Order of Battle:
U.S. Army, World War II

The Research Shelf: Book Review

by David Parham and T P Schweider


Written by Shelby L. Stanton
Presidio Press, Box 1764B, Novato, CA 94948
Hardcover, 620 pp., 74 black and white photos, 8 color plates, 20 charts, 10 tables
Appendices, sources
Price: $60.00
ISBN 0-89141-195-X
Audiences: historians, researchers, wargamers, veterans

The Second World War saw the greatest army ever fielded by the United States. How vast a force this was, however, both in number and variety of combat units, is less well appreciated. For the first time, a study of the order of battle of the U.S. Army in World War II is available. It comes not through the official agencies of the Department of the Army but rather from the energy and research of a single individual, Shelby L. Stanton.

Just as he previously identified the units of the U.S. Army in South Vietnam, Vietnam Order of Battle, Mr. Stanton has presented here a complete and accurate record of the front-line Army formations of W.W. II. The structure of the U.S. Army is examined for an overview of the total force with Tables of Organization to explain the combat branches from brigade to regimental and battalion level. Helping to round out the picture of the U.S. Army in the global conflict are listings of Army Ground Forces installations and proposed and deception formations.

The heart of the study is the description of the 89 infantry, airborne, mountain, and armored divisions of the U.S. Army which saw combat in the Second World War. Each division's record includes its stations, major movements, campaigns, typical organization including attachments, overseas assignments, commanders, casualties, and combat narrative. The shoulder sleeve insignia of the division is presented in color along with illustrations of appropriate distinctive insignia. The combat branches are examined by brigade, group, regiment, and battalion, listing all units which served overseas. Also included are selected elements, like Corps Artillery, Chemical, Engineer, and Railway units, plus specialized organizations (e.g., the Alamo Scouts and the Jingpaw Rangers). Principal weapons, such as the type of tank or field artillery, accompany the entries for the battalions, while line drawings of the distinctive insignia are shown for the regiments.

The comprehensive data of Order of Battle, US, Army, World War II is both a valuable research tool and a testament to the magnitude of the ground forces this country sent to fight overseas some forty years ago.

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