U.S. 7th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The 7th Infantry Division was an infantry
division
of the United States Army
. It was activated in December 1917 in World War I, inactivated in August 2006 following the end of the Cold War
, and based at Fort Ord
, California for most of its history. Although elements of the division saw brief active service in World War I, it is best known for its participation in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
where it took heavy casualties engaging the Imperial Japanese Army
in the Aleutian Islands, Leyte
, and Okinawa
.
Following the Japanese surrender in 1945, the division was stationed in Japan and Korea, and with the outbreak of the Korean War
in 1950 was one of the first units in action. It took part in the Inchon Landings and the advance north until Chinese forces counter-attacked and almost overwhelmed the scattered division. The 7th later went on to fight in the Battle of Pork Chop Hill
and the Battle of Old Baldy
.
After the Korean War ended, the division returned to the United States. In the late 1980s, it briefly saw action overseas in Operation Golden Pheasant
in Honduras and Operation Just Cause in Panama. In the early 1990s, it provided domestic support to the civil authorities in Operation Green Sweep
and during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots
. The division's final role was as a training and evaluation unit for Army National Guard
brigades, which it undertook until its inactivation in 2006. Because of its extensive combat history, the division is highly decorated, and has been featured numerous times in American popular culture.
, Georgia
. One month later, it prepared to deploy to Europe as a part of the American Expeditionary Force
. Two subordinate brigades were assigned to the division, the 13th Infantry Brigade and the 14th Infantry Brigade. Most of the division sailed to Europe aboard the SS Leviathan
.
While on the Western Front
, the 7th did not see action in any engagements at full divisional strength, though its infantry and reconnaissance elements engaged German
forces. On 11 October 1918, it first came under shell fire
and later, at Saint-Mihiel
, came under chemical attack
. Elements of the 7th probed up toward Prény
near the Moselle River
, capturing positions and driving German forces out of the region. It was around this time that the division first received its shoulder sleeve insignia.
In early November, the 7th began preparing for an assault on the Hindenburg Line
as part of the Second Army. The division launched a reconnaissance in force on the Voëvre plain but the main assault was never mounted because hostilities ended on 11 November 1918 with the signing of the armistice
. During its 33 days on the front line, the 7th Division took 1,988 casualties, including 204 killed in action
and 1,505 wounded in action
. and was awarded a campaign streamer
for Lorraine
. During the ensuing year, the division performed occupation duties as it began preparations to return to the continental United States. The 7th Division returned to the United States in late 1919, and was gradually demobilized at Camp George G. Meade, Maryland until on 22 September 1921, it was inactivated.
, California, under the command of Major General Joseph W. Stilwell. The 12th and 13th Brigades did not reactivate as part of an army-wide elimination of brigade commands within its divisions. The division was instead centered around three infantry regiments; the 17th Infantry Regiment
, the 32nd Infantry Regiment, and the 53rd Infantry Regiment
. Also assigned to the division were the 31st, 48th, 49th and 57th Field Artillery
Battalions, as well as the 7th Signal
Company, the 707th Ordnance Company, the 7th Quartermaster
Company, the 7th Reconnaissance
Troop, the 13th Engineer
Battalion, the 7th Medical Battalion, and the 7th Counter Intelligence
Detachment. Most of the troops in the division were selective service soldiers, chosen as a part of the US Army's first peacetime military draft.
The 7th Division was assigned to III Corps of the Fourth United States Army, and transferred to Longview, Washington, in August 1941 to participate in tactical maneuvers. Following this training, the division moved back to Fort Ord, California, where it was located when the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor
caused the United States to declare war. The formation proceeded almost immediately to San Jose, California, arriving 11 December 1941. to help protect the west coast and allay civilian fears of invasion. The 53rd Infantry Regiment was removed from the 7th Division and replaced with the 159th Infantry Regiment
, newly deployed from the California Army National Guard
. For the early parts of the war, the division participated mainly in construction and training roles. Subordinate units also practiced boat loading at the Monterey Wharf
and amphibious assault techniques at the Salinas River
in California. and continued training as a combat division.
On 9 April 1942, the division was formally redesignated as the 7th Motorized Division. and transferred to Camp San Luis Obispo
on 24 April 1942. Three months later, divisional training commenced in the Mojave Desert
in preparation for its planned deployment to the African theater.
Nevertheless, it was again designated the 7th Infantry Division on 1 January 1943, when the motorized equipment was removed from the unit and it became a light infantry division once more. It began rigorous amphibious assault training under US Marines from the Fleet Marine Force
, before being deployed to fight in the Pacific theater instead of Africa. General Holland Smith
oversaw the unit's training.
, the western-most Japanese entrenchment in the Aleutian islands chain. Elements landed on 11 May 1943, spearheaded by the 17th Infantry Regiment, and fought an intense battle
over the tundra against strong Japanese resistance. The fight for the island culminated in a battle at Chichagof Harbor
, when the division destroyed all Japanese resistance on the island on 29 May, after a suicidal Japanese bayonet
charge. During its first fight of the war, 600 soldiers of the division were killed, while killing 2,351 Japanese and taking 28 prisoners. After American forces secured the island chain, the 159th Infantry Regiment was ordered to stay on the island, and the 184th Infantry Regiment took its place as the 7th Division's third infantry regiment. The 184th Infantry would remain with the division until the end of the war. The 159th Infantry Regiment would stay on the island for some time longer until returning to the United States, where it would remain until the end of the war.
American forces then began preparing to move against nearby Kiska
island, termed Operation Cottage
, the final fight in the Aleutian islands campaign. In August 1943, elements of the 7th Infantry Division took part in an amphibious assault on Kiska with a brigade from the 6th Canadian Infantry Division
, only to find the island deserted by the Japanese. It was later discovered that the Japanese had withdrawn their 5,000-soldier garrison during the night of 28 July, under cover of fog.
, before returning to Schofield Barracks on Oahu
for brief leave. It was reassigned to V Amphibious Corps
, a US Marine Corps command. The division left Pearl Harbor
on 22 January 1944, for an offensive on Japanese territory. On 30 January 1944, the division landed on islands in the Kwajalein Atoll in conjunction with the 4th Marine Division, code named Operation Flintlock
. The 7th Division landed on the namesake island while the 4th Marine Division forces struck the outlying islands of Roi and Namur. The Division made landfall on the western beaches of the island at 0930 on 1 February. It advanced halfway through the island by nightfall the next day, and reached the eastern shore at 1335 hours on 4 February, having wrested the island from the Japanese. The victory put V Amphibious Corps in control of all 47 islands in the atoll. The 7th Infantry Division suffered 176 killed and 767 wounded. On 7 February, the division departed the atoll and returned to Schofield Barracks.
Elements took part in the capture of Engebi in the Eniwetok Atoll on 18 February 1944, code named Operation Catchpole. Because of the speed and success of the attack on Kwajalein, the attack was undertaken several months ahead of schedule. After a week of fighting, the division secured the islands of the atoll. The division then returned to Hawaii to continue training. There, in June 1944, General Douglas MacArthur
and President Franklin Roosevelt personally reviewed the division. In September of that year it secured Yap Island. Within a month, the division defeated the Japanese on the island and prepared to join the campaign to retake the Philippines
.
The 7th Infantry Division left Hawaii on 11 October, heading for Leyte
. At this time it was under the command of XXIV Corps of the Sixth United States Army. On 20 October 1944, the division made an assault landing at Dulag, Leyte
, initially only encountering light resistance. Following a defeat at sea on 26 October, the Japanese launched a large, uncoordinated counteroffensive on the Sixth Army. After heavy fighting, the 184th Infantry secured airstrips at Dulag, while the 17th Infantry secured San Pablo, and the 32nd Infantry took Buri. The 17th Infantry troops moved north to take Dagami
on 29 October, in intense jungle warfare that produced high casualties. The division then shifted to the west coast of Leyte on 25 November and attacked north toward Ormoc
, securing Valencia on 25 December. An amphibious landing by the 77th Infantry Division effected the capture of Ormoc on 31 December 1944. The 7th Infantry Division joined in the occupation of the city, and engaged the 26th Japanese Infantry Division, which had been holding up the advance of the 11th Airborne Division. The 7th Division's attack was successful in allowing the 11th Airborne Division to move through, however, Japanese forces proved difficult to drive out of the area. As such, operations to secure Leyte continued until early February, 1945. Afterward, the division began training for an invasion of the Ryukyu island chain
throughout March 1945. It was relieved from the Sixth Army, which went on to attack Luzon
.
The division was reassigned to XXIV Corps, Tenth United States Army, a newly formed command, and began preparations for the assault on Okinawa. The Battle of Okinawa
began on 1 April 1945, L-Day, when the 7th Infantry Division participated in an assault landing south of Hagushi
, Okinawa alongside the 96th Infantry Division, and the 1st, and 6th Marine Divisions. of III Amphibious Corps. These divisions spearheaded an assault that would eventually land 250,000 men ashore. The 7th Division quickly moved to Kadena, taking its airfield, and drove from the west to the east coast of the island on the first day. The division then moved south, encountering stiff resistance from fortifications at Shuri a few days later. The Japanese had moved 90 tanks, much of their artillery, and heavy weapons away from the beaches and into this region. Eventually, XXIV Corps destroyed the defenses after a 51-day battle in the hills of southern Okinawa, which was complicated by harsh weather and terrain. During the operation, the division was bombarded with tens of thousands of rounds of field artillery fire, encountering Japanese armed with spear
s as it continued its fight across the island. Japanese also fought using irregular warfare techniques, relying on hidden cave systems, snipers, and small-unit ambushes to delay the advancing 7th Infantry Division. After the fight, the division began capturing large numbers of Japanese prisoners
for the first time in the war, due to low morale, high casualties, and poor equipment. It fought for five continuous days to secure areas around the Nakagusuku Wan and Skyline Ridge. The division also secured Hill 178 in the fighting. It then moved to Kochi Ridge, securing it after a two week battle. After another 39 days of continuous fighting, the 7th Infantry Division was sent into reserve, having suffered heavy casualties.
After the 96th Infantry Division secured Conical Hill, the 7th Infantry Division returned to the line. It pushed into positions on the southern Ozato Mura hills, where Japanese resistance was heaviest. It was placed on the extreme left flank of the Tenth Army, taking the Ghinen peninsula, Sashiki, and Hanagusuku, fending off a series of Japanese counterattacks. Despite heavy Japanese resistance and prolonged bad weather, the division continued its advance until 21 June 1945, when the battle ended, having seen 82 days of combat. The island and surrendering troops were secured by the next day. During the Battle of Okinawa, the soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division killed between 25,000 and 28,000 Japanese soldiers and took 4,584 prisoners. Balanced against this, the 7th Division suffered 1,116 killed, and around 6,000 wounded, to make its total casualties for World War II 8,135 during 208 days of combat. The division was slated to participate in Operation Downfall
as a part of XXIV Corps under the First United States Army, but these plans were scrapped after the Japanese surrendered following the use of nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
During World War II, soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division won three Medals of Honor, 26 Distinguished Service Crosses
, one Distinguished Service Medal
, 982 Silver Star Medals, 33 Legion of Merit
Medals, 50 Soldier's Medals, 3,853 Bronze Star Medal
s, and 178 Air Medal
s. The division received four campaign streamers and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation during the war.
to accept the surrender of the Japanese Army in South Korea. After the war, the division served as an occupation force in Korea and Japan. Seven thousand, five hundred members of the unit returned to the United States, and the 184th Infantry Regiment was reassigned to the California Army National Guard
, cutting the division to half its combat strength. To replace it, the 31st Infantry Regiment was assigned to the division. The 7th Infantry Division remained on occupation duty in Korea patrolling the 38th parallel
until 1948, when it was reassigned to occupation duty in Japan, in charge of northern Honshū
and all of Hokkaido
. During this time, the US Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. At the end of World War II, it contained 89 divisions, but by 1950, the 7th Infantry Division was one of only 10 active divisions in the force. It was one of four understrength divisions on occupation duty in Japan alongside the 1st Cavalry Division, 24th Infantry Division, and 25th Infantry Division, all under control of the Eighth United States Army.
in 1950, the 7th Infantry Division commander, Major General David G. Barr, assembled the division at Camp Fuji
near Mount Fuji
. The division was already depleted due to post-war shortages of men and equipment and further depleted as it sent large numbers of reinforcements to strengthen the 25th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division, which were sent into combat in South Korea in July. The division was reduced to 9,000 men, half of its wartime strength. To replenish the ranks of the understrength division, the Republic of Korea assigned over 8,600 poorly trained Korean soldiers
to the division. With the addition of priority reinforcements from the US, the division was eventually increased to 25,000 when it entered combat. Also fighting with the 7th Infantry Division for much of the war were members of the three successive Kagnew Battalion
s sent by Emperor Haile Sellassie of Ethiopia
as part of the UN forces.
The division paired with the 1st Marine Division under X Corps to participate in the Inchon Landing
, code named Operation Chromite. The two divisions would be supported by the 3rd Infantry Division in reserve. Supported by 230 ships of the US Navy
, X Corps began landing at Incheon on 15 September 1950, catching the North Korean Army by surprise. The 7th Infantry Division began landing on 18 September, after the 1st Marine Division, securing its right flank. X Corps quickly advanced to Seoul, and the 1st Marine Division attacked the 20,000 defenders of the city from the north and southwest, while the 7th Infantry Division's 32nd Infantry Regiment attacked from the southeast. The 31st Infantry followed behind. Seoul fell to the Americans after suffering moderate casualties, particularly for the Marines. The division then began advancing south to cut off North Korean supply routes. The 32nd Infantry crossed the Han River
on 25 September to create a bridgehead
, and the next day, the division advanced to 30 miles south of Seoul and linked up with the 1st Cavalry Division at Osan
. Radio miscommunication and attack from nearby North Korean forces caused a miscommunication, the soldiers of the 1st Cavalry and 7th Infantry briefly engaged in a small-arms firefight with one another, unable to communicate. Seoul was liberated one day later with the help of air assets from the 1st Cavalry Division. The combined forces of the Eighth Army cut off and captured retreating North Korean troops from Pusan. X Corps was kept separate from the rest of the Eighth Army to avoid placing a burden on the logistical system. It withdrew back through the ports of Inchon and Pusan, as part of a plan to conduct another amphibious assault in North Korea. The entire battle for Inchon and Seoul cost the division 106 killed, 411 wounded and 57 missing American soldiers, and 43 killed, 102 wounded South Korean soldiers.
By mid-October, the North Korean army had been almost completely destroyed, and US President Harry S. Truman
ordered General MacArthur to advance all units into Korea as quickly as possible to end the war. The 7th Infantry Division, still part of X Corps, participated in a second amphibious assault on the east coast of North Korea, landing at Wonsan
on 26 October, and Iwon
on 29 October. The landing was delayed due to the presence of mines
, and by the time X Corps arrived, South Korean forces were already occupying the ports. The division advanced to Hyesanjin, on the border with Manchuria
by the Yalu River
, one of the northernmost advances for UN soldiers of the war. Much of X Corps followed behind. On 21 November, the 17th Infantry reached the bank of the Yalu river. The advance went quickly for the 7th Infantry Division and South Korean troops while the Marines were not able to advance as quickly. The division halted its advance until 24 November while other units of the Eighth Army's IX Corps and South Korean II Corps
caught up and supply lines were established. During this time, the 7th Division's regiments were spread out on the front line. The 31st Infantry Regiment remained at the Chosin Reservoir with the 1st Marine Division while the 32nd and 17th Infantry Regiments were much further to the northeast, closer to the South Korean I Corps. It was during this time that the division was served by a new type of unit, the 1st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
(M.A.S.H.).
On 25 November, Chinese forces
entered the war against the United Nations, advancing across the Manchurian border and attacking the Eighth Army's IX Corps and South Korean II Corps in the west and X Corps in the east. X Corps found itself under attack from the 20th, 26th and 27th Chinese field armies, commanding a total of 12 divisions. During the furious action that followed, the 7th Infantry Division's spread out regiments were unable to resist the overwhelming Chinese forces. Three of the Division's infantry battalions were attacked from all sides the next day. 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry (nicknamed Task Force Faith
) was trapped with two other battalions by the 80th and 81st Chinese infantry divisions from the 27th Field Army. In the subsequent Battle of Chosin Reservoir
, the three battalions were destroyed by overwhelming Chinese forces suffering over 2,000 casualties. The 31st Infantry suffered heavy casualties trying to fight back the Chinese forces further north, but the 17th Infantry was spared of heavy attack, retreating along the Korean coastline, out of range of the offensive. By the time X Corps ordered a retreat, most of the 7th Infantry Division, save the 17th Infantry Regiment, had suffered 40 percent casualties. The scattered elements of the division saw repeated attacks as they attempted to withdrawal to the port of Hungnam
in December 1950. These attacks cost the division another 100 killed before it was fully evacuated. The division suffered 2,657 killed and 354 wounded during the retreat. Most of the dead were members of Task Force Faith.
The division returned to the front lines in early 1951, spearheaded by the 17th Infantry, which had suffered the fewest casualties from the Chinese offensive. Division elements advanced through Tangyang in South Korea, and blocking enemy offensives from the northwest. The division reached full strength and saw action around Cheehon, Chungju
, and Pyongchang as part of an effort to push the North Korean and Chinese forces back above the 38th parallel and away from Seoul. The 7th Infantry Division engaged in a series of successful "limited objective" attacks in the early weeks of February, a series of small unit attacks and ambushes between the two sides. By the end of the month the 17th Infantry was driving against a ridge near the village of Maltari. It would continue slowly advancing and clearing enemy hilltop positions through April. By April the entire Eighth Army was advancing north as one line stretching across the peninsula, reaching the 38th parallel by May. The division, assigned to IX Corps, then assaulted and fought a fierce three-day battle culminating with the recapture of the terrain that had been lost near the Hwachon Reservoir just over the 38th parallel in North Korea. In capturing the town bordering on the reservoir it cut off thousands of enemy troops. The division fought on the front lines until June 1951 when it was assigned to the reserve for a brief rest and refitting.
sector recently vacated by the 2nd Infantry Division, where it was supported by the 3rd Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division. During this new deployment the division fought in the Battle for Heartbreak Ridge, to take an area of staging grounds for the Korean and Chinese armies. It remained static in the region until 23 February 1952 when it was sent into reserve and relieved by the 25th Infantry Division. The next year saw the 7th Division engaged in an extended campaign for nearby land, the Battle of Old Baldy
. The 7th Division continued to defend "Line Missouri" through September 1952, though it became known as the "Static Line" as UN forces made few meaningful gains in the time.
The 7th Infantry Division's Operation Showdown launched in the early morning hours of 14 October 1952, with the 31st Infantry and 32nd Infantry at the head of the attack. The target of the assault was the Triangle Hill complex northeast of Kumhwa. The 7th Infantry Division remained in the Triangle Hill area until the end of October, when it was relieved by the 25th Infantry Division. The 7th Infantry Division was highly praised by commanders for its tenacity through the fight.
The division continued patrol activity around Old Baldy Hill and Pork Chop Hill
into 1953, digging tunnels and building a network of outposts and bunkers on and around the hill. In April, the North Korean Army began stepping up offensive operations against UN forces. During the Battle of Porkchop Hill, the Chinese 67th and 141st divisions overran Pork Chop Hill using massed infantry and artillery fire. The hill had been under the control of the 31st Infantry. The 31st counterattacked with reinforcements from the 17th Infantry and recaptured the area the next day. On 6 July the North Koreans and Chinese launched a determined attack against Pork Chop resulting in five days of fierce fighting with few meaningful results. By the end of July, five infantry battalions from the 31st and 17th were defending the hill, while a Chinese division was in position to attack it. During this standoff, the UN ordered the 7th Infantry Division to retreat from the hill in preparation for an armistice, which would end major hostilities.
During the Korean War, the division saw a total of 850 days of combat, suffering 15,126 casualties, including 3,905 killed in action and 10,858 wounded. For the next few years, the division remained on defensive duty along the 38th parallel, under the command of the Eighth Army.
. Its main garrison was Camp Casey, South Korea
. During these occupation duties, the division saw a complete reorganization in compliance with the Reorganization Objective Army Divisions plan. The division's former headquarters company grew into the 1st Brigade, 7th Infantry Division while the 13th Infantry Brigade was reactivated as the 2nd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division. The 14th Infantry Brigade was reactivated as the 3rd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division. In 1965 the division received its distinctive unit insignia
, which alluded to its history during the Korean War. On 2 April 1971, the division returned to the United States and was inactivated at Fort Lewis
, Washington.
In October 1974 the 7th reactivated at its former garrison, Fort Ord. The unit did not see any action in Vietnam
or during the post-war era, but was tasked to keep a close watch on South American developments. It trained at Fort Ord, Camp Roberts
, Fort Hunter Liggett
and Fort Irwin. In September to October 1984, several infantry and artillery regiments deployed to Japan to participate in Michinoku '84, a joint readiness training exercise conducted with their GSDF. On 1 October 1985 the division was redesignated as the 7th Infantry Division (Light), organized again as a light infantry division. It was the first US division specially designed as such. The various battalions of the 31st, and 32nd regiments moved from the division, replaced by battalions from other regiments, including battalions from the 21st Infantry Regiment
, the 27th Infantry Regiment
, and the 9th Infantry Regiment. The 27th and 9th infantry regiments participated in Operation Golden Pheasant
in Honduras.
In 1989 the 7th Infantry Division participated in Operation Just Cause in Panama, briefly occupying the country in conjunction with the 82nd Airborne Division. Elements of the 7th Infantry Division landed in the northern areas of Colón Province
, Panama, securing the Coco Solo Naval Station
, Fort Espinar, France Field, and Colón
while the 82nd Airborne and US Marines fought in the more heavily populated southern region. Once Panama City was under U.S. control, the 82nd quickly re-deployed and left the city under the control of the 7th Division's 9th Infantry Regiment until after the capture of Manuel Noriega
.
In 1991 the Base Realignment and Closure
Commission recommended the closing of Fort Ord due to the escalating cost of living on the central California coastline. By 1994, the Fort Ord closed the 7th Infantry Division subsequently relocated to Fort Lewis
, Washington. Elements of the division (the 2nd Brigade, to include its Headquarters and Headquarters Company
, the 3rd Brigade's 3rd Battalion 17th Infantry Regiment and other assigned military police
companies) participated in one final mission in the United States before inactivation; quelling the 1992 Los Angeles Riots
, called Operation Garden Plot
. The division's soldiers patrolled the streets of Los Angeles to act as crowd control and supported the Los Angeles Police Department
and California National Guard in preventing the riots from escalating in violence.
In 1993 the division was slated to be inactivated as part of the post-Cold War
drawdown of the US Army. The 1st Brigade relocated to Fort Lewis and was later reflagged as the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division while the 2nd Brigade and the 3rd Brigade of the 7th was inactivated at Fort Ord. The division headquarters was formally inactivated on 16 June 1994 at Fort Lewis.
, the US Army considered new options for the integration and organization of active duty
, Army Reserve
and Army National Guard
units in training and deployment. Two division headquarters activated in the active duty component for training National Guard units. The 7th Infantry Division and the 24th Infantry Division headquarters were selected. The subordinate brigades of the divisions did not activate so they could not be deployed as divisions, however their active duty status would allow the headquarters to focus on the national guard units under them full-time.
The headquarters company of the 7th Infantry Division (Light) formally reactivated on 4 June 1999, at Fort Carson, Colorado
, as the first Active Component/Reserve Component division. The reserve formations that made up the 7th Infantry Division included the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
of the Arkansas National Guard
, the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team
of the Oregon National Guard and the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oklahoma National Guard
. Fort Carson became the new headquarters for the division.
The division headquarters also provided training assistance in preparation for small-scale National Guard operations, Joint Readiness Training Center rotations, leadership training for National Guard commanders, and annual summer training for the three brigades. As a part of this commitment, the 7th Infantry Division headquarters would deploy a command element to serve as higher headquarters for large-scale training and field exercises, evaluating and coordinating the units as they trained. It would also conduct quarterly status checks with the three brigades to discuss readiness and resource issues affecting those units, ensuring that they were at peak performance should they be needed.
To expand upon the concept of Reserve component and National Guard components, the First Army activated Division East and Division West, two commands responsible for training reserve units' readiness and mobilization exercises. Division West, activated at Fort Carson. This transformation was part of an overall restructuring of the US Army to streamline the organizations overseeing training. The Division West took control of reserve units in 21 states west of the Mississippi River
, eliminating the need for the 7th Infantry Division headquarters. As such it was subsequently deactivated for the last time on 22 August 2006 at Fort Carson.
Though it was inactivated, the division was identified as the highest priority inactive division in the United States Army Center of Military History's 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, Georgia following its inactivation. Should the US Army activate another division in the future, the Center will most likely suggest it be designated the 7th Infantry Division.
With its long history, the 7th Infantry Division has been featured several times in popular culture
. The 7th Infantry Division appeared in Tom Clancy
's novel Clear and Present Danger
. The division is also featured in Ranger: Simulation of Modern Patrolling Operations, a video game developed by US Army veterans.
People who served in the 7th Infantry Division and later went on to achieve notability in the military or other fields include Heisman Trophy
winner Pete Dawkins
, future US Air Force General and aviation pioneer Ira C. Eaker, astronomer
Philip Fox, former US Congressman Dan Rostenkowski
, and Young-Oak Kim
the first minority commander of a U.S. Army combat battalion.
Additionally, many high ranking generals served in the 7th Infantry Division for a time before moving on to higher commands, including Generals William F. Kernan
, Arthur E. Brown, Jr.
, Henry I. Hodes
, Andrew P. O'Meara
, William R. Richardson
, Edwin H. Burba, Jr.
, and Berton E. Spivy, Jr.
, as well as Lieutenant General
s Robert Arter
, Robert Sink
, Claire E. Hutchin, Jr.
and Scott C. Black
also served with the division, along with Major General
s Galen B. Jackman
and Jens A. Doe
.
Sixteen men were awarded the Medal of Honor
for actions while serving with the 7th Infantry Division. Three of these were awarded during World War II—Leonard C. Brostrom
, John F. Thorson
, and Joe P. Martinez
—while another thirteen members of the division received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Korean War: Charles H. Barker
, Raymond Harvey
, Einar H. Ingman, Jr., Anthony T. Kahoʻohanohano
, William F. Lyell
, Joseph C. Rodriguez
, Richard Thomas Shea
, Jack G. Hanson
, Ralph E. Pomeroy
, Edward R. Schowalter, Jr., Benjamin F. Wilson
, Don C. Faith, Jr.
, and Daniel D. Schoonover
.
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...
division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
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...
. It was activated in December 1917 in World War I, inactivated in August 2006 following the end of the 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...
, and based at Fort Ord
Fort Ord
Fort Ord was a U.S. Army post on Monterey Bay in California. It was established in 1917 as a maneuver area and field artillery target range and was closed in September 1994. Fort Ord was one of the most attractive locations of any U.S. Army post, because of its proximity to the beach and California...
, California for most of its history. Although elements of the division saw brief active service in World War I, it is best known for its participation in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
where it took heavy casualties engaging the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
in the Aleutian Islands, Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, and Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
.
Following the Japanese surrender in 1945, the division was stationed in Japan and Korea, and 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 was one of the first units in action. It took part in the Inchon Landings and the advance north until Chinese forces counter-attacked and almost overwhelmed the scattered division. The 7th later went on to fight in the Battle of Pork Chop Hill
Battle of Pork Chop Hill
The Battle of Pork Chop Hill comprises a pair of related Korean War infantry battles during the spring and summer of 1953. These were fought while the U.S. and the Communist Chinese and Koreans negotiated an armistice. In the U.S., they were controversial because of the many soldiers killed for...
and the Battle of Old Baldy
Battle of Old Baldy
The Battle of Old Baldy refers to a series of five engagements over a period of 10 months for Hill 266 in west-central Korea, though there was also vicious fighting both before and after these engagements.-Background:...
.
After the Korean War ended, the division returned to the United States. In the late 1980s, it briefly saw action overseas in Operation Golden Pheasant
Operation Golden Pheasant
Operation Golden Pheasant was an emergency deployment of U.S. troops to Honduras in 1988, as a result of threatening actions by the forces of the Nicaraguans.-History:...
in Honduras and Operation Just Cause in Panama. In the early 1990s, it provided domestic support to the civil authorities in Operation Green Sweep
Operation Green Sweep
Operation Green Sweep was a series of drug raids conducted by over 200 Army soldiers, National Guardsmen, and Federal agents in Humboldt County, California...
and during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots
1992 Los Angeles riots
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots or South Central Riots, also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest were sparked on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted three white and one hispanic Los Angeles Police Department officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King following a...
. The division's final role was as a training and evaluation unit for Army National Guard
Army 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...
brigades, which it undertook until its inactivation in 2006. Because of its extensive combat history, the division is highly decorated, and has been featured numerous times in American popular culture.
World War I
The 7th Infantry Division was first raised during World War I and activated on 6 December 1917 as the 7th Division of the regular army at Camp WheelerCamp Wheeler
Camp Wheeler was a United States Army base near Macon, Georgia. The camp was a staging location for many US Army units during World War I and World War II. It was named for Joseph Wheeler, a general in the Confederate States of America's Army....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. One month later, it prepared to deploy to Europe as a part of the American Expeditionary Force
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
. Two subordinate brigades were assigned to the division, the 13th Infantry Brigade and the 14th Infantry Brigade. Most of the division sailed to Europe aboard the SS Leviathan
SS Leviathan
SS Leviathan, originally built as SS Vaterland, was an ocean liner which regularly sailed the North Atlantic briefly in 1914 and from 1917 to 1934...
.
While on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, the 7th did not see action in any engagements at full divisional strength, though its infantry and reconnaissance elements engaged German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
forces. On 11 October 1918, it first came under shell fire
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
and later, at Saint-Mihiel
Saint-Mihiel
Saint-Mihiel is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-History:Saint-Mihiel was captured by the Germans in the first year of World War I, and was re-captured during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel from 12 September to 19 September 1918, during World War...
, came under chemical attack
Chemical warfare
Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
. Elements of the 7th probed up toward Prény
Prény
Prény is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine...
near the Moselle River
Moselle River
The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....
, capturing positions and driving German forces out of the region. It was around this time that the division first received its shoulder sleeve insignia.
In early November, the 7th began preparing for an assault on the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
as part of the Second Army. The division launched a reconnaissance in force on the Voëvre plain but the main assault was never mounted because hostilities ended on 11 November 1918 with the signing of the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
. During its 33 days on the front line, the 7th Division took 1,988 casualties, including 204 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 1,505 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....
. and was awarded a campaign streamer
Campaign streamer
Campaign streamers are decorations attached to military flags to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service. Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag, the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the name and date denoting participation in a particular battle,...
for Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
. During the ensuing year, the division performed occupation duties as it began preparations to return to the continental United States. The 7th Division returned to the United States in late 1919, and was gradually demobilized at Camp George G. Meade, Maryland until on 22 September 1921, it was inactivated.
World War II
On 1 July 1940, the 7th Division was reactivated at Camp OrdFort Ord
Fort Ord was a U.S. Army post on Monterey Bay in California. It was established in 1917 as a maneuver area and field artillery target range and was closed in September 1994. Fort Ord was one of the most attractive locations of any U.S. Army post, because of its proximity to the beach and California...
, California, under the command of Major General Joseph W. Stilwell. The 12th and 13th Brigades did not reactivate as part of an army-wide elimination of brigade commands within its divisions. The division was instead centered around three infantry regiments; the 17th Infantry Regiment
17th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 17th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment. While the 17th Infantry Regiment was organized on January 11, 1812, it was consolidated with the 3rd Infantry due to extremely heavy losses at Frenchtown, and lost its identity two years later until May 3, 1861, when it was...
, the 32nd Infantry Regiment, and the 53rd Infantry Regiment
53rd Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 53rd Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army. It served as a part of the 7th Infantry Division for most of its history.-World War I:...
. Also assigned to the division were the 31st, 48th, 49th and 57th Field Artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
Battalions, as well as the 7th Signal
Military communications
Historically, the first military communications had the form of sending/receiving simple signals . Respectively, the first distinctive tactics of military communications were called Signals, while units specializing in those tactics received the Signal Corps name...
Company, the 707th Ordnance Company, the 7th Quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
Company, the 7th Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
Troop, the 13th Engineer
Combat engineering
A combat engineer, also called pioneer or sapper in many armies, is a soldier who performs a variety of construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions...
Battalion, the 7th Medical Battalion, and the 7th Counter Intelligence
Counter-intelligence
Counterintelligence or counter-intelligence refers to efforts made by intelligence organizations to prevent hostile or enemy intelligence organizations from successfully gathering and collecting intelligence against them. National intelligence programs, and, by extension, the overall defenses of...
Detachment. Most of the troops in the division were selective service soldiers, chosen as a part of the US Army's first peacetime military draft.
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
caused the United States to declare war. The formation proceeded almost immediately to San Jose, California, arriving 11 December 1941. to help protect the west coast and allay civilian fears of invasion. The 53rd Infantry Regiment was removed from the 7th Division and replaced with the 159th Infantry Regiment
159th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 159th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army. It served as a part of the 40th Infantry Division for most of its history before deploying in World War II as a part of the 7th Infantry Division.-World War I:...
, newly deployed from the California Army National Guard
California Army National Guard
The California Army National Guard is the land force component of the California National Guard, one of the reserve component United States Army and is part of the United States National Guard. The California Army National Guard is composed of about 20,000 soldiers...
. For the early parts of the war, the division participated mainly in construction and training roles. Subordinate units also practiced boat loading at the Monterey Wharf
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
and amphibious assault techniques at the Salinas River
Salinas River (California)
The Salinas River is the largest river of the central coast of California, running and draining 4,160 square miles. It flows north-northwest and drains the Salinas Valley that slices through the Coast Range south from Monterey Bay...
in California. and continued training as a combat division.
On 9 April 1942, the division was formally redesignated as the 7th Motorized Division. and transferred to Camp San Luis Obispo
Camp San Luis Obispo
Camp San Luis Obispo is the original home of the California Army National Guard. It served as an Infantry Division Camp and Cantonment Area for the United States Army during World War II.-History:...
on 24 April 1942. Three months later, divisional training commenced in the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
in preparation for its planned deployment to the African theater.
Nevertheless, it was again designated the 7th Infantry Division on 1 January 1943, when the motorized equipment was removed from the unit and it became a light infantry division once more. It began rigorous amphibious assault training under US Marines from the Fleet Marine Force
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
, before being deployed to fight in the Pacific theater instead of Africa. General Holland Smith
Holland Smith
General Holland McTyeire "Howlin' Mad" Smith, KCB was a General in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He is sometimes called the "father" of modern U.S. amphibious warfare....
oversaw the unit's training.
Aleutian Islands
Elements of the 7th Infantry Division first saw combat in the amphibious assault on Attu IslandAttu Island
Attu is the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, making it the westernmost point of land relative to Alaska and the United States. It was the site of the only World War II land battle fought on the incorporated territory of the United States ,...
, the western-most Japanese entrenchment in the Aleutian islands chain. Elements landed on 11 May 1943, spearheaded by the 17th Infantry Regiment, and fought an intense battle
Battle of Attu
The Battle of Attu, which took place from 11-30 May 1943, was fought entirely between forces of the United States and the Empire of Japan on Attu Island off the coast of Alaska. The action, which was part of the Aleutian Islands Campaign during the Pacific War, was the only land battle of World War...
over the tundra against strong Japanese resistance. The fight for the island culminated in a battle at Chichagof Harbor
Chichagof Harbor
Chichagof Harbor is an inlet on the northeast coast of the island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. It is named after Russian Admiral and polar explorer Vasily Chichagov.-References:...
, when the division destroyed all Japanese resistance on the island on 29 May, after a suicidal Japanese bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
charge. During its first fight of the war, 600 soldiers of the division were killed, while killing 2,351 Japanese and taking 28 prisoners. After American forces secured the island chain, the 159th Infantry Regiment was ordered to stay on the island, and the 184th Infantry Regiment took its place as the 7th Division's third infantry regiment. The 184th Infantry would remain with the division until the end of the war. The 159th Infantry Regiment would stay on the island for some time longer until returning to the United States, where it would remain until the end of the war.
American forces then began preparing to move against nearby Kiska
Kiska
Kiska is an island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska located at . It is about long and varies in width from - Discovery :...
island, termed Operation Cottage
Operation Cottage
Operation Cottage was a tactical maneuver during the Aleutian Islands campaign. In the operation, which took place on August 15, 1943, Allied military forces landed unopposed on Kiska Island, which had been occupied by Japanese forces since June, 1942. The Japanese forces, however, had secretly...
, the final fight in the Aleutian islands campaign. In August 1943, elements of the 7th Infantry Division took part in an amphibious assault on Kiska with a brigade from the 6th Canadian Infantry Division
6th Canadian Infantry Division
The 6th Canadian Infantry Division was a Canadian infantry division formed in 1942 during the Second World War. It was attached to Pacific Command. The division had a brigade sent to the Aleutian Islands Campaign, particularly at Kiska, but never saw action...
, only to find the island deserted by the Japanese. It was later discovered that the Japanese had withdrawn their 5,000-soldier garrison during the night of 28 July, under cover of fog.
Marshall Islands
After the campaign, the division moved to Hawaii where it trained in new amphibious assault techniques on the island of MauiMaui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, before returning to Schofield Barracks on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
for brief leave. It was reassigned to V Amphibious Corps
V Amphibious Corps
The V Amphibious Corps was a formation of the United States Marine Corps and was composed of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions during World War II. They were the amphibious landing force for the United States Fifth Fleet and were notably involved in the battles for Tarawa and Saipan in 1944...
, a US Marine Corps command. The division left Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 22 January 1944, for an offensive on Japanese territory. On 30 January 1944, the division landed on islands in the Kwajalein Atoll in conjunction with the 4th Marine Division, code named Operation Flintlock
Operation Flintlock
Operation Flintlock was the campaign against the Marshall Islands in the Pacific campaign of World War II, from January to February 1944. The operation involved the invasions of Kwajalein and Eniwetok atolls....
. The 7th Division landed on the namesake island while the 4th Marine Division forces struck the outlying islands of Roi and Namur. The Division made landfall on the western beaches of the island at 0930 on 1 February. It advanced halfway through the island by nightfall the next day, and reached the eastern shore at 1335 hours on 4 February, having wrested the island from the Japanese. The victory put V Amphibious Corps in control of all 47 islands in the atoll. The 7th Infantry Division suffered 176 killed and 767 wounded. On 7 February, the division departed the atoll and returned to Schofield Barracks.
Elements took part in the capture of Engebi in the Eniwetok Atoll on 18 February 1944, code named Operation Catchpole. Because of the speed and success of the attack on Kwajalein, the attack was undertaken several months ahead of schedule. After a week of fighting, the division secured the islands of the atoll. The division then returned to Hawaii to continue training. There, in June 1944, General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
and President Franklin Roosevelt personally reviewed the division. In September of that year it secured Yap Island. Within a month, the division defeated the Japanese on the island and prepared to join the campaign to retake the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
. At this time it was under the command of XXIV Corps of the Sixth United States Army. On 20 October 1944, the division made an assault landing at Dulag, Leyte
Dulag, Leyte
Dulag is a third-class municipality in the province of Leyte in Eastern Visayas in the Philippines. This coastal town covering 11,007 hectares of land is home to 44,143 residents...
, initially only encountering light resistance. Following a defeat at sea on 26 October, the Japanese launched a large, uncoordinated counteroffensive on the Sixth Army. After heavy fighting, the 184th Infantry secured airstrips at Dulag, while the 17th Infantry secured San Pablo, and the 32nd Infantry took Buri. The 17th Infantry troops moved north to take Dagami
Dagami, Leyte
Dagami is a municipality in the Province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the August 2007 census of population in the Philippines, the town has a population of 30,451 inhabitants with a density of 188 persons per square kilometer...
on 29 October, in intense jungle warfare that produced high casualties. The division then shifted to the west coast of Leyte on 25 November and attacked north toward Ormoc
Ormoc City
The City of Ormoc is a 1st class city in the province of Leyte, Philippines. The city's name is derived from ogmok, an old Visayan term for lowland or depressed plain. It is the first non-provincial city of the Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 177,524 people...
, securing Valencia on 25 December. An amphibious landing by the 77th Infantry Division effected the capture of Ormoc on 31 December 1944. The 7th Infantry Division joined in the occupation of the city, and engaged the 26th Japanese Infantry Division, which had been holding up the advance of the 11th Airborne Division. The 7th Division's attack was successful in allowing the 11th Airborne Division to move through, however, Japanese forces proved difficult to drive out of the area. As such, operations to secure Leyte continued until early February, 1945. Afterward, the division began training for an invasion of the Ryukyu island chain
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
throughout March 1945. It was relieved from the Sixth Army, which went on to attack Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
.
Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
began on 1 April 1945, L-Day, when the 7th Infantry Division participated in an assault landing south of Hagushi
Hagushi
Hagushi bay was the primary unloading point for American supplies during the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. The bay, at the mouth of the Bishi River , was the dividing line between the First and Sixth US Marine divisions, which landed on the Hagushi beaches to the north, and the Seventh...
, Okinawa alongside the 96th Infantry Division, and the 1st, and 6th Marine Divisions. of III Amphibious Corps. These divisions spearheaded an assault that would eventually land 250,000 men ashore. The 7th Division quickly moved to Kadena, taking its airfield, and drove from the west to the east coast of the island on the first day. The division then moved south, encountering stiff resistance from fortifications at Shuri a few days later. The Japanese had moved 90 tanks, much of their artillery, and heavy weapons away from the beaches and into this region. Eventually, XXIV Corps destroyed the defenses after a 51-day battle in the hills of southern Okinawa, which was complicated by harsh weather and terrain. During the operation, the division was bombarded with tens of thousands of rounds of field artillery fire, encountering Japanese armed with spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s as it continued its fight across the island. Japanese also fought using irregular warfare techniques, relying on hidden cave systems, snipers, and small-unit ambushes to delay the advancing 7th Infantry Division. After the fight, the division began capturing large numbers of Japanese prisoners
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
for the first time in the war, due to low morale, high casualties, and poor equipment. It fought for five continuous days to secure areas around the Nakagusuku Wan and Skyline Ridge. The division also secured Hill 178 in the fighting. It then moved to Kochi Ridge, securing it after a two week battle. After another 39 days of continuous fighting, the 7th Infantry Division was sent into reserve, having suffered heavy casualties.
Operation 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...
as a part of XXIV Corps under the First United States Army, but these plans were scrapped after the Japanese surrendered following the use of nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
During World War II, soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division won three Medals of Honor, 26 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 (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
, 982 Silver Star Medals, 33 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, 50 Soldier's Medals, 3,853 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, and 178 Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
s. The division received four campaign streamers and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation during the war.
Occupation of Japan
A few days after V-J Day, the division moved to KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
to accept the surrender of the Japanese Army in South Korea. After the war, the division served as an occupation force in Korea and Japan. Seven thousand, five hundred members of the unit returned to the United States, and the 184th Infantry Regiment was reassigned to the California Army National Guard
California Army National Guard
The California Army National Guard is the land force component of the California National Guard, one of the reserve component United States Army and is part of the United States National Guard. The California Army National Guard is composed of about 20,000 soldiers...
, cutting the division to half its combat strength. To replace it, the 31st Infantry Regiment was assigned to the division. The 7th Infantry Division remained on occupation duty in Korea patrolling the 38th parallel
38th parallel north
The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean...
until 1948, when it was reassigned to occupation duty in Japan, in charge of northern Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
and all of Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. During this time, the US Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. At the end of World War II, it contained 89 divisions, but by 1950, the 7th Infantry Division was one of only 10 active divisions in the force. It was one of four understrength divisions on occupation duty in Japan alongside the 1st Cavalry Division, 24th Infantry Division, and 25th Infantry Division, all under control of the Eighth United States Army.
Korean War
At the outbreak of the Korean WarKorean 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, the 7th Infantry Division commander, Major General David G. Barr, assembled the division at Camp Fuji
Camp Fuji
Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji is an installation of the United States Marine Corps and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force. It is located near the town of Gotemba in the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan, at the base of Mount Fuji...
near Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
. The division was already depleted due to post-war shortages of men and equipment and further depleted as it sent large numbers of reinforcements to strengthen the 25th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division, which were sent into combat in South Korea in July. The division was reduced to 9,000 men, half of its wartime strength. To replenish the ranks of the understrength division, the Republic of Korea assigned over 8,600 poorly trained Korean soldiers
KATUSA
KATUSA stands for Korean Augmentation To the United States Army. Qualified Korean draftees who demonstrate a high level of English fluency and aptitude via a standardized written exam may apply for a KATUSA slot...
to the division. With the addition of priority reinforcements from the US, the division was eventually increased to 25,000 when it entered combat. Also fighting with the 7th Infantry Division for much of the war were members of the three successive Kagnew Battalion
Kagnew Battalion
The Kagnew Battalions were three successive battalions drawn from the 1st Division Imperial Bodyguard sent by Emperor Haile SelassieI between June 1951 and April 1954 as part of the United Nations forces in the Korean War....
s sent by Emperor Haile Sellassie of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
as part of the UN forces.
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
, code named Operation Chromite. The two divisions would be supported by the 3rd Infantry Division in reserve. Supported by 230 ships of the US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, X Corps began landing at Incheon on 15 September 1950, catching the North Korean Army by surprise. The 7th Infantry Division began landing on 18 September, after the 1st Marine Division, securing its right flank. X Corps quickly advanced to Seoul, and the 1st Marine Division attacked the 20,000 defenders of the city from the north and southwest, while the 7th Infantry Division's 32nd Infantry Regiment attacked from the southeast. The 31st Infantry followed behind. Seoul fell to the Americans after suffering moderate casualties, particularly for the Marines. The division then began advancing south to cut off North Korean supply routes. The 32nd Infantry crossed the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
on 25 September to create a bridgehead
Bridgehead
A bridgehead is a High Middle Ages military term, which antedating the invention of cannons was in the original meaning expressly a referent term to the military fortification that protects the end of a bridge...
, and the next day, the division advanced to 30 miles south of Seoul and linked up with the 1st Cavalry Division at Osan
Osan
Osan is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, approximately 35 km south of Seoul. The population of the city is around 120,000. The local economy is supported by a mix of agricultural and industrial enterprises....
. Radio miscommunication and attack from nearby North Korean forces caused a miscommunication, the soldiers of the 1st Cavalry and 7th Infantry briefly engaged in a small-arms firefight with one another, unable to communicate. Seoul was liberated one day later with the help of air assets from the 1st Cavalry Division. The combined forces of the Eighth Army cut off and captured retreating North Korean troops from Pusan. X Corps was kept separate from the rest of the Eighth Army to avoid placing a burden on the logistical system. It withdrew back through the ports of Inchon and Pusan, as part of a plan to conduct another amphibious assault in North Korea. The entire battle for Inchon and Seoul cost the division 106 killed, 411 wounded and 57 missing American soldiers, and 43 killed, 102 wounded South Korean soldiers.
By mid-October, the North Korean army had been almost completely destroyed, and US President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
ordered General MacArthur to advance all units into Korea as quickly as possible to end the war. The 7th Infantry Division, still part of X Corps, participated in a second amphibious assault on the east coast of North Korea, landing at Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
on 26 October, and Iwon
Riwon
Riwon is a county in South Hamgyong province, North Korea. It is located at the province's northeastern tip, and borders the Sea of Japan to the southeast.-Physical features:...
on 29 October. The landing was delayed due to the presence of mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
, and by the time X Corps arrived, South Korean forces were already occupying the ports. The division advanced to Hyesanjin, on the border with Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
by the Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
, one of the northernmost advances for UN soldiers of the war. Much of X Corps followed behind. On 21 November, the 17th Infantry reached the bank of the Yalu river. The advance went quickly for the 7th Infantry Division and South Korean troops while the Marines were not able to advance as quickly. The division halted its advance until 24 November while other units of the Eighth Army's IX Corps and South Korean II Corps
II Corps (South Korea)
-History:II Corps was created July 24, 1950, just before the Battle of Pusan Perimeter.II Corps consisted of the 1st Division and 6th Infantry Division....
caught up and supply lines were established. During this time, the 7th Division's regiments were spread out on the front line. The 31st Infantry Regiment remained at the Chosin Reservoir with the 1st Marine Division while the 32nd and 17th Infantry Regiments were much further to the northeast, closer to the South Korean I Corps. It was during this time that the division was served by a new type of unit, the 1st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
The Mobile Army Surgical Hospital refers to a United States Army medical unit serving as a fully functional hospital in a combat area of operations. The units were first established in August 1945, and were deployed during the Korean War and later conflicts. The U.S...
(M.A.S.H.).
Chinese intervention
People's Volunteer Army
The Chinese People's Volunteer Army was the armed forces deployed by the People's Republic of China during the Korean War. Although all units in the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army belonged to the People's Liberation Army , the People's Volunteer Army was separately constituted in order to...
entered the war against the United Nations, advancing across the Manchurian border and attacking the Eighth Army's IX Corps and South Korean II Corps in the west and X Corps in the east. X Corps found itself under attack from the 20th, 26th and 27th Chinese field armies, commanding a total of 12 divisions. During the furious action that followed, the 7th Infantry Division's spread out regiments were unable to resist the overwhelming Chinese forces. Three of the Division's infantry battalions were attacked from all sides the next day. 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry (nicknamed Task Force Faith
Task Force Faith
Task Force Faith, also known as Task Force Maclean or the Polar Bear Regiment , was a United States Army unit destroyed in fighting at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War between 27 November - 2 December 1950...
) was trapped with two other battalions by the 80th and 81st Chinese infantry divisions from the 27th Field Army. In the subsequent Battle of Chosin Reservoir
Battle of Chosin Reservoir
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign ,Official Chinese sources refer to this battle as the Second Phase Campaign Eastern Sector . The Western Sector is the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River. was a decisive battle in the Korean War...
, the three battalions were destroyed by overwhelming Chinese forces suffering over 2,000 casualties. The 31st Infantry suffered heavy casualties trying to fight back the Chinese forces further north, but the 17th Infantry was spared of heavy attack, retreating along the Korean coastline, out of range of the offensive. By the time X Corps ordered a retreat, most of the 7th Infantry Division, save the 17th Infantry Regiment, had suffered 40 percent casualties. The scattered elements of the division saw repeated attacks as they attempted to withdrawal to the port of Hungnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
in December 1950. These attacks cost the division another 100 killed before it was fully evacuated. The division suffered 2,657 killed and 354 wounded during the retreat. Most of the dead were members of Task Force Faith.
The division returned to the front lines in early 1951, spearheaded by the 17th Infantry, which had suffered the fewest casualties from the Chinese offensive. Division elements advanced through Tangyang in South Korea, and blocking enemy offensives from the northwest. The division reached full strength and saw action around Cheehon, Chungju
Chungju
Chungju is a city in North Chungcheong province, South Korea. Namsan is a mountain located on the outskirts of the city.The city is famous for the annual martial arts festival held in October. Also of note, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon grew up here....
, and Pyongchang as part of an effort to push the North Korean and Chinese forces back above the 38th parallel and away from Seoul. The 7th Infantry Division engaged in a series of successful "limited objective" attacks in the early weeks of February, a series of small unit attacks and ambushes between the two sides. By the end of the month the 17th Infantry was driving against a ridge near the village of Maltari. It would continue slowly advancing and clearing enemy hilltop positions through April. By April the entire Eighth Army was advancing north as one line stretching across the peninsula, reaching the 38th parallel by May. The division, assigned to IX Corps, then assaulted and fought a fierce three-day battle culminating with the recapture of the terrain that had been lost near the Hwachon Reservoir just over the 38th parallel in North Korea. In capturing the town bordering on the reservoir it cut off thousands of enemy troops. The division fought on the front lines until June 1951 when it was assigned to the reserve for a brief rest and refitting.
Stalemate
When the division returned to the lines in October, after another assignment in reserve, it moved to the Heartbreak RidgeHeartbreak Ridge
Heartbreak Ridge is a 1986 American war film, starring Clint Eastwood and Mario Van Peebles, surrounding the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada, West Indies. A portion of the movie was filmed on the island itself....
sector recently vacated by the 2nd Infantry Division, where it was supported by the 3rd Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division. During this new deployment the division fought in the Battle for Heartbreak Ridge, to take an area of staging grounds for the Korean and Chinese armies. It remained static in the region until 23 February 1952 when it was sent into reserve and relieved by the 25th Infantry Division. The next year saw the 7th Division engaged in an extended campaign for nearby land, the Battle of Old Baldy
Battle of Old Baldy
The Battle of Old Baldy refers to a series of five engagements over a period of 10 months for Hill 266 in west-central Korea, though there was also vicious fighting both before and after these engagements.-Background:...
. The 7th Division continued to defend "Line Missouri" through September 1952, though it became known as the "Static Line" as UN forces made few meaningful gains in the time.
The division continued patrol activity around Old Baldy Hill and Pork Chop Hill
Pork Chop Hill
Pork Chop Hill , directed by Lewis Milestone, is a Korean War war film based upon the eponymous book by military historian S. L. A. Marshall, depicting the bitterly fierce first Battle of Pork Chop Hill between the U.S. Army's 7th Infantry Division, and Chinese and Korean Communist forces at the...
into 1953, digging tunnels and building a network of outposts and bunkers on and around the hill. In April, the North Korean Army began stepping up offensive operations against UN forces. During the Battle of Porkchop Hill, the Chinese 67th and 141st divisions overran Pork Chop Hill using massed infantry and artillery fire. The hill had been under the control of the 31st Infantry. The 31st counterattacked with reinforcements from the 17th Infantry and recaptured the area the next day. On 6 July the North Koreans and Chinese launched a determined attack against Pork Chop resulting in five days of fierce fighting with few meaningful results. By the end of July, five infantry battalions from the 31st and 17th were defending the hill, while a Chinese division was in position to attack it. During this standoff, the UN ordered the 7th Infantry Division to retreat from the hill in preparation for an armistice, which would end major hostilities.
During the Korean War, the division saw a total of 850 days of combat, suffering 15,126 casualties, including 3,905 killed in action and 10,858 wounded. For the next few years, the division remained on defensive duty along the 38th parallel, under the command of the Eighth Army.
Cold War Era
From 1953 to 1971, the 7th Infantry Division defended the Korean Demilitarized ZoneKorean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
. Its main garrison was Camp Casey, South Korea
Camp Casey, South Korea
Camp Casey is an American military camp in Dongducheon , South Korea, north of Seoul, South Korea. Camp Casey was named in 1952 after Major Hugh Boyd Casey, who was killed in an airplane crash near Camp Casey during the Korean War. Camp Casey is one of several U.S. Army bases in South Korea near...
. During these occupation duties, the division saw a complete reorganization in compliance with the Reorganization Objective Army Divisions plan. The division's former headquarters company grew into the 1st Brigade, 7th Infantry Division while the 13th Infantry Brigade was reactivated as the 2nd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division. The 14th Infantry Brigade was reactivated as the 3rd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division. In 1965 the division received its distinctive unit insignia
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...
, which alluded to its history during the Korean War. On 2 April 1971, the division returned to the United States and was inactivated at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington.
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...
or during the post-war era, but was tasked to keep a close watch on South American developments. It trained at Fort Ord, Camp Roberts
Camp Roberts, California
Camp Roberts is a California National Guard post in central California, located on both sides of the Salinas River in Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, now run by the California Army National Guard. It is named after Harold W. Roberts, a World War I Medal of Honor recipient...
, Fort Hunter Liggett
Fort Hunter Liggett
Fort Hunter Liggett , named after General Hunter Liggett in 1941, is a United States Army fort in southern Monterey County, California, about 250 miles north of Los Angeles and south of San Francisco...
and Fort Irwin. In September to October 1984, several infantry and artillery regiments deployed to Japan to participate in Michinoku '84, a joint readiness training exercise conducted with their GSDF. On 1 October 1985 the division was redesignated as the 7th Infantry Division (Light), organized again as a light infantry division. It was the first US division specially designed as such. The various battalions of the 31st, and 32nd regiments moved from the division, replaced by battalions from other regiments, including battalions from the 21st Infantry Regiment
21st Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 21st Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment.-Lineage:*Constituted 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry*Organized 20 May 1862 at Fort Hamilton, New York...
, the 27th Infantry Regiment
27th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 27th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the Wolfhounds, is a unit of the United States Army established in 1901, that served in the Philippine-American War, in the Siberian Intervention after World War I, and as part of the 25th Infantry Division during World War II, the Korean War, and later the...
, and the 9th Infantry Regiment. The 27th and 9th infantry regiments participated in Operation Golden Pheasant
Operation Golden Pheasant
Operation Golden Pheasant was an emergency deployment of U.S. troops to Honduras in 1988, as a result of threatening actions by the forces of the Nicaraguans.-History:...
in Honduras.
In 1989 the 7th Infantry Division participated in Operation Just Cause in Panama, briefly occupying the country in conjunction with the 82nd Airborne Division. Elements of the 7th Infantry Division landed in the northern areas of Colón Province
Colón Province
Colón is a province of Panama. The capital is the city of Colón.This province has traditionally been focused in commerce , but also has natural resources that are being developed as tourist attraction, such as coral reefs and rainforests...
, Panama, securing the Coco Solo Naval Station
Coco Solo
Coco Solo was a United States Navy submarine base established in 1918 on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama....
, Fort Espinar, France Field, and Colón
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
while the 82nd Airborne and US Marines fought in the more heavily populated southern region. Once Panama City was under U.S. control, the 82nd quickly re-deployed and left the city under the control of the 7th Division's 9th Infantry Regiment until after the capture of Manuel Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
.
In 1991 the Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
Commission recommended the closing of Fort Ord due to the escalating cost of living on the central California coastline. By 1994, the Fort Ord closed the 7th Infantry Division subsequently relocated to Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington. Elements of the division (the 2nd Brigade, to include its Headquarters and Headquarters Company
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
In United States Army units, a headquarters and headquarters company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as an HHC...
, the 3rd Brigade's 3rd Battalion 17th Infantry Regiment and other assigned military police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
companies) participated in one final mission in the United States before inactivation; quelling the 1992 Los Angeles Riots
1992 Los Angeles riots
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots or South Central Riots, also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest were sparked on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted three white and one hispanic Los Angeles Police Department officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King following a...
, called Operation Garden Plot
Operation Garden Plot
Operation Garden Plot is a general U.S. Army and National Guard plan to respond to major domestic civil disturbances within the United States. The plan was developed in response to the civil disorders of the 1960s and is now under the control of the U.S. Northern Command...
. The division's soldiers patrolled the streets of Los Angeles to act as crowd control and supported the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
and California National Guard in preventing the riots from escalating in violence.
In 1993 the division was slated to be inactivated as part of the 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...
drawdown of the US Army. The 1st Brigade relocated to Fort Lewis and was later reflagged as the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division while the 2nd Brigade and the 3rd Brigade of the 7th was inactivated at Fort Ord. The division headquarters was formally inactivated on 16 June 1994 at Fort Lewis.
Training command
In the wake of the Cold WarCold 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...
, the US Army considered new options for the integration and organization of active duty
Active duty
Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
, Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
and Army National Guard
Army 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...
units in training and deployment. Two division headquarters activated in the active duty component for training National Guard units. The 7th Infantry Division and the 24th Infantry Division headquarters were selected. The subordinate brigades of the divisions did not activate so they could not be deployed as divisions, however their active duty status would allow the headquarters to focus on the national guard units under them full-time.
The headquarters company of the 7th Infantry Division (Light) formally reactivated on 4 June 1999, at Fort Carson, Colorado
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...
, as the first Active Component/Reserve Component division. The reserve formations that made up the 7th Infantry Division included the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
U.S. 39th Infantry Brigade
The 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, formerly called the 39th Infantry Brigade – nicknamed The Arkansas Brigade or the Bowie Team – is a combat brigade of the United States Army made up of soldiers from the Arkansas Army National Guard. The 39th IBCT was one of 15 National Guard brigades...
of the Arkansas National Guard
Arkansas National Guard
The Arkansas National Guard comprises both Army and Air components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status...
, the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team
41st Brigade Combat Team
The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team is an element in the Oregon Army National Guard. Headquartered in Tigard, Oregon, it was part of the 7th Infantry Division based at Ft. Carson in Colorado...
of the Oregon National Guard and the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oklahoma National Guard
Oklahoma National Guard
The Oklahoma National Guard, a division of the Oklahoma Department of the Military, is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Governor of Oklahoma is Commander-in-Chief of the Oklahoma National...
. Fort Carson became the new headquarters for the division.
The division headquarters also provided training assistance in preparation for small-scale National Guard operations, Joint Readiness Training Center rotations, leadership training for National Guard commanders, and annual summer training for the three brigades. As a part of this commitment, the 7th Infantry Division headquarters would deploy a command element to serve as higher headquarters for large-scale training and field exercises, evaluating and coordinating the units as they trained. It would also conduct quarterly status checks with the three brigades to discuss readiness and resource issues affecting those units, ensuring that they were at peak performance should they be needed.
To expand upon the concept of Reserve component and National Guard components, the First Army activated Division East and Division West, two commands responsible for training reserve units' readiness and mobilization exercises. Division West, activated at Fort Carson. This transformation was part of an overall restructuring of the US Army to streamline the organizations overseeing training. The Division West took control of reserve units in 21 states west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, eliminating the need for the 7th Infantry Division headquarters. As such it was subsequently deactivated for the last time on 22 August 2006 at Fort Carson.
Though it was inactivated, the division was identified as the highest priority inactive division in the United States Army Center of Military History's 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
National Infantry Museum
The National Infantry Museum is a museum located in South Columbus, Georgia, just outside Fort Benning, the home of the Infantry. The museum honors the history of infantry forces in the United States Army.The museum is in size and cost $107 million to build...
at Fort Benning, Georgia following its inactivation. Should the US Army activate another division in the future, the Center will most likely suggest it be designated the 7th Infantry Division.
Honors
The 7th Infantry Division was awarded one campaign streamer in World War I, four campaign streamers and two unit decorations in World War II, and ten campaign streamers and two unit decorations in the Korean War, for a total of fifteen campaign streamers and four unit decorations in its operational history.Unit decorations
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
.svg.png) |
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation | 1944–1945 | for service in the Philippines during World War II |
.svg.png) |
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation | 1950 | for the Inchon Landings |
|
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation | 1950–1953 | for service in Korea |
|
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation | 1945–1948; 1953–1971 | for service in Korea |
Campaign streamers
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| World War I | Lorraine Lorraine (province) The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy.... |
1918 |
| World War II | Aleutian Islands | 1943 |
| World War II | Eastern Mandates | 1944 |
| World War II | Leyte Leyte Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran... |
1945 |
| World War II | Ryukyus Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin... |
1945 |
| 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... |
UN Defensive | 1950 |
| 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... |
UN Offensive | 1950 |
| 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... |
CCF Intervention | 1950 |
| 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... |
First UN Counteroffensive | 1950 |
| 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... |
CCF Spring Offensive | 1951 |
| 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... |
UN Summer-Fall Offensive | 1951 |
| 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... |
Second Korean Winter | 1951–1952 |
| 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... |
Korea, Summer-Fall 1952 | 1952 |
| 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... |
Third Korean Winter | 1952–1953 |
| 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... |
Korea, Summer 1953 | 1953 |
Legacy
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
. The 7th Infantry Division appeared in Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
's novel Clear and Present Danger
Clear and Present Danger
Clear and Present Danger is a novel by Tom Clancy, written in 1989, and is a canonical part of the Jack Ryan universe. In the novel, Jack Ryan is thrown into the position of CIA Acting Deputy Director and discovers that he is being kept in the dark by his colleagues who are conducting a covert war...
. The division is also featured in Ranger: Simulation of Modern Patrolling Operations, a video game developed by US Army veterans.
People who served in the 7th Infantry Division and later went on to achieve notability in the military or other fields include Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Pete Dawkins
Pete Dawkins
Peter Miller Dawkins is a Heisman Trophy winner, Rhodes Scholar, U.S. Army Brigadier General, and Republican candidate for Senate. He is the former vice chairman of Citigroup Private Bank.-Early life, education and athletic career:...
, future US Air Force General and aviation pioneer Ira C. Eaker, astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
Philip Fox, former US Congressman Dan Rostenkowski
Dan Rostenkowski
Daniel David "Dan" Rostenkowski was a United States Representative from Illinois, serving from 1959 to 1995. Raised in a blue-collar neighborhood on the Northwest Side of Chicago, Rostenkowski rose to become one of the most powerful legislators in Washington. He was a member of the Democratic Party...
, and Young-Oak Kim
Young-Oak Kim
Colonel Young-Oak Kim , a highly-decorated U.S. Army combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He was a member of the U.S. 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and a combat leader in Italy and France during World War II...
the first minority commander of a U.S. Army combat battalion.
Additionally, many high ranking generals served in the 7th Infantry Division for a time before moving on to higher commands, including Generals William F. Kernan
William F. Kernan
General William F. "Buck" Kernan was born in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was commissioned in November 1968 from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He holds a bachelor's degree in History, and a master's degree in Personnel Administration. His military education includes the...
, Arthur E. Brown, Jr.
Arthur E. Brown, Jr.
Arthur Edmon Brown, Jr. was a United States Army four star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1987 to 1989.-Military career:...
, Henry I. Hodes
Henry I. Hodes
Henry Irving Hodes was a United States Army four star general who served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group from 1956 to 1959.-Military career:...
, Andrew P. O'Meara
Andrew P. O'Meara
Andrew Pick O'Meara was a United States Army four star general who served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Southern Command from 1961 to 1965; and Commander-in-Chief, U.S...
, William R. Richardson
William R. Richardson
General William Rowland Richardson was a U.S. Army four star general and former Commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command...
, Edwin H. Burba, Jr.
Edwin H. Burba, Jr.
General Edwin Hess Burba, Jr. is a retired four star general who served as Commander-In-Chief of the United States Army Forces Command from 1989 to 1993...
, and Berton E. Spivy, Jr.
Berton E. Spivy, Jr.
Berton Everett Spivy, Jr. was a United States Army four-star general who served as United States Military Representative, NATO Military Committee in Brussels, Belgium from 1968 to 1971.-Military career:...
, as well as Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
s Robert Arter
Robert Arter
Robert Arter is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General and former commanding general of the Sixth United States Army....
, Robert Sink
Robert Sink
Lieutenant General Robert Frederick Sink was a United States Army officer during World War II, the Korean War, and early parts of the Vietnam War, though he was most famous for his command of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division...
, Claire E. Hutchin, Jr.
Claire E. Hutchin, Jr.
Claire Elwood Hutchin, Jr. was a 1938 graduate of the United States Military Academy, a U.S. Army general and combat battalion commander during the Korean War...
and Scott C. Black
Scott C. Black
Lieutenant General Scott C. Black is a retired American military lawyer who was the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army from October 1, 2005 to October 1, 2009. He was the first Lieutenant General to hold that position....
also served with the division, along with Major General
Major 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...
s Galen B. Jackman
Galen B. Jackman
Galen Bruce Jackman is a retired United States Army Major General. His last assignment in the Army was serving in the Pentagon as the Army's Chief of Legislative Liaison. The Office, Chief of Legislative Liaison operates directly under the Office of the Secretary of the Army. Its mission is to...
and Jens A. Doe
Jens A. Doe
Major General Jens Anderson Doe was an American soldier and General in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his command of the 41st Infantry Division in the South West Pacific Area during World War II....
.
Sixteen men were awarded the 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...
for actions while serving with the 7th Infantry Division. Three of these were awarded during World War II—Leonard C. Brostrom
Leonard C. Brostrom
Leonard C. Brostrom was a soldier in the United States Army who died during the Philippines Campaign of 1944-45 during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions during this campaign...
, John F. Thorson
John F. Thorson
John F. Thorson was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.-Biography:...
, and Joe P. Martinez
Joe P. Martinez
Private Joe P. Martinez born in Taos, New Mexico, was a United States Army soldier who posthumously received the Medal of Honor — the United States' highest military decoration —- for his actions on the Aleutian Islands during World War II. Private Joseph P...
—while another thirteen members of the division received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Korean War: Charles H. Barker
Charles H. Barker
- External links :...
, Raymond Harvey
Raymond Harvey
Raymond Harvey was a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army who served during World War II and the Korean War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on March 9, 1951.-Early years and military service:...
, Einar H. Ingman, Jr., Anthony T. Kahoʻohanohano
Anthony T. Kahoʻohanohano
Anthony T. Kahoohanohano was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Korean War.-Early life and family:...
, William F. Lyell
William F. Lyell
William F. Lyell was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 31, 1951.-Medal of Honor citation:Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S...
, Joseph C. Rodriguez
Joseph C. Rodriguez
Colonel Joseph C. Rodriguez born in San Bernardino, California, was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor - the United States' highest military decoration for his actions near Munye-ri, Korea during the Korean War.-Early years:Rodriguez, a Mexican-American, was raised in the...
, Richard Thomas Shea
Richard Thomas Shea
Richard Thomas Shea, Jr. was a soldier in the United States Army in the Korean War. He was listed as missing in action on July 8, 1953, and was later declared killed in action. Lt. Shea received the Medal of Honor posthumously...
, Jack G. Hanson
Jack G. Hanson
Jack G. Hanson was a soldier in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 7, 1951, during which he saved the members of his squad....
, Ralph E. Pomeroy
Ralph E. Pomeroy
Ralph E. Pomeroy was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions onOctober 15, 1952.-Medal of Honor citation:...
, Edward R. Schowalter, Jr., Benjamin F. Wilson
Benjamin F. Wilson
Benjamin F. Wilson was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 5, 1951.-Biography:...
, Don C. Faith, Jr.
Don C. Faith, Jr.
Don Carlos Faith, Jr. was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions from November 27, through December 1, 1950. In 1976 Lieutenant Colonel Faith was posthumously inducted into the U.S...
, and Daniel D. Schoonover
Daniel D. Schoonover
Daniel Dwain Schoonover was an enlisted soldier of the United States Army during the Korean War and a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor at the Second Battle of Pork Chop Hill....
.
Sources
- Stanton, Shelby, World War II Order of Battle: An Encyclopedic Reference to U.S. Army Ground Forces from Battalion through Division, 1939–1946 (Revised Edition, 2006), Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811701573
External links
- 7th Infantry Division Home Page
- Lineage at the United States Army Center of Military History
- GlobalSecurity.org: 7th Infantry Division (Light)
- Photo and news archives about the 7th Infantry Division (Light) from 1986–1990