - our first short 24 hour getaway vacation of my retirement.  We stayed overnight at County Clare, took-in some walking-tour sights, surprised a neighbor from more than three decades ago, and had lunch with our respective friends.  In case you’re wondering about the movie – it is a feature-length documentary exploring the transformation of the Wisconsin National Guard from loosely organized regiments into the 32nd Division at the outset of World War I.  

Told through the stories, pictures, and video of Soldiers who fought in the trenches. Over 15,000 National Guardsmen from Wisconsin and over 8,000 from Michigan fought together and earned the name of "Les Terribles" and the insignia of a Red Arrow, a legacy continuing to modern day.

General de Mondesir, the 38th French Corps Commander - which the 32nd served under - went to the front to observe the fighting. When he saw how the 32nd cleared the Germans out of their reinforced positions with unrelenting and successful attacks, he exclaimed: Oui, Oui, Les soldats terrible, tres bien, tres bien!    

General Charles Mangin heard of it and referred to the 32nd Division as Les Terribles when he asked for the division to join his 10th French Army north of Soissons. He later made the nickname official when he incorporated it in his citation for their attack at Juvigny.      

The division's shoulder patch, a line shot through with a red arrow, symbolizes the fact that the 32nd Division penetrated every German line of defense that it faced during World War I.     

Raising a toast to Wisconsin and Michigan’s 32nd Division Army National Guard – including both Grandpa Schmidt and great Uncle Lauer.

Learn more here.  and be sure to watch the trailer...