21st Cavalry Division (United States)

The 21st Cavalry Division was a division of the United States Army National Guard located in the north eastern United States. The division was composed of personnel from the New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island Army National Guards.

21st Cavalry Division
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active	1921–1940
Country	United States
Branch	Army National Guard
Type	Cavalry Division

U.S. Cavalry Divisions
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15th Cavalry Division	22nd Cavalry Division

The division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units after the First World War. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation.

History

The division was constituted in 1921 and assigned to the First Army. Not all authorized units were active during the division's lifetime. The division did not participate in the First Army maneuvers in 1935, 1939, and 1940. The 21st was inactivated on 1 October 1940 and disbanded on 1 November 1940. The division staff personnel were reassigned to the serve as the Brigade Staff for the 102nd Coast Artillery Brigade (Anti-Aircraft) and the Headquarters Battery was manned by personnel from the division headquarters troop and the 51st Cavalry Brigade. Major General Nathaniel Hillyer Egleston (New York Army National Guard) gave up command of the 21st and assumed command of the 102nd on 5 September 1940.[1]

Organization

Standard organization chart for a Cavalry Division in November 1940

• Headquarters, New York City, New York
  • Headquarters Troop, West New Brighton, New York
• 51st Cavalry Brigade, New York[2]
  • Headquarters Troop, Staten Island, New York
  • 101st Cavalry Regiment (New York National Guard), Brooklyn, New York
  • 121st Cavalry Regiment (New York National Guard), Rochester, New York
• 59th Cavalry Brigade, Newark, New Jersey
  • Headquarters Troop, Newark, New Jersey
  • 102d Cavalry Regiment (New Jersey National Guard), Newark, New Jersey
  • 110th Cavalry Regiment (Massachusetts National Guard), Boston, Massachusetts
• 112th Field Artillery Regiment, Trenton, New Jersey
• Headquarters Special Troops, West New Brighton, New York
  • 21st Signal Troop, West New Brighton, New York
  • 125th Ordnance Company, (Medium), Connecticut
  • 21st Tank Company (Light), New York
  • 21st Reconnaissance Squadron, Boston, Massachusetts
  • 125th Engineer Squadron, New York
  • 121st Medical Squadron, New York
  • 121st Quartermaster Squadron, Boston, Massachusetts

See also

• United States Army branch insignia
• List of armored and cavalry regiments of the United States Army
• Headquarters Troop, 51st Cavalry Brigade Armory
• New York Army National Guard Heraldry

References

1. https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a509818.pdf Coast Artillery Journal March- April 1948 p5
2. "Landmarks Preservation Commission" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2011.

• U.S. Army Order of Battle 1919–1941, Volume 2. The Arms: Cavalry, Field Artillery, and Coast Artillery, 1919–41 by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Steven E. Clay, Combat Studies Institute Press, Fort Leavenworth, KS, 2011
• Maneuver and Firepower, The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades, by John B. Wilson, Center of Military History, Washington D.C., 1998
• Cavalry Regiments of the U S Army by James A. Sawicki Wyvern Pubns; June 1985
• , The Trading Post, Journal of the American Society of Military Insignia Collectors, April- June 2009, pages 20 & 21

External links

• Formations of the United States Army