U.S. 1st Armored Division
| 1st Armored Division | |
|---|---|
The 1st Armored Division's combat service identification badge.
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| Active | 1940–1946 1951–present |
| Country |
 United States of America |
| Branch |
 United States Army
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| Type | Combined arms (armor and mechanized infantry) and Stryker infantry |
| Role | Command and control organization containing two to four maneuver brigades |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | III Corps |
| Nickname(s) | "Old Ironsides" |
| Motto(s) | Iron Soldiers! |
| March | Iron Soldier March |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Maj. Gen. Robert P. White |
| Notable commanders |
Orlando Ward Ernest N. Harmon |
| Insignia | |
| Flag |
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| Distinctive unit insignia |
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| U.S. Armored Divisions | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 2nd Armored Division (Inactive) | |
The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a combined arms division of the United States Army. The division is part of III Corps, with its base of operations in Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S. Army to see battle in World War II.
Major General Robert P. White assumed command of the 1st Armored Division on 15 June 2016.
The division command group consists of:
Since relocating to Fort Bliss, Texas, the division has been reorganized under the new modular design, in which the deployable unit of maneuver is a brigade, rather than a division. The division consists of three brigade combat teams (BCTs), a combat aviation brigade (CAB), a division artillery brigade, and a sustainment brigade.
After the spring of 2015, 3rd IBCT deactivated after redeploying from Afghanistan, and its maneuver battalions joined the remaining three BCTs; 4th ABCT has reflagged as 3rd BCT.
1st Armored Division consists of the following elements:
The division was nicknamed "Old Ironsides", by its first commander, Major General Bruce R. Magruder, after he saw a picture of the frigate USS Constitution, which is also nicknamed "Old Ironsides". The large "1" at the top represents the numerical designation of the division, and the insignia is used as a basis for most other sub-unit insignias.
In January, 1918, the Tank Corps of the United States Army was created with Colonel S.D. Rockenback as its chief. At his direction, a Lt. Wharton designed the original coat of arms which was a triangle on a shield with a surrounding wreath and a dragon in silver. The triangle itself is an old heraldic element of armorial design known as a pile [the head of a spear]. There was no shoulder patch in 1918, only this unit crest.
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