Field ArTillery - US Army Center Of Military History

wOrld war ii
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artillery battalions to func tion with the tank and infantry battalions as combat teams,
simi lar to the manner in which they operated in the trian gular ized infantry division.
Also, as in the 1943 reorganization of the infantry division, two liaison airplanes for
observation were authorized within each artillery headquarters battery, making a total
of six airplanes in the armored division artillery. Except for minor modifications,
the armored division continued under this organi zation for the remainder of the war
(Tables 15 and 16). 19
Each of the two heavy armored divis ions (2d and 3d) normally had an additional
armored field artillery battalion (105-mm. self-propelled howitzers) attached
during combat operations. Medium artillery was added in varying amounts, but at
least one battalion of howitzers or guns usually was attached during com bat. Both
divisions operated with three combat commands—A, B, and R (Reserve). Although
improvised, the Combat Command R was actually a third fighting combat unit
and was used in the same manner as Combat Commands A and B. Each combat
command normally consisted of two tank battalions, one organic armored infantry
battalion, one infantry battalion (whenever an infantry regiment was attached to the
division), and tank destroyer, engineer, and antiaircraft artillery elements. Usually
two combat commands were committed to action and the third held in reserve. An
armored field artillery battalion normally directly supported each of the two forward
commands, while the medium artillery battalion was used for general support.
The remaining armored divisions also operated with three combat commands, and
most com manders used the reserve command as a third fighting combat com mand.
As in the heavy armored divisions, combat commands of light armored divisions
usually operated with two task forces, one consisting of a tank battalion (less one
medium tank com pany), an armored infantry company, and tank destroyer and
engi neer platoons. The other task force usually consisted of an armored infantry
battalion (less one rifle company), one medium tank company, and tank destroyer
and engineer platoons. Armored artillery was either attached to or in direct sup port
of each com bat command. 20
A major exception to the standardization of divisions was the 1st Cavalry
Division. The 1st remained a square divi sion, organized as infantry, but its artillery was
authorized a structure similar to that of the triangularized infantry division. In 1940,
it had one field artillery regiment of two battalion s, armed with horse-drawn 75-mm.
pack howitzers. In 1941, the regiment was broken up into two separate self-con tained
battalions, and another battalion of truck-drawn 105-mm. howitzers was authorized.
The division artillery then consisted of the three battalions plus a headquarters and
head quarters bat tery. Because horses and their forage required so much shipping space
and because the animals were difficult to keep fit for ser vice, no plans were made to
ship any horses with the cavalry units. Just before deploying to Australia, the two
horse-drawn artillery battalions traded in their horses for jeeps. The division still had
19 TOE 17, 15 Sep 1943, and related tables. Two more airplanes were authorized in the division
headquarters company.
20 General Board, USFET, “Organization, Equipment, and Tactical Employment of the Armored
Division,” Study no. 48, pp. 7–8, copy in CMH files.