VII Corps (United States)

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U.S. VII Corps
Image:US VII Corps.patch.gif
VII Corps shoulder sleeve insignia
Active 19 Aug 1918 - 11 Jul 1919
29 Jul 1921 - 1 Mar 1946
12 Jul 1950 - 15 Apr 1992
Country United States
Branch Regular Army
Type Army Corps
Nickname The Jayhawk Corps
Engagements World War I
World War II
*Battle of Normandy
*Battle of Hurtgen Forest
Gulf War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Joseph Lawton Collins

Fred Franks
For the VII Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, see VII Corps (ACW).

The VII Corps of the United States Army was one of the two principal corps of the army in Europe during the Cold War, along with V Corps. Activated in 1918, it was subordinate to the Seventh Army, or USAREUR, throughout most of its existence and based outside of Stuttgart, West Germany, until deactivated in 1992.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] World War and Cold War

Organized at the end of World War I on August 19, 1918, at Remiremont, France, its first re-entry into Europe took place on D-Day in 1944, as one of the two assault corps for US First Army during Operation Overlord. Subsequently, the unit participated in many battles during the advance across France and Germany until the surrender of the Third Reich.

Throughout the Cold War, the corps guarded part of NATO's front with the Warsaw Pact. After Saddam Hussein's troops invaded Kuwait in 1990, the corps was deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of the second major wave of deployments of American forces. Its presence took US forces in theatre from a force capable of defending Saudi Arabia to a force capable of ejecting Iraqi troops from Kuwait.

[edit] Gulf War

In the Gulf War, VII Corps was probably the most powerful formation of its type ever to take to the battlefield. Normally, a corps commands three divisions when at full strength, along with other units such as artillery of various types, corps-level engineers and support units. However, VII Corps had far more firepower under its command.

Its principal full strength fighting formations were U.S. 1st Armored Division, U.S. 3rd Armored Division and U.S. 1st Infantry Division. In addition, the Corps had U.S. 2d Cavalry Regiment to act as a scouting force, and two further heavy divisions; US 1st Cavalry Division and British 1st Armoured Division, as well as the U.S. 11th Aviation Group. Although both 1st Cavalry Division and 1st Armoured Division had only two maneuver brigades, they were still immensely powerful formations in their own right.

VII corps was originally deployed to give the CinC an offensive option if needed. In the 100 hour war they were given a force mission: To wipe out the Iraqi Republican Guards Heavy Divisions. That mean that the 1st Infantry Division had to make a forced entry to make room for the British attack on the right wing and to secure the main forces advance on the left. That attack force was led by the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment followed by the 1st Armored Division and the 3rd Armored Division. That main force was later joined by the 1st Infantry Division after they had completed their breach. That gave VII Corps commander General Frederick M. Franks, Jr. a three Division strike force to confront several Iraqi Armored Divisions. After the corp had turned 90 degrees east according to FRAGPLAN 7 and after the Cavalry Regiment had fought the single sided battle of 73 Easterling the three Divisions (plus the British on the right wing) fought one of the most one sided battles in the history of the US Army.

VII Corps cut a swathe through Iraqi forces. It advanced with U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps on its left wing and Arab forces on its right wing. It pulverized all Iraqi forces that tried to stand and fight and destroyed a good proportion of the Iraqi Republican Guard divisions. A ceasefire was called before the destruction of the Republican Guard units could be completed.

VII Corps attack cost about a hundred US and British soldier lives. But it destroyed several Divisions including the Medina and the Tawalkna Republican guards division along with support units. It also destroyed most of the Iraqi VII Corps that had guarded the frontline as well as other units. The attack was one of the most single sided battles in history of warfare. The Battle of 73 Easting was studied as a textbook armored battle in the US armored units. It clearly indicated that AirLandBattle was the way to defeat the echelon attacks/defense of the Soviet Union.

After the fighting was over, VII Corps returned to Germany. It was disbanded as part of the post-Cold War American defense spending cuts.

The story of VII attacks and its commander could be read in Tom Clancys book Into The Storm.

[edit] Battle of Normandy

[edit] Allied Chain of Command

Supreme Allied Commander: Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

[edit] Order of Battle and Unit Commanders

VII Corps, Maj. Gen. J. Lawton Collins
8th Infantry Col. James A. Van Fleet
12th Infantry Col. Rusell P. Reeder (11 June)
Lt. Col. Hervey Tribolet
22d Infantry Col. Hervey A. Tribolet
Col. Robert T. Foster (26 June)
39th Infantry Col. Harry A. Flint
47th Infantry Col. George W. Smythe
60th Infantry Col. Frederick J. de Rohan
313th Infantry Col. Sterling A. Wood
314th Infantry Col. Warren A. Robinson
315th Infantry Col. Porter P. Wiggins
Col. Bernard B. McMahon (24 June)
505th Parachute Infantry Col. William E. Ekman
507th Parachute Infantry Col. George V. Millett, Jr.
Col. Edson D. Raff (15 June)
508th Parachute Infantry Col. Roy E. Lindquist
325th Glider Infantry Col. Harry L. Lewis
357th Infantry Col. Philip D. Ginder
Col. John W. Sheehy (13 June)
Lt. Col. Charles M. Schwab (15 June)
Col. George B. Barth (17 June)
358th Infantry Col. James V. Thompson
Col. Richard C. Partridge (16 June)
359th Infantry Col. Clark K. Fales
501st Parachute Infantry Col. Howard R. Johnson
502d Parachute Infantry Col. George V. H. Moseley, Jr. (WIA 6 June)
Lt. Col. John H. Michaelis (6 June)
506th Parachute Infantry Col. Robert F. Sink
327th Glider Infantry Col. George S. Wear
Col. Joseph H. Harper (10 June)
  • 4th Cavalry Group (Mechanized), Col. Joseph M. Tully
4th Cavalry Squadron Lt. Col. E. C. Dunn
24th Cavalry Squadron Lt. Col. F. H. Gaston, Jr.
  • 6th Armored Group, Col. Francis F. Fainter
70th Tank Battalion Lt. Col. John C. Welborn
746th Tank Battalion Lt. Col. C. G. Hupfer

[edit] Battle Casualties, 6 June-1 July 1944

Unit Total Killed Wounded Missing Captured
All Units 22,119 2,811 13,564 5,665 79
4th Inf Division 5,452 844 3,814 788 6
9th Inf Division 5,438 301 2,061 76 0
79th Inf Division 2,438 240 1,896 240 0
90th Inf Division 2,376 386 1,979 34 0
82d A/B Div. 4,480 457 1,440 2,571 12
101st A/B Div. 4,670 546 2,217 1,907 0
Corps Troops 304 37 157 49 61

Source: VII Corps, G-1 Reports, June 1944

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