V CORPS HISTORY

It Will Be Done

V Corps, known as the “Victory Corps,” was first activated in France in 1918 and fought in major World War I offensives before being demobilized and later reactivated for World War II, where it led the assault on Omaha Beach, captured Cherbourg, and advanced into Germany. During the Cold War, it was headquartered in Frankfurt and served as a key NATO formation responsible for defending the Fulda Gap. After playing a major role in peacekeeping operations in the Balkans during the 1990s, V Corps commanded the main ground invasion during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and later managed stabilization efforts in Iraq. Inactivated in 2013 and reactivated in 2020 at Fort Knox with a forward command post in Poland, V Corps today oversees U.S. Army operations in Europe, leads multinational training and deterrence missions, and remains a central element of NATO’s readiness and forward presence.

Video by Sgt. Derek Combs

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U.S. Army Col. Michael Filanowski awarded the Purple Heart

U.S. Army V Corps

June 25, 2026 | 2:18

U.S. Army Col. Michael Filanowski, deputy chief of staff for operations for Multinational Division North East, NATO, is awarded the Purple Heart on June 25, 2026, in Boleslawiec, Poland. Filanowski was wounded while conducting a patrol in Afghanistan in 2005, along with his driver, gunner, and assistant gunner, by an improvised explosive device. The Purple Heart was introduced as the “Badge of Military Merit” by General George Washington in 1782 and is awarded to U.S. military service members who are wounded or killed in action as a direct or indirect result of enemy action. (U.S. Army Reserve video by Sgt. Derek Combs)

Music Track: “Heroes” by Music Dog used under a Standard Royalty-Free License through Envato Elements.