The 9th Infantry Division ("Old Reliables") is an inactive infantry 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, ...

. It was created as the 9th Division during World War I, but never deployed overseas. In later years, it would become an important unit of the U.S. Army during World War II and the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and ...

. It was also activated as a peacetime readiness unit from 1947 to 1962 at

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, and

Fort Carson Fort Carson is a United States Army post located directly south of Colorado Springs in El Paso, Pueblo, Fremont, and Huerfano counties, Colorado, United States. The developed portion of Fort Carson is located near the City of Colorado Spri ...

, Colorado, and from 1972 to 1991 as an active-duty infantry division at Fort Lewis, Washington. Nicknamed the "Old Reliables", the division was eventually deactivated in December 1991.

Insignia

The

shoulder sleeve insignia A shoulder sleeve insignia (often abbreviated SSI) is an embroidered patch worn on some uniforms of the United States Army. It is used by major formations of the U.S. Army; each formation has a unique formation patch. The U.S. Army is unique amon ...

is an octofoil resembling a heraldic design given to the ninth son of a family. This represents the son as a circle in the middle with eight brothers around him. The blue represents the infantry, the red the artillery with all the white making the colors of the flag of the United States of America.

World War I

The 9th Infantry Division was created on 18 July 1918 at Camp Sheridan, Alabama but did not serve overseas. Its units included Division Headquarters; the 17th Infantry Brigade (Headquarters and Headquarters Company; 45th Infantry Regiment; 67th Infantry Regiment; 26th Machine Gun Battalion); the 18th Infantry Brigade (Headquarters and Headquarters Company; 46th Infantry Regiment; 68th Infantry Regiment; 27th Machine Gun Battalion), the 9th Field Artillery Brigade ( 25th Field Artillery (75mm Gun); 26th Field Artillery (75mm Gun); 27th Field Artillery (155mm Howitzer); Ninth Trench Mortar Battery); 25th Machine Gun Battalion; 209th Engineer Regiment; 209th Field Signal Battalion; Division Trains (HQ Train and Military Police Company; 9th Sanitary Train; 9th Motor Supply Train, and Ninth Ammunition Train). The division was commanded by Colonel Charles C. Clark (July 1918 - September 1918), Maj. Gen. Willard A. Holbrook (September 1918 - October 1918), Brig. Gen. James E. Ryan (October 1918 - November 1918) acting, Maj. Gen. Willard A. Holbrook (November 1918 - February 1919)

Interwar period

The 9th Division was demobilized at Camp Sheridan, Alabama, on 15 February 1919. In 1921, because of funding cuts, the Army had decided to inactivate the 4th through 9th Divisions, except for one brigade and certain supporting elements of each division. When the 9th Division was reconstituted in the Regular Army on 24 March 1923, the 18th Infantry Brigade (

5th Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five. Fifth or The Fifth may refer to: * Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth" * Fifth column, a political term * Fifth disease, a contagious rash th ...

and 13th Infantry Regiments) along with several other elements were assigned as active units; They formed the core from which the remainder of the division would be reactivated in the event of war. The division was allotted to the First Corps Area for mobilization responsibility, and assigned to the

I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to: France * 1st Army Corps (France) * I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...

Camp Devens Fort Devens is a United States Army Reserve military installation in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Due to extensive environmental contamination it was ...

, Massachusetts, was designated as the mobilization and training station for the division upon reactivation. The division's inactive units were assigned to "active associate" units for mobilization purposes. The division headquarters was organized on 28 July 1926 as a Regular Army Inactive unit with

Organized Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. Since July 2020 ...

personnel at the Army Base, Boston, Massachusetts, and by mid-1927, most of the inactive units of the division were also organized as such.

World War II

*Activated: 1 August 1940 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. *Overseas: 11 December 1942 (Three organic combat teams participated in North African landings 8 November 1942) *Campaigns: Algeria-French Morocco,

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

Sicily Sicily ( it, Sicilia , ) is the list of islands in the Mediterranean, largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. The Strait of Messina divides it from the region of Calabria in Southern Italy. I ...

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 ...

, North France,

Rhineland Campaign The Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine, also known as the Siegfried Line campaign, was a phase in the Western European campaign of World War II. This phase spans from the end of the Battle of Normandy, or Operation Overlord, (25 August 19 ...

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 ...

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 ar ...

*Days of combat: 304 *Distinguished Unit Citations: 24 *Awards:

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

– 4;

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

– 76;

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...

– 3;

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an en ...

– 2,282;

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

– 19; DFC – 2;

Soldier's Medal The Soldier's Medal is an individual decoration of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926., Appendix 5, p. 126. The Army' Soldier's Medal is equiv ...

– 100;

Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

–6,593;

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

– 129 *Commanders: Col . Charles B. Elliott (August 1940), Brig. Gen. Francis W. Honeycutt (September 1940), Maj. Gen.

Jacob L. Devers Jacob Loucks Devers (; 8 September 1887 – 15 October 1979) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the 6th Army Group in the European Theater during World War II. He was involved in the development and adoption of numerous ...

(October 1940 – July 1941), Maj. Gen. Rene Edward De Russy Hoyle (August 1941 – July 1942), Maj. Gen.

Manton S. Eddy Lieutenant General Manton Sprague Eddy (May 16, 1892 – April 10, 1962) was a senior United States Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II. During the latter conflict he served with distinction, commanding the 9th Infantry ...

(August 1942 – August 1944), Maj. Gen. Louis A. Craig (August 1944 – May 1945), Brig. Gen. Jesse A. Ladd (May 1945 – February 1946), Maj. Gen. Horace L. McBride (March 1946 to inactivation) *Inactivated: 15 January 1947 *Reactivated: 15 July 1947 at Fort Dix, New Jersey *Inactivated: 31 January 1962 at Fort Carson, Colorado *Redesignated 1 February 1966 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 9th Infantry Division, and activated 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 Gea ...

, Kansas *Inactivated 25 September 1969 in Hawaii *Activated: 21 April 1972 at Fort Lewis, Washington *Inactivated: 15 December 1991 at Fort Lewis, Washington

Combat chronicle

The 9th Infantry Division was among the first U.S. combat units to engage in offensive ground operations during World War II. (The others were the 32nd and the 41st in the Pacific on

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torres ...

, Carlson's Raiders on Makin Island, the 1st Marine, and the Americal on

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the s ...

, and, alongside the 9th in

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

, were the 1st Infantry, 3rd Infantry and the 2nd Armored Divisions.) The 9th saw its first combat on 8 November 1942, when its elements landed at

Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques d ...

, Safi, and Port Lyautey, with the taking of Safi by the 3rd Battalion of the 47th Infantry Regiment standing as the first liberation of a city from Axis control in World War II. With the collapse of French resistance on 11 November 1942, the division patrolled the Spanish Moroccan border. The 9th returned to Tunisia in February and engaged in small defensive actions and patrol activity. On 28 March 1943 it launched an attack in southern Tunisia and fought its way north into

Bizerte Bizerte or Bizerta ( ar, بنزرت, translit=Binzart , it, Biserta, french: link=no, Bizérte) the classical Hippo, is a city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia. It is the northernmost city in Africa, located 65 km (40mil) north of the cap ...

, 7 May. In August, the 9th landed at

Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The city is noted for its h ...

, and took part in the capture of

Randazzo Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. Randazzo ( scn, Rannazzu) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, southern Italy. It is situated at the northern foot of Mount Etna, c. northwest of Catania. It is the nearest tow ...

and

Messina Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 inhabitants in t ...

. Sent to England for further training, the division landed on

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 ...

on 10 June 1944 (D plus 4), cut off 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 ...

, drove on to

Cherbourg Harbour Cherbourg Harbour (French: ''rade de Cherbourg''; literally, the " roadstead of Cherbourg"), is a harbour situated at the northern end of the Cotentin Peninsula, on the English Channel coastline, in Normandy, northwestern France. With a surface ...

and penetrated the port's heavy defenses. 36th AIR 9th ID Geich Dec1944

Following a brief rest in July, the division took part in the St. Lo break-through and in August helped close the Falaise Gap. Turning east, the 9th crossed the

Marne Marne can refer to: Places France *Marne (river), a tributary of the Seine *Marne (department), a département in northeastern France named after the river * La Marne, a commune in western France *Marne, a legislative constituency (France) Nether ...

, 28 August, swept through

Saarlautern Saarlouis (; french: link=no, Sarrelouis, ; formerly Sarre-Libre and Saarlautern) is a town in Saarland, Germany, capital of the district of Saarlouis. In 2020, the town had a population of 34,409. Saarlouis, as the name implies, is located on th ...

, and in November and December held defensive positions from

Monschau Monschau (; french: Montjoie, ; wa, Mondjoye) is a small resort town in the Eifel region of western Germany, located in the Aachen district of North Rhine-Westphalia. Geography The town is located in the hills of the North Eifel, within the ...

to Losheim. Moving north to Bergrath, Germany, it launched an attack toward the

Roer The Rur or Roer (german: Rur ; Dutch and li, Roer, , ; french: Rour) is a major river that flows through portions of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. It is a right (eastern) tributary to the Meuse ( nl, links=no, Maas). About 90 perc ...

, 10 December, taking Echtz and Schlich. From mid-December through January 1945, the division held defensive positions from Kalterherberg to Elsenborn. On 30 January the division jumped off from Monschau in a drive across the Roer and to the

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

, crossing at

Remagen Remagen ( ) is a town in Germany in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. It is about a one-hour drive from Cologne, just south of Bonn, the former West German capital. It is situated on the left (western) bank of th ...

, 7 March. After breaking out of the Remagen bridgehead, the 9th assisted in the sealing and clearing of the Ruhr Pocket, then moved 150 miles (240 km) east to Nordhausen (where it assisted in the liberation of the local concentration camp) and attacked in the

Harz Mountains The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German ...

, 14–20 April. On 21 April the Division relieved the 3d Armored Division along the

Mulde River The Mulde () is a river in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is a left tributary of the Elbe and is long. The river is formed by the confluence, near Colditz, of the Zwickauer Mulde (running through Zwickau) and the Freiberger Mulde (wit ...

, near

Dessau Dessau is a town and former municipality in Germany at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the '' Bundesland'' (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it has been part of the newly created municipality of Dessau-Roßla ...

, and held that line until

VE-day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...

Assignments in Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO)

*previous: II Corps *May 1943: I Armored Corps

Assignments in European Theater of Operations (ETO)

*20 November 1943: First Army *25 November 1943:

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 * VI ...

*1 August 1944: VII Corps, First Army,

12th Army Group The Twelfth United States Army Group was the largest and most powerful United States Army formation ever to take to the field, commanding four field armies at its peak in 1945: First United States Army, Third United States Army, Ninth United Sta ...

*26 October 1944:

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 A ...

*6 December 1944: VII Corps *18 December 1944: V Corps *20 December 1944: Attached, with the entire First Army, to the

British 21st Army Group The 21st Army Group was a British headquarters formation formed during the Second World War. It controlled two field armies and other supporting units, consisting primarily of the British Second Army and the First Canadian Army. Established in ...

*18 January 1945: V Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group *17 February 1945: III Corps *31 March 1945: VII Corps *4 April 1945: III Corps *14 April 1945: VII Corps

Order of battle

* Headquarters, 9th Infantry Division * 39th Infantry Regiment * 47th Infantry Regiment * 60th Infantry Regiment * Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 9th Infantry Division Artillery **26th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) **34th Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm) **60th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) **84th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) * 15th Engineer Combat Battalion * 9th Medical Battalion * 9th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) * Headquarters, Special Troops, 9th Infantry Division ** Headquarters Company, 9th Infantry Division ** 709th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company ** 9th Quartermaster Company ** 9th Signal Company ** Military Police Platoon ** Band * 9th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment

Statistics

= Chronology

= *Activated 1 August 1940 *Arrived UK 27 November 1943 *Arrived Continent (D+4) 10 June 1944 *Entered Combat 14 June 1944 (First elements in combat in North Africa 8 November 1942; entire division entered combat 26 March 1943) *Days in Combat 264

= Casualties

= *Total battle casualties: 23,277Army 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: 3,856 *Wounded in action: 17,416 *Missing in action: 357 *Prisoner of war: 1,648

= Campaigns

= * Algeria-French Morocco (

Arrowhead device The Arrowhead device is a miniature bronze arrowhead that may be worn on campaign, expedition, and service medals and ribbons to denote participation in an amphibious assault landing, combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, or combat gl ...

) *

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

* Northern France * Rhineland *

= Individual awards

= #Medal of Honor: 4 #Distinguished Service Cross: 86 #Legion of Merit: 6 #Silver Star: 1,789 #Soldier's Medal: 55 #Bronze Star: 5,518 #Distinguished Flying Cross: 1 #Air Medal: 124

= Unit awards

= *

Presidential Unit Citation, Division Artillery Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, for 21–23 February 1943 ( WD GO 115, 1946) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, Military Police Platoon, for 9–15 March 1943 (WD GO 84, 1945) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, Company B, 9th Medical Battalion, for 8–19 March 1945 (WD GO 65, 1946) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 15th Engineer Combat Battalion, for 14 September-23 October 1944 (WD GO 67, 1946) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, Company B, 15th Engineer Combat Battalion, for 8–19 March 1945 (WD GO 65, 1946) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 34th Field Artillery Battalion, for 21–23 February 1943 (WD GO 51, 1946) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 1st Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, for 18 June 1944 (WD GO 10, 1945) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, for 11–12 July 1944 (WD GO 24, 1945) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 1st Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, for 6–9 August 1944 (WD GO 10, 1945) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, for 21–26 June 1944 (WD GO 86, 1944) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 1st Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 47th Infantry Regiment, for 8–19 March 1945 (WD GO 65, 1946) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, for 2–5 April 1945 (WD GO 98, 1945) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, for 14–22 September 1944 (WD GO 139, 1946) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, for 24–28 November 1944 (DA GO 25, 1948) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 60th Field Artillery Battalion, for 21–23 February 1943 (WD GO 84, 1947) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, for 23–24 April 1943 (WD GO 1, 1944) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, for 16 June 1944 (WD GO 90, 1944) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, Cannon Company, 60th Infantry Regiment, for 21–23 February 1943 (WD GO 84, 1947) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, Medical Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, for 6 September 1944 (WD GO 12, 1945) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, Company B, 60th Infantry Regiment, for 12 December 1944 (WD GO 55, 1945) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, for 9–10 February 1945 (WD GO 68, 1945) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 60th Field Artillery Battalion, for 21–23 February 1943 (WD GO 84, 1947) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 84th Field Artillery Battalion (WD GO 51, 1946) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation, 84th Field Artillery Battalion (WD GO 65, 1946)

= Prisoners of war taken

= *Total: 130,000

Post World War II

The 9th Infantry Division was reactivated on 15 July 1947 at

Fort Dix, New Jersey 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 ...

and assumed a peacetime readiness and training role. In the 1950s, the division was stationed in

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 ...

. It later relocated to

Fort Carson, Colorado Fort Carson is a United States Army post located directly south of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, El Paso, Pueblo County, Colorado, Pueblo, Fremont County, Colorado, Fremont, and Huerfano County, Colorado, Huerfano counties, Colora ...

where it was inactivated on 31 January 1962.

Commanding generals

* Maj. Gen. William W. Eagles (15 July 1947 – 26 April 1948) * Maj. Gen. Arthur A. White (27 April 1948 – October 1949) * Maj. Gen. John M. Devine (October 1949 - September 1950) * Maj. Gen. William K. Harrison Jr. (September 1950 - February 1952) * Maj. Gen. Roderick R. Allen (February 1952 - June 1952) * Maj. Gen. Homer W. Kiefer (June 1952 - July 1953) * Maj. Gen. Cornelius E. Ryan (July 1953 - May 1954) * Maj. Gen. Donald P. Booth (May 1954 - November 1954) * Maj. Gen. Halley G. Maddox (November 1954 - June 1956) * Maj. Gen. Harry P. Storke (June 1956 - September 1957) * Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Crawford (September 1957 - March 1958) * Maj. Gen. Martin J. Morin (March 1958 - April 1959) * Brig. Gen. Richard A. Risden (April 1959 - March 1960) * Colonel Charles L. Heltman Jr. (March 1960 - May 1960) - acting * Brig. Gen. Ashton H. Manhart (May 1960 - February 1962) - Division inactivated

Vietnam War

The 9th Division was reactivated on 1 February 1966, and arrived in

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...

on 16 December 1966 from

, Kansas. On deployment the division was assigned to the III Corps Tactical Zone of Vietnam where it commenced operations in Dinh Tuong and Long An Provinces (6 January-31 May 1967) in Operation Palm Beach. Its area of operations was in the rivers and canals of the

Mekong Delta The Mekong Delta ( vi, Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long, lit=Nine Dragon River Delta or simply vi, Đồng Bằng Sông Mê Kông, lit=Mekong River Delta, label=none), also known as the Western Region ( vi, Miền Tây, links=no) or South-weste ...

from 1967 to 1972. Operating deep within the

Viet Cong , , war = the Vietnam War , image = FNL Flag.svg , caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green. , active ...

(VC)–controlled Delta, the Division was charged with protecting the area and its population against VC insurgents and ensuring the success of the South Vietnamese government's pacification program. Faced with unrelenting physical hardships, a tenacious enemy and the region's rugged terrain, the Division established strategies and quantifiable goals for completing their mission. 9th Infantry Division HQ, Dong Tam, July 1968

9th Infantry Division HQ, Dong Tam, July 1968

Division commanding generals were: Maj. Gen. George S. Eckhardt (February 1966 - June 1967), Maj. Gen. George G. O'Connor (June 1967 - February 1968), Maj. Gen.

Julian Ewell Julian Johnson Ewell (November 5, 1915 – July 27, 2009) was a career United States Army officer who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He commanded the 9th Infantry Division and II Field Force in Vietnam, and attain ...

(February 1968 - April 1969), Maj. Gen. Harris W. Hollis (April 1969 - August 1969) The infantry units that served with the 9th Infantry Division were: Fire Support Base Danger March 1969

*2d Battalion, 39th Infantry *3d Battalion, 39th Infantry *4th Battalion, 39th Infantry *2d Battalion, 47th Infantry (Mechanized) *3d Battalion, 47th Infantry (Riverine) *4th Battalion, 47th Infantry (Riverine) *2d Battalion, 60th Infantry *3d Battalion, 60th Infantry (Riverine) *5th Battalion, 60th Infantry (Mechanized Dec. 1966 – 12 September 1968; Infantry 13 September 1968 – October 1970) *6th Battalion, 31st Infantry Other units included: * Company E, 50th Infantry (reflagged Co. E, 75th Inf (Ranger)), 2 December 1967 – Aug 1969 * Company E, 75th Infantry, Oct 1969 – Oct 1970 * 3d Squadron, 5th Cavalry, Feb 1967 – Nov 1971 * 9th Aviation Battalion, Jan 1967 – Aug 1969 * 2d Battalion, 4th Artillery (105mm Howitzer), Jan 1967 – Oct 1970 * 1st Battalion, 11th Artillery (105mm Howitzer), Jan 1967 – Aug 1969 * 3d Battalion, 34th Artillery (105mm Howitzer)(Riverine), Dec 1966 – Jul 1969 (Riverine) * 1st Battalion, 84th Artillery (155mm Howitzer/8-inch Howitzer), Feb 1967 – Aug 1969 * 15th Engineer Battalion, Oct 1966 – Aug 1969 * 571st Engineer Company, Oct 1969 – Oct 1970 * 9th Medical Battalion, 4 January 1967 – 18 August 1969 * 9th Signal Battalion, 19 December 1966 – 19 August 1969 * 9th Supply and Transport Battalion, 16 December 1966 – 23 August 1969 * 709th Maintenance Battalion, 26 January 1967 – 20 August 1969 * 9th Adjutant General Company, 30 December 1966 – 26 August 1969 * 9th Military Police Company, 19 December 1966 – 25 September 1969 * 335th Army Security Agency Company (a.k.a. "335th Radio Research Unit"), 12 January 1967 – 5 April 1971 * 99th Support Battalion, 1 October 1969 – 12 October 1970 * 493 Military Intelligence Detachment, 3/9th Inf Div, 19 December 1966 - 20 August 1970 One of the experimental units serving with the division was the 39th Cavalry Platoon (Air Cushion Vehicle) which used three of the specially designed

hovercraft A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious craft capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces. Hovercraft use blowers to produce a large volume of air below the hull, or air cushion, ...

to patrol marshy terrain like the

Plain of Reeds Plain of Reeds (in vi, Đồng Tháp Mười) is an inland wetland in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Most of the wetlands are within Long An Province and Đồng Tháp Province. Physical characteristics Đồng Tháp Mười is a "back swamp" forming ...

along the south Vietnamese/Cambodian border. Other experimental units were the 1st and 2nd Airboat Platoons, which operated Hurricane Aircat

airboat An airboat (also known as a planeboat, swamp boat, bayou boat, or fanboat) is a flat-bottomed watercraft propelled by an aircraft-type propeller and powered by either an aircraft or automotive engine. In early aviation history the term ''airboat ...

s. From 1967 on, one of the division's brigades (the 2d Brigade) was the Army contingent of the

Mobile Riverine Force In the Vietnam War, the Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) (after May 1967), initially designated Mekong Delta Mobile Afloat Force, and later the Riverines, were a joint US Army and US Navy force that comprised a substantial part of the brown-water n ...

(MRF). This brigade lived on the ships of Navy Task Force 117, and were transported on their infantry missions throughout the Mekong Delta on Tango boats (converted

landing craft Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. Pr ...

) supported by various other armored boats. The MRF was often anchored near the South Vietnamese city of Mỹ Tho, or near the Division's

Đồng Tâm Base Camp Đồng Tâm Base Camp (also known as Đồng Tâm Army Airfield) is a former U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base west of Mỹ Tho in the Mekong Delta, southern Vietnam. History 1966–9 Đồng Tâm Base ...

and they conducted operations in coordination with the Navy SEAL teams, the South Vietnamese Marines, units of the ARVN 7th Division and River Assault Groups. Following the

Tet offensive The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was launched on January 30, 1968 by forces of the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) against the forces o ...

in 1968, General Westmoreland stated that the Division and the MRF saved the Delta region from falling to the

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 win ...

forces. In 1969, the division also operated throughout IV Corps.

Chuck Hagel Charles Timothy Hagel ( born October 4, 1946)Secretary of Defense, served in the 9th ID from 1967 to 1968. Holding the rank of

Sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other un ...

(E-5), he served as an infantry

squad leader ''Squad Leader'' is a tactical wargames, tactical level board war game originally published by Avalon Hill in 1977. It was designed by John Hill (game designer), John Hill and simulates on infantry combat in Europe during World War II. One of th ...

. Hagel served in the same infantry squad as his younger brother Tom, and they are believed to be the only American siblings to do so during the Vietnam War."The private war of Chuck and Tom Hagel
by

Myra MacPherson Myra MacPherson (born 1934) is an American author, biographer, and journalist known for writing about politics, the Vietnam War, feminism, and death and dying. Although her work has appeared in many publications, she had a long affiliation with ...

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

, 30 April 2007. In the 1994 film ''

Forrest Gump ''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson and ...

'', the eponymous

main character A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

was a member of the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam, notably: 4th Platoon, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry. The Division's major units departed South Vietnam on 27 August 1969 (HHC & 1st Brigade) to Hawaii; 27 August 1969 (2nd Brigade) to Fort Lewis, Washington; 12 October 1970 (3rd Brigade) to Fort Lewis.

Post Vietnam

9th Infantry Division

Following the Vietnam War the division was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington. The formal activation ceremony was held on 26 May 1972. Initially the division was organized under the army's Reorganization Objective Army Division system. Parts of the division between 1972 - 1983 were organized as follows: ** 9th Cavalry Brigade (Air Attack) (activated 18 December 1980) *** 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry *** 9th Aviation Battalion (activated 21 April 1972) *** 268th Attack Helicopter Battalion (activated 1 September 1981) *** Company A, 214th Aviation Battalion (activated 1 July 1981) ** Division Artillery (activated 21 June 1972) *** 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery (activated 21 October 1972) *** 1st Battalion, 11th Field Artillery (activated 21 July 1972) *** 3rd Battalion, 34th Field Artillery (activated 21 October 1972) *** 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery (activated 21 October 1972) *** Battery E, 333rd Field Artillery (activated 21 November 1977) ** Division Support Command *** Division Material Management Center *** 9th Medical Battalion *** 9th Supply & Transportation Battalion *** 709th Maintenance Battalion *** 9th Adjutant General Company *** 9th Finance Company *** 9th Division Band *** 100th Ordnance Detachment ** 1st Battalion, 67th Air Defense Artillery (activated 13 September 1972 - 1 April 1979) ** 1st Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery (activated 1 April 1979) ** 9th Signal Battalion (activated 21 June 1972) ** 15th Engineer Battalion (activated 21 June 1972) ** 109th Military Intelligence Battalion (activated 1 October 1981) *** Company A (former 335th Army Security Agency Company (activated 21 December 1977 - reorganized 1 October 1981) *** Company B (former 9th Military Intelligence Company (activated 21 December 1972 - reorganized 1 October 1981) ** 9th Chemical Company (activated 1 September 1981) ** 9th Military Police Company

9th Infantry Division (Motorized)

From 1983 the division served as the High-Technology Test-Bed (HTTB) for the army. This led to the division to develop the concept of "motorized infantry" from 1983 onward. The motorized infantry division was to be equipped with enhanced technology to give it deployability and fire power and fill the gap between light and heavy divisions. The idea was to create a lighter version of the armored and mechanized divisions, which could be deployed easily by aircraft, while providing more firepower than a light infantry division. Initially the vision was to create three motorized brigades with three new types of infantry battalion: * Light Attack Battalion * Combined Arms Battalion Light * Combined Arms Battalion Heavy The light attack battalions utilized the Fast Attack Vehicles (FAV - later re-designated the

Desert Patrol Vehicle The Desert Patrol Vehicle (DPV), formerly called the Fast Attack Vehicle (FAV), is a high-speed, lightly armored sandrail-like vehicle first used in combat during the Gulf War in 1991. Due to their dash speed and off-road mobility, the DPVs were ...

). Essentially a

Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand post- ...

-engined dune buggy mounted with either a 40mm

Mk 19 grenade launcher The Mk 19 grenade launcher (pronounced Mark 19) is an American 40 mm belt-fed automatic grenade launcher that was first developed during the Vietnam War. Overview The Mk 19 is a belt-fed, blowback-operated, air-cooled, crew-serve ...

or .50 caliber

M2 Browning machine gun The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. Its design is similar to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, ...

. The FAV was designed to provide highly mobile firepower that could attack the flanks of heavier mechanized units. Some variants also mounted TOW missiles. All of these weapons systems were attached to the FAV by a mount designed to break away if the vehicle rolled over, which they were prone to do. The FAVs were problematic at best and were eventually replaced by various versions of the

Humvee The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of light, four-wheel drive, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the or ...

/HMMWV light truck. The combined arms battalions were organized as a mix of assault gun companies and light motorized infantry companies, with the heavy battalions fielding two assault gun companies and one light motorized infantry company, while the ratio was reversed in the light battalions. The assault gun companies were to be equipped with the

Armored Gun System The Armored Gun System (AGS) was a U.S. Army competition in the 1990s to design a light tank to replace the M551 Sheridan and TOW-equipped HMMWVs. It was the ultimate incarnation of several research programs run in the 1970s with the aim of provi ...

(AGS), but because of delays in the AGS program they were initially equipped with M901 ITVs Improved Tow Vehicles, then

M551 Sheridan The M551 "Sheridan" AR/AAV ( Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle) was a light tank developed by the United States and named after General Philip Sheridan, of American Civil War fame. It was designed to be landed by parachute and to sw ...

light tank A light tank is a tank variant initially designed for rapid movements in and out of combat, to outmaneuver heavier tanks. It is smaller in size with thinner armor and a less powerful main gun, tailored for better tactical mobility and ease o ...

s and later with

s with TOW missiles or Mk 19 grenade launchers. Light motorized infantry companies were equipped with Humvees mounting a Mk 19 grenade launcher. Each combined arms battalion also fielded a combat support company equipped with mortars, scouts, and an anti-armor platoon slated to be equipped with Humvees mounting a ground version of the Hellfire missile. As this Hellfire version never entered service, the platoons were later also equipped with Humvees with TOW missiles. The division's first and third brigade were to field one of each of the three new battalions, while the second brigade would field three combined arms battalions heavy. The third brigade was to field one light and one heavy combined arms battalion and the 9th Cavalry Brigade two attack helicopter battalions, one combat support aviation battalion, and one cavalry reconnaissance squadron. The division artillery would consist of three battalions equipped with M198 155mm towed howitzers, one light artillery rocket battalion with M102 105mm towed howitzers and

M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (M270 MLRS) is an American-developed armored, self-propelled, multiple rocket launcher. The U.S. Army variant of the MLRS vehicle is based on the chassis of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The first M270s wer ...

s, and one target acquisition battery. The division support command would field three forward support, one cavalry support and one main support battalion. However, because of the delay of the Armored Gun System the division did only activate four of the envisioned five combined arms battalions heavy and retained the 2nd Battalion, 77th Armor instead. Parts of the division were organized at the end of the 1980s as follows: ** 9th Cavalry Brigade (Air Attack) *** 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry *** 9th Aviation Battalion *** 268th Attack Helicopter Battalion *** Company A, 214th Aviation Battalion ** Division Artillery *** 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery *** 1st Battalion, 11th Field Artillery *** 3rd Battalion, 34th Field Artillery *** 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery *** Battery E, 333rd Field Artillery ** Division Support Command *** 1st Support Battalion (Forward) *** 2nd Support Battalion (Forward) *** 3rd Support Battalion (Forward) *** 4th Support Battalion (Aviation) *** 5th Support Battalion (Main) ** 1st Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery ** 9th Signal Battalion ** 15th Engineer Battalion ** 109th Military Intelligence Battalion ** 9th Chemical Company ** 9th Military Police Company ** 9th Division Band In case of war with the

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republi ...

the division's would have reinforced the

Allied Forces Baltic Approaches Allied Forces Baltic Approaches (BALTAP) was a Principal Subordinate Command (PSC) of the NATO Military Command Structure, with responsibility for the Baltic Sea area. It was in existence from 1962 to 2002 and consisted of the Danish Armed Force ...

Command defending

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , established ...

. By 1984 the 9th Cavalry Brigade (Air Attack) was testing motorcycles for reconnaissance work in its reconnaissance squadron, the 3rd Squadron,

5th Cavalry Regiment The 5th Cavalry Regiment ("Black Knights") is a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service on August 3, 1861, when an act of Congress enacted "that the two regiments of dragoons, the regiment of mounted riflemen, and the t ...

. And the 9th Infantry Division (MTZ) tested motorized infantry doctrine at the Yakima Firing Center in Eastern Washington, at the

National Training Center Fort Irwin National Training Center (Fort Irwin NTC) is a major training area for the United States military in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of . It is located northeast o ...

Fort Irwin Fort Irwin National Training Center (Fort Irwin NTC) is a major training area for the United States military in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of . It is located northeast o ...

California and in Korea during the annual

Team Spirit Team Spirit was a joint military training exercise of United States Forces Korea and the Military of South Korea The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forc ...

exercise. While the motorized units performed well they were vulnerable to heavier mechanized forces, particularly if forced to stand and fight. They were also extremely vulnerable to indirect (artillery) fires. On 1 April 1984, Echo Company of the 15th Engineer Battalion reorganized to form the 73rd Engineer Company (Assault Ribbon Bridge), which was assigned to I Corps, which in turn attached it as separate company to the 15th Engineer Battalion. With the switch from

Combat Arms Regimental System The Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), was the method of assigning unit designations to units of some of the combat arms branches of the United States Army, including Infantry, Special Forces, Field Artillery, and Armor, from 1957 to 1981. ...

to the

United States Army Regimental System The United States Army Regimental System (USARS) is an organizational and classification system used by the United States Army. It was established in 1981 to replace the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) to provide each soldier with continu ...

the division saw a few of its units reflagged or inactivated: * 15 September 1986: Company A, 214th Aviation Battalion inactivated * 2 October 1986: 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery to 3rd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery * 2 October 1986: 3rd Battalion, 34th Field Artillery to 6th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery * 16 March 1987: 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry to 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry * 16 April 1987: 2nd Battalion, 77th Armor to 1st Battalion, 33rd Armor * 1987: 9th Aviation Battalion to 1st Battalion, 9th Aviation * 1987: 268th Attack Helicopter Battalion to 2nd Battalion, 9th Aviation * 16 March 1988: 1st Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery to 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery * unknown date: ** 1st Support Battalion (Forward) to 99th Support Battalion ** 2nd Support Battalion (Forward) to 109th Support Battalion ** 3rd Support Battalion (Forward) to 209th Support Battalion ** 4th Support Battalion (Aviation) to 3rd Battalion, 9th Aviation ** 5th Support Battalion (Main) to 709th Support Battalion (Main) During fiscal year 1987 the army decided to inactivate the division's 2nd brigade, which would be replaced by the 81st Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) of the

Washington Army National Guard The Washington Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the Washington National Guard based in Washington. The history of the Washington Army National Guard dates back to 1854 with formation of the Washington Territorial ...

. The 2nd brigade was inactivated on 15 August 1988 along with the following units: * 2nd Combined Arms Battalion Heavy, 47th Infantry * 3rd Combined Arms Battalion Heavy, 60th Infantry * 6th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery (inactivated 15 September 1988) * 209th Support Battalion On the same date the 1st Battalion, 33rd Armor, which until then had been attached to the division, was assigned to the division. With the inactivation of the 2nd brigade the remaining units were reassigned among the remaining brigades: 1st brigade now consisted of 2nd Combined Arms Battalion Heavy, 2nd Infantry, 1st Battalion, 33rd Armor, and 4th Combined Arms Battalion Light, 23rd Infantry. 3rd brigade consisted of 2nd Light Attack Battalion, 1st Infantry, 3rd Combined Arms Battalion Light, 47th Infantry, and 2nd Combined Arms Battalion Heavy, 60th Infantry. The 2nd Combined Arms Battalion Heavy, 23rd Infantry was assigned to the 9th Cavalry Brigade.

Organization 1988

McGrath writes that the 9th Infantry Division was organized as follows in 1988: * 9th Infantry Division (Motorized), Fort Lewis, WA ** Headquarters & Headquarters Company ** 1st Brigade *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 33rd Armor *** 2nd Combined Arms Battalion Heavy, 2nd Infantry *** 4th Combined Arms Battalion Light, 23rd Infantry ** 3rd Brigade *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 2nd Light Attack Battalion, 1st Infantry *** 3rd Combined Arms Battalion Light, 47th Infantry *** 2nd Combined Arms Battalion Heavy, 60th Infantry ** 81st Infantry Brigade (Mechanized), (

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of ...

, WA *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 303rd Armor *** 1st Battalion, 803rd Armor *** 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry (Mechanized) *** 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry (Mechanized) *** 2nd Battalion, 146th Field Artillery ( M109 155mm self-propelled howitzers) *** 181st Support Battalion *** Troop E, 303rd Cavalry *** 898th Engineer Company *** Battery D, 216th Air Defense Artillery (

Minnesota Army National Guard The Minnesota Army National Guard, along with the Minnesota Air National Guard, is an element of the Minnesota National Guard. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In ...

) - did not exist after 1993 ** 9th Cavalry Brigade (Air Combat) *** Headquarters & Headquarters Troop *** 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry (8 × AH-1F Cobra, 12 × OH-58C Kiowa, 2 × UH-60A Black Hawk) *** 2nd Battalion, 9th Aviation (30 × UH-60A Black Hawk & 16 ×

CH-47D Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, C ...

) *** 1st Battalion, 9th Aviation (21 × AH-1F Cobra & 13 × OH-58C Kiowa, a second attack helicopter battalion was scheduled to be activated) *** 2nd Combined Arms Battalion Heavy, 47th Infantry ** Division Artillery *** Headquarters & Headquarters Battery *** 1st Battalion, 11th Field Artillery (18 × M198 155mm towed howitzers) *** 3rd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery (18 × M198 155mm towed howitzer) *** 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery (12 × M102 105mm towed howitzer & 9 ×

s) *** Battery E, 333rd Field Artillery (Target Acquisition, AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder & AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder radars) ** Division Support Command *** 3rd Battalion, 9th Aviation *** 99th Support Battalion (Forward) (supports 3rd Brigade) *** 109th Support Battalion (Forward) (supports 1st Brigade) *** 709th Support Battalion (Main) ** 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery ** 15th Engineer Battalion ** 9th Signal Battalion ** 109th Military Intelligence Battalion ** 9th Chemical Company ** 9th Military Police Company ** 73rd Engineer Company (Assault Ribbon Bridge) ** 9th Division Band In fiscal year 1989

Chief of Staff of the United States Army The chief of staff of the Army (CSA) is a statutory position in the United States Army held by a general officer. As the highest-ranking officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, the chief is the principal military advisor and a ...

General Carl E. Vuono approved the conversion of the division's two combined arms battalions light to standard mechanized infantry battalions.

Inactivation

The division was the first to undergo full inactivation following the end of the Cold War. Army leadership at first decided that inactivating units would turn in all of their equipment at "10/20" standard – in ready and reusable condition. The division struggled to meet this standard. It required both extensive work on the part of the division's soldiers and high costs in repair parts. While the remaining 9th ID soldiers were ultimately successful, later inactivating units were not required to attain this goal. The inactivation of the division began on 28 September 1990 with the inactivation of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry, and 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry. The 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery inactivated on 15 January 1991. As inactivation proceeded, elements and individual Soldiers from the division were detached and deployed for service in the Gulf War. On 16 February 1991 the 3rd Brigade was reflagged as 199th Infantry Brigade (Motorized) with the following units: * 199th Infantry Brigade (Motorized), Fort Lewis ** Headquarters & Headquarters Company ** 1st Battalion, 33rd Armor ** 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry ** 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry ** 1st Battalion, 11th Field Artillery ** 99th Support Battalion (Forward) ** Troop A, 9th Cavalry (rest of 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry disbanded on the same date) ** 102nd Engineer Company (Company D, 15th Engineer Battalion) ** 9th Chemical Company ** Battery E, 44th Air Defense Artillery (rest of 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery disbanded on the same date) The remainder of the division's units inactivated on the following dates: * 15 February 1991: 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry * 15 April 1991: 15th Engineer Battalion * 15 May 1991: 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry * 15 July 1991: 9th Signal Battalion and Battery E, 333rd Field Artillery * 15 September 1991: 109th Military Intelligence Battalion With the support and aviation units inactivating in the same timeframe. The divisional headquarters remained active until 15 December 1991.Dinackus 2000, page 11-3. The 3rd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery became a General Support battalion of I Corps Artillery. Though it was inactivated, the division was identified as the second highest priority inactive division in the

United States Army Center of Military History The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...

's lineage scheme due to its numerous accolades and long history. All of the division's flags and heraldic items were moved to the National Infantry Museum 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 employees ...

, Georgia following its inactivation. Should the U.S. Army decide to activate more divisions in the future, the center stated its activation recommendations would be the 9th Infantry Division, then the 24th Infantry Division, the 5th Infantry Division, and the 2nd Armored Division. The 7th Infantry Division, previously inactivated, resumed service as an administrative headquarters at

Joint Base Lewis–McChord Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM) is a U.S. military installation home to I Corps and 62nd Airlift Wing located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Headquarters, Joint Base Lewis–M ...

in 2012.

References

Bibliography

* - ''Public Domain - United States Government'' *

External links