United For The Troops Donations Update

EDITOR'S NOTE: United for the Troops will not be sending supplies to the "Fighting 69th" as they have learned that the 69th Infantry Regiment of the New York National Guard will be returning from deployment April 1. The nonprofit is re-organizing the donations for an upcoming shipment, founder Jim Rathschmidt told Patch on Wednesday.

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — United for the Troops will be packing and sending a special shipment to the Horn of Africa soon.

The "Fighting 69" — which as usual led the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City March 17 — was deployed there but is returning, United for the Troops founder Jim Rathschmidt told Patch.

The regiment marched despite deploying 1,000 members recently to the Horn of Africa, the U.S. Army reported March 13, saying "'The Fighting 69th,' as it is known throughout the Army, was organized in 1849 as an Irish-American militia unit in New York’s Lower East Side. The unit’s Soldiers and its veterans have led the parade every year since 1851."

Learn more about United for the Troops on Facebook. For more information, call 845-0729-4239.