Information

The National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association is made up of veterans of the United States Army's 4th Infantry Division. Our membership is made up of World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War and Peacetime veterans of the 4th Infantry Division along with active duty Ivymen and women serving at Ft. Hood Texas (home of the division), Ft. Carson Colorado and around the world.

Our membership rolls are open to all who have ever served in or been attached to the 4th Infantry Division. Whether you were the lowest ranking private or the highest ranking general, you are eligible for membership in the Association.

The National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association consists of 21 chapters that cover the entire United States. We also have 4th Infantry Division veterans in several foreign countries. In all, we have more than 7,000 members on our rolls.

Our Chapters hold periodic meetings and mini-reunions throughout the year. Once a year we hold a National Reunion where all members of the Association can come together for fellowship and to conduct the Association's business. The National Reunion is held in a different part of the country each year. In the past we have met in such places as Washington D.C., Las Vegas, Boston, New Orleans, Orlando and Tacoma Washington. The National Reunion is a week long affair and is filled with tours, events, meetings and things to do. The week is capped off with our Grand Banquet and Flames of Rememberance Ceremony where we honor those who made the supreme sacrifice on the field of battle. The active Division's Color Guard and the Division Colors are brought in for this event.

The Scholarship fund that was started in Vietnam for the children of IVYMEN killed in action has run out of eligibles. The National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association has now opened up the fund to include Association members in good standing and all blood relatives of active Association members in good standing. The recipients are chosen by lottery at our National Reunion each year and awarded a dollar amount as determined by our Scholarship Committee and is payable directly to the school.

The 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) has a long and distinguished history. It has seen combat in three wars, 16 of its soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor, and 21 campaign streamers adorn it's colors. The Division was formed in December of 1917 and four months later embarked for Europe and combat in WWI.

By the end of the war, the 4th Infantry Division had suffered 11,500 soldiers killed and wounded and was the only division to serve in both the French and English sectors of the Western Front (4ID served in French, English and American sectors).

The 4th Infantry Division again distinguished itself during combat in WWII:

  • On June 6, 1944 (D-Day), the 4th Infantry Division was the first allied unit to assault German forces on the Normandy beaches. Landing on Utah Beach, the 4th pushed forward for 26 days at the cost of 5,000 killed in action.
  • The 4th was the first American unit to participate in the liberation of Paris.
  • The 4th fought the bloody battle of the Hurtgen Forest, held it's ground during the Battle of the Bulge, and continued the attack onto German soil.
After WWII the 4th moved several times to better serve the Army, ending up in Western Europe as part of the United States forces in NATO. There, the Division stood as a bastion against the massing communist forces threatening Europe. The Division supplied many replacement soldiers to other units during the Korean War.

The 4th Infantry Division deployed from Ft. Lewis, Washington to Vietnam in the summer and fall of 1966 and fought there until December 1970. Initially, the 2nd Brigade was in the Central Highlands, the 1st Brigade operated along the South China Sea, and the 3rd Brigade was deployed west of Saigon, working with the 25th Infantry Division. In 1967, the 1st Brigade moved to the central Highlands and the 3rd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division was transferred to the 4th Infantry Division and the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division was transferred to the 25th Infantry Division. The 4th participated in 11 major campaigns. Twelve 4th Infantry Division soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. The 4th Infantry Division had the largest area of operations in Vietnam and fought both the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army.

The Division returned from Vietnam and moved to Ft. Carson, Colorado where it was reorganized as a mechanized unit, and remained there for the next 25 years.

In December 1995, the 4th moved to Ft. Hood, Texas and became the Army's Experimental Force. As the Army transforms into Force XXI, the 4th will lead the way into the 21st Century by developing and implementing new tactics, techniques and procedures for operations. This will be done utilizing the latest "information age" equipment and technology.

The 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) has three active duty maneuver Brigades along with its Aviation and Engineer Brigades, Division Artillery (DIVARTY), Division Support Command (DISCOM), and three separate Battalions. The Division's 1st and the 2nd Brigades remain at Ft. Hood while the 3rd Brigade will remain at Ft. Carson, Colorado.

The National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association was formed on the battlefields of Europe on June 29, 1919 and has continued as a strong organization ever since. Your annual dues of $20 not only entitles you to all rights and privileges of membership, but includes a subscription to our quarterly magazine, THE IVY LEAVES, where you will read about many items of interest. There will be articles about Chapter meetings and upcoming events at both the Chapter and National levels. You will see stories submitted by your buddies and pleas of those looking for long lost buddies. You may even find that YOU are that long lost buddy that someone is looking for! The National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association is a family oriented organization and we want the entire family to attend functions and become involved. Not only are old friendships renewed, but many new long lasting friendships are made through the Association.

Remember...It's not the price you pay to be a member, it's the price you've already paid to be eligible for membership!

Please take a few minutes to fill out the application and send it, along with your check, to the address in the application. We look forward to hearing from you soon! If you know of other 4th Division Vets, send their addresses along too so that we can also invite them to join.