The XVIII Airborne Corps, formed in the Second World War, was long the U.S. Army strategic reserve headquarters in the Cold War. With the drawdown of Army higher tactical headquarters, it has gone into general deployments when a senior command echelon is needed, as in the Eastern Regional Command of the International Security Assistance Force in the Afghanistan War (2001-).
Its main elements are among the most mobile elements of the U.S. Army, backed up with a heavy division:
- 82nd Airborne Division, the largest paratroop formation in the U.S. Army
- 101st Airborne Division, which now is air assault rather than paratroop
- 10th Mountain Division
- 3rd Infantry Division, formerly designated the 24th Mechanized Division
- 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
It operated as a full corps in the Second World War and Gulf War. For other operations, it provided forward headquarters and individual units.
Second World War[edit]
It was the echelon that controlled the U.S. airborne divisions at the Battle of Normandy, and later was part of the First Allied Airborne Army in Operation MARKET-GARDEN.
Operation JUST CAUSE[edit]
Gulf War[edit]
The XVIII Corps was the first corps headquarters deployed to Saudi Arabia in Operation DESERT SHIELD, and then led the "left hook" of the ground invasion, Operation DESERT SABRE. It was commanded by then-LTG Gary Luck.