The division headquarters was organized on 1 July 1921 at 39 Whitehall Street in Manhattan, but relocated on 26 March 1924 to the Globe Indemnity Building, Washington Place, Newark, New Jersey.

The headquarters was relocated on 25 July 1936 to the Federal Building, 1180 Raymond Boulevard in Newark and remained there until activated for World War II.

The division headquarters often conducted its summer training there, and on a number of occasions, participated in CPXs at Camp Dix as well.

78th Division moved to the Carolina Maneuver Area on 15 November 1943 to test its training, and then returned to Camp Butner on 7 December 1943.

After two years as a training division, the 78th embarked for the European Theatre from the New York POE on 14 October 1944, whereupon they sailed for England.

After landing in France, the division moved to Tongeren, Belgium, on 27 November 1944, and to Roetgen, Germany, on 7 December 1944, to prepare for combat.

On the 13th these regiments smashed into Simmerath, Witzerath, and Bickerath and were fighting for Kesternich when Gerd von Rundstedt launched his counteroffensive in the Monschau area, on 18 December.

The Division attacked, 30 January 1945, and took Kesternich, 2 February, the town of Schmidt on the 8th, and captured intact the vital Schwammanauel Dam the next day.

In the advance, the Roer River was crossed, 28 February, and the division joined the offensive of the First and Ninth Armies toward the Rhine.

The 78th Division was deployed to Southwest Asia 1990 and 1991 when the 920th Transportation Company (Medium, Petroleum) to support operations in Desert Storm.

The 348th Military Police Detachment conducted protective service missions for key national leaders throughout the world during the mobilization period.

In all units, then made up of US Army Reserve soldiers, there were detachments of Regular Army soldiers assigned to manage the day-to-day requirements and planning of exercises as part of the Congressionally mandated Ground Forces Readiness Enhancement (GFRE – popularly known as "Jeffries") program.

One of five exercise divisions in the United States Army, the 78th Division Headquarters, and its 1st Brigade, were for many years headquartered at the Kilmer Reserve Center (the former Camp Kilmer) in Edison, New Jersey, with subordinate units located in New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York.

There was also an associated change in the manning of the unit, adding National Guard personnel to the regulars and Army Reservists already assigned.

This was one of the first instances of the growing multi-component organization of US Army units that deal with Reserve Component training and operations.

The reorganization created a unique unit consisting of active-component, National Guard, civilian and drilling US Army reservists.

The 4th Brigade is a tenant unit on Fort Bragg with headquarters at the 78th Division (Training Support), Edison, New Jersey.

The brigade's responsibility is to train, coach, teach and mentor the Reserve and Army National Guard units of North Carolina.

Synchronize training support within area of responsibility in order to enhance individual and unit readiness to meet directed mobilization and/or wartime requirements.

Captain America (Chris Evans) impersonates an officer of the 78th while infiltrating the compound to retrieve one of the Infinity Stones with help from Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.)