We try Harder
http://www.173dairbornememorial.org/...le_reprint.pdf
Avis Slogan Inspires a Battalion
“We Try Harder” became a rallying cry for the heroes of the 2/503
In military shorthand, the troops of the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne are
referred to as “Sky Soldiers,” or the 2/503 (“two-five-o-three”). The 2/503 was formed
nearly a half-century ago. It holds the record for the longest continuous service in combat
of any American unit since the Revolutionary War. The troops of the 2/503 made the
only combat parachute jump in the Vietnam War, the only combat parachute jump in
Iraq, and have also served in Afghanistan.
Trying Harder: The Avis Connection
The 2/503 has a long and proud record of service to our country, but the connection to
Avis came about when choosing a motto for the 2/503, a key component of building the
morale of any combat battalion. During the time they were in training in the months
leading up to deployment early in the Vietnam War, the 2/503 were engaged in a spirited
competition with the soldiers of the 1/503, the 1st Battalion, 503
rd
Infantry, who in their
cadences on the parade ground pointed out that they were “number one.” To counter the
bravado of the 1/503, Colonel Robert Sigholtz, commander of the 2/503, decided to adopt
the Avis slogan “We Try Harder.” He obtained a quantity of iconic red-and-white Avis
buttons, and “We Try Harder” became a rallying cry for the 2/503.
The Brass Step in, and Avis Steps Up
The buttons proved to be a huge morale booster for the troops, but unfortunately for
Colonel Sigholtz, photos of the colonel and his men wearing their bright red and white
buttons came to the attention of
the military brass. They frowned on the fact that soldiers would be parachuting into
enemy territory wearing the highly visible pins on their dark green army uniforms,
making them easy targets. Colonel Sigholtz communicated his plight to Avis, and Avis
didn’t hesitate, speedily designing and shipping 5,000 buttons with “We Try Harder” in
black letters on a camouflage background to the 2/503. Worn proudly by the troops, the
buttons accompanied the 2nd Battalion 503
rd
Infantry, 173rd Airborne to Vietnam. Soon
after their first combat mission there, helicopters became the preferred means
of inserting troops, and the 2/503 moved on to other challenges. But requests for the “We
Try Harder” camouflage buttons continued to grow. A mid-’60s Avis print ad stated that
more than 30,000 of the buttons were eventually supplied to our troops overseas.
Solving a Mystery, Honoring the 2/503
Fast forward to 2008, and to a photocopy of that mid-’60s Avis print ad, displayed in the
office of John Barrows, Vice President, Corporate Communications for Avis Budget
Group. “When I started with Avis, the issue of the buttons came up about four years
ago,” Barrows recalled. “People had spotty recollections but no one I spoke to could
remember the details.” Then, in November 2006, Barrows received a letter out of the
blue from an organization called the 173rd Airborne Brigade Memorial Foundation. The
letter was signed by Colonel Ken Smith, president of the foundation, whose goal was to
raise funds to build a memorial to the 173rd Airborne on a site at Fort Benning, Georgia. A dialogue between Smith, Barrows and senior Avis Budget Group executives ensued,
and Avis enthusiastically agreed to help fund the memorial.
Groundbreaking, Pride and a Tear or Two
On July 11, 2008, combat veterans, families who have lost loved ones in combat and a host of other
dignitaries gathered at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia to participate in the
groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial. It is part of a new National Infantry
Museum, on a 200-acre complex projected to draw 300,000 visitors annually. “Two
years ago, we started with nothing,” Colonel Ken Smith said in his remarks at the
ceremony. “Today we have a plan, we have a program, and we are well on our way to
completing the financing.” Colonel Smith noted Avis’ help in financing the memorial, in
supplying the camouflage buttons to the 2/503, and in supporting our troops in many
other ways over the years. “Avis not only helped us out then, they help us now,” Smith
said. “Avis does a lot for veterans, especially wounded veterans, for which they do not
receive publicity.”
“Colonel Smith is absolutely thrilled that Avis still cares about supporting the 173rd,”
John Barrows said. “This was a piece of our company history that was nearly lost to us.
Troops were putting their lives on the line while wearing the Avis motto, a small but
significant chapter that we’re proud to have rediscovered.”
For additional information about the memorial to the 173rd, visit
www.173dairbornememorial.org.
Reprinted from AVISNeWSWinter09
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Originally Posted by VoTrooper99
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