CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – More than 3,500 Warriors gathered on the Maj. Gen. Walter M. Robertson Field to recreate the living Indianhead insignia and reinforce Warrior pride within the 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, May 10.
The morning’s convergence of 2ID/RUCD units with ROK partners marked the first time the Warrior Division reconstructed the patch since relocating to Camp Humphreys.
“This was the first time we were able to mass the entire division including the rotational brigade since leaving Camp Red Cloud,” said Sgt. Maj. Michael Arroyo, 2ID/RUCD engineer sergeant major, and Bronx, New York native. “All the Soldiers realize that this is a historical contribution to the Warrior Division and they’re really happy to be part of it.”
Engineers within the Warrior Division spent many hours preparing.
“It took a lot of time for my team and the division to plan this, and now I can see that all the hard work definitely paid off,” said Arroyo. “It looks great.”
Soldiers like Pvt. Corey Burkett, heavy vehicle operator, 4-6 Infantry, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division (Rotational), and Hattiesburg, Mississippi native, said he enjoyed the opportunity to stand with the Combined Division.
“I heard stories about the living insignia when I arrived here and was amazed by past photos,” said Burkett. “It was an honor to be a part of something that’s beyond ‘Old Ironsides’.”
This is the fourth time 2ID/RUCD has constructed and filmed this formation. The original photo, taken in 1925, pictured a formation arrayed in the shape of the Indianhead patch. Many Soldiers in the 1925 photo served in World War I and other conflicts. The division also replicated the patch in 2009 and 2016 to celebrate its extraordinary heritage.
“We’re connecting to our past and we’re standing on the legacy of those Soldiers who’ve gone before us,” said Col. (Ret.) William M. Alexander, 2ID/RUCD museum director, and Barnesville, Georgia native. “The division is truly second to none and it’s an honor to witness this momentous event.”
