WW II-1st Infantry in Italy TB02

Please drop this item in rural or Premium Member Only caches.  Do not place it in an urban cache or leave it behind at a caching event.  Transport the bug in the original plastic bag for as long as the bag lasts; this prevents tangling with other items.  Otherwise, take this travel bug anywhere you wish.  No permission needed to leave the U.S.

Replica Shoulder Patch. This travel bug is one of several made to recognize the US Army Divisions that fought in Sicily and mainland Italy in World War II.  In the Spring of 2014 the travel bug owner activated, dipped, then, in March and April, took the travel bugs to caches in Italy. Some of the bugs were released in Italy and some were brought back to the states to be put into circulation.

The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is the oldest division  in the Army.   It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917.   It is currently based at Fort Riley, Kansas.  Shortly after the beginning of World War II in Europe, the 1st Division was moved through a number of training stops  On 7 December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and then the United States declared war.  The division was ordered to Camp Blanding, Florida, as quickly as trains could be gathered and winter weather permitted.  The division was reorganized and given new equipment.  The division departed New York on 1 August 1942, arrived in south-west England about a week later, and departed 22 October 1942 for the combat amphibious assault of North Africa.  The division landed in Oran, Algeria on 8 November 1942

In July 1943, the division took part in the invasion of Sicily.  The Big Red One saw heavy making amphibious landings at Gela. The 1st then moved up through the center of Sicily, slogging it out through the mountains where they saw some of the heaviest fighting in the entire Sicilian campaign.  Some units lost  more than half their strength in assaulting the mountain towns.  When that campaign was over, the division returned to England  to prepare for the eventual Normandy invasion.