the first year on occupation duty, and most replacements were teenaged recruits. Divisions in the United States fared no better. The 3d Infantry Division was authorized approximately 65 percent of its wartime strength but fell well below that figure. Demobilization, far from being orderly, became what General George C. Marshall described as a "tidal wave" that completely disrupted the internal cohesion of the Army.[1]
As the nation demobilized, Congress approved, with the consent of the Philippine government, the maintenance of 50,000 Philippine Scouts (PS) as occupation forces for Japan. On 6 April 1946 Maj. Gen. Louis E. Hibbs, who had commanded the 63d Infantry Division during the war, reorganized the Philippine Division, which had surrendered on Bataan in 1942, as the 12th Infantry Division (PS). Unlike its predecessor, the 12th's enlisted personnel were exclusively Philippine Scouts.[2]
The War Department proposed to organize a second Philippine Scout division, the 14th, but never did so. After a short period President Harry S. Truman decided to disband all Philippine Scout units, determining that they were not needed for duty in Japan. The United States could not afford them, and he felt the Republic of the Philippines, a sovereign nation, should not furnish mercenaries for the United States. Therefore, the Far East Command inactivated the 12th Infantry Division (PS) in 1947 and eventually inactivated or disbanded all Philippine Scout units.[3]
Besides the requirement for occupation forces, an urgent need existed for some combat-ready divisions in the United States, where none had been maintained since February 1945. The War Department scaled back its earlier estimate for "strategic" forces and decided to maintain one airborne, one armored, and three infantry divisions, all at 80 percent strength. Initially the department designated the force as the Strategic Striking Force but soon renamed it the General Reserve, to reflect its mission more adequately. But the General Reserve quickly felt the effects of demobilization, and it was soon reduced to four divisions the 82d Airborne, the 2d Armored, and the 2d and 3d Infantry Divisions.[4]
Departing from its post World War I policy, the War Department kept divisional units in the United States concentrated on large posts to foster training and unit cohesion. However, shortages in personnel, obsolete equipment, and insufficient maintenance and training funds prevented the divisions from being combat effective. By the winter of 1947–48 the General Reserve consisted of the airborne division at Fort Bragg at near war strength, two half-strength infantry divisions, one at Fort Campbell and the other at Fort Lewis, and the armored division at Fort Hood with fewer than 2,500 men.[5]
As many divisions were eliminated from the active rolls, various divisional commanders jockeyed to have their units retained in the active force. By what some thought was chicanery, the 3d Infantry and 82d Airborne Divisions had replaced the 5th Infantry and the 101st Airborne Divisions on the active rolls. These changes caused considerable resentment within the ranks, and unit designations
- ↑ John P. Delaney, The Blue Devils in Italy. A History of the 88th Infantry Division in World War II (Washington, D.C.: Infantry Journal Press, 1947), p. 275; Wright, The 1st Cavalry Division in World War II, p. 206; Ltr, TAG to CG, Second Army, 26 Sep 46, sub: Reorganization of the 3d Infantry Division, AG 322 (20 Sep 46) AO-I-GNGCT-M, 3d Inf Div file, DAMH-HSO; George C. Marshall, Remarks by the Secretary of Defense at the National Preparedness Orientation Conference, 30 Nov 50, Marshall Papers.
- ↑ WD Bull 19, 1945; Ltr, TAG to CinC, US Army Forces, Pacific, 26 Mar 46, sub: Constitution, Activation, Inactivation, Disbandment, Reorganization and Redesignation of Certain Philippine Scout Units, AG 322 (19 Mar 46) OB-I-GNGCT-M, 5th Ind, U.S. Army Forces, Western Pacific, to CinC, Army Forces, Pacific, 20 Aug 46, 12th Inf Div file, DAMH-HSO.
8 Ltr, TAG to CinC, US Army Forces, Pacific, 26 Mar 46, sub: Constitution, Activation, Inactivation, Disbandment, Reorganization and Redesignation of Certain Philippine Scout Units; Semi-Annual Report. U.S. Army Forces Western Pacific, 1 Jan–30 Jun 46, p. 33; Robert R. Smith, "The Status of Members of the Philippine Military Forces During World War II," Ms, pp. 45–47, Reference Paper files, Philippine Scouts, DAMH-HSO; "Philippine Scouts," Military Review 29 (Jul 1949): 72; Ltr, TAG to CinC, Far East, 29 Apr 47, sub: Reorganization, Assignment and Inactivation of Certain Units in the Far East Command, AGAO-I 322 (28 Mar 47) WDGOT-M, and DF, TAG to Historical Division, WD Special Staff, sub: Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, Philippine-Ryukyus Command, 27 Aug 47, AGAO-I 421.4 (30 Apr 47), both 12th Inf Div file, DAMH-HSO.
9 Joseph Rockis, "Reorganization of AGF During Demobilization," Demobilization Series, Study No. 3 (Historical Section, Army Ground Forces, 1948), pp. 366, DAMH-HSR.
10 Ibid.; First Report of the Secretary of Defense, 1948, pp. 60–63; Strength Reports of the Army, 1 Jan 1948, pp. 4–6.
- ↑ Ltr, TAG to CinC, US Army Forces, Pacific, 26 Mar 46, sub: Constitution, Activation, Inactivation, Disbandment, Reorganization and Redesignation of Certain Philippine Scout Units; Semi-Annual Report. U.S. Army Forces Western Pacific, 1 Jan–30 Jun 46, p. 33; Robert R. Smith, "The Status of Members of the Philippine Military Forces During World War II," Ms, pp. 45–47, Reference Paper files, Philippine Scouts, DAMH-HSO; "Philippine Scouts," Military Review 29 (Jul 1949): 72; Ltr, TAG to CinC, Far East, 29 Apr 47, sub: Reorganization, Assignment and Inactivation of Certain Units in the Far East Command, AGAO-I 322 (28 Mar 47) WDGOT-M, and DF, TAG to Historical Division, WD Special Staff, sub: Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, Philippine-Ryukyus Command, 27 Aug 47, AGAO-I 421.4 (30 Apr 47), both 12th Inf Div file, DAMH-HSO.
- ↑ Joseph Rockis, "Reorganization of AGF During Demobilization," Demobilization Series, Study No. 3 (Historical Section, Army Ground Forces, 1948), pp. 366, DAMH-HSR.
- ↑ Ibid.; First Report of the Secretary of Defense, 1948, pp. 60–63; Strength Reports of the Army, 1 Jan 1948, pp. 4–6.
