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 Staff Sgt. Emilie Lenglain

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Soldiers’ Sprint: U.S.–NATO relay race at Grajewo Day in Poland

U.S. Army V Corps

July 12, 2026 | 2:09

U.S. Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, NATO Forward Land Forces Battle Group-Poland, sprint alongside soldiers assigned to the 348th Air Defense Artillery Battalion, Romanian Land Forces, the 17th Croatian contingent, Croatian Armed Forces, and Polish soldiers of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade of the Legions, during the Grajewo Day celebration relay race in Grajewo, Poland, July 12, 2026. U.S. forces in Europe conduct routine training in Poland to enhance interoperability with NATO allies and maintain readiness along the alliance’s eastern flank. (U.S. Army Reserve video by Staff Sgt. Emilie Lenglain) Music is used with permission and licensing rights from Envato Elements.