4th Infantry Division (United States)

Patch of the United States Army Fourth Infantry Division (Mechanized).

The 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) is a combat division of the United States Army based at Fort Hood, Texas. It is the most technologically advanced combat division in the U.S. Army.

The division has two nicknames, the first, "Ivy," is a play on words of the roman numeral "IV" which signifies the division's numerical designation. Ivy leaves also symbolize tenacity and fidelity which is the basis of the division's motto: "Steadfast and Loyal". The second nickname, "Iron Horse," has been recently adopted to indicate the speed and power of the division.

History

The division was formed in 1917 and was part of the Allied Expeditionary Force during World War I where the division suffered over 11,000 casualties.

The Fourth Division arrived in the UK in early 1944. It took part in the Normandy Invasion, with the 8th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Division was one of the first Allied units to hit the beaches at Normandy on D-day, 6 June 1944. Relieving the isolated 82d Airborne Division at Ste. Mere Eglise, the 4th cleared the Cotentin peninsula and took part in the capture of Cherbourg, 25 June. After taking part in the fighting near Periers, 6-12 July, the Division broke through the left flank of the German Seventh Army, helped stem the German drive toward Avranches, and by the end of August had moved to Paris, assisting the French in the liberation of their capital. The 4th then moved into Belgium through Houffalize to attack the Siegfried Line at Schnee Eifel, 14 September, and made several penetrations. Slow progress into Germany continued in October, and by 6 November the Division reached the Hurtgen Forest, where a severe engagement took place until early December. It then shifted to Luxembourg, only to meet the German winter offensive head-on, 16 December 1944. Although its lines were dented, it managed to hold the Germans at Dickweiler and Osweiler, and, counterattacking in January across the Sauer, overran German positions in Fouhren and Vianden. Halted at the Prum in February by heavy enemy resistance, the Division finally crossed 28 February near Olzheim, and raced on across the Kyll, 7 March. After a short rest, the 4th moved across the Rhine 29 March at Worms, attacked and secured Würzburg and by 3 April had established a bridgehead across the Main at Ochsenfurt. Speeding southeast across Bavaria, the Division had reached Miesbach on the Isar, 2 May 1945, when it was relieved and placed on occupation duty.

The Division returned to the US in July 1945 and was stationed at Camp Butner NC, preparing for deployment to the Pacific. After the war ended it was inactivated on 5 March 1946. It was reactivated as a training division at Fort Ord CA on 15 July 1947.

On 1 October 1950, it was redesignated a combat division, training at Fort Benning GA. In May 1951 it deployed to Germany as the first of four US divisions committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. After a five-year tour in Germany, it redeployed to Fort Lewis WA in May 1956.

The division took part in the Vietnam War and took part in 11 campaigns in 5 years.

The 4th Infantry Division was scheduled to take part in the Iraq War in the spring of 2003 by spearheading an advance from Turkey into northern Iraq. The Turkish Parliament refused to grant permission for the operation and the division's equipment remained offshore on ships during the buildup for the war. The 4th was unable to deploy in time to take part in the invasion but arrived as follow-on forces and have been a major part of occupation forces during the post-war period. On December 13, 2003, a unit of the 4th captured Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq. The division rotated out of Iraq in the Spring of 2004.

External links

[[Category:Infantry divisions]