40th Armored Division (United States)

The 40th Armored Division was a division of the United States Army National Guard from July 1954 until 1967.

40th Armored Division
40th Armored Division shoulder sleeve insignia
Active1954–67
Country United States
Branch United States Army
TypeArmor
RoleArmored warfare
SizeDivision
Nickname(s)"Grizzly"[1]
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Charles A. Ott Jr.
U.S. Armored Divisions
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30th Armored Division(Inactive) 48th Armored Division(Inactive)
Main article: 40th Infantry Division (United States)

40th Armored Division Order of Battle, 1956

Division Headquarters

40th Military Police Company

40th Armored Signal Company

140th Replacement Company

132d Armored Engineer Battalion

40th Armored Division Train 40th Armored Quartermaster Battalion 40th Armored Ordnance Battalion 40th Armored Medical Battalion 40th Armored Division Band

Combat Command A 111th Reconnaissance Battalion 160th Armored Infantry Battalion 161st Armored Infantry Battalion

Combat Command B 133d Tank Battalion 134th Tank Battalion 224th Armored Infantry Battalion

Combat Command C 139th Tank Battalion 140th Tank Battalion 223th Armored Infantry Battalion

Division Artillery 215th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion 143d Armored Field Artillery Battalion 214th Armored Field Artillery Battalion 215th Armored Field Artillery Battalion 225th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

40th Armored Division Order of Battle, 1967.

Division Headquarters

132d Engineer Battalion

240th Signal Battalion

140th Aviation Battalion

40th Armored Division Band

1st Brigade 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry 2d Battalion, 160th Infantry 3d Battalion, 160th Infantry 1st Battalion, 185th Armor 3d Battalion, 185th Armor

2d Brigade 4th Battalion, 160th Infantry 2d Battalion, 185th Armor 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, 18th Armored Cavalry 1st Squardon, 111th Cavalry

3d Brigade 4th Battalion, 185th Armor 5th Battalion, 185th Armor 6th Battalion, 185th Armor

Division Artillery 1st Battalion, 144th Field Artillery 2d Battalion, 144th Field Artillery 3d Battalion, 144th Field Artillery 4th Battalion, 144th Field Artillery 5th Battalion, 144th Field Artillery

Division Support Command 40th Medical Battalion 40th Maintenance Battalion 123d Maintenance Company 40th Supply and Transportation Battalion 540th Administration Company 40th Military Police Company

History
Division soldiers direct traffic away from an area of South Central Los Angeles burning during the Watts riots.

After its return from the Korean War, the 40th Infantry Division was reorganized on 1 July 1954 as the 40th Armored Division.[2]

In August 1965 the division was deployed to help suppress the Watts riots.[3]:169–70

On 1 December 1967, a major reorganization of the National Guard reduced the Guard to eight combat divisions, with the 40th Armored Division as one of the units designated for inactivation. On 29 January 1968, the Division was eliminated and the 40th Infantry Brigade and 40th Armored Brigade were organized.[4]

Even though defunct by 1967, the character of Deputy Chief Hale from the TV show Sons of Anarchy was apparently a member of the 40th Armored Division.

Notes
  1. Nathaniel T. Robertson (17 February 2001). "The 40th Infantry Division's March to the Korean War". California State Military Museum. California State Military Department. Retrieved 21 March 2013. The next day on 1 July 1954, the 40th Infantry Division, California Army National Guard, combined with the 111th Armored Cavalry Regiment, California Army National Guard, and formed the 40th Armored Division (*Grizzly*), California Army National Guard.
  2. "40th Armoured Division Order of Battle, 1956". The California State Military Museum. Archived from the original on 6 February 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  3. Scheips, Paul (2005). The Role of Federal Military Forces in Domestic Disorders, 1945–1992 (PDF). US Army Center of Military History. ISBN 9781517253783. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. "40th Infantry Division (Mechanized)". Military. GlobalSecurity.org. 17 July 2006. Archived from the original on 4 September 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2009.

References
  • Wilson, John B. (1997). Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades. Washington, DC: Center of Military History.
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