Thousands of men served in the 29th Infantry Division of the United States Army, whose "Blue and Gray" identity united units from the North and South that had served in the American Revolution, 1775-1781, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, 1861-1865, before joining in defense of the United States of America and its allies in World War I and World War II in the cause of freedom. Dedicated on September 1, 1974, by the 29th Division Association and its Ladies Auxiliary, this memorial honored the 30th anniversary of the division's spearhead role in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944, its service in World War II, and the 57th anniversary of its service in World War I. The division traces its history from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War's Union and Confederate armies through World War I, 1917-1919, and World War II, 1941-1946.