The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-05-03
THE UNITS AND
THE EQUIPMENT
HOW AN INFANTRY DIVISION OF
ARMY is ORGANIZED.
IS COMPOSED OF 20, 23S MEN
In Addition 1884 Horses and 4,s75
MuIes-More Than 10000 Rifles
and $500 Pistols Are Also
Required.

4 requires.
Washington, ID. c., April 30.-Com-
piled from data not hitherto published
the National Geographic Society has
issued the following bulletin on the
units and equipment of an infantry
division of the United States army as
recognized in the light of the lessons
learned during the 50 months of war
fare in Europe:
! AS reorganiZed for the war with
Germany, an infantry division of the
United States army will number 65
per cent more men than division of
THE German army as now constituted
The enemy's divisions are made up Of
1900 men and 1000 horses; the new
United States division at maximum
strength will be composed of 1926
men, G,S34 horses and 1875 mules.
| The average layman has little con-
ception of the various units which go
to make up an infantry division or the
enormous cost of it's equipment. Ac-
cording to estimates made two years
ago, the cost of fully equipping di-
vision amounts to $7,63G, $50, but
since that time the cost Of materials
has advanced SO greatly that q COM
sentative estimate requires the ad
dition of 20 per cent to this amount,
making the total in excess of $1,000
COO. And this takes into considera-
ton the immense saving effected by
the Council of National Defense in
providing for the purchase by the
government of munitions and equip
ment at a profit to the manufactur-
ers not to exceed 10 per cent, which
is far less than the profits ordinar-
world markets.
The new u. S. army divisions will
4 be composed OF the following units:
Three infantry brigades, 1888 Of
ficers and men.
| One field artillery brigade, 4,0S0 Of
ficers and men.
One regiment of cavalry, 1873 Off
GERS and men, 1,541 horses.
One regiment of engineers, 1,O9S
officers and men.
One field signal battalion, 2J9 Off
GERS and men.
One aero squadron. 173 officers and
men, Y airplanes.
Total, 1851 officers and men.
Total with wagon trains, 28,2S Of
ficers and men.
Total with motor trains, 1884 Of
ficers and men.
The number of commissioned OIL
GERS in a division is 81 with 80 adj
ditional officers Tor the wagon trains;
go if the division is organized with
motor trains.
The medical department of a di-
: vision is composed of 125 officers,
1882 enlisted men, and 4S ambu-
lances.
If the division is equipped with
wagon trains 1,009 wagons are re
quired, supplemented by 67 motor
trucks; if equipped with motor trains
493 wagons supplement the GIT mo-
tor trucks.
The total number of riding horses
required for a division and its wagon
trains is 4616, together with 2,21S
draft horses and 1876 riding pack,
and draft mules.
More than 10000 rifles are required
to arm division and it's trains, to-
gether with $500 pistols. The ar
tillery consists of so three-inch field
guns firing either high explosive
shells or shrapnel. each projectile
weighing 10 pounds; and % 9.S-inch
howitzers, the shells for which weigh
, 80 pounds. The number of machine
guns with which a division is to be
equipped is still an open question, but
/, the number which will appear in
; army charts soon to be printed is u
for the division itself and 20 add
tional guns for the wagon trains. The
: number in all probability will be
greatly increased, perhaps to as high
as 80 guns for every 1000 rifles, max
ing total of coo for the division.
, The length of division in march
I ing order is more than IA miles, while
the wagon trains require an addi-
tional six miles, making grand to-
tai from the head of the column to
, the last of the rear guard is 10 miles
School House Delayed.
The big strike of the Des Moines
Bricklayers' and Carpenters Unions