1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division is a mountain warfare
infantry
Brigade Combat Team
of the United States Army
based at Fort Drum
, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the 10th Mountain Division.
Formed as the 10th Mountain Division's original headquarters company, the brigade traces its lineage through the division's fight through Italy
in World War II
and afterwards, as it commanded a training division and then an infantry division which briefly deployed to Europe.
1st Bde was reactivated 11 April 1986 at Fort Drum, New York. The 1st Brigade is the Command and Control Headquarters for Task Force Warrior, consisting of its organic battalions 1–32nd Infantry, 1–87th Infantry, and 2–22nd Infantry. The principal units that have been assigned to TF Warrior during Division Ready Brigade missions, off post deployments, and major exercises have been the 3–6th Field Artillery, 10th Forward Support Battalion, A/3-62nd Air Defense Artillery, A/41st Engineer, A/110th Military Intelligence, A/10th Signal Battalion, and 1st PLT/10th Military Police Battalion.
the 10th Mountain Division's first brigade and its elements saw numerous deployments to contingencies around the world in the 1990s. With the War on Terrorism
the brigade has seen two deployments, one to Afghanistan
to support Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003, and one to Iraq
to support Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. The Brigade Combat Team is scheduled for a third deployment, returning to Iraq in fall of 2009, but the deployment was canceled on 16 October 2009. http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/ap_10th_mountain_deployment_iraq_101609/ It is now deployed in Afghanistan (9 March 2010) and is scheduled to return to garrison in late January 2011/early February 2011.
The Brigade consists of six subordinate battalions; its combat element consists of two infantry battalions, the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment
and the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment. The 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment provides armored reconnaissance services to the Brigade Combat Team, while the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment provides field artillery support. The brigade's Headquarters and command services are provided by 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Special Troops Battalion
. All supporting services for the brigade are provided by the 10th Brigade Support Battalion. All of these battalions are located at Fort Drum with most of the rest of the 10th Mountain Division.
The 10th Light Division (Alpine) was constituted on 10 July 1943 and activated two days later at Camp Hale
, Colorado
. The division was centered around regimental commands; the 85th Infantry Regiment
, 86th Infantry Regiment
, and 87th Infantry Regiment. Also assigned to the division were the 604th, 605th, and 616th Field Artillery battalions, the 110th Signal Company, the 710th Ordanance Companay, the 10th Quartermaster Company, the 10th Reconnaissance Troop, the 126th Engineer Battalion, the 10th Medical Battalion, and the 10th Counter-Intelligence Detachment. The 10th Light Division was unique in that it was the only division in the Army with three field artillery battalions instead of four.
The division trained for one year at the 9,200 foot high Camp Hale. Soldiers trained to fight and survive under the most brutal mountain conditions, fighting on skis and snow shoes and sleeping in the snow without tents. On 22 June 1944, the division was shipped to Camp Swift, Texas
to prepare for maneuvers in Louisiana
, which were later canceled. A period of acclimation to a low altitude and hot climate was necessary to prepare for this training. On 6 November 1944, the 10th Division was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division. That same month the blue and white "Mountain" tab was authorized for the division's new shoulder sleeve insignia.
The division sailed for Italy
in late 1944, arriving in Italy
on 6 January 1945. It was the last US Army Division to enter combat in World War II. It immediately entered combat near Cutigliano
and Orsigna. The division initially made a series of defensive maneuvers, then in conjunction with troops of a Brazilian Expeditionary Force, it assaulted German and Italian positions on 19 February 1945, in the Battle of Monte Castello
.
The unit made concerted attacks on the Monte Della Torraccia-Mount Belvedere sector and the peaks were cleared after several days of heavy fighting. In early March the division fought its way north of Canolle and moving to within 15 miles (24.1 km) of Bologna
. Maintaining defensive positions for the next three weeks, the division jumped off again in April, captured Mongiorgio on 20 April, and entered the Po Valley
, seizing the strategic points Pradalbino and Bomporto
. The 10th crossed the Po River
on 23 April, reaching Verona
25 April, and ran into heavy opposition at Torbole and Nago
. After an amphibious
crossing of Lake Garda
, it secured Gargnano
and Porto di Tremosine, 30 April, as German resistance in Italy ended. After the German surrender in Italy on 2 May 1945, the division went on security duty, receiving the surrender of various German units and screening the areas of occupation near Trieste
, Kobarid
, Bovec
and Log pod Mangartom
, Slovenia until V-E Day, the end of the war in Europe.
, the invasion of mainland Japan. However, Japan surrendered in August 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
. The division returned to the US two days later. It was demobilized and deactivated on 30 November 1945 at Camp Carson, Colorado.
During World War II
, the 10th Mountain Division suffered 992 killed in action
and 4,154 wounded in action
in 114 days of combat. Soldiers of the division were awarded one Medal of Honor
, three Distinguished Service Crosses
, one Distinguished Service Medal
, 449 Silver Star Medals, seven Legion of Merit
Medals, 15 Soldier's Medal
s, and 7,729 Bronze Star Medal
s. The division itself was awarded two campaign streamers.
, Kansas
to serve as a training division. Without its "Mountain" tab, the division served at the 10th Infantry Division for the next ten years. The division's main function was to process and train replacements in large numbers. This mission expanded with the outbreak of the Korean War
in 1950. By 1953, the division trained 123,000 new Army recruits at Fort Riley.
In 1954, the division converted to a combat division once again, though it did not regain its "Mountain" status. Using equipment from the deactivating 37th Infantry Division, the 10th Infantry Division was deployed to Germany, replacing the 1st Infantry Division at Würzburg
, serving as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization defensive force. The division served in Germany for four years, until it was rotated out and replaced by the 3rd Infantry Division. The division moved to Fort Benning, Georgia and was deactivated on 14 June 1958.
, the 27th Infantry Brigade. The division was specially designed as a light infantry
division able to rapidly deploy. Equipment design was oriented toward reduced size and weight for reasons of both strategic and tactical mobility. The division also received a distinctive unit insignia
.
Hurricane Andrew
struck South Florida on 24 August 1992, killing 13 people, leaving another 250,000 homeless and causing damages in excess of 20 billion dollars. On 27 September 1992, the 10th Mountain Division assumed responsibility for Hurricane Andrew disaster relief as Task Force
Mountain. Division soldiers set up relief camps, distributed food, clothing, medical necessities and building supplies, as well as helping to rebuild homes and clear debris. The last of the 6,000 division soldiers to deployed to Florida returned home in October 1992.
Steven L. Arnold, the division Commander, was named Army Forces commander. The 10th Mountain Division’s mission was to secure major cities and roads to provide safe passage of relief supplies to the Somali population suffering from the effects of the Somali Civil War
. Due to 10th Mountain Division efforts, humanitarian agencies declared an end to the food emergency and factional fighting decreased. When Task Force Ranger and the SAR team were pinned down during a raid in what later became known as the Battle of Mogadishu, 10th Mountain units provided infantry for the UN quick reaction force sent to rescue them. The 10th had 2 soldiers killed in the fighting, which was the longest sustained firefight by regular US Army forces since the Vietnam War
. The division began a gradual reduction of forces in Somalia in February 1993, until the last soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry returned to the United States in March, 1994.
The division formed the nucleus of the Multinational Force Haiti (MNF Haiti) and Joint Task Force 190 (JTF 190) in Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy
. More than 8,600 of the division's troops deployed during this operation. On 19 September 1994, the 1st Brigade conducted the Army’s first air assault
from an aircraft carrier
. This force consisted of 54 helicopters and almost 2,000 soldiers. They occupied the Port-au-Prince International Airport
. This was the largest Army air operation conducted from a carrier since the Doolittle Raid
in World War II.
The division’s mission was to create a secure and stable environment so the government of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
could be reestablished and democratic elections held. After this was accomplished, the 10th Mountain Division handed over control of the MNF-Haiti to the 25th Infantry Division on 15 January 1995. The Division redeployed the last of its soldiers who served in Haiti by 31 January 1995.
. Selected division units began deploying in late summer, approximately 3,000 division soldiers deployed. After successfully performing their mission in Bosnia, the division units conducted a Transfer of Authority, relinquishing their assignments to soldiers of the 49th Armored Division, Texas National Guard
. By early summer 2000, all 10th Mountain Division soldiers had returned safely to Fort Drum.
During the 2000 presidential campaign, the readiness of the 10th Mountain Division became a political issue when George W. Bush
asserted that the division was "not ready for duty." He attributed the division's low readiness to the frequent deployments throughout the 1990s without time in between for division elements to retrain and refit. A report from the US General Accounting Office in July 2000 also noted that although the entire 10th Mountain Division was not deployed to the contingencies at once, "deployment of key components—especially headquarters—makes these divisions unavailable for deployment elsewhere in case of a major war." Conservative think tank
The Heritage Foundation
agreed with these sentiments, charging that the US military overall was not prepared for war due to post-Cold War
drawdowns of the US military. The Army responded that, though the 10th Mountain Division had been unprepared following its deployment as Task Force Eagle, that the unit was fully prepared for combat by late 2000 despite being undermanned. Despite this, the Army moved the 10th Mountain Division down on the deployment list, allowing it time to retrain and refit.
In 2002, columnist and highly decorated military veteran David Hackworth again criticized the 10th Mountain Division for being unprepared due to lack of training, low physical fitness, unprepared leadership and low morale. He said the division was no longer capable of mountain warfare.
and the 1-87th Infantry, deployed to Afghanistan
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. These forces remained in the country until mid-2002, fighting to secure remote areas of the country and participating in prominent operations such as Operation Anaconda
, the Fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, and the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi
. The division also participated in fighting in the Shahi Khot Valley in 2002. Upon the return of the battalions, they were welcomed home and praised by President Bush.
In 2003, the division's headquarters, along with the 1st Brigade, returned to Afghanistan. During that time, they operated in the frontier regions of the country such as Paktika Province
, going places previously untouched by the war in search of Taliban and Al-Qaeda
forces. Fighting in several small-scale conflicts such as Operation Avalanche, Operation Mountain Resolve
, and Operation Mountain Viper
, the division maintained a strategy of small units moving through remote regions of the country to interact directly with the population and drive out insurgents. The 1st Brigade also undertook a number of humanitarian missions.
Upon the return of the division headquarters and 1st Brigade, the 10th Mountain Division began the process of transformation
into a modular division. On 16 September 2004, the division headquarters finished its transformation. The 1st Brigade became the 1st Brigade Combat Team
, while the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
was activated for the first time. In January 2005, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
was activated at Fort Polk
, Louisiana
. 2nd Brigade Combat Team would not be transformed until September 2005, pending a deployment to Iraq
.
In late 2004, 2nd Brigade Combat Team was deployed to Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team undertook combat operations in western Baghdad
, returning to the US in late 2005. Around that time, the 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed back to Iraq, staying in the country until 2006.
The division headquarters and 3rd Brigade Combat Team redeployed to Afghanistan in 2006, staying in the country until 2007. The division and brigade served in the eastern region of the country, along the border with Pakistan
, fulfilling a similar role as it did during its previous deployment. During this time, the deployment of the brigade was extended alond with that of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, however, it was eventually replaced by the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
which was rerouted from Iraq.
The 1st Brigade Combat Team and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team are scheduled to deploy to Iraq in the fall of 2009, as a part of the 2009–2010 rotation to Iraq. The Army is currently expanding housing at Fort Drum, hoping to relocate the home base of the 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Polk to Fort Drum before 2013.
Mountain warfare
Mountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains or similarly rough terrain. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare, named after the Alps mountains...
infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
Brigade Combat Team
Brigade combat team
The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
based at Fort Drum
Fort Drum
Fort Drum is a United States Army base in New York near the Canadian border.Fort Drum may also refer to:*Fort Drum, Florida, a nearly-uninhabited town in the United States*Fort Drum , Philippines...
, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the 10th Mountain Division.
Formed as the 10th Mountain Division's original headquarters company, the brigade traces its lineage through the division's fight through Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and afterwards, as it commanded a training division and then an infantry division which briefly deployed to Europe.
1st Bde was reactivated 11 April 1986 at Fort Drum, New York. The 1st Brigade is the Command and Control Headquarters for Task Force Warrior, consisting of its organic battalions 1–32nd Infantry, 1–87th Infantry, and 2–22nd Infantry. The principal units that have been assigned to TF Warrior during Division Ready Brigade missions, off post deployments, and major exercises have been the 3–6th Field Artillery, 10th Forward Support Battalion, A/3-62nd Air Defense Artillery, A/41st Engineer, A/110th Military Intelligence, A/10th Signal Battalion, and 1st PLT/10th Military Police Battalion.
the 10th Mountain Division's first brigade and its elements saw numerous deployments to contingencies around the world in the 1990s. With the War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
the brigade has seen two deployments, one to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to support Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003, and one to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
to support Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. The Brigade Combat Team is scheduled for a third deployment, returning to Iraq in fall of 2009, but the deployment was canceled on 16 October 2009. http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/ap_10th_mountain_deployment_iraq_101609/ It is now deployed in Afghanistan (9 March 2010) and is scheduled to return to garrison in late January 2011/early February 2011.
Organization
The 1st Brigade Combat Team is a subordinate unit of the 10th Mountain Division, however its modular nature means it is capable of operating independently of the division's Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion.The Brigade consists of six subordinate battalions; its combat element consists of two infantry battalions, the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 87th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. The regiment's 1st battalion is a light infantry unit assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division located at Fort Drum, New York.-World War II:...
and the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment. The 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment provides armored reconnaissance services to the Brigade Combat Team, while the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment provides field artillery support. The brigade's Headquarters and command services are provided by 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Special Troops Battalion
Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (United States)
The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Special Troops Battalion is a special troops battalion of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Drum, New York. It is the organization for the command elements of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division...
. All supporting services for the brigade are provided by the 10th Brigade Support Battalion. All of these battalions are located at Fort Drum with most of the rest of the 10th Mountain Division.
World War II
1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division traces its lineage back to the 10th Mountain Division's original Headquarters element, which was constituted with the rest of the division in World War II. It was activated 17 September 1942 as the 10th Mountain Training Center. After the training of the Division's soldiers was complete, the Training Center became the division headquarters.The 10th Light Division (Alpine) was constituted on 10 July 1943 and activated two days later at Camp Hale
Camp Hale
Camp Hale, between Red Cliff and Leadville in the Eagle River valley in Colorado, was a U.S. Army training facility constructed in 1942 for what became the 10th Mountain Division. It was named for General Irving Hale....
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The division was centered around regimental commands; the 85th Infantry Regiment
85th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 85th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army.-History:The 85th Infantry was briefly activated during WWI but never sent overseas then reactivated during WWII at Camp Hale in 1942, with 3 Battalions, and attached to the 10th Mountain Division.-Lineage:Constuted 31...
, 86th Infantry Regiment
86th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 86th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army.-History:The 86th Infantry was briefly activated during WWI but never sent overseas, then reactivated during WWII at Camp Hale in 1942, with 3 Battalions, and attached to the 10th Mountain Division.-Lineage:Constuted 31...
, and 87th Infantry Regiment. Also assigned to the division were the 604th, 605th, and 616th Field Artillery battalions, the 110th Signal Company, the 710th Ordanance Companay, the 10th Quartermaster Company, the 10th Reconnaissance Troop, the 126th Engineer Battalion, the 10th Medical Battalion, and the 10th Counter-Intelligence Detachment. The 10th Light Division was unique in that it was the only division in the Army with three field artillery battalions instead of four.
The division trained for one year at the 9,200 foot high Camp Hale. Soldiers trained to fight and survive under the most brutal mountain conditions, fighting on skis and snow shoes and sleeping in the snow without tents. On 22 June 1944, the division was shipped to Camp Swift, Texas
Camp Swift, Texas
Camp Swift is a census-designated place in Bastrop County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,731 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Camp Swift is located at...
to prepare for maneuvers in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, which were later canceled. A period of acclimation to a low altitude and hot climate was necessary to prepare for this training. On 6 November 1944, the 10th Division was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division. That same month the blue and white "Mountain" tab was authorized for the division's new shoulder sleeve insignia.
Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in late 1944, arriving in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 6 January 1945. It was the last US Army Division to enter combat in World War II. It immediately entered combat near Cutigliano
Cutigliano
Cutigliano is a comune in the province of Pistoia in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 50 km northwest of Florence and about 25 km northwest of Pistoia....
and Orsigna. The division initially made a series of defensive maneuvers, then in conjunction with troops of a Brazilian Expeditionary Force, it assaulted German and Italian positions on 19 February 1945, in the Battle of Monte Castello
Battle of Monte Castello
The Battle of Monte Castello was an engagement which took place from 25 November 1944 to 22 February 1945 during the Italian campaign. It was fought between the Allied forces advancing into northern Italy and dug-in German defenders. The battle marked the Brazilian Expeditionary Force's entry into...
.
The unit made concerted attacks on the Monte Della Torraccia-Mount Belvedere sector and the peaks were cleared after several days of heavy fighting. In early March the division fought its way north of Canolle and moving to within 15 miles (24.1 km) of Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. Maintaining defensive positions for the next three weeks, the division jumped off again in April, captured Mongiorgio on 20 April, and entered the Po Valley
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
, seizing the strategic points Pradalbino and Bomporto
Bomporto
Bomporto is a comune in the Province of Modena in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 35 km northwest of Bologna and about 12 km northeast of Modena...
. The 10th crossed the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
on 23 April, reaching Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
25 April, and ran into heavy opposition at Torbole and Nago
Nago-Torbole
Nago-Torbole is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 30 km southwest of Trento on the north shore of Lake Garda...
. After an amphibious
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
crossing of Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
, it secured Gargnano
Gargnano
Gargnano is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy.The municipal territory includes the artificial Valvestino Lake, created in 1962....
and Porto di Tremosine, 30 April, as German resistance in Italy ended. After the German surrender in Italy on 2 May 1945, the division went on security duty, receiving the surrender of various German units and screening the areas of occupation near Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Kobarid
Kobarid
Kobarid is a town and a municipality in the upper Soča valley, western Slovenia, near the Italian border.Kobarid is known for the famous Battle of Caporetto, where the Italian retreat was documented by Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms. The battle is well documented in the museum in...
, Bovec
Bovec
Bovec is a small city and municipality in northwestern Slovenia. The city of Bovec lies in the Bovec Basin in the Soča Valley below the Kanin mountain in the Julian Alps.-Geographical location:...
and Log pod Mangartom
Log pod Mangartom
Log pod Mangartom or Log pod Mangrtom is a settlement in the Municipality of Bovec in the Littoral region of Slovenia...
, Slovenia until V-E Day, the end of the war in Europe.
Demobilization
Originally, the division was to be sent to the Pacific theater to take part in Operation DownfallOperation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
, the invasion of mainland Japan. However, Japan surrendered in August 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
. The division returned to the US two days later. It was demobilized and deactivated on 30 November 1945 at Camp Carson, Colorado.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the 10th Mountain Division suffered 992 killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
and 4,154 wounded in action
Wounded in action
Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
in 114 days of combat. Soldiers of the division were awarded one Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, three Distinguished Service Crosses
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
, one Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
, 449 Silver Star Medals, seven Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
Medals, 15 Soldier's Medal
Soldier's Medal
The Soldier's Medal is a military award 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...
s, and 7,729 Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
s. The division itself was awarded two campaign streamers.
Cold War
In June 1948, the division was rebuilt and activated at Fort RileyFort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
to serve as a training division. Without its "Mountain" tab, the division served at the 10th Infantry Division for the next ten years. The division's main function was to process and train replacements in large numbers. This mission expanded with the outbreak of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
in 1950. By 1953, the division trained 123,000 new Army recruits at Fort Riley.
In 1954, the division converted to a combat division once again, though it did not regain its "Mountain" status. Using equipment from the deactivating 37th Infantry Division, the 10th Infantry Division was deployed to Germany, replacing the 1st Infantry Division at Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, serving as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization defensive force. The division served in Germany for four years, until it was rotated out and replaced by the 3rd Infantry Division. The division moved to Fort Benning, Georgia and was deactivated on 14 June 1958.
Reactivation
On 13 February 1985, the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) was reactivated at Fort Drum, New York. In accordance with the Reorganization Objective Army Divisions plan, the division was no longer centered around regiments, instead two brigades were activated under the division. The 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division was activated at Fort Drum while the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division was activated at Fort Benning, moving to Fort Drum in 1988. The division was also assigned a round-out brigade from the Army National GuardArmy National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
, the 27th Infantry Brigade. The division was specially designed as a light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
division able to rapidly deploy. Equipment design was oriented toward reduced size and weight for reasons of both strategic and tactical mobility. The division also received a distinctive unit insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
A Distinctive Unit Insignia is a metal heraldic device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit...
.
Contingencies
In 1990, the division sent 1,200 soldiers to support Operation Desert Storm. The largest of these units was the 548th Supply and Services Battalion with almost 1,000 soldiers, which supported the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Iraq. Following a cease-fire in March 1991, the support soldiers began redeploying to Fort Drum through June of that year.Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
struck South Florida on 24 August 1992, killing 13 people, leaving another 250,000 homeless and causing damages in excess of 20 billion dollars. On 27 September 1992, the 10th Mountain Division assumed responsibility for Hurricane Andrew disaster relief as Task Force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
Mountain. Division soldiers set up relief camps, distributed food, clothing, medical necessities and building supplies, as well as helping to rebuild homes and clear debris. The last of the 6,000 division soldiers to deployed to Florida returned home in October 1992.
Operation Restore Hope
On 3 December 1993, the division headquarters was designated as the headquarters for all Army Forces (ARFOR) of the Unified Task Force (UNITAF) for Operation Restore Hope. Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Steven L. Arnold, the division Commander, was named Army Forces commander. The 10th Mountain Division’s mission was to secure major cities and roads to provide safe passage of relief supplies to the Somali population suffering from the effects of the Somali Civil War
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
. Due to 10th Mountain Division efforts, humanitarian agencies declared an end to the food emergency and factional fighting decreased. When Task Force Ranger and the SAR team were pinned down during a raid in what later became known as the Battle of Mogadishu, 10th Mountain units provided infantry for the UN quick reaction force sent to rescue them. The 10th had 2 soldiers killed in the fighting, which was the longest sustained firefight by regular US Army forces since the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The division began a gradual reduction of forces in Somalia in February 1993, until the last soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry returned to the United States in March, 1994.
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was an intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide...
. More than 8,600 of the division's troops deployed during this operation. On 19 September 1994, the 1st Brigade conducted the Army’s first air assault
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces...
from an aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
. This force consisted of 54 helicopters and almost 2,000 soldiers. They occupied the Port-au-Prince International Airport
Port-au-Prince International Airport
Toussaint Louverture International Airport is an international airport located in Tabarre, near Port-au-Prince in Haiti. The airport is currently the busiest in Haiti.- History :...
. This was the largest Army air operation conducted from a carrier since the Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
in World War II.
The division’s mission was to create a secure and stable environment so the government of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
could be reestablished and democratic elections held. After this was accomplished, the 10th Mountain Division handed over control of the MNF-Haiti to the 25th Infantry Division on 15 January 1995. The Division redeployed the last of its soldiers who served in Haiti by 31 January 1995.
Task Force Eagle
In the fall of 1998, the division received notice that it would be serving as senior headquarters of Task Force Eagle, providing a peacekeeping force to support the ongoing operation within the Multi-National Division-North area of responsibility in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. Selected division units began deploying in late summer, approximately 3,000 division soldiers deployed. After successfully performing their mission in Bosnia, the division units conducted a Transfer of Authority, relinquishing their assignments to soldiers of the 49th Armored Division, Texas National Guard
Texas National Guard
The Texas National Guard consists of the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. The Guard is administered by the adjutant general, an appointee of the governor of Texas. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state...
. By early summer 2000, all 10th Mountain Division soldiers had returned safely to Fort Drum.
Readiness controversy
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
asserted that the division was "not ready for duty." He attributed the division's low readiness to the frequent deployments throughout the 1990s without time in between for division elements to retrain and refit. A report from the US General Accounting Office in July 2000 also noted that although the entire 10th Mountain Division was not deployed to the contingencies at once, "deployment of key components—especially headquarters—makes these divisions unavailable for deployment elsewhere in case of a major war." Conservative think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
agreed with these sentiments, charging that the US military overall was not prepared for war due to post-Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
drawdowns of the US military. The Army responded that, though the 10th Mountain Division had been unprepared following its deployment as Task Force Eagle, that the unit was fully prepared for combat by late 2000 despite being undermanned. Despite this, the Army moved the 10th Mountain Division down on the deployment list, allowing it time to retrain and refit.
In 2002, columnist and highly decorated military veteran David Hackworth again criticized the 10th Mountain Division for being unprepared due to lack of training, low physical fitness, unprepared leadership and low morale. He said the division was no longer capable of mountain warfare.
Initial deployments
In late 2001, following the 11 September 2001 attacks, elements of the division, including its special troops battalionSpecial Troops Battalion
A Special Troops Battalion is an organic unit of a modular brigade, Division , corps or higher echelon United States Army organization...
and the 1-87th Infantry, deployed to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. These forces remained in the country until mid-2002, fighting to secure remote areas of the country and participating in prominent operations such as Operation Anaconda
Operation Anaconda
Operation Anaconda took place in early March 2002 in which the United States military and CIA Paramilitary Officers, working with allied Afghan military forces, and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization and non NATO forces attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shahi-Kot...
, the Fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, and the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi
Battle of Qala-i-Jangi
The Battle of Qala-i-Jangi took place between November 25 and December 1, 2001, in Northern Afghanistan. It began with the uprising of foreign Taliban prisoners held at Qala-i-Jangi fortress, and escalated into one of the bloodiest engagements of the War in Afghanistan...
. The division also participated in fighting in the Shahi Khot Valley in 2002. Upon the return of the battalions, they were welcomed home and praised by President Bush.
In 2003, the division's headquarters, along with the 1st Brigade, returned to Afghanistan. During that time, they operated in the frontier regions of the country such as Paktika Province
Paktika Province
Paktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
, going places previously untouched by the war in search of Taliban and Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
forces. Fighting in several small-scale conflicts such as Operation Avalanche, Operation Mountain Resolve
Operation Mountain Resolve
Operation Mountain Resolve was launched by a coalition led by the United States on 7 November 2003 in the Nuristan province and Kunar province in Afghanistan. It involved an airdrop into the Hindu Kush mountains by the U.S...
, and Operation Mountain Viper
Operation Mountain Viper
In Operation Mountain Viper, the United States Army and the Afghan National Army worked together from August 30 to early September, 2003, to uncover hundreds of suspected Taliban rebels dug into the mountains of Daychopan district, Zabul province, Afghanistan.The Operation killed an estimated 124...
, the division maintained a strategy of small units moving through remote regions of the country to interact directly with the population and drive out insurgents. The 1st Brigade also undertook a number of humanitarian missions.
Reorganization and recent deployments
Transformation of the United States Army
Army Transformation describes the future-concept of the United States Army's plan of modernization. Transformation is a generalized term for the integration of new concepts, organizations, and technology within the armed forces of the United States....
into a modular division. On 16 September 2004, the division headquarters finished its transformation. The 1st Brigade became the 1st Brigade Combat Team
Brigade combat team
The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
, while the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (United States)
The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division is an infantry Brigade Combat Team of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York...
was activated for the first time. In January 2005, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (United States)
The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division is a mountain warfare infantry Brigade Combat Team of the United States Army based at Fort Polk, Louisiana...
was activated at Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. 2nd Brigade Combat Team would not be transformed until September 2005, pending a deployment to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
In late 2004, 2nd Brigade Combat Team was deployed to Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team undertook combat operations in western Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, returning to the US in late 2005. Around that time, the 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed back to Iraq, staying in the country until 2006.
The division headquarters and 3rd Brigade Combat Team redeployed to Afghanistan in 2006, staying in the country until 2007. The division and brigade served in the eastern region of the country, along the border with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, fulfilling a similar role as it did during its previous deployment. During this time, the deployment of the brigade was extended alond with that of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, however, it was eventually replaced by the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team is an airborne infantry brigade combat team of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy...
which was rerouted from Iraq.
The 1st Brigade Combat Team and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team are scheduled to deploy to Iraq in the fall of 2009, as a part of the 2009–2010 rotation to Iraq. The Army is currently expanding housing at Fort Drum, hoping to relocate the home base of the 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Polk to Fort Drum before 2013.
Honors
The 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division earned two campaign streamers in World War II and two campaign streamers in the War on Terrorism for a total of four campaign streamers and two unit decorations in its operational history. Note that some of the brigade's battalions received more or fewer decorations depending on their individual deployments.Unit decorations
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... (Army) |
2003–2004 | for service in Afghanistan |
|
Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... (Army) |
2005–2006 | for service in Iraq |
|
Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... (Army) |
2007–2008 | for service in Iraq |
Campaign streamers
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... |
North Apennines | 1944 |
| World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... |
Po Valley | 1945 |
| Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan | 2003—2004 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom | Iraq | 2005—2006 |