While the Marine Corps found itself drawn into a series of island battles across the Pacific, it was continually looking at its organization and tactics from the squad level up through its Amphibious Corps structure. In 1944, a new organization was ordered for the Marine Division, the F Series TO&E. This new TO&E started with a total reorganzation of the infantry battalion, starting at the squad level with the introduction of the three "fire teams" within each squad. The Weapons (Machine Gun) Company was disbanded, with the 81mm Mortars being placed within the Headquarters Company, while a Machine Gun Platoon was placed within each Infantry Company. At the divisional level, the following changes occurred: 1. 0ne of the Pack Howitzer Battalions was disbanded, leaving the Division with two 75mm Pack Howitzer Battalions, and two 105mm Howitzer Battalions. 2. The LVT Battalion was re-assigned to serve as Amphibious Corps Troops. In addition, Armored LVT Battalions were organized to Support a landing. 3. The Engineer Regiment was broken into an Engineer Battalion and a Pioneer Battalion. The Naval Construction Battalion was reassigned as Amphibious Corps troops. 4. The Scout Company was removed from the Tank Battalion. 5. The Special Weapons Battalions were disbanded. It was realized that by assigning the Naval Construction and LVT Battalions directly to divisions, that these assets were being wasted when their parent divisions were off the line. Thus, there were moved to the Amphibious Corps Level where better use could be made of them. The new Marine Divisions were organized as follows: 1944 MARINE DIVISION (F-SERIES) Troop Quality: 1st, 2nd, 3rd Divisions, Veteran, 4th, 5th, and 6th Experienced Morale: 10 Division Headquarters: 1 command stand 1 staff radio stand 2 jeeps 2 support stands 2 medium trucks Divisional Scout Company, with 1 command stand 3 Recon Jeeps with MG 3 Recon Jeeps with AAMG 3 recon infantry stands 3 Infantry Regiments, each with: Headquarters and Service Company: 1 command stand 1 staff radio truck 1 jeep 1 recon infantry stand 2 support stands Weapons Company: with 1 command stand 1 jeep 1 75mm M3 GMC 3 37mm AT guns 3 gun crew stands 3 light trucks 3 Infantry Battalions, each with: Headquarters and Service Company: 1 command stand 1 jeep 1 support stand 1 light supply truck 1 81 mm mortar stand (ds) 3 Rifle Companies, each with: 1 command stand 1 weapons stand 1 MMG stand 3 rifle stands Artillery Regiment, with: Headquarters and Service Battery: 1 command stand 1 jeep 2 support stands 4 medium trucks 1st and 2nd Battalions, each with: Headquarters and Service Battery: 1 command stand 1 FO stand 2 jeeps 1 support stand 1 light truck 3 75mm pack howitzer batteries: each widi 1 75L16 pack howitzers 1 gun crew stands (ds) 1 light trucks 3rd and 4th Battalions, with: Headquarters and Service Battery: 1 command stand 1 FO stand 2 jeeps 1 support stand 2 medium trucks 3 105mm howitzer batteries, each with: 1 105mm howitzer 1 gun crew stand 1 tractor Tank Battalion, with: Headquarters and Service Company: 1 command M4A2 tank 1 staff radio truck 1 M32B2 recovery vehicle 2 support stands 2 medium supply trucks 3 Tank Companies, each with: 1 command M4A2 tank 2 M4A2 tanks 1 Tank Company, with: 1 Command M3A1 Satan Flame Tank 3 M3A1 Satan Flamethrower Tanks Engineer Battalion, with: Headquarters Company: with 1 command stand 1 Engineer Stand 2 medium truck 1 Assault Boat Trailer 1 Light bridge on Trailer 3 Engineer Companies: each with 1 command stand 1 engineer stand 1 engineer flamethrower stand 1 bulldozer Pioneer Battalion, with: Headquarters Company: with 1 command stand 1 jeep 2 support stands 2 medium trucks 3 Pioneer Companies: each with 1 command stand 3 pioneer stands DIVISIONAL NOTES 1. All command, rifle, and engineer stands have integral bazookas. 2. Each infantry battalion was supplied with sufficient flamethrowers to equip up two stands. Stands so equipped are designated at the start of the scenario. Stands so equipped fight as if they are one level less in experience, ie veterans stands fight as if they are experienced. 3. The companies with each infantry regiment were relettered so that Companies A to C were in the 1st Battalion, Companies D to F in the 2nd Battalion, and Companies G to I in the 3rd Battalion.  4. Some tank companies have M5s or M4A3s instead Of M4A2s. A few still have M3A1 Stuarts. 5.The Engineer and Pioneer Battalions took the number of the division they were assigned to in place of their regimental number, ie the 1st (Engineer) Battalion, 18th Marines (2nd Division) became the 2nd Engineer Battalion. 6. The Scout Company has wxess to six assault boats if needed. In addition to the new divisional organizations, other changes were made to the Marine Corps. Two additional Marine Divisions, the 5th and 6th were authorized, though not without opposition from the US Army. The Parachute and Raider units were broken up, with the 1st Raider Regiment being redesignated the 4th Marine Regiment, to replace the regiment lost on Corregidor, while the 1st Parachute Regiment returned to the United States to help form the 6th Marine Division. The 1st Amphibious Corps had served in the Southwest Pacific, and was now brought forward and renamed the Third Amphibious Corps. In addition, a second Amphibious Corps, the Vth, was organized as well. For Corps Assets, the following Marine units existed: 1st to 5th 155mm Howitzer Battalions, each with: Headquarters and Service Battery: 1 command stand 1 FO stand 2 jeeps 1 support stand 2 medium trucks 3 155mm howitzer batteries, each with: 1 155mm howitzer 1 gun crew stand (ds) 1 tractor 7th to 12th 155mm Gun Battalions, each with: Headquarters and Service Battery: 1 command stand 1 FO stand 2 jeeps 1 support stand 2 medium trucks 3 155mm howitzer batteries, each with: 1 155mm Gun 1 gun crew stand (ds) 1 tractor 1st to 5th, 7th to 12th, 14th to 18 AA Battalions Headquarters and Service Battery: with 1 command stand 1 staff radio stand 2 support stands 2 Medium Supply Trucks Detection Battery: with 2 support stands 1 Radar Set 2 Searchlights 3 Medium Trucks Heavy Anti-aircraft Group, with 1 command stand 4 90mm AA Gun 4 gun crew stands(DS) 4 Tractors Light AA Group: with 1 Command Stand 4 40mm AA Guns 4 20mm AA Guns 4 .50 AAMG Stands (DS) 8 Gun Crew Stands 8 Light Trucks 4 Medium Trucks 1st to 6th, 8th, 10th and 11th Amphibian Battalion Headquarters and Service Company: with 1 command LVT-3/4 2 support Stands 2 Medium Trucks 3 Amphibian Tractor Companies:each with 1 command LVT-3/4 5 LVT-3/4s 1st to 3rd Armored Amphibian Battalions Headquarters and Service CorVany: with 1 command LVT-2 (A) 2 support Stands 2 Medium Trucks 4 Armored Amphibian Companies: each with 1 command LVT-1 (A) 3 LVT-1 (A) or LVT-4 (A) Notes 1. There were a number of LVT- 1/4 (A) Flamethrower vehicles that served with the above units. These were field modifications, and should be represented by having one LVT-1/4 (A) in any battalion. The vehicle operates in the same manner as the M-3 Satan, save that it has four shots instead of two. 1st to 5th Amphibian Truck Company: with 1 Command Stand 1 Amphibious Jeep/M29 Weasel 1 Support Stand 6 DUKW's 1st and 2nd Separate Engineer Battalions (As standard Engineer Battalions) Joint Assault Signal Company: with 10 JASCO jeeps Notes 1. These were FOs equipped with communications equipment enabling them to coordinate air, ground, and fire support from all arms of service. They function as self ordering stands. After Tarawa (mid-1943), these were attached to regiments or battalions of the division as needed. They became integral to the 1945 Marine Division, as the divisional Assault Signal Company. Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post USMC Supplement To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1992 by Greg Novak. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com