24th Cavalry Division (United States)

The 24th Cavalry Division was a cavalry division of the United States Army, mostly drawn from the Army National Guards of the Midwest states. It was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army divisions, which were not all active at its creation. Going into World War II, the US Army Cavalry contained three Regular, four National Guard, and six Organized Reserve cavalry divisions as well as one independent cavalry brigade.

24th Cavalry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active1921-1940
DisbandedInactivated 6 October 1940
Disbanded 1 November 1940
CountriesUnited States
BranchUnited States Army
TypeCavalry
U.S. Cavalry Divisions
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23rd Cavalry Division 61st Cavalry Division

The 24th Cavalry Division was geographically dispersed across the United States. The division was composed of personnel from the Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming National Guards.

Organization (1940)

Units shown in italics were not allocated, allocated to states but not organized, or only partially organized.

  • Headquarters (Topeka, Kansas)
  • Headquarters, Special Troops (Iowa National Guard)
    • Headquarters Troop (Tacoma, Washington)
    • 24th Signal Troop (Sioux City, Iowa)
    • 128th Ordnance Company (Medium) (Iowa National Guard)
    • 24th Tank Company (Light) (Not allocated)
  • 57th Cavalry Brigade (Des Moines, Iowa)
    • Headquarters Troop (Des Moines, Iowa)
    • 113th Cavalry Regiment (Des Moines, Iowa)
    • 114th Cavalry Regiment (Topeka, Kansas)
  • 58th Cavalry Brigade (Boise, Idaho)
    • Headquarters Troop (Nampa, Idaho)
    • 115th Cavalry Regiment (Cheyenne, Wyoming)
    • 116th Cavalry Regiment (Boise, Idaho)
  • 24th Reconnaissance Squadron (Torrington, Wyoming)
  • 168th Field Artillery Regiment (Denver, Colorado)
  • 128th Engineer Squadron (Colorado National Guard)
  • 124th Medical Squadron (Colorado National Guard)
  • 124th Quartermaster Squadron (Iowa National Guard)
  • 120th Observation Squadron (Denver, Colorado)
Standard organization chart for a Cavalry Division in November 1940

Disbandment

Pre-war United States Army planning did not contemplate the use of National Guard or Organized Reserve cavalry divisions in wartime. Division units either remained intact, were absorbed by other units, were converted to units of other arms, or were disbanded. The 24th Cavalry Division was inactivated on 6 October 1940, and was disbanded on 1 November 1940.

Reorganization of former 24th Cavalry Division units
UnitReorganized as
HeadquartersDisbanded 1 November 1940
Headquarters, Special TroopsDisbanded 1 November 1940
Headquarters TroopDisbanded 1 November 1940
24th Signal TroopDisbanded 1 November 1940
128th Ordnance Company (Medium)Disbanded 1 November 1940
24th Tank Company (Light)Disbanded 1 November 1940
57th Cavalry BrigadeHeadquarters disbanded 15 September 1940
Headquarters Troop converted and redesignated as Service Company, 109th Quartermaster Regiment 16 September 1940
113th Cavalry RegimentRelieved from assignment to division 16 September 1940
114th Cavalry RegimentConverted and redesignated as 127th Field Artillery Regiment 1 October 1940 and relieved from assignment to division
58th Cavalry BrigadeConverted and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 148th Field Artillery Regiment 1 October 1940 and relieved from assignment to division
115th Cavalry RegimentAbsorbed personnel from 24th Reconnaissance Squadron as a new 2nd Squadron 1 November 1940, and regiment concurrently relieved from assignment to division
116th Cavalry RegimentConverted and redesignated as 183rd Field Artillery Regiment 16 September 1940 and relieved from assignment to division
24th Reconnaissance SquadronDisbanded 26 October 1940 and personnel absorbed by 2nd Squadron, 115th Cavalry Regiment
168th Field Artillery RegimentRelieved from assignment to division 1 November 1940
128th Engineer SquadronDisbanded 1 November 1940
124th Medical SquadronDisbanded 1 November 1940
124th Quartermaster SquadronDisbanded 1 October 1940
120th Observation SquadronRelieved from assignment to division 15 September 1940

References
  • Colorado. National Guard of the State of Colorado: Pictorial 1939 Review. Atlanta: Army-Navy Publishers, 1939. OCLC 17158522 Provided a detachment to the 24th Cavalry Division.
  • U.S. Army Order of Battle 1919–1941, Volume 2. The Arms: Cavalry, Field Artillery, and Coast Artillery, 1919–41 by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Steven E. Clay, Combat Studies Institute Press, Fort Leavenworth, KS, 2011
  • Maneuver and Firepower, The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades, by John B. Wilson, Center of Military History, Washington D.C., 1998
  • Cavalry Regiments of the U S Army by James A. Sawicki Wyvern Pubns; June 1985


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