Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Divisions of the United States Army

The following is an entry I wrote for Wikipedia a while back. I'll be editing it for format as the week progresses. I apologize in advance for any errors as other Wikipedia assholes liked to fuck with the article.

Divisions of the United States Army

This list of United States Army Divisions is divided into three eras: 1911-1917, 1917-1941, and 1941-present. These eras represent the major evolutions of Army division structure (there have been several minor changes during these times). The 1911-1917 era lists divisions raised during the Army's first attempts at modernizing the division, prior to the authorization of permanent divisions, and the 1917-1941 era lists the first permanent divisions, prior to advent of specialized (Armored, Airborne, etc.,) divisions. The 1941-present era lists all of the divisions organized, raised, or authorized since then.

As much as possible, divisions are only listed in the eras in which they were first created. Some divisions, such as the 1st Cavalry Division, are listed in multiple eras, as their organizations were drastically changed from one era to the next. Many divisions overlap the years listed in the era categories, mainly due to the slow pace in which they were deactivated, inactivated, or otherwise disbanded.

It should also be noted that several divisions have existed under multiple designations, such as the 10th Mountain Division (10th Light Division (Alpine), 10th Infantry Division). Additionally, several divisions with the same numerical designations were completely separate and unrelated divisions (there have been two 5th Divisions, for instance).

History

Divisions in the United States Army have existed since the American Revolution when, on July 22, 1775-present, George Washington organized three divisions in Boston, Massachusetts. Early American divisions, up until the American Civil War, were primarily temporary organizations, with the basis of the United States Army being brigades and regiments.

During the Civil War, the war in formed the first large true armies in United States history, divisions were formed primarily to support Army Corps, and were usually numbered as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Division of the pertaining corps.

The concept of the permanent United States Army division was formulated and put to the test following the turn of the 20th Century. In 1916, the permanent division would finally be authorized by Congress, resulting in a dramatic change in the Army's force structure. For the first time, the division was the base element of the United States Army and remained as such until the Global War on Terrorism, when the Army switched its emphasis to Brigade and Regimental Combat Teams.

Since the authorizations of permanent divisions, the United States Army has raised 128 separate divisions with unique lineages.

Designations

Prior to 1941, only cavalry divisions were specifically designated; infantry divisions were simply designated by "Division." Following the advent of the armored division, infantry divisions became officially designated by "Infantry Division" (with the 25th Infantry Division being the first constituted by the adjutant general as such). All of the 1917-1941 (non-cavalry) divisions, with the exceptions of the 10th through 20th and 101st Divisions, would be redesignated as Infantry Divisions at some point in the 1941-present era.

Other than the aforementioned Armored, Cavalry, and Infantry, the only official Army division designations are Air Assault (one test division), Airborne, Light (three test divisions in World War II), Motorized (briefly authorized from 1942 to 1943), and Mountain.

Divisions listed with an additional identifier in parentheses ("alpine" or "test," for example) existed only with that identifier. Divisions that have held multiple additional identifiers, such as the 1st Cavalry ("airmobile," "heavy") and the 9th Infantry ("light," "motorized"), are left unidentified, regardless of their current additional identifier.

An unspecified division today refers to a United States Army Reserve Training Division.

- (*) denotes divisions that reorganized under a different division designation while still active
- Bold denotes current United States Army divisions

DIVISIONS - 1911 to 1917

· Maneuver Division (1911)
· 1st Division (1913-1916)
· 2nd Division (1913-1915)
· 3rd Division (1913-1916)
· Cavalry Division - authorized as the 4th Regular Army division in 1913; never officially numerically designated.
· 5th Division (1914-1917)*
· 6th Division (1914-1917)*
· 7th Division (1914-1917)*
· 8th Division (1914-1917)*
· 9th Division (1914-1917)*
· 10th Division (1914-1917)*
· 11th Division (1914-1917)*
· 12th Division (1914-1917)*
· 13th Division (1914-1917)*
· 14th Division (1914-1917)*
· 15th Division (1914-1917)*
· 16th Division (1914-1917)*
· 17th Division (1917)*
· 18th Division (1917)*
· 19th Division (1917)*
· 20th Division (1917)*
· Punitive Expedition - provisional division (1916-1917)

DIVISIONS - 1917 to 1941

Cavalry Divisions
· 1st Cavalry Division (1921-present)
· 2nd Cavalry Division - unorganized [1]
· 3rd Cavalry Division - unorganized [2]
· 15th Cavalry Division (1917-1918)
· 21st Cavalry Division (1921-1940)
· 22nd Cavalry Division (1921-1940)
· 23rd Cavalry Division (1921-1940)
· 24th Cavalry Division (1921-1940)
· 61st Cavalry Division (1921-1942)
· 62rd Cavalry Division (1921-1942)
· 63rd Cavalry Division (1921-1942)
· 64th Cavalry Division (1921-1942)
· 65th Cavalry Division (1921-1942)
· 66th Cavalry Division (1921-1942)
[3] [4]

Infantry Divisions
· 1st Division (1917-present) - later 1st Infantry Division
· 2nd Division (1917-present) - later 2nd Infantry Division
· 3rd Division (1917-present) - later 3rd Infantry Division
· 4th Division (1917-1921)
· 5th Division (1917-1921)
· 6th Division (1917-1921)
· 7th Division (1917-1921)
· 8th Division (1918-1919)
· 9th Division (1918-1919)
· 10th Division (1918-1919)
· 11th Division (1918-1919)
· 12th Division (1918-1919)
· 13th Division (1918-1919)
· 14th Division (1918-1919)
· 15th Division (1918-1919)
· 16th Division (1918-1919)
· 17th Division (1918-1919)
· 18th Division (1918-1919)
· 19th Division (1918-1919)
· 20th Division (1918-1919)
· 26th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1941)* - formerly 5th Division
· 27th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1940)* - formerly 6th Division
· 28th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1941)* - formerly 7th Division
· 29th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1941)* - formerly 8th Division
· 30th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1940)* - formerly 9th Division
· 31st Division (1917-1919) (1923-1940)* - formerly 10th Division
· 32nd Division (1917-1919) (1921-1940)* - formerly 11th Division
· 33rd Division (1917-1919) (1921-1940)* - formerly 12th Division
· 34th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1941)* - formerly 13th Division
· 35th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1940)* - formerly 14th Division
· 36th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1940)* - formerly 15th Division
· 37th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1940)* - formerly 16th Division
· 38th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1941)* - formerly 17th Division
· 39th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1923) - formerly 18th Division
· 40th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1941)* - formerly 19th Division
· 41st Division (1917-1919) (1921-1940)* - formerly 20th Division
· 42nd Division (1917-1919)
· 43rd Division (1921-1941)*
· 44th Division (1921-1940)*
· 45th Division (1921-1940)*
· 76th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 77th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 78th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 79th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 80th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 81st Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 82nd Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 83rd Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 84th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 85th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 86th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 87th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 88th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 89th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 90th Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 91st Division (1917-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 92nd Division (1917-1919)
· 93rd Division (1917-1918) - provisional division
· 94th Division (1921-1942)*
· 95th Division (1918-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 96th Division (1918-1919) (1921-1942)*
· 97th Division (1918) (1921-1943)*
· 98th Division (1918) (1921-1942)*
· 99th Division (1918) (1921-1942)*
· 100th Division (1918) (1921-1942)*
· 101st Division (1918) (1921-1942)*
· 102nd Division (1918) (1921-1942)*
· 103rd Division (1921-1942)*
· 104th Division (1921-1942)*
· Hawaiian Division (1921-1941)* (see 24th Infantry Division; also 25th Infantry Division)
· Panama Canal Division (1921-1932)
· Philippine Division (1921-1942) (see 12th Infantry Division)
[5] [6] [7] [8]

DIVISIONS - 1941 to present

Air Assault Divisions
· 11th Air Assault Division (Test) (1963-1965) - formerly 11th Airborne Division

Airborne Divisions
· 6th Airborne Division - phantom World War II division
· 9th Airborne Division - phantom World War II division
· 11th Airborne Division (1943-1957)
· 13th Airborne Division (1943-1946)
· 15th Airborne Division - unorganized World War II division
· 17th Airborne Division (1943-1945) (1948-1949)
· 18th Airborne Division - phantom World War II division
· 21st Airborne Division - phantom World War II division
· 80th Airborne Division (1946-1952)*
· 82nd Airborne Division (1942-present)
· 84th Airborne Division (1946-1952)*
· 100th Airborne Division (1946-1952)*
· 101st Airborne Division (1942-1945) (1948-1949) (1950-1953) (1954-present)
· 108th Airborne Division (1946-1952)*
· 135th Airborne Division - phantom World War II division

Armored Divisions
· 1st Armored Division (1940-1946) (1951-1957) (1962-present) [9]
· 2nd Armored Division (1940-1995)
· 3rd Armored Division (1941-1945) (1947-1992)
· 4th Armored Division (1941-1946) (1954-1971) [10]
· 5th Armored Division (1941-1945) (1950-1956)
· 6th Armored Division (1942-1945) (1950-1956)
· 7th Armored Division (1942-1945) (1950-1953)
· 8th Armored Division (1942-1945)
· 9th Armored Division (1942-1945)
· 10th Armored Division (1942-1945)
· 11th Armored Division (1942-1945)
· 12th Armored Division (1942-1945)
· 13th Armored Division (1942-1945) (1947-1952)
· 14th Armored Division (1942-1945)
· 15th Armored Division - phantom World War II division
· 16th Armored Division (1943-1945)
· 18th Armored Division - unorganized World War II division
· 19th Armored Division (1946-1947)
· 20th Armored Division (1943-1946)
· 21st Armored Division (1946-1952)
· 22nd Armored Division (1946-1952)
· 25th Armored Division - phantom World War II division
· 27th Armored Division (1954-1967) - formerly 27th Infantry Division
· 30th Armored Division (1954-1973) [11]
· 39th Armored Division - phantom World War II division
· 40th Armored Division (1954-1967) - formerly 40th Infantry Division
· 48th Armored Division (1954-1968) - formerly 48th Infantry Division
· 49th Armored Division (1946-1967) (1973-2004)
· 50th Armored Division (1946-1993)

Cavalry Divisions
· 1st Cavalry Division (1921-present)
· 2nd Cavalry Division (1941-1942) (1943-1944)

Infantry Divisions
· 1st Infantry Division (1917-present)
· 2nd Infantry Division (1917-present)
· 3rd Infantry Division (1917-present)
· 4th Infantry Division (1940-1942)* (1943-1946) (1947-present)
· 5th Infantry Division (1939-1950) (1951-1953) (1954-1957) (1962-1992)
· 6th Infantry Division (1939-1942)* (1943-1949) (1950-1956) (1967-1968) (1984-1998) [12]
· 7th Infantry Division (1940-1942)* (1943-1971) (1974-1994) (1999-2006)
· 8th Infantry Division (1940-1942)* (1943-1945) (1950-1992)
· 9th Infantry Division (1940-1962) (1966-1969) (1972-1991) [13]
· 10th Infantry Division (1947-1957)
· 12th Infantry Division (1946-1947) - formerly Philippine Division
· 14th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 15th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 16th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 17th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 19th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 21st Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 22nd Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 23rd Infantry Division (1954-1956) (1967-1971) - formerly Americal Division
· 24th Infantry Division (1941-1996) (1999-2006) - formerly Hawaiian Division
· 25th Infantry Division (1941-present)
· 26th Infantry Division (1941-1945) (1946-1993)
· 27th Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1954)*
· 28th Infantry Division (1941-1945) (1946-present)
· 29th Infantry Division (1941-1946) (1946-1967) (1985-present)
· 30th Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1973)
· 31st Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1967)
· 32nd Infantry Division (1940-1946) (1946-1967)
· 33rd Infantry Division (1940-1946) (1946-1967)
· 34th Infantry Division (1941-1945) (1946-1963) (1991-present)
· 35th Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1963) (1984-present)
· 36th Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1967) (2004-present)
· 37th Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1967)
· 38th Infantry Division (1941-1945) (1946-present)
· 39th Infantry Division (1946-1967)
· 40th Infantry Division (1941-1946) (1946-1954)* (1973-present)
· 41st Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1967)
· 42nd Infantry Division (1943-present)
· 43rd Infantry Division (1941-1945) (1946-1963)
· 44th Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1954)
· 45th Infantry Division (1940-1945) (1946-1967)
· 46th Infantry Division (1946-1967)
· 47th Infantry Division (1946-1991)
· 48th Infantry Division (1946-1954)*
· 49th Infantry Division (1947-1967)
· 50th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 51st Infantry Division (1946-1963)
· 52nd Infantry Division (1946-1947)
· 55th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 59th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 61st Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 62rd Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 63rd Infantry Division (1943-1945) (1952-1965)
· 65th Infantry Division (1943-1945)
· 66th Infantry Division (1943-1945)
· 67th Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 68th Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 69th Infantry Division (1943-1945) (1954-1956)
· 70th Infantry Division (1943-1945) (1952-1955)*
· 71st Infantry Division (1944-1946) (1954-1956)
· 72nd Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 73rd Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 74th Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 75th Infantry Division (1943-1945) (1952-1957)
· 76th Infantry Division (1942-1945) (1946-1955)*
· 77th Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1946-1965)
· 78th Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1946-1955)*
· 79th Infantry Division (1942-1945) (1946-1963)
· 80th Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1952-1955)
· 81st Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1946-1965)
· 82nd Infantry Division (1942)*
· 83rd Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1946-1965)
· 84th Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1952-1955)*
· 85th Infantry Division (1942-1955)*
· 86th Infantry Division (1942-1946)
· 87th Infantry Division (1942-1945) (1946-1957)
· 88th Infantry Division (1942-1947)
· 89th Infantry Division (1942-1943)* (1944-1945) (1946-1955)*
· 90th Infantry Division (1942-1945) (1946-1965)
· 91st Infantry Division (1942-1945) (1946-1955)*
· 92nd Infantry Division (1942-1945)
· 93rd Infantry Division (1942-1946) [14]
· 94th Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1946-1963)
· 95th Infantry Division (1942-1945) (1946-1955)*
· 96th Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1946-1963)
· 97th Infantry Division (1943-1946)
· 98th Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1946-1955)*
· 99th Infantry Division (1942-1945)
· 100th Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1952-1955)*
· 102nd Infantry Division (1942-1946) (1946-1965)
· 103rd Infantry Division (1942-1945) (1946-1963)
· 104th Infantry Division (1942-1945) (1946-1959)*
· 105th Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 106th Infantry Division (1943-1945) (1946-1950) [15]
· 107th Infantry Division - unorganized World War II division
· 108th Infantry Division (1952-1955)*
· 109th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 112th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 119th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 125th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 130th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 141st Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· 157th Infantry Division - phantom World War II division
· Americal Division (1942-1945) (see 23rd Infantry Division)
[16]

Light Divisions
· 10th Light Division (Alpine) (1943-1944)*
· 71st Light Division (Truck) (1943-1944)*
· 89th Light Division (Pack) (1943-1944)*

Motorized Divisions
· 4th Motorized Division (1942-1943)*
· 5th Motorized Division - phantom World War II division
· 6th Motorized Division (1942-1943)*
· 7th Motorized Division (1942-1943)*
· 8th Motorized Division (1942-1943)*
· 90th Motorized Division (1942-1943)*

Mountain Divisions
· 10th Mountain Division (1944-1945) (1984-present)

Reserve Training Divisions

In an attempt to maintain its divisions, the Army Reserve transformed several of its combat divisions into training divisions; these divisions were still designated as infantry divisions until authorized as "divisions (training)" by the adjutant general in 1959.

· 70th Division (1955-1996)
· 75th Division (1993-2008)
· 76th Division (1955-1996)
· 78th Division (1955-2008)
· 80th Division (1955-2008)
· 84th Division (1955-2004)
· 85th Division (1955-2008)
· 87th Division (1993-2008)
· 89th Division (1955-1975)
· 91st Division (1955-2008)
· 95th Division (1955-present)
· 98th Division (1955-2008)
· 100th Division (1955-present)
· 104th Division (1959-present)
· 108th Division (1955-2008)
· First Army Division East (2006-present)
· First Army Division West (2006-present)

Notes

[1] a 2nd Cavalry Division was constituted in 1921, but would remain unorganized until World War II
[2] the 3rd Cavalry Division was placed on rolls in 1927 to complete an intended Cavalry Corps, but was never organized
[3] in 1940 the National Guard voluntarily withdrew their allotment of the 21st through 24th Cavalry Divisions, partially in response to the Army's decision that the National Guard did not need four Cavalry Divisions and the Army's unwillingness to allot the National Guard armored divisions
[4] the 61st through 66th Cavalry Divisions existed primarily as officer billets with enlisted cadre; they were dropped from the activation rolls and disbanded in 1942
[5] various elements of the 4th through 9th Divisions remained on active duty until those divisions' full activation prior to World War II.
[6] the 76th through 91st and 94th through 104th Divisions existed primarily as officer billets with enlisted cadre; they were not completely reactivated until America's entry into World War II
[7] a 94th Division was intended as a Spanish-speaking division for World War I, but the assignment was withheld due to political wrangling
[8] the infantry brigades, field artillery brigades, and several other of the subordinate units of the Panama Canal, Hawaiian, and Philippine Divisions were numbered accordingly with what should have been the 10th, 11th, and 12th Divisions
[9] the 1st Armored Division's Combat Command A remained on active duty between 1957 and 1962
[10] the 4th Armored Division was effectively organized as the Constabulary from 1946 to 1954
[11] the 30th Armored Division was organized as the result of an agreement between Tennessee and North Carolina to split the 30th Infantry Division
[12] the 6th Infantry Division itself was deactivated in 1994, but the 1st Brigade, 6th Infantry Division remained in the active force under that designation until being reflagged as the 172nd Infantry Brigade in 1998
[13] the 9th Infantry Division experienced a brief period of inactivation in 1947
[14] although the 93rd Infantry Division shares the same number designation and patch as the previous 93rd Division, the two divisions are otherwise unrelated and do not share lineal ties
[15] the 106th Infantry Division was never officially added to the troop list following World War II, despite having been almost completely organized in Puerto Rico by 1948; subsequently, the War Department determined the division was not needed and deactivated the division headquarters in 1950
[16] the 105th and 107th Infantry Divisions were intended to be negro divisions of the Army of the United States; however, due to a shortage of available manpower, their activations were canceled in 1942

References

· Bellanger, Yves J. (2002). US Army Infantry Divisions, 1943-1945, Volume 1: Organisation, Doctrine and Equipment. Solihull: Helion.
· Holt, Thaddeus (2004). The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War. New York: Simon & Schuster.
· Muschett, James O. (ed.) (2001). The Army. Westport: Hugh Lauter Levin.
· Stanton, Shelby L. (2006). World War II Order of Battle: An Encyclopedic Reference to U.S. Army Ground Forces from Battalion through Division, 1939-1946 (Revised Edition). Mechanicsburg: Stackpole.
· Stewart, Richard W. (ed.) (2005). American Military History, Volume II: The United States Army in a Global Era, 1917-2003. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
· Tolson, John J. (1989). Airmobility 1961-1971. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
· Wilson, John B. (1987). Armies, Corps, Divisions, and Separate Brigades. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
· Wilson, John B. (1997). Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.

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