ARMY NATIONAL GUARD Troops Match Up for Logan-Duffy Competition 69th Infantry Stacks up Against Massachusetts’s 183nd Infantry in Marksmanship Match Story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Peter K. Towse, 42nd Infantry Division FORT DEVENS, Mass.-The New York Irish beat the Boston Irish as the New York Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry and the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry squared off at the annual Logan-Duffy Rifle Match here Oct. 2. The rifle match, named for the commanding officers of the two regiments during the Spanish-American War-Brig. Gen. Lawrence Logan of Massachusetts and Brig. Gen. Edward Duffy of New York was started in 1936. The winner of the match takes the Logan-Duffy trophy back to their home armory for display until the regiments compete again. “Both regiments are of Irish heritage and it was a special occasion when the Fighting 69th of New York met the Fighting Irish of Boston in 1861 during the Civil War,” said Lt. Col John Specialist Alex Rodrigues, 1st Battalion , 69th Infantry Regiment fires an M4 during the annual Logan-Duffy Rifle Andonie, commander of the 69th. “It was this meeting that began a regimental Match between the "Fighting 69th" of New York and the "Fighting Irish" of the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion 182nd Infantry Regiment here on Saturday, Oct. 2. friendship that has endured for nearly 150 years.” “When you look at the history of this match, how it is based on an event that happened during the Civil War where both regiments met each other on a battlefield, I welcome the opportunity to meet the 69th on a foreign battlefield and team up,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Stewart, commander of the 182nd. “I would love to serve alongside the 69th just the way our ancestors served together in the Civil War.” The first match in 1936 was won by the Fighting Irish of Boston and the 69th took the trophy home to New York in 1937. When both units were mobilized just prior to World War II in 1940 the annual competition was put on hold, being reinstated in 1958 and the two battalions have competed to hold the trophy since then. Seventy-four years later, members of the 69th and 182nd came together again, bringing back the tradition of the competition that brought two regiments of Irish infantrymen together in camaraderie that is only matched by their deep devotion to their traditions. As the announcement was being made there was silence in the room and the anticipation was apparent. The results were close with the 69th winning by only two shots. Lieutenant Colonel John Andonie, 69th Battalion Commander receives the Logan“Winning means so much to both sides, but what trumps the Duffy trophy from Lt. Col. Thomas Stewart, Battalion Commander, 182nd Infantry winning and the losing is the fact that just because of doing this Regiment. The ’Fighting 69th” won the match by two shots October 2. The trophy match, we have strengthened the friendship between both regiwill be brought to the 69th’s armory to be displayed until the two regiments meet ments,” Stewart said. again. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Peter K. Towse, 42nd Infantry Division. 16
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