10th Mountain Division
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of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry).]]
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The
10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is an infantry
division of the
United States Army currently serving under the
XVIII Airborne Corps. It has fought in many battles and actions, including the
October 3, 1993 Battle of Mogadishu and many of the actions fought by its corps. The unit's specialty involves moving across
mountainous terrain and fighting effectively in harsh conditions. Like the rest of the corps, it is an elite unit that can be transported (albeit in an unlikely case) through
airborne means. The division is currently based at
Fort Drum,
New York.
History
\nThe 10th Mountain Division was first activated on July 15, 1943. It was one of the last U.S. divisions to enter combat, not starting to fight as a unit until January of 1945.
The development of a specialized unit began before the United States entered World War II. In 1940 the War Department began working with the American Alpine Club and the National Ski Patrol Committee of the National Ski Association to develop equipment and training for winter and mountain warfare. The 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment was activated at Fort Lewis, Washington on November 15, 1941, drawing its initial members from men already in the Army who had previous ski and mountaineering experience. Thereafter the National Ski Patrol recruited volunteers for the unit, under a contract with the War Department. In 1942 and 1943 additional regiments that became part of the Division were activated. The 87th Regiment participated in the assault landing on Kiska, August 15-17 1943. The attackers found the island completely deserted by the Japanese, but suffered some casualties from friendly fire and booby traps.
The division was activated on July 15, 1943 at Camp Hale, Colorado as the 10th Light Division (Alpine). It was renamed the 10th Mountain Division on November 6, 1944.
The unit saw its first actual combat in Italy. Elements of the Division began arriving in Italy in late December of 1944, and after a brief training period entered combat, January 8 1945, near Cutigliano and Orsigna. Preliminary defensive actions were followed, February 19 1945, by a concerted attack on the Silla-Mount Belvedere sector, and the peak was cleared after several days of heavy fighting. In early March the Division fought its way north of Canolle, taking several more peaks, and moving to within 15 miles of Bologna. Maintaining defensive positions for the neat 3 weeks, the Division jumped off again in April, captured Mongiorgio, April 20, and entered the Po Valley, seizing the strategic points, Pradalbino and Bomporto. The 10th crossed the Po River, April 23, reached Verona, April 25, and ran into heavy opposition at Torbole and Nago. After an amphibious crossing of Lake Garda, it secured Gargnano and Porto di Tremosine, April 30, as German resistance in Italy ended. After the German surrender in Italy, May 2 1945, the Division went on security duty, receiving the surrender of various German units and screening the areas of occupation.
The division was deactivated on November 30, 1945. However, it was reactivated on July 1, 1948, after being redesignated as the 10th Infantry Division. Ten years later, on June 14 1958, it was deactivated. It was not until the Reagan buildup of the 1980s that the 10th Mountain Division made a reappearance in the order of battle of the U.S. Army. It was reactivated on February 13, 1985 at Fort Drum, New York, as the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry).
General information
- Commander: Brigadier General Lloyd J. Austin III\n* Chief of Staff: Colonel Arthur Bartell
Subordinate Units
- 1st "Warrior" Brigade\n*2nd Brigade "Commandos"\n*US 172nd Infantry Brigade "Snowhawks" - Fort Wainwright, Alaska\n*10th Mountain Division Artillery\n*10th Aviation Brigade "Falcon"\n*10th Mountain Division Support Command\n* others
Related topics
External links
Category:Infantry divisions of the United States\nCategory:Units of the U.S. Army
