| 10th Mountain Division | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.svg) 10th Mountain DivisionShoulder Sleeve Insignia | |||||
| Active | 1943–1945 1948–1958 1985–present | ||||
| Country |  United States | ||||
| Branch |  United States Army | ||||
| Type | Light infantry | ||||
| Size | Division | ||||
| Part of |  XVIII Airborne Corps | ||||
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Drum, New York | ||||
| Nickname | The Mountaineers | ||||
| Motto | "Climb to Glory"[1] | ||||
| Colors | Red and Blue | ||||
| Engagements | |||||
| Commanders | |||||
| Current commander | Major General Scott M. Naumann | ||||
| Deputy Commanding General – Operations | Brigadier General Joseph Escandon | ||||
| Deputy Commander – Readiness | Colonel Matthew W. Braman | ||||
| Command Sergeant Major | Command Sergeant Major Brett W. Johnson | ||||
| Notable commanders | George P. Hays James Edward Moore Thomas L. Harrold Philip De Witt Ginder Barksdale Hamlett James L. Campbell Franklin L. Hagenbeck Lloyd Austin Benjamin C. Freakley Michael L. Oates James L. Terry Mark A. Milley | ||||
| Insignia | |||||
| Distinctive unit insignia of the Division's Headquarters Battalion |  | ||||
| Subdued shoulder sleeve insignia worn on OCP-ACU | .png) | ||||
| Combat service identification badge |  | ||||
| Division flag |  | ||||
| NATO Map Symbol |
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| US Infantry Divisions | ||||
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The10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is alight infantrydivision in theUnited States Army based atFort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as amountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the U.S. military to receive specialized training for fighting in mountainous conditions. More recently, the 10th Mountain has advised and assistedIraqi Security Forces inIraq andPeople's Defense Units inSyria.
Originally activated as the10th Light Division (Alpine) in 1943, the division was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division in 1944 and fought in the mountains ofItaly in some of the roughest terrain inWorld War II. On 5 May 1945, the division reachedNauders, Austria, just beyond theReschen Pass, where it made contact with German forces being pushed south by theU.S. Seventh Army. A status quo was maintained until the enemy headquarters involved had completed their surrender to the Seventh. On 6 May, 10th Mountain troops met the 44th Infantry Division of Seventh Army.[2]
Following the war, the division was deactivated, only to be reactivated and redesignated as the10th Infantry Division in 1948. The division first acted as a training division and, in 1954, was converted to a full combat division and, in 1955, was sent to Germany before being deactivated again in 1958.
Reactivated again in 1985, the division was designated the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) to historically tie it to the World War II division and to also better describe its modern disposition. Since its reactivation, the division or elements of the division have deployed numerous times. The division has participated inOperation Desert Storm (Saudi Arabia),Hurricane Andrew disaster relief (Homestead, Florida),Operation Restore Hope andOperation Continue Hope (Somalia),Operation Uphold Democracy (Haiti),Operation Joint Forge (Bosnia and Herzegovina),Operation Joint Guardian (Kosovo), and several deployments as part of theMultinational Force and Observers (Sinai Peninsula).
Since 2002, the 10th Mountain Division has been the most deployed regular Army unit.[3] Its combat brigades have seen over 20 deployments, to bothIraq andAfghanistan, in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom andOperation Enduring Freedom.
In November 1939, two months after World War II broke out in Europe, during theSoviet Union's invasion of Finland,Red Army efforts were frustrated following the destruction of two armored divisions by Finnishsoldiers on skis.[4] The conflict caught global attention as the outnumbered and outgunned Finnish soldiers were able to use the difficult local terrain to their advantage,[5] severely hampering the Soviet attacks and embarrassing their military.[6] Upon seeing the effectiveness of these troops,Charles Minot "Minnie" Dole, the president of theNational Ski Patrol, began to lobby theWar Department of the need for a similar unit of troops in the United States Army, trained for fighting inwinter andmountain warfare. In September 1940, Dole was able to present his case toGeneralGeorge C. Marshall, the Army Chief of Staff, who agreed with Dole's assessment, deciding to create a "Mountain" unit for fighting in harsh terrain. The U.S. Army authorized the formation of the platoon-sized Army Ski Patrol in November 1940. The first Patrol was formed atCamp Murray as part of the41st Infantry Division under Lt. Ralph S. Phelps (later to become commanding General of the 41st).[7] The army, prompted by fears that its standing force would not perform well in the event of a winter attack on theNortheastern coast, as well as knowledge that theGerman Army already had threemountain warfare divisions known asGebirgsjäger, approved the concept for a division.[8] This required an overhaul ofU.S. military doctrine, as the concept of winter warfare had not been tested in the army since 1914.[9] At first, planners envisioned ten mountain divisions, but personnel shortages revised the goal to three. Eventually, the 10th Mountain Division would be the only one brought to active duty.[8] Military leaders continued to express concern about the feasibility of a division-sized mountain warfare unit until the fall of 1941,[10] when they received reports thatGreek mountain troops had held back superior numbers of unpreparedItalian troops in theAlbanian mountains during theGreco-Italian War. The Italian military had lost a disastrous 25,000 men in the campaign because of their lack of preparedness to fight in the mountains.[11][12] On 22 October 1941, General Marshall decided to form the first battalion of mountain warfare troops for a new mountain division.[13] The Ski Patrol would assist in its training.[14]
On 8 December 1941, the day after theJapaneseattack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent American entry into World War II, the army activated its first mountain unit, the87th Mountain Infantry Battalion (which was later expanded to the87th Infantry Regiment) atFort Lewis,Washington, south ofTacoma.[13] It was the first mountain warfare unit in U.S. military history.[15] TheNational Ski Patrol took on the unique role of recruiting for the 87th Infantry Regiment and later the division, becoming the only civilian recruiting agency in military history.[13] Army planners favored recruiting experienced skiers for the unit instead of trying to train standing troops in mountain warfare, so Dole recruited from schools, universities, and ski clubs for the unit.[16] The 87th trained in harsh conditions, includingMount Rainier's 14,411-foot (4,392 m) peak, throughout 1942 as more recruits were brought in to form the division.[17][18] Initial training was conducted by OlympianRolf Monsen.[19] A new garrison was built for the division in centralColorado atCamp Hale, at anelevation of 9,200 feet (2,800 m) abovesea level.[20][21]
The10th Light Division (Alpine) was constituted on 10 July 1943[22] and activated five days later atCamp Hale under the command ofBrigadier GeneralLloyd E. Jones, with Brigadier GeneralFrank L. Culin Jr. assigned as his assistant division commander (ADC).[23] The 10th Light Division was centered on regimental commands; the85th,86th, and87th Infantry Regiments.[24] At the time, the division had a strength of 8,500 out of the 16,000 planned, so the military transferred troops from the30th,31st, and33rd Infantry Divisions along with volunteers from theNational Guards of Maine,New Hampshire,Vermont,New York,Michigan,Wisconsin,Minnesota,Iowa,North andSouth Dakota,Colorado,Wyoming,Montana,Idaho,Utah andWashington (specifically, men who were from theRocky Mountain andnorthern states, close to the45th parallel north), to fill out the remainder of the division.[25] This lowered morale, and the division faced many difficulties in the new training, which had no established army doctrine.[21] Also assigned to the division were the 604th, 605th, and 616th Field Artillery Battalions, the 110th Signal Company, the 710th Ordnance Company, the 10th Quartermaster Company, the 10th Reconnaissance Troop, the 126th Engineer Battalion, the 10th Medical Battalion, and the 10th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment.[24][26] The 10th Light Division was unique in that it was the only division in the army with threefield artillery battalions instead of four.[24] It was equipped with vehicles specialized in snow operation, such as theM29 Weasel,[27] and winter weather gear, such as white camouflage and skis specifically designed for the division.[28][29]
The division practiced itsrock climbing skills in preparation for the invasion ofItaly on the challenging peaks ofSeneca Rocks inWest Virginia. Its specialized training culminated with what were known as the "D-Series" ("D" for "Divisional"), military maneuvers on the divisional level in the Colorado Rockies in Winter conditions.[30] Beginning 26 March 1944, the exercises were intended to last five weeks. The soldiers endured an adverse environment, and "tactical conditions" that banned open fires in sub-zero temperatures.[31] As a result the exercises were ended after 3 weeks. Official statistics recorded 195 cases of frostbite and 340 other incapacitating injuries.[32]
On 22 June 1944, the division was shipped toCamp Swift, Texas, to prepare for maneuvers inLouisiana, which were later canceled. A period of acclimation to a low altitude and hot climate was thought necessary to prepare for this training.[33] On 6 November 1944, the 10th Division was redesignated the10th Mountain Division.[34] That same month, the blue and white"Mountain" tab was authorized for the division's newshoulder sleeve insignia.[1] Also in November, the division received a new commander, Brigadier GeneralGeorge Price Hays, aMedal of Honor recipient and a distinguished veteran ofWorld War I. On January 4, 1945 he received a promotion to major general.[35]
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In the final days of April 1945, as German defenses in northern Italy collapsed, the10th Mountain Division advanced north towardLake Garda in pursuit of retreating forces. The difficult terrain and destroyed infrastructure around the lake required the use of amphibiousDUKW vehicles for transport and assault. On the night of 30 April, one such vehicle carrying 25 soldiers sank during the crossing, resulting in one of the last and most tragic losses of theItalian campaign. That same day, the division’s newly appointed Assistant Commander,Colonel William Orlando Darby—founder of theU.S. Army Rangers—was killed by artillery fire inTorbole, together with Sergeant Major John T. Evans. The events at Lake Garda marked the final combat actions for the 10th Mountain Division in Europe and have since become a lasting symbol of the cost of liberation. Their story, long preserved by veterans and local historians, was later chronicled through research and documentary projects led by Italian and American collaborators, includingAssociazione Benàch and the 2023 filmThe Lost Mountaineers.[36][37]
The division resumed its attack on 14 April 1945, pressing forward on multiple axes. That day it assaulted Torre Iussi and Rocca Roffeno, north of Mount Della Spe. After stiff fighting, on 17 April it broke through the GermanGothic Line defenses, opening the way into thePo Valley. Over the next days the advance continued: on 20 April the 10th captured Mongiorgio and pushed into the Po plain, taking key positions at Pradalbino and Bomporto.[38][39] The division crossed thePo River at San Benedetto Po on 23 April, reachedVerona on 25 April, and encountered heavy resistance in the areas ofTorbole andNago.[39]
Because the routes around Lake Garda had been rendered impassable by destroyed tunnels and bridges, the division carried out an amphibious crossing of the lake usingDUKW vehicles. On 30 April it securedGargnano andPorto di Tremosine on the western shore, effectively ending organized German resistance in northern Italy.[38]
That same night, however, a tragic accident occurred. During a night operation to transport troops and equipment across Lake Garda from Torbole toward the northern shore, one DUKW carrying 25 men of the 10th Mountain Division sank in deep water during rough weather. The vehicle, heavily loaded with men, a75 mm pack howitzer, ammunition, and gear, began taking on water and foundered before rescue could reach it. Only one soldier, Corporal Thomas E. Hough, survived; the others were declaredMissing in Action (MIA) and remain unaccounted for.[40][41]
The site of the sinking remained unknown for decades, despite repeated efforts by the U.S. Army, local divers, and underwater archaeology teams. In 2012, after several unsuccessful surveys, the Italian volunteer rescue groupVolontari del Garda located the wreck upright on the lakebed using sonar and remotely operated vehicles.[40] The ongoing research and commemorative work were later supported by the Italian historical associationAssociazione Benàch, which collaborated with local authorities and U.S. veterans’ families to preserve the memory of the missing soldiers.[36]
The 2023 documentaryThe Lost Mountaineers, produced by theFondazione Museo Storico del Trentino in collaboration with Associazione Benàch, chronicles these final days of combat and the search for the lost soldiers. The film reconstructs the events leading to the sinking, the experiences of the men aboard, and the decades-long recovery efforts. It also situates the tragedy within the wider story of the 10th Mountain Division’s campaign in northern Italy and its human cost.[42][43] According to Associazione Benàch, the documentary “seeks to bring recognition to the 25 men who never returned from Lake Garda and to remind future generations of the price of liberation.”[42]
On the same day, 30 April 1945, the division also suffered the loss of its Assistant Division Commander,Colonel William O. Darby, founder of theU.S. Army Rangers. While in Torbole on the northern shore of Lake Garda, Darby was killed by an enemy artillery shell explosion along with his Sergeant Major, John T. Evans, and another soldier was wounded.[44][45] Darby had been appointed to the division only days earlier, following the wounding of Brigadier General Robinson E. Duff, and was directing the final movements of the division’s advance when he was struck by shrapnel. His death came just hours before the announcement of theGerman surrender in Italy.[37]
After the German capitulation on 2 May 1945, the division shifted to security and occupation duties. On 5 May it reachedNauders,Austria, just beyond theReschen Pass, where it linked up with elements of theU.S. 44th Infantry Division. Between 2 May andVictory in Europe Day (8 May), the 10th Mountain Division accepted the surrender of German units and secured key areas in northeastern Italy and westernSlovenia. By 20 May it had redeployed toUdine, joining theBritish Eighth Army to prevent further westward movement of Yugoslav troops.[39][38]
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The division sailed for theItalian front in two parts, with the 86th Infantry and support leavingCamp Patrick Henry,Virginia on 11 December 1944 aboard theSSArgentina and arriving inNaples, Italy on 22 December. The 85th and 87th Infantry leftHampton Roads, Virginia on 4 January 1945 aboard theSSWest Point and arrived on 13 January 1945.[46] By 6 January, its support units were preparing to head to the front lines.[47] It was attached to Major GeneralWillis D. Crittenberger'sIV Corps, part of theAmerican Fifth Army, commanded byLieutenant GeneralLucian Truscott.[48] By 8 January, the 86th Infantry had moved toBagni di Lucca nearMount Belvedere [it] in preparation for an offensive by the Fifth Army to capture the mountain along with surrounding high ground, which allowed the Axis to block advances toPo Valley. Starting 14 January, the division began moving toPisa as part of the Fifth Army massing for this attack.[46]
By 20 January, all three of the 10th's regiments were on or near the front line between the Serchio Valley and Mt. Belvedere. Col. Raymond C. Barlow commanded the 85th Regiment, Col. Clarence M. Tomlinson the 86th, and Col. David M. Fowler the 87th.[49]
Preliminary defensive actions in mid-February were followed byOperation Encore, a series of attacks in conjunction with troops of the1st Brazilian Infantry Division, to dislodge the Germans from their artillery positions in theNorthern Apennines on the border betweenTuscany andEmilia-Romagna regions, in order to make possible the Allied advance over thePo Valley.[50] While the Brazilian division was in charge of takingMonte Castello andCastelnuovo diVergato, the 10th Mountain Division was responsible for the Mount Belvedere area, climbing nearby Riva Ridge during the night of 18 February and attackingMount della Torraccia [it] on 20 February. These peaks were cleared after four days of heavy fighting, asAxis troops launched severalcounterattacks in these positions.[51]
In early March, the division fought its way north of Canolle and moved to within 15 miles (24 km) ofBologna.[52] On 5 March, while Brazilian units captured Castelnuovo, the 85th and the 87th Infantry took respectively Mount Della Spe andCastel D'Aiano, cutting the Axis routes of resupply and communication into the Po Valley, setting the stage for the next Fifth Army offensive.[51] The division maintained defensive positions in this area for three weeks, anticipating acounteroffensive by theGerman forces.[52]
In July, the Department of War assigned the 10th Mountain to the Pacific theater; after a month's furlough the men would assemble at Camp Carson, where they would train forOperation Downfall, the invasion ofmainland Japan. Between 26 July and 2 August the three regiments boarded ships for the return voyage to the United States; the day before the first of these regiments, the 86th Mountain Infantry, disembarked at Hampton Roads,Hiroshima was leveled by an atom bomb.[54] Three days after the rest of the division landed stateside on 11 August,Japan officially surrendered. The division was demobilized and inactivated on 30 November 1945 atCamp Carson, Colorado.[55]
During World War II, the 10th Mountain Division suffered 992killed in action and 4,154wounded in action in 114 days of combat.[56] Soldiers of the division were awarded oneMedal of Honor (John D. Magrath), threeDistinguished Service Crosses, oneDistinguished Service Medal, 449Silver Star Medals, sevenLegion of Merit Medals, 15Soldier's Medals, and 7,729Bronze Star Medals.[47] The division itself was awarded twocampaign streamers.[47]
In June 1948, the division was rebuilt and activated atFort Riley,Kansas to serve as atraining division. Without its "Mountain" tab, the division served as the 10th Infantry Division for the next ten years. The unit was charged with processing and training replacements in large numbers. This mission was expanded with the outbreak of theKorean War in 1950. By 1953, the division had trained 123,000 new Army recruits at Fort Riley.[57]
In 1954, the division was converted to a combat division once again, though it did not regain its "Mountain" status.[57] Using equipment from the deactivating37th Infantry Division, the10th Infantry Division was deployed to Germany in 1955, replacing the1st Infantry Division atWürzburg, serving as part of theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) defensive force. The division served in Germany for four years, until it was rotated out and replaced by the3rd Infantry Division. The division moved toFort Benning,Georgia, and was inactivated on 14 June 1958.[57]
On 13 February 1985, the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) was reactivated atFort Drum, New York.[57] In accordance with theReorganization Objective Army Divisions plan, the division was no longer centered on regiments, instead two brigades were activated under the division. The1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (commanded by then ColonelJohn M. Keane, later 4-Star General and Army Vice Chief of Staff) andDivision Artillery were activated at Fort Drum, while the2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division was activated atFort Benning, moving to Fort Drum in 1988.[58] The division was also assigned a round-out brigade from theArmy National Guard, the27th Infantry Brigade.[59] The division was specially designed as alight infantry division able to rapidly deploy. In this process, it lost its mountain warfare capability, but its light infantry organization still made it versatile for difficult terrain.[60] Equipment design was oriented toward reduced size and weight for reasons of both strategic and tactical mobility.[57] The division also received adistinctive unit insignia.[1]
At the end of theCold War, the division was organized as follows:
In 1990, the division sent 1,200 soldiers to supportOperation Desert Storm.[84] Two infantry platoons from the division were among those sent: 1st Platoon Bravo Company 1/22 and the 1/22 Scout Platoon. Once in Iraq, the scouts were sent home and First Platoon was left as a counterintelligence force. Performing three-man 24hr patrols through the remainder of their deployment, this platoon was widely regarded as the division's best at that time. Following a cease-fire in March 1991, the support soldiers began redeploying to Fort Drum through June of that year.[57]
Hurricane Andrew struckSouth Florida on 24 August 1992, killing 13 people, leaving another 250,000 homeless, and causing damages in excess of $20 billion. On 27 August 1992, the 10th Mountain Division assumed responsibility for Hurricane Andrew disaster relief asTask Force Mountain.[84] Division soldiers set up relief camps, distributed food, clothing, medical necessities, and building supplies, as well as helping to rebuild homes and clear debris. The last of the 6,000 division soldiers deployed to Florida returned home in October 1992.[57]
On 3 December 1992, the division headquarters was designated as the headquarters for all Army Forces (ARFOR) of theUnified Task Force (UNITAF) forOperation Restore Hope.Major GeneralSteven L. Arnold, the division Commander, was named Army Forces commander. The 10th Mountain Division's mission was to secure major cities and roads to provide safe passage of relief supplies to the Somali population suffering from the effects of theSomali Civil War.[84]
Due to 10th Mountain Division efforts, humanitarian agencies declared an end to the food emergency and factional fighting decreased.[85] WhenTask Force Ranger and theSAR team were pinned down during a raid in what later became known as theBattle of Mogadishu, the 10th Mountain Division provided infantry for the UN quick reaction force sent to rescue them. The 10th Mountain Division had two soldiers killed in the fighting, which was the longest sustained firefight by regular U.S. Army forces since theVietnam War.[60] The division began a gradual reduction of forces in Somalia in February 1994, until the last soldiers of the 2nd Battalion,22nd Infantry returned to the United States in March 1994.[85]
The division formed the nucleus of the Multinational Force Haiti (MNF Haiti) and Joint Task Force 190 (JTF 190) in Haiti duringOperation Uphold Democracy.[84] More than 8,600 of the division's troops deployed during this operation.[86] On 19 September 1994, the 1st Brigade conducted the Army's firstair assault fromaircraft carrierUSSDwight D. Eisenhower. This force consisted of 54 helicopters and almost 2,000 soldiers. They occupied thePort-au-Prince International Airport. This was the largest Army air operation conducted from a carrier since theDoolittle Raid in World War II.[85]
The division's mission was to create a secure and stable environment so the government of Haitian PresidentJean-Bertrand Aristide could be reestablished and democratic elections held. After this was accomplished, the 10th Mountain Division handed over control of the MNF-Haiti to the25th Infantry Division on 15 January 1995. The division redeployed the last of its soldiers who served in Haiti by 31 January 1995.[86]
In the fall of 1998, the division received notice that it would be serving as senior headquarters ofTask Force Eagle, providing a peacekeeping force to support the ongoing operation within the Multi-National Division-North area of responsibility inBosnia and Herzegovina.[86] Selected division units began deploying in late summer, approximately 3,000 division soldiers deployed. After successfully performing their mission in Bosnia, the division units conducted a transfer of authority, relinquishing their assignments to soldiers of the49th Armored Division,Texas National Guard. By early summer 2000, all 10th Mountain Division soldiers had returned safely to Fort Drum.[86]
During the2000 presidential election, the readiness of the 10th Mountain Division became a political issue whenGeorge W. Bush asserted that the division was "not ready for duty." He attributed the division's low readiness to the frequent deployments throughout the 1990s without time in between for division elements to retrain and refit.[87] A report from theU.S. General Accounting Office in July 2000 also noted that although the entire 10th Mountain Division was not deployed to the contingencies at once, "deployment of key components—especially headquarters—makes these divisions unavailable for deployment elsewhere in case of a major war".[88]Conservativethink tankThe Heritage Foundation agreed with these sentiments, charging that the U.S. military overall was not prepared for war due to post–Cold War drawdowns of the U.S. military.[88] The Army responded that, though the 10th Mountain Division had been unprepared following its deployment as Task Force Eagle, that the unit was fully prepared for combat by late 2000 despite being undermanned.[89] Still, the Army moved the 10th Mountain Division down on the deployment list, allowing it time to retrain and refit.[87]
In 2002, columnist and highly decorated military veteranDavid Hackworth again criticized the 10th Mountain Division for being unprepared due to lack of training, low physical fitness, unprepared leadership, and low morale. He said the division was no longer capable of mountain warfare.[90]
Following the11 September 2001 attacks, elements of the division, including itsspecial troops battalion and 1st Battalion,87th Infantry Regiment (1-87th) infantry deployed toAfghanistan as part ofOperation Enduring Freedom in late 2001. The division headquarters arrived atKarshi-Khanabad Air Base, under Major GeneralFranklin L. Hagenbeck, on 12 December 2001 to function as theCombined Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) (Forward).[91] This command served as the representative for Lieutenant GeneralPaul T. Mikolashek, the Third U.S. Army/CFLCC commanding general (CG) in the theater of operations. As such, Hagenbeck's headquarters was responsible for commanding and controlling virtually all Coalition ground forces and ground force operations in the theater, including the security of Coalition airfields in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan, as well as the logistics operations set up to support those forces. The division was also intended to defend Uzbekistan against attacks by theIslamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which was seeking to overthrowIslam Karimov's secular government.[92]
On 13 February 2002, Mikolashek ordered Hagenbeck to move CFLCC (Forward) to Bagram airfield located at Bagram and 2 days later the headquarters was officially redesignated as Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) Mountain.[93] It assumed responsibility for the planning and execution of what had then become known asOperation Anaconda.[citation needed]
Elements of the division, primarily 1-87th Infantry, remained in the country until mid-2002, fighting to secure remote areas of the country and participating in prominent operations such asOperation Anaconda, theFall of Mazar-i-Sharif, and theBattle of Qala-i-Jangi.[34] These 1-87th Infantry soldiers became the first U.S. conventional forces to fight in Afghanistan. The division also participated in fighting in theShahi Khot Valley in 2002. In June 2002, elements of the82nd Airborne Division arrived to relieve CJTF Mountain, and in September, Major GeneralJohn R. Vines and hisCombined Task Force 82 relieved CJTF Mountain as the major subordinate headquarters toCombined Joint Task Force 180.[94] Upon the return of the battalions, they were welcomed home and praised by President Bush.[95]
In 2003, the division's headquarters, along with the 1st Brigade, returned to Afghanistan. During that time, they operated in the frontier regions of the country such asPaktika Province, going to places previously untouched by the war in search ofTaliban andAl-Qaeda forces. Fighting in several small-scale conflicts such asOperation Avalanche,Operation Mountain Resolve, andOperation Mountain Viper, the division maintained a strategy of small units moving through remote regions of the country to interact directly with the population and drive out insurgents.[96] The 1st Brigade also undertook a number of humanitarian missions.[85]
In 2003 and into 2004, the division's aviation brigade deployed for the first time toAfghanistan. As the only aviation brigade in the theater, the brigade provided air support for all U.S. Army units operating in the country. The brigade's mission at that time focused onclose air support,medevac missions, and other duties involving combat withTaliban andAl-Qaeda forces in the country. The 10th Mountain Division was the first unit to introduce contract working dogs into southern Afghanistan. In the spring of 2004, they had Patriot K-9 Services supply 20 dog teams based at KAF. The teams were trained to detect explosives and perform patrol duties throughout the region. The brigade returned to Fort Drum in 2004.[97]
On the return of the division headquarters and 1st Brigade, the 10th Mountain Division began the process oftransformation into a modular division.[98] On 16 September 2004, the division headquarters finished its transformation, adding the10th Mountain Division Special Troops Battalion. The 1st Brigade became the 1stBrigade Combat Team,[99] while the3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division was activated for the first time.[100] In January 2005, the4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division was activated atFort Polk,Louisiana.[101] 2nd Brigade Combat Team would not be transformed until September 2005, pending a deployment toIraq.[60]
In late 2004, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team was deployed to Iraq supportingOperation Iraqi Freedom. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team undertook combat operations in westernBaghdad, an area of responsibility that includedAbu Ghraib,Mansour, andRoute Irish. It returned to the US in late 2005.[60] Around that time, the 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed back to Iraq, staying in the country until 2006.[99]
The next time the 1st Brigade Combat Team was deployed was during the Surge for 15 months in Iraq. Northern Iraq was the theater of operations for 1 BCT from August 2007 until November 2008.[citation needed]
The 4th BCT operated in Northeast Baghdad under the 4th Infantry Division headquarters from November 2007 until January 2009. The 10th Mountain participated in larger-scale operations, such asOperation Phantom Phoenix.[citation needed]
After a one-year rest, the headquarters of the 10th Mountain Division was deployed to Iraq for the first time in April 2008. The division headquarters served as the command element for southern Baghdad until late March 2009, when it displaced to Basrah to replace departing British forces on 31 March 2009 to coordinate security for the Multinational Division-South area of responsibility, a consolidation of the previously Polish-led south-central and British-led southeast operational areas. The 10th Mountain Division headquarters transferred authority for MND-S to the34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard on 20 May 2009.[citation needed]
The 2nd Brigade Combat Team was scheduled to deploy to Iraq in the fall of 2009, as a part of the 2009–2010 rotation to Iraq.[102]
The division headquarters, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, and two Battalion Task Forces from the 4th Brigade Combat Team deployed to Afghanistan in 2005, staying in the country until 2006. The division and brigade served in the eastern region of the country, along the border withPakistan, fulfilling a similar role as it did during its previous deployment.[103] During this time, the deployment of the brigade was extended along with that of the 4th Brigade,82nd Airborne Division. It was eventually replaced by the173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team which was rerouted from Iraq.[104]
In the winter of 2006, the 10th Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, was deployed again to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom as the only aviation brigade in the theater, stationed atBagram Air Base, Afghanistan. Named "Task Force Falcon," the brigade's mission was to conduct aviation operations to destroy insurgents and anti-coalition militia in an effort to help build theAfghan National Security Force's capability and allow the Afghan government to increase its capabilities. In addition, the Task Force provided logistical and combat support forInternational Security Assistance Force forces throughout the country.[105]
The3rd Brigade Combat Team was slated to deploy to Iraq in 2009, but that deployment was rerouted. In January 2009, the3rd BCT instead deployed toKunar,Logar andWardak Provinces, eastern Afghanistan to relieve the101st Airborne Division, as part of a new buildup of US forces in that country.[106] The brigade was responsible for expandingforward operating bases andcombat outposts (COPs) in the region, as well as strengthening US military presence in preparation for additional US forces to arrive.[107]
The 1st Brigade Combat Team was scheduled to deploy to Iraq in late 2009 but deployed instead to Afghanistan in March 2010 for 13 months.[108]1-87th Infantry deployed toKunduz andBaghlan Provinces, establishing remotecombat outposts (COPs) against the Taliban after they had taken control of these provinces over the last several years. Notably, elements of the regiment were responsible for numerous large-scale engagements, including The Battle of Shahabuddin[109] and securing a High-Value Target (HVT) after anair assault raid. Some elements of the Brigade deployed to Afghanistan in late January 2013 to Ghazni Provence for nine months.[citation needed]
The3rd Brigade Combat Team deployed to Kandahar Province, southern Afghanistan in March 2011, again relieving the101st Airborne Division. During this deployment,3rd BCT mainly occupiedforward operating bases (FOBs) andcombat outposts (COPs) in theMaywand,Zhari, andArghandab Districts of Kandahar Province. The brigade was redeployed to Fort Drum in March 2012 after a twelve-month deployment.[citation needed]
The 4th Brigade Combat Team deployed to Regional Command East, under the 101st Airborne Division from October 2010 until their redeployment in October 2011. The 4th BCT deployed to both Wardak and Logar provinces. During this deployment, they went to places such as Chakh Valley in Wardak Province and Charkh Valley in Logar Province in search of elements of the Haqqani Network. In May 2013, the brigade deployed again to Afghanistan returning home in February 2014.[110]
In 2015,Diana M. Holland became the first woman to serve as a general officer atFort Drum, and the first woman to serve as a deputy commanding general in one of the Army's light infantry divisions (specifically, the 10th Mountain Division.)[111]
In February 2015,2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division were deployed to Afghanistan as part of theResolute Support Mission in thePost ISAF phase of the War in Afghanistan[112] between late summer and early fall 2015, 300 troops from 10th Mountain's headquarters at deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, along with about 1,000 troops from the3rd Brigade Combat Team.[113]In February 2016, the Taliban began a newassault on Sangin, Helmand Province, the US responded by deploying 500 to 800 troops from 2nd battalion 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division to Helmand Province in order to prop up Afghan army's 215th Corps in the province, particularly around Sangin, joining US and British special operations forces already in the area.[114][115][116]
On 5 December 2019, theDepartment of the Army announced that the1st Brigade Combat Team would replace the 3rd Brigade Combat Team,82nd Airborne Division as part of a unit rotation in support ofOperation Freedom's Sentinel.[117] The brigade deployed to Afghanistan in February 2020.[citation needed]
On 3 November 2016,Stars and Stripes reported that the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade would deploy 1,750 soldiers toEastern Europe in March 2017, in support ofOperation Atlantic Resolve – as part of NATO efforts to reassure Eastern Europe in response toRussian intervention in Ukraine in 2014. The brigade arrived with approximately 60 aircraft, including CH-47 Chinooks, UH-60 Blackhawks, and medevac helicopters. The brigade was headquartered in Germany and the brigade's units were forward-based at locations inLatvia,Romania, andPoland.[118]
Between late summer and early fall 2015, as well as again in 2016, 1,250 soldiers from the1st Brigade Combat Team weredeployed to Iraq to supportOperation Inherent Resolve.[119] During the two deployments the brigade spent in Iraq, they fought to regain control of the cities of Ramadi, Fallujah, and Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.[120] In 2022 the unit would redeploy again, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.[121]
A viral video showed soldiers in the division conducting live fire training in a shoot house.[122][123][124] The soldiers violated numerous safety issues, including flagging and failure to follow norms of room clearing, such as failure to clear corners or follow points of domination, with observers giving no correction.[122][123][124] Responding to the viral incident, Division CSM Mario O. Terenas addressed the incident onTwitter: "it's 10th Mountain Division. We ran it down to the ground and it is 10th Mountain Division. It is our folks, and it really, really hurts to say that...It is not the standard, it is not how we do business, and it is not acceptable. We're running this thing down to the ground. We will investigate it, we will take action, and we will re-train. That is a guarantee."[125]
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The 10th Mountain Division was awarded two campaign streamers in World War II, one campaign streamer for Somalia, and four campaign streamers in the War on Terrorism, for a total of seven campaign streamers and three unit decorations in its operational history. Note that some of the division's brigades received more or fewer decorations depending on their individual deployments.[34]
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2001–2002 | for service in Central Asia |
| Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2003–2004 | for service in Afghanistan |
| Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 28 Feb 06 – 27 Feb 07 | for service in Afghanistan[126] |
 | Valorous Unit Award (Army) | Aug 2006 - Oct 2007 | For outstanding service in Iraq |
| Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2008–2009 | for service in Iraq[127] |
| Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2014 | for service in Afghanistan |
 | Joint Meritorious Unit Award (Army) | 1992–1995 | for service in Somalia |
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| World War II | North Apennines | 1945 |
| World War II | Po Valley | 1945 |
| Operation Restore Hope | Somalia | 1992–1994 |
| Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan | 2001–2002 |
| Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan | 2003–2004 |
| Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan | 2006–2007 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom | Iraq | 2008–2009 |
| Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan | 2010–2011 |
Skiing associations subsequently contend that veterans of the 10th Mountain Division had a substantial effect on the post–World War II development ofskiing as a vacation industry and major sport. Ex-soldiers from the 10th laid out ski hills, designedski lifts, became ski coaches, racers, instructors,patrollers, shop owners, andfilmmakers. They wrote and published ski magazines, openedski schools, improved ski equipment, and developedski resorts. Up to 2,000 of the division's troops were involved in skiing-related professions after the war, and at least 60 ski resorts were founded by men of the division.[128] As Maurice Isserman notes in his bookThe Winter Army, "The 10th Mountain Division was the only unit in the history of the US military to use wartime skills to promote a civilian pastime."[129]
People associated with the 10th Mountain Division later went on to achieve notability in other fields. Among these areanthropologistEric Wolf,[130]mathematicianFranz Alt,[131]avalanche researcher and forecasting pioneerMontgomery Atwater,[132]CongressmanLes AuCoin, mountaineer and teacher who helped develop equipment for the 10th MountainRobert Bates, notedmountaineerFred Beckey,[133]United States Ski Team member andBlack Mountain of Maine resort co-founderChummy Broomhall,[134] former American track and field coach and co-founder ofNike, Inc.Bill Bowerman,[135] former executive director and Sierra Club leaderDavid R. Brower,[136] formerUnited States Ski Team member World War II civilian mountaineer trainerH. Adams Carter, formerSenate Majority Leader and Presidential candidateBob Dole,[137] champion skierDick Durrance,ski resort pioneerJohn Elvrum,[138] Norwegian-American skierSverre Engen, fashion illustratorJoe Eula, OlympicequestrianEarl Foster Thomson, civilian founder of theNational Ski PatrolCharles Minot Dole,[86] painterGino Hollander,PaleoclimatologistJohn Imbrie,[139] theoretical physicistFrancis E. Low,[140] US downhill ski championToni Matt,[141] falconer and educatorMorley Nelson, comic book artistEarl Norem,[142] founder ofNational Outdoor Leadership School and The Wilderness Education AssociationPaul Petzoldt, world downhill ski championWalter Prager, demolition derby driver Joshua Tagliaboschi, retired broadcasting executiveWilliam Lowell Putnam III,Massachusetts GovernorFrancis W. Sargent, World War II civilian ski instructor and division trainerHannes Schneider, founder ofVail Ski ResortPete Seibert, actor and Olympic medalistFloyd Simmons, historian and authorPage Smith,[143] members of the famousvon Trapp family singersWerner von Trapp andRupert von Trapp,[144]Rawleigh Warner, Jr., chairman and CEO ofMobil, civilian technical adviserFritz Wiessner,[145] William John Wolfgram,[146] Olympic Ski jumperGordon Wren, Massachusetts Congressional candidate Nathan Bech,[147] leader of Chalk 4 during theBattle of Mogadishu Matt Eversmann,[148] Middle East analyst, blogger, and authorAndrew Exum, and authorCraig Mullaney.[149]
Additionally, four members of the division have been awarded theMedal of Honor. In 1945John D. Magrath became the first member of the division to receive this award (posthumously) during World War II.[150][151] The second,Jared C. Monti, received it posthumously in 2009, for actions during a combat operation on 21 June 2006 as part ofOperation Enduring Freedom.[152] The third,William D. Swenson, received it in 2013, for actions on 8 September 2009, during theBattle of Ganjgal inAfghanistan.[153] The fourth,Travis W. Atkins, received it posthumously on 27 March 2019, for actions on 1 June 2007 during a patrol inIraq.[154]
The division's efforts in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom and beyond led to the division being referred to as the "Tribe of Crossed Swords" by some Afghans.[155]
The 10th Mountain Division was the subject of the 1996 filmFire on the Mountain, which documented its exploits during World War II. The 10th Mountain Division is also a prominent element of the bookBlack Hawk Down and filmby the same name, which portrays theBattle of Mogadishu and the division's participation in that conflict.[156] Among the division's other appearances are theTom Clancy novelClear and Present Danger,[157] the 2004, War Of The Worlds remake, the 2005SCI FI filmManticore,[158] 2010 remake starring Keanu Reeves, The Day The Earth Stood Still, Sean Parnell's 2012 war memoir,Outlaw Platoon, about his platoon's experiences in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom,[159] the 2019 action adventure video gameDays Gone, with the game's main protagonist, Deacon St. John, referencing his time spent with the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan.
This division consists of a division headquarters and headquarters battalion, three infantry brigade combat teams, a division artillery, a combat aviation brigade, and a division sustainment brigade. The division artillery has training and readiness oversight over the division's field artillery battalions, which remain organic to their brigade combat teams.[citation needed]
10th Mountain DivisionDivision Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion "Gauntlet"
41st Engineer Battalion[161] Headquarters and Headquarters Company
2nd Battalion,22nd Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion,32nd Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion,87th Infantry Regiment
3rd Battalion,6th Field Artillery Regiment
7th Brigade Engineer Battalion
10th Brigade Support Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company
2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment
4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment2nd Battalion,87th Infantry Regiment
2nd Battalion,15th Field Artillery Regiment
210th Brigade Support Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company
2nd Battalion,2nd Infantry Regiment
2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment
2nd Battalion,30th Infantry Regiment
5th Battalion,25th Field Artillery Regiment
317th Brigade Engineer Battalion "Buffalo"
710th Brigade Support Battalion "Patriot Support" Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
6th Squadron (Attack/ Reconnaissance),6th Cavalry Regiment "Six Shooters" 1st Battalion (Attack),10th Aviation Regiment "Tigershark" 2nd Battalion (Assault), 10th Aviation Regiment 3rd Battalion (General Support), 10th Aviation Regiment "Phoenix"
277th Aviation Support Battalion "Mountain Eagle"
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
10th Mountain Division Special Troops Battalion "Workhorse"[170]
548th Division Sustainment Support BattalionIndividuals who have served as commanders and command sergeants major of the 10th Mountain Division include:[171]
Division commanders
Command Sergeants Major
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