Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-05-03
!. S. ARMY DIVISIONS
At War Strength They Total 2S,.
1874 Officers and Men.
The Length from Head Of Column to
Last Of Rear Guard IL 70 Miles
various Units.

Compiled from data not hitherto pub
lished, the National Geographic society
has issued from its headquarters in WASH
ington the following bulletin on the units
and equipment of an infantry division of
the United States army as organized In
the light of the lessons learned during the
81 months of warfare in Europe
AS recognized for the war with Ger.
many. an infantry division Of the United
States army will number per cent
more men than a division of the German
army as now constituted. The enemy's
divisions are made up Of 1000 men and
1000 horses; the new United States divi-
sion at maximum strength will he com
posed of %, 30 men, 6,S3i horses, and 4,S75
mules.
THE VARIOUS UNITS.
1.-THE average layman has little concep-
ton Of the various units which go to
make up an infantry division or the
enormous cost of its equipment. Accord
ing to estimates made two years ago. the
cost Of fully equipping a division amounts
to T636,5J0. but since that time the cost
Of materials has advanced sc greatly that
n conservative estimate requires the adj
dition Of % per cent. to this amount
making the total in excess Of $9OU.VO
And this takes into consideration the i'm
mense saving effected by the council of
national defense in providing for the pur-
chase by the government of munitions
and equipment at profit to the manu-
facturers not to exceed 10 per cent. which
is far less than the profits ordinarily rea-
liked on materials sold in the world mar
kets.
The new United States army divisions
will be composed Of the following units:
Three infantry brigades. 1857? officers and
men; one field artillery brigade. 1000 off,
GERS and men: one regiment of cavalry,
1,b79 officers and men, 1854 horses: one
regiment of engineers. 1908 officers and
men, one field signal battalion, $50 officers
and men; one area squadron. 173 officers
and men. n airplanes, total. 1871 officers
and men; total with wagon trains, q, q
ofhcers and men, or total with motor
TRAINS %, zA officers and men. The num-
her of commissioned officers in q division
Is ST.. with 80 additional oficers for the
wagon trains; % IL the division is organ.
lied with motor trains.
The medical department of a division Is
composed Of 125 officers, 1882 enlisted men
and 3 ambulances.
II the division is equipped with wager
trains 1909 wagons are required. supple
with motor trains 80 wagons supplement
the eN motor trucks.
The total number Of riding horses re
CURED for division and it's wagon train!
is 1915. together with 2,2ls draft horses
and 4s75 riding. pack and draft mules.
SMALL ARMS AND SHELLS.
More than 1000 rifles are required t,
; arm a division and it's trains. togethe
! with 5000 pistols. The artillery consist
! of 70 three-inch field guns firing eithe
. high explosive shells or shrapnel, eacl
. projectile Weighing Is pounds: and q ~
; inch howitzers. the shells for whlc
weigh 20 pounds The number of machin
/ guns with which division IL to he equip
ped is still an open question. but the mum
) Der which will appear In army chart
e soon to be printed is u for the divisio
itself and 20 additional guns for the wae
on trains. The number in all probabiiit
, will be greatly increased. perhaps to a
4 high as 20 guns for every 1000 rifles. MAX
! ing a total Of GOO. for the division.
n THE length Of division in marchin
order Is more than IA miles. while tn
G wagon trains require an additional 81
= miles. making a grand tota, Of 20 milet
I II equipped with motor trains instead c
wagon trains the length from the hea
8 OF the column to the last of the rea
r guard is 10 miles.
within the next few weeks detaile
Y tables prepared by the Army War Co
Il lege in Washington. will be issued fro,
d the government printing office. shown
the strength and equipment Of each un
r OF the various branches of the Unite
It States army. The foregoing statistics al
e based upon these forthcoming tables"