Mission and Vision
Mission: Preserve the history and legacy of the 91st Infantry Division and successor organizations for our membership which includes WW II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm and the Wars Against Terrorism veterans and other retirees, current 91st Division soldiers and our families and friends.
Vision: To be recognized as a premier Army alumni association and the foremost supporter of the 91st “Wild West Division” and the Powder River spirit.
2025 Annual 91st IDL Luncheon
The Annual 91st Infantry Division League Reunion Meeting was held at noon on 18 October 2025 at the Round Hill Country Club in Alamo, California. The weather was a gorgeous sunny 78-degree day in a beautiful venue. There were 56 Wild West Warriors, friends and family on hand. Chuck Jamison provided bagpipe music including Amazing Grace. Former Division CSM Art Moore did the Invocation and presented the Fallen Soldiers Table. Former 91st CG Kent Hillhouse gave a stirring reminiscence of his Vietnam experience and MG Steve Hager, formerly of US Cyber Com gave an incredibly insightful talk on cybersecurity. A videocon Town Hall meeting was also conducted and was moderated by CSM Moore, LTC Bautista, LTC Marshall Gordon and MG Dan Balough. A number of excellent suggestions were made and will be taken up by the Board at the Annual Meeting in December. As always, Janice Heller made sure the room was festively decked out with gift baskets and lanterns. Former SGS Michele Sutak and LTC Don Bautista conducted a giveaway of MG Hillhouse’s’ and Janice Heller’s cousins wine and many other great prizes. Everyone won!
Governor Signs Military Retirement Pay Tax Exemption
At the end of June 2025, the Governor of California signed the Military Retirement and Survivor SBP Pay tax exemption.
AB 53 was about halfway through the process, having passed the full Assembly and starting Senate committee hearings. However, the Governor had created a trailer bill to accompany the budget, and that bill was apparently used to enshrine tax exemption into law.
Tax exemption starts this year, from January 1st. If qualified, you will be able to deduct up to the first $20,000 of your military retirement/SBP pay when filing taxes next spring.
However, there is a qualification: The exemption is only available for those filing returns with an AGI below $125,000 filing single or $250,000 filing jointly. The bill also expires in 2030.
Memorial Day 2025 – Italy
It was a beautiful spring day in Florence, Italy on Memorial Day 2025. The 91st infantry Division League wreath was prominently displayed in front of the wall memorializing all of the fallen buried at the cemetery.
Memorial Day 2025 – Belgium
It was a cool spring day in Belgium on Memorial Day 2025. The 91st infantry Division League wreath was prominently displayed in front of the cemetery’s main memorial structure. The League has been remembering our fallen WW I Wild West Warriors for over 50 years at this and other sites in Belgium. We should all be proud of what we do in Belgium on both Memorial and Veterans Days every year. Click Here for Video 1 and Click Here for Video 2 to view these short videos that were provided to us (either login or click the X on the Instagram page to view).
Veterans Day 2025
Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy
Under bright blue skies and 60-degree temperatures the 91st Infantry Division league wreath was presented by four representatives of the Gottica Toscana Association and the Museo (Museum) Gottica. Led by Filippo Spadi, the group formally presented the wreath with great ceremony. Our thanks to them. A 91st Division soldier was honored that day as well, PFC Marcelo Caballero of Texas. For the third year in a row the League was an official part of the program and ceremony.
See photos below.
Flanders Field American Cemetery, Waregem, Belgium
Despite it being a little cold and breezy, it was a wonderful ceremony. There was a large crowd this year of about 350 – 400, including 70 scouts. There was a reading of the Belgian President’s Proclamation; poems like In Flanders Field; two histories of 91st Division soldiers read aloud and all done in English and Dutch. The location of the Flanders Field cemetery was a battlefield of the 91st Division. The town of Waregem was liberated by the Division. Our wreath was presented by Mrs. Patrick Lernout who has also adopted the grave of a 91st Division soldier and places flowers on it frequently.
Division League is Accepting Donations Again!
The League is again accepting donations. Your contributions will go to supporting the $5000 annual League scholarship, memorial floral wreaths at 91st Division WW I and WW II battle sites, support of the annual reunion activity and many other worthy causes. Contributions can only be made by check made out to Colonel Lou Lallo and mailing it to: 91st Infantry Division League; Attn.: COL Lallo, 953 E. Windsor Circle, Fresno, CA 93720. You will receive an acknowledgement email and a receipt for tax purposes.
91st Infantry Division League 2025 Donors
Mr. Kenneth Bergstrom
Mr. & Mrs. Rufini
SGT Jan Cayot
SGT (R) Geoffrey Millar
SSG (R) Leo McArdle
SSG (R) Cathy Pauley
SFC (R) Zelma Yancy-Johnson
MSG (R) Dennis Claudio
SGM (R) Paul Bachelor
SGM (R) William Blockie
SGM (R) Marvin Christy
CSM (R) Bobby Beachamp
CSM (R) Harlan Dirks
CSM (R) Warren Johnson
CSM (R) Art Moore
CSM (R) Nick Piacentini
CSM (R) Dan Snow
CW4 (R) Bob Gross
1LT (R) Sandra Camacho
MAJ (R) Richard Austring
LTC (R) Jesiros Bautista
LTC Gregg Bergstrom
LTC (R) Joseph Butchart
LTC (R) Dee Garder
LTC (R) Marshall Gordon
LTC (R) Michelle Sutak
LTC (R) Bob Schmidt
COL (R) Charles Busick
COL (R) Ron Nemeth
COL (R) James Wiskenbaker
COL (R) Jim Keltner
COL (R) Lou Lallo
COL (R) Nick Moore
COL (R) Ed Sullivan
COL (R) Jim Wells
COL (R) Bruce Zelis
BG (R) Belle Jones
MG (R) Dan Balough
MG (R) Steve Hager
MG (R) Kent Hillhouse
MG (R) Rob Ostenberg
MG (R) Nick Tooliatos
Former 91st Division Members Enjoy Lunch Together
This gathering was held on January 31, 2025 in Dublin, CA
91st Infantry Division League Chaplain Support
The League is announcing Chaplain support for all members. LTC (USA, Ret.) Jill Sizemore has graciously consented to be the League’s Chaplain. She can be contacted by email at: revjill.sizemore@gmail.com. She will directly communicate with whomever reaches out to her. She can help in cases of family emergencies or deaths of League alumni and family. Jill is ready and willing to assist. Please use her.
2026 91stInfantry Division League Scholarship Information
The scholarship amount remains at $5000 for 2026. Below are the critical dates:
- 10 January 2026 – the Application will be posted on this webpage
- 10 April 26 – Applications due
- 20 April 26 – Scholarship Committee meets
- NLT 31 May – Awardee is announced
ABOUT US
The 91st Infantry (Wild West) Division was organized on 5 August 1917 by the War Department and stationed at Camp Lewis now Fort Lewis, Washington. The Division has three campaign streamers from World War I (Lorraine, Meuse-Argonne and Ypres-Lys) and three from the rugged Italian Campaign in World War II (North Apennines, Po Valley and Rome-Arno). The Division also has five Medal of Honor Recipients from World War I and two from World War II. The 91st Division has been home to literally thousands of Great Americans in the last Century including Earl Warren, Governor of California and Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, a WW II veteran. The 91st has had individual members deployed to combat in every conflict since World War II including Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, Somalia, Haiti, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). We honor the sacrifices and accomplishments of the 91st Division veterans who have fought for freedom and peace since its creation in 1917. To learn more about the history of the 91st Division, click here to go to our history webpage or click here to download a PDF file about the Division’s first 100 years.
The 91st Infantry Division League, which was created in 1946 by 91st Infantry Division WW II veterans, is incorporated in California as a corporation organized exclusively for charitable, religious and educational purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our Taxpayer ID is: 94-6079318. The League is also registered with the California State Attorney General’s Office as a charitable organization which can solicit and receive donations and contributions. Click here to download a PDF file of the League’s Annual Meeting Minutes. For those wishing to join the 91st Division League, you can download the Division’s League Membership form here.
Ever wonder how to show your retired grade and component?
AR 25-50, Preparing and Managing Correspondence, page 56.
6–6. Retired military personnel. Retired military should follow the same rules as active personnel, except that no organization or branch of the Army will be shown. Show retired status after the grade as follows: a. All Army personnel, Regular Army or Reserve Component, retired for service, age, or physical disability and all personnel on the Army of the United States Retired List, including regular Army personnel and nonregular Army personnel on the Temporary Disability Retired List will use “USA Retired” (for example, A. B. Smith, COL (USA Retired).
91st Infantry Division League Brick and 91st Division Tribute Plaque at National Army Museum
91st Infantry Division League Chairman, Dan Balough attended the AUSA Convention from 9-12 October 2022. During the convention he made a trip to the National Army Museum at Fort Belvoir. Shown in the photos below are the 91st Infantry Division League Brick now installed on the South Walk, which is still under construction and the 91st Division Unit Tribute Plaque. Our plaque is about midway down the line of the 130 currently installed plaques and is both visually captivating and gripping. Anyone in the DC area should definitely make the pilgrimage to the National Museum of the US Army. It is only about 15 miles from downtown DC. The trip is well worth your time and is a must for any Army Veteran or family member. The staff are incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and well, just plain nice.
Join Email List
We have an email list open to members and non-members. If you would like to join our email list, please write divisionleague@yahoo.com to provide us with your email. All emails that do not include your last rank, first name, and last name, or your connection to the division will be deleted.
DONATIONS
You can mail your contributions to: 91st Infantry Division League; Attn.: COL Lallo, 953 E. Windsor Circle, Fresno, CA 93720. You will receive an acknowledgement email and a receipt for tax purposes. You can also use this opportunity to join our email list.