Historical Background
Known as the "Jayhawk Corps" since World War II, VII Corps gained its nickname following the Normandy invasion. Elements of the corps stormed Utah, beach', fought through the hedgerows surrounding, the beachhead, then led the drive across France. As a tribute to its role during the subsequent campaign for the liberation of Western Europe, it was dubbed the "spearhead corps of the First (US) Army."
For the thirty years after its redeployment to Germany in the 1950s, VII Corps served in the defense of Western Europe. During the "NATO campaigns" of these three decades, the Jayhawk Corps championed the cause of peace by its constant readiness for war.
In the months following the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, a dramatic change in the political face, of Central Europe confronted the corps. In response VII: Corps ended its border patrols and turned its training from a defensive orientation to one of large unit movements to contact over extended distances. it led the way toward an, increasingly multinational NATO corps organization. At the game time, the corps faced some of the first recent, U.S. force reductions scheduled for Europe.
Then, in August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and steadfastly refused to abide by United Nation resolutions demanding an immediate Iraqi withdrawal. Corps units began planning for the possibility of going to Saudi Arabia shortly after the Iraqi invasion, but didn't formalize plans until after Defense Secretary Dick Cheney's Nov. 8 announcement.
Seventh Corps soldiers played a major part in Kuwait's liberation, and in doing so, rivaled past efforts of other Jayhawk soldiers. The following statistics compare the last two VII Corps campaigns. World War II figures come from the Jayhawk 1953 and 1960 edition.
Category__________________________________________________WWII__________Desert Storm________
Number Of Days In Combat........................................................................337................................4
Total Miles Traveled...................................................................................1200.............................150
Greatest Advance In One Day (in miles)........................................................90................................80
Enemy Divisions Encountered........................................................................51................................11+
Enemy Divisions Destroyed...........................................................................14................................11+
Enemy Tanks and Armored Vehicles Destroyed...........................................1164............................3919
Ammunition Expended..............................................................................100,000+ tons................ 9000+ tons
POWs...........................................................................................................UKN........................26000