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7th Army was the first American formation of that size to see combat in World War II. It was formed to take command of American forces in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. During the campaign, it was commanded by General George Patton.
It landed on the left flank of the Allied forces. Its role in the plan for liberating Sicily was envisaged as being a protecting force for the left wing of the British Eighth Army under General Bernard Montgomery. In the end, it played a far more important role. Most of Sicily was liberated by American forces, and Patton's men beat those of Montgomery to capturing the town of Messina, the nearest point on Sicily to the mainland of Italy.
After the Sicily operation, 7th Army was taken out of the frontline. Its next operation was the invasion of the south of France in August 1944:Operation Dragoon. This was conceived as a help to Eisenhower's forces fighting in Normandy by flanking German forces in France. However, in the end, this was not necessary, since a breakout was achieved in Normandy before Dragoon was launched.
Dragoon was a contentious operation, because its launching severely weakened the American forces fighting in Italy, thus limiting their offensive capabilities in the final stages of that campaign. It saw a fundamental difference of strategy between the British Chiefs of Staff and the American Joint Chiefs of Staff and their respective governments.
It was successful as an amphibious assault. Three divisions of 7th Army came ashore. The assault forces were followed up by more American forces and also by substantial French forces under General de Lattre de Tassigny. With French and American forces established ashore in significant numbers, 7th Army and the French Army B came under the new 12th Army Group headquarters. The Army Group took up its position on the right wing of the forces on the western front.
Hard battles were fought in Alsace and Lorraine during the winter of 1944, in which 7th Army played a major role. In the spring of 1945, 7th Army crossed the Rhine River into Germany itself. Parts of the Black Forest and Bavaria were liberated by 7th Army.
7th Army was chosen as the headquarters that would command the American forces of occupation in Germany. After the peace treaty with Germany was signed, it remained in the country to control the American ground forces committed to NATO.
After the erection of the Berlin Wall, units were frequently deployed to this unit, until the military strength was at an all-time high (277,342 soldiers in June of 1962).
However, the situation was complicated by France's withdrawal from NATO, and all US forces were to be extracted from French military bases by about 1968. Eventually, the new headquarters of the unit were placed in Heidelberg, Germany, where they remain today.
The strains on personnel of the Vietnam War caused some soldiers from this European command to take part in that war. After the units returned, the 7th Army generally trained, receiving new equipment along the way, and participating in Operation Desert Shield.
Commanding General: General B.B. BellHistory
World War II
Post-1945
Subordinate Units
People
Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff: Lieutenant General Michael L. Dosdon
Command Sergeant Major: Command Sergeant Major Michael L. Gravens