The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America's Contingency Corps." Its headquarters are at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
XVIII Airborne Corps returned to Fort Liberty in October 2022 after a nine month deployment to Germany, in support of NATO and European Allies and partners. The mission was to provide a joint task force-capable headquarters in light of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Leadership
Its command group includes: Commanding General: Lieutenant General Christopher T. Donahue Deputy Commanding General: Brigadier General Colin P. Tuley Deputy Commanding General (Operations): Brigadier General Robert Pierre "Pete" Huet, Canadian Army Chief of Staff: Colonel Adam Cobb Command Sergeant Major: Command Sergeant Major Bryan D. Barker
History
World War II
The corps was first activated on 17 January 1942, five weeks after the entry of the United States into World War II, as the II Armored Corps at Camp Polk, Louisiana, under the command of Major General William Henry Harrison Morris, Jr. When the concept of armored corps proved unnecessary, II Armored Corps was re-designated as XVIII Corps on 9 October 1943 at the Presidio of Monterey, California.
XVIII Corps deployed to Europe on 17 August 1944 and became the XVIII Airborne Corps on 25 August 1944 at Ogbourne St. George, England, assuming command of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, as part of the preparation for Operation Market Garden. Prior to this time, the two divisions were assigned to VII Corps and jumped into Normandy during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy, as part of VII Corps.
Major General Matthew Bunker Ridgway, a highly experienced airborne commander who had led the 82nd Airborne Division in Sicily, Italy and Normandy, was chosen to command the corps, which then consisted of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and was part of the newly created First Allied Airborne Army.
The corps headquarters did not see service in Operation Market Garden, with the British I Airborne Corps being chosen instead to exercise operational command of all Allied airborne forces in the operation, including the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.
Following the Battle of the Bulge, in which the corps played a significant part (and which, during the early stages of the battle, the corps was commanded by Major General James M. Gavin of the 82nd Airborne), all American airborne units on the Western Front fell under command of the corps. XVIII Airborne Corps planned and executed Operation Varsity, the airborne component of Operation Plunder, the crossing of the River Rhine into Germany. It was one of the largest airborne operations of the war, with the British 6th and U.S. 17th Airborne Divisions under command.
After taking part in the Western Allied invasion of Germany, the XVIII Airborne Corps, still under Ridgway, returned to the United States in June 1945 and was initially to take part in the invasion of Japan, codenamed Operation Downfall. However, the Japanese surrendered just weeks later and XVIII Airborne Corps was inactivated on 15 October 1945 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
World War II units
1st Infantry Division — 26 January 1945 – 12 February 1945. 4th Infantry Division 8th Infantry Division — 26 January 1945 – 10 July 1945. 17th Airborne Division — 12 August 1944 – 1 January 1945; 15 February 1945 – 24 March 1945. 29th Infantry Division 30th Infantry Division — 21 December 1944 – 3 February 1945. 34th Infantry Division 75th Infantry Division — 29 December 1944 – 2 January 1945; 7 January 1945. 78th Infantry Division — 3 February 1945 – 12 February 1945. 82nd Airborne Division — 12 August 1944 – 17 September 1944; 19 December 1944 – 14 February 1945; 30 April 1945 – 3 January 1946. 84th Infantry Division — 20 December 1944 – 21 December 1944. 86th Infantry Division — 5 April 1945 – 22 April 1945. 89th Infantry Division 97th Infantry Division — 10 April 1945 – 22 April 1945. 101st Airborne Division — 12 August 1944 – 21 September 1944; 28 February 1945 – 1 April 1945. 106th Infantry Division — 20 December 1944 – 6 February 1945. 3rd Armored Division — 19 December 1944 – 23 December 1944. 5th Armored Division — 4 May 1945 – 10 October 1945. 7th Armored Division — 20 December 1944 – 29 January 1945; 30 April 1945 – 9 October 1945. 13th Armored Division — 10 April 1945 – 22 April 1945.