The Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team is scheduled to honor its lineage with the historic 41st Division during a ceremony at 9:00 a.m. this Saturday, April 1, 2017, at the 41st Infantry Division Armed Forces Reserve Center, located at 15300 SE Minuteman Way at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas, Oregon. The event will recognize the 100th anniversary of the division’s formation and participation in World War I. The 41st Division event is one of many taking place across the nation to mark the official centennial of U.S. participation in World War I on April 6, 2017. The 41st Division was activated on April 1, 1917, with Soldiers from Oregon and other northwest states who trained together before heading to Europe for World War I. The 41st Division was named the “Sunset Division” due to its close association with Pacific Northwest states where the sun sets on the Pacific Ocean. While the 41st never fought as a consolidated division in World War I, the Soldiers of the 41st served as replacements for units in other divisions and operated a reception and training depot in France. Although the 41st Division did not enter battle under their own colors, the Soldiers of the 41st were involved in some of the most significant battles of World War I. “The ceremony is being conducted to honor and commemorate the 41st Division,” said Stephen Bomar, director of public affairs for the Oregon Military Department. “From 1917 to 1968, this division was involved in some of the most significant events of the 20th Century and the 41st Division has definitely left its mark on U.S. history.” Some of the last remaining 41st Division veterans from World War II are scheduled to attend the ceremony. Also scheduled to attend will be Lt. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau; Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, The Adjutant General, Oregon; Brig. Gen. William J. Edwards Oregon National Guard Land Component Commander; and Col. William J. Prendergast, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team Commander; among local, state and federal elected officials. The 41st Division and its successor, the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), have subsequently deployed overseas in support of World War II, the Gulf War, peace-keeping missions, multinational training exercises, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. In addition, the 41st IBCT continues to respond to emergencies here in Oregon whenever needed. “The Soldiers of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team continue the division’s legacy of answering the call for our state and nation,” added Bomar. The event is open to the public and media is encouraged to attend.
