VI Corps (United States)

VI Corps
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	1918–19 1940–46 1946–50 1951–53 1957–62
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	George Bell, Jr. Ernest J. Dawley John P. Lucas Lucian Truscott Edward H. Brooks

The VI Corps was activated as VI Army Corps in August 1918 at Neufchâteau, France, serving in the Lorraine Campaign. Constituted in the Organized Reserves in 1921, it was allotted to the Regular Army in 1933 and activated on 1 August 1940 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. VI Corps took part in some of the most high-profile operations in World War II.

By war's end it was part of the Seventh Army of the 6th Army Group. In early May 1945 its 103d Infantry Division, which had raced south through Bavaria into Innsbruck, Austria, met up with troops of the 349th Infantry, 88th Division in Vipiteno in the Italian Alps.

The VI Corps was activated as VI Army Corps on 1 August 1918 at Neufchâteau, France. It served in the Lorraine Campaign (campaign streamer awarded). VI Corps commanders during World War I were MG Omar Bundy, from 26 August through 12 September 1918; MG Charles C. Ballou, from 23 October 1918 through 10 November 1918; MG Charles T. Menoher, from 10 November 1918 (commanding corps at termination of hostilities). MG Adelbert Cronkhite commanded from January to April, 1919. The corps was demobilized on 11 April 1919, at Villerupt, France. (Army Almanac, Stackpole, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 1958, p. 645)

The VI Corps was reconstituted in the Organized Reserves on 29 July 1921, and was organized in March 1922 at Chicago, Illinois. It was withdrawn from the Organized Reserves on 1 October 1933 and allotted to the Regular Army. The corps was activated on 1 August 1940 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. (Army Almanac, Stackpole, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 1958, p. 645)

The VI Corps took part in some of the most high-profile operations in World War II. The corps, commanded by Major General Ernest J. Dawley, first saw combat during the Allied invasion of Italy when it landed at Salerno on 9 September 1943, along with the British X Corps, under the command of the U.S. Fifth Army as part of Operation Avalanche. The stiffness of the German defences sorely tested the VI Corps and it suffered heavy casualties before German attempts to throw the Americans back into the sea were thwarted by the artillery of the 45th "Thunderbird" and 36th" Arrowhead" Infantry Divisions, strongly supported by naval gunfire, bombing and the approach of British Eighth Army from the south. Major General Dawley was replaced after the battle, as he was judged to be worn out. He was replaced by Major General John Lucas.