29th Infantry Division (United States)
| 29th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
Shoulder sleeve insignia of the 29th Infantry Division | |
| Active | 1917 – 1919 1923 – 1968 1985 – present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | The Army National Guards of Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, West Virginia and Kentucky |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Belvoir, Virginia, U.S. |
| Nicknames | "Blue and Gray" (special designation) |
| Mottos | "Twenty-nine, let's go!" |
| Engagements | World War I
NATO intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | MG Joseph Dinonno |
| Command Sergeant Major | CSM Timothy Hawley |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia | |
| Flag | |
| Shoulder sleeve insignia (subdued) | |
| Combat service identification badge | |
The 29th Infantry Division (29th ID), also known as the "Blue and Gray Division", is an infantry division of the United States Army based at Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia. The division is currently a formation of the Army National Guard and includes units from Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia.
Formed in 1917, the division deployed to France as a part of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I. It was called up for service again during World War II. The division's 116th Regiment, attached to the 1st Infantry Division, was the first wave of troops ashore during the Normandy landings in France (Operation Overlord). It supported a special Ranger unit tasked with clearing strong points at Omaha Beach. The rest of the 29th ID came ashore later, then advanced to Saint-Lô, and eventually through France and into Germany.
Following the end of World War II, the division saw frequent reorganizations (especially Pentomic), and was then inactivated in 1968. It was reformed in 1985, taking part in numerous training exercises. Then in the 1990s it made peacekeeping deployments to Bosnia-Herzegovina (SFOR10) and Kosovo (KFOR) as command elements. Units of the division deployed to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. Then parts of the division fought in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021); and in the Iraq War as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
After the initial US withdrawal from Iraq in 2010, it again sent forces to the Middle East for Operation Spartan Shield. In 2016, two separate elements of the 29th deployed overseas. In July 2016, over 80 soldiers deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, a U.S. government military campaign against Islamic State militants.
In October 2019, over 450 soldiers from the division deployed for Operation Spartan Shield.
The division most recently deployed to Kuwait for its second Task Force Spartan rotation in 2021. From Kuwait, staff officers from 29ID Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion coordinated the rescue of approximately 11,000 refugees from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the state.