1st Brigade, 7th Infantry Division
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The 7th Infantry Division is a non-deployable administrative headquarters of the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
based at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
. It is charged with maintaining the capability of two
Stryker The Stryker is a family of Eight-wheel drive, eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in L ...
infantry brigade combat team The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its assigned support and fire units. A brigade is normally commanded by ...
s, a combat aviation brigade, and a Division Artillery Unit, as well as preparing units for several U.S. Army Pacific yearly exercises. The 7th Infantry Division is the only active-duty multi-component division headquarters in the Army. Major General Michelle A. Schmidt commands the division. The 7th Infantry Division is also home to two of the Army's newest enabling battlefield capabilities, the Multi Domain Task Force and the Intelligence, Information, Cyber, Electronic Warfare and Space Capabilities, or I2CEWS battalion. The division was first activated in December 1917 in World War I, and has been based at
Fort Ord Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay on the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, ...
, California for most of its history. Although elements of the division saw brief active service in World War I, it is best known for its participation in the
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II The Pacific Ocean theater of World War II was a major theater of the Pacific War, the war between the Allies and the Empire of Japan. It included the U.S. Pacific Ocean Areas (command). which included most of the Pacific Ocean and its isl ...
where it took heavy casualties engaging the
Imperial Japanese Army The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
in the
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,
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, and
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. Following the Japanese surrender in 1945, the division was stationed in Japan and Korea, and with the outbreak of the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
in 1950 was one of the first units in action. It took part in the Inchon Landings and the advance north until Chinese forces counter-attacked and almost overwhelmed the scattered division. The 7th later went on to fight in the
Battle of Pork Chop Hill The Battle of Pork Chop Hill, known as Battle of Seokhyeon-dong Northern Hill ( zh, 石峴洞北山戰鬥) in China, is a pair of related Korean War infantry battles that took place on April 16 and July 11, 1953 while the United Nations Command ...
and the
Battle of Old Baldy The Battle of Old Baldy was a series of five engagements for Hill 266 in west-central Korea. They occurred over a period of 10 months in 1952–1953, though there was also vicious fighting both before and after these engagements. Background As ...
. After the Korean War ended, the division was headquartered at Camp Casey with artillery units supporting the 1st Cavalry Division just south of the
Korean Demilitarized Zone The Korean Demilitarized Zone () is a heavily militarized strip of land running across the Korea, Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in half. It wa ...
until the mid-1960s. In the late 1980s, it briefly saw action overseas in
Operation Golden Pheasant Operation Golden Pheasant was an emergency deployment of U.S. troops to Honduras in 1988, in response to Nicaraguan attacks on Contra logistics in Honduras. History In early March 1988, the Nicaraguan Sandinista government launched Operation D ...
in Honduras and
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in Panama. In the early 1990s, it provided domestic support to the civil authorities in Operation Green Sweep and during the
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. In 1994 the division was inactivated with a few units transferring to Fort Lewis and Fort Ord closing. In June 1999 the 7th was reactivated at Fort Carson, Colorado and comprised three National Guard brigades. The 1st Battalion, 162d Infantry of the Oregon Army National Guard was attached to the 7th Infantry Division and deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 to 2004. The division's final role was as a training and evaluation unit for
Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two differen ...
brigades A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. ...
, which it undertook until its inactivation in 2006. On 26 April 2012, the
Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...
announced the reactivation of the 7th Infantry Division headquarters supporting the mission of I Corps.


History


World War I


Activation and movement to France

The
War Department War Department may refer to: * War Department (United Kingdom) * United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet ...
ordered the formation of the 7th Division on 6 December 1917 at
Camp Wheeler Camp Wheeler was a United States Army base near Macon, Georgia. The camp was a staging location for many US Army units during World War I and World War II. It was named for Joseph Wheeler, a general in the Confederate States of America's Army and ...
, near Macon,
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. The nucleus of the division was formed by
Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...
units stationed at Camp Wheeler (8th Field Artillery), Camp Greenleaf (22nd, 34th, 35th, and 36th Ambulance Companies and Field Hospitals), and
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(55th and 56th Infantry and 80th Field Artillery), Georgia,
Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in New Mexico and Texas, with its headquarters in El Paso, Texas. Established in 1848, the fort was renamed in 1854 to honor William Wallace Smith Bliss, Bvt.Lieut.Colonel William W.S. Bliss (1815–1853 ...
(34th and 64th Infantry), Camp Logan (79th Field Artillery), and
Fort Sam Houston Fort Sam Houston is a United States Army, U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. "Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview), US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army. Known colloquially as "Fort Sam", it is named for the first president o ...
(5th Engineer Regiment), Texas,
Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark a ...
,
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(8th Field Artillery), and Camp Vail,
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(10th Field Signal Battalion). Regular Army officers and graduates of the First and Second Officers' Training Camps formed the commissioned personnel of the unit, and Brigadier General
Charles H. Barth Charles Henry Barth (December 28, 1858 – December 5, 1926) was an American Brigadier general who served during World War I. Early life Barth was born in Sheridan, Iowa. He entered the United States Military Academy, where he was seriously h ...
assumed command on 1 January 1918. Systematic training began in the spring and was continued through the summer despite many transfers. In May and June 1918, 20,000 new men joined the division from Camp Wheeler, Camp Travis, Texas, and
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,
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, the majority hailing from
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,
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,
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,
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, and
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. On 18 July 1918, the division moved to ports of embarkation as it prepared to deploy to Europe as a part of the
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...
(AEF). The unit arrived at Hoboken, New Jersey and in New York, via Camp Merritt, where additional replacements joined the unit. The majority of the unit sailed to Brest, France. The 7th Supply Train and the 7th Train Headquarters and Military Police sailed for Bordeaux, France. The units began to arrive in France on 26 July with the last units arriving on 3 September 1918. Most of the division sailed to Europe aboard the SS ''Leviathan''.


Training in France

From the period of 17 August to October 9, the division conducted final training and preparation to enter the line in the Ancy-le-Franc Training Area. Some soldiers from the unit were sent to the
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and 26th Divisions as replacements for losses. From the period of 2 September through the 14th the unit was under the administrative control of the
VI Corps 6 Corps, 6th Corps, Sixth Corps, or VI Corps may refer to: France * VI Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry formation of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VI Corps (Grande Armée), a formation of the Imperial French army dur ...
.


World War I Combat

While on the Western Front, the 7th Division did not see action at full divisional strength, though its infantry and reconnaissance elements did engage
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forces. On 11 October 1918, it first came under shell fire and later, at
Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in Northeastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde ...
, came under chemical attack. Elements of the 7th probed up toward
Prény Prény () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France. See also * Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department * Parc naturel régional de Lorraine Lorraine Regional Natural Park ( French: ''Parc naturel régi ...
near the
Moselle River The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A small part of Belgiu ...
, capturing positions and driving German forces out of the region. It was at this time that the division first received its
shoulder sleeve insignia Shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI) are distinctive cloth patches worn on the left sleeve of the United States Army uniform just below the shoulder seam by soldiers assigned to divisions, corps, armies, and other specifically authorized orga ...
. From the period of 10 October until the end of the war on 11 November, the division, minus their artillery occupied and conducted local engagements in the Puvenelle Sector (Lorraine). On 10 October 1918, the division relieved the 90th Division on the front with a front line from Sablière, Vandières (incl), Côte 327, north edge of Bois des Rappes, la Souleuvre Fme, 1½ km south of Rembercourt-sur-Mad. The 92nd Division was on the right and the 37th Division was on the left. On 16 October, the 28th Division moved in on the left of the 7th Division. Several days later, on 23 October, the 92nd Division (VI Corps) occupied the sector on the. Three days later on 26 October the sector was reduced by moving the east boundary to a line between Villers-sous-Prény and Prény (both incl). Elements of the 92nd Division relieved the 56th Infantry Regiment. On 29 October, the sector was extended west to a line from Xammes to Charey, with the 64th Infantry relieving elements of the 28th Division, on a front along the eastern edge of Bois de Blainchamp, northern edge of Bois de Hailbat, eastern edge of Bois du Rupt, northern edge of Bois de la Montagne. During this period in early November, the 7th Division began preparing for an assault on the
Hindenburg Line The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to ...
as part of the Second Army. The division launched a reconnaissance in force on the Voëvre plain, but the main assault was never conducted as hostilities ended on 11 November 1918 with the signing of the
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. On 1 November the division conducted local attacks and established outposts at Bois de Trou-de-la-Haie and Bois de Grand-Fontaine. From 9 November through 11th the division executes local attacks and makes gains along the front. On 9 November the division assumes temporary occupation of a hill west of Prény. On 10 November, Hill 323 (1 km southeast of Rembercourt) is occupied. On 11 November, the line is established from 310.2 to 287.1 in the Bois de Grand-Fontaine, the quarry near 278.7, west of Rembercourt, and the small woods ¼ km south of Mon Plaisir Fme. During its 33 days on the front line, the 7th Division suffered 1,709
casualties A casualty (), as a term in military usage, is a person in military service, combatant or non-combatant, who becomes unavailable for duty due to any of several circumstances, including death, injury, illness, missing, capture or desertion. In c ...
, including 204
killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...
and 1,505
wounded in action Wounded in action (WIA) describes combatants who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during wartime, but have not been killed. Typically, it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing ...
and was awarded a
campaign streamer Campaign streamers are decorations attached to military flags to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service. Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag, the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the na ...
for
Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
. The division then served on occupation duties as it began preparations to return to the United States.


Order of battle

7th Division commanders during World War I included Brigadier General
Charles H. Barth Charles Henry Barth (December 28, 1858 – December 5, 1926) was an American Brigadier general who served during World War I. Early life Barth was born in Sheridan, Iowa. He entered the United States Military Academy, where he was seriously h ...
and Major General
Edmund Wittenmyer Edmund Wittenmyer (April 25, 1862 − July 5, 1937) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War and World War I, in addition to several other conflicts, he attained the rank of major general and was mos ...
. The following lists shows the order of battle, units that contributed personnel to form the nucleus of units, and the unit activation dates and locations. Headquarters, 7th Division * 13th Infantry Brigade (formed 18 December 1917 at Chickamauga Park) ** 55th Infantry Regiment (formed from personnel of the 17th Infantry at Chickamauga Park, 1917) ** 56th Infantry Regiment (formed from personnel of the 17th Infantry at Chickamauga Park, 1917) ** 20th Machine Gun Battalion * 14th Infantry Brigade (formed 20 December 1917 at Camp Bliss) ** 34th Infantry Regiment (formed from personnel of the 7th, 20th, and 23rd Infantry Regiments in at Camp Baker, near El Paso, Texas) ** 64th Infantry Regiment (formed from personnel of the 34th Infantry in 1917 at Camp Baker) ** 21st Machine Gun Battalion * 7th Field Artillery Brigade (formed at Camp Wheeler on 8 January 1918) **
8th Field Artillery Regiment The 8th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. The regiment served in World War I, World War II, and Korea, and regimental units have served in Vietnam, Honduras, Panama, Operation ...
(155mm) (formed from personnel of the 5th and 6th Field Artillery Regiments at Camp Wheeler and Fort Sill) ** 79th Field Artillery Regiment (75mm) (formed at Camp Logan) ** 80th Field Artillery Regiment (75mm) (formed at Chickamauga Park) **7th Trench Mortar Battery * 19th Machine Gun Battalion * 5th Engineer Regiment * 10th Field Signal Battalion *Headquarters Troop, 7th Division * 7th Train Headquarters and Military Police **7th Ammunition Train **7th Engineer Train **7th Supply Train **7th Sanitary Train *** 22nd, 34th, 35th, 36th Ambulance Companies and Field Hospitals


Interwar period

The 7th Division arrived at Camp Mills, New York, 20 June 1919, after completing 6 months of training at the
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Training Area in France. On arrival, emergency period personnel were discharged from the service at Camp Mills. The division proceeded to
Camp Funston Camp Funston is a U.S. Army training camp located on the grounds of Fort Riley, southwest of Manhattan, Kansas. The camp was named for Brigadier General Frederick Funston (1865–1917). It is one of sixteen such camps that were established at ...
,
Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
,
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, arrived 29 June, and remained there until July 1920. The division was transferred to Camp George G. Meade,
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
, in July 1920 for permanent station. As a part of the War Department's decision to maintain only three fully-active stateside infantry divisions, the 7th Division was inactivated, less the 14th Infantry Brigade and several smaller units, on 22 September 1921 at Camp Meade. Concurrently, the inactivated units were assigned active associate units for mobilization purposes. The 7th Division was allotted to the Seventh Corps Area for mobilization responsibility and assigned to the
VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to: * VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * VII ...
.
Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint An ...
,
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, was designated as the mobilization and training station for the division upon reactivation. During the period 1921–39, the 7th Division was represented by the 14th Infantry Brigade and other assorted active elements that formed the base force from which the division would be reactivated in the event of war. Additionally, most of the inactive elements were organized by mid-1927 as "Regular Army Inactive" (RAI) units with Organized Reserve personnel. The active elements of the division maintained habitual training relationships with divisional RAI units, as well as with those of the VII Corps, XVII Corps, and the 88th, 89th, and 102nd Divisions. The RAI and Reserve units often trained with the active elements of the division during summer training camps usually conducted at Forts Riley and Leavenworth, Kansas,
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, or Fort Snelling. The 3rd and 17th Infantry Regiments also supported the Reserve units’ conduct of the
Citizens' Military Training Camp Citizens' Military Training Camps (CMTC) were United States government authorized military training programs held annually each summer during the years 1921 to 1940. CMTC camps differed from National Guard and Organized Reserve training in that t ...
s held at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Des Moines,
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. The 14th Infantry Brigade, reinforced by the active elements of the 7th Tank Company, 9th and
14th Field Artillery Regiment The 14th Field Artillery Regiment is a parent field artillery regiment of the United States Army, currently represented in the Regular Army (United States), Regular Army by its 1st Battalion, a HIMARS unit with the 75th Field Artillery Brigade (U ...
s, and 7th Quartermaster Regiment, held maneuvers in those years when funds were available, at Fort Riley or
Camp Ripley Camp Ripley is a military and civilian training facility operated by the Minnesota National Guard near the city of Little Falls, Minnesota, Little Falls in the central part of the state. The location of the camp was selected in 1929 by Ellard ...
, Minnesota. During these maneuvers, the 7th Division was occasionally formed in a provisional status to exercise division-level command and control procedures. The division headquarters was also provisionally formed on 21 July 1937 for the August 1937 Fourth Army maneuvers at Camp Ripley. For that maneuver, the division (14th Infantry Brigade as the nucleus) was reinforced by the
Minnesota National Guard The Minnesota National Guard is a state-based military force of more than 13,000 soldiers and airmen, serving in 61 communities across the state. Operated in the U.S. state of Minnesota, it is a reserve component of the National Guard (United ...
’s 92nd Infantry Brigade, in addition to the other active divisional elements.


World War II

On 1 July 1940, the 7th Division was formally reactivated at Camp Ord, California, under the command of Major General
Joseph W. Stilwell Joseph Warren "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell (19 March 1883 – 12 October 1946) was a United States Army general who served in the China Burma India theater during World War II. Stilwell was appointed as Chief of Staff for Chiang Kai-shek, the Kuominta ...
. As the Regular Army was still seriously understrength, most of the early troops in the division were conscripted as a part of the United States' first peacetime military draft. The 7th Division was assigned to
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of the
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, and transferred to Longview, Washington, in August 1941 to participate in tactical maneuvers. Following this training, the division moved back to Fort Ord, California, where it was located when the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor caused the United States to declare war. The formation proceeded almost immediately to San Jose, California, arriving 11 December 1941 to help protect the west coast and allay civilian fears of invasion. The 53rd Infantry Regiment was relieved of assignment to the 7th Division and replaced with the 159th Infantry Regiment, newly deployed from the
California Army National Guard The California Army National Guard (CA ARNG) is one of three components of the California National Guard, a reserve of the United States Army, and part of the United States National Guard, National Guard of the United States. The California Army ...
. For the early parts of the war, the division participated mainly in construction and training roles. Subordinate units also practiced boat loading at the Monterey Wharf and
amphibious assault Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conducte ...
techniques at the Salinas River in California. On 9 April 1942, the division was formally redesignated as the 7th Motorized Division and transferred to
Camp San Luis Obispo Camp San Luis Obispo is the original home of the California Army National Guard. It served as an Infantry Division Camp and Cantonment Area for the United States Army during World War II. History Camp San Luis Obispo, formerly called Camp Merr ...
on 24 April 1942. Three months later, divisional training commenced in the
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in preparation for its planned deployment to the African theater. It was again designated the 7th Infantry Division on 1 January 1943, when the motorized equipment was removed from the unit and it became a light infantry division once more, as the Army eliminated the motorized division concept fearing it would be logistically difficult and that the troops were no longer needed in North Africa. The 7th Infantry Division began rigorous amphibious assault training under
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from the
Fleet Marine Force The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general and special forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Fleet Marine ...
, before being deployed to fight in the Pacific theater instead of Africa. USMC General
Holland Smith Holland McTyeire "Howlin' Mad" Smith, Order of the Bath, KCB (April 20, 1882 – January 12, 1967) was a General officer, general in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He is sometimes called the "father" of modern United St ...
oversaw the unit's training.


Aleutian Islands

Elements of the 7th Infantry Division first saw combat in the amphibious assault on
Attu Island Attu (, ) is an island in the Near Islands (part of the Aleutian Islands chain). It is one of the westernmost points of the U.S. state of Alaska. The island became uninhabited in 2010, making it the largest uninhabited island that is part of th ...
, the westernmost Japanese entrenchment in the
Aleutian islands The Aleutian Islands ( ; ; , "land of the Aleuts"; possibly from the Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', or "island")—also called the Aleut Islands, Aleutic Islands, or, before Alaska Purchase, 1867, the Catherine Archipelago—are a chain ...
chain of
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
. Elements landed on 11 May 1943, spearheaded by the 17th Infantry Regiment. The initial landings were unopposed, but Japanese forces mounted a counteroffensive the next day, and the 7th Infantry Division fought an intense battle over the tundra against strong Japanese resistance. The division was hampered by its inexperience, lack of winter clothing, and poor weather and terrain conditions, but was eventually able to coordinate an effective attack. The fight for the island culminated in a battle at
Chichagof Harbor Chichagof Harbor is an inlet on the northeast coast of the island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.''Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition'', p. 243. It is named after Russian Admiral and polar explorer Vasily Chichago ...
, when the division destroyed all Japanese resistance on the island on 29 May, after a suicidal Japanese
bayonet A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...
charge. During its first fight of the war, 549 soldiers of the division were killed, while killing 2,351 Japanese and taking 28 prisoners. After American forces secured the island chain, the 159th Infantry Regiment was ordered to stay, and the 184th Infantry Regiment took its place as the 7th Division's third infantry regiment. The 184th Infantry remained with the division until the end of the war. The 159th Infantry Regiment stayed on the island for some time longer until returning to the Lower 48. The 159th Infantry Regiment was then subsequently sent to Europe, in early 1945 and assigned to the 106th Infantry Division. American forces then began preparing to move against nearby
Kiska Kiska (, ) is one of the Rat Islands, a group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. It is about long and varies in width from . It is part of Aleutian Islands Wilderness and as such, special permission is required to visit it. The island has ...
island, termed
Operation Cottage Operation Cottage was a joint American-Canadian plan to complete the recapture of the Aleutian Islands from the Japanese. On August 15, 1943, Allied military forces landed on Kiska Island, which had been occupied by Japanese forces since June ...
, the final fight in the Aleutian Islands Campaign. In August 1943, elements of the 7th Infantry Division took part in an amphibious assault on Kiska with a brigade from the
6th Canadian Infantry Division The 6th Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army, formed in 1942 during the Second World War. It was attached to Pacific Command. The division had a brigade sent to the Aleutian Islands Campaign, particularly at ...
, only to find the island deserted by the Japanese. It was later discovered that the Japanese had withdrawn their 5,000-soldier garrison during the night of 28 July, under cover of fog.


Marshall Islands

After the campaign, the division moved to Hawaii where it trained in new amphibious assault techniques on the island of
Maui Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
, before returning to
Schofield Barracks Schofield Barracks is a United States Army installation and census-designated place (CDP) located in Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Hawaii. Schofield Barracks lies adjacent to the town of Wahiawā, separated ...
on
Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
for brief leave. It was reassigned to
V Amphibious Corps The V Amphibious Corps (VAC) was a formation of the United States Marine Corps which was composed of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions in World War II. The three divisions were the amphibious landing force for the United States Fifth Fl ...
, a
US Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the Marines, maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expedi ...
command. The division left
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reci ...
on 22 January 1944, for an offensive on Japanese territory. On 30 January 1944, the division landed on islands in the
Kwajalein Atoll Kwajalein Atoll (; Marshallese language, Marshallese: ) is part of the Marshall Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island, which its majority English-speaking re ...
in conjunction with the
4th Marine Division The 4th Marine Division is a reserve division in the United States Marine Corps. It was raised in 1943 for service during World War II, and subsequently fought in the Pacific against the Japanese. Deactivated after the war, the division was re ...
, code named Operation Flintlock. The 7th Division landed on the namesake island while the 4th Marine Division forces struck the outlying islands of Roi and Namur. The division made landfall on the western beaches of the island at 09:30 on 1 February. It advanced halfway through the island by nightfall the next day, and reached the eastern shore at 1335 hours on 4 February, having wrested the island from the Japanese. The victory put V Amphibious Corps in control of all 47 islands in the atoll. The 7th Infantry Division suffered 176 killed and 767 wounded. On 7 February, the division departed the atoll and returned to Schofield Barracks. Elements took part in the capture of Engebi in the
Eniwetok Atoll Enewetak Atoll (; also spelled Eniwetok Atoll or sometimes Eniewetok; , , or , ; known to the Japanese as Brown Atoll or Brown Island; ) is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the Pacific Ocean and with its 296 people (as of 2021) forms a leg ...
on 18 February 1944, code named Operation Catchpole. Because of the speed and success of the attack on Kwajalein, the attack was undertaken several months ahead of schedule. After a week of fighting, the division secured the islands of the atoll. The division then returned to Hawaii to continue training. There, in June 1944, General
Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...
and President
Franklin Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...
personally reviewed the division.


Leyte

The 7th Infantry Division left Hawaii on 11 October, heading for
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...
and include the Filipino troops of the
Philippine Commonwealth Army The Philippine Army (PA) () is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), responsible for ground warfare. , it had an estimated strength of 143,100 soldiers The service branch was established on December ...
and
Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; , ''HPP''; ) was a gendarmerie-type military police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Police. It was created by the Insular Government, American occupat ...
were aided against the Japanese. At this time it was under the command of XXIV Corps of the
Sixth United States Army Sixth Army is a Theater Army (United States), theater army of the United States Army. The Army service component command of United States Southern Command, its area of responsibility includes 31 countries and 15 areas of special sovereignty in ...
. On 20 October 1944, the division made an assault landing at
Dulag, Leyte Dulag (IPA: ʊ'lag, officially the Municipality of Dulag (; ), is a municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 48,992 people. This coastal town has 11,007 hectares of land and lies ...
, initially only encountering light resistance. Following a defeat at sea on 26 October, the Japanese launched a large, uncoordinated counteroffensive on the Sixth Army. After heavy fighting, the 184th Infantry secured airstrips at Dulag, while the 17th Infantry secured San Pablo, and the 32nd Infantry took Buri. The 17th Infantry troops moved north to take
Dagami Dagami (IPA: ɐ'gami, officially the Municipality of Dagami (; ), is a municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 36,178 people. Waray-Waray is the language spoken by the residents ...
on 29 October, in intense jungle warfare that produced high casualties. The division then shifted to the west coast of Leyte on 25 November and attacked north toward
Ormoc Ormoc (IPA: oɾˈmok, officially the City of Ormoc (; ; ), is a independent component city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 230,998 inhabitants, making it the second mo ...
, securing Valencia on 25 December. An amphibious landing by the
77th Infantry Division 77th Division or 75th Infantry Division may refer to: *77th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), Germany * 77th Infantry Division of Khurasan, Iran * 77th Division (Imperial Japanese Army) * 77th Division (People's Republic of China) *77th Division (Sp ...
effected the capture of Ormoc on 31 December 1944. The 7th Infantry Division joined in the occupation of the city, and engaged the 26th Japanese Infantry Division, which had been holding up the advance of the
11th Airborne Division The 11th Airborne Division ("Arctic Angels") is a United States Army multirole infantry division made up of specialized light infantry and airborne infantry based in Alaska. Currently, this unit specializes in arctic warfare, airborne operat ...
. The 7th Division's attack was successful in allowing the 11th Airborne Division to move through, however, Japanese forces proved difficult to drive out of the area. As such, operations to secure Leyte continued until early February 1945. Afterward, the division began training for an invasion of the Ryukyu island chain throughout March 1945. It was relieved from the Sixth Army and the Philippine Commonwealth military, which went on to attack
Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
.


Okinawa

The division was reassigned to XXIV Corps,
Tenth United States Army The Tenth United States Army was the last army level command established during the Pacific War during World War II, and included divisions from both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. History The headquarters of the Tenth Army was formed ...
, a newly formed command, and began preparations for the assault on
Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
. The
Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War, Impe ...
began on 1 April 1945, L-Day, when the 7th Infantry Division participated in an assault landing south of Hagushi,
Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
alongside the 96th Infantry Division (United States), 96th Infantry Division, and the 1st Marine Division (United States), 1st, and 6th Marine Division (United States), 6th Marine Divisions. of III Amphibious Corps (United States), III Amphibious Corps. These divisions spearheaded an assault that would eventually land 250,000 men ashore. The 7th Division quickly moved to Kadena, Okinawa, Kadena, taking its airfield, and drove from the west to the east coast of the island on the first day. The division then moved south, encountering stiff resistance from fortifications at Shuri, Okinawa, Shuri a few days later. The Japanese had moved 90 tanks, much of their artillery, and heavy weapons away from the beaches and into this region. Eventually, XXIV Corps destroyed the defenses after a 51-day battle in the hills of southern Okinawa, which was complicated by harsh weather and terrain. During the operation, the division was bombarded with tens of thousands of rounds of field artillery fire, encountering Japanese armed with spears as it continued its fight across the island. Japanese also fought using irregular warfare techniques, relying on hidden cave systems, snipers, and small-unit ambushes to delay the advancing 7th Infantry Division. After the fight, the division began capturing large numbers of Japanese prisoner of war, prisoners for the first time in the war, due to low morale, high casualties, and poor equipment. It fought for five continuous days to secure areas around the Nakagusuku Wan and Skyline Ridge. The division also secured Hill 178 in the fighting. It then moved to Kochi Ridge, securing it after a two-week battle. After 39 days of continuous fighting, the 7th Infantry Division was sent into reserve, having suffered heavy casualties. After the 96th Infantry Division (United States), 96th Infantry Division secured Conical Hill, the 7th Infantry Division returned to the line. It pushed into positions on the southern Ozato Mura hills, where Japanese resistance was heaviest. It was placed on the extreme left flank of the Tenth Army, taking the Ghinen peninsula, Sashiki, and Hanagusuku, fending off a series of Japanese counterattacks. Despite heavy Japanese resistance and prolonged bad weather, the division continued its advance until 21 June 1945, when the battle ended, having seen 82 days of combat. The island and surrendering troops were secured by the next day. During the Battle of Okinawa, the soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division killed between 25,000 and 28,000 Japanese soldiers and took 4,584 prisoners. Balanced against this, the 7th Division suffered 2,340 killed and 6,872 wounded for a total of 9,212 battle casualtiesA 1959 US Army publication gave these numbers as 1,116 killed, and around 6,000 wounded, to make total casualties for World War II 8,135. () during 208 days of combat. The division was slated to participate in Operation Downfall as a part of XXIV Corps under the First United States Army, but these plans were scrapped after the Japanese surrendered following the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, use of nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During World War II, soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division were awarded three Medal of Honor, Medals of Honor, 26 Distinguished Service Cross (United States), Distinguished Service Crosses, one Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army), Distinguished Service Medal, 982 Silver Star Medals, 33 Legion of Merit Medals, 50 Soldier's Medals, 3,853 Bronze Star Medals, and 178 Air Medals. The division received four campaign streamers and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation during the war. The three Medals of Honor were awarded to Leonard C. Brostrom, John F. Thorson, and Joe P. Martinez.


Occupation of Japan

A few days after V-J Day, the division moved to Korea to accept the surrender of the Japanese Army in South Korea. After the war, the division served as an Occupation of Japan, occupation force in Korea and Japan. Seven thousand, five hundred members of the unit returned to the United States, and the 184th Infantry Regiment was reassigned to the
California Army National Guard The California Army National Guard (CA ARNG) is one of three components of the California National Guard, a reserve of the United States Army, and part of the United States National Guard, National Guard of the United States. The California Army ...
, cutting the division to half its combat strength. To replace it, the 31st Infantry Regiment (United States), 31st Infantry Regiment was assigned to the division. The 7th Infantry Division remained on occupation duty in Korea patrolling the 38th parallel north, 38th parallel until 1948, when it was reassigned to occupation duty in Japan, in charge of northern Honshū and all of Hokkaido. During this time, the US Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. At the end of World War II, it contained 89 divisions, but by 1950, the 7th Infantry Division was one of only 10 active divisions in the force. It was one of four understrength divisions on occupation duty in Japan alongside the 1st Cavalry Division (United States), 1st Cavalry Division, 24th Infantry Division (United States), 24th Infantry Division, and 25th Infantry Division (United States), 25th Infantry Division, all under control of the Eighth United States Army.


Korean War

At the outbreak of the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
in June 1950, the 7th Infantry Division commander, Major General David G. Barr, assembled the division at Camp Fuji near Mount Fuji. The division was already depleted due to post-war shortages of men and equipment and further depleted as it sent large numbers of reinforcements to strengthen the 25th Infantry Division (United States), 25th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division (United States), 1st Cavalry Division, which were sent into combat in South Korea in July. The division was reduced to 9,000 men, half of its wartime strength. To replenish the ranks of the understrength division, the Republic of Korea Army (ROK) assigned over 8,600 KATUSA, Korean soldiers to the division. The Colombian Battalion was at times attached to the division. With the addition of priority reinforcements from the US, the division strength was eventually increased to 25,000 when it entered combat. Also fighting with the 7th Infantry Division for much of the war were members of the three successive Kagnew Battalions sent by Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia as part of the UN forces. The division paired with the 1st Marine Division (United States), 1st Marine Division under US X Corps (United States), X Corps to participate in the Battle of Inchon, Inchon Landing, code named Operation Chromite. The two divisions would be supported by the US 3rd Infantry Division (United States), 3rd Infantry Division in reserve. Supported by 230 ships of the United States Navy, US Navy, X Corps began landing at Inchon on 15 September 1950, catching the Korean People's Army (KPA) by surprise. The 7th Infantry Division began landing on 18 September, after the 1st Marine Division, securing its right flank. X Corps quickly Second Battle of Seoul, advanced to Seoul and the 1st Marine Division attacked the 20,000 defenders of the city from the north and southwest, while the 7th Infantry Division's 32nd Infantry Regiment attacked from the southeast. The 31st Infantry followed behind. Seoul fell to X Corps after suffering moderate casualties, particularly for the Marines. The division then began advancing south to cut off KPA supply routes. The 32nd Infantry crossed the Han River (Korea), Han River on 25 September to create a bridgehead, and the next day, the division advanced to Osan south of Seoul and linked up with the 1st Cavalry Division of Eighth United States Army which had Pusan Perimeter Offensive, broken out from the Pusan perimeter starting on 16 September and then UN September 1950 counteroffensive, began a general offensive northward against crumbling KPA opposition. Radio miscommunication and attack from nearby KPA forces caused a miscommunication, the soldiers of the 1st Cavalry and 7th Infantry briefly engaged in a small-arms firefight with one another, unable to communicate. Seoul was liberated one day later with the help of air assets from the 1st Cavalry Division. The combined forces of the Eighth Army cut off and captured retreating KPA forces. X Corps was kept separate from the rest of the Eighth Army to avoid placing a burden on the logistical system. As part of the UN offensive into North Korea 7th Division UN offensive into North Korea#7th Infantry Division movement to Pusan and embarkation, withdrew to Pusan to conduct another amphibious assault on the east coast of North Korea. The entire battle for Inchon and Seoul cost the division 106 killed, 411 wounded and 57 missing American soldiers, and 43 killed, 102 wounded South Korean soldiers. The Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) entered the war on the side of North Korea, making their UN offensive into North Korea#Chinese First Phase Campaign (25 October-6 November), first attacks in late October. The 7th Infantry Division UN offensive into North Korea#X Corps comes ashore (26-29 October), began landing at Wonsan on 26 October, and Riwon, Iwon on 29 October. The landing was delayed due to the presence of Naval mine, mines, and by the time X Corps came ashore, ROK forces moving overland had already occupied the ports. The division advanced to Hyesanjin, on the China–North Korea border by the Yalu River, one of the northernmost advances for UN soldiers of the war. Much of X Corps followed behind. On 21 November, the 17th Infantry reached the banks of the Yalu River. The advance went quickly for the 7th Infantry Division and ROK troops while the Marines were not able to advance as quickly. The division halted its advance until 24 November while other units of the Eighth Army's IX Corps (United States), IX Corps and ROK II Corps (South Korea), II Corps caught up and supply lines were established. During this time, the 7th Division's regiments were spread out on the front line. The 31st Infantry Regiment remained at the Chosin Reservoir with the 1st Marine Division while the 32nd and 17th Infantry Regiments were much further to the northeast, closer to ROK I Corps (South Korea), I Corps. It was during this time that the division was served by a new type of unit, the 1st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H.).


Chinese intervention

The UN forces renewed their offensive on 24 November before being stopped by the PVA Second Phase Offensive starting on 25 November with attacks on Eighth Army's IX Corps and ROK II Corps in the west and X Corps in the east. X Corps found itself under attack from the PVA 20th Group Army, 20th, 80th Group Army, 26th and 27th Group Army, 27th Field Armies, commanding a total of 12 divisions. During the furious action that followed, the 7th Infantry Division's spread out regiments were unable to resist the overwhelming PVA forces. Three of the division's infantry battalions were attacked from all sides the next day. 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry (nicknamed Task Force Faith) was trapped with two other battalions by the PVA 80th Motorized Infantry Brigade (People's Republic of China), 80th and 81st Armed Police Mobile Division (People's Republic of China), 81st Divisions from the 27th Field Army. In the subsequent Battle of Chosin Reservoir, the three battalions were destroyed by overwhelming PVA forces suffering over 2,000 casualties. The 31st Infantry suffered heavy casualties trying to fight back the PVA forces further north, but the 17th Infantry was spared of heavy attack, retreating along the Korean coastline, out of range of the offensive. By the time X Corps ordered a retreat, most of the 7th Infantry Division, save the 17th Infantry Regiment, had suffered 40 percent casualties. The scattered elements of the division saw repeated attacks as they attempted to withdrawal to the port of Hungnam in December 1950. These attacks cost the division another 100 killed before it was Hungnam evacuation, evacuated on 21 December. The division suffered 2,657 killed and 354 wounded during the retreat. Most of the dead were members of Task Force Faith. The division returned to the front lines in early 1951, spearheaded by the 17th Infantry, which had suffered the fewest casualties from the PVA offensive. Division elements advanced through Tangyang in South Korea, and blocking PVA offensives from the northwest. The division reached full strength and saw action around Chechon, Chungju, and Pyeongchang County, Pyeongchang as part of an effort to push the KPA and PVA forces back above the 38th parallel north, 38th Parallel and away from Seoul. The 7th Infantry Division engaged in a series of successful "limited objective" attacks in the early weeks of February, a series of small unit attacks and ambushes between the two sides. It would continue slowly advancing and clearing enemy hilltop positions through April. By April the entire Eighth Army was advancing north as one line stretching across the peninsula, reaching the 38th Parallel by May. The division, now assigned to IX Corps (United States), IX Corps, then assaulted and fought a fierce three-day battle culminating with the recapture of the terrain that had been lost near the Hwachon Reservoir just over the 38th Parallel in North Korea. In capturing the town bordering on the reservoir it cut off thousands of PVA/KPA troops. The division fought on the front lines until June 1951 when it was assigned to the reserve for a brief rest and refitting.


Stalemate

When the division returned to the lines in October, after another assignment in reserve, it moved to the Heartbreak Ridge sector recently vacated by the 2nd Infantry Division (United States), 2nd Infantry Division, where it was supported by the 3rd Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division. During this new deployment the division fought in the Battle for Heartbreak Ridge, to take an area of staging grounds for the PVA/KPA armies. It remained static in the region until 23 February 1952 when it was sent into reserve and relieved by the 25th Infantry Division. The next year saw the 7th Division engaged in an extended campaign for nearby land, the
Battle of Old Baldy The Battle of Old Baldy was a series of five engagements for Hill 266 in west-central Korea. They occurred over a period of 10 months in 1952–1953, though there was also vicious fighting both before and after these engagements. Background As ...
. The 7th Division continued to defend "Line Missouri" through September 1952, though it became known as the "Static Line" as UN forces made few meaningful gains in the time. The 7th Infantry Division's Battle of Triangle Hill, Operation Showdown launched in the early morning hours of 14 October 1952, with the 31st Infantry and 32nd Infantry at the head of the attack. The target of the assault was the Triangle Hill complex northeast of Kumhwa. The 7th Infantry Division remained in the Triangle Hill area until the end of October, when it was relieved by the 25th Infantry Division. The 7th Infantry Division was highly praised by commanders for its tenacity through the fight. The division continued patrol activity around Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill into 1953, digging tunnels and building a network of outposts and bunkers on and around the hill. In April, the KPA began stepping up offensive operations against UN forces. During the Battle of Porkchop Hill, the PVA 67th Motorized Infantry Brigade (People's Republic of China), 67th and 141st Infantry Division (People's Republic of China), 141st Divisions overran Pork Chop Hill using massed infantry and artillery fire. The hill had been under the control of the 31st Infantry. The 31st counterattacked with reinforcements from the 17th Infantry and recaptured the area the next day. On 6 July the PVA/KPA launched a determined attack against Pork Chop resulting in five days of fierce fighting with few meaningful results. By the end of July, five infantry battalions from the 31st and 17th were defending the hill, while a PVA division was in position to attack it. During this standoff, the UN ordered the 7th Infantry Division to retreat from the hill in preparation for an armistice, which would end major hostilities. During the Korean War, the division saw a total of 850 days of combat, suffering 15,126 casualties, including 3,905 killed in action and 10,858 wounded.A 1997 division history from Turner Publishing Company gave this figure as 3,927 killed, 10,858 wounded for a total of 14,785 casualties in the Korean War. () For the next few years, the division remained on defensive duty along the 38th parallel, under the command of the Eighth Army. Thirteen members of the division received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Korean War: Charles H. Barker, Raymond Harvey, Einar H. Ingman Jr., William F. Lyell, Joseph C. Rodriguez, Richard Thomas Shea, Daniel D. Schoonover, Jack G. Hanson, Ralph E. Pomeroy, Edward R. Schowalter Jr., Benjamin F. Wilson, Don C. Faith Jr., and Anthony T. Kahoʻohanohano.


Cold War

From 1953 to 1971, the 7th Infantry Division defended the
Korean Demilitarized Zone The Korean Demilitarized Zone () is a heavily militarized strip of land running across the Korea, Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in half. It wa ...
. Its main garrison was Camp Casey, South Korea. On 1 July 1963, the division was reorganized as a Reorganization Objective Army Division (ROAD). Three Brigade Headquarters were activated and Infantry units were reorganized into battalions. The division's former headquarters company grew into the 1st Brigade, 7th Infantry Division while the 13th Infantry Brigade was reactivated as the 2nd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division. The 14th Infantry Brigade was reactivated as the 3rd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division In 1965 the division received its distinctive unit insignia, which alluded to its history during the Korean War. In October 1974 the 7th reactivated at its former garrison, Fort Ord. The unit did not see any action in Vietnam War, Vietnam or during the post-war era, but was tasked to keep a close watch on South American developments. It trained at
Fort Ord Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay on the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, ...
, Camp Roberts, California, Camp Roberts, Fort Hunter Liggett and Fort Irwin. On 1 October 1985 the division was redesignated as the 7th Infantry Division (Light), organized again as a Light infantry#Contemporary light infantry forces, light infantry division. It was the first US division specially designed as such. The various battalions of the 31st, and 32nd regiments moved from the division, replaced by battalions from other regiments, including battalions from the 21st Infantry Regiment (United States), 21st Infantry Regiment, the 27th Infantry Regiment (United States), 27th Infantry Regiment, and the 9th Infantry Regiment (United States), 9th Infantry Regiment. The 27th and 9th infantry regiments participated in
Operation Golden Pheasant Operation Golden Pheasant was an emergency deployment of U.S. troops to Honduras in 1988, in response to Nicaraguan attacks on Contra logistics in Honduras. History In early March 1988, the Nicaraguan Sandinista government launched Operation D ...
in Honduras. In 1989 the 7th Infantry Division participated in
Operation Just Cause Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
in Panama, briefly occupying the country in conjunction with the 82nd Airborne Division (United States), 82nd Airborne Division. Elements of the 7th Infantry Division landed in the northern areas of Colón Province, Panama, securing the Coco Solo, Coco Solo Naval Station, Fort Espinar, France Field, and Colón, Panama, Colón while the 82nd Airborne and US Marines fought in the more heavily populated southern region. Once Panama City was under US control, the 82nd quickly re-deployed and left the city under the control of the 7th Division's 9th Infantry Regiment (United States), 9th Infantry Regiment until after the capture of Manuel Noriega. It suffered four killed and three wounded in the operation. In 1991 the Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended the closing of Fort Ord due to the escalating cost of living on the central California coastline. By 1994, Fort Ord closed and the 7th Infantry Division subsequently relocated to Fort Lewis (Washington), Fort Lewis, Washington (state), Washington. Elements of the division including the 2nd Brigade participated in one final mission in the United States before inactivation; quelling the 1992 Los Angeles riots, as part of Operation Garden Plot. The division's soldiers patrolled the streets of Los Angeles to act as crowd control and supported the Los Angeles Police Department and
California Army National Guard The California Army National Guard (CA ARNG) is one of three components of the California National Guard, a reserve of the United States Army, and part of the United States National Guard, National Guard of the United States. The California Army ...
in preventing the violence from rampaging throughout Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County. It was part of a force of 3,500 federal troops called into the city. In 1993 the division was slated to be inactivated as part of the post-Cold War drawdown of the US Army. The 1st Brigade relocated to Fort Lewis in 1993 and was reflagged on 15 August 1995 as the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (United States), 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division; while the 2nd Brigade and the 3rd Brigade of the 7th was inactivated at Fort Ord. The division headquarters was formally inactivated on 16 June 1994 at Fort Lewis.


Organization 1989

At the end of the Cold War the division was organized as follows: *7th Infantry Division (Light),
Fort Ord Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay on the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, ...
, California **Headquarters & Headquarters Company **1st Brigade, 7th Infantry Division (United States), 1st Brigade ***9th Infantry Regiment (United States), 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry ***9th Infantry Regiment (United States), 2d Battalion, 9th Infantry ***9th Infantry Regiment (United States), 3d Battalion, 9th Infantry **2nd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division (United States), 2d Brigade ***21st Infantry Regiment (United States), 5th Battalion, 21st Infantry ***27th Infantry Regiment (United States), 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry ***27th Infantry Regiment (United States), 3d Battalion, 27th Infantry **3rd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division (United States), 3d Brigade ***17th Infantry Regiment (United States), 3d Battalion, 17th Infantry ***4th Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (United States), 4th Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (United States), 17th Infantry ***21st Infantry Regiment (United States), 4th Battalion, 21st Infantry **Aviation Brigade ***Headquarters & Headquarters Company ***9th Cavalry Regiment (United States), 2d Squadron, 9th Cavalry (Reconnaissance) ***123rd Aviation Regiment (United States), 1st Battalion, 123d Aviation (Attack) ***123rd Aviation Regiment (United States), 3d Battalion, 123d Aviation (Combat Support) **Division Artillery ***Headquarters & Headquarters Battery ***8th Field Artillery Regiment, 2d Battalion, 8th Field Artillery (18 × M119 howitzer, M119 105 mm towed howitzer) ***8th Field Artillery Regiment, 6th Battalion, 8th Field Artillery (18 × M119 howitzer, M119 105 mm towed howitzer) ***15th Field Artillery Regiment (United States), 5th Battalion, 15th Field Artillery (18 × M198 howitzer, M198 155 mm towed howitzer, attached I Corps Artillery (United States), I Corps Artillery unit) ***15th Field Artillery Regiment (United States), 7th Battalion, 15th Field Artillery (18 × M119 howitzer, M119 105 mm towed howitzer) ***15th Field Artillery Regiment (United States), Battery B, 15th Field Artillery (8 × M198 howitzer, M198 155 mm towed howitzer) **Division Support Command ***Headquarters & Headquarters Company ***7th Medical Battalion ***7th Supply & Transportation Battalion ***707th Maintenance Battalion ***Company D, 123d Aviation (Maintenance, redesignated Company E, 123d Aviation on 16 October 1988) **62nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 2d Battalion, 62d Air Defense Artillery **13th Engineer Battalion **127th Signal Battalion **107th Military Intelligence Battalion **7th Military Police Company **761st Chemical Company **7th Division Band


National Guard training command and Fort Carson

At the end of the Cold War, the US Army considered new options for the integration and organization of active duty, United States Army Reserve, Army Reserve and
Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two differen ...
units in training and deployment. Two division headquarters activated in the active duty component for training National Guard units. The 7th Infantry Division and the 24th Infantry Division (United States), 24th Infantry Division headquarters were selected. The subordinate brigades of the divisions did not activate so they could not be deployed as divisions, however their active duty status would allow the headquarters to focus on the national guard units under them full-time. The headquarters company of the 7th Infantry Division (Light) formally reactivated on 4 June 1999, at Fort Carson, Colorado, as the first Active Component/Reserve Component division. The reserve formations that made up the 7th Infantry Division included the U.S. 39th Infantry Brigade, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Arkansas National Guard, the 41st Brigade Combat Team, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon National Guard and the 45th Infantry Division (United States), 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oklahoma National Guard. Fort Carson became the new headquarters for the division. The division headquarters also provided training assistance in preparation for small-scale National Guard operations, Fort Johnson#JRTC moves to Polk, Joint Readiness Training Center rotations, leadership training for National Guard commanders, and annual summer training for the three brigades. As a part of this commitment, the 7th Infantry Division headquarters would deploy a command element to serve as higher headquarters for large-scale training and field exercises, evaluating and coordinating the units as they trained. It would also conduct quarterly status checks with the three brigades to discuss readiness and resource issues affecting those units, ensuring that they were at peak performance should they be needed. To expand upon the concept of Reserve component and National Guard components, the First Army activated First Army Division East, Division East and First Army Division West, Division West, two commands responsible for training reserve units' readiness and mobilization exercises. Division West, activated at Fort Carson. This transformation was part of an overall restructuring of the US Army to streamline the organizations overseeing training. The Division West took control of reserve units in 21 states west of the Mississippi River, eliminating the need for the 7th Infantry Division headquarters. As such it was subsequently inactivated for the last time on 22 August 2006 at Fort Carson. Though it was inactivated, the division was identified as the highest priority inactive division in the United States Army Center of Military History's scheme based on age, campaign participation credit, and unit decorations. All of the division's flags and heraldic items were moved to the National Infantry Museum at Fort Moore, Georgia following its inactivation. At the time it was determined that, should the US Army decide to activate more divisions in the future, the center would most likely suggest the first new division be the 7th Infantry Division, the second be the 9th Infantry Division (United States), 9th Infantry Division, the third be the 24th Infantry Division (United States), 24th Infantry Division, the fourth be the 5th Infantry Division (United States), 5th Infantry Division, and the fifth be the 2d Armored Division, 2nd Armored Division.


Headquarters reactivation

On 26 April 2012, Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh announced the 7th Infantry Division headquarters would be reactivated at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
in October 2012. The headquarters element of about 250 would not activate any subordinate brigades. Instead, it filled an administrative role as a non-deployable unit. In the announcement, McHugh noted the base is home to I Corps, which until then had directly overseen 10 subordinate brigades on the base, while other bases with similar corps headquarters had active division commands for intermediate oversight. The unit oversees the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, 2nd and 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Teams of the 2nd Infantry Division, as well as the 17th Field Artillery Brigade (United States), 17th Field Artillery Brigade, 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, and 555th Engineer Brigade (United States), 555th Engineer Brigade, about 21,000 personnel. The mission of the headquarters primarily focuses on making sure soldiers are properly trained and equipped, and that order and discipline is maintained in its subordinate brigades. In the announcement, McHugh denied that the move was made in response to several high-profile misconduct allegations leveled against soldiers from the base in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), Afghanistan War such as the Maywand District murders and the Kandahar massacre. Major General Stephen R. Lanza, the Army's chief of Public affairs (military), public affairs, was tapped to lead the division. It activated on the base on 10 October 2012. On 16 August 2024, the 1st and 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Teams were part of a re-patching ceremony officially realigning these two brigades from the 2nd Infantry Division to the 7th Infantry Division. According to the 7th Infantry Division official Facebook post about this event, "This historic event honors their extensive legacy, creates a stronger and more unified force and brings Bayonet Soldiers closer together."


Organization

* 7th Infantry Division, at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
, (Washington (state), Washington) ** 1st
Stryker The Stryker is a family of Eight-wheel drive, eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in L ...
Brigade Combat Team *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 1st Squadron, 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment (United States), 14th Cavalry Regiment (Reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition, Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA)) *** 2nd Battalion, 3rd United States Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Regiment (Stryker) *** 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment (United States), 20th Infantry Regiment (Stryker) *** 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment (United States), 23rd Infantry Regiment (Stryker) *** 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment (United States), 37th Field Artillery Regiment *** 23rd Brigade Engineer Battalion *** 296th Brigade Support Battalion ** 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (United States), 1st Cavalry Regiment (RSTA) *** 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment (United States), 1st Infantry Regiment (
Stryker The Stryker is a family of Eight-wheel drive, eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in L ...
) *** 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (United States), 17th Infantry Regiment (Stryker) *** 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment (United States), 23rd Infantry Regiment (Stryker) *** 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment *** 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion *** 2nd Brigade Support Battalion ** 16th Combat Aviation Brigade (United States), 16th Combat Aviation Brigade *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 4th Squadron (Heavy-Attack Reconnaissance), 6th Cavalry Regiment (Boeing AH-64 Apache, AH-64E Apache and AAI RQ-7 Shadow, RQ-7 Shadow) *** 1st Battalion (Attack), 229th Aviation Regiment (Boeing AH-64 Apache, AH-64E Apache) *** 158th Aviation Regiment, 2nd Battalion (Assault), 158th Aviation Regiment (UH-60 Black Hawk) *** 1st Battalion (General Support), 52nd Aviation Regiment (UH-60, CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk#Variants, UH-60A+ MEDEVAC – supporting
11th Airborne Division The 11th Airborne Division ("Arctic Angels") is a United States Army multirole infantry division made up of specialized light infantry and airborne infantry based in Alaska. Currently, this unit specializes in arctic warfare, airborne operat ...
) *** 46th Aviation Support Battalion


Honors

The 7th Infantry Division was awarded one campaign streamer in World War I, four campaign streamers and two unit decorations in World War II, and ten campaign streamers and two unit decorations in the Korean War, for a total of fifteen campaign streamers and four unit decorations in its operational history.


Unit decorations


Campaign streamers


Commanders

Commanders of the 7th Infantry Division have included: *Colonel (United States), COL Guy H. Preston, January 1918 *Brigadier general (United States), BG
Charles H. Barth Charles Henry Barth (December 28, 1858 – December 5, 1926) was an American Brigadier general who served during World War I. Early life Barth was born in Sheridan, Iowa. He entered the United States Military Academy, where he was seriously h ...
, January – February 1918 *BG Tiemann Newell Horn, Tiemann N. Horn, February 1918 *BG Charles H. Barth, February 1918 – June 1918 *BG Tiemann N. Horn, June 1918 *BG Charles H. Barth, June – October 1918 *BG Lutz Wahl, October 1918 *Major general (United States), MG
Edmund Wittenmyer Edmund Wittenmyer (April 25, 1862 − July 5, 1937) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War and World War I, in addition to several other conflicts, he attained the rank of major general and was mos ...
, October 1918 – January 1919 *BG Guy H. Preston, January 1919 *MG Edmund Wittenmyer, January 1919 – May 1919 *BG Lutz Wahl, May 1919 *MG Edmund Wittenmyer, May – June 1919 *BG Lutz Wahl, July 1919 – October 1919 *MG Edward McGlachlin Jr., Edward F. McGlachlin Jr., October 1919 – July 1921 *MG Charles Justin Bailey, Charles J. Bailey, July – August 1921 *MG Harry Hill Bandholtz, Harry H. Bandholtz, August – September 1921 *Division inactive, 22 September 1921 – 1 July 1940 *MG Joseph Stilwell, Joseph W. Stilwell, July 1940 – August 1941 *MG Charles H. White, August 1941 – April 1942 *MG Albert E. Brown, April 1942 – May 1943 *MG Eugene M. Landrum. May – July 1943 *BG Archibald V. Arnold, July – September 1943 *MG Charles H. Corlett, September 1943 – February 1944 *MG Archibald V. Arnold, February 1944 – September 1945 *BG Joseph L. Ready, September 1945 – March 1946 *MG Andrew Davis Bruce, Andrew D. Bruce, March – June 1946 *BG Leroy J. Stewart, June 1946 – October 1947 *BG Harlan N. Hartness, October 1947 – January 1948 *MG John B. Coulter, January – June 1948 *BG Edwin W. Piburn, June – September 1948 *MG William F. Dean, September 1948 – May 1949 *MG David G. Barr, May 1949 – January 1951 *MG Claude Birkett Ferenbaugh, Claude B. Ferenbaugh, January – December 1951 *MG Lyman Lemnitzer, Lyman L. Lemnitzer, December 1951 – July 1952 *MG Wayne C. Smith, July 1952 – March 1953 *MG Arthur Trudeau, Arthur G. Trudeau, March – October 1953 *MG Lionel C. McGarr, October 1953 – May 1954 *MG Edmund Sebree, May 1954 – August 1955 *MG Paul Caraway, Paul W. Caraway, August 1955 – April 1956 *BG Ralph J. Butchers, April – June 1956 *MG Carl H. Jark, June 1956 – September 1957 *MG Thomas Sands (fencer), Thomas J. Sands, September 1957 – April 1958 *MG Normando Antonio Costello, April 1958 – June 1959 *MG Teddy H. Sanford, June 1959 – August 1960 *MG Tom R. Stoughton, August 1960 – September 1962 *BG Frank Henry, Frank S. Henry, September 1962 – January 1963 *MG Chester A. Dahlen, January – August 1963 *MG David W. Gray, August 1963 – June 1964 *MG Ferdinand Thomas Unger, Ferdinand T. Unger, June 1964 – August 1965 *MG Chester L. Johnson, August 1965 – July 1966 *MG Frederick W. Boye Jr., July 1966 – September 1967 *MG William A. Enemark, September 1967 – August 1968 *MG Osmund A. Leahy, August 1968 – November 1968 *BG James K. Terry, November 1968 – January 1969 *MG Edward P. Smith, January 1969 – May 1970 *MG Hal Moore, Harold G. Moore, May 1970 – April 1971 *Division inactive, 2 April 1971 - 21 October 1974 *MG William Hardin Harrison, January 1985 – July 1987 *MG Edwin H. Burba Jr., July 1987 – June 1988 *MG Carmen J. Cavezza, June 1988 – May 1990 *MG Jerry A. White, May 1990 – September 1991 *MG Marvin L. Covault, September 1991 – April 1993 *MG Richard F. Timmons, March 1993 – September 1994 *Division inactive, 1 October 1994 – 4 June 1999 *MG John M. Riggs, June 1999 *MG Edward Soriano, June 1999 – October 2001 *MG Charles C. Campbell (general), Charles C. Campbell, October 2001 – October 2002 *MG Robert (Bob) Wilson, October 2002 – January 2005 *MG Robert W. Mixon Jr., January 2005 – August 2006 *Division inactive, August 2006 – 11 October 2012 *MG Stephen Lanza, Stephen R. Lanza, October 2012 – February 2014 *MG Terry R. Ferrell, Terry Ferrell, February 2014 – August 2014 *MG Thomas S. James Jr., August 2014 – July 2017 *MG Willard Burleson, Willard M. Burleson, July 2017 – August 2019 *MG Xavier T. Brunson, August 2019 – May 2021 *MG Stephen G. Smith (general), Stephen G. Smith, May 2021 – September 2023 *MG Michelle A. Schmidt, September 2023 – present


References


Notes


Citations


Sources

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Further reading


7th ID reorganizing to be deployable, Army announces


External links


7th Infantry Division Home Page
at the United States Army Center of Military History * {{DEFAULTSORT:007 Infantry divisions of the United States Army, 007th Infantry Division, U.S. Military units and formations established in 1917 United States Army divisions of World War I, 07 United States Army units and formations in the Korean War, USInfDiv0007 United States Army divisions during World War II, Infantry Division, U.S. 007th Military units and formations disestablished in 2006 Aleutian Islands campaign Military units of the United States Army in South Korea Military units and formations of the United States in the Cold War Infantry divisions of the United States Army in World War II Divisions of the United States in Korean War, Infantry