Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!news.cs.indiana.edu!att!att!cbnewsc!cbnews!cbnews!military From: graham@cs.washington.edu (Stephen Graham) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Military Units Message-ID: <1991Mar6.041232.24419@cbnews.att.com> Date: 6 Mar 91 04:12:32 GMT References: <1991Mar4.210659.7340@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (william.b.thacker) Organization: University of Washington, Computer Science, Seattle Lines: 134 Approved: military@att.att.com From: graham@cs.washington.edu (Stephen Graham) This is perhaps more information than you want, but... Following is a similar article on regiments and brigades. Divisional Numbering Current US Army divisional numbering is relatively recent. The pattern was established during mobilization for WWI in 1917. Prior to this date, divisions had normally been identified as the First Division of II Corps, Second Division of II Corps, etc. (as they were in the Civil War [I realize that there were some exceptions]). However, with the mass mobilization for WWI, it was thought impractical to continue this pattern. Divisions were to be numbered as follows: Regular Army 1-25 National Guard 26-75 National Army 76- The National Army consisted of those units raised solely from draftees, as opposed to the RA units, which were organized around standing regiments. I recall that only the 1st through 15th Divisions were raised in the RA sequence. I can check this if anyone is interested. The numbering pattern for National Guard ran as follows: the 26th Division contained regiments from New England, the 27th units from New York, ... up to the 41st Division, which covered Washington and Oregon. The 42d (Rainbow) Division was formed with additional National Guard units that did not fit into their regional division (it had units from Connecticut, D.C., Arizona, etc.). The 43d through 75th Division were not raised, but presumably would be allocated at a later date. The National Army raised the 76th through approximately 104th Divisions, only a few of which saw active service (the 82d did). They were also raised by regions, with the exception that the 82d was assembled from draftees throughout the US (thus the All-American title). The 92d and 93d divisions were Colored (segregated Black units). The 92d was formed from Colored National Guard units, the 93d from Colored volunteers. Both gave an excellent account of themselves in action. I believe that the 1st-5th Cavalry Divisions were also formed, primarily for service on the Mexican Border. Following WWI, the National Army divisions were allocated to the Organized Reserve. Upon mobilization for WWII, the numbering pattern from WWI was followed. The Regular Army mobilized the 1st-9th, 24th and 25th Infantry Divisions (the latter were formed in Hawaii from units of the pre-war Hawaiian Division). Technically, the Phillipine Division was the 12th Division, but is usually refered to as the Phillipine Division. The National Guard mobilized the 26th-38th, 40th, 41st, 43d, 44th, and 45th Infantry Divisions (the 39th (Dixie) Division [Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia National Guard] was not mobilized). The 42d Infantry Division was formed from draftees. After this the pattern breaks down. The Organized Reserve and draftees were intended to fill divisions from 76 up again. However, since the War Department intended to raise 187 divisions at one point, the draftee division numbering scheme was extended to 51 on up. Not all of these divisions were mobilized, therefore the divisional numbers ran 63, 66, 69-104, 106. To further confuse things, Airborne and Light Infantry Divisions were also raised within the Infantry Division numbering sequence. The 82d Division was selected as the first Airborne Division, and transferred to the Regular Army. Later (for reasons I can't recall) the 101st was also transferred to the RA as an Airborne Division. (Historical aside: Want to know why the 101st is the Screaming Eagles? When it was raised for WWI, the troops came primarily from Wisconsin. One of the Civil War Wisconsin regiments had an eagle as a mascot, which screamed as the unit went into battle. When the 101st decided on a nickname, that's what it chose to commemorate.) However, to further compound the confusion, the remaing Airborne Divisions were numbered 11th, 13th, and 17th. (The 11th served in the Pacific, the 13th and 17th in Europe.) Three Light Divisions were formed: 10th Mountain, 71st Jungle, and 87th Pack. Only the 10th served as a Light Division (the 71st served in France, oddly.) One more infantry division was raised, the Americal Division (later to become the 23d Infantry Division in Vietnam). Americal is an abbreviation for Americans in Caledonia. It was formed as a task force and later converted to a division. Armored Divisions were also first raised in WWII, and numbered separately, as the 1st-14th, 16th, and 20th Armored Divisions. The Armored Divisions were raised around a cavalry cadre, the 1st Armored Division having started life as the 7th Cavalry Brigade. We also raised 4 cavalry divisions, none of which served as cavalry: 1st, 2d, 2d (Colored), and 3d Cavalry Divisions. The 2d and 3d Cavalry Divisions were disbanded in the US. The 2d (Colored) Cavalry Division was disbanded in North Africa, and the troops turned into construction units. The 1st Cavalry served in the Pacific as an Infantry Division, though it kept four regiments (as opposed to three in a normal infantry division), all still designated Cavalry. Following WWII, the divisional numbers stayed approximately the same. In 1990, the following divisions were active: 1st -10th, 24th, 25th Infantry, 82d Airborne, 101st Air Assault, 1st-3d Armored, and 1st Cavalry. The 1st Cavalry Division has continued its checkered career. It fought in Korea as an Infantry Division, then was converted to an Air Assault Division in the mid-1950's, served as such in Vietnam, and became an Armored Division in the late 1970's. Currently, the US Army fields the following types of divisions: Mechanized: Intended for warfare in Europe. 6 infantry battalions and 5 armored. 1st, 3d, 4th, 8th Infantry Divisions. Light Infantry: Intended for service elsewhere, 9 infantry battalions. 6th, 7th, and 25th Infantry Divisions. Infantry: The 2d Infantry Division, serving in Korea, is a special case, as I understand it, partially mechanized, but with fewer armor battalions than a Mech Division. Korea isn't appropriate for the deployment of large armored formations. Motorised: An experimental organization. Truck-borne light infantry. 9th Infantry (now disbanded). Mountain: Light infantry specialized for mountains. 10th Mountain. (?) Airborne: Traditional paratroops. 82d Airborne. Air Assault: Helicopter borne and supported Light Infantry. 101st Air Assault. Armored: Also intended for Europe. 6 armored and 5 mechanized battalions. 1st, 2d, and 3d Armored and 1st Cavalry Divisions. This is all subject to change as reductions in force occur. I'm less clear on the current status of divisions in the National Guard. However, most no longer exist as such, and have been converted to brigades. However, the 49th and 50th Armored Divisions have been formed. -- Steve Graham graham@isis.ee.washington.edu (206) 543-8115