19th Division (United States)
| 19th Infantry Division 109th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1917–19 1944 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Role | Phantom formation (in WWII) |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | World War I World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Joseph Alfred Gaston |
There have been a number of 19th Divisions in the history of the United States Army.
- 19th Division: A National Guard division established in early 1917 consisting of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. By the end of that same year, the 19th Division became the 40th Division (later 40th Infantry Division).
World War One
The 19th Division was organized on September 1st, 1918 as a Regular Army and National Army division for service in the American Expeditionary Force from a mixture of existing and newly-raised units, however the division did not go overseas and demobilized in February 1919 at Camp Dodge, Iowa.[1]
The 19th Division gained the nickname "Twilight Division" and was composed of the following units, not all of which joined before the Armistice:[2]
- 37th Infantry Brigade (14th Infantry, 87th Infantry, 55th Machine Gun Battalion)
- 38th Infantry Brigade (2nd Infantry, 88th Infantry, 56th Machine Gun Battalion)
- 19th Field Artillery Brigade (55th Field Artillery, 56th Field Artillery, 57th Field Artillery)
- 219th Engineer Regiment
- 19th Trench Mortar Battery
World War Two
During the Second World War the 19th Infantry Division remained inactive. However, it saw service of a kind as a "phantom division" as part of Allied deception measures. The 19th was notionally assigned to SHAEF for use in Operation Fortitude South, but was never actually utilized during that endeavor.
The division's order of battle included the following fictional units:
- Headquarters, 19th Infantry Division
- 572nd Infantry Regiment
- 573rd Infantry Regiment
- 578th Infantry Regiment
- Divisional Troops
In July 1944 the Division was redesignated as the 109th Infantry Division.
See also
- Formations of the United States Army in the early 20th Century
- Omar Bradley served with this division in World War I
References
- ^ Dougherty, E. G. (26 August 1918). "Major General To Command At Dodge". The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette.
- ^ Beamish, Richard J.; March, Francis Andrew (1919). America's Part in the World War: A History of the Full Greatness of Our Country's Achievements; the Record of the Mobilization and Triumph of the Military, Naval, Industrial and Civilian Resources of the United States. Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company. p. 567. Retrieved 14 April 2025.