US 1st Infantry Division
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| US 1st Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | 1st Infantry Division |
| Dates | 1917–present |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison | Fort Riley |
| Nickname | The Big Red One |
| Motto | Duty First |
| Battles | World War I, World War II, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Global War on Terrorism |
US 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division, nicknamed the Big Red One, is a regular United States Army division with a continuous lineage from World War I through the 21st century. Activated in 1917, the division has participated in major World War I operations, the North African campaign, the Normandy landings, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The division’s heraldry, traditions, and veterans connect it to figures and institutions such as George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, Fort Riley, and the Center of Military History.
History
The division was constituted for service in World War I and arrived in France where it fought in the Battle of Cantigny, the Soissons Offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive alongside formations like the American Expeditionary Forces and allied units from France and the United Kingdom. Between the wars the division returned to United States posts including Fort Sam Houston and Fort Meade. During World War II it served under commanders who later became prominent in the United States Army, conducting amphibious operations in the Operation Torch landings in the North African campaign and participating in the Sicily Campaign, the Normandy landings on D-Day, and the Battle of the Bulge in cooperation with units of the British Army and the Canadian Army. In Vietnam War years the division deployed to South Vietnam where it engaged in counterinsurgency operations and search-and-destroy missions in coordination with Army of the Republic of Vietnam forces and allied units. Post-Cold War reorganization saw deployment to Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait and later participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, operating in provinces that included Baghdad Governorate and Kandahar Province.
Organization and Structure
The division has historically been organized as a square division in World War I and later as a triangular division in World War II, reflecting doctrinal changes influenced by leaders such as George C. Marshall and institutions like the War Department. Modern organization aligns with modular brigade combat team structures developed under the Transformation of the United States Army; typical elements include multiple Infantry Brigade Combat Teams, a Sustainment Brigade, a Combat Aviation Brigade, and division headquarters elements. The division’s home garrison at Fort Riley has supported training and administrative commands including the 1st Brigade Combat Team and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, as well as attachments from units such as 101st Airborne Division-affiliated aviation assets during joint exercises.
Operational Deployments and Campaigns
Operationally, the division’s campaign credits span World War I campaigns like Aisne-Marne and Meuse-Argonne, World War II campaigns including Tunisia Campaign, Sicily Campaign, Normandy Campaign, and the Rhineland Campaign, and Cold War–era commitments to NATO exercises in West Germany and deployments tied to crises like the Dominican Civil War intervention. In Vietnam War operations the division engaged in battles such as Operation Starlite and operations in the Iron Triangle, while post-9/11 mobilizations placed brigades into Iraq War combat operations including the Battle of Fallujah and stabilization missions during Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011). The division’s units have also supported multinational coalitions during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in coordination with the United Kingdom and France.
Honors and Decorations
The division has earned multiple campaign streamers and unit awards from institutions including the Department of the Army and allied governments. Unit decorations include the Distinguished Unit Citation (now the Presidential Unit Citation), Meritorious Unit Commendations for specific deployments, and foreign awards such as decorations from France and Belgium for actions in World War I and World War II. Individual soldiers from division ranks have received decorations including the Medal of Honor, the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Service Cross for actions in conflicts from World War I through Iraq War engagements.
Equipment and Infantry Tactics
Equipment has evolved from M1903 Springfield rifles and M1917 Browning machine gun systems in World War I to M1 Garand and Browning Automatic Rifle use in World War II, to M16 rifle and M60 machine gun configurations in Vietnam War years. Modern brigades employ the M4 carbine, M242 Bushmaster-equipped Bradley Fighting Vehicle, M1 Abrams main battle tanks in armored task forces, and rotary-wing assets such as the AH-64 Apache from attached aviation brigades. Infantry tactics shifted from trench warfare doctrine influenced by World War I experiences to maneuver warfare doctrines associated with commanders like Patton and logistical concepts codified by the Quartermaster Corps, and later to counterinsurgency (COIN) approaches shaped by manuals such as FM 3-24 and lessons from Iraq War and Afghanistan operations.
Notable Commanders and Personnel
Prominent commanders and personnel associated with the division include generals who later rose to national prominence such as John J. Pershing-era contemporaries, George S. Patton during World War II operations, and division leaders who influenced postwar doctrine like Omar Bradley. Noteworthy veterans include Medal of Honor recipients from multiple conflicts and authors and historians who documented division actions, collaborating with institutions such as the United States Army Center of Military History and publishing accounts that intersect with works about the American Expeditionary Forces and Allied Expeditionary Force campaigns.