US Army 3rd Infantry Division

US Army 3rd Infantry Division
Unit name	3rd Infantry Division
Caption	Shoulder sleeve insignia
Dates	1917–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Combined arms maneuver
Size	Division
Garrison	Fort Stewart
Nickname	"Rock of the Marne"
Motto	"Nous Resterons"

US Army 3rd Infantry Division

The 3rd Infantry Division is a formation of the United States Army with a lineage tracing to World War I and service across World War II, the Korean War, the Gulf War, and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; it has been based at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield and is noted for rapid maneuver and armored-infantry integration. Its history intersects with campaigns such as the Meuse-Argonne, the Marne defensive operations, the Battle of Anzio, the Chosin Reservoir aftermath, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom, and it has associations with organizations including V Corps, Eighth Army, and U.S. Army Europe.

History

Formed in 1917 during World War I, the division deployed to the Western Front and fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the Second Battle of the Marne, and operations alongside the American Expeditionary Forces and John J. Pershing; postwar demobilization gave way to reconstitution during the interwar period and prelude to World War II under leaders connected to Douglas MacArthur and George S. Patton Jr.. In World War II the division landed in the Mediterranean Theater, fought at Anzio in the Italian Campaign, advanced through the Gothic Line, and later deployed to the European Theater for the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns alongside units such as the US Seventh Army and British Eighth Army. During the Korean War elements of the division engaged in defensive and offensive operations, with ties to Eighth United States Army maneuvers and actions related to the Korean Armistice negotiations led by Mark W. Clark. Cold War assignments included stationing with USAREUR and participation in NATO exercises like REFORGER alongside formations such as the British Army of the Rhine. In 1991 the division played a role in Operation Desert Storm in concert with VII Corps and coalition partners led by Norman Schwarzkopf Jr.; subsequent deployments included peacekeeping in the Balkans during the 1990s, large-scale combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom under commanders coordinating with CENTCOM, and numerous rotations to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Organization and structure

The division is organized as a modular combined-arms formation comprising multiple brigade combat teams, divisional artillery, combat aviation, sustainment, and reconnaissance echelons; components have included 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Brigade Combat Teams, Division Artillery (DIVARTY), Combat Aviation Brigade, and Special Troops Battalion. Its structure follows United States Army modular transformation models promulgated by the Department of the Army and doctrinal guidance from TRADOC and doctrine such as FM 3-0, integrating assets like M1 Abrams, M2 Bradley, and AH-64 Apache in coordination with logistics from the Army Sustainment Command and medical support from Medical Command (MEDCOM). The division frequently embeds attachments from armored, engineer, military police, and intelligence units, liaising with joint elements including United States Marine Corps expeditionary forces, United States Air Force squadrons, and NATO partner brigades during multinational operations.

Combat operations and deployments

Combat operations trace from World War I offensives to World War II amphibious landings and breakout operations at Anzio, where coordination with Allied Forces Mediterranean and commanders like Harold Alexander was critical; the division later spearheaded advances into southern France and the Rhineland. In Korea, the division participated in defensive actions and counteroffensives under Eighth Army leadership, with campaigns reflecting engagements influenced by the People's Volunteer Army intervention and armistice negotiations. During Operation Desert Storm the division executed breaching and mechanized exploitation missions as part of a coalition campaign led by CENTCOM; in 2003 and later rotations to Iraq it conducted major offensive operations in concert with I Marine Expeditionary Force and multinational partners during the Iraq War, including stability operations, counterinsurgency, and major base defense. Deployments to Afghanistan involved combined operations with International Security Assistance Force partners, counterinsurgency campaigns, and training missions supporting Afghan security institutions; the division also contributed to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in theaters impacted by natural disasters and complex emergencies.

Honors and insignia

The division’s nickname "Rock of the Marne" originates from actions in the Second Battle of the Marne and is reflected in unit heraldry approved by The Institute of Heraldry; campaign streamers include World War I Meuse-Argonne, World War II Rome-Arno and Southern France, Korea, Southwest Asia, and multiple campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Decorations awarded to the division and subordinate units include Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and foreign honors presented by allied states such as France and South Korea. The distinctive unit insignia and shoulder sleeve patch incorporate heraldic elements that reference the division’s service history and ties to battles such as the Marne and campaigns associated with commanders honored by awards like the Distinguished Service Cross and Medal of Honor earned by attached personnel.

Notable commanders and personnel

Prominent commanders and figures associated with the division include leaders who later gained broader prominence within the Army and joint community, some of whom served alongside or under figures like Omar Bradley, Mark W. Clark, and George S. Patton Jr. in various theaters; the division’s ranks have included recipients of the Medal of Honor and senior officers who advanced to four-star commands within United States European Command and United States Central Command. Distinguished enlisted and officer alumni have participated in historical events tied to the Meuse-Argonne, Anzio, the Korean armistice period, Desert Storm, the Iraq Surge, and NATO operations, collaborating with partner forces from United Kingdom, France, South Korea, and other coalition members.

Training, doctrine, and equipment

Training practices align with doctrine from TRADOC and Army publications such as FM 3-0 and ATP series, with collective training at locations including Fort Stewart, the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, and Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, and participation in multinational exercises like Saber Strike and DEFENDER-Europe alongside NATO partners. The division fields combined-arms equipment including M1 Abrams, M2 Bradley, M88 recovery vehicles, M109 Paladin, AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook, and logistics platforms maintained with support from Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems and Army Materiel Command; doctrine emphasizes maneuver, combined arms integration, reconnaissance, and sustainment consistent with concepts developed by Army Futures Command and joint doctrine from Joint Chiefs of Staff publications.

Category:United States Army divisions Category:Military units and formations established in 1917