46th Infantry Division (United States) explained

Unit Name:46th Infantry Division
Dates:1947–68
Country: United States
Type:Infantry
Size:Division
Nickname:"Ironfist Division"
Notable Commanders:Leonard C. Ward

The 46th Infantry Division was a formation of the Michigan Army National Guard active between 1947 and 1968. It was initially headquartered at Lansing. Many of its units had previously been part of the 32nd Infantry Division. It was converted to the Reorganization Objective Army Division (ROAD) structure in March 1963. The Division's 2nd Brigade was assigned to the Selected Reserve Force, a higher-readiness component of the ARNG, in 1965.[1] Virtually the entire division was involved in responding to the 12th Street riot in Detroit in July–August 1967.[2]

The 1968 reductions of the Army National Guard, initiated by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara who felt that fifteen divisions were too many, reduced the division to the 46th Brigade (formed from the 2nd Brigade at Wyoming, Michigan), which was allocated to the 38th Infantry Division on 1 February 1968. The brigade was eliminated during Army restructuring in 2004.

History

By 1957 the division included the following units: Armories in parentheses, subordinate companies and batteries of battalions not shown.[3]

As a result of the Pentomic reorganization, the division included the following units in 1960:[4]

After the beginning of the ROAD reorganization the division had a strength of 7,948 on 31 December 1963. It included the following units under the ROAD structure, showing headquarters locations in parentheses:[5]

Elimination of the division and 46th Brigade, 38th Infantry Division

The reductions of the Army National Guard, initiated in 1967 by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara who felt that fifteen divisions were too many for a reserve component, reduced the division to the 46th Brigade (formed from the headquarters of the 2nd Brigade at Wyoming, Michigan), which was allocated to the 38th Infantry Division on 1 February 1968. The division headquarters became the Michigan Army National Guard Emergency Operation Headquarters, while the headquarters of the 1st Brigade and that of the 1st Battalion, 225th Infantry became the headquarters of the non-divisional 1st Battalion, 225th Infantry. The headquarters of the 3rd Brigade and that of the 2nd Battalion, 225th Infantry became the headquarters of the non-divisional 46th Engineer Group (Construction), and the headquarters of the 46th Infantry Division Artillery became that of the non-divisional 157th Artillery Group, which included the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 182nd Artillery.[6]

The 46th Brigade gained the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, the 3rd Battalion, 126th Infantry, the 1st Battalion, 246th Armor, and Troop C, 1st Squadron, 238th Cavalry (the former Troop B, 1st Squadron, 146th Cavalry) for its maneuver elements. Its artillery battalion was the 1st Battalion, 119th Artillery, while Company D, 113th Engineer Battalion, Company D, 113th Medical Battalion, Company D (Forward Support), 738th Maintenance Battalion, and the 46th Brigade Administrative Section, 38th Administration Company formed its other support elements.

The 46th Brigade, 38th Infantry Division included the following units in 1970:[7]

In 1985 the Brigade, still headquartered at Wyoming, consisted of the 1–125 Infantry, the 3-126 Infantry, and the 1–225 Infantry.

As part of United States Army restructuring, the brigade headquarters was eliminated in 2004–2005, with the official inactivation ceremony on 1 October 2004. Its last commander was Colonel William Ewald. At the time, the brigade numbered 1,600 soldiers, and its 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery temporarily transferred to the 177th Military Police Brigade although it would see service with the 42nd Infantry Division during the War on Terror, while most units remained with the 38th Division.[8]

Commanders

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chapter XII: Flexible Response. www.history.army.mil . 17 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080604031156/http://www.history.army.mil/books/Lineage/M-F/chapter12.htm . 4 June 2008 . dead.
  2. Web site: DMVA – The Tumultuous 1960s. Michigan.gov. 28 August 2015.
  3. Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual, 1957–1958, pp. 229–233
  4. Michigan Manual, 1959–1960, pp. 234–238
  5. Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Michigan, 1963–1964, pp. 27–30
  6. Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Michigan, 1967–1968, pp. 39–42, 44
  7. Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Michigan, 1969–1970, pp. 15, 19
  8. News: Guard HQ unit closes ahead of schedule. Shea. Bill. 4 May 2004. Lansing State Journal. 6 January 2018. 1B, 2B. subscription . Newspapers.com.
  9. Web site: 1 Feb 1954, Page 13 - Lansing State Journal at Newspapers.com. Newspapers.com. en. 6 January 2019.
  10. Web site: 24 Apr 1947, Page 3 - Detroit Free Press at Newspapers.com. Newspapers.com. en. 6 January 2019.
  11. Web site: 6 Jul 1948, Page 20 - Lansing State Journal at Newspapers.com. Newspapers.com. en. 6 January 2019.
  12. News: Retired Michigan guard general dies. 30 July 1982. Lansing State Journal. 6 January 2018. 2B. subscription . Newspapers.com.
  13. Web site: 4 Nov 1959, Page 3 - The Times Herald at Newspapers.com. Newspapers.com. en. 6 January 2019.
  14. Web site: 20 Feb 1962, Page 18 - Lansing State Journal at Newspapers.com. Newspapers.com. en. 6 January 2019.
  15. Web site: 7 Feb 1962, 1 - Livingston County Daily Press and Argus at Newspapers.com. Newspapers.com. en. 6 January 2019.
  16. Web site: 5 Jan 1968, Page 13 - The Times Herald at Newspapers.com. Newspapers.com. en. 6 January 2019.
  17. Web site: Obituary, Leonard C. Ward. Marquette County, Michigan Obituary and Death Notices Collection. 20 March 2001. Marquette County, Michigan Obituary Collection 21. Genealogybuff.com. 6 January 2019.
  18. News: Reports Guard Better Equipped in Case of Riots. 23 January 1968. Holland Evening Sentinel. 6 January 2018. 4. subscription . Newspapers.com.

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