United States Army Europe
Encyclopedia
United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, is an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) of the United States Army
and the land component of United States European Command
. It is the largest American formation in Europe.
. The Army was formed when the U.S. I Armored Corps
was redesignated on 10 July 1943 to provide headquarters for American forces in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily
. During the campaign, it was commanded by (Then) Lieutenant General George S. Patton
. Patton officially took command of the Seventh Army aboard USS Monrovia
(APA-31), Admiral H. Kent Hewitt's flagship
, thus became the Army's motto, "Born at sea, baptized in blood." Later was added "...crowned with glory."
It landed on the left flank of the Allied forces. Its role in the plan for conquering Sicily was envisaged as being a protecting force for the left wing of the British Eighth Army under Gen. Bernard Montgomery. Montgomery's plan was to confront the enemy: British and US forces side by side. However, Patton broke away following his own plan. In the end, it played a far more important role it's claimed: Patton wanted to liberate Palermo the capitol on the island's western shore and only encountered light resistance doing so. Upon reaching the city he found the Axis armies had evacuated, so devised a second plan to go on to Messina across the north side of the island 'again encountering little resistance. In this way most of Sicily was liberated by American forces. Patton's Army did rendezvous with Montgomery in capturing the crucial city of Messina, Italy, the nearest point on Sicily to the mainland of Italy
. Meanwhile: Montgomery's Eighth Army had confronted the Axis army's main force in heavy fighting on the eastern side of the island 'where it was expected to be on the road to Messina.
, on 15 August 1944. This was conceived as a help to Eisenhower's
forces fighting in Normandy
by outflanking German
forces in France. However, in the end, this was not crucial, in a way, since a breakout was achieved in Normandy before Dragoon was launched.
Dragoon was a contentious operation, because its launching severely weakened the American forces fighting in Italy, thus limiting their offensive capabilities in the final stages of that campaign. However, it was instrumental in the rapid liberation of Southern France and providing new supply ports; the Allied supply lines from invasion ports in Northern France were overextended. The operation saw a fundamental difference of strategy between the British Chiefs of Staff and the American Joint Chiefs of Staff and their respective governments. Originally called Anvil, the name was changed by Winston Churchill
, who claimed to having been "dragooned" into accepting it. (Some sources describe this as "Operation Anvil-Dragoon.")
It was successful as an amphibious assault. Three divisions of the Seventh Army landed. The assault forces included units of the French Army B
under Gen. Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
. With French and American forces established ashore in significant numbers, the Seventh Army and the French First Army were placed under 6th Army Group
headquarters, commanded by Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers
. This Army Group took up its position on the right wing of the forces on the Western Front.
Seventh Army succeeded in fighting its way through the defended defile
s of the Vosges Mountains
, and debouch
onto the Alsatian Plain in late November, 1944. Seventh Army also became the first American army to reach the German Rhine River. Hard-fought battles were waged in the Alsace
and Lorraine
during the winter of 1944–45, in which Seventh Army got into substantial difficulties following the German Operation Nordwind
. In the spring of 1945, Seventh Army crossed the Rhine River into Germany itself. Parts of the Black Forest
and Bavaria
were captured by Seventh Army, including Hitler's Alpine residence, the Berghof
. The 103rd Infantry Division (United States) even entered into Northern Italy after taking Innsbruck, Austria on 3 May 1945 and linked up with the Fifth United States Army.
. Along with the Third Army, it commanded the U.S. forces of occupation until 31 March 1946. A consolidation of forces then occurred, which saw the Seventh Army inactivated, with Third Army taking over its responsibilities. Seventh Army was reactivated for ten months from 11 June 1946 to 15 March 1947 at Atlanta
, Georgia before being inactivated again.
The Seventh Army remained inactive until the Korean War
, which proved to be a wake-up call to American policy-makers. As part of the build-up of forces in Germany, Seventh Army was reactivated in November 1950, based at Stuttgart
. After the peace treaty with Germany was signed, it remained in the country to control the American ground forces committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) defenses in Germany.
After the erection of the Berlin Wall
, units were frequently deployed to this formation, until the military strength was at an all-time high (277,342 soldiers in June 1962). For most of the Cold War
period, the forces assigned to the Seventh Army consisted of roughly two army corps of soldiers, V Corps and VII Corps
. Frequent exercises were held to prepare the Seventh Army units for possible combat against Soviet forces. These included the enormous Exercise REFORGER
or REturn of FORces to GERmany, which practised the reinforcing of American units in Germany with those from the United States itself, a vital task had war broken out between NATO and the Warsaw Pact
.
In 1967, the Seventh Army was merged with U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR), and its headquarters were moved to Heidelberg
, Germany, on the Neckar River, at Campbell Barracks
, where it remained until 2004.
The strains on US Army personnel by the Vietnam War
caused some soldiers from this European command to be sent to that war. However, the vital mission of holding the line against the Warsaw Pact
meant that only small numbers of forces from Europe could take part. USAREUR's troop quality sharply declined for a number of years, as drugs, racial issues, and indiscipline wore away morale and combat capability. However the situation improved, as it did worldwide, as the All Volunteer Force changes was implemented during the 1980s.
The end of the Cold War
saw large reductions of American forces in Germany. However, before these reductions could be implemented, the Persian Gulf War
intervened. The Seventh Army itself did not take part, but VII Corps, one of its two constituent corps, was deployed, delivering the armored attack that smashed Iraqi forces. VII Corps
units generally did not return to Germany after that war; but rather they moved directly back to the United States for deactivation. However, much of its heavy armaments, such as tanks and artillery was left in Kuwait
and Saudi Arabia
.
The V Corps was thus left as the major combat component of Seventh Army. This remained the situation throughout the 1990s, with deployments of forces to Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Kosovo
punctuating the usual peacetime activities. A reorganisation in 1996 saw the reactivation of the 173d Airborne Brigade, based in Italy, the only major change after the departure of VII Corps.
, as did 173rd Airborne Brigade, and after the campaign, 1st Armored Division followed for occupation duties. With parts of 1st Infantry Division
also deployed in Iraq, and others on peacekeeping duties in the Balkans
, Seventh Army was virtually stripped of combat formations. The return of 173rd Brigade, V Corps and 1st Armored Division in early 2004 was followed by the deployment of the rest of 1st Infantry Division for occupation duties. V Corps began a rotational deployment in 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Currently, U.S. Army's modularization and transformation plan calls for the formation's major subordinate units – 1st Armored Division
and 1st Infantry Division
– to be relocated to the continental United States – Fort Bliss
, Texas, and Fort Riley
, Kansas
, respectively. Replacing them will be the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, converted to a Stryker
Brigade, and the 12th Aviation Brigade. V Corps will be deactivated, transferring most of its units and personnel to I Corps
, III Corps
, and XVIII Corps. Seventh Army, having been merged with US Army Europe since 1967, will remain merged, as was confirmed with the release of unit designations for the modular force in mid 1996. HQ USAREUR and V Corps were slated to merge and the process had begun however, the decision has been made to retain a Corps Headquarters within USAREUR, and V Corps is once again in the process of separating from HQ USAREUR.
Thus when the expected changes are finished the force in Europe will consist of USAREUR HQ, V Corps, aviation and combat service support, and three maneuver brigades: the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck
, Germany, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which will eventually expand to three airborne battalions, in Italy, and the Joint Task Force East, a brigade rotating from CONUS
though two bases at Constanţa
, Romania, apparently with the main facility at Mihail Kogălniceanu Airfield
. Initially however, the JTF E will be provided by a rotational Stryker cavalry squadron from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. JTF E was originally planned to be called the Eastern Europe Task Force.
From 2008 to 2012–13, the two to three brigades listed above will be augmented by the 170th Infantry Brigade
and the 172nd Infantry Brigade, 'reflagged' former V Corps/1st Armored Division formations. Thus from 2008 to 2013, the force will consist of two heavy brigades combat teams, the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
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...
and the land component of United States European Command
United States European Command
The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel...
. It is the largest American formation in Europe.
Invasion of Sicily
The Seventh Army was the first American formation of Field Army size to see combat in World War IIWorld 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...
. The Army was formed when the U.S. I Armored Corps
U.S. I Armored Corps
__FORCETOC__I Armored Corps was a World War II corps of the United States Army. The army made its debut in Operation Torch in November 1942 under the command of Major-General George S. Patton. In July 1943 it was redesignated as the U.S. Seventh Army....
was redesignated on 10 July 1943 to provide headquarters for American forces in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. During the campaign, it was commanded by (Then) Lieutenant General George S. Patton
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
. Patton officially took command of the Seventh Army aboard USS Monrovia
USS Monrovia (APA-31)
USS Monrovia was a Crescent City class attack transport of the United States Navy, built from a C-3 Delta commercial freighter design, and was named for the Birthplace of President James Monroe, located in Westmoreland County, Va....
(APA-31), Admiral H. Kent Hewitt's flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, thus became the Army's motto, "Born at sea, baptized in blood." Later was added "...crowned with glory."
It landed on the left flank of the Allied forces. Its role in the plan for conquering Sicily was envisaged as being a protecting force for the left wing of the British Eighth Army under Gen. Bernard Montgomery. Montgomery's plan was to confront the enemy: British and US forces side by side. However, Patton broke away following his own plan. In the end, it played a far more important role it's claimed: Patton wanted to liberate Palermo the capitol on the island's western shore and only encountered light resistance doing so. Upon reaching the city he found the Axis armies had evacuated, so devised a second plan to go on to Messina across the north side of the island 'again encountering little resistance. In this way most of Sicily was liberated by American forces. Patton's Army did rendezvous with Montgomery in capturing the crucial city of Messina, Italy, the nearest point on Sicily to the mainland of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Meanwhile: Montgomery's Eighth Army had confronted the Axis army's main force in heavy fighting on the eastern side of the island 'where it was expected to be on the road to Messina.
Operation Dragoon
After the Sicily operation, Lt. Gen. Alexander M. Patch took command of the Seventh Army. The Seventh Army was taken out of the frontline and transferred into the 6th Army Group. Its next action was the invasion of the south of France, code named Operation DragoonOperation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
, on 15 August 1944. This was conceived as a help to Eisenhower's
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
forces fighting 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:...
by outflanking German
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
forces in France. However, in the end, this was not crucial, in a way, since a breakout was achieved in Normandy before Dragoon was launched.
Dragoon was a contentious operation, because its launching severely weakened the American forces fighting in Italy, thus limiting their offensive capabilities in the final stages of that campaign. However, it was instrumental in the rapid liberation of Southern France and providing new supply ports; the Allied supply lines from invasion ports in Northern France were overextended. The operation saw a fundamental difference of strategy between the British Chiefs of Staff and the American Joint Chiefs of Staff and their respective governments. Originally called Anvil, the name was changed by Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, who claimed to having been "dragooned" into accepting it. (Some sources describe this as "Operation Anvil-Dragoon.")
It was successful as an amphibious assault. Three divisions of the Seventh Army landed. The assault forces included units of the French Army B
French First Army
The First Army was a field army of France that fought during World War I and World War II. It was also active during the Cold War.-First World War:...
under Gen. Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny, GCB, MC was a French military hero of World War II and commander in the First Indochina War.-Early life:...
. With French and American forces established ashore in significant numbers, the Seventh Army and the French First Army were placed under 6th Army Group
U.S. 6th Army Group
The Sixth United States Army Group was an Army Group of the Allies during World War II, and as contained armies from both the United States Army and the French Army it is also referred to as the Southern Group of Armies.-History:...
headquarters, commanded by Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers
Jacob L. Devers
General Jacob "Jake" Loucks Devers , commander of the 6th Army Group in Europe during World War II. He was the first United States military officer to reach the Rhine after D-Day.-Biography:...
. This Army Group took up its position on the right wing of the forces on the Western Front.
Seventh Army succeeded in fighting its way through the defended defile
Defile (geography)
Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front...
s of the Vosges Mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
, and debouch
Debouch
Debouch is a term used in river and stream geography, and the military.-Geography:In fluvial geography, a debouch is a place where a body of water pours forth from a narrow opening...
onto the Alsatian Plain in late November, 1944. Seventh Army also became the first American army to reach the German Rhine River. Hard-fought battles were waged in the Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and 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 winter of 1944–45, in which Seventh Army got into substantial difficulties following the German Operation Nordwind
Operation Nordwind
Operation North Wind was the last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front. It began on 1 January 1945 in Alsace and Lorraine in northeastern France, and it ended on 25 January.-Objectives:...
. In the spring of 1945, Seventh Army crossed the Rhine River into Germany itself. Parts of the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
and 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...
were captured by Seventh Army, including Hitler's Alpine residence, the Berghof
Berghof (Hitler)
The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Other than the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. It was also one of the most widely known of Hitler's...
. The 103rd Infantry Division (United States) even entered into Northern Italy after taking Innsbruck, Austria on 3 May 1945 and linked up with the Fifth United States Army.
After 1945
The Seventh Army did not remain active long after World War IIWorld 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...
. Along with the Third Army, it commanded the U.S. forces of occupation until 31 March 1946. A consolidation of forces then occurred, which saw the Seventh Army inactivated, with Third Army taking over its responsibilities. Seventh Army was reactivated for ten months from 11 June 1946 to 15 March 1947 at Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia before being inactivated again.
The Seventh Army remained inactive until 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...
, which proved to be a wake-up call to American policy-makers. As part of the build-up of forces in Germany, Seventh Army was reactivated in November 1950, based at Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
. After the peace treaty with Germany was signed, it remained in the country to control the American ground forces committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) defenses in Germany.
After the erection of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
, units were frequently deployed to this formation, until the military strength was at an all-time high (277,342 soldiers in June 1962). For most 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...
period, the forces assigned to the Seventh Army consisted of roughly two army corps of soldiers, V Corps and VII Corps
U.S. VII Corps
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...
. Frequent exercises were held to prepare the Seventh Army units for possible combat against Soviet forces. These included the enormous 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...
or REturn of FORces to GERmany, which practised the reinforcing of American units in Germany with those from the United States itself, a vital task had war broken out between NATO and the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
.
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Germany, on the Neckar River, at Campbell Barracks
Campbell Barracks
Campbell Barracks, in Heidelberg, Germany, is the location of the Headquarters of the United States Army in Europe and Seventh Army Campbell Barracks, in Heidelberg, Germany, is the location of the Headquarters of the United States Army in Europe and Seventh Army Campbell Barracks, in Heidelberg,...
, where it remained until 2004.
The strains on US Army personnel by 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...
caused some soldiers from this European command to be sent to that war. However, the vital mission of holding the line against the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
meant that only small numbers of forces from Europe could take part. USAREUR's troop quality sharply declined for a number of years, as drugs, racial issues, and indiscipline wore away morale and combat capability. However the situation improved, as it did worldwide, as the All Volunteer Force changes was implemented during the 1980s.
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...
saw large reductions of American forces in Germany. However, before these reductions could be implemented, the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
intervened. The Seventh Army itself did not take part, but VII Corps, one of its two constituent corps, was deployed, delivering the armored attack that smashed Iraqi forces. VII Corps
U.S. VII Corps
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...
units generally did not return to Germany after that war; but rather they moved directly back to the United States for deactivation. However, much of its heavy armaments, such as tanks and artillery was left in 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 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
The V Corps was thus left as the major combat component of Seventh Army. This remained the situation throughout the 1990s, with deployments of forces to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
punctuating the usual peacetime activities. A reorganisation in 1996 saw the reactivation of the 173d Airborne Brigade, based in Italy, the only major change after the departure of VII Corps.
21st century
The 11 September 2001 attacks did not directly affect the Seventh Army. However, the campaign in Iraq in 2003 did. The headquarters of V Corps was deployed to IraqIraq
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....
, as did 173rd Airborne Brigade, and after the campaign, 1st Armored Division followed for occupation duties. With parts of 1st Infantry Division
U.S. 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is the oldest division in the United States Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917...
also deployed in Iraq, and others on peacekeeping duties in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, Seventh Army was virtually stripped of combat formations. The return of 173rd Brigade, V Corps and 1st Armored Division in early 2004 was followed by the deployment of the rest of 1st Infantry Division for occupation duties. V Corps began a rotational deployment in 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Currently, U.S. Army's modularization and transformation plan calls for the formation's major subordinate units – 1st Armored Division
U.S. 1st Armored Division
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 1st Infantry Division
U.S. 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is the oldest division in the United States Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917...
– to be relocated to the continental United States – 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...
, Texas, and 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...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, respectively. Replacing them will be the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, converted to a Stryker
Stryker
The IAV Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled, 4-wheel-drive , armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III and produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, in use by the United States Army. The vehicle is named for two American servicemen who posthumously received the Medal of Honor:...
Brigade, and the 12th Aviation Brigade. V Corps will be deactivated, transferring most of its units and personnel to I Corps
U.S. I Corps
I Corps is a corps of the United States Army headquartered in Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. It is a major formation of United States Army Forces Command....
, III Corps
U.S. III Corps
III Corps is a corps of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Hood, Texas. It is a major formation of the United States Army Forces Command....
, and XVIII Corps. Seventh Army, having been merged with US Army Europe since 1967, will remain merged, as was confirmed with the release of unit designations for the modular force in mid 1996. HQ USAREUR and V Corps were slated to merge and the process had begun however, the decision has been made to retain a Corps Headquarters within USAREUR, and V Corps is once again in the process of separating from HQ USAREUR.
Thus when the expected changes are finished the force in Europe will consist of USAREUR HQ, V Corps, aviation and combat service support, and three maneuver brigades: the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck
Vilseck
Vilseck is a town in the Oberpfalz region of northeastern Bavaria, Germany situated on the river Vils, a tributary of the Naab river.The town is geographically separate from a nearby large American military base known as the Rose Barracks but more commonly referred to as Vilseck...
, Germany, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which will eventually expand to three airborne battalions, in Italy, and the Joint Task Force East, a brigade rotating from CONUS
Conus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
though two bases at Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
, Romania, apparently with the main facility at Mihail Kogălniceanu Airfield
Mihail Kogalniceanu International Airport
Mihail Kogălniceanu Airport is situated in south-east Romania, in the commune of Mihail Kogălniceanu, north northwest of Constanţa. It is the main airport of Dobrogea region and it provides access to the Constanţa County, the Constanţa city port and Black Sea Romanian resorts...
. Initially however, the JTF E will be provided by a rotational Stryker cavalry squadron from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. JTF E was originally planned to be called the Eastern Europe Task Force.
From 2008 to 2012–13, the two to three brigades listed above will be augmented by the 170th Infantry Brigade
170th Infantry Brigade (United States)
The of the United States Army was reestablished 15 July 2009 at US Army Garrison Baumholder in Germany as part of the Grow the Army plan. The 170th Infantry Brigade was formed by reflagging the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. The soldiers and equipment will remain in place but the 2d Brigade...
and the 172nd Infantry Brigade, 'reflagged' former V Corps/1st Armored Division formations. Thus from 2008 to 2013, the force will consist of two heavy brigades combat teams, the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
Subordinate Units
- V Corps "Victory Corps"
- 66th Military Intelligence Brigade66th Military Intelligence Brigade (United States)The 66th Military Intelligence Brigade is a United States Army brigade, subordinate to United States Army Intelligence and Security Command and based in Wiesbaden, Germany:* 66th Military Intelligence Brigade** Headquarters & Headquarters Company...
- 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment357th Air & Missile Defense DetachmentActivated on 15 April 2008, 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment was a brigade level Air Defense unit of the United States Army. Based in Kaiserslautern, Germany...
reflagged 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command 10-17-2011 - 21st Sustainment Command (Theater)
- Special Troops Battalion
- 16th Sustainment Brigade
- 18th Engineer Brigade18th Engineer Brigade (United States)The 18th Engineer Brigade is an engineer brigade of the United States Army. It is currently a subordinate unit of 21st Sustainment Command and is headquartered at Tompkins Barracks in Schwetzingen, Germany...
- 18th Military Police Brigade
- 405th Army Field Support Brigade
- 409th Army Contracting Support Brigade
- 7th Civil Support Command
- 266th Financial Management Center
- 1st Personnel Command
- 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command (GrafenwöhrGrafenwöhrGrafenwöhr is a town in the district Neustadt , in the region of the Upper Palatinate in eastern Bavaria, Germany. It is widely known for the United States Army military installation and training area, called Grafenwöhr Training Area, located directly south and west of the town.- Early History:The...
) - 5th Signal Command5th Signal Command (United States)The 5th Signal Command is a European-based tactical and strategic communications organization of the United States Army specializing in command and control which supports theater-limited, joint-forces, and combined forces activities...
- 2nd Signal Brigade2nd Signal Brigade (United States)The 2nd Signal Brigade is a military communications brigade of the United States Army subordinate to the 5th Signal Command and located at Wiesbaden Army Airfield .-Composition:* 2nd Signal Brigade...
- 7th Signal Brigade (Tactical Theater)7th Signal Brigade (United States)The 7th Signal Brigade is an military communications brigade of the United States Army subordinate to the 5th Signal Command and located at Ledward Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany.* 7th Signal Brigade...
- 2nd Signal Brigade
- 19th Battlefield Coordination Detachment
- Europe Regional Medical Command
- Installation Management Command – Europe
- Joint Task Force East, Romania
- Multi-National Task Force East, Kosovo
- Army Flight Operations Detachment
- 7th Army Soldiers Chorus
- 33rd Army Band
External links
- Official Site for the Headquarters of United States Army Europe
- Official site for All U.S. Forces in Europe
- Stars and StripesStars and Stripes (newspaper)Stars and Stripes is a news source that operates from inside the United States Department of Defense but is editorially separate from it. The First Amendment protection which Stars and Stripes enjoys is safeguarded by Congress to whom an independent ombudsman, who serves the readers' interests,...
, USAREUR commander wants to keep 40,000 American soldiers in Europe, 12 October 2007 - http://www.stripesonline.com/article.asp?section=104&article=40431 – story on JTF East
- http://www.portalgermany.com/us_army_europe_tactical_commands/ – USAREUR Tactical Commands
- http://www.usarmygermany.com/ – The US Army in Germany from Occupation Army to Keepers of the Peace
Further reading
- Simon Duke, U.S. Military Forces and Installations in Europe, Oxford University Press for SIPRISIPRIStockholm International Peace Research Institute is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament...
, 1989