 The legacy of the First Infantry Division dates back to 1917, when General John Blackjack Pershing arrived in France with the First American Expeditionary Force. During World War II, the First Infantry Division was the first to reach England, the first to fight the enemy in North Africa and Sicily, the first on the beaches of Normandy and Dede, and the first to capture a major German city. In the summer of 1965, the Big Red One was the first division called to fight in Vietnam. On November 8, 1990, the First Infantry Division was called to lead the way during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. By 1999, the division deployed twice to the Balkans, where they patrolled the streets and countryside of Kosovo until June of 2000. In March of 2003, the division took a more direct role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In April of 2012, the headquarters of the Big Red One assumed command of military operations in eastern Afghanistan. In 2014, the Big Red One again answered our nation's call, this time to aid Iraqi security forces against ISIL during Operation Inherent Resolve.