Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-08-10
ANNOUNCE NEW
ORGANIZATION
OF ARMY UNIT
UNDER NEW PLAN DIVISION WILL IN
CLUDE ONLY TWO INFANTRY BRIG
AIDES OF TWO REGIMENTS EACH
IN PLACE OF THREE BRlGADES.
MANY OTHER CHANGES ARE MADE
IN UNITS FOR FOREIGN SERVICE

WASHINGTON, ID. c.. Aug. 10.-A rcor-
ganization of American army units under
which the division t%otalling $4,000 men is
found unwieldly for service on European
battleficlds. * abandoned for the CONT
mental unit of about 10000 men. and has
been so ordered by the war department.
Under the new plan a division will in
clude only two infantry brigades Of two
regiments each, in place of three brigades
of three regiments each under the old svs-
TEN. Many other organization changes are
made. including a material increase in the
artillery and machine gun strength of each
division. The cavalry regiment now in
clnded in each division is detached. n new
trench mortar battery is added and the old
army corps plan abandoned after the civil
war is again put in operation.
The sixteen divisions of the National
Guard as now constituted will be r%ealign-
cd in ccIformity with the new plan after
the guardsmen reach their training camps.
No changes in camp assignments. IT j. pre-
sumed. will be involved. The National
army will bc organized from the start I'M
der this plan. So far a the regulars are
concerned it has been understood that the
reorganization already has been carried
opt for the units now in France.
The War Department order was an
nounced in a statement issued by the Pub
lie Information Committee "a follows:
A general order made public by the adj
infant generals office today provides for
important changes in the organization Of
the army.
''The ratio of artillery STRENGTH To- in
fantry is greatly increased. A division
will hereafter include only four infantry
regiments in two brigade> in place of the
old division of three brigades in place of,
the old division of three hrigade~. each
comprising three regiments of infantry.
There still will he three regiments of field
artillery in each division. Thus in the new
organization there will be three regiments
of field artillery to every four regiments Of
infantry instead of the ratio of three tol
nine.
ain addition q trench mortar battery il
attached to each division.
"The machine gun arm j. also materially |
enlarged. A machine gun battalion of four
companies has been made a unit of each
division in addition to the three machine
gun companies included in each regiment.
THE American division will he made by
this order TO conform practically to the
units utilized by the entente allies. among
whom a division numbers approximately
10000 men. The reason for the change is
that the division "a heretofore made up Of
about $4,000 men j. too unwieldy for the
demands of trench warfare. With 80 large
a unit sure and swift communication with
all parts Is difficult. The problem 10 be
met was basically one of mobility for the
peculiar needs of the fighting on the wes-
tern front.
1.-THE smaller sized divisions call for
maintenance of all units at full fighting
strength. For this purpose reserve bat
talions will be provided. They will consist
of 612 men and are listed in the general
order a separate training battalions."
The number of these battalion> has not
been made public. Details of regimental or
CARNATIONS are also withheld for military
reasons.
"The new order provides for army corps
and army units which have practically ex-