In response to repeated attacks on its shipping by Axis submarines in the summer of 1942, Brazil declared war on Germany and Italy on August 22. The Brazilian government wished to demonstrate its presence in the field in some way, and so offered the Allied Powers the use of a corps-sized force, to be called the Brazilian Expeditionary Force. To make this unit compatible to the other Allied forces in the field, the United States agreed to equip the elements of this force as standard US units. (Historically, the Brazilian Army had looked to the French Army as its model and source of supply.) While additional divisions were planned, only one infantry division was actually sent overseas, though with the title of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force. The EID (Expeditionary Infantry Division), as the force was called, sailed from Brazil for Italy in mid-1944. It should be noted that it was complete in all supporting services, down to a Brazilian Post Office unit, and a special office of the Bank of Brazil. Elements first saw service in September, while the ElD formally took up its position in the line on November 1. The following units were formed out of existing Brazilian Army units. The translations of the artillery units' names caused some confusion, which resulted in their being renamed and renumbered during the course of the campaign.  1st Expeditionary Infantry Division, 1944-1945 Regular until their first combat, then Experienced Morale: 8 Headquarters Troops Divisional Troops 1st Infantry Regiment (Sampaio Regiment) 6th Infantry Regiment (Ipiranga Regiment) 11th Infantry Regiment (Tiradentes Regiment) Divisional Artillery Headquarters Battery (including light observation aircraft) I Group of the 1st Regiment of Self-Propelled Mortars (truck-drawn 105mm howitzer battalion) (later renamed 1st Artillery Battalion 11/15/44) II Group of the 1st Regiment of Self Propelled Mortars (truck-drawn 105mm howitzer battalion) (later renamed 2nd Artillery Battalion 11/15/44) I Group of the 2nd Regiment of Self Propelled Mortars (truck-drawn 105mm howitzer battalion) (later renamed 3rd Artillery Battalion 11/15/44) I Group of the 1st Regiment of Heavy Short Tube Artillery (truck-drawn 155mm howitzer battalion) (later renamed 4th Artillery Battalion 11/15/44) 9th Engineer Battalion Reconnaissance Squadron Notes 1. The infantry battalions were numbered I to III. The companies were numbered consecutively throughout the unit, so that each infantry regiment had the 1st to 12th companies. (The heavy weapons companies were the 4th, 8th, and 12th companies.) 2. For field service, the division was formed into three RCTs. Infantry Regt Artillery Bttn Engineer Co 1st 2nd 3rd 6th 3rd 2nd 11th 1st 1st 3. The US 751st Tank Battalion and 894th Tank Destroyed Battalion were attached at times to the EID. BIBLIOGRAPHY De Moraes, Mascarenhas. The Brazilian Expeditionary Force by Its Commander, US Government Printing Office, Washington, 1965. Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post Quarterly # 6 To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by Greg Novak. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com