How are US army divisions named?

RoteHexe

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, 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 which 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. For lineage purposes, the 101st Airborne Division maintains its designation as an airborne division, though it is currently organized as an air assault division.

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.

Divisions of the United States Army (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*(26th Division)
6th Division - 1914-1917*(27th Division)
7th Division - 1914-1917*(28th Division)
8th Division - 1914-1917*(29th Division)
9th Division - 1914-1917*(30th Division)
10th Division - 1914-1917*(31st Division)
11th Division - 1914-1917*(32nd Division)
12th Division - 1914-1917*(33rd Division)
13th Division - 1914-1917*(34th Division)
14th Division - 1914-1917*(35th Division)
15th Division - 1914-1917*(36th Division)
16th Division - 1914-1917*(37th Division)
17th Division - 1917*(38th Division)
18th Division - 1917*(39th Division)
19th Division - 1917*(40th Division)
20th Division - 1917*(41st Division)
Punitive Expedition - (provisional division) - 1916-1917

Divisions of the United States Army (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

Infantry Divisions

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of World War I Divisions
(the 15th, 16th, 17th, 19th, and 20th Divisions never officially selected insignia)1st Division - later 1st Infantry Division - 1917-present
2nd Division - later 2nd Infantry Division - 1917-present
3rd Division - later 3rd Infantry Division - 1917-present
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*(26th Infantry Division)
27th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1940*(27th Infantry Division)
28th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1941*(28th Infantry Division)
29th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1941*(29th Infantry Division)
30th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1940*(30th Infantry Division)
31st Division - 1917-1919; 1923-1940*(31st Infantry Division)
32nd Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1940*(32nd Infantry Division)
33rd Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1940*(33rd Infantry Division)
34th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1941*(34th Infantry Division)
35th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1940*(35th Infantry Division)
36th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1940*(36th Infantry Division)
37th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1940*(37th Infantry Division)
38th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1941*(38th Infantry Division)
39th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1923
40th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1941*(40th Infantry Division)
41st Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1940*(41st Infantry Division)
42nd Division - 1917-1919
43rd Division - 1921-1941*(43rd Infantry Division)
44th Division - 1921-1940*(44th Infantry Division)
45th Division - 1921-1940*(45th Infantry Division)
76th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(76th Infantry Division)
77th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(77th Infantry Division)
78th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(78th Infantry Division)
79th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(79th Infantry Division)
80th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(80th Infantry Division)
81st Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(81st Infantry Division)
82nd Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(82nd Infantry Division)
83rd Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(83rd Infantry Division)
84th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(84th Infantry Division)
85th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(85th Infantry Division)
86th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(86th Infantry Division)
87th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(87th Infantry Division)
88th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(88th Infantry Division)
89th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(89th Infantry Division)
90th Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(90th Infantry Division)
91st Division - 1917-1919; 1921-1942*(91st Infantry Division)
92nd Division - 1917-1919
93rd Division - 1917-1918 - provisional division
94th Division - 1921-1942*(94th Infantry Division)
95th Division - 1918-1919; 1921-1942*(95th Infantry Division)
96th Division - 1918-1919; 1921-1942*(96th Infantry Division)
97th Division - 1918; 1921-1943*(97th Infantry Division)
98th Division - 1918; 1921-1942*(98th Infantry Division)
99th Division - 1918; 1921-1942*(99th Infantry Division)
100th Division - 1918; 1921-1942*(100th Infantry Division)
101st Division - 1918; 1921-1942*(101st Airborne Division)
102nd Division - 1918; 1921-1942*(102nd Infantry Division)
103rd Division - 1921-1942*(103rd Infantry Division)
104th Division - 1921-1942*(104th Infantry Division)
Hawaiian Division - 1921-1941*(24th Infantry Division; see also 25th Infantry Division)
Panama Canal Division - 1921-1932
Philippine Division - 1921-1942 - (see 12th Infantry Division)

Divisions of the United States Army (1941 to present)

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

It won't let me copy the whole article...........but click here and read it. Hope that gives you more insight of all the divisions!

http://en.wi

DietrichVonQuint

The 101st Airborne was created out of the 101st Infantry division. Therefore there never was any 97th Airborne, but I think that there was a 97th Infantry Division. The same for the 82nd.

tr_amoLV

There was a point in time where we had divisions 1-101 (WWII) only because we had so many soldiers that were drafted. When the war was over, most of them left the army, which meant we only needed about 10-12 divisions. There is no "specific" pattern to it.

ArmyChemo

As the Army expands (during a mobilization like WW1 or 2) or contracts (like during a drawdown folling mobilization), Divisions are kept on the rolls or deactivated based on battle honors. The Divisions (and Regiments) with the most battle honors are kept active while the rest are deactivated (with their history and battle flags kept in mothballs for the next mobilization). The 10 Divisions you see today in the Army (with the exception of the 10th Mountain which was a political compromise, thank you Bob Dole) are the ones with the most combat honors.

During WW2 we had plans for over 200 Divisions but only activated I think 110 or so. Read more at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divisions_of_the_United_States_Army#Divisions_of_the_United_States_Army_.281941_to_present.29

oracle

Many, many divisions that existed in the past have been disbanded or discontinued with either demobilization or decimation and no longer exist. I always assumed that the military followed a numerical order, and that's what happened to the missing division numbers.

Ed J

http://search.live.com/results.aspx?FORM=IEFM1&q=How+are+US+army+divisions+named

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