A Story of Two Associations

Throughout the history of the 63rd Infantry Division, two distinct veterans’ associations have carried the Blood and Fire legacy. Although they shared a common heritage and similar objectives, they were independently established organizations representing different generations of the Division's Soldiers.

The original 63rd Infantry Division Association was established following World War II by veterans who had served with the Division during its wartime service from 1943 to 1945. Its primary purpose was to preserve the camaraderie formed during the war, honor fallen comrades, and ensure that the sacrifices and accomplishments of the Division would not be forgotten. This Association remained active for more than six decades before dissolving in 2015.

The second organization, the 63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR, traces its origins to the inactivation of the Army Reserve's 63rd Infantry Division in 1965. Formally organized in 1966 by former Division officers, it was established to maintain the relationships and traditions developed during their Reserve service. Unlike its World War II counterpart, this Association continued to evolve alongside the 63rd's successive Army Reserve organizations, eventually extending its membership to Soldiers, civilians, and families associated with the present-day 63rd Readiness Division.

While their histories occasionally intersected, the two associations remained separate organizations. The following sections explore their individual histories, contributions, and efforts to preserve the enduring legacy of the 63rd Infantry Division.

63rd Infantry Division Association (WW2)

Late 1940s–2015

Following the conclusion of World War II and the inactivation of the 63rd Infantry Division in September 1945, thousands of its veterans returned to civilian life across the United States. Although separated by considerable distances, many wished to maintain the friendships and sense of brotherhood forged during their military service. From these shared experiences emerged the original 63rd Infantry Division Association, organized in the late 1940s, with an annual reunion tradition dating to approximately 1949.

Establishing and maintaining a nationwide veterans' organization presented considerable challenges. Former Soldiers had dispersed throughout the country, and reconnecting them required locating old comrades, establishing membership rosters, coordinating correspondence, and organizing opportunities for reunions. Without the modern communications available today, much of this work depended upon the dedication of individual veterans and their families.

Over time, the Association developed into a national organization that brought together veterans from the Division's infantry regiments, artillery battalions, and supporting units. Its annual reunions became cherished opportunities to renew friendships, remember fallen comrades, and introduce families to the men with whom their loved ones had served. Regional chapters also emerged, allowing members to maintain closer relationships between national gatherings.

An especially important contribution was the Association's publication, The Blood and Fire. Produced for decades, the periodical carried Association news, reunion announcements, historical articles, personal recollections, photographs, and memorial tributes. It became an invaluable means of preserving the experiences of the Division's veterans while maintaining connections among an increasingly dispersed membership.

Beyond its social activities, the Association made substantial contributions to preserving the Division's history. Members collected wartime records, photographs, personal accounts, and memorabilia; supported the publication of historical works; and helped establish and maintain memorials honoring the Division's service. Reunions and commemorative visits brought veterans back to locations such as Camp Blanding, Florida, and Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi, as well as the battlefields of France and Germany.

As technology advanced, these historical preservation efforts expanded through the establishment of the 63rd Infantry Division website. Under the dedicated stewardship of veteran and historian COL (Ret.) Fred Clinton, the website became an extensive repository of historical information, including photographs, unit histories, casualty records, battle narratives, and personal accounts. This work allowed veterans, descendants, and researchers to continue discovering the Division's history.

Unfortunately, the passage of time presented challenges that the Association could not ultimately overcome. As the surviving World War II veterans entered their eighties and nineties, declining membership and the increasing difficulty of traveling to reunions made sustaining the organization progressively harder. Family members and associate members assumed greater responsibilities for maintaining records, organizing gatherings, and producing publications, but the Association's continued operation became increasingly difficult.

During its final years, discussions arose concerning a possible merger with the separate 63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR. The USAR Association amended its bylaws to accommodate such a merger, potentially offering a means of preserving the original organization's legacy within an active association representing later generations of the 63rd. However, the merger was never completed.

In March 2015, the World War II Association published its final issue of The Blood and Fire, announcing that the organization would be dissolved. Its remaining funds, historical materials, and memorabilia were designated for distribution in accordance with its bylaws, including provisions supporting military museums, archives, and memorials. The Association's financial closeout was planned for May 2015, bringing more than six decades of organized reunions, fellowship, and historical preservation to an end.

Although the original Association ceased to exist, its contributions continue to benefit future generations. Its independently maintained historical website survived the organization's closure, and the documents, photographs, publications, and personal accounts collected by its members remain invaluable sources for understanding the Division's wartime service.

Today, the 63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR seeks to continue that commitment to historical preservation. Through renewed engagement with the 63rd Readiness Division and its Organizational History Program, efforts are being made to collect, preserve, digitize, and interpret the history of the original World War II Division. In doing so, the modern Association seeks to ensure that the experiences and sacrifices of the Soldiers who first wore the Blood and Fire insignia remain an integral part of the 63rd's enduring heritage.

63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR

1966–Present

The origins of the 63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR can be traced to the inactivation of the 63rd Infantry Division, United States Army Reserve, in 1965. For more than a decade, the Division had served as one of the Army Reserve's principal combat formations in Southern California, developing strong professional and personal relationships among its Soldiers. When the Division was reorganized, many of its former members wished to preserve the friendships, traditions, and shared experiences developed during their years of service.

In 1966, a group of former Division officers decided to organize one final Division Dinner-Dance as an opportunity to gather with their former comrades. The event proved so successful that participants decided to establish a permanent organization, leading to the formation of the 63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR.

Initially organized as an officers' association, its purpose was to perpetuate the history and honor of the 63rd Infantry Division, USAR, maintain fellowship among former members, and provide assistance and support to members and their families. The Association subsequently expanded its stated objectives to include promoting and enhancing the national security of the United States through support for a strong military establishment.

As the years passed, the Association evolved alongside the Army Reserve organizations that continued to carry the 63rd designation and its distinctive Blood and Fire shoulder sleeve insignia. Following the Division's reorganization, these included the 63rd Reinforcement Training Unit, the 63rd Army Reserve Command (ARCOM), the successive Regional Support Commands (RSC), the Regional Readiness Command (RRC), and ultimately the present-day 63rd Readiness Division (RD).

Throughout these organizational transformations, the Association provided a means for Soldiers and former members to remain connected to the greater 63rd community. Annual meetings, social gatherings, commemorative activities, historical projects, and publications served to preserve institutional memory and encourage continued relationships among generations of Army Reserve personnel.

The Association's membership eligibility also expanded considerably beyond its original membership of former Division officers. Today, membership is open to current and former Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians, contractors, and family members connected to the 63rd Infantry Division and its successor organizations. This includes individuals who served in, were assigned or attached to, or supported subordinate organizations associated with the 63rd throughout its history, from World War II through the present day.

The Headquarters Relocation and Its Challenges

For much of its existence, the Association maintained a close geographical relationship with the 63rd's headquarters in Southern California. The Division's historical presence in communities such as Bell and, later, Los Alamitos provided a natural foundation for Association membership and activities. Many of its officers, Board members, and longtime members lived throughout the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, enabling them to remain engaged with both the Association and the Army Reserve organization whose heritage they represented.

However, significant changes occurred during the Army Reserve's transformation in the late 2000s. As the 63rd Regional Readiness Command transitioned into the reorganized 63rd Regional Support Command, the headquarters relocated from Los Alamitos to Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, during the 2008–2009 period.

While the relocation supported the Army Reserve's evolving organizational requirements, it also created a geographical separation between the Association's established membership base in Southern California and the 63rd's new headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Association maintained some connections with the reorganized command, including participation in historical preservation activities and the transfer of memorabilia for display at Moffett Field. Nevertheless, the considerable distance made regular interaction more difficult. Opportunities to engage serving Soldiers, participate in headquarters activities, and introduce new generations of 63rd personnel to the Association became increasingly limited.

Over time, this separation contributed to a decline in membership recruitment and participation. As longtime members grew older, the Association faced mounting challenges in attracting new members and identifying individuals willing to assume leadership and administrative responsibilities. These difficulties were reflected in declining attendance at annual gatherings and changes to the Association's publications, including the transition to the smaller and more streamlined newsletter, The Blade.

Although the Association continued its activities, maintaining connections among existing members, its historical relationship with the serving 63rd organization became more difficult to sustain.

Renewing the Relationship — 2026 and Beyond

In 2026, renewed efforts began to strengthen the relationship between the 63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR and the 63rd Readiness Division headquartered at Moffett Field. Recognizing the importance of reconnecting the Association with the organization whose heritage it represents, these initiatives seek to restore regular engagement, expand membership opportunities, and reinforce the Association's relevance to today's Soldiers and their families.

An important component of this effort is expanding participation among personnel serving at or near Moffett Field while retaining the Association's longstanding relationships with members throughout Southern California and the broader western United States. Recruiting new members and identifying individuals willing to serve in vital leadership and administrative positions will help establish a more sustainable organization capable of supporting future generations.

These efforts also seek to strengthen cooperation with the 63rd Readiness Division's Organizational History Program. By encouraging the preservation and donation of historical documents, photographs, memorabilia, oral histories, and other materials, the Association can contribute directly to safeguarding the institutional history of the organizations that have carried the 63rd designation.

The renewed relationship has begun making headway, although rebuilding connections and developing a broader membership base will remain long-term endeavors.

More than sixty years after its founding, the 63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR continues to fulfill the same fundamental purpose envisioned by its original members: preserving the history, honoring the service, and maintaining the bonds of fellowship among those who have served under the Blood and Fire insignia.

By embracing both its longstanding members and a new generation connected to the 63rd Readiness Division, the Association seeks to ensure that the legacy of the 63rd remains a living part of the Army Reserve community for generations to come.