Army Reserve 104th Division to case colors in August 2026, honoring over a century of excellence
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. — The U.S. Army Reserve formally cased the colors of the 104th Training Division (Leaders Training) during a ceremony Aug. 15, ahead of the unit's official discontinuation scheduled for Oct. 15, 2026. The transition honored more than a century of distinguished service training Soldiers and upholding the enduring values that define America's Army.
The 104th Division's legacy spans from its original creation in the Organized Reserve in 1921, through its distinguished World War II combat service, to its modern role as a premier training division. The division's most celebrated chapter came under the command of Maj. Gen. Terry Allen, who led the "Timberwolves" through nearly 200 days of intense combat across Europe in 1944 and 1945.
Allen, already a decorated World War I veteran and former commander of the 1st Infantry Division in North Africa and Sicily, took command of the 104th Division in October 1944. Under his leadership, the division fought through France, the Netherlands, Belgium and western Germany, repelling fierce German counterattacks and advancing steadily through the theater. Allen's famous rallying cry — "Nothing in hell can stop the Timberwolves" — became the division's enduring motto and embodied the fighting spirit that carried the unit through some of World War II's most challenging battles.
Following World War II, the 104th Division was reorganized as a training division for the Reserve force. Over subsequent decades, the division expanded its mission significantly, eventually executing critical leader development missions across the Army — providing support to the Reserve Officers' Training Corps through Cadet Summer Training, delivering instruction to drill sergeants and supporting the U.S. Military Academy. These missions have prepared thousands of Soldiers for service to the nation.
"It has been my profound honor to serve this exceptional division and the thousands of Soldiers who have carried the Timberwolf standard across more than a century of distinguished service," said 104th Division Commanding General Brig. Gen. Vance Kuhner. "Even as our colors are cased, the Timberwolf fight will live on. Nothing will ever stop the Timberwolves."
The 104th Division’s discontinuation represents the Army Reserve's ongoing efforts to optimize force structure and ensure maximum effectiveness in supporting national defense requirements. The decision reflects careful analysis of training requirements and resource allocation to best serve the evolving needs of the total Army.
The Aug. 15 casing of the colors ceremony provided an opportunity for veterans, current service members and community partners to honor the division's distinguished history and the thousands of Soldiers who have served under its banner.