The Army football team has unveiled special uniforms to be worn for the upcoming Army-Navy game.
The team will be honoring the 3rd Infantry Division, known as the “Rock of the Marne,” a name earned during a pivotal World War I battle in France.
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the division’s “thunder run” to oust Saddam Hussein during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The uniforms were revealed in a dramatic video on Tuesday.
“The Nike uniforms are tan throughout, denoting the desert nature of the war as well as being reminiscent of the camouflage pattern worn by [Operation Iraqi Freedom] troops. Player numbers and lettering mimic the font from Army vehicle ‘bumper numbers,'” the Military Times reported.
Inspired by the 3rd Infantry Division, we will honor the Dogface Soldiers and their legacy of excellence. #GoArmy x #ROTM pic.twitter.com/WaK4xkTJrR
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 21, 2023
In March 2003, the 3rd ID covered 240 miles from Kuwait to Baghdad in two days.
“Commanders said it was the fastest, farthest and largest advance by an armored invasion force in history,” according to The Washington Post’s William Branigin, who was embedded with the 3rd ID at the time.
The division helped capture the Iraqi capital and topple Hussein’s regime.
The 3rd ID was formed on Nov. 21, 1917, during World War I.
It earned the name the “Rock of the Marne” in July 1918 by helping thwart the last German offensive of the war, which took place along the Marne River.
“The 3rd ID proved to be a cornerstone of the defense of the Marne River and the entire region. The division’s valiant stand against a large German force marked a turning point in the war,” according to the Defense Department.
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