1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One)
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| 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | 1st Infantry Division |
| Native name | The Big Red One |
| Caption | Shoulder sleeve insignia |
| Dates | 1917–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Combined arms |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison | Fort Riley |
| Nickname | The Big Red One |
| Motto | Duty First |
| Notable commanders | John J. Pershing, George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, Terry de la Mesa Allen Sr. |
1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) is a formation of the United States Army with a continuous lineage dating to World War I. As one of the Army’s oldest and most storied divisions, it has served in major 20th- and 21st-century conflicts and been led by prominent figures of American Expeditionary Forces, United States Army Forces in Europe, and United States Central Command eras. The division’s legacy intersects with landmark battles, doctrinal shifts, and institutional developments across Fort Riley, Fort Benning, and numerous overseas garrisons.
History
The division was constituted during the mobilization for World War I under the aegis of the American Expeditionary Forces and saw early action in the Battle of Cantigny, Aisne-Marne Offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Between wars it participated in interwar maneuvers directed by leaders from Pershing’s staff and later reorganized under the Hoxie Plan and interwar infantry concepts. In World War II it fought in the North African Campaign, including Operation Torch, proceeded through the Sicily Campaign and Operation Overlord in Normandy, then advanced across Western Europe in the Battle of the Bulge and the Rhine Campaign. During the Cold War the division rotated through United States Army Europe assignments and contributed brigades to crises including the Berlin Crisis of 1961 and the Tet Offensive era deployments in Vietnam War where units engaged at locations such as Ap Bau Bang and the Battle of Khâm Đức. Post–Cold War, the division conducted operations in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom, and participated in stability missions connected to NATO partnerships and multinational training exercises.
Organization and structure
Historically organized as a square and later triangular division, its modern modular structure includes brigade combat teams, sustainment brigades, aviation assets, and division-level support elements. Subordinate units have included the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Brigade Combat Team, and the Division Artillery along with attached 82nd Airborne Division-style reconnaissance, engineer, and signal units. Command relationships have shifted under commands such as FORSCOM, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and joint task force constructs during coalition operations with partners like British Army, French Army, and German Army elements.
Combat operations
The Big Red One’s combat record spans trench warfare in World War I to mechanized combined arms in World War II, counterinsurgency in Vietnam War, and expeditionary operations in the Gulf War and the Iraq War. Notable engagements include the division’s role in the capture of Sicily during Operation Husky, the landing on Omaha Beach sector during D-Day, the crossing of the Rhine River, and urban combat during Fallujah-era operations. In Vietnam, units fought in conventional and counter-guerrilla operations linked to campaigns such as the Tet Counteroffensive. In the 21st century, the division led stability and security missions in support of Multinational Force efforts, partnered with Coalition forces during major offensives and reconstruction efforts.
Deployment and garrison locations
The division has been based at continental and overseas posts including Camp Meade-era staging during World War I, interwar stations, and major 20th-century garrisons such as Fort Riley, Fort Benning, and forward deployments in Germany with billets in installations like Friedberg and Kaiserslautern. During expeditionary campaigns, elements deployed to North Africa, Sicily, Normandy, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The division’s peacetime home station has rotated, most recently reestablishing major elements at Fort Riley while maintaining rotational presence for training with partners including Poland, Romania, and NATO signaling initiatives.
Insignia and traditions
The division’s shoulder sleeve insignia, a simple red numeral "1" on an olive drab field, became widely recognized in World War I and was later stylized as the "Big Red One" emblem. Traditions include the division song and regimental affiliations tied to historic units such as the 16th Infantry Regiment, 18th Infantry Regiment, and 26th Infantry Regiment. Ceremonial observances commemorate engagements like Cantigny Day and D-Day anniversaries, and honors include decorations linked to the Presidential Unit Citation, Croix de Guerre, and campaign streamers from major 20th- and 21st-century operations.
Notable personnel and leadership
Prominent commanders and personnel associated with the division include senior leaders who later rose to national prominence such as John J. Pershing (early organizational influence), Omar Bradley, George S. Patton, Terry de la Mesa Allen Sr., and division veterans who became figures in politics, academia, and public life. Distinguished Medal of Honor recipients and decorated officers, sergeants, and enlisted leaders are part of the division’s lineage, with alumni interfacing with institutions like West Point, United States Military Academy, and joint service colleges.
Equipment and weapons
Across eras the division employed small arms, crew-served weapons, armored vehicles, artillery, aviation, and support systems consistent with contemporary United States Army doctrine. World War I equipment included bolt-action rifles and early machine guns; World War II saw use of M1 Garand, M4 Sherman tanks, and towed artillery. Cold War and Vietnam-era inventories featured M16 rifle, M60 machine gun, armored personnel carriers, and rotary-wing aircraft such as the Bell UH-1 Iroquois. Modern formations use M4 carbine, M1 Abrams main battle tanks in attached units, M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzers, unmanned aerial systems, and sustainment platforms aligned with networked battlefield systems.