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**RN7** · 10-08-2017, 12:19 AM

Hi Mcchordsage I remember this alternative version of the Twilight War. It was a very good read if a bit far out there. I saved it all onto a CD and I posted it all up on here about five years ago or so. I think everyone who read it liked it.

I've been checking this list with the first and second additions of the American Combat Vehicle Handbook. None of the ten divisions were listed as reformed in the Twilight War, at least not before the U.S. government split into CIVGOV and MILGOV factions. After the splitting of the U.S. Government I believe there were militia units attached to both factions. It is conceivable that either faction could reform these divisions and fill them with militia or new recruits to increase the number and the loyalties of the forces under their command in CONUS. I don't think raising the manpower would be a problem, but equipping and arming them would certainly be a problem. More likely divisions in name only, but of brigade size with some weak regiments and battalions. But they would still be an organised force under a command structure, and more accountable to either faction than irregular militia forces.

Do you have any more information on the organisation of of U.S. forces in this period

**Silent Hunter UK** · 10-08-2017, 07:30 AM

Can you post this again please It sounds very interesting.

**mcchordsage** · 10-08-2017, 10:06 AM

Originally posted by Silent Hunter UK View Post

Can you post this again please It sounds very interesting.

It's actually here on the forum in its entirety if you search Twilight 1964. That's what I usually reference. It is kind of out there, there are things I don't think are correct or really accurate. However, I'm a sucker for early 60s US Army tech, when things were still on the Pentomic model. To me, it's worth noting that at least on paper most of these divisions were allotted Honest John nuclear-capable rockets, even if the battalions only trained with the launchers once a year.

Originally posted by RN7 View Post

Hi Mcchordsage I remember this alternative version of the Twilight War. It was a very good read if a bit far out there. I saved it all onto a CD and I posted it all up on here about five years ago or so. I think everyone who read it liked it.

I've been checking this list with the first and second additions of the American Combat Vehicle Handbook. None of the ten divisions were listed as reformed in the Twilight War, at least not before the U.S. government split into CIVGOV and MILGOV factions. After the splitting of the U.S. Government I believe there were militia units attached to both factions. It is conceivable that either faction could reform these divisions and fill them with militia or new recruits to increase the number and the loyalties of the forces under their command in CONUS. I don't think raising the manpower would be a problem, but equipping and arming them would certainly be a problem. More likely divisions in name only, but of brigade size with some weak regiments and battalions. But they would still be an organised force under a command structure, and more accountable to either faction than irregular militia forces.

Do you have any more information on the organisation of of U.S. forces in this period

My idea was to provide some flexible options for an early 1960s Twilight War campaign by laying out the order of battle, like in the vehicle guides, to give folks something to work with. The PDF version I plan to post tonight will also include all the non-divisional, mostly support, units I've identified.

Most of them had been converted to Army Reserve Commands or support commands (63rd, 90th, 77th, 83rd, 96th, 94th, 103rd, 81st) or separate brigades (102nd men formed the 205th Infantry Brigade, 96th men formed the 191st Infantry Brigade, 94th men formed the 187th Infantry Brigade). None of these units continued the lineages of the WW2 or 1950s-1960s combat divisions, however. They were authorized to wear the shoulder sleeve insignia but the army did not consider them a descendant of the original division.

I think that's what most folks do with the ARCOMs and the training divisions not mentioned as being fed overseas (or in the case of the 77th, straight into the NYC mess). Makes sense, though I imagine a lot of the cadres would be gone, that the others were similarly used as command formations for militia or other ad-hoc formations.

It depends on what you want to know. There's a lot of material out there. 1962 is an interesting time for the Army, organizationally, which is a euphemism for being a mess. Units were almost all still on the old Pentomic order of battle, and ROAD was right around the corner. On top of that, quite a few of the Cavalry, Infantry, and Artillery battalions would be inactivated then reactivated in the regular army at a later date.

**mcchordsage** · 10-08-2017, 11:01 AM

Didn't take as long as I thought. It's no-frills but has the info.

Attached Files

USAR Units 1962 Twilight 1964.pdf (55.8 KB, 200 views)

**mcchordsage** · 10-10-2017, 09:27 AM

Update. Units added since the last one are in red.

Attached Files

USAR Units 1962 Twilight 1964 v2.pdf (59.7 KB, 183 views)

**mcchordsage** · 10-11-2017, 12:26 AM

Massive formatting overhaul for clarity, editing changes, illustrations added, units added.

Considering that this is a fairly niche subject without a lot of interest, this will probably serve as the "definitive" version for now, unless someone has corrections in the future.

Attached Files

USAR Units 1962 Twilight 1964 v4.pdf (2.07 MB, 185 views)

**mcchordsage** · 10-19-2017, 07:01 PM

Underestimated my own devotion to this: New version features a good start into National Guard divisions of 1962, an Annex listing all divisions of all components of the US Army and home stations in 1962, some graphical fixes, and a bit of light editing.

Next version will have all the National Guard information I can find in it.

Attached Files

USAR & NG Divisions, 1962 v7.5.pdf (2.10 MB, 219 views)

**swaghauler** · 10-22-2017, 01:50 PM

I served with the 4/92 Field Artillery (8" M110s, Reserve) in the late 1980's. I know it was in existence since WW2 and won a Presidential Unit Citation in Korea. The unit was originally headquartered in Clearfield PA but was moved to Erie PA in the mid-1960s. Headquarters, Alfa Battery, and Service Battery were in Erie. Bravo Battery was in Meadville PA, and Charley Battery was in New Castle PA. We were originally part of Second Army but got moved to First Army in the 1970s. We were officially "disbanded" in 1993 when the 8" SP was removed from service and replaced by the MLRS. Our guns were sold to Turkey in 1993. I didn't see the 4/92 FA on your list.

**mcchordsage** · 10-24-2017, 10:53 PM

Sure, it'll go in the next round swaghauler!

The non-divisional units aren't anywhere close to complete. Not within any sort of circle of probable error even. What's on that list is whatever came up during my other research, essentially. Most of that means units that received Reserve Commendations in 1960-1963, got mentioned in Army Reserve Magazine articles, or cropped up in US Army Expansion, 1961-1962. There's a lot of talk in DoA reports about numbers of units called up or included in different force strengths but very little on what those units were, making it hard for me to get a firm grasp on things like corps or army artillery assets.

Your unit was called up during the Berlin Crisis, though, for the record. I suppose I should just comb the Field Artillery Lineage Series volumes for non-divisional units and sweep the CARL digital library for sources again. Frankly, there's been so little response overall it's hard to stay motivated. Expanding the National Guard division coverage is fairly easy and I've still called a halt on it.

**mcchordsage** · 10-25-2017, 05:42 PM

New version now includes: 26th ID, 40th AD, 48th AD, 49th AD, 50th AD, all non-divisional USAR artillery units, formatting updates, alterations to artillery weapon type formatting.

At the risk of falling prey to hubris, I'm calling it here except for future formatting or editing fixes. There's a good deal of information available on the Regular Army divisions of the early 1960s and it doesn't really appeal to me, so, National Guard and Army Reserve is where it stops. Hopefully someone will get use out of this.

If you have any information, comments, critiques, or general suggestions PM me or post a comment to this web zone like swaghauler did.

Attached Files

US Army Reserve & NG Units, 1962 (Twilight 1964) v8.pdf (2.10 MB, 212 views)

**Matt Wiser** · 10-25-2017, 08:05 PM

Thanks! This will also be useful in the Red Dawn timeline, where new divisions are being raised by the U.S. Army in the aftermath of the Soviet-led invasion.

**mcchordsage** · 10-25-2017, 08:26 PM

There's a great document the Army put out in 1963 looking back at the lessons learned during the Berlin Crisis and Cuban Missile Crisis build-ups. It's got a lot of interesting lessons for how the big wheels were looking at preparing for the next crisis (and maybe war).

(It's a three-parter.)

My basic assumption (I know, ass out of you and me, yada yada, we're talking about an imaginary conflict) is that the ROAD reorganization never gets carried through as the Army desperately tries to activate, man, and equip the units on active duty as well as reserve component formations. Everything listed here is still on the "Pentomic" or ROCID TOE from circa 1960 through late 1963.

**unkated** · 10-31-2017, 02:06 PM

Formatting suggestion (w/o the extra lines):

32nd Infantry Division (National Guard)*

-1st Battle Group, 127th Infantry
-2nd Battle Group, 127th Infantry
-3rd Battle Group, 127th Infantry
-1st Battle Group, 128th Infantry
-2nd Battle Group, 128th Infantry

Armored/Cav

-2nd Reconnaissance Squadron, 105th Armor
-1st Medium Tank Battalion, 105th Armor

Division Artillery

-1st Howitzer Battalion, 120th Field Artillery
-2nd Howitzer Battalion, 120th Field Artillery
-1st Howitzer Battalion, 121st Field Artillery
-2nd Howitzer Battalion, 121st Field Artillery
-3rd Rocket Howitzer Battalion, 121st Field Artillery (Honest John)
-2nd Howitzer Battalion, 126th Field Artillery

DISCOM

-732nd Ordnance Battalion
-724th Engineer Battalion
-135th Medical Battalion
-132nd Signal Battalion
-232nd Transportation Battalion
-32nd Quartermaster Company
-32nd Aviation Company
-32nd Administration Company
-232nd Aircraft Maintenance Detachment

If you wish, I can send you simple instructions for MS Word to do this.

Uncle Ted

**mcchordsage** · 11-01-2017, 12:01 AM

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried a few different varieties of spacing and indents without really liking any of them. Then it got to the point where so much material had been added that the clarity issue slipped away.

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USAR Combat Divisions, 1962 (Twilight 1964)

USAR Combat Divisions, 1962 (Twilight 1964)

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