Original Items. Only One Lot Available. The 3rd Division was activated on 21 November 1917, seven months after the American entry into World War I, at Camp Greene, North Carolina. Eight months later, it saw combat for the first time in France on the Western Front. At midnight on 14 July 1918, the division earned a lasting distinction. Engaged in the Aisne-Marne Offensive as a member of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) to Europe, the division was protecting the French capital of Paris with a position on the banks of the Marne River. The 8th Machine Gun Battalion of the 3rd Division rushed to Château-Thierry amid retreating French troops and held the Germans back at the Marne River. While surrounding units retreated, the 3rd Division, including the 4th, 30th, and 38th Infantry Regiments, remained steadfast throughout the Second Battle of the Marne, and Colonel Ulysses G. McAlexander's dogged defense earned the 38th Infantry Regiment its nickname as the "Rock of the Marne". During the massive attack, the 3rd Infantry Division's commanding officer, Major General Joseph T. Dickman, famously cried out "Nous Resterons La" (We Shall Remain Here). Their Blue and White insignia also earned them the nickname The Blue and White Devils." The rest of the division was absorbed under French command until brought back together under the command of Major General Joseph T. Dickman and by 15 July 1918 they took the brunt of what was to be the last German offensive of the war. General John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, Commander-in-chief of the AEF on the Western Front, called this stand "one of the most brilliant pages in the annals of military history". During the war, two members of the division were awarded the Medal of Honor.

This is a great and scarce lot of five different patches of the 3rd Division, with four being WWI era and one before a later WWII example. They include velvet variations and an extremely rare first variation triangular 3rd Division patch. 

They include:
- EXTREMELY RARE triangular red, white, and blue velvet 3rd Division patch. This is one of the rarest WWI patches to find, as it was only used for a very brief period. This was actually the 3rd Division patch design used for the Liberty Loan patches. This example is outstanding and is on fabric-backing.
- Velvet-backed patch with woven silver tape stripes.
- Sun-faded cloth patch.
- Large uniform-removed example with woven white stripes.
- WWII blue-bordered patch with silver tape stripes.

An outstanding lot, ready for further research and display.