Welcome to the Home of the
63rd Infantry Division Association, USAR
63rd Division History
63rd Infantry Division
Army of the United States
1943-1945
Activated on June 15, 1943, at Camp Blanding, Florida, under Major General Louis E. Hibbs, the 63rd Infantry Division adopted the distinctive motto “Blood and Fire.” Organized around the 253rd, 254th, and 255th Infantry Regiments, the Division trained at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi, before deploying to France in late 1944. Its infantry regiments first entered combat during Operation Nordwind and the Colmar Pocket before reuniting under Division control in February 1945. The 63rd subsequently fought through Germany's Siegfried Line, crossed the Rhine, and engaged in bitter fighting along the Jagst and Kocher Rivers before advancing into southern Germany. During its brief but intense combat service, its Soldiers earned two Medals of Honor and seven Presidential Unit Citations, while capturing more than 21,000 enemy personnel. Following Germany's surrender, the Division returned to the United States and was inactivated on September 27, 1945.
63rd Infantry Division
USAR – Triangular
1952-1959
Reactivated in 1952 in Los Angeles, California, through the redesignation of the 13th Armored Division, the 63rd Infantry Division returned to service as part of the Organized Reserve Corps, soon renamed the United States Army Reserve. Organized under the traditional triangular infantry division structure, the formation maintained three infantry regiments supported by artillery, armor, engineers, and other specialized units. Throughout the 1950s, the Division became one of the largest Army Reserve formations in the western United States, conducting regular weekend drills and annual field training to maintain mobilization readiness during the Cold War. Its Soldiers trained at installations including Fort Hunter Liggett, Camp Roberts, and Fort Irwin, preserving the traditions of the wartime “Blood and Fire” Division while preparing a new generation of citizen-Soldiers for military service.
63rd Infantry Division
USAR – ROCID
1959-1963
In 1959, the 63rd Infantry Division underwent a major organizational transformation under the Reorganization of the Current Infantry Division (ROCID) concept, commonly known as the Pentomic system. Developed during the Cold War in response to the possibility of nuclear warfare, this structure replaced the traditional three-regiment organization with five infantry battle groups designed for greater flexibility, dispersion, and independent operations on the atomic battlefield. The Division's headquarters relocated to Bell, California, while its subordinate formations adapted to new organizational structures, weapons systems, and tactical doctrines. Despite these significant changes, the 63rd continued its mission of training Army Reserve Soldiers and maintaining mobilization readiness throughout Southern California. The Pentomic structure ultimately proved short-lived as the Army adopted another major reorganization in 1963.
63rd Infantry Division
USAR – ROAD
1963-1965
On April 1, 1963, the 63rd Infantry Division reorganized under the Reorganization Objective Army Division (ROAD) concept, replacing its Pentomic battle groups with a more flexible structure built around three maneuver brigade headquarters. This transformation restored infantry battalions as the principal maneuver organizations while incorporating armor, field artillery, and divisional support elements capable of being task-organized according to operational requirements. The reorganization reflected the Army's shift away from exclusively nuclear battlefield concepts toward formations capable of conducting both conventional and nuclear operations. The 63rd continued training throughout the western United States, but broader Department of Defense efforts to restructure the reserve components brought its existence as a combat division to an end. On December 31, 1965, the Division was inactivated, concluding its final period as an organized infantry division.
63rd Reinforcement Training Unit
1965-1968
Following the inactivation of the 63rd Infantry Division in December 1965, its organizational identity and colors were preserved through the 63rd Reinforcement Training Unit (RTU). Although no longer organized as a combat division, the RTU provided an avenue for Army Reserve personnel to continue military training and fulfill specialized support requirements. Among its notable activities was participation in the National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, in 1966 and 1967, where 63rd personnel organized and commanded reserve support elements responsible for assisting the competition. The Division's colors were prominently displayed during these assignments, maintaining a visible connection to its wartime and Cold War heritage. This transitional organization remained active until 1968, when the 63rd Army Reserve Command assumed the 63rd designation and continued its traditions.
63rd ARMY RESERVE COMMAND
1968-1995
Established on January 1, 1968, the 63rd Army Reserve Command (ARCOM) transformed the historic 63rd designation from a combat division into a regional headquarters responsible for overseeing Army Reserve units throughout Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. Headquartered at Los Alamitos, California, the command supervised a diverse collection of combat, combat support, and combat service support organizations, coordinating training, administration, and mobilization preparedness. Throughout the Cold War, the ARCOM played an important role in sustaining the Army Reserve's regional capabilities while adapting to changing military requirements. Its most significant operational contribution came during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990–1991, when more than 2,500 Soldiers from 22 subordinate units were mobilized, including 14 units deployed to the Persian Gulf. The command remained active until its reorganization in 1995.
63rd Regional Support Command
(First Iteration)
1995-2003
In April 1995, the 63rd Army Reserve Command was reorganized as the 63rd Regional Support Command (RSC), reflecting a nationwide restructuring of the Army Reserve following the Cold War. Its geographic responsibilities were realigned to correspond more closely with federal emergency management regions, improving coordination and support during domestic emergencies and other regional contingencies. Headquartered at Los Alamitos, the command exercised oversight of approximately 14,000 Army Reserve Soldiers across 140 units in California, Arizona, and Nevada, while providing additional administrative and logistical support to other Army Reserve organizations operating within its territory. During this period, the 63rd supported military missions associated with peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Kosovo and began responding to the increasing mobilization requirements of the Global War on Terrorism. In 2003, it transitioned to the Regional Readiness Command designation.
63rd Regional Readiness Command
2003-2008
Redesignated the 63rd Regional Readiness Command (RRC) in 2003, the 63rd placed increased emphasis on the training, readiness, mobilization, and operational employment of Army Reserve formations across Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. Continuing to operate from Los Alamitos, the command played an important role in supporting the United States military's expanding commitments following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Thousands of Soldiers from units within the 63rd's area deployed in support of operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other overseas assignments. The command also maintained its domestic administrative and logistical responsibilities while preparing subordinate units for repeated mobilizations. Beginning in 2005, the Army Reserve initiated a sweeping transformation that would consolidate regional support functions, ultimately leading to the establishment of a new 63rd Regional Support Command at Moffett Field in 2008.
63rd Regional Support Command
(Second Iteration)
2008-2018
In September 2008, the Army Reserve established a reorganized 63rd Regional Support Command at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, consolidating regional support responsibilities previously associated with the 63rd and 90th Regional Readiness Commands. This transformation greatly expanded the command's geographic jurisdiction to seven states: California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Unlike its predecessors, the new RSC relinquished most direct command-and-control responsibilities over operational units, concentrating instead on installation management, facilities maintenance, personnel administration, logistical support, and other services essential to maintaining Army Reserve readiness. Supporting approximately 40,000 Soldiers across the southwestern United States, the command became one of four major geographic support headquarters within the Army Reserve. Its expanded mission and regional responsibilities established the foundation for its subsequent redesignation as the 63rd Readiness Division in 2018.
63rd Readiness Division
2018-PRESENT
Redesignated the 63rd Readiness Division in 2018, the organization continues the “Blood and Fire” tradition as a major geographic support command of the United States Army Reserve. Headquartered at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, the 63rd RD provides critical base operations, facilities maintenance, resource management, administrative services, and Soldier and Family support throughout its seven-state southwestern region. The Division also exercises command and control over assigned organizations, including specialized support elements, while enabling operational and functional commands to concentrate on training, mobilization, and deployment readiness. Supporting approximately 40,000 Army Reserve Soldiers, the modern 63rd reflects more than eight decades of organizational history, adapting from a World War II infantry division into a headquarters dedicated to sustaining America's Army Reserve while honoring the service and sacrifices of those who wore the historic Blood and Fire insignia.