Return to Table of Contents

Reflagging in the Army

PREFACE

Between 1990 and 1996 the United States Army reduced the number of its divisions from eighteen to ten, the smallest number since the outbreak of the Korean War. It was a turbulent experience for the service, with many of its most honored units disappearing from its rolls. Such episodes have not been uncommon, especially following the end of a major war. While the current reductions are the outcome of the end of the Cold War and budget constraints rather than a major conflict, the effect on the Army's units and soldiers has been the same.

The Army had made some sporadic efforts since the Civil War to require units to maintain a record of their history and honors, but it was not until after World War I that such efforts were centralized. At that time, the Historical Section, War Plans Division, began answering a growing number of queries concerning Army units and their battle participation. Almost in self defense the section compiled brief histories of divisions, regiments, and other units and became increasingly involved in the determination of unit history and honors for World War I and previous conflicts. Transferred to the Army War College in 1921, the Historical Section began to acquire greater authority in the field of unit history in the spring of 1922, when General John J. Pershing, the Chief of Staff, directed that War Department agencies were to obtain the views or concurrence of the Historical Section before making decisions on matters pertaining to the award of battle streamers, disposition of flags and colors, and actions pertaining to the perpetuation, consolidation, reconstitution, or constitution of Army units. The Army's institutionalization of unit colors and insignia increased the importance of this new function. The Office of the Quartermaster General had taken over the design and manufacture of such items and began basing its designs on information provided by the Historical Section. The Historical Section consequently became the final arbiter of an organization's entitlement to official campaigns and decorations and thus its history.

In close conjunction with the Office of The Adjutant General (TAG), which determined the designations and maintained data cards for each Army unit, the section began its efforts to retain those units that were the oldest and had the most honors. Previously, units no longer needed were disbanded, never to see active service again. Now, such units entered a dormant or inactive status, allowing them to be more easily reactivated when the situation demanded. Inactivation enabled World War I units, such as the 4th Infantry Division, to return to the active rolls when the Army expanded to fight World War II.

Today, the Center of Military History carries on the mission begun by the Historical Section, Army War College, and The Adjutant General's off ice of maintaining lineages and honors for U.S. Army organizations and of making every effort to retain those with the best heritage on the rolls of the Army. This monograph, written from the perspective of those in the Center who were involved in reflagging activities during the most recent major reduction in the Army's force structure, is intended to explain some of the factors behind the decisions made and to serve as a guide for the future.

Much of the material used to prepare the monograph came from the files and personal experiences of members of the Center's Organizational History Branch, a lineal descendant of the former Historical Section. Les Jensen of the Center's Museum Division provided a monograph from which most of the material pertaining to museums, flags, and unit property derived. And last, but not least, the 1st Infantry Division in Germany and the organizations at Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Stewart, Georgia, each furnished after action reports describing their experiences and offering recommendations for the future. Brig. Gen. John W. Mountcastle, the Chief of Military History, provided the inspiration for the monograph and personally contributed

1

many helpful comments and suggestions. For any errors in the narrative, however, the author alone is responsible.
Janice E. McKenney

2

Return to Table of Contents