Posting this to recognize the passing of my dad 4 years ago. When going through his things then, I found a certificate stating he was a member of the "FBI". He never talked much about the war, so I had to Google what this FBI thing was all about.
So, as Paul Harvey would say, and now for the rest of the story.....
“SHEAF, December 6, (1944) One of the hottest outfits now in action is the Fifth Infantry Division, which used to refer to itself, a little ruefully, as the “FBI.” The letters didn’t stand for J. Edgar Hoover’s bureau, but for the Forgotten Bastards of Iceland. The men who once patrolled the icy, bleak waters in the North Atlantic and unloaded ships, wondering when they’d get into the war, yesterday reeled off nearly five miles on a broad front inside Germany and today were a grenade’s throw from the Saar. The saga of the Fifth – which with the 95th Infantry Division took Metz two weeks ago – is the story of a great comeback in the Frank Merriwell tradition.
A World War I outfit, the Fifth was the first U.S. division to go overseas in World War II, landing in Iceland in late 1941, before Pearl Harbor.
The next two years, say the Fifth doughboys, they’d rather forget two years when the work was dull, when there were all too few guns to train with and no place to train properly; two years when morale sank low.
Sitting in Iceland, the Fifth wondered what the hell kind of war it was as the North Africa, Sicily and Italy campaigns found them still inactive. Some men amused themselves by issuing each other certificates, signifying their membership in the “FBI.” Sailing orders finally arrived the summer of ’43. When they landed in England some of the men kissed the green soil. Others, marveling, murmured “Gee, trees.”
New morale came with new guns and new vehicles. Maj. Gen. S. Leroy Irwin taught the Fifth to travel faster than armor. Moved to Northern Ireland, the Fifth missed D-Day, but less than a month later sailed from Belfast. And it has never stopped since. The Fifth spearheaded the Third Army drive across France, sweeping 700 miles and traveling sometimes 70 miles a day. Two days ago the Fifth crossed the German boarder – a mighty long way from Iceland.”
Printed in England by the Times Publishing Co., Ltd
So, as Paul Harvey would say, and now for the rest of the story.....
“Forgotten Bastards of Iceland”
Making Selves Remembered
By James McGlincy
UP
Making Selves Remembered
By James McGlincy
UP
“SHEAF, December 6, (1944) One of the hottest outfits now in action is the Fifth Infantry Division, which used to refer to itself, a little ruefully, as the “FBI.” The letters didn’t stand for J. Edgar Hoover’s bureau, but for the Forgotten Bastards of Iceland. The men who once patrolled the icy, bleak waters in the North Atlantic and unloaded ships, wondering when they’d get into the war, yesterday reeled off nearly five miles on a broad front inside Germany and today were a grenade’s throw from the Saar. The saga of the Fifth – which with the 95th Infantry Division took Metz two weeks ago – is the story of a great comeback in the Frank Merriwell tradition.
A World War I outfit, the Fifth was the first U.S. division to go overseas in World War II, landing in Iceland in late 1941, before Pearl Harbor.
The next two years, say the Fifth doughboys, they’d rather forget two years when the work was dull, when there were all too few guns to train with and no place to train properly; two years when morale sank low.
Sitting in Iceland, the Fifth wondered what the hell kind of war it was as the North Africa, Sicily and Italy campaigns found them still inactive. Some men amused themselves by issuing each other certificates, signifying their membership in the “FBI.” Sailing orders finally arrived the summer of ’43. When they landed in England some of the men kissed the green soil. Others, marveling, murmured “Gee, trees.”
New morale came with new guns and new vehicles. Maj. Gen. S. Leroy Irwin taught the Fifth to travel faster than armor. Moved to Northern Ireland, the Fifth missed D-Day, but less than a month later sailed from Belfast. And it has never stopped since. The Fifth spearheaded the Third Army drive across France, sweeping 700 miles and traveling sometimes 70 miles a day. Two days ago the Fifth crossed the German boarder – a mighty long way from Iceland.”
Printed in England by the Times Publishing Co., Ltd
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