The Army has had troops stationed at the Demilitarized Zone
(DMZ) between the two Koreas since 1953, many of whom have
been killed or wounded. That shows that Army troops are just as
much in danger during peace as they are in war. Yet, they serve.
The Korean War had provided Army troops with one more chance
to show their resiliency, and make history. It marked the first time
black and white Army units had fought side by side since President
Truman’s 1948 Executive Order mandating integration in the
armed forces. That was a major step forward for the Army, one that
would pay major dividends in its future recruiting efforts. And, they
had stopped the spread of communism, temporarily at least, until
they were ordered to Vietnam in 1965.
The Army’s build-up in Vietnam was gradual. It began with 20,000
support troops in early 1965 whose assignment was to build a
supply network. Then, a rapidly developing new technology and
tactical innovation began: airmobile operations. Generals such
as William C. Westmoreland and Creighton W. Abrams became
household names back home.
The Army’s first airmobile unit, the 1st Cavalry, was deployed to the
rugged Central Highland to confront and defeat North Vietnamese
regulars at the Battle of the Ia Drang. Soon there was a flood of
Army combat units “in country.” There were 240,000 troops there
by the early part of 1966, and the numbers kept growing.
Soldiers participated in numerous battles as the war progressed,
particularly during the Tet Offensive in early 1968, when the 1st
Cavalry and 101st Airborne Divisions helped defeat the North
Vietnamese at Hue. The nature of the war changed after that. The
US focused more on peace negotiations than military operations.
By the end of March 1973, the Army had withdrawn all its troops
from Vietnam, but further adventures awaited.
There was a series of localized military operations in which Army
troops participated, e.g., the Cambodian Civil War, the invasion
of Grenada, and the Dominican Civil War. Starting in 1990, there
was a parade of larger-scale conflicts that commanded the Army’s
participation and tested its resources. Those conflicts have
continued into today.
They began with the 1990-91 Gulf War, (aka Desert Storm), which
was followed by the first, and ongoing, US intervention in the
Somali Civil War. Then came the Bosnian War (1992-1995), the
Kosovo War (1998-1999), and the all-encompassing War on Terror,
including the War in Afghanistan. The period between 1990 and
today has been the most trying time in US Army history, since it
has strained the service’s resources and taxed its personnel. But it
has been a period of opportunity as well.
The Army has used the wars as an opportunity to develop and
employ new technologies that have revolutionized modern
warfare. The array of new battlefield weapons has made the
battlefield safer for warfighters and reduced their stress. More
important, it has resulted in fewer casualties and improved
soldiers’ morale. Each new technological advancement creates a
better trained, more efficient Army. That has been Army leaders’
goal for 245 years, and will continue to be for the next 245. Based
on the Army’s history, that goal will be met, and surpassed.
AUTHOR’S BIO: Arthur G. Sharp is the author of 9 books and 2,500 articles
on a variety of topics. He edits several military association magazines.
Sharp earned his honorable discharge from the United States Marine
Corps after serving four years. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in history.
The Army has used the
wars as an opportunity
to develop and employ
new technologies that
have revolutionized
modern warfare.
2020
64 ARMY 245: Call to Duty