10th Mountain Division

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U.S. 10th Mountain Division
Image:10th Mountain Division.patch.jpg
10th Mountain Division Shoulder Sleeve insignia
Active February 13, 1985 -
Country United States of America
Branch Regular Army
Type Division
Role Light Infantry
Part of XVIII Airborne Corps
Garrison/HQ Fort Drum, NY
Motto Climb to Glory
Commanders
Current
commander		 MG Benjamin C. Freakley

The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division of the United States Army currently serving under the XVIII Airborne Corps. The unit's specialty involves fighting effectively in harsh conditions. Like the rest of the corps, it is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world. The division is currently based at Fort Drum, New York.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] The World War II 10th Mountain

The division advancing in Italy in April 1945.
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The division advancing in Italy in April 1945.
Distinctive unit insignia of the 10th Mountain Division.
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Distinctive unit insignia of the 10th Mountain Division.
Soldiers from the division provide cover for an assault squad.
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Soldiers from the division provide cover for an assault squad.

The 10th Mountain Division was first activated on July 15, 1943. It was one of the last U.S. divisions to enter combat, not starting to fight as a unit until January 1945.

The development of a specialized unit began before the United States entered World War II. In 1940 the War Department began working with the American Alpine Club and the National Ski Patrol Committee of the National Ski Association to develop equipment and training for winter and mountain warfare. The 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment was activated at Fort Lewis, Washington on November 15, 1941, drawing its initial members from men already in the Army who had previous ski and mountaineering experience. Thereafter the National Ski Patrol recruited volunteers for the unit, under a contract with the War Department. In 1942 and 1943 additional regiments that became part of the division were activated. The 87th Regiment participated in the assault landing on Kiska, August 15–August 17, 1943. The attackers found the island completely deserted by the Japanese, but suffered some casualties from friendly fire and booby traps.

The division was activated on July 15, 1943 at Camp Hale, Colorado as the 10th Light Division (Alpine). It was renamed the 10th Mountain Division on November 6, 1944.

The unit saw its first actual combat in Italy. Elements of the division began arriving in Italy in late December 1944, and after a brief training period entered combat, January 8, 1945, near Cutigliano and Orsigna. Preliminary defensive actions were followed on February 19, 1945, by a concerted attack on the Silla-Mount Belvedere sector, and the peak was cleared after several days of heavy fighting. In early March the division fought its way north of Canolle, taking several more peaks, and moving to within 15 miles of Bologna. Maintaining defensive positions for the next three weeks, the division jumped off again in April, captured Mongiorgio, April 20, and entered the Po Valley, seizing the strategic points Pradalbino and Bomporto. The 10th crossed the Po River on April 23, reaching Verona April 25, and ran into heavy opposition at Torbole and Nago. After an amphibious crossing of Lake Garda, it secured Gargnano and Porto di Tremosine, April 30, as German resistance in Italy ended. After the German surrender in Italy, May 2, 1945, the division went on security duty, receiving the surrender of various German units and screening the areas of occupation.

The division was deactivated on November 30, 1945. However, it was reactivated on July 1, 1948, after being redesignated as the 10th Infantry Division. Ten years later, on June 14, 1958, it was deactivated.

[edit] The modern 10th Mountain

It was not until the Reagan buildup of the 1980s that the 10th Mountain Division made a reappearance in the order of battle of the U.S. Army. On September 11, 1984, the U.S. Army announced that Fort Drum, New York would be the new home of the reactivated 10th Light Infantry Division. The unit was officially activated on February 13, 1985 with the official designation changed to 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). At that time the new division was to have 2 infantry brigades, with 1 each artillery, support, and aviation brigades. To bring it up to the normal configuration of other Army divisions it was also to have a "roundout" brigade from the national guard. During the 1990s this brigade was the 27th Infantry Brigade of the New York Army National Guard.

The modern 10th Mountain's first deployment came in 1990 when division units were deployed to support Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During 1993, the 10th Mountain Division was deployed to Somalia as part of Operation Restore Hope. When Task Force Ranger and the SAR team were pinned down during a raid in what later became known as the Battle of Mogadishu, 10th Mountain units provided infantry for the UN quick reaction force sent to rescue them. The 10th had 2 soldiers KIA in the fighting.

After Hurricane Andrew devastated Florida August 1992, the division deployed to assist in the recovery effort. 10th Mountain troops set up relief camps, distributed food, clothing, medical necessities and building supplies as well as helping to rebuild homes and clear debris. The 10th Mountain Division later was deployed to Haiti and Bosnia in the 1990s. Because of number of deployments, 10th Mountain gained a reputation as the most deployed division in the army.

During the 2000 presidential campaign, the readiness of the 10th Mountain Division became a political issue when then candidate George W. Bush asserted that the division was "not ready for duty". The division's low readiness was attributed on the recent redeployment of division units which had not had the time to refit for future missions.

Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, 10th Mountain units have deployed at an even greater frequency. Division units have played significant roles in Afghanistan and Iraq. Amongst these have been the famous rescue of downed Navy SEALs during "Operation Anaconda" in Afghanistan in 2001, and the successful maintenance of security of Western Baghdad including the exceedingly violent Abu Ghraib neighborhood during the first democratic Iraqi elections of 2004. During this last operation the 2nd Brigade Combat team allowed no successful suicide bomber attacks at polling sites. They have also deployed on a smaller scale to numerous other countries including Sinai, Bosnia, Kuwait, and Kosovo.

As part of the Army's modular transformation, the divisional structure saw much change during 2004 and 2005. Division Support Command; 3rd Battalion, 62nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment; 110th Military Intelligence Battalion; 10th Signal Battalion; 41st Engineer Battalion; 10th Forward Support Battalion and 710th Main Support Battalion were all deactivated September 2004. The remaining units were reorganized and two new brigade combat teams (BCTs) were added to the division. The 3rd BCT was activated at Ft. Drum in late 2004. The 4th BCT was activated at Fort Polk, LA on January 19 2005.

[edit] Notable veterans

[edit] General information

  • Commanding General: MG Benjamin C. Freakley
  • Deputy Commanding General (Operations): BG James L. Terry
  • Deputy Commanding General (Support): BG Anthony J. Tata
  • Divisional Command Sergeant Major: CSM Ralph C. Borja
  • Chief of Staff: Col Patrick G. Landry

[edit] Subordinate units

  • 1st Brigade Combat Team "Warrior"
    • HHC 1st Brigade
    • 1-87th Infantry
    • 2-22d Infantry
    • 1-71st Cavalry (RSTA)
    • 3-6th Field Artillery (Strike)
    • 10th Brigade Support Battalion
    • 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion
  • 2nd Brigade Combat Team "Commandos"
    • HHC 2nd Brigade
    • 2-14th Infantry
    • 4-31st Infantry
    • 1-89th Cavalry (RSTA)
    • 2-15th Field Artillery (Strike)
    • 210th Brigade Support Battalion
    • 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion
  • 3rd Brigade Combat Team "Spartans"
    • HHC 3rd Brigade
    • 1-32d Infantry
    • 2-87th Infantry
    • 3-71st Cavalry (RSTA)
    • 4-25th Field Artillery (Strike)
    • 710th Brigade Support Battalion
    • 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion
  • 4th Brigade Combat Team "Patriots"
    • HHC 4th Brigade
    • 2-4th Infantry
    • 2-30th Infantry
    • 3-89th Cavalry Regiment (RSTA)
    • 5-25th Field Artillery (Strike)
    • 94th Brigade Support Battalion
    • 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion
  • 10th Combat Aviation Brigade "Falcons"
    • HHC 10th Aviation Brigade
    • 3-17th Cavalry
    • 1-10th Aviation (ATK)
    • 2-10th Aviation (AHB)
    • 3-10th Aviation (GSAB)
    • 277th Aviation Support Battalion
  • 10th Sustainment Brigade
    • HHC 10th Sustainment Brigade
    • Sustainment Brigade Troops Battalion
    • 548th Corps Support Battalion
    • 10th Soldier Support Battalion
    • 10th Military Police Battalion

The 256th Infantry Brigade was attached to the 10th Mountain Division during combat operations in Iraq 2004-2005. Many members of the 256th Infantry wear the 10th Mountain patch on their right shoulder as a combat patch.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Fire on the Mountain. Produced and directed by Beth and George Gage. First Run Features, 1995.
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[edit] External links

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