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This section is a tribute to the late Haynes Dugan of Shreveport,
Louisiana, for his many years of dedication to preserving the
history of the Spearhead Division in World War II. He served
with the 3rd Armored from 1941 to 1945, throughout its remarkable
journey from Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, to the banks of Germany's
Elbe River, deep within the Third Reich. We know of no other
Army division, from any era, that was fortunate enough to have
had in its Headquarters ranks a soldier, journalist, and historian
such as then Major Dugan, who continued to research and write
long after his tour of duty ended. Beginning in 1948, he served
as the 3AD Association historian for 58 years, until his passing
on February 6, 2007.
Starting in 1980, and working with his former 3AD Hq G-2 boss
Lt. Col. Andrew Barr and others from the 3AD Association, Dugan
played a key role in the initial planning and the subsequent
development of the Division's historical archives at the University
of Illinois in Urbana, Ill. Generous donations from Barr and
Dugan are the foundation of the Trust Fund that helps to maintain
those archives.
In 2003 Dugan became the Honorary Officer in Charge of our
newly formed 3AD.com website, where he personally, as well as
his past works, served as an inspiration. In 1995, it was Haynes
who first suggested to Steven Ossad, and urged him on, that a
biography of Gen. Maurice Rose should be written. Co-authored
with Don R. Marsh, the book was published in 2003.
Presented in this section, and following an introduction, is
a sweeping WWII saga of the Division that Dugan wrote in the
late 1980's which includes perspectives and details not found
in the well-known 1946 book "Spearhead in the West."
Also included here is a selection of his "History Articles"
that have appeared in various publications during his over 50
years as the historian of the 3rd Armored Division Association.
And "Down Memory Lane" is a largely autobiographical
sketch of the 3AD from its very beginning to being shipped to
England to prepare for the invasion of France.
Dugan was a 1934 graduate of Texas A&M, and received a
Master's Degree from Columbia University's School of Journalism
(NYC) in 1936. Following WWII, he worked as a petroleum landman
for Texaco for 28 years. During that time, and into his "retirement,"
he maintained a private real estate investment business.
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