On Monday, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point Athletics unveiled custom uniforms the Army football team will wear during the upcoming Army-Navy Game on December 10 in Philadelphia. The one-of-a-kind uniforms honor the soldiers of the 1st Armored Division during World War II.
According to West Point’s website, 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of Operation Torch and “the commencement of American ground operations against Axis forces in the European theater, which included North Africa.”
“The resilience, grit, and commitment demonstrated by the soldiers ultimately resulted in the defeat of Axis forces in North Africa,” the website states. “In the harsh desert against a determined enemy, the members of the 1st Armored Division were forged into ‘Iron Soldiers’ and learned the lessons that would guide them to success in subsequent operations in Italy and Western Europe.”
“On December 10, we honor the ‘Iron Soldiers’ of the 1st Armored Division and take the field in Philadelphia inspired by the story of ‘Old Ironsides.’ In honor of their legacy, we proudly wear their patches and adopt their mottos to propel us to victory on the field of friendly strife,” it continues.
Army football is encouraging relatives and loved ones of the men who served with the 1st Armored Division to post on Twitter with the hashtag #IRONSOLDIERS.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Naval Academy gave its first look at the special uniforms its football team will wear when they go up against the U.S. Military Academy in the Army-Navy Game. The special helmets and jerseys pay tribute to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
