The 4th Infantry Division is a division of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

based at Fort Carson,

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

. It is composed of a division headquarters battalion, three

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 (two Stryker and one armor), a combat aviation brigade, a division sustainment brigade, and a division artillery. The 4th Infantry Division's official nickname, "Ivy", is a play on words of the

Roman numeral Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, ea ...

''IV'' or 4. Ivy leaves symbolize tenacity and fidelity which is the basis of the division's motto: "Steadfast and Loyal". The second nickname, "Iron Horse", has been adopted to underscore the speed and power of the division and its soldiers.

World War I

The 4th Division was organized at

Camp Greene Camp Greene was a United States Army facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States during the early 20th century. In 1917, both the 3rd Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Divisions were first organized and assembled at this camp. His ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

on 10 December 1917 under the command of Maj. Gen.

George H. Cameron Major General George Hamilton Cameron (January 8, 1861 – January 28, 1944) was a United States Army officer who had a military career spanning over forty years, at the end of which he attained the rank of major general. Despite serving in numero ...

. It was here they adopted their distinctive insignia, the four ivy leaves. The ivy leaf came from the Roman numerals for four (IV) and signified their motto "Steadfast and Loyal". The division was organized as part of the United States buildup following the Declaration of War on 6 April 1917 and the entry of the United States into the war on the side of the British and French.

Organization

* Headquarters, 4th Division * 7th Infantry Brigade ** 39th Infantry Regiment ** 47th Infantry Regiment * 8th Infantry Brigade ** 58th Infantry Regiment ** 59th Infantry Regiment * 4th Field Artillery Brigade **

13th Field Artillery Regiment The 13th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. History The 13th Field Artillery was constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army at Camp Stewart, Texas. Lineage Constituted 1 Ju ...

(155 mm) ** 16th Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm) ** 77th Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm) ** 4th Trench Mortar Battery * 4th Engineer Regiment * 8th Field Signal Battalion * Headquarters Troop, 4th Division * 4th Train Headquarters and Military Police ** 4th Ammunition Train ** 4th Supply Train ** 4th Engineer Train ** 4th Sanitary Train *** 19th, 21st, 28th, and 33rd Ambulance Companies and Field Hospitals

St. Mihiel Offensive

For the

Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States agai ...

, the division moved into an area south of

Verdun Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...

as part of the

First United States Army First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Kore ...

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

John Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Wes ...

, commander of the

American Expeditionary Force The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...

(AEF) on the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers * Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a maj ...

, had gotten the French and British to agree that the AEF would fight under its own organizational elements. One of the first missions assigned to the AEF was the reduction of the

Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern 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 and his wif ...

salient. The 4th Division, assigned to

V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to: France * 5th Army Corps (France) * V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army ...

, was on the western face of the salient. The plan was for V Corps to push generally southeast and to meet IV Corps who was pushing northwest, thereby trapping the Germans in the St. Mihiel area. The 59th Infantry Regiment moved into an area previously occupied by the French, deploying along a nine kilometer front. On 12 September, the first patrols were sent forward by the 59th. The 4th Division attack began on 14 September with the 8th Brigade capturing the town of

Manheulles Manheulles () is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. Born in Manheulles * Auguste Desgodins (1826–1913), French missionary in China and Tibet See also *Communes of the Meuse department The following is ...

. All along the front, the American forces pressed forward and closed the St. Mihiel salient.

Occupation duty

Under the terms of the Armistice, Germany was to evacuate all territory west of the Rhine. American troops were to relocate to the center section of this previously German-occupied area all the way to the Koblenz bridgehead on the Rhine. The 4th marched into Germany, covering 330 miles in 15 days where it was widely dispersed over an area with Bad Bertrich as Division headquarters. The division established training for the men as well as sports and educational activities. In April 1919 the division moved to a new occupation area further north on the Rhine. The division went north to Ahrweiler, Germany, in the Rheinland-Pfalz area. In July the division returned to France and the last detachment sailed for the United States on 31 July 1919.

Interwar period

The 4th Division was stationed at

Camp Dodge Camp Dodge is a military installation in the city of Johnston, Iowa. Centrally located near the capital of Iowa, it currently serves as the headquarters of the Iowa National Guard. History Original construction of the post began in 1907, to prov ...

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

, until January 1920. After that date, it was stationed at Camp Lewis,

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

. On 21 September 1921, the 4th Division was inactivated due to funding cuts, but was represented in the Regular Army by its even-numbered infantry brigade (the 8th) and select supporting elements. The division headquarters, as well as most of the other inactive units of the division, were authorized to be staffed by Organized Reserve personnel and designated as Regular Army Inactive units. The division headquarters was occasionally reassembled, such as for the September 1936

U.S. Third Army The United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army, commonly referred to as the Third Army and as ARCENT, is a military formation of the United States Army which saw service in World War I and World War II, in the 1991 Gulf Wa ...

command post exercise at

Camp Bullis Camp Bullis Military Training Reservation is a U.S. Army training camp comprising in Bexar County, Texas, USA, just northwest of San Antonio. Camp Bullis provides base operations support and training support to Joint Base San Antonio. The camp i ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

, or for the August 1938 maneuvers in the De Soto National Forest in

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

World War II

The 4th Division was reactivated on 1 June 1940 at

Fort Benning Fort Benning is a United States Army post near Columbus, Georgia, adjacent to the Alabama– Georgia border. Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve component soldiers, retirees and civilian employee ...

, Georgia, under the command of

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Walter Prosser. Commencing in August the formation was reorganized as a motorized division and assigned (along with the 2nd Armored Division) to

I Armored Corps The I Armored Corps was a corps-sized formation of the United States Army that was active in World War II. The Corps made landfall in Morocco in French North Africa during Operation Torch in November 1942, the Allied invasion of French Nor ...

, being officially given its motorized title in parenthesized style and then formally as the 4th Motorized Division effective 11 July 1941. The division participated in Louisiana maneuvers held during August 1941 and then in the

Carolina Maneuvers The Carolina Maneuvers were a series of United States Army exercises held around Southern North Carolina and Northern South Carolina in 1941. The exercises, which involved some 350,000 troops, was designed to evaluate United States training, logis ...

of October 1941, after which it returned to Fort Benning. The division transferred to

Camp Gordon Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in October 1941. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cyber Command, and the Cyber Center of Excellence. It ...

, Georgia, in December 1941, the month America entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, and rehearsed training at the

during the summer of 1942. The division, now under the command of Major General

Raymond O. Barton Major General Raymond Oscar "Tubby" Barton (August 22, 1889 – February 27, 1963) was a career officer in the United States Army and combat commander in World War I and World War II. As commander of the 4th Infantry Division during World War ...

, then moved on 12 April 1943 to

Fort Dix Fort Dix, the common name for the Army Support Activity (ASA) located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Army post. It is located south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Fort Dix is under the jurisdiction of the Air Force ...

, New Jersey, where it was again reconfigured and redesignated the 4th Infantry Division on 4 August of that year. The division participated in battlefield maneuvers in Florida starting in September and after this fall training exercise arrived at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, on 1 December 1943. At this station the division was alerted for overseas movement and staged at

Camp Kilmer Located in Central New Jersey, Camp Kilmer is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service ...

, New Jersey, beginning 4 January 1944 prior to departing the

New York Port of Embarkation The New York Port of Embarkation (NYPOE) was a United States Army command responsible for the movement of troops and supplies from the United States to overseas commands. The command had facilities in New York and New Jersey, roughly covering the ...

on 18 January 1944. The 4th Infantry Division sailed to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

where it arrived on 26 January 1944.

France

The 4th Infantry Division assaulted the northern coast of German-held France during the

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

, landing at

Utah Beach Utah, commonly known as Utah Beach, was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), during World War II. The westernmost of the five code-named la ...

, 6 June 1944. The

8th Infantry Regiment The 8th Infantry Regiment of the United States, also known as the "Fighting Eagles," is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. The 8th Infantry participated in the Mexican War, American Civil War, Philippine Insurrection, Moro R ...

of the 4th Infantry Division claimed being the first surface-borne Allied unit (as opposed to the parachutist formations that were air-dropped earlier) to hit the beaches at Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Relieving the isolated

82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from tho ...

at Sainte-Mère-Église, the 4th cleared the

Cotentin peninsula The Cotentin Peninsula (, ; nrf, Cotentîn ), also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy that forms part of the northwest coast of France. It extends north-westward into the English Channel, towards Great Britain. To its w ...

and took part in the capture of

Cherbourg Cherbourg (; , , ), nrf, Chèrbourg, ) is a former commune and subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French department of Manche. It was merged into the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville on 28 Febr ...

on 25 June. After taking part in the fighting near Periers, 6–12 July, the division broke through the left flank of the German 7th Army, helping to stem the German drive toward

Avranches Avranches (; nrf, Avraunches) is a commune in the Manche department, and the region of Normandy, northwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called ''Avranchinais''. History By the end of the Roman period ...

. By the end of August the division had moved to Paris, and gave French forces the first place in the liberation of their capital. During the

liberation of Paris The liberation of Paris (french: Libération de Paris) was a military battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Ger ...

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century f ...

took on a self-appointed role as a civilian scout in the city of Paris for his friends in the 4 ID. He was with the 22nd Infantry Regiment when it advanced from Paris, northeast through Belgium, and into Germany. J. D. Salinger, who met Hemingway during the liberation of Paris, was with the 12th Infantry Regiment.

Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany

The 4th then moved into Belgium through

Houffalize Houffalize (; german: Hohenfels; wa, Oufalijhe) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium.Sven Vrielinck: De territoriale indeling van België 1795-1963 Volume 1. Universitaire Pers Leuven 2000. page 4 ...

to attack the

Siegfried Line The Siegfried Line, known in German as the ''Westwall'', was a German defensive line built during the 1930s (started 1936) opposite the French Maginot Line. It stretched more than ; from Kleve on the border with the Netherlands, along the we ...

at Schnee Eifel on 14 September, and made several penetrations. Slow progress into Germany continued in October, and by 6 November the division entered the

Battle of Hurtgen Forest A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

, where it was engaged in heavy fighting until early December. It then shifted to

Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...

, only to meet the

German Army The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...

's winter Ardennes Offensive head-on (in the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...

) starting on 16 December 1944. Although its lines were dented, it managed to hold the Germans at Dickweiler and Osweiler, and,

counterattack A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in "war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objectives typically seek ...

ing in January across the

Sauer The Sauer (German and Luxembourgish, , ) or Sûre (French, ) is a river in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. A left tributary of the Moselle, its total length is . Rising near Vaux-sur-Sûre in the Ardennes in southeastern Belgium, the Sauer ...

, overran German positions in Fouhren and

Vianden Vianden ( lb, Veianen or (locally) ) is a commune with town status in the Oesling, north-eastern Luxembourg, with over 1,800 inhabitants. It is the capital of the canton of Vianden, which is part of the district of Diekirch. Vianden lies on t ...

. Halted at the

Prüm River Prüm () is a town in the Westeifel (Rhineland-Palatinate), Germany. Formerly a district capital, today it is the administrative seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") Prüm. Geography Prüm lies on the river Prüm (a trib ...

in February by heavy enemy resistance, the division finally crossed on 28 February near

Olzheim Olzheim is a municipality in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has ...

, and raced on across the

Kyll The Kyll (), noted by the Roman poet Ausonius as ''Celbis'', Ausonius, ''Mosella'', v. 359 is a river in western Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate), left tributary of the Moselle. It rises in the Eifel mountains, near the ...

on 7 March. After a short rest, the 4th moved across the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...

on 29 March at

Worms Worms may refer to: *Worm, an invertebrate animal with a tube-like body and no limbs Places *Worms, Germany Worms () is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, situated on the Upper Rhine about south-southwest of Frankfurt am Main. It had ...

, attacked and secured

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg ...

and by 3 April had established a

bridgehead In military strategy, a bridgehead (or bridge-head) is the strategically important area of ground around the end of a bridge or other place of possible crossing over a body of water which at time of conflict is sought to be defended or taken over ...

across the Main at Ochsenfurt. Speeding southeast across

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total l ...

, the division had reached

Miesbach Miesbach () is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and is the capital of the Miesbach district. The district is at an altitude of 697 metres above sea level. It covers an area of approximately 863.50 km² of alpine headlands and in 2017 had a popu ...

on the

Isar The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria, and Bavaria, Germany, which is not navigable for watercraft above raft size. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald and flows through Bad Tölz, Mu ...

on 2 May 1945, when it was relieved and placed on occupation duty. Writer J. D. Salinger served with the division from 1942–1945.

Order of battle

Troops move out over the seawall on Utah Beach

* Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division *

* 12th Infantry Regiment * 22nd Infantry Regiment * Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Infantry Division Artillery ** 20th Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm) ** 29th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) ** 42nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) ** 44th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) * 4th Engineer Combat Battalion * 4th Medical Battalion * 4th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) * Headquarters, Special Troops, 4th Infantry Division ** Headquarters Company, 4th Infantry Division ** 704th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company ** 4th Quartermaster Company ** 4th Signal Company ** Military Police Platoon ** Band * 4th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment

Casualties

* Total battle casualties: 22,660Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths in World War II, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953) * Killed in action: 4,097 * Wounded in action: 17,371 * Missing in action: 461 * Prisoner of war: 731 * Days of combat: 299

Post War/Early Cold War

The division returned to the United States in July 1945 and was stationed at

Camp Butner Camp Butner was a United States Army installation in Butner, North Carolina during World War II. It was named after Army general and North Carolina native Henry W. Butner. Part of it was used as a POW camp for German prisoners of war in the Unite ...

, preparing for deployment to the Pacific. After the war ended it was deactivated on 5 March 1946. It was reactivated as a training division at

Fort Ord Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay of 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 on 15 July 1947. On 1 October 1950, it was redesignated a combat division, training at

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. In May 1951 it deployed to Germany as the first of four United States divisions committed to the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

during the early years of the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...

. The division headquarters was at

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...

. After a five-year tour in Germany, the division redeployed to Fort Lewis,

in May 1956. The division was replaced in Germany by the 3rd Armored Division as part of an Operation Gyroscope deployment. The division was reduced to zero strength, the colors were transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington, and the division was reestablished by reflagging the 71st Infantry Division (which itself had just returned from Alaska) on 15 September 1956. On 1 April 1957, the division was reorganized as a

Pentomic Pentomic (cf. ''Greek pent(e)-'' +''-tome'' "of five parts") was a structure for infantry and airborne divisions adopted by the US Army between 1957 and 1963, in response to the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons, on future battlefields. ...

Division. The division's three infantry regiments (the 8th, 12th and 22nd) were inactivated, with their elements reorganized into five infantry battle groups (the 1-8 IN, 1-12 IN, 1-22 IN, 2-39 IN and the 2-47 IN). ROAD 1961

On 1 October 1963, the division was reorganized as a

Reorganization Objective Army Division The history of the United States Army began in 1775. From its formation, the United States Army has been the primary land based part of the United States Armed Forces. The Army's main responsibility has been in fighting land battles and military ...

(ROAD). Three Brigade Headquarters were activated and Infantry units were reorganized into battalions. The 6th Tank Battalion of the 2d Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas, was sent to Korea during the war to serve with the 24th Infantry Division. The lineages of the tank companies within the battalion are perpetuated by battalions of today's 66th and 67th Armor Regiments in the 4th Infantry Division.

Vietnam War

The 4th Infantry Division deployed from Fort Lewis to

Camp Enari Camp Enari (also known as Dragon Mountain Base Camp and Hensel Airfield) is a former U.S. Army base east of Pleiku in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. History Camp Enari was established near Dragon Mountain (Núi Hàm Rồng) and Highway ...

, Pleiku, Vietnam on 25 September 1966 and served more than four years, returning to Fort Carson,

on 8 December 1970. Two brigades operated in the Central Highlands/

II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...

Zone, but its 3rd Brigade, including the division's armor battalion, was sent to Tây Ninh Province northwest of

Saigon , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...

to take part in

Operation Attleboro Operation Attleboro was a Vietnam War search and destroy operation initiated by the 196th Light Infantry Brigade with the objective to discover the location(s) of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong (VC) base areas and force them ...

(September to November 1966), and later

Operation Junction City Operation Junction City was an 82-day military operation conducted by United States and Republic of Vietnam (RVN or South Vietnam) forces begun on 22 February 1967 during the Vietnam War. It was the first U.S. combat airborne operation sinc ...

(February to May 1967), both in War Zone C. After nearly a year of combat, the 3rd Brigade's battalions officially became part of the 25th Infantry Division in exchange for the battalions of the 25th's 3rd Brigade, then in Quảng Ngãi Province as part of the division-sized

Task Force Oregon Task Force Oregon, was a United States Army division-sized unit composed of 3 separate infantry brigades, active in Quảng Ngãi and Quảng Tín Provinces, South Vietnam from April to September 1967 when it was redesignated the 23rd Infantry D ...

Deployment table 1966–1970

Throughout its service in Vietnam the division conducted combat operations ranging from the western Central Highlands along the border between Cambodia and Vietnam to Qui Nhơn on the

South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Ph ...

. The division experienced intense combat against

People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the armed wi ...

regular forces in the mountains surrounding

Kontum Kon Tum is the capital city of Kon Tum Province in Vietnam. It is located inland in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, near the borders of Laos and Cambodia. History After the People's Army of Vietnam invaded South Vietnam on March 30, 1 ...

in the autumn of 1967. The division's 3rd Brigade was withdrawn from Vietnam in April 1970 and deactivated at Fort Lewis. In May the remainder of the division conducted cross-border operations during the Cambodian Incursion. The division then moved to An Khe. The "Ivy Division" returned from Vietnam on 7 December 1970, and was rejoined in Fort Carson by its former 3rd Brigade from Hawaii, where it had re-deployed as part of the withdrawal of the 25th Infantry Division. One battalion remained in Vietnam as a separate organization until January 1972.

Order of battle

* Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) * Division Support Command ** Support Command HHC and Band ** 4th Supply and Transportation Battalion ** 4th Administration Company ** 704th Maintenance Battalion ** 4th Medical Battalion ** 4th Infantry Division Band *1st Brigade **1st Battalion, 8th Infantry ("Bullets") **3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry ("Dragoons") **3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry ("Braves") *2nd Brigade **1st Battalion, 12th Infantry ("Red Warriors") **1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry ("Regulars") (Separate from November 1970–January 1972) **2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry ("Panthers") (Mechanized) *3rd Brigade (from 25th Infantry Division) **1st Battalion, 14th Infantry ("Golden Dragons") (from 25th Infantry Division, August 1967–December 1970) **1st Battalion, 35th Infantry ("Cacti Green") (from 25th Infantry Division, August 1967–April 1970) **2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry ("Cacti Blue") (from 25th Infantry Division, August 1967–December 1970) **1st Battalion, 69th Armor ("Black Panthers") (from 25th Infantry Division, August 1967–April 1970) * 3rd Brigade (to 25th Infantry Division) ** 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry ("Lethal Warriors") (to 25th Infantry Division, August 1967–April 1971) ** 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry (to 25th Infantry Division, August 1967–December 1970) ** 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry (to 25th Infantry Division, August 1967–December 1970) ** 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor ("Dreadnaughts") (to 25th Infantry Division, August 1967 – December 1970) * Division Artillery ** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery ** 6th Battalion, 29th Artillery (105 mm) (1st Brigade) ** 4th Battalion, 42nd Artillery (105 mm) (2nd Brigade) ** 2nd Battalion, 9th Artillery (105 mm) (August 1967–April 1970) (from 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division) ** 2nd Battalion, 77th Artillery (105 mm) (to 25th Infantry Division, August 1967–December 1970) ** 5th Battalion, 16th Artillery (155 mm/8 inch) (General support) * 4th Military Police Company * 4th Aviation Battalion * 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment ("Buffalo Soldiers") * 4th Engineer Battalion * 124th Signal Battalion

Attached units

* 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment ("Blackhawks") * 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment ("Ruthless Riders") * Company E, 20th Infantry (Long Range Patrol) * Company E, 58th Infantry (Long Range Patrol) * Company K (Ranger), 75th Infantry (Airborne) * 43rd Chemical Detachment * 374th Army Security Agency Company (In Vietnam as the 374th Radio Research Company)

Casualties

* 2,531 killed in action * 15,229 wounded in action

Post Vietnam/Late Cold War and REFORGER

Returning to the US, the Division resumed training and

missions. The Division remained stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado from 1970 through 1995. During this period, the Division was converted to a mechanized infantry division, and frequently sent constituent units to Europe to participate in the annual REFORGER exercises to continue the Cold War mission of deterring Communist threats. In 1976 the Division's 4th Brigade was established and permanently stationed forward at

Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...

as Brigade 76, remaining there until being inactivated in 1984. It was during their time in Fort Carson that the Division assumed the nickname, "Ironhorse".

Force XXI

In December 1995, the Ivy Division was reflagged at Ft Hood, Tx when the 2nd Armored Division was deactivated as part of the downsizing of the Army. One brigades remained at Ft Carson as 3rd Brigade 4th Infantry Division stationed at Ft Carson. The division became an experimental division of the Army, as it had been in the early 1940s. Until completing the mission in October 2001, 4ID led the Army into the 21st century under Force XXI, the Army's modernization program. The division tested and fielded state-of-the-art digital communications equipment, night fighting gear, advanced weaponry, organization, and doctrine to prepare the Army for the future. From 1989 to 1996 the 116th Cavalry Brigade of the

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Monta ...

and

Oregon Army National Guard The Oregon Army National Guard is a federally mandated and equipped military organization under the civilian direction of the Oregon Military Department, with the Governor of Oregon as its Commander-in-Chief. It responds to state and national eme ...

served as roundout brigade of the division.

Iraq War

Alerted on 19 January 2003, the 4th Infantry Division was scheduled to take part in the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

in the spring of 2003 by spearheading an advance from

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

into northern

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

. The Turkish Parliament refused to grant permission for the operation and the division's equipment remained offshore on ships during the buildup for the war (see below). Its original mission, holding 13 Iraqi divisions along the " Green Line" in northern Iraq, was executed by joint Task Force Viking. Order of battle ìn Iraq War: :::1st Brigade (Raider) ::::1st Battalion,

(Mech) - Detached From 3rd Brigade ::::1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment (Mech) ::::1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment ::::3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment :::: 4th BN, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment (155SP) :::2nd Brigade (WarHorse) ::::2nd Battalion,

(Mech) ::::1st Battalion,

67th Armor Regiment The 67th Armored Regiment is an armored regiment in the United States Army. The regiment was first formed in 1929 in the Regular Army as the 2nd Tank Regiment (Heavy) and redesignated as the 67th Infantry Regiment (Medium Tanks) in 1932. It f ...

::::3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment ::::3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment (155SP) ::::1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment :::3rd Brigade (Iron) ::::1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment (Mech) ::::1st Battalion,

68th Armor Regiment The 68th Armor Regiment is an armored regiment of the United States Army. It was first activated in 1933 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks). Lineage The regiment was originally constituted on 9 July 1918 in the Reg ...

::::3rd Battalion,

29th Field Artillery Regiment The 29th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army, first constituted in 1918 in the National Army (USA). History The Regiment's Battery G was one of the last two combat units to serve in the Vietnam War. O ...

(155SP) :::: 4th Engineer Battalion :::: 64th Forward Support Battalion :::4th Infantry Division Artillery (DIVARTY) :::1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment As stated above, the Turkish situation kept the division from participating in the invasion as originally planned, instead joining the fight as a follow-on force. After quickly organizing materiel and manpower at ports in Kuwait, the division moved to positions around Baghdad in April 2003. After all divisional assets were established in Iraq, the Brigade combat teams attacked selected areas. The main avenues of attack for the division pushed north through

Tikrit Tikrit ( ar, تِكْرِيت ''Tikrīt'' , Syriac: ܬܲܓܪܝܼܬܼ ''Tagrīṯ'') is a city in Iraq, located northwest of Baghdad and southeast of Mosul on the Tigris River. It is the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate. , it h ...

and

Mosul Mosul ( ar, الموصل, al-Mawṣil, ku, مووسڵ, translit=Mûsil, Turkish: ''Musul'', syr, ܡܘܨܠ, Māwṣil) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second larg ...

. Headquartered in

Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein ( ; ar, صدام حسين, Ṣaddām Ḥusayn; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolutio ...

's former palaces, the 4th ID was deployed in the northern area of the Sunni Triangle. The 4th Infantry Division was spread all over Northern Iraq from Kirkuk to the Iranian border and as far south as Al Wihda, southeast of Baghdad. The Division Headquarters was located at FOB Ironhorse in the old Saddam Presidential Complex in Tikrit, while the 1st Brigade Combat Team headquarters was at FOB Raider south of the city. To the south in the volatile Diyala Province was the 2nd Brigade Combat Team headquarters at FOB Warhorse just northeast of Baqubah. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team was at FOB Anaconda at the Balad Air Base northwest of Khalis and DIVARTY, along with elements of the 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment at FOB Gunner, Al Taji airfield. To the far north stationed at an air field just on the outskirts of the city of Kirkuk were elements of the division's 4th Artillery Brigade and attached units, until mid-September when it was moved back to Tikrit. The 4th Infantry Division also disarmed the MEK warriors in Northern Iraq in July–August 2003. On 13 December 2003, elements of the 1st Brigade Combat Team participated in Operation Red Dawn with United States special operations forces, who captured

, former

President of Iraq The president of Iraq is the head of state of Iraq and "safeguards the commitment to the Constitution and the preservation of Iraq's independence, sovereignty, unity, the security of its territories in accordance with the provisions of the Con ...

. The division rotated out of Iraq in the spring of 2004, and was relieved by the 1st Infantry Division. Some have been critical of the division under its then-commander Maj. Gen.

Raymond T. Odierno Raymond Thomas Odierno (8 September 1954 – 8 October 2021) was an American military officer who served as a four-star general of the United States Army and as the 38th chief of staff of the Army. Prior to his service as chief of staff, Odiern ...

, calling its stance belligerent during their initial entry into Iraq after the ground war had ceased and arguing that the unit's lack of a 'hearts and minds' approach was ineffective in quelling the insurgency. In his unit's defense, Odierno and others have argued that enemy activity in the 4th ID's area of operations was higher than in any other area of the country because of the region's high concentration of Sunni resistance groups still loyal to Saddam Hussein's regime. His unit was headquartered in Hussein's hometown and this environment necessitated a different approach from those of units located in the more peaceful regions in the south and the north of the country.Filkins, Dexter. "Back in Iraq, Jarred by the Calm", ''The New York Times'', 21 September 2008.

Significant OIF I operations

* Operation Planet X (15 May 2003) *

Operation Peninsula Strike Operation Peninsula Strike was a series of raids conducted by American troops from 9 to 13 June 2003 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, carried out by members of Task Force Ironhorse on a peninsula alongside the Tigris River near Balad, Ira ...

(9 June 2003 – 12 June 2003) * Operation Desert Scorpion (15 June 2003 – 29 June 2003) * Operation Sidewinder (29 June 2003 – 7 July 2003) *

Operation Soda Mountain 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 ...

(12 July 2003 – 17 July 2003) *

Operation Ivy Serpent 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 ...

(12 July 2003 – 21 July 2003) *

Operation Ivy Lightning 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-Ma ...

(12 August 2003) *

Operation Ivy Needle 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 ...

(26 August 2003) *

Operation Industrial Sweep 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-Ma ...

(October 2003) *

Operation Ivy Cyclone 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 ...

(7 November 2003) *

Operation Ivy Cyclone II 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 ...

(17 November 2003) * Operation Red Dawn (13 December 2003) *

Operation Ivy Blizzard Operation Ivy Blizzard, occurred on 17 December 2003, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq was a counterinsurgent sweep of the Iraqi town of Samarra (part of the Sunni Triangle). The operation involved elements of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division (the ...

(17 December 2003) *

Operation Arrowhead Blizzard Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music) Musical set theory provides concepts for categorizing musical objects ...

(17 December 2003) *

Operation Rifles Fury 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 ...

(21 December 2003)

Subsequent Iraq Deployments

The division's second deployment to Iraq began in the fall of 2005. The division headquarters replaced the 3rd Infantry Division, which had been directing security operations as the headquarters for Multi-National Division – Baghdad. The 4th ID assumed responsibility on 7 January 2006 for four provinces in central and southern Iraq: Baghdad, Karbala, An-Najaf and Babil. On 7 January 2006, MND-Baghdad also assumed responsibility for training Iraqi security forces and conducting security operations in the four provinces. During the second deployment, 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division area of operation (AO) was Saladin and Diala provinces and was assigned to conduct security and training operations under the command of Task Force Band of Brothers, led initially by the

101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...

(Air Assault) and later 25th Infantry Division Headquartered out of FOB Warhorse. Later during the third deployment the unit was involved in the 2008 Battle of Sadr City. In March 2008 the 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed to Iraq and was stationed in Baghdad. The 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment was detached from the brigade and attached to the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division which was stationed at FOB Rustamiyah in Al Amin, Baghdad. The brigade returned home to Fort Hood, Texas in March 2009 and immediately began preparing for reassignment to Fort Carson, Colorado. In these three deployments to Iraq: *84 4ID/Task Force Ironhorse soldiers were killed in 2003–2004 *235 4ID/Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers lost their lives in 2005–2006 *113 4ID/Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers were killed in 2007–2009 July 2009 saw another division change of command as MG David Perkins took command to become the 56th Commanding General of the 4th Infantry Division. With this change of command, even more significant events happened as the 4ID completed 14 years calling

Fort Hood Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, it is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquarter ...

, TX home and returned to Fort Carson, CO, where they had served from late 1970 through late 1995. It was at this time that the 4th Division headquarters and the 1st Brigade Combat Team transferred to Fort Carson, Colorado. The 2nd, and 4th Brigades had already relocated and 3rd Brigade was already at Fort Carson having never moved to Fort Hood and the 4th Infantry Division's Aviation Brigade stayed at Fort Hood, Texas. The 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division deployed to southern Iraq from March 2010 to March 2011 in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn in an “Advise and Assist” role. 3rd Brigade Soldiers served alongside 50,000+ other U.S. service members under the command of United States Forces- Iraq. Soldiers from the brigade assisted in the training and preparation of Iraqi forces tasked with taking over responsibility of the southern sector of Iraq after U.S. forces were expected to withdraw from the area. 3rd Brigade Soldiers were re-flagged from being designated as a “Brigade Combat Team” and instead were reassigned as an “Advise and Assist” Brigade. The Brigade was still tasked with completing combat operations within the southern sector Area Of Operation (A.O.) in Iraq and were exposed to direct combat with anti coalition forces operating within the A.O. The 3rd Brigade returned to Fort Carson in March of 2011 in order to resume garrison duties.

War in Afghanistan

In May 2009 the 4th Brigade Combat Team deployed in support of

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 a ...

X for a 12-month combat rotation. The 1st Battalion 12th Infantry Regiment deployed to

Regional Command South In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

. Task Force 1-12 operated in Maiwand district and

Zhari Zhari ( ps, ژړۍ, fa, ولسوالی ژری) is a district in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Zheley (due to transliteration from Pashto), Zharey, Zharay, Zheri, or Zheray. The district was created in 2004 from l ...

district, namely the

Arghandab River Arghandab is a river in Afghanistan, about in length. It rises in Ghazni Province, west of the city of Ghazni, and flows southwest passing near the city of Kandahar, and then joins the Helmand River below Grishk. In its lower course, it is mu ...

Valley, west of

Kandahar Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118. It is the c ...

City. Referred to as "The Heart of Darkness" for its notoriety as the birthplace of the

Taliban The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...

, the soldiers of Task Force 1-12 operated in a very complex combat environment. Much of the fighting was conducted in notoriously dense grape fields, which insurgent forces used as cover and concealment for a variety of complex attacks on coalition forces. The 2nd Battalion 12th Infantry Regiment deployed in to

Regional Command East In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

and was based in the

Pech River The Pech River ( ps, پېچ سيند) is located in eastern Afghanistan. Course The Pech River system is fed from glaciers and snow from the Hindu Kush range to its north. The river rises in central Nuristan Province and flows south and sou ...

Valley, Kunar Province, home to the

Korangal Valley Korangal Valley (alternatively spelled Korengal, Kurangal, Korangal; ps, کړنګل), also nicknamed "The Valley of Death" is a valley in the Dara-I-Pech District of Kunar Province, eastern Afghanistan. Agriculture and forestry The valle ...

, Waygal, Shuriak, and Wata Pour Valleys. During its rotation, the 2nd Battalion saw heavy combat throughout the area. The 3rd Squadron 61st Cavalry Regiment was also deployed to

and served during its rotation in Kunar and

Nuristan Nuristan, also spelled as Nurestan or Nooristan (Dari: ; Kamkata-vari: ), is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the eastern part of the country. It is divided into seven districts and is Afghanistan's least populous province, wi ...

Provinces. Task Force Destroyer saw intense combat, namely the

Battle of Kamdesh The Battle of Kamdesh took place during the war in Afghanistan. It occurred on October 3, 2009, when a force of 400 Taliban assaulted the American Combat Outpost ("COP") Keating near the town of Kamdesh in Nuristan Province in eastern Afghani ...

in which a combat outpost was attacked by over 300 insurgents in a complex attack 20 miles from the

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

border. For their bravery, on October 3, 2009, Bravo Troop 3-61 Cavalry became the most decorated unit of the Afghanistan War. The Battle of Kamdesh was the first in 50 years in which the Medal of Honor was given to two living servicemen. Some reports indicate that the US soldiers of 4th ID did not maintain their efforts in the fight and withdrew inside of buildings to wait for QRF to arrive from elements of 10th Mountain Division. In May 2010, elements of the 4th Brigade Combat Team began to redeploy to Fort Carson and immediately began assisting and training sister units for future contingency operations, as well as training for its own future combat deployments. 38 soldiers from the brigade died during the deployment. For its actions 4th Brigade Combat Team was awarded the

Valorous Unit Award The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...

, the second highest unit decoration awarded to United States Army units. Upon 4BCT redeploying to Fort Carson, the rest of the division was set to deploy to Afghanistan. The 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams also served in Afghanistan building on the efforts that were initiated by 4BCT. The 4th BCT has once again deployed in an advise and assist capacity, fulfilling the mission of training and preparing the Afghan Security Forces for the handover of all combat operations in the upcoming years. The 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams deployed to Afghanistan in support of

Operation Freedom's Sentinel Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS) was the official name used by the U.S. government for the mission succeeding Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in continuation of the War in Afghanistan as part of the larger Global War on Terrorism. Operation ...

in 2017.

Operation Inherent Resolve

Soldiers assigned to the 4th Infantry Division completed a nine-month deployment to Iraq in 2015, in support of

Operation Inherent Resolve Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...

. This operation supported the military intervention against the

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic ter ...

. In February 2015, troops from the division's 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team were deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria. In September 2021, troops from the division's 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team deployed to Erbil Air Base in Iraq following base closures for Operation Inherent Resolve.

Operation Freedom's Sentinel

In October 2015, the US Army announced that 1,000 troops from 4th Infantry Division's Combat Aviation Brigade would be sent to Afghanistan sometime in winter, with another 1,800 soldiers from the 4th ID's 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team deploying to Afghanistan in the spring 2016. On 12 August 2016, a U.S. Soldier from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th ID died from a noncombat-related injury in Kandahar.

Operation Atlantic Resolve

On 3 November 2016, the U.S. Army deployed some 4,000 soldiers from 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team to Europe in winter in support of

Operation Atlantic Resolve Operation Atlantic Resolve, though not a "named" operation, refers to military activities in response to Russian operations in Ukraine; mainly the War in Donbass. It was funded under the European Deterrence Initiative. In the wake of Russia's 2014 ...

- to help deter possible Russian aggression. The brigade will arrive in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

and will fan out across the continent, one battalion with M1 Abrams tanks will cover the Baltic region of

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, an ...

and

Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

, while another will operate in Germany. A mechanised infantry battalion with M2 Bradley troop carriers and M1 Abrams tanks will have a foothold in the Romanian and Bulgarian region, whilst Brigade headquarters will remain in Poland, along with an armoured cavalry unit and a field artillery battalion wielding self-propelled M109 Paladin howitzers.

List of Commanders

List of commanders of 4th Infantry Division (United States) This is a list of commanders of the 4th Infantry Division of the United States Army. Past commanders #MG George H. Cameron 3 December 1917 – 16 August 1918 #BG Benjamin A. Poore 16 August 1918 – 27 August 1918 #MG John L. Hines 27 Augu ...

Current structure

4th US Infantry Division - Organization 2021

The 4th Infantry Division consists of a division headquarters battalion, three brigade combat teams (two Stryker and one armored), a division artillery, a combat aviation brigade, and a division sustainment brigade: * 4th Infantry Division SSI

4th Infantry Division (Fort Carson, Colorado) ** 4th Infantry Division DUI

Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion ** 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team (Raiders) *** Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 1CavRegtDUI

2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (1st Regiment of Dragoons) *** 38th Infantry Regiment DUI

1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment (Rock of the Marne) *** 23rd Infantry Regiment DUI

2nd Battalion,

23rd Infantry Regiment The 23rd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. A unit with the same name was formed on 26 June 1812 and saw action in 14 battles during the War of 1812. In 1815 it was consolidated with the 6th, 16th, 22nd, ...

(Tomahawks) *** 9th_Infantry_Regiment_DUI

4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (Manchu) *** 12 FA Rgt DUI

2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment (Viking) *** 299 Eng Bn DUI

299th Brigade Engineer Battalion *** US Army 4th Support Battalion DUI

4th Brigade Support Battalion (Packhorse) ** 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (Mountain Warrior) *** Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company (Mountain GOAT) *** 61 Cav Rgt DUI

3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment (Destroyers) *** 12 Infantry Regiment DUI

1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment (Red Warriors) *** 12 Infantry Regiment DUI

2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment (Lethal Warriors) *** 41 Inf Regt DUI

1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Straight and Stalwart) *** 77FARegtDUI

2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment (Steel) *** 52 Eng Bn DUI

52nd Brigade Engineer Battalion (Patriots) *** US Army 704th Support Battalion DUI

704th Brigade Support Battalion (Blacksmiths) ** 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team (Iron) *** Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 10 CAV DUI

4th Squadron,

10th Cavalry Regiment The 10th Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army. Formed as a segregated African-American unit, the 10th Cavalry was one of the original "Buffalo Soldier" regiments in the post–Civil War Regular Army. It served in combat during t ...

(BlackJack) *** 66ArmorRegtDUI

1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment (Iron Knights) *** 68 Arm Rgt DUI

1st Battalion,

(Silver Lions) *** 8 Infantry Regiment DUI

1st Battalion,

(Fighting Eagles) ***

3rd Battalion,

(Pacesetters) *** US Army 588th Engineer Battalion DUI

588th Brigade Engineer Battalion (Lone Star) *** 64 Spt Bn DUI

64th Brigade Support Battalion (Mountaineers) ** 4th Infantry Division Artillery *** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery ** Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division (Ivy Eagles) *** 4 Avn Rgt DUI

Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 17thCavRegtDUI

6th Squadron (Attack/Reconnaissance),

17th Cavalry Regiment The 17th Cavalry Regiment is a historical organization within the United States Army that began as a regiment of cavalry after the Pancho Villa Expedition. The unit was constituted on 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 17th Cavalry at Fort ...

***

2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment *** 4 Avn Rgt DUI

3rd Battalion (Assault), 4th Aviation Regiment *** 4 Avn Rgt DUI

4th Battalion (Attack/Reconnaissance), 4th Aviation Regiment *** US Army 404th Support Battalion DUI

404th Aviation Support Battalion ** 43SustainmentBdeDUI

4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade (formerly known as 43rd Sustainment Brigade) *** Special Troops Battalion *** 68th cssb dui

68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion The 68th Division Sustainment Support Battalion (68th DSSB) is a U.S. Army support battalion stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. The Battalion motto is "Stagecoach, LET'S GO". The 68th Division Sustainment Support Battalion's current call sign i ...

Honors

Campaign participation credit

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

: #

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; pcd, Ainne) is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne. In 2019, it had a population of 531,345.Marne; #

; # Meuse-Argonne; #

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, ...

1918; #

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gra ...

1918 *

: #

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

(with arrowhead) (Except 3rd Brigade); # Northern France (Except 3rd Brigade); #

Rhineland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhinelands ...

(Except 3rd Brigade); #

Ardennes-Alsace The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...

(Except 3rd Brigade); #

Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the a ...

(Except 3rd Brigade); *Vietnam: # Counteroffensive, Phase II; # Counteroffensive, Phase III; # Tet Counteroffensive; # Counteroffensive, Phase IV; # Counteroffensive, Phase V; # Counteroffensive, Phase VI; # Tet 69/Counteroffensive; # Summer-Fall 1969; # Winter-Spring 1970; # Sanctuary Counteroffensive (Except 3rd Brigade); # Counteroffensive, Phase VII (Except 3rd Brigade). *

Operation Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

: #

Liberation of Iraq The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including ...

– 19 March 2003 to 1 May 2003. # Transition of Iraq – 2 May 2003 to 28 June 2004. # Iraqi Governance – 29 June 2004 to 15 December 2005. # National Resolution – 16 December 2005 to 9 January 2007. # Iraqi Surge - 10 January 2007 to 18 December 2008. #

Iraqi Sovereignty Iraqi or Iraqis (in plural) means from Iraq, a country in the Middle East, and may refer to: * Iraqi people or Iraqis, people from Iraq or of Iraqi descent * A citizen of Iraq, see demographics of Iraq * Iraqi or Araghi ( fa, عراقی), someone ...

– 1 January 2009 to 31 August 2010. # Operation New Dawn – 1 September 2010 to 31 December 2011. *

(Afghanistan): # Consolidation II – 1 October 2006 to 30 November 2009. # Consolidation III – 1 December 2009 to 30 June 2011. # Transition I – 1 July 2011 to 31 December 2014. *

– 15 June 2014 - TBD.

Decorations

# Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for PLEIKU PROVINCE (1st Brigade Only) # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for DAK TO DISTRICT (1st Brigade Only) #

Belgian Fourragere Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct langua ...

1940 # Cited in the

Order of the Day To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

of the Belgian Army for action in BELGIUM # Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the ARDENNES #

Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry ( vi, Anh-Dũng Bội-Tinh) is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal w ...

with Palm for VIETNAM 1966–1969 # Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1969–1970 #

Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal The Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal ( vi, Dân-Vụ Bội-Tinh) also known as the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal or Civil Actions Medal, is a military decoration of the former South Vietnamese government (1955–75). The medal was create ...

, First Class for VIETNAM 1966–1969 #

Army Superior Unit Award The Superior Unit Award is a decoration of the United States Army which is awarded in peacetime to any unit of the Army which displays outstanding meritorious performance of a difficult and challenging mission carried out under extraordinary circum ...

(Selected Units) for Force XXI Test and Evaluation (1995–1996) #

(1st Brigade Combat Team & Supporting units) for Operation Red Dawn, Iraq – 2003

Medal of Honor recipients

World War I

William Shemin William Shemin (October 14, 1896 – August 15, 1973) was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War I. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery in action at Vesle River, near Bazoches, France. On June 2, 2015, Elsie Shemin-Roth an ...

(posthumously)

World War II

* Marcario Garcia *

George L. Mabry, Jr. George Lafayette Mabry Jr. (September 14, 1917 – July 13, 1990) was a United States Army major general and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration for valor—the Medal of Honor—for heroism above and beyond the call ...

Bernard J. Ray ''Bernard James Ray'' (June 9, 1921 – November 17, 1944) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II during the Battle of Hurtgen ...

(posthumously) * Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (posthumously) *

Pedro Cano Pedro Cano (June 19, 1920 – June 24, 1952) was a World War II veteran who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat near Schevenhütte, Germany in December 1944. Cano was born in La Morita, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He moved to the Unit ...

(posthumously)

Vietnam War

Leslie Allen Bellrichard Leslie Allen Bellrichard (December 4, 1941 – May 20, 1967) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Biography Bellrichard j ...

(posthumously) * Thomas W. Bennett (posthumously) *

Donald W. Evans, Jr. Donald Ward Evans Jr. (July 23, 1943 – January 27, 1967) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Biography Evans joined t ...

(posthumously) *

Bruce Alan Grandstaff Bruce Alan Grandstaff (June 2, 1934 – May 18, 1967) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Biography Grandstaff joined the Ar ...

(posthumously) *

Dwight H. Johnson Dwight Hal Johnson (May 7, 1947 – April 30, 1971) a native of Detroit, Michigan, was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in January 1968 during the Vietnam War. Early life Johnson was born on May 7, 1947 ...

Phill G. McDonald Phill Gene McDonald (September 13, 1941 – June 7, 1968) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Biography McDonald joined the ...

(posthumously) *

David H. McNerney David Herbert McNerney (June 2, 1931 – October 10, 2010) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. A native of Massachusetts who ...

Franky Zoly Molnar Frankie may refer to: People * Frankie (musician), indie pop musician from Los Angeles, California * Frankie Abernathy (1981–2007), American MTV Real World cast member * Frankie Adams (born 1994), Samoan New Zealand actress *Frankie Avalon (bor ...

(posthumously) *

Anund C. Roark Anund Charles Roark (February 17, 1948 – May 16, 1968) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Biography Roark joined the Ar ...

(posthumously) *

Elmelindo R. Smith Sergeant First Class Elmelindo Rodrigues Smith (July 27, 1935 – February 16, 1967) was a United States Army soldier, of Hispanic- Asian descent, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War. Despite being se ...

(posthumously) *

Louis E. Willett Private First Class Louis Edward Willett (June 19, 1945 – February 15, 1967) was a soldier in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions during the Vietnam War as a member of Company C, 1st Battali ...

(posthumously)

Afghanistan War

Clinton L. Romesha Clinton LaVor Romesha (//; born August 17, 1981) is a retired United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Kamdesh in 2009 during the War in Afghanistan. Born into a family with a strong militar ...

Ty Carter Ty Michael Carter (born January 25, 1980) is a retired United States Army staff sergeant and a Medal of Honor recipient. He was awarded the United States Armed Forces' highest military honor for his actions during the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in ...

Florent A. Groberg Florent Ahmed Groberg (born May 8, 1983) is a French-American soldier, retired United States Army officer and civilian employee of the United States Department of Defense. Born in France to an American father and Algerian mother, he became a na ...

In popular culture

* 4th Infantry Division's shoulder patch—the Ivy Patch, is worn as a combat patch by two characters in the 1986 Vietnam War movie

Platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...

, by Sgt. Warren, portrayed by

Tony Todd Tony Todd (born December 4, 1954) is an American actor who made his debut as Sgt. Warren in the film ''Platoon'' (1986), and portrayed Kurn in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1990–1991) and ''Star Trek: Deep Space Ni ...

, and by Capt. Harris, portrayed by

Dale Dye Dale Adam Dye Jr. (born October 8, 1944) is an American actor, technical advisor, radio personality and writer. A decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, Dye is the founder and head of Warriors, Inc., a technical advisory company specializi ...

. * 4th Infantry Division has been mentioned in The Last of Us: Left Behind. * 4th Infantry Division was featured in the film, The Longest Day.

References

; Bibliography * King, M., M. Collins, and J. Nulton. ''To War with the 4th: A Century of Frontline Combat with the U.S. 4th Infantry Division, from the Argonne to the Ardennes to Afghanistan'' Philadelphia: Casemate, 2016. . (Issued in anticipation of the centennial anniversary of the formation of the 4th Infantry Division on 17 November 2017) * Fourth Infantry (Ivy) Division Association. ''4th Infantry "Ivy" Division''. Paducah, KY: Turner Pub, 1987. * Knapp, George W., and Gayle E. Knapp. ''A Chaplain's Duty: Faith and Courage on the Front Line : Letters from WWII : Chaplain George W. Knapp 4th Infantry Division''. Marietta, GA: Deeds Publishing, 2010. * United States. ''4th Infantry Division: Occupation of Germany, 1952''. Atlanta: A. Love, 1952. * United States. ''Famous Fourth: The Story of the 4th Infantry Division''. Stars and Stripes, 1945.

External links

4th Infantry Division Home Page
– official site.
4th Infantry Division for Vietnam Veterans
– unofficial site.
4th Infantry Division Association

Famous Fourth: The Story of the 4th Infantry Division (WWII unit history booklet)

Camp Greene Website

4th US Infantry Division World War II in Normandy Combat Film DVD June 1944

4th Infantry Division in World War II Europe Combat Film DVD, August–November 1944
* {{DEFAULTSORT:004 004th Infantry Division, U.S. Infantry Division, U.S. 004th 04 004th Infantry Division Infantry divisions of the United States Army in World War II Military units and formations established in 1917

World War I

Organization

St. Mihiel Offensive

Occupation duty

Interwar period

World War II

France

Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany

Order of battle

Casualties

Post War/Early Cold War

Vietnam War

Deployment table 1966–1970

Order of battle

Attached units

Casualties

Post Vietnam/Late Cold War and REFORGER

Force XXI

Iraq War

Significant OIF I operations

Subsequent Iraq Deployments

War in Afghanistan

Operation Inherent Resolve

Operation Freedom's Sentinel

Operation Atlantic Resolve

List of Commanders

Current structure

Honors

Campaign participation credit

Decorations

Medal of Honor recipients

World War I

World War II

Vietnam War

Afghanistan War

In popular culture

References

Further reading

External links