CHAPTER 2
THE ARTILLERY DIVISION
SECTION 1
GENERAL ORGANIZATION
99. General. Some permanent artillery command is desired in the corps. This command could be based on the present corps artillery organization, supplemented by the necessary administrative personnel to give the commander the means to control the artillery of the corps such as is now exercised by an infantry division commander over his division. This would give the battalions with the corps artillery some headquarters to whom they could look for help and which is vitally interested in their welfare and performance of duty. It is suggested that this command be called an "Artillery Division", and be commanded by a Major General. 2,3,4,7
100. Details of Organization.
a. The staff of the proposed artillery division must be kept to the minimum consistent with efficient operation. The present corps artillery headquarters battery is capable of furnishing the necessary personnel for the proposed G-1, G-2, G-3 and G-4 sections as well as for the fire direction center. Additional personnel will be required for the special staff necessary for complete administration.2
b. The following supporting troops are proposed for permanent inclusion in the corps artillery:
(1) Photo interpretation teams.7
(2) An ordnance company, medium Maintenance.7
(3) Photo laboratory, for processing oblique and vertical photographs for division and corps artillery.7
(4) A quartermaster unit of sufficient size to make ration breakdowns, establish Class I and III distributing points, and to handle Class II supplies.2
(5) A division signal company.2
(6) A division band.2
SECTION 2
ORGANIC ARTILLERY
101. General.
a. A study of operations in the various armies indicated that non-divisional artillery available per division was: 1,5
0.94 battalions of light artillery
1.5 battalions of medium artillery
1.4 battalions of heavy artillery
This artillery is considered to be the minimum. How much quicker the operations could have been concluded with more artillery is open to conjecture. No artillery commander admits to having more artillery than he needed or as much as he desired. 2,3,4
b. Since the number of divisions in a corps is a variable, the artillery permanently assigned should be that required by the minimum number of divisions expected to be in one corps. For the purpose of study, this was assumed to be two infantry and one armored divisions. If the number of divisions is increased a proportional increase of artillery must come from an army pool.
102. Amount of Artillery.
a. The division of the future is expected to contain three light and two medium battalions in both the infantry and the armored divisions.5
b. Light Battalions. With the division having only three light battalions, an additional battalion per division is required for reinforcing missions on difficult fronts.2 Then, too, there is frequently the necessity for support of a cavalry group.2 On this basis a minimum of three light artillery battalions should be available in the corps artillery.
c. Medium Battalions. There should be a minimum of one 155mm howitzer battalion in corps general support for each division. This battalion would work primarily on corps long range missions, and could be used to cover the boundaries between the divisions.3
d. Heavy Battalions. Each division front requires the coverage of one 155mm gun and one 8-inch howitzer battalion to suitably perform the missions in the corps range of targets, to reinforce the fires of the division artillery, and to cover the interior boundaries and flanks. 2,3 One of the 155mm gun battalions should be self-propelled for possible use with the armored division and for use on special direct laying destruction missions. 2,3 One 240mm howitzer battalion on the corps front will round out the organic artillery.5
e. The Observation Battalion should be continued as part of this artillery organization.
f. Group or Regimental Headquarters in sufficient number to control this artillery will be required.2 One group or regimental headquarters for the general support corps artillery in each division zone and one regimental headquarters to command the 240mm howitzer battalion and any other general support battalions or to act as an additional corps artillery fire direction center are needed.5
SECTION 3
SUMMARY
103. The organic units assigned to a corps of three divisions is then:
1 Headquarters, Artillery Division
1 Headquarters Battery, Artillery Division
1 Band
1 Ordnance Company, medium maintenance
1 Quartermaster Detachment
1 Signal Company
1 Field Artillery Observation Battalion
4 Headquarters and Headquarters Batteries, Field Artillery Group (Regiment)
3 Battalions 105mm. howitzer
3 Battalions 155mm howitzer
2 Battalions 155mm gun M-1
1 Battalion 155mm gun (SP)
3 Battalions 8-inch howitzer
1 Battalion 240mm howitzer
This gives a total of thirteen battalions of field artillery in the "Artillery Division".
104. Additional artillery to support added divisions should be available in an army pool on the same basis as indicated above.2
Bibliography
Part Four
1. After Action Report, Third Army. Artillery Section, The Theater General Board.
2. Reports of Interview with Artillery Officers. Artillery Section, The Theater General Board.
3. Report of Artillery Conference, Third Army, Artillery Section, The Theater General Board.
4. Report of Artillery Conference, Seventh Army. Artillery Section, The Theater General Board.
5. Consultations with General Board Members. Artillery Section, The Theater General Board.
6. "XII Corps Artillery in Combat", September 1945, File 370.2, Artillery Section, The Theater General Board.
7. Letter, Headquarters Third Army, dated 10 August 1945, AG 320.2, w/18 inclosures, Subject: "Reorganization of Corps Artillery." Artillery Section, The Theater General Board.