European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday january 17, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 19the reorganization plan for the army in Europe �c\1st brigade Vilseck 2nd brigade erlangen3rd inf do Wurzburg 18,000 1st brigade Schweinfurt out with the old in with Tho now1 St Bri Jim helicopter brigade Ansbac division support Wurzburg 3rd brigade,fmm1 i helicopter brigade Hanau 2nd brigade Baum older 3rd brigade Mannheim division support bad Kreuz Nach 3 inf div Wurzburg the new v corps today the army s four cold War divisions officially merge into two. The top half of the Chart shows the four divisions under two army clips which were stationed in Germany for More than three decades. The draw Down has sliced and remixed the old and the new divisions a 1 St and 3rd army 3rd and 8th inf a into two divisions under a new v corps shown on the Bottom half of the Chart. A Gray Box with an x through it shows a unit that departed or will soon leave Europe. Units in White boxes will remain. Two divisions make up half the soldiers and most of the firepower in a combat corps. 1st army div bad Kreuz Nach 3rd brigade Vilseck helicopter brigade Ansbach 2nd brigade Erlanger division support Wurzburg 1st brigade Schweinfurt helicopter brigade Hanau 1st brigade Kirch gains 2nd brigade Baum older 3rd brigade Mannheim division support bad Kreuz Nach tanks f Bradley fighting vehicles artillery if attack helicopters rifles 348 316 72 i 13,226 what s in an infantry division thanks 290 a Bradley fighting vehicles 370 artillery 72 attack helicopters 36 rifles 13,705 a amps Sharon Kilday Tarrant history of the 8th inf div i january 1918 division organized at Camp Fremont Palo Alto calif., and takes the nickname Pathfinder from explorer John Fremont who opened the Oregon  1944 to May 194$ the division goes ashore at Normandy Beach and fights across Northern France and is among the first units to Cross the Rhine liver into Germany. Soldiers earn three medals of Honor. I september 1944 after being overrun in Brest France a German general is told to discuss surrender terms with the americans. Quot i am to surrender to you. Let me see your credentials Quot the general tells an officer of the 8th inf div. The american Points to infantrymen crowding into the German Headquarters and replies Quot these Are my credentials Quot a july 1945 the division returns to the states and is deactivated at fort Leonard Wood to. A november 1955 the army announces that the 8th inf will change places with the 9th inf div in Germany. A i october 195$ division arrives in Germany. A dec. 14,1957 division Headquarters moves to bad  1990 the 8th inf deploys 3,800 of its troops to saudi Arabia for the persian Gulf War. A april 1991 the division s helicopter brigade goes to Northern Iraq to work on the Relief Effort for kurdish  december 1991 the last task Force returns from patrol duty in Kuwait a Jan. 17,1992 the division is formally removed from Germany and its units Are re flagged As the 1st army div. Commander ends three decade link by Gary Pomeroy staff writer Frankfurt Germany a maj. Gen. Jerry r. Rutherford Speaks from lengthy personal and professional experience when he mentions the emotion associated with pulling the 3rd army div out of Germany. Rutherford a involvement with the division began in 1963 As a second lieutenant platoon Leader with the 1st in 36th inf 3rd brigade at Friedberg Germany and ends today when the spearheads colors Are cased during a ceremony at Drake Cavern. Along the Way he served As an aide de Camp for an assistant 3rd army div commander from november 1964 to june 1966. He and his wife Betty were married 26 years ago at a German civil ceremony in Frankfurt and at a Church ceremony the following Day at the 3rd army dives Chapel at Edwards Cavern. He commanded the divisions 3rd brigade for just Over two years beginning in june 1983. Additionally his father in Law retired army maj. Gen. William r. Kraft jr., commanded the divisions 1st brigade at Kirch guns from May 1963 to june 1964 and commanded the 3rd army div from May 1971 to March 1973. A so this was quite an Honor to he selected to come Back to the 3rd army div a he said. A when you take a unit out of Here that a spent this Many years Over Here you re taking family Quot Rutherford said. A and that a Why. Its a Little emotional. But its not sad. Its a Victory. We should leave Here on an upbeat. And that a what we re trying to  the 3rd army div landed on the beaches of Normandy France in june 1944 and remained in Germany until it was deactivated in 1947. The division began a 36-year stay when it returned to Germany in 1956. Rutherford a observations on the relationships that have developed Over the decades apply to every . Military unit that has or will leave Germany. Quot Many of our families Are married to German families Here Quot he said. Quot a lot of these local citizens have grandchildren Back in the United  gratitude to the germans for the thousands of soldiers who have passed through Germany cannot be overstated he said a especially during the Southwest asian War when we left families in a third country while we went off to War. They came from everywhere to support us. The Mission now has been successfully accomplished. We be won the cold War without firing a  maj. Gen. Rutherford first served with the 3rd army div in 1963. A amps Ken George