U.S. 7th Infantry Division
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| U.S. 7th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
 Shoulder sleeve patch of the 7th Infantry Division (Light) |
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| Active | 1917-1923; 1940-1971; 1985-1994; 1999-2006 |
| Branch | Active/Reserve Component |
| Type | Division |
| Role | Light Infantry |
| Nickname | Bayonet Division, Lightfighters |
The 7th Infantry Division (Light), nicknamed Lightfighters and sometimes referred to as the "The Bayonet Division" is a reserve combat division of the United States Army currently made up of National Guard units. It has its base of operations at Fort Carson, Colorado.
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[edit] History
[edit] WW 1
The U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division was created at Camp Wheeler, Georgia on 6 December 1917 and served in Alsace-Lorraine, France in World War I. The division served as occupation forces in the post-war period and was later deactivated in 1923.
[edit] WW 2
It was later reactivated 1 July 1940 at Camp Ord, California and was used primarily for construction and training activities during the early part of the war. Redesignated 9 April 1942 as 7th Motorized Division, the division was preparing to deploy to the African Theater of War. However, it was re-designated on 1 January 1943 as 7th Infantry Division and was prepared to fight in the Pacific theater instead of Africa.
In 1943 the division was trained in amphibious warfare and later participated in the liberation of the Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska. On 31 January 1944 the division landed on islands in the Kwajalein Atoll in conjunction with the 4th Marine Division, and in a week of heavy fighting, wrested them from the Japanese. Elements took part in the capture of Engebi in the Eniwetok Atoll, 18 February 1944. The division then moved to Oahu, T. H., remaining there until mid-September when it sailed to join the assault on the Philippines. On 20 October 1944, the division made an assault landing at Dulag, Leyte, and after heavy fighting secured airstrips at Dulag, San Pablo, and Buri. The troops moved north to take Dagami, 29 October, and then shifted to the west coast of Leyte, 26 November, and attacked north toward Ormoc, securing Valencia, 25 December. An amphibious landing by the 77th Infantry Division effected the capture of Ormoc, 11 December 1944, and the 7th joined in its occupation. Mopping up operations continued until early February 1945. The next D-day for the division was 1 April 1945, when it made an assault landing on Okinawa. It drove from the west to the east coast on the first day and engaged in a savage 51-day battle in the hills of southern Okinawa. The division accepted the surrender of the Japanese Army in South Korea. After the war the division served as an occupation force in Korea and Japan.
[edit] Korean War
When troops were pulled back from the Korean peninsula, the 7th Infantry Division was currently stationed in Japan at the outbreak of the Korean War. They were present during the Inchon Landing and were at the Yalu River when the Chinese entered the war. The 7th led the charge to the north, and was one of the first units to reach the Yalu River. Task Force Faith, a regimental sized unit formed from several division elements, was trapped east of the Chosin Reservoir by two Chinese divisions and wiped out in furious fighting. The 7th participated in battles such as Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, Battle of Porkchop Hill, and the Battle of Old Baldy.
Twelve members of the Division received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Korean War. Six members were with the 17th Infantry Regiment, [[Charles H. Barker (June 4, 1953), Raymond Harvey (March 9, 1951), Einar H. Ingman, Jr. (February 26, 1951), William F. Lyell (August 31, 1951), Joseph C. Rodriguez (May 21, 1951) and Richard Thomas Shea (July 6, July 7, and July 8, 1953). Four members were with the 31st Infantry Regiment, Jack G. Hanson (June 7, 1951), Ralph E. Pomeroy (May 20, 1951), Edward R. Schowalter, Jr. (October 14, 1952) and Benjamin F. Wilson (June 5, 1951). The 1st Battalion of the 32nd Infantry Regiment's commanding officer was a recipient, Don C. Faith, Jr. (November 27 through December 1, 1950). The 13th Engineer Combat Battalion also had a recipient, Daniel D. Schoonover (July 8 to July 10, 1953).
Between 1953 to 1971, the 7th Infantry Division defended the DMZ. Its main garrison was Camp Casey, South Korea.
[edit] Post Korean War history
On 2 April 1971, the division was deactivated at Fort Lewis, Washington. After three years the 7th was 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. On 1 October 1985, the division was re-designated as the first "Light Infantry Division" and the various battalions of the 17th, 31st and 32nd Regiments were replaced by battalions from other regiments. The 7th participated in Operation Golden Pheasant in Honduras in 1988 and Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989.
The BRAC Commission of 1991 recommended the closing of Fort Ord. This was primarily done because the cost of living and location was driving up extremely high on the Central California coastline. By 1994, the garrison was closed. However, a few elements of the division (mainly military police companies) participated quelling the 1992 Los Angeles Riots before being deactivated once again in 1994.
In 1993 the division moved from Fort Ord to Fort Lewis, Washington. The Pentagon and BRAC Commission did not keep their promise and the entire division was reflagged as other units instead of keeping the 7th Infantry Division (Light) name. The 1st Brigade was reflagged as the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division while the 2nd Brigade was deactivated completely and the 3rd Brigade of the 7th was reflagged as the 1st Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division. Both brigades are currently active at Fort Lewis today.
The 7th Infantry Division (Light) was formally reactivated on 4 June 1999, at Fort Carson, Colorado, as the first Active Component/Reserve Component division. The current reserve units that make up the 7th Infantry Division are the U.S. 39th Infantry Brigade of the Arkansas National Guard, the 41st Enhanced Separate Brigade of the Oregon National Guard and the 45th Enhanced Separate Brigade of the Oklahoma National Guard. Fort Carson is the present headquarters for the division.
One of the division's brigades, the 39th Enhanced Separate Brigade was activated for occupation duty in Iraq during the fall of 2003. Also deployed from the division was the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry of the 41st Enhanced Separate Brigade, attached to the 39th Enhanced Separate Brigade. During the deployment B Company, 2-162 IN was selected over active component units to act as the division quick reaction force (QRF) for the 1st Cavalry Division.
On 22 August 2006 the 7th Infantry Division was deactivated at Fort Carson, Colorado.
The division was re-organised as Training Support Division West, First U.S. Army. The unit will oversee training and mobilization of Reserve and National Guard units in 21 states west of the Mississippi River, except Minnesota.
