Push afoot to get 'Old Hickory' WWII unit overdue honor

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The North Carolina National Guard is engaged in a new battle - to get recognition for members of the 30th Infantry Division, also known as "Old Hickory."

World War II veterans joined current members of the division for a reunion at the National Guard Headquarters in Raleigh.

RELATED: White House petition for "Old Hickory"

The WWII veterans are in their 80s and 90s, and they've been passing along war stories for decades.

And they have plenty to tell. The 30th Infantry landed on Omaha Beach on June 10, 1944, and took part in every major battle in Europe.

But because of a paperwork logjam, the 30th never received the Presidential Unit Citation.

Today, the National Guard and 30th veterans have renewed the effort to get "Old Hickory" its recognition.

"Their story has not been told enough, especially this outfit," said Lt. Col. Wes Morrison of the NC National Guard. "The fighting 30th, known as Roosevelt's Workhorse of the Western Front, these guys have not gotten recognition that they need and deserve."

To learn more about the Presidential Unit Citation for "Old Hickory" WWII heroes and to support the White House petition for a PUC, visit the 30th Infantry Division Association website here.