U.S. III Corps
Encyclopedia
III Corps is a corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...

 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...

 headquartered at Fort Hood, Texas
Fort Hood, Texas
Fort Hood is a United States military post located outside of Killeen, Texas. The post is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood. It islocated halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas....

. It is a major formation of the United States Army Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM consists of more than 750,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National...

.

Activated in World War I in France, III Corps oversaw US Army divisions as they repelled several major German offensives and led them into Germany. The Corps was deactivated following the end of the war.

Reactivated in the interwar years, III Corps trained US Army formations for combat before and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, before itself being deployed to the European Theater where it participated in several key engagements, including the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...

 where it is known as the force that relieved the surrounded 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...

.

For the next 50 years, the division would act as a key training element for the US Army as it sent troops overseas in support 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...

, 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...

, and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

. The corps would see no combat deployments, however, until Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. It has since seen multiple deployments to Iraq.

World War I

III Corps was first organized on 16 May 1918 in France. It was designed as three of the four newly activated corps 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...

, which at that time number over 1,000,000 men in 23 divisions. The corps took command of US forces training with the French Seventh Army
Seventh Army (France)
The Seventh Army was a field army of the French Army during World War I and World War II.-World War I:*General Putz *General de Maud’Huy...

 at the same time that IV Corps
IV Corps (United States)
The IV Corps replaced the VI Corps in the Fifth United States Army's order of battle in Italy after Allied forces liberated Rome in the summer of 1944 when VI Corps was withdrawn to take part in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. Initially the Corps had two divisions, U.S...

 took command of US forces training with the French Eighth Army
Eighth Army (France)
The Eighth Army was a Field army of the French Army during the World War I and World War II.After the armistice it was part of the occupation of the Rhineland...

.

Asine-Marne campaign

In July, the Corps was rushed to the Villers-Cotterêts
Villers-Cotterêts
Villers-Cotterêts is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Geography:It is located NE of Paris via the RN2 facing Laon...

 area in preparation for the Asine-Marne campaign, the first major Allied counteroffensive of the year. There, it was put under the French Tenth Army
Tenth Army (France)
The Tenth Army was a Field army of the French Army during World War I. It took part in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. After the armistice it was part of the occupation of the Rhineland...

 and given administrative command of the 1st Division and the 2nd Division which were previously under command of the French XX Corps. However, the command group arrived in the area too late to exercise tactical command, and it was instead attached to the French XX Corps. On 18 July, the attack was launched, with the force spearheading the French Tenth Army's assault on the high ground south of Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...

. During this attack, the Corps also cut rail lines supplying the German Army.

The first day of the attack was a success, but on the second day, the Germans were reinforced with heavier weapons and were able to blunt the attack, inflicting high casualties. The force was successful despite heavy casualties, and German forces were forced to retreat. On 1 August, the Corps arrived in the Vesle
Vesle
The Vesle is the river on which the city of Reims stands. It is a fourth order river of France and a left-bank tributary of the Aisne River. It is 140 kilometres long, rises in the département of Marne through which it flows most of its course.-Geography:...

 area near the Marne River
Marne River
The Marne is a river in France, a right tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. It is long. The river gave its name to the départements of Haute-Marne, Marne, Seine-et-Marne, and Val-de-Marne....

, where it assumed command of the 3rd Division, 28th Division, and 32nd Division from the French XXXVIII Corps, placing side-by side with the U.S. I Corps for a few days. Troops continued to advance until September when they withdrew to form the new First United States Army.

Meuse-Argonne campaign

First Army formed up in preparation to advance in the Meuse-Argonne campaign. It consisted of over 600,000 men in I Corps, III Corps, and V Corps. III Corps took the Army's east flank, protecting it as the Army advanced to Montfaucon
Montfaucon
-Places:*In Switzerland**Montfaucon, Switzerland, in the canton of Jura*In France** Montfaucon, Aisne, in the Aisne département** Montfaucon, Doubs, in the du Doubs département** Montfaucon, Gard, in the Gard département...

, then Cunel
Cunel
Cunel is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meuse department...

 and Romagne
Romagne
Romagne is the name or part of the name of several places in France:* Romagne, Gironde, a commune in the Gironde department* Romagné, a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department* Romagne, Vienne, a commune in the Vienne department...

. The offensive was slow and hampered by inexperience of many of the divisions under the Army's command, though III Corps was effective in protecting its sector. They advanced through September and October, taking a few weeks for rest after the formation of Second United States Army. On 1 November, the First Army went on a general offensive, pushing north to the Meuse River
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...

 and the Barricourt Ridge. It was successful, pushing German forces back and advancing to the river until the end of the war. Around that time, the division received its shoulder sleeve insignia, approving it by telegram, though the insignia would not be officially authorized until 1922.

The corps was demobilized in Neuwied, Germany at the close of hostilities. Following the end of World War I, III Corps remained in Europe for several months before it returned to the United States. It was demobilized at Camp Sherman, Ohio
Camp Sherman, Ohio
Camp Sherman is an Ohio Army National Guard training site near Chillicothe, Ohio. It was established in 1917 after the U.S. entered World War I and today serves as a training site for National Guard soldiers. In 2009 the remaining National Guard facility was renamed Camp Sherman Joint Training...

.

Interwar Period

On 15 August 1927 the XXII Corps was activated in the United States. On 13 October of that year XXII Corps was redesignated as III Corps. It was formally activated on 18 December 1927. Throughout much of the next decade, the Corps was directed primarily with training and equipping smaller units, as the US military began slowly building in strength in response to international conflicts. In 1940, III Corps was tasked specifically with training newly formed US Army combat divisions in preparation for deployment. It was moved to Camp Hood, Texas for this mission.

World War II

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor signaling the entrance of the US into World War II, III Corps remained in the United States, where it was assigned to organize defenses of the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...

, specifically California, from the threat of attack from Japan. During this time III Corps operated at Monterey, California
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...

.

The corps was moved to Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson was a U.S. Army military base located in East Point, Georgia, on the southwest edge of the City of Atlanta, Ga. It was the headquarters for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Southeast Region; the U.S. Army Forces Command; the U.S. Army Reserve Command; the U.S...

, 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...

 in early 1942 for training. After a short period, the corps returned to Monterey and on 19 August 1942, it was designated a separate corps, capable of deployment. During the next two years, III Corps would train thousands of troops for combat, including 33 division-sized units, and participate in four corps-level maneuvers, including the Louisiana Maneuvers
Louisiana Maneuvers
The Louisiana Maneuvers were a series of military exercises held all over north and west-central Louisiana, including Fort Polk, Camp Claiborne and Camp Livingston, in August and September 1941...

.

Europe

On 23 August 1944, the corps headquarters departed California for Camp Myles Standish
Camp Myles Standish
Camp Myles Standish was a U.S. Army camp located in Taunton, Massachusetts. It functioned as a prisoner-of-war camp, a departure area for about a million U.S...

 in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

. It deployed for the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...

 on 5 September 1944. Upon arrival at Cherbourg, France, the corps was assigned to the Ninth Army, Twelfth United States Army Group, and given the code name "CENTURY" which it retained throughout the war. The corps headquarters was established at Carteret
Barneville-Carteret
Barneville-Carteret is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is situated on the western coast of the Cotentin peninsula some 30 km south of Cherbourg. It consists of three small urban areas, Barneville Bourg, Barneville Plage and Carteret...

, in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

, and for six weeks, the corps received and processed all the troops of the 12th Army Group arriving over the Normandy beaches during that period. The corps also participated in the "Red Ball Express
Red Ball Express
The Red Ball Express was an enormous truck convoy system created by Allied forces to supply their forward-area combat units moving through Europe following the breakout from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. The term "Red Ball" was a railroad phrase referring to express shipping...

" by organizing 45 provisional truck companies to carry fuel and ammunition for the units on the front lines.

The corps was assigned to the Third United States Army on 10 October 1944, and moved to Etain, near Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...

, and into combat. The corps' first fighting was for the Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...

 region, as it was moved to attack Fort Jeanne d'Arc
Fort Jeanne d'Arc
Fort Jeanne d'Arc is a fortification located to the west of Metz in the Moselle department of France. It was built by Germany to the west of the town of Rozérieulles in the early 20th century as part of the third and final group of Metz fortifications...

, one of the last forts holding out in the region. That fort fell on 13 December 1944.

Later that month on 16 December came the last German counteroffensive in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...

, as over 250,000 German troops, supported by over 1,000 tanks and assault guns assaulted the lines of VIII Corps
VIII Corps (United States)
The U.S. VIII Corps was a corps of the United States Army that saw service during various times over a fifty-year period during the twentieth century. The VIII Corps was organized 26–29 November 1918 in the Regular Army in France and demobilized on 20 April 1919. The VIII Corps was soon...

, some 40 miles to the north of III Corps. The next day, Third Army commander General George Patton warned III Corps that it would likely be ordered to assist. At that time the corps consisted of the 26th Infantry Division
26th Infantry Division (United States)
The 26th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army. As a major formation of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, it was based in Boston, Massachusetts for most of its history...

, 80th Infantry Division and the 4th Armored Division. III Corps was moved north to assist in the relief of Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...

, with the attack commencing at 0400 on 22 December. The corps advanced north, catching the German forces by surprise on their south flank, cutting them off. The 4th Armored Division was eventually able to reach Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...

, where the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...

 had been surrounded by German forces, and relieve it. During the first 10 days of this action, III Corps liberated more than 100 towns, including Bastogne. This operation was key in halting the German offensive and the eventual drive to the Rhine River.

During the first four months of 1945, III Corps moved quickly to the offensive. On 25 February, the corps, now as part of the First United States Army, established 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...

 over the Roer River, which, in turn, led to the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge
Ludendorff Bridge
The Ludendorff Bridge was a railway bridge across the River Rhine in Germany, connecting the villages of Remagen and Erpel between two ridge lines of hills flanking the river...

 at Remagen
Remagen
Remagen is a town in Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. It is about a one hour drive from Cologne , just south of Bonn, the former West German capital. It is situated on the River Rhine. There is a ferry across the Rhine from Remagen every 10–15 minutes in the summer...

, on the Rhine River, on 7 March. On 30 March, the Edersee Dam was captured intact by Task Force Wolfe of the 7th Armored Division, and the corps continued the attack to seize the Ruhr Pocket
Ruhr Pocket
The Ruhr Pocket was a battle of encirclement that took place in late March and early April 1945, near the end of World War II, in the Ruhr Area of Germany. For all intents and purposes, it marked the end of major organized resistance on Nazi Germany's Western Front, as more than 300,000 troops were...

 on 5 April 1945. In late April, III Corps reformed and launched a drive through Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...

 towards Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

. On 2 May 1945, III Corps was ordered to halt at the Inn River
Inn River
The Inn is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube and is approximately 500km long. The highest point of its drainage basin is the summit of Piz Bernina, at 4,049 metres.- Geography :...

 on the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

n border, just days before V-E Day, when the German forces surrendered, bringing an end to the war in Europe.

Post-War

At the end of the war, III Corps had added campaign streamers for Northern France, Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....

, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe
Central Europe Campaign
After crossing the Rhine the Western Allies fanned out overrunning all of western Germany from the Baltic in the north to Austria in the south before the Germans surrendered on 8 May 1945. This is known as the "Central Europe Campaign" in United States military histories.By the early spring of...

, had taken more than 226,102 prisoners and had seized more than 4500 square miles (11,654.9 km²) of German territory. The corps had also participated in most of the critical actions from Normandy to the German-Austrian border. Its wartime commanders included Major General John Millikin and Major General James A. Van Fleet. After 13 months of occupation duty in Germany, the corps returned to Camp Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....

, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

, where it was deactivated on 10 October 1946.

Cold War Era

On 15 March 1951, during the height of the Korean War, III Corps was again called to active duty at Camp Roberts, California
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...

. In April 1954, III Corps moved to Fort Hood, Texas, where it participated in a number of important exercises, either as director headquarters or as a player unit. It took command of the 1st Armored Division
1st Armored Division (United States)
The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a standing armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S...

 and the 4th Armored Division. The main purpose of these operations was the testing of new doctrines, organizations, and equipment. On 5 May 1959, the corps was again deactivated.

The Berlin crisis
Berlin Crisis of 1961
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 was the last major politico-military European incident of the Cold War about the occupational status of the German capital city, Berlin, and of post–World War II Germany. The U.S.S.R...

 brought III Corps back to active duty for the fourth time on 1 September 1961. Units participated in an intensive training program and were operationally ready by December 1961. In February 1962, the Department of the Army designated III Corps as a unit of the U.S. Strategic Army Corps and in September 1965, assigned III Corps to the U.S. Strategic Army Forces. Throughout much of the 1960s, III Corps and its subordinate units trained for rapid deployment to Europe in the event of an outbreak of war there.

During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

 era, the corps supervised the training and deployment of more than 137 units and detachments to Southeast Asia, including the I and II Field Force staffs. The corps also trained more than 40,000 individual replacements for units in Vietnam, for a total of over 100,000 soldiers trained. As the war in Southeast Asia ended, the corps received many units and individual soldiers for reassignment or inactivation. It was also during this period that III Corps units participated in a number of key tests and evaluations that would help determine Army organization and equipment for the next 30 years. During this era, the corps also 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...

.

In July 1973, III Corps became part of the newly established Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM consists of more than 750,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National...

 and its training, testing, and evaluation mission began to grow. For the remainder of the decade, III Corps would take part in a number of Training and Doctrine Command tests of organizations and tactical concepts, and play a key role in the fielding of new equipment. III Corps units would also participate in major exercises such as Exercise REFORGER
Exercise REFORGER
Exercise Reforger was an annual exercise conducted, during the Cold War, by NATO. The exercise was intended to ensure that NATO had the ability to quickly deploy forces to West Germany in the event of a conflict with the Warsaw Pact.The Reforger exercise itself was first conceived in 1967...

 (Return of Forces to Germany) and disaster relief operations in the United States and Central America.

In the 1980s Corps units were on the leading edge of the Army's modernization effort with the introduction of new organizations and equipment including the M1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...

 tank, M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, AH-64 Apache
AH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...

 helicopter, Multiple Launch Rocket System, and Mobile Subscriber Equipment. In 1987, III Corps also conducted the largest deployment of forces to Germany since World War II. During this time, the corps began assisting in the training and support of active and reserve component units. This support involves training guidance, resources, and the maintenance of relationships that extend to wartime affiliations.

Present day

Following the end of the Cold War, III Corps itself saw no major contingencies, however it oversaw numerous units under its command deploy to contingencies around the world. III Corps units were sent to Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...

, Panama, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...

, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...

, and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

. Corps units also provided humanitarian support for Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. III Corps elements supported Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well.

It was after the Cold War that III Corps was acclimated to the role of primary counteroffensive force for the US Army. With the downsizing of other major Army formations, III Corps gained command of heavier units, including the 1st Cavalry Division while the XVIII Airborne Corps took charge of rapid-deployment for emergency contingencies, including the 101st Airborne Division and 82nd Airborne Division. III Corps took charge of the heavy units designed for large, conventional offensive actions.

III Corps has for many years participated in an exchange program which sees a Canadian Army officer appointed as a Deputy Commanding General. Notably, Peter Devlin
Peter Devlin
Lieutenant General Peter John Devlin CMM, MSC, CD is the Chief of the Land Staff in the Canadian Forces.-Military career:Educated at the University of Western Ontario, Devlin was commissioned into The Royal Canadian Regiment, having joined the Canadian Forces in 1978. Devlin served in an...

 deployed with the Corps to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

 in 2005. As of 2011, the Canadian officer was Brigadier-General Dean Milner.

Global War on Terrorism

At the start of the Global War on Terrorism, the corps was composed of the 1st Cavalry Division and the 4th Infantry Division as well as the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 13th Corps Support Command. However, with realignment of the US Army and the return of several formations from Europe, the corps took command of the 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Armored Division
1st Armored Division (United States)
The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a standing armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S...

 as well, both of these units having been transferred from V Corps in Germany.

The Corps saw its first combat deployment since World War II in 2004, when it deployed to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. There, it assumed command of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, relieving V Corps. III Corps served as the administrative command for 2,500 soldiers of the Multi-National Force Iraq command element, providing support and organization for operations into 2005, when it was returned to Fort Hood, relieved by XVIII Airborne Corps.
In 2007, the corps returned to Iraq for a second time to serve as commanding headquarters for Multi-National Corps Iraq. During this 15-month deployment, the Corps took command of the force when it was at its largest yet in the war dur to the Iraq War troop surge
Iraq War troop surge of 2007
In the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province....

 conducted that year. The corps conducted a similar mission to its first deployment, focusing on providing personnel management, training, communications, convoy escort, and other duties to support the commanding elements of Multi-National Force Iraq. III Corps fulfilled this mission until February 2008, when it returned home, again relieved by XVIII Airborne Corps.

In 2009, the Corps began a number of training initiatives with the Republic of Korea Army
Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...

. These included Operation Key Resolve, a command post exercise simulating major, high intensity combat operations. The exercises were held in Yongin, South Korea. These operations were designed to keep the Corps familiar with commanding during large-scale conventional warfare, as opposed to counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...

 tactics it employed during its two tours in Iraq. Upon return to the United States, the corps conducted similar exercises at Fort Hood.

On 5 November 2009, a gunman opened fire in the Soldier Readiness Center of Fort Hood, killing 13 people and wounding 30 others. Nidal Malik Hasan
Nidal Malik Hasan
Nidal Malik Hasan, USA is a United States Army officer and sole suspect in the November 5, 2009, Fort Hood shooting, which occurred less than a month before he would have deployed to Afghanistan....

, a muslim U.S. Army Major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...

 and psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...

, was alleged to be the gunman. He was felled and then arrested by civilian police officers Sergeant Mark Todd & Sergeant Kimberly Munley. Much of the subsequent investigation was handled by III Corps, as the soldiers killed were under the corps' chain of command.

Organization

III Corps, Fort Hood
  • III Corps Special Troops Battalion, Fort Hood
  • 1st Armored Division
    1st Armored Division (United States)
    The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a standing armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S...

    , Fort Bliss
    Fort Bliss
    Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...

  • 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood
  • 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley
    Fort Riley
    Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...

  • 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson
  • 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood
  • III Corps Artillery, Fort Sill
    Fort Sill
    Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...

    • 41st Fires Brigade, Fort Hood
    • 75th Fires Brigade
      75th Fires Brigade (United States)
      The 75th Fires Brigade is an artillery brigade in the United States Army. It is currently based in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and supports the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas.- Mission :...

      , Fort Sill
    • 212th Fires Brigade
      212th Fires Brigade (United States)
      The 212th Fires Brigade is an artillery brigade in the United States Army. It is currently based in Fort Bliss Texas and supports the 1st Armored Division...

      , Fort Bliss
    • 214th Fires Brigade
      214th Fires Brigade (United States)
      The 214th Fires Brigade is an artillery brigade in the United States Army. It is currently based in Fort Sill Oklahoma and supports the 4th Infantry Division located at Fort Carson, Colorado...

      , Fort Sill
  • 36th Engineer Brigade
    36th Engineer Brigade (United States)
    The 36th Engineer Brigade is a combat engineer brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Hood, Texas. The brigade is a subordinate unit of III Corps....

    , Fort Hood
  • 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
    504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
    The 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade is located at Fort Hood, Texas. The 504th BfSB was transformed from the 504th Military Intelligence Brigade in November 2008 becoming one of three active duty Surveillance Brigade of the United States Army...

    , Fort Hood
  • 89th Military Police Brigade
    89th Military Police Brigade (United States)
    The 89th Military Police Brigade is a military police brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Hood, Texas. It is a subordinate unit of III Corps....

    , Fort Hood
  • 13th Sustainment Command
    13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)
    The 13th Sustainment Command —the Lucky 13th—is a U.S. Army modular sustainment command which serves as a forward presence for expeditionary operations for a theater, or in support of a regional Combatant Commander...

    , Fort Hood


Other major units stationed along the III Corps units are:
  • 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade
    4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade
    The 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a United States Army brigade located at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, subordinate to the 1st Infantry Division. The 4th MEB is one of three active duty Maneuver Enhancement Brigades. The Brigade is tasked to improve the movement capabilities and rear area...

    , Fort Leonard Wood
    Fort Leonard Wood (military base)
    Fort Leonard Wood is a United States Army installation located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard Wood, former Chief of Staff, in January 1941...

  • 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Fort Sill (United States Army Air Defense Artillery School)
  • 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command
    32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command
    The 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command is a one-of-a-kind theater level Army air and missile defense multi-component organization with a worldwide, 72-hour deployment mission...

    , Fort Bliss
    • 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
      11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States)
      The 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense artillery brigade of the United States Army stationed at Fort Bliss.- Organization :* 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery...

      , Fort Bliss
    • 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade
      31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States)
      The 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense artillery brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.- Organization :* 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade ** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery...

      , Fort Sill (Was assigned to III Corps and once was based at Fort Hood)
    • 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
      69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States)
      The 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense artillery brigade of the United States Army.Subordinate units include: 4–5 ADA and 1–44 ADA .-History:...

       Fort Hood
  • 48th Chemical Brigade
    48th Chemical Brigade (United States)
    The 48th Chemical Brigade is a United States Army brigade located at Fort Hood, Texas and subordinate to the 20th Support Command . The 48th Chemical Brigade is the only active duty NBC-defense brigade in the Army. The Brigade is tasked to discover, counter, neutralize chemical, biological or...

    , Fort Hood
  • 71st Ordnance Group (EOD)
    71st Ordnance Group (EOD)
    The 71st Ordnance Group is one of two explosive ordnance disposal groups of the United States Army. On Order, the Group deploys and conducts operations in support of the Combative Commanders or other government agencies to counter CBRNE and WMD threats.-Subordinate units:* 71st Ordnance Group ,...

    , Fort Carson


The Corps’s divisions are supported by the following Sustainment brigades, which are under direct command of FORSCOM
United States Army Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM consists of more than 750,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National...

:
  • 1st Sustainment Brigade
    1st Sustainment Brigade (United States)
    The 1st Sustainment Brigade is a sustainment brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Riley, Kansas. It provides logistics support to the 1st Infantry Division.Activated in 2007, the unit is a modular brigade capable of a variety of actions...

     at Fort Riley supporting the 1st Infantry Division
  • 4th Sustainment Brigade
    4th Sustainment Brigade (United States)
    The 4th Sustainment Brigade is a sustainment brigade of the United States Army. It previously provided logistical support to the 4th Infantry Division, but is now supporting the 1st Cavalry Division...

     at Fort Hood supporting the 1st Cavalry Division
  • 15th Sustainment Brigade
    15th Sustainment Brigade (United States)
    The 15th Sustainment Brigade is a sustainment brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Bliss, Texas. It provides logistics support to other units of the United States Army, and is subordinate to the 13th Sustainment Command...

     at Fort Bliss supporting the 1st Armored Division
    1st Armored Division (United States)
    The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a standing armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S...

  • 43rd Sustainment Brigade
    43rd Sustainment Brigade (United States)
    The 43rd Sustainment Brigade is a U.S. Army Forces Command combat service support unit stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. The Brigade motto is "Provide with Pride". The Brigade call sign is "Rough Riders"...

     at Fort Carson supporting the 4th Infantry Division

Honors

The corps received five 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,...

s in World War I and four campaign streamers in World War II. It also received two campaign streamers and two unit awards during the War on Terrorism.

Unit decorations

Ribbon Award Year Notes
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....

 (Army)
2004–2005 for service in Central Asia
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....

 (Army)
2007–2008 for service in Central Asia
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....

 (Army)
2010–2011 for service in Central Asia


Campaign streamers

Conflict Streamer Year(s)
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

Aisne-Marne 1917
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

Osine-Marne 1917
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

Meuse-Argonne 1918
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

Champagne 1918
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

Lorraine 1918
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

1944
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

Northern France 1944
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....

1945
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

Central Europe 1945
Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraq 2004—2005
Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraq 2007—2008
Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraq 2009—2010
Operation New Dawn Iraq 2010—2011


See Also

  • I Corps (United States)
  • V Corps (United States)
  • XVIII Airborne Corps (United States)
  • United States Army Corps of Engineers
    United States Army Corps of Engineers
    The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...

  • United States Marine Corps
    United States Marine Corps
    The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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