27th Armored Division (United States)

The 27th Armored Division was a United States Army formation. It was part of the New York Army National Guard in the 1950s and 1960s.

27th Armored Division
Active	1955–68
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Armored
Nickname(s)	"Empire"
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major General Ronald C. Brock (first commander)

U.S. Armored Divisions
Previous	Next
25th Armored Division (Phantom)	30th Armored Division (Inactive)

Activation

In February, 1955 a reorganization of the Army National Guard included reorganizing the 27th Infantry Division as the 27th Armored Division.[1] This included exchanging the black and red "NYD" (New York Division) shoulder patch for the triangle-shaped patch of the Army's armor divisions. The 27th Armored Division was called the "Empire Division," after New York's nickname, the Empire State.[2]

The division headquarters was originally in Buffalo, and was later moved to Syracuse.[3][4]

Composition, 1955

In 1955, the composition of the 27th Armored Division was:

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division
• Combat Commands A, B, and C

Infantry:

• 105th Armored Infantry Battalion
• 108th Armored Infantry Battalion
• 174th Armored Infantry Battalion
• 175th Armored Infantry Battalion

Armor:

• 127th Tank Battalion
• 205th Tank Battalion
• 208th Tank Battalion
• 274th Tank Battalion

Artillery:

• Headquarters, 27th Armored Division Artillery (DIVARTY)
• 106th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
• 186th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
• 249th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
• 270th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
• 210th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (from 127th AAA)

Separate Units:

• 27th Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
• 152nd Armored Engineer Battalion
• 27th Armored Signal Battalion

Trains:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division Trains
• 727th Armored Ordnance Battalion
• 134th Armored Medical Battalion
• 27th Armored Quartermaster Battalion
• 27th Military Police Company
• 27th Replacement Company

Composition, 1960

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division
• Combat Commands A, B, and C

Infantry: armored rifle battalions

• 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry
• 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry
• 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry
• 1st Battalion, 174th Infantry

Armor: medium tank battalions

• 1st Battalion, 127th Armor
• 1st Battalion, 174th Armor
• 1st Battalion, 205th Armor
• 1st Battalion, 108th Armor
• 1st Battalion, 210th Armor (from 210th Anti-aircraft Artillery)
• 1st Squadron, 121st Armor (from 27th Armored Reconnaissance Battalion)

Artillery:

• Headquarters, 27th Armored Division Artillery (DIVARTY)

Howitzer battalions:

• 1st Battalion, 104th Artillery
• 1st Battalion, 180th Artillery
• 1st Battalion, 270th Artillery
• 1st Battalion (Rocket), 106th Artillery

Separate units:

• 127th Aviation Company
• 152nd Engineer Battalion
• 227th Signal Battalion (from 27th Signal Battalion).

Trains:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division Trains
• 727th Armored Ordnance Battalion
• 134th Armored Medical Battalion
• 27th Armored Quartermaster Battalion
• 27th Military Police Company
• 227th Transportation Detachment (Aircraft Maintenance)
• 527th Administrative Company

Composition, 1966

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division
• 1st Brigade:
  • 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry
  • 1st Battalion, 205th Armor
  • 1st Battalion, 210th Armor
• 2nd Brigade:
  • 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry
  • 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry
  • 1st Battalion, 208th Armor
• 3rd Brigade:
  • 1st Battalion, 174th Infantry
  • 1st Battalion, 127th Armor
  • 2nd Battalion, 127th Armor
  • 1st Battalion, 174th Armor
  • 1st Squadron, 121st Cavalry
• Headquarters, 27th Armored Division Artillery (DIVARTY):
  • 1st Battalion, 104th Field Artillery
  • 1st Battalion, 106th Field Artillery
  • 1st Battalion, 156th Field Artillery
  • 2nd Battalion, 156th Field Artillery
  • 1st Battalion, 170th Field Artillery
• Separate commands:
  • 27th Armored Division Band
  • 27th Administrative Company
  • 27th Supply & Transportation Battalion
  • 134th Medical Battalion
  • 152nd Engineer Battalion
  • 727th Maintenance Battalion[5]

Commanders

Ronald C. Brock, first commander of the 27th Armored Division.

Three individuals served as commander of the 27th Armored Division:

• Major General Ronald C. Brock (1955–1957).[6] Brock had been commander of the 27th Infantry Division.[7] He subsequently served as commander of the New York National Guard.[8]
• MG Almerin C. O'Hara (1957–1959).[9] O'Hara later served as commander of the New York National Guard, and state Commissioner of General Services. When Albany County shifted to a county executive/county legislature form of government in 1975, O'Hara was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for Albany County Executive.[10]
• MG Collin P. Williams (1959–1968)[11] Williams had served as commander of Combat Command B, 27th Armored Division and the division's Assistant Division Commander.[12] He retired in 1968.[13]

Deactivation

The 27th Armored Division was inactivated in February, 1968 during another reorganization of the Army National Guard.[14] During its existence the 27th Armored Division was not activated for federal service and saw no combat.[15] It was activated for state service, including the response to the 1964 Rochester riot.[16]

Subsequent history

27th Infantry Division SSI.

The division was reorganized in 1968 as the 27th Armored Brigade, a unit of the 50th Armored Division.[17]

The 27th Armored Brigade was reorganized as an Infantry brigade in 1975 and aligned with the 42nd Infantry Division.[18]

In 1985 the 27th Infantry Brigade was activated as part of the New York Army National Guard, and assigned as the "roundout" brigade of the Army's 10th Mountain Division.[19]

The 27th Brigade was later reorganized as the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and reestablished use of the 27th Infantry Division's NYD shoulder sleeve insignia.[20] The 27th Infantry Brigade carries on the lineage and history of the 27th Infantry Division.

References

1. J.B. Lyon Company, New York State Legislative Documents, Volume 6, 1955, page 13
2. Jack Raymond, The New York Times, Most Reservists Could Join Guard: McNamara Plan Envisions Initial Overstrengths, 20 December 1964
3. Peter B. Taub, Gannett News Service, Newburgh Evening News, Upstate Shift Due National Guard, 28 February 1963
4. John B. Wilson, Center of Military History, Armies, Corps, Divisions, and Separate Brigades, 1988, page 361
5. New York National Guard, History of the 27th Infantry Division, 27th Armored Division composition 1955, 1960, 1966. Retrieved 26 July 2013
6. Toledo Blade, Ike Pledges Guard to be Maintained, 4 February 1957
7. Schenectady Gazette, Kearney Resigns Post in NY Guard, 5 June 1948
8. New York Secretary of State, State Legislative manual, 1958, page 446
9. Williams Press, New York Red Book, 1959, page 367
10. Associated Press, Newburgh Evening News, Coyne 'New Look' County Executive, 5 November 1975
11. U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Hearing Record, Military Cold War Education and Speech Review Policies, Biographical sketch, Collin P. Williams, 1962, page 2662
12. Army and Navy Journal Incorporated, Army, Navy, Air Force Journal, Volume 94, Issues 27–52, 1957, page 955
13. Ruth Collin Stong, John Collin, Stem and Branches, 1980, page 209
14. New York Times, State Guard to Disband Division That Once Chased Pancho Villa, 19 January 1968
15. National Guard Educational Foundation, 27th Armored Division, 2011
16. United Press International, Lexington Dispatch, National Guard Troops on Duty in Rochester, 27 July 1964
17. Associated Press, Newburgh Evening News, Guard Streamlined: 27th Division Ends, 18 January 1968
18. John J. McGrath, The Brigade: A History, Its Organization and Employment in the US Army, 2009, page 232
19. Michael Dale Doubler, John W. Listman, Jr., The National Guard: An Illustrated History of America's Citizen-Soldiers, 2007, page 120
20. Uniformed Services Almanacs, 2008 National Guard Almanac, 2008, page 143