Organization of the
United States Infantry Battalion
1940 to 1945
The organizational evolution
of the United States Infantry Battalion is remarkably straightforward compared
to that of its allies and enemies. This study
covers the Battalion as found in the Infantry Regiment of Infantry Division and
can be roughly divided into the following stages;
1.
The Battalion organization adopted in late
1940, prior to US entry into the conflict proper.
2.
The first wartime draft of April 1942, which
effectively provided the template for future developments.
3.
The revised organization of July 1943, which
with minor modifications would serve on all fronts through to 1945.
4.
The ‘Redeployment’ organization intended for
use in the invasion of Imperial Japan.
The US Army did trial a
number of alternatives to the standard Infantry Battalion organization, however
almost none of these saw overseas service.
Any that I am able to compile will be added here.
Below are links to the files
that make up this study. The first is a
narrative of the Battalion organization and how it evolved between 1940 and
1945. This also includes appendices on
weapons, ammunition and communication equipment. There are then separate files detailing in
full the information as found in the Tables of Organization for the unit
concerned. This gave the authorised
numbers of personnel, transport and weapons for the unit at full strength and
in all cases is derived from copies of the original documents. Where they are available details of
officially authorised Changes are also included.
All files in the below links
are in PDF.
United States Infantry
Battalion organization 1940 to 1945
United States Infantry Battalion
October 1940
United States Infantry Battalion April
1942
United States Infantry Battalion July
1943
United States Infantry Battalion
February 1944
United States Infantry Battalion June
1944
United States Infantry Battalion
(Redeployment) June 1945
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