91st Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=91st Infantry Division


caption=91st Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia
dates=1917 - 1919
1921 - 1945
1946 - 2008
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Army, 1917-1945
Army Reserve, 1946-2008
type=Infantry
role=Training
size=Division
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=Fort Hunter
Fort Hunter Liggett
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname="Powder River" [ [http://www.lonesentry.com/91stdivision/introduction.html | Story of the Powder River 91st Infantry Division] ]
patron=
motto=
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles=World War I
*St. Mihiel Offensive
*Meuse-Argonne Offensive
World War II
*Italian Campaign
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=US Infantry
previous=90th Infantry Division
next=92nd Infantry Division

The 91st Infantry Division (variously nicknamed as the "Pine Tree Division" or "Wild West Division") was a unit of the United States Army that fought in World War I and World War II. From 1946 until 2008, it was a part of the U.S. Army Reserve. Its final designation was the 91st Division (Training Support).

History

World War I and after

Constituted on August 5, 1917 at Camp Lewis, Washington, near Tacoma, the division soon thereafter departed for England in the summer of 1918. In September 1918, the division's first operation was in the St. Mihiel Offensive in France. Serving under the U.S. Army's V Corps, the division fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and successfully helped to destroy the German First Guard Division and continued to smash through three successive enemy lines.

Twelve days before the end of WWI, the division, as part of the VII Corps, helped drive the Germans east across the Escaut River. The division was awarded separate campaign streamers for its active role in the Lorraine, Meuse-Argonne and Ypres-Lys campaigns.

In 1919, the 91st was deactivated at the Presidio of San Francisco. After being reconstituted in 1921 as part of the Organized Reserves, the division then served as an administrative control center for the next 21 years.

World War II

As the first battles of World War II were being fought in 1942, the division was reactivated at Camp White, Oregon. Once again, the division departed for the European Continent. There, the 361st Regimental Combat Team was detached to participate in the battles for Rome and the Arno River. It became the first Fifth Army unit to reach the river. In September, 1944, the division crossed the Sieve River, outflanked the famous Gothic Line, and captured the Futa Pass. For its part in combat, the division was awarded the North Apennines, Po Valley and Rome-Arno campaign streamers. The division was deactivated at Fort Rucker, Alabama, in December 1945.

Army Reserve

In December 1946, the 91st was reactivated at the Presidio of San Francisco as part of the U.S. Army Reserve. In 1959, the division was reorganized and redesignated as the 91st Division (Training). In 1993 the division was again reorganized and redesignated as the 91st Division (Exercise) and again in 1999 as the 91st Division (Training Support).

Its final headquarters was at Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (RFTA), Dublin, California.

In its 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations, the Department of Defense recommended relocating the 91st Division to Fort Hunter Liggett. [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/camp-parks.htm]
The 4 Brigades of the 91st Division were redesignated as separate brigades:
*1st Brigade (Camp Parks) is now 5th Brigade, 75th Division.
*2nd Brigade (Fort Carson) is now 5th Armored Brigade.
*3rd Brigade (Hunter Liggett) is now the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade.
*4th Brigade (Fort Lewis) is now 191st Infantry Brigade.

The 91st was inactivated in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2008 (third quarter of calendar year 2008).

References

* [http://www.usarc.army.mil/91Div/ 91st DIV (TS) - Web Site]
* [http://www.lonesentry.com/91stdivision/index.html 91st Infantry Division, WWI-WWII Unit History]
* [http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/lineage/branches/div/091d.htm 91st Division official lineage & honors]
* "The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States", U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at CMH. [http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/lineage/cc/091id.htm]
* [http://www.merriam-press.com/answeringthecall.aspx "Answering the Call", Stephen L. Wilson, 2007. Merriam Press.]