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US Army

Beginnings

Created on 3 June 1784, the US Army (USA), replaced the Continental Army that was formed 14 June 1775 to fight the American Revolutionary War. Formed by the Second Continental Congress this new Continental Army led by George Washington, provided a coordinated command structure for the colonies in their fight with Great Britain. Many campaigns and battles were fought both won and lost at places like Trenton, Princeton, New York and Yorktown where a decisive victory completed the break from the British. Following independence and a number of concepts many molded by the politics of the day it was officially named the United States Army in 1796.

Wars and Campaigns

War of 1812

A second war with Great Britain occurred in what was called the War of 1812. Battles were waged from Canada in the north to New Orleans in the south. Lake Erie, York, Baltimore and even Washington which the British burned. Noteworthy was the leadership of General Andrew Jackson.

Indian Wars 1818-1858

Fought in Florida against the Seminole Indians and upon completion moved them to Oklahoma. The army would wage many campaigns in the west and southwest versus various tribes for many years establishing many forts and outposts.

Mexican-American War 1846-1848

A southwestern continent war resulting in the U.S. acquisition of territory that eventually became all or parts of the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming and New Mexico.

American Civil War

Broken up into the Confederate States Army and Union Army, each was led by men from the formerly regular U.S. Army. General Ulysses Grant, General William Sherman and Confederate General Robert E. Lee were leaders and participants in major battles including those in Atlanta, Vicksburg (1862-1863), and Gettysburg.

Spanish-American War 1898

Most of the key battles were fought by the Navy, but the U.S. Army did defeat Spain in a land campaign in Cuba.

Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution 1910-1918

The US Army was deployed along the border and in border towns in order to protect citizens and property. In 1916 rebel leader, Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico prompting the Army to strike back into Mexico. The soldiers would battle both the rebels and Mexican federal troops until 1918.

World War I

Germany had started a complete war on the European Continent. The United States joined the Allies in 1917 deploying the Army to the Western Front where they would fight until what became known as Armistice Day on November 1918.

Army Divisions were formed with each drawing its members from individual states or regions and their state national guards. The identity of the division was thus linked to that state or geographic region. For example, the 29th Division (Blue & Grey) was made up of units from the mid-Atlantic states, the 28th (Keystone) from Pennsylvania and the 36th from Texas.

A new sub-component of the Army made its appearance on the battlefield. The Army Air Service and its Aero Squadrons encompassed a new realm where adversaries would fight and play a role in future conflicts. Armored units with tanks would see limited work and results in World War I but both would play pivotal roles in the next global conflict.

World War II

The US officially entered the war one day after the 7 December 1941 attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor in the Territory of Hawaii. Guard units were recalled to augment the regular army and many of the WWI lineages remained. Along with a number of new units and even some specialty units including the Army Rangers and 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions began their own rich histories. A large number of Armored units were formed along with the new Army Air Forces and would form their own legacies.

U.S. Army troops fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and throughout all of Europe. They also participated in many campaigns of the Pacific. The Army Air Forces had commands spread across the globe and employed bomb and fighter groups as well as Air Transport that handled everything from supplies, troop and medical functions.

Following the surrender of the Axis powers, US Army troops were deployed as occupying forces in both Germany and Japan.

Cold War 1945–1960

Loosely held alliances of World War II participants gave way to future enemies as was the case with the U.S. and Russia. Ideological rifts bubbled to the surface between democratic and communist countries. The Cold War period consisted of many non-traditional conflicts and played out in many clandestine operations. There would be two shooting wars that would further shape nations.

Korean War (1950-1953)

The U.S. sided with South Korea in their fight against communist North Korea on which side was entered by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. The fighting ended by armistice but a final treaty has never been executed. The Army still maintains a strong presence on the border between the two nations.

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

The conflict had been going on for years between North and South Vietnam but officially Army advisors were stationed there in 1959. Large deployments began in 1965. An unusual characteristic of this conflict was that the army was fighting two enemies at once, the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army sometimes in the same battle. This war contained a much different non-conventional component, the guerilla fight. World War II showed the Army had a larger need for clandestine operations as evidenced by their work with the French Resistance. Vietnam would require a vast number of these Special Forces soldiers for all types of operations and this is an integral component of all branches of service today. Another new tactical innovation was born on this battlefield, the Air Cavalry and their new steeds, the helicopter.

Grenada (1983)

Invasion of Panama Operation Just Cause (1989)

Operation Desert Storm 1991

The nation of Kuwait was invaded by Iraq in 1990 and the U.S. Army deployed forces to protect Saudi Arabia. An offensive drove the Iraqi forces back across their border and Armored units played pivotal roles in some of the largest tank battles in history recalling some of the armor battles of North Africa and Europe in World War II. The Battles of Medina Ridge and Norfolk are to be remembered and studied.

OIF/OEF, Afghanistan, Syria

The U.S. Army has been on the front of this centuries conflicts with Rangers and Special Forces units leading the way.

Army components

The U.S. Army is comprised of many branches often referred to by their acronym or initials.

Acquisition Corps (AC)
Air Defense Artillery (AD)
Adjutant General's Corps (AG)
Armor (AR)
Cavalry (CV)
Army Bands (AB)
Aviation (AV)
Civil Affairs Corps (CA)
Chaplain Corps (CH)
Chemical Corps (CM)
Cyber Corps (CY)
Dental Corps (DC)
Corps of Engineers (EN)
Field Artillery (FA)
Finance Corps (FI)
Infantry (IN)
Judge Advocate's General Corps (JA)
Logistics (LG)
Medical Corps (MC)
Military Intelligence Corps (MI)
Military Police Corps (MP)
Medical Service Corps (MS)
Medical Specialist Corps (SP)
Army Nurse Corps (AN)
Ordnance Corps (OD)
Psychological Operations (PO)
Public Affairs (PA)
Quartermaster Corps (QM)
Signal Corps (SC)
Special Forces (SF)
Transportation Corps (TC)
Veterinary Corps (VC)

Legacy of the oldest branch of service the U.S. Army begins during the Revolutionary War and lead to the 1st President of the United States, General George Washington. He was followed by Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant. Then Spanish-American War Teddy Roosevelt. John Pershing led the Army during World War I. World War II brought forth generals George C. Marshall , Dwight David Eisenhower (IKE), George Patton and Omar Bradley. Medal of Honor recipients included Audie Murphy and Desmond Doss; the former for dispatching the enemy the later for saving American soldiers.

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Patches

SCARWAF (KOREA)

KOREAN MADE BULLION

SCARWAF (KOREA) P0ST WWII patch, front view

SPECIAL FORCES

AMERICAN MADE

SPECIAL FORCES VIETNAM patch, front view
SPECIAL FORCES VIETNAM patch, back view

SCARWAF (KOREA)

AMERICAN MADE

SCARWAF (KOREA) KOREAN WAR patch, front view
SCARWAF (KOREA) KOREAN WAR patch, back view

66TH CALVARY

AMERICAN MADE

66TH CALVARY PRE WWII 1927-1940 patch, front view
66TH CALVARY PRE WWII 1927-1940 patch, back view

1ST FILIPINO UNIT

AMERICAN MADE WHITE BACK

1ST FILIPINO UNIT WWII 1942-1945 patch, front view
1ST FILIPINO UNIT WWII 1942-1945 patch, back view

SOUTHERN DEFENSE COMMAND

AMERICAN MADE

SOUTHERN DEFENSE COMMAND WWII 1943-1947 patch, front view
SOUTHERN DEFENSE COMMAND WWII 1943-1947 patch, back view

75TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM

AMERICAN MADE

75TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM POST KOREA 1954-1956 patch, front view
75TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM POST KOREA 1954-1956 patch, back view

5TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM

AMERICAN MADE

5TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM KOREAN WAR 1952-1957 patch, front view
5TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM KOREAN WAR 1952-1957 patch, back view

EXECUTIVE HQ CHINA

AMERICAN MADE

EXECUTIVE HQ CHINA P0ST WWII 1946-1947 patch, front view
EXECUTIVE HQ CHINA P0ST WWII 1946-1947 patch, back view


 1st Infantry Division WW2
 2nd Infantry Division WW2
 3rd Infantry Division WW2
 4th Infantry Division WW2
 5th Infantry Division WW2
 6th Infantry Division WW2
 7th Infantry Division WW2
 8th Infantry Division WW2
 9th Infantry Division WW2
 10th Mountain Division WW2
 11th Airborne Division WW2
 13th Airborne Division WW2
 24th Infantry Division WW2
 25th Infantry Division WW2
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 27th Infantry Division WW2
 28th Infantry Division WW2
 29th Infantry Division WW2
 30th Infantry Division WW2
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 40th Infantry Division WW2
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 44th Infantry Division WW2
 45th Infantry Division WW2
 63rd Infantry Division WW2
 65th Infantry Division WW2
 66th Infantry Division WW2
 69th Infantry Division WW2
 70th Infantry Division WW2
 71st Infantry Division WW2
 75th Infantry Division WW2
 76th Infantry Division WW2
 77th Infantry Division WW2
 78th Infantry Division WW2
 79th Infantry Division WW2
 80th Infantry Division WW2
 81st Infantry Division WW2
 83rd Infantry Division WW2
 84th Infantry Division WW2
 85th Infantry Division WW2
 86th Infantry Division WW2
 87th Infantry Division WW2
 88th Infantry Division WW2
 89th Infantry Division WW2
 90th Infantry Division WW2
 91st Infantry Division WW2
 92nd Infantry Division WW2
 93rd Infantry Division WW2
 94th Infantry Division WW2
 95th Infantry Division WW2
 96th Infantry Division WW2
 97th Infantry Division WW2
 98th Infantry Division WW2
 99th Infantry Division WW2
 100th Infantry Division WW2
 102nd Infantry Division WW2
 103rd Infantry Division WW2
 104th Infantry Division WW2
 106th Infantry Division WW2
 Americal Infantry Division WW2
 Philippine 101st Division WW2
 1st Cavalry Division WW2
 17th Airborne Division WW2
 82nd Airborne Division WW2
 101st Airborne Division WW2
 1st Armored Division WW2
 2nd Armored Division WW2
 3rd Armored Division WW2
 4th Armored Division WW2
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 6th Armored Division WW2
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 10th Armored Division WW2
 11th Armored Division WW2
 12th Armored Division WW2
 13th Armored Division WW2
 14th Armored Division WW2
 16th Armored Division WW2
 20th Armored Division WW2
 1st Special Service Force WW2
 442nd Regimental Combat Team WW2
 Tank Destroyer Units WW2
 Army Rangers WW2
 Army Personnel Amphibious WW2
 1st Cavalry Division Korea
 2nd Infantry Division Korea
 3rd Infantry Division Korea
 7th Infantry Division Korea
 24th Infantry Division Korea
 25th Infantry Division Korea
 40th Infantry Division Korea
 45th Infantry Division Korea
 5th Infantry Regiment Korea
 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment Korea
 1st Cavalry Division Vietnam
 1st Infantry Division Vietnam
 4th Infantry Division Vietnam
 5th Infantry Division Vietnam
 9th Infantry Division Vietnam
 23rd Infantry Division Vietnam
 25th Infantry Division Vietnam
 82nd Airborne Division Vietnam
 101st Airborne Division Vietnam
 173rd Airborne Brigade Vietnam
 11th Infantry Brigade Vietnam
 196th Infantry Brigade Vietnam
 198th Infantry Brigade Vietnam
 199th Infantry Brigade Vietnam
 1st Aviation Brigade Vietnam
 1st Signal Brigade Vietnam
 18th Engineer Brigade Vietnam
 20th Engineer Brigade Vietnam
 18th Military Police Brigade Vietnam
 44th Medical Brigade Vietnam
 1st Logistical Command Vietnam
 1st Special Forces Vietnam
 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Vietnam
 Task Force SOUTH Vietnam
 MACV SOG Vietnam





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