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7th Inf. Div. becomes Training Support Division West

By Fort Carson Public Affairs Office
August 23, 2006

FORT CARSON, Colo. (Aug. 23, 2006) – The 7th Infantry Division’s mission expanded yesterday during a ceremony transforming the unit into the Training Support Division West, First U.S. Army. The unit will oversee training and mobilization of Reserve and National Guard units in 21 states west of the Mississippi River, except Minnesota.

“Today, four of every 10 Soldiers in Iraq are trained by First Army,” said Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré, commanding general of First U.S. Army. Honoré explained that the role of training, mobilizing and caring for troops will be bigger than ever before as the war on terror continues.

The new unit will be commanded by Maj. Gen. Robert W. Mixon Jr.

Inactivation of the 7th Inf. Div. took place during the same ceremony.

“The 7th Infantry Division’s legend and legacy will live on,” said Lt. Gen. Charles C. Campbell, deputy commanding general and chief of staff, U.S. Army Forces Command. “The Soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division have always rendered splendid service … prominently in the forefront of honoring our nation.”

The division was created Dec. 6, 1917, at Camp Wheeler, Ga., to support U.S. war efforts in World War I. It was deployed to France and fought in the Lorraine Campaign in 1918 and served with occupation duty in France until November 1919. On March 24, 1923, the unit was deactivated at Camp Meade, Md.

On July 1, 1940, the 7th Inf. Div. was reactivated at Camp Ord, Calif., and served throughout California as emergency defense. On April 9, 1942, the unit was redesignated at the 7th Motorized Division Africa, and in January of the next year was redesignated the 7th Infantry Division.

During World War II, the unit secured the Aleutian Islands and the Marshalls, and also fought in the Philippines and Okinawa. Following the war, the 7th Infantry Division was on occupation duty in Korea until the Korean War broke out.

During the Korean War, the “Bayonet Division” saw action in both North and South Korea, being involved with the Inchon landing, Faith Task Force, the Chechon-Tanyand-Chungju area, the Kumwha Valley and Porkchop Hill. After the war, it remained in South Korea for defense duty.

The unit returned to the United States for deactivation at Fort Lewis, Wash., on April 2, 1971. On Oct. 21, 1974, the 7th ID was reactivated again at Fort Ord, and was deployed in support of Operation Golden Pheasant in Honduras in 1988 and Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989. The unit was inactivated on June 15, 1994, at Fort Ord, then reactivated in 1999. It has since provided training for the 39th Brigade Combat Team of the Arkansas National Guard, the 41st Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon National Guard and the 45th Brigade Combat Team of the Oklahoma National Guard.