Good Evening fellas,

Thanks to Marion you all know me now..LOL...

My name is James Dunigan III, I am the NCOIC of Able Company of the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 3rd Infantry Division from Savannah, Georgia.

My personal interests lie with learning the utmost about the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division during WWII. The U.S. 3rd Infantry Division is by far my favorite division of WWII, hence my username...who'd of thought right?..LOL...

Anyways, I hope to learn a ton from each and everyone of you here in the forums.

Regards,

Sgt. James Dunigan III

Able Co., U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment

U.S. 3rd Infantry Division(Reenacted)

Hey Jim:

I see you took me up on my offer to become a member of the forum. Excellent! Welcome.

My personal interests lie with learning the utmost about the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division during WWII. The U.S. 3rd Infantry Division is by far my favorite division of WWII, hence my username...who'd of thought right?..LOL...

I'm sure you won't get any argument from j3rdinf, otherwise known as Joe Fournier. As I stated in my letter to you, I'm sure the two of you will have some things to share.

I will plug your site here again, in case some haven't seen it yet,

http://www.geocities.com/aco_30thir_3rdid/index.html

Had a chance to look over your site more today and found it very interesting. Loved looking at the photos past and present.

When is your next reenacting event? BTW, have family in Acworth. How far is that from you?

Hope you enjoy your stay here.

When is your next reenacting event?  BTW, have family in Acworth.  How far is that from you?

 

Hope you enjoy your stay here.   

Thanks for the welcome Marion, its great to be around like minded comrades, who share the same interests as my unit mates and I.

We as a unit have not attended any "tacticals" and probably won't largely, seeing as its more for the "reenactors" rather than for the public. Its our choice as we'd like to let the viewing public see what we do so that they can come and learn with the rest of us. We're a unit about giving back not keeping what we experience to ourselves. We feel when we give back to the viewing public and to the young that were contributing to a greater purpose above ourselves and feel the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division feels the same way.

As it is now the younger generation doesn't know or really care in many aspects what these men did for them and, this is how we see it. For us, its a way to put it up in front of them first hand so they can learn about it and give thanks to the soldiers who gave and sacrificed so much for us. The WWII Veterans have been neglected and taken for granted for so many years, its time now that everyone sees them and acknowledges them for their courage and sacrifices before they all pass on.

As for Acworth, I'm actually a LOOOOOONNNNGGGG ways from there I'm on the most northern point of the Georgia Coast in Savannah, Georgia in the greater Chatham County area. I'm roughly 5-5 1/2 hours away from Acworth.

Regards,

Sgt. James Dunigan III

Able Co., U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment

U.S. 3rd Infantry Division(Reenacted)

We as a unit have not attended any "tacticals" and probably won't largely, seeing as its more for the "reenactors" rather than for the public. Its our choice as we'd like to let the viewing public see what we do so that they can come and learn with the rest of us. We're a unit about giving back not keeping what we experience to ourselves. We feel when we give back to the viewing public and to the young that were contributing to a greater purpose above ourselves and feel the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division feels the same way.

I like that attitude. I think what you guys are doing is great; educating the public. Ya, you're right, so many don't know about WWII, and that is scary. But thanks to all that's gone down in the last decade with movies like Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan and more great television programming and super websites, I think we can turn that around.

Hey, how did you first get interested in WWII? That's a good question to get us all started.

I got started into WWII enmass becasue as my mom calls it "fate" if you notice my birthday...June 6th...D-DAY...LOL.... But I guess you could say the real reason was to stand up and be proud of my uncles and my grandfathers who served during the Second World War and show them how proud I am of them for their service and to show them also how much what they gave me, matters to me.

T/4 Sgt. Henry D. Padgett

U.S. 5th/ 7th Army, VI Corps., 832nd Amphibious Group MTO/ETO

My uncle served from Operation Torch to the end in Germany in 1945. He was a DUKW driver and was attached primarily to the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division's, 7th Infantry Regiment. He was at Fedela, Kasserine Pass, Bizerte, Salerno, Anzio, Southern France...etc... He doesn't talk much about the war, nothing of combat. He is still alive and lives about 30 miles from me in Bluffton, SC. Out of his original 500 man battalion of the 832nd at Op. Torch he was one of three original members left at the end of the war.

F/O James F. Dunigan

509th Compsite Group, 393rd Bombardment Squadron, U.S. 20th A.A.F.

My grandfather stayed stateside with the U.S.A.A.C. and toward the end of the war was assigned too the "atomic" bomb group under Col. Paul Tibbet's. He passed in 2003.

Pvt. Albert Bivens

U.S. 116th Infantry Reg't., U.S. 29th Infantry Division, U.S. VII Corps.

My great uncle fought on Omaha Beach in Normandy and all the way to the end of the war in 1945. He passed in 1999.

S/Sgt. Frank C. Simmons

U.S. Army Field Artillery

My grandfather served at Camp Rucker, Alabama in the U.S. Army in the Field Artillery. Unfortunately, during training a round went off too close to his ear and ruptured his ear drum. He was the reverted to the Motor Pool at Camp Rucker and eventually in 1943 the gave him a medical discharge. He passed in 1989.

Seamen 1st Class Harry Brooke

U.S.S. Gato, U.S. Navy, South Pacific.

My uncle got in to the war in 1944 and it took him four months to get from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to Perth, Australia..LOL.... He later served on the U.S.S. Gato in several anti-shipping missions before the end of the war. He lives in Deland, Florida.

Also my father had numerous WWII Fighter books and I got to reading them and it just grew from there. I am now an avid collector of all things WWII U.S. 3rd Infantry Division and VI Corp.(Minimal) related the 3rd is my BIG focus. I have an extensive collection of WWII U.S. 3rd ID original pieces ranging from small items like a 1941 Christmas Menu from the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment at the Presidio in San Francisco, CA. to an original WWII 1943 Willy's MB Jeep done up in U.S. 30th Infantry markings under the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division. I am constantly continuing my collecting of U.S. 3rd Division memorabilia. Myself and Giles from France are constantly competing for 3rd ID pieces on ebay, whether he knows it or not I don't know...LOL...

Our unit also has a forum at the bottom of our homepage and anyone interested is welcome to join up and chat with us anytime I'm on there a good bit, and I check it daily plus some of my memorabilia is on there with instructions as to whats what on there...etc... We focus on all things U.S. 30th Infantry ranging from War of 1812 to WWII and beyond.

Our current events going on right now were are helping the Veterans Council of Chatham County, Georgia with their WWII Memorial ceremonies every last weekend of every month up and until its built in Sept. next year. You can go to our site and see also some pictures of our latest events we've participated in.

Regards,

Sgt. James Dunigan III

Able Co., U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment

U.S. 3rd Infantry Division(Reenacted)

After reading that list all I can say is wow! I can see why you got into the history of WWII.

Well one thing I will never forget now is YOUR BIRTHDAY. I'll call you our D-Day baby!

Well one thing I will never forget now is YOUR BIRTHDAY. I'll call you our D-Day baby!

LOL....

Welcome to the forum Marne. Both myself and a former poster here (3-7-I Recon) served in the 7th Regt in WW 2. Recieved your E mail and will answer.

Thanks for the welcome Joe! *I just got welcomed by a U.S. 3rd Division veteran..WOW...COOL! *

Regards,

MARNE