Random ORBATs!

[lordroel]

Apr 21, 2020 16:45:08 GMT James G said:

Apr 21, 2020 14:57:59 GMT lordroel said:

Nothing coming out of Guantanamo Bay.

There's not much there at Gitmo. It's a naval station but it isn't any real launch point for a full-scale invasion. In this scenario, where the US is invading Cuba post Soviet collapse, it will be a forward airhead for USMC helicopters supporting the II MEF coming from the east but it wouldn't be big enough to be a proper launch point. Guantanamo Bay will be an important factor in an invasion to topple the regime, yes, but not the defining point.

Amd i can see the Cubans launching ore trying to launch a attack on the base as it is the closet thing the Cubans have to strike the Americans, unless they launch some Scuds towards Key West and Miami.

[James G]

Apr 21, 2020 16:50:33 GMT lordroel said:

Apr 21, 2020 16:45:08 GMT James G said:

There's not much there at Gitmo. It's a naval station but it isn't any real launch point for a full-scale invasion. In this scenario, where the US is invading Cuba post Soviet collapse, it will be a forward airhead for USMC helicopters supporting the II MEF coming from the east but it wouldn't be big enough to be a proper launch point. Guantanamo Bay will be an important factor in an invasion to topple the regime, yes, but not the defining point.

Amd i can see the Cubans launching ore trying to launch a attack on the base as it is the closet thing the Cubans have to strike the Americans, unless they launch some Scuds towards Key West and Miami.

True. It depends upon the situation though.
I was going to write a short piece - abandoned that now - with a 1992 fight in Cuba and having Miami under Scud attack. Out of range though, just! Key West would be a smaller target to hit though I suppose doable. Hell, maybe I will write something but Miami was key to that and is forestalled by such an annoying thing as Scud range. There is no other missile that the USSR could, would have given the Cubans either. The only others were nuclear-only, not capable of conventional warheads.

[lordroel]

Apr 21, 2020 17:58:50 GMT James G said:

Apr 21, 2020 16:50:33 GMT lordroel said:

Amd i can see the Cubans launching ore trying to launch a attack on the base as it is the closet thing the Cubans have to strike the Americans, unless they launch some Scuds towards Key West and Miami.

True. It depends upon the situation though.
I was going to write a short piece - abandoned that now - with a 1992 fight in Cuba and having Miami under Scud attack. Out of range though, just! Key West would be a smaller target to hit though I suppose doable. Hell, maybe I will write something but Miami was key to that and is forestalled by such an annoying thing as Scud range. There is no other missile that the USSR could, would have given the Cubans either. The only others were nuclear-only, not capable of conventional warheads.

Well i remember a book called Cuba by Stephen Coonts where the Cubans had several missiles that where hidden during the Cold War and armed with lethal, quick-killing version of the polio virus.

[stevep]

Apr 21, 2020 17:58:50 GMT James G said:

Apr 21, 2020 16:50:33 GMT lordroel said:

Amd i can see the Cubans launching ore trying to launch a attack on the base as it is the closet thing the Cubans have to strike the Americans, unless they launch some Scuds towards Key West and Miami.

True. It depends upon the situation though.
I was going to write a short piece - abandoned that now - with a 1992 fight in Cuba and having Miami under Scud attack. Out of range though, just! Key West would be a smaller target to hit though I suppose doable. Hell, maybe I will write something but Miami was key to that and is forestalled by such an annoying thing as Scud range. There is no other missile that the USSR could, would have given the Cubans either. The only others were nuclear-only, not capable of conventional warheads.

  Thinking about this didn't Saddam's Iraq produce their own modified Scud's during the war with Iran so they could hit Tehran and other cities outside the range of the standard Scud?  If so I wonder if Castro's Cuba could do something like that or possibly obtain details if not samples from Iraq after the Kuwait war - when Saddam and the US were on less than friendly terms - or N Korea who has form in terms of selling military tech.  True unless facing an invasion and totally desperate Cuba isn't going to use chemical weapons against Miami say but it shouldn't be impossible for them to develop some 'deterrent'.  - Which might actually be the trigger for an invasion as the US misinterprets it or decides they won't allow such a capacity.

  As such I could see a situation where Cuba might have the capacity for such a response to a US invasion and use it.  Definitely a lot more likely than a lot of the techno-thrillers you often see in the shops.

  Steve

[James G]

On one of Forcon's threads the other day, there was a discussion about US Army divisions. It got my mind ticking over until I spent all day doing this.
This is a list of American combat divisions (US Army, Army Reserve, National Guard and US Marines), along with short combat histories, for a Red Dawn conflict in the September 1984 to July 1986 period. Much of the backstory I am using is from my own Soviet Domination story though with significant diverts including a longer conflict.



1ST ARMORED DIVISION ‘OLD IRONSIDES’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades deployed in West Germany.
Remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Old Ironsides left West Germany, complete with equipment, in February ‘85 and were shipped home to the United States.
First action was seen in May ’85 across Kansas then into Oklahoma as part of the Spring Offensive (with the US VII Corps) before the Old Ironsides reached the Red River on the edges of Texas by October.
Old Ironsides took part in the Texas Offensive beginning March ’86 and finished the war in South Texas during July.

1ST CAVALRY DIVISION ‘FIRST TEAM’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with two combat brigades stationed at Fort Hood in Texas; third brigade planned to be provided by the Mississippi Army National Guard in wartime scenarios.
First Team fought at two-thirds strength through mid-September 1984 and was completely destroyed following combat with the Cuban First Army near to Austin, Texas.
Plans for a re-raising of the First Team, using draftees, were put on hold through ‘85 and didn’t come to fruition.
The stain of the ‘Austin clusterf*ck’ eventually faded and the First Team was re-established during ’86 ready to see action late in the year. As a three-brigade force, the division was meant to see action as the 1ST AIR CAVALRY DIVISION in the airmobile role.
The end of combat operations in July ’86 came before the First Team could see action again.

1ST INFANTRY DIVISION ‘BIG RED ONE’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas and also deployed in West Germany (the division’s 3rd Brigade).
Big Red One fought in Texas in September 1984 though Soviet air strikes delayed it reaching Austin in time to join other US III Corps elements defeated there. This deployment saw the missing brigade interned in West Germany pending return in ’85 and made up for by the use of the Army Reserve’s 5th Armored Brigade (a training unit out of Nebraska) with the Big Red One.
Fighting retreat made by the Big Red One in late-’84 back out of Texas into Oklahoma, and then into Kansas too during the Cuban advance.
Big Red One held the line in Kansas through the winter before joining the Spring Offensive to push Cuban and Soviet forces all the way back to the Red River during ‘85.
The Texas Offensive in ’86 saw the Big Red One with the III Corps end the war in West Texas on the Rio Grande.

2ND ARMORED DIVISION ‘HELL ON WHEELS’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades stationed at Fort Hood in Texas and also deployed in West Germany (the division’s 3rd Brigade).
Hell On Wheels fought at two-thirds strength through mid-September 1984 and was completely destroyed following the US III Corps disastrous clash with the Cuban First Army near to Austin, Texas.
Using draftees, the 2nd Armored Division was re-raised through ’85 and deployed later that year into Louisiana to see action on a limited scale ahead of winter.
Hell On Wheels fought successfully as part of the Texas Offensive in ’86 (with the new US XI Corps) and reached Matagorda Bay before the end of major combat operations where a large surrender of Mexican & Nicaraguan forces was taken.

2ND INFANTRY DIVISION ‘INDIAN HEAD’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades deployed in South Korea.
Indian Head fought the Battle of the Han during the North Korean invasion in September 1984, one concurrent with the beginning of Operation Red Star in North America.
Half of the division was lost before the end of September with the Indian Head not receiving any significant external support from home in terms of replacements nor reinforcements.
Indian Head defeated during the unsuccessful defence of Seoul in November.
Massacres reported among POWs from the Indian Head while in North Korean custody.
Indian Head not re-raised during the course of the war.

3RD ARMORED DIVISION ‘SPEARHEAD’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades deployed in West Germany.
Remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Spearhead left West Germany, complete with equipment, in February ‘85 and was shipped home to the United States as part of the US V Corps.
First action seen in April ’85 in Arkansas as part of the Spring Offensive where Spearhead helped complete the encirclement of Cuban forces in Little Rock before reaching the Red River, and securing (later lost) bridgeheads over the Red River during October.
Spearhead joined the Texas Offensive in March ’86 and undertook a victorious advance all the way to the Rio Grande near Laredo to reach the Mexican border on Independence Day.

3RD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘ROCK OF THE MARNE’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades deployed in West Germany.
Remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Rock Of The Marne left West Germany, complete with equipment, in February ‘85 and was shipped home to the United States.
First action seen in May ’85 across Kansas then into Oklahoma as part of the Spring Offensive (with the US VII Corps) before reaching the Red River on the edges of Texas by October.
Rock Of The Marne took part in the Texas Offensive beginning March ’86 and finished the war in South Texas during July.

4TH ARMORED DIVISION ‘BREAKTHROUGH’
Wartime-raised emergency US Army formation with three brigades: 157th Infantry (Army Reserve) from Pennsylvania, 194th Armored from Kentucky and 197th Infantry from Georgia.
Breakthrough saw action in October 1984 in East Texas against Cuban forces alongside the wartime-raised US IV Corps (with national guard units) and escaped the disaster on the Sabine River when much of the neighbouring US II Corps was lost.
Spending the end of ’84 and early ’85 in Louisiana with their backs against the Mississippi River, the Breakthrough held on and joined the Spring Offensive to liberate Louisiana and reach the Sabine again by September.
Breakthrough led the IV Corps march in the Texas Offensive in ’86 to end the war in Central Texas where Guatemalan, Nicaraguan & Soviet forces were encircled near Waco to surrender in July.

4TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘IVY’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado.
Ivy engaged Cuban and Soviet paratroopers and airmobile forces within Colorado on Day #1 of Operation Red Star beginning: Fort Carson was soon itself a battleground.
Retreat made away from the Colorado Springs area northwards due to significant losses incurred when the Ivy failed to defeat enemy efforts to link up Nicaraguan ground forces coming north from New Mexico.
Ivy joined the US XVIII Airborne Corps in their fighting through late 1984 and throughout ’85 to hold onto north and eastern Colorado with the lifting of the Siege of Denver taking place without their influence that June.
The New Mexico Offensive starting April ’86 saw the Ivy lead the XVIII Corps drive south to clear Colorado and race down through New Mexico.
Ivy ended the war near Las Cruces in July, just short of the Mexican border, during the enemy collapse.

5TH ARMORED DIVISION ‘VICTORY’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Knox, Kentucky as divisional base.
Victory joined the US X Corps to see action first in Missouri during June ’85 against Soviet forces before advancing into Arkansas and then into Oklahoma before the end of the summer.
The Texas Offensive in ’86 had the Victory fight in North Texas from March to July including the Battle of Fort Worth.
Victory was held ready at the end of major combat operations alongside other X Corps elements to enter Mexico itself if the ceasefire and peace talks had fallen apart.

5TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘RED DIAMOND’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with two combat brigades stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana; third brigade planned to be provided by the Louisiana Army National Guard in wartime scenarios.
Red Diamond entered Texas in September 1984 with orders to join the US III Corps and fought only as a two-brigade force; avoided the ‘Austin clusterf*ck’ to instead delay Cuban forces from taking Houston in a hurry.
Joining national guardsmen with the new US II Corps, Red Diamond was forced into retreat due to entry of Soviet forces transferring into Texas from Cuba to push them into Louisiana and then up into Arkansas too by November.
Red Diamond (and II Corps) not part of Spring Offensive in ’85 with defensive and security tasks during that to keep many enemy units tied down in Arkansas and cut off during American advance.
Entering East Texas in ’86, Red Diamond was tasked with security duties in liberated areas and finished the conflict in the Houston area.

6TH ARMORED DIVISION ‘SUPER SIXTH’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Lewis, Washington as divisional base.
Super Sixth joined the US I Corps in Arizona during May ’85 and was part of the Spring Offensive to drive East German, Mexican & Nicaraguan forces away from their highwater mark near Flagstaff back to Phoenix.
Arizona Offensive starting in March ’86 saw the Super Sixth go through the Sonoran Desert, across the border and to the shores of the Gulf of California by the end of the war in July.

6TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘RED STAR’
Wartime-raised emergency US Army formation with three brigades: 172nd Infantry in Alaska, 205th Infantry (Army Reserve) from Minnesota and 207th Infantry Scout from Alaska’s Army National Guard.
At no point did the Red Star fight as a full division nor was it fully complete with supporting units to allow it to do so.
Invading Soviet forces inside Alaska fought the Red Star piecemeal and eliminated it alongside all other organised resistance before the end of October 1984.
Red Star was not re-raised during the course of the war.

7TH ARMORED DIVISION ‘LUCKY SEVENTH’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Riley, Kansas as divisional base.
Lucky Seventh joined the US III Corps in Kansas in May ’85 as part of the corps attack to see fighting Oklahoma with the Spring Offensive before reaching the Red River on the edges of Texas by October.
The Texas Offensive in ’86 had the Victory fight in North Texas from March to July and saw the Lucky Seventh end the war in West Texas taking a large Cuban surrender near Fort Stockton.

7TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘BAYONET’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades stationed at Fort Ord in California.
Bayonet held at emergency alert pending a deployment to the Caribbean but sent to the Rockies in Colorado upon the commencement of Operation Red Star beginning to fight with the US XVIII Airborne Corps.
Engagements with Cuban, Nicaraguan & Soviet forces throughout late 1984 and all of ’85 saw the Bayonet worn down but still combat-capable.
Bayonet left the XVIII Corps and thus missed with the New Mexico Offensive starting April ’86.
By the end of the war that July, the Bayonet was on security duties in post-occupation Colorado.

8TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘PATHFINDER’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades deployed in West Germany.
Remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Pathfinder left West Germany, complete with equipment, in February ‘85 and was shipped home to the United States with the US V Corps.
First action seen in April ’85 in Arkansas as part of the Spring Offensive. Pathfinder helped complete the encirclement of Cuban forces in Little Rock before reaching the Red River on the edge of Texas.
Pathfinder joined the Texas Offensive in March ’86 to undertake a victorious advance all the way to the Rio Grande and the Mexican border at Eagle Pass in July.

9TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘OLD RELIABLES’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington.
Old Reliables deployed northwards in September 1984 and entered Canada on the way to Alaska overland; pushed back out of Alaska into the Yukon in November.
Late ’84 and all of ’85 saw the Old Reliables spend that time in the Yukon forming the core of the US IX Corps holding defensive positions.
Old Reliables took part in the Canadian-led Alaska Offensive starting June ’86 and made some headway ahead of the end of hostilities but it cannot be said that victory was at hand for the division when the shooting finished.

10TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘MOUNTAINEER’
Wartime-raised US Army formation from three separate brigades inside West Germany: 3rd of the 1st Infantry Division, 3rd of the 2nd Armored Division and the Berlin Brigade.
Mountaineer left West Germany, complete with equipment, in March ‘85 and was shipped home to the United States to join the US V Corps.
First action seen in May ’85 in Arkansas as part of the Spring Offensive. Mountaineer functioned as the corps reserve as it moved forward towards Texas.
Mountaineer joined the Texas Offensive in March ’86 to undertake a victorious advance all the way to the Rio Grande and the Mexican border at Del Rio in July.

11TH AIRBORNE DIVISION ‘ANGELS’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Bragg, North Carolina as divisional base.
Angels joined the Mississippi Command and in May ’85 took part in the Spring Offensive with airborne drops deep inside Louisiana along the Red River between Alexandria and Natchitoches.
Following heavy casualties, yet opening the way ahead, the Angels were rested during the rest of the spring and summer before joining the US Marines’ IV MAF in the Mississippi Delta come November.
Angels transferred to the Texas Command in ’86 to conduct a jump to secure Abilene and Dyess AFB in April when the Texas Offensive was in full swing; a successful but once more costly operation for the paratroopers.

23RD RESERVE INFANTRY DIVISION ‘AMERICAL’
Wartime-raised Army Reserve formation with two brigades: 29th Infantry from Hawaii’s Army National Guard and the 196th Infantry on Pacific Islands that had an Army Reserve training mission.
Americal assigned to Pacific defensive tasks including Hawaii, Guam & the Northern Marianas after being raised in early 1985.
Little action seen by the Americal with only raiders encountered here and there along with searches for downed aircrews or shipwrecked sailors.
Americal might have been used in either Alaska or California under un-realised plans in ’86 yet those weren’t seen through by the war’s end that July.

24TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘VICTORY’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with two combat brigades stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia.
Victory deployed into Florida in September 1984 following the Cuban landings at the Miami area and throughout the Keys with national guardsmen with the new US VI Corps following them.
Miami liberated on Christmas Eve by the Victory with fighting into ’85 at the very bottom of South Florida to retake Homestead AFB and clear the mainland by March.
Victory remained in Florida throughout the rest of ’85 before a transfer to Louisiana to join the US XI Corps in early ’86 with the addition of a third brigade from ARUS draftees.
The Texas Offensive saw the Victory reach Victoria be the end of combat operations in July.

25TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘TROPIC LIGHTNING’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with two combat brigades stationed at Fort Shafter in Hawaii.
Tropic Lightning shipped to San Francisco in November 1984 when invasion fears in Hawaii subside and they crossed California & Nevada to join the US I Corps in Arizona to link up the armoured training units out of Fort Irwin (who’d already seen action) making a three-brigade division.
The Spring Offensive in May ’85 saw the Tropic Lightning drive enemy forces back into and then through the Phoenix area to clear that city.
Tropic Lightning led the Arizona Offensive in March ’86 to isolate Mexicans inside Tucson and reach Nogales on the Mexican border at the end of the war.

26TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘YANKEE’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the New England region: 1st Massachusetts Infantry, 3rd Massachusetts Infantry and 43rd Connecticut Infantry.
Yankee was mobilised and placed under federal orders come September 1984 with initial tasks until the New Year being defensive missions in the North East due to invasion fears into New England.
First combat seen by the Yankee in Arkansas behind the (moving) frontlines when joining the US IV Corps as they supported, rather than led, the Spring Offensive in ’85.
Yankee entered East Texas in ’86 while once more undertaking behind the lines tasks across liberated areas: the war ends for them near to Beaumont and along the Gulf Coast.

27TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘NEW YORK’
Wartime-raised emergency Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the East Coast: 27th New York Infantry, 53rd Florida Infantry and 187th Infantry (Army Reserve).
Florida Army National Guard troops engaged in combatting Cuban landings joined by the New York when the division was formed in Florida to fight in late 1984 near Cape Coral and Fort Myers.
New York secured the Everglades in early ’85 as part of the US VI Corps with the mission completed that February.
Throughout the rest of the war, the New York remained in South Florida but was unable to liberate the Keys from Cuban occupation.

28TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘KEYSTONE’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with three brigades across Pennsylvania: 2nd Pennsylvania Infantry, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry and 56th Pennsylvania Infantry.
Keystone was mobilised and placed under federal orders come September 1984 with the initial mission to join the new US VIII Corps on the Great Plains.
Wichita in Kansas was held by the Keystone in the face of a Cuban attack in early November with the division remaining on the defensive through the winter.
Keystone joined the Spring Offensive in May ’86 to clear Kansas and then liberate Oklahoma before reaching Lawton.
The Texas Offensive starting March ’86 saw the Keystone advance across Central Texas before reaching Abilene (relieving the 11th Airborne Division) and ending up at San Angelo when the war ends.

29TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘BLUE AND GRAY’
Wartime-raised emergency Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the East Coast: 58th Maryland Infantry, 86th Vermont Armored and 116th Virginia Infantry.
Blue And Gray was planned to be established the following year but the commencement of Operation Red Star in the sudden enemy invasion in September 1984 saw this done early.
Security tasks on the East Coast and around the destroyed Washington DC meant the Blue And Gray did not go to the frontlines in ’84.
Blue And Gray joined the US III Corps in Kansas in early ’85 to join the Spring Offensive to break into Oklahoma.
The Texas Offensive in ’86 saw the Blue And Gray advance with the III Corps to end the war in West Texas in the Big Bend next to the Rio Grande that July.

30TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘OLD HICKORY’
Wartime-raised emergency Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the Dixie region: 30th North Carolina Infantry, 48th Georgia Infantry and 218th South Carolina Infantry.
Old Hickory sent to Florida in October 1984 following emergency division formation.
Supporting the 24th Infantry Division on the eastern side of South Florida, the Old Hickory fought Soviet airmobile forces rather than Cubans throughout the end of ’84.
Old Hickory operations in ’85 stretched into the Everglades as part of the US VI Corps efforts to liberate the bottom of the peninsula, leading to final victory on the mainland during the Spring.
Remained in Florida throughout the rest of ’85 and throughout ’86 to guard against a second Cuban invasion though with training undertaken for on-off possible missions to retake the Keys.

31ST NATIONAL GUARD ARMORED DIVISION ‘DIXIE’
Wartime-raised emergency Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the Dixie region: 30th Tennessee Armored, 31st Alabama Armored and 155th Mississippi Armored.
Dixie raised in a rush during September 1984 as national guardsmen mobilised and sent over the Mississippi River into Louisiana and then Texas with the new US II Corps.
Unexpected appearance of Soviet forces, not the Cubans being met by other II Corps units (5th Infantry Division), saw confusion and then a massive defeat incurred north of Houston to the Dixie.
Dixie was not re-raised during the course of the war.

32ND NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘RED ARROW’
Wartime-raised emergency Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the Mid-West: 32nd Wisconsin Infantry, 46th Michigan Infantry and 149th Kentucky Armored.
Red Arrow formed in September 1984 for wartime operations on US soil.
First action seen on the Sabine River, the state line between Louisiana & Texas, as part of the new II Corps and near-disaster befell the Red Arrow in October.
Red Arrow escaped over the Mississippi River and the remnants held defensive positions throughout the winter.
During the Spring Offensive, the Red Arrow was not part of IV Corps going forward and reverted to Mississippi Command rear area tasks throughout the rest of the war; 149th Armored Brigade was separated though and went into Louisiana & later Texas on its own.

35TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘SANTA FE’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the Central United States: 33rd Illinois Infantry, 67th Nebraska Infantry and 69th Kansas Infantry.
Santa Fe was mobilised and placed under federal orders come September 1984 with initial mission to join the new US VIII Corps sent to the Great Plains; 33rd Brigade was assigned instead of the 149th Brigade.
Wichita in Kansas held by the Santa Fe in the face of a Cuban attack in early November with the division then remaining on the defensive through the winter.
Santa Fe joined the Spring Offensive in May ’86 to clear Kansas and then liberate Oklahoma before reaching Altus AFB.
The Texas Offensive starting March ’86 saw the Santa Fe advance across Central Texas to reach Midland when the war ended in July.

38TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘CYCLONE’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the Mid-West: 2nd Indiana Infantry, 73rd Ohio Infantry and 76th Indiana Infantry.
Cyclone was mobilised and placed under federal orders come September 1984 with initial mission to join the new US VIII Corps sent to the Great Plains; 73rd Brigade was assigned instead of the 46th Brigade.
Successful VIII Corps efforts held onto the wider Wichita area in late ‘84 joined by the Cyclone.
Cyclone took part in the Spring Offensive in May ’86 to clear Kansas and then liberate Oklahoma before reaching the Red River.
The Texas Offensive starting March ’86 saw the Cyclone advance across Central Texas to reach Odessa before the war finished in July.

39TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘DELTA’
Wartime-raised emergency Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the South West: 39th Arkansas Infantry, 45th Oklahoma Infantry and 256th Louisiana Infantry.
Delta formed in September 1984 for wartime operations on US soil.
First action seen on the Sabine River, the state line between Louisiana & Texas, as part of the new II Corps with unexpected Soviet armour running through the Delta and destroying it in a few hours.
Delta’s loss caused rage through the state governments from where its national guardsmen came with all three states subsequently being invaded to suffer under occupation.
Delta was not re-raised during the course of the war.

40TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘SUNBURST’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with three brigades across California: 1st California Infantry, 2nd California Infantry and 3rd California Infantry.
Sunburst had been mobilised under California State orders, ahead of Operation Red Star commencing in September 1984, to deal with the refugee & security issue on the Mexican border.
Cuban and Mexican forces destroyed the Sunburst’s 2nd Brigade when the invasion commenced and the rest of the division conducted a fighting retreat throughout Southern California in September & October with Los Angeles lost; the mountains north of the city became the frontlines.
Sunburst was under the US Marines’ I MAF command throughout the rest of the war with ARUS draftees forming a third brigade in May ’85.
The Californian Offensive in early ’86 meet strong resistance and the Sunburst could not secure all of Los Angeles, nor get anywhere near the border areas, before events elsewhere ended the war.

41ST NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘SUNSET’
Wartime-raised emergency Army National Guard formation with three brigades/regiments across the North West: 41st Oregon Infantry, 81st Washington Infantry and 116th Idaho Armored Cavalry.
Sunset formed in September 1984 for wartime operations on US soil.
Deployed northwards in October ’84, the Sunset entered Canada on the way to Alaska overland but failed to get there to join the 9th Infantry Division when that latter unit was pushed back out.
Late ’84 and all of ’85 saw the Sunset in the Yukon forming the core of the US IX Corps holding defensive positions.
Sunset took part in the Canadian-led Alaska Offensive starting June ’86 and made some headway ahead of the end of hostilities but Alaska wasn’t entered when the war ended in July.

42ND NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘RAINBOW’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with three brigades across New York: 1st New York Infantry, 2nd New York Infantry and 3rd New York Infantry.
Rainbow was mobilised and placed under federal orders come September 1984 with the initial mission being to join the new US IV Corps in Arkansas.
First combat seen by the Rainbow in October ’84 with the new US IV Corps and a fast retreat beat back into Louisiana and then over the Mississippi River following enemy units outflanking the IV Corps.
Rainbow joined the Spring Offensive to liberate Louisiana and reach the Sabine River again by September ‘85.
The Texas Offensive in ’86 saw the Rainbow end the war at Austin in Central Texas.

47TH NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY DIVISION ‘VIKING’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with three brigades across the Upper Mid-West: 1st Minnesota Infantry, 34th Iowa Infantry and 66th Illinois Infantry.
Viking was mobilised and placed under federal orders in September 1984 with a deployment made into Canada joining the US IX Corps.
Yukon defensive tasks for the Viking through ’85 alongside British and Canadian forces.
Viking joined the Alaska Offensive in June ’86 yet was unable to get into Alaska come the end of the war the following month.

49TH NATIONAL GUARD ARMORED DIVISION ‘LONE STAR’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with three brigades in Texas: 1st Texas Armored, 2nd Texas Armored and 3rd Texas Armored.
Lone Star had been mobilised under Texas State orders, ahead of Operation Red Star commencing in September 1984, to deal with the refugee & security issue on the Mexican border.
Cuban tanks and Soviet Airborne units destroyed almost the entirety of the Lone Star on Day #1 of the invasion; much of the division’s heavy equipment wasn’t with them and there was no external support.
Lone Star survivors made a desperate fight in West Texas but Nicaraguan armour overrunning New Mexico turned east and destroyed the remains of Texas’ Army National Guard.
Lone Star was not re-raised during the course of the war.

50TH NATIONAL GUARD ARMORED DIVISION ‘JERSEY BLUES’
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation with two brigades in New Jersey: 1st New Jersey Armored and 2nd New Jersey Armored.
Jersey Blues was mobilised and placed under federal orders come the invasion in September 1984.
Cross country deployment to join the US XVIII Airborne Corps in Colorado saw the Jersey Blues meet delays due to enemy air & commando attacks; first action not seen until November ’84 on the Kansas-Colorado state line.
Jersey Blues fought under Great Plain Command orders (not the XVIII Corps) through ’85 with flank duties, not an attack, made during the Spring Offensive.
The New Mexico Offensive saw the Jersey Blues go southwest in March ’86 with a third brigade formed from ARUS draftees and finally part of the XVIII Corps.
Jersey Blues ended the war in July ’86 in the White Sands.

63RD RESERVE INFANTRY DIVISION ‘BLOOD AND FIRE’
Wartime-raised Army Reserve formation with two new brigades; later four brigades.
Blood And Fire formed in November 1984 for West Coast security tasks under the Western Command.
Much action seen by Blood And Fire units against enemy commandos throughout Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington during the course of the war.

69TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘FIGHTING 69TH’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Benning, Georgia as divisional base.
Fighting 69th joined the US VII Corps in June ’85 to see action during the Spring Offensive out of Kansas into Oklahoma.
The Red River were the frontlines for the Fighting 69th ahead of the Texas Offensive the following year.
Fighting 69th advanced all the way to near Brownsville in South Texas by the end of July ‘86.

71ST INFANTRY DIVISION ‘RED CIRCLE’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Sheridan, Illinois as divisional base.
Red Circle joined the US new US X Corps in June ’85 to fight in Missouri during the Spring Offensive.
The Texas Offensive the following year had the Red Circle cross North Texas from March to July to help defeat the Soviet Eighth Tank Army near to Dallas.
Red Circle was held ready at the end of major combat operations in July ’86, alongside other X Corps elements, to enter Mexico itself if the ceasefire and peace talks had fallen apart.

77TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘METROPOLITAN’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Ord, California as divisional base.
Metropolitan joined the US XVIII Airborne Corps in June ’85 and helped in the final stages of the freeing of the Denver siege.
The New Mexico Offensive starting April ’86 saw the Metropolitan join the advance south to clear Colorado and race down through New Mexico.
Metropolitan ended the war outside of El Paso in July, just short of the Mexican border, during the enemy collapse.

79TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘LIBERTY’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Stewart, Georgia as divisional base.
Liberty joined the US new US X Corps in June ‘85 to fight in Missouri during the Spring Offensive.
The Texas Offensive the following year had the Liberty drive across North Texas from March to July to help defeat the Soviet Eighth Tank Army near to Dallas.
Liberty was held ready at the end of major combat operations in July ’86, alongside other X Corps elements, to enter Mexico itself if the ceasefire and peace talks had fallen apart.

81ST RESERVE INFANTRY DIVISION ‘WILDCAT’
Wartime-raised Army Reserve formation with two new brigades; later three brigades.
Wildcat formed in November 1984 for Dixie security tasks under the Southern Command.
Much action seen by Wildcat units against enemy commandos throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina during the course of the war.

82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION ‘ALL AMERICAN’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
All American deployed to Colorado in September 1984 to try to overcome enemy units which had arrived by air to take Colorado Springs, were supporting commandos securing NORAD and had opened up Interstate-25 on the way to Denver.
The US XVIII Airborne Corps had All American fall back into Denver in late ’84 to join a defensive effort to stop Soviet-led forces; bypassed and trapped, the All American held onto Denver by an air link.
All Americans took part in lifting Denver’s siege in mid-’85 by fighting their way out.
During the New Mexico Offensive in ‘86, All American conducted an assault into Kirtland AFB outside of Albuquerque as the XVIII Corps drove southwards.
All American trucked southwards to fight elsewhere in New Mexico, around Alamogordo, before the end of the war in July.

97TH INFANTRY DIVISION ‘TRIDENT’
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation with three brigades raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Campbell, Kentucky as divisional base.
Trident joined the US new US XI Corps in June ’85 and fought in Louisiana with the Spring Offensive to reach the Texas state line.
The Texas Offensive the following year saw the Trident go through East Texas all the way to near Victoria and helping to complete the encirclement of large numbers of enemy forces ahead of the end of the fighting in July ’86.

101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION ‘SCREAMING EAGLES’
Pre-war standing US Army formation with three combat brigades stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.
Screaming Eagles deployed in September 1984 in a failed effort to stop Phoenix falling to the Cubans coming up from Tucson and the Mexican border beyond; the division escaped to jeers from Phoenix civilians left behind.
Fighting in western Arizona through late-’84 and much of ’85, the Screaming Eagles battled Bulgarians and East Germans as well as Cubans who tried to prize open the Colorado River line and get at more of California.
Screaming Eagles took part in the Arizona Offensive in ’86 which saw them reach Yuma on the Mexican border when the fighting came to an end that July.



1ST MARINE DIVISION
Pre-war standing US Marines formation with four combat regiments stationed at Camp Pendleton in California and deployed in Hawaii.
1st Marine Division fought starting on invasion day in September 1984 across Southern California with serious losses incurred and reserves suffered.
Retreating north, taking the 40th Infantry Division under command, the 1st Marine Division lost San Diego and Los Angeles and spent late-’84 until mid-’86 trying to retake them.
1st Marine Division ended the war in July ’86 in the midst of a not very promising offensive to try to liberate occupied parts of Southern California.

2ND MARINE DIVISION
Pre-war standing US Marines formation with three combat regiments stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
2nd Marine Division ordered to fight in the Caribbean upon the commencement of war in September 1984 with an initial range of conflicting orders from above due to the emergency situation as it evolved.
Liberating Puerto Rico and retaking the US Virgin Islands was off the table when the fighting moved to the Bahamas with the 2nd Marine Division spending ’85 in those islands.
2nd Marine Division entered the Dominican Republic in April ’86 and had nearly won the fight there when the war ended in July.

3RD MARINE DIVISION
Pre-war standing US Marines formation with two combat regiments deployed in Okinawa.
3rd Marine Division given orders to deploy to South Korea to assist in trying to repel the North Korean invasion in September 1984.
Major defeat occurred in November near Seoul and the 3rd Marine Division wiped out alongside the US Army’s 2nd Infantry Division.
3rd Marine Division re-raised in mid-’85 on Hawaii and deployed to Guam & the Northern Marianas to guard against Soviet incursion but saw little real action before the war’s end a year later.

4TH RESERVE MARINE DIVISION
Pre-war organised US Marines formation with three regiments spread across the country.
4th Marine Division only had two of three regiments (third lost in pieces across California and Texas) when it deployed into Louisiana to save New Orleans in November 1984 from the Cubans.
The Mississippi Delta was fought over into the next year too as Soviet Naval Infantry arrived to try to do what the Cubans couldn’t; the 4th Marine Division was joined by the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division in finally eliminating enemy units by the end of ’85.
4th Marine Division redeployed to the Caribbean in ’86 and joined more US Marines in the Dominican Republic; they were outside San Domingo by July.

5TH MARINE DIVISION
Wartime-raised US Marines formation with three regiments from draftees and volunteers.
5th Marine Division raised at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina during 1985.
Deployed into the Bahamas in late-’85 to assist in operations to rid them of the Cuban presence.
5th Marine Division landed in Puerto Rico in April ’86 and secured the island by the end of June; preparations underway come July for the division to fight elsewhere in the Caribbean ended as the war concluded.

6TH MARINE DIVISION
Wartime-raised US Marines formation with three regiments from draftees and volunteers.
6th Marine Division raised at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina during 1985.
Deployed into Florida in late-’85 to assist in defensive mission post liberation of the bottom half of the peninsula.
6th Marine Division landed in Puerto Rico in April ’86 and secured the island by the end of June; preparations underway come July for the division to fight elsewhere in the Caribbean ended as the war concluded.

[James G]

1st Infantry Regiment
Pre-war standing US Army non-combat formation stationed at West Point, New York.
1 IR deployed to New York for security tasks throughout the war.

2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Pre-war standing US Army formation deployed in West Germany.
2 ACR remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Shipped home to the United States in February ’85, the 2 ACR fought with the US VII Corps in Kansas, Oklahoma and then Texas by July ‘86.

3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Pre-war standing US Army formation stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas.
3 ACR lost trying to fight its way out of its garrison on Day #1 of the invasion in September 1984.

3rd Infantry Regiment
Pre-war standing US Army non-combat formation stationed in the District of Columbia.
3 IR destroyed during the nuclear attack on Washington in September 1984.

3rd Infantry Brigade/ 1st Infantry Division
Pre-war standing US Army formation deployed in West Germany.
3B/1ID remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Shipped home to the United States in March ’85 as part of the new 10th Infantry Division.

3rd Armored Brigade / 2nd Armored Division
Pre-war standing US Army formation deployed in West Germany.
3B/2AD remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Shipped home to the United States in March ’85 as part of the new 10th Infantry Division.

11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Pre-war standing US Army formation deployed in West Germany.
11 ACR remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Shipped home to the United States in February ’85, the 11 ACR fought with the US V Corps in Arkansas and then Texas by July ‘86.

13th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Knox, Kentucky as regimental base.
13 ACR joined the new US XI Corps in ’85 and fought through Louisiana into Texas by July ’86.

14th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Lewis, Washington as regimental base.
14 ACR joined the US III Corps in ’85 and fought in Kansas, through Oklahoma and into Texas by July ’86.

15th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Riley, Kansas as regimental base.
15 ACR joined the new US X Corps in ’85 and fought in Missouri, through Oklahoma and into Texas by July ’86.

29th National Guard Infantry Brigade
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation stationed in Hawaii.
29 NG IB deployed on anti-invasion duties in Hawaii from September 1984 until February ’85 until being subsumed into the new 23rd Reserve Infantry Division.

51st Ranger Regiment
Wartime-raised emergency US Army formation.
51 RR raised in late 1984 due to the invasion.
Fighting as detachments with the Western & Rockies Commands, the 51 RR saw plentiful action throughout the war.

75th Ranger Regiment
Pre-war standing US Army formation.
Fighting as detachments with the Great Plains & Mississippi Commands, the 75 RR saw plentiful action throughout the war.

92nd National Guard Infantry Brigade
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation stationed in Puerto Rico.
92 NG IB lost during the Cuban invasion of Puerto Rico in September 1984.

107th National Guard Armored Cavalry Regiment
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation stationed in Ohio.
107 ACR mobilised and under federal orders to join the new US II Corps in Arkansas.
Fighting with the II Corps, the 107 ACR ended the war in July 1986 in Texas.

149th National Guard Armored Brigade
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation stationed in Kentucky.
149 NG AB mobilised and under federal orders to join the new 32nd Infantry Division with the US IV Corps in Louisiana.
During 1985, the 149 NG AB was removed from divisional command and fought with the IV Corps as a separate unit to end the war in Texas in July ’86.

163rd National Guard Armored Cavalry Regiment
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation stationed in Montana.
163 ACR mobilised and under federal orders to join the new US VIII Corps in Kansas.
Fighting with the VIII Corps, the 163 ACR ended the war in July 1986 in Texas.

174th Reserve Infantry Brigade
Wartime-raised emergency Army Reserve formation.
174 R IB raised in late-1984 and used for security and anti-invasion duties on the East Coast throughout the war.

189th Infantry Brigade
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Ord, California as brigade base.
189 IB used for security and anti-invasion duties on the West Coast throughout the war.

191st Reserve Infantry Brigade
Wartime-raised emergency Army Reserve formation.
191 R IB raised in late-1984 and used for security and anti-invasion duties on the West Coast throughout the war.

193rd Infantry Brigade
Pre-war standing US Army formation deployed in Panama.
193 IB defeated in combat through September & October 1984 in engagements with Panamanian, and later Soviet, forces across the Canal Zone.

199th Infantry Brigade
Army of the United States (ARUS) formation raised late 1984 into mid ’85 as part of nationwide mass mobilisation with Fort Stewart, Georgia as brigade base.
199 IB used for security and anti-invasion duties on the East Coast throughout the war.

278th National Guard Armored Cavalry Regiment
Pre-war organised Army National Guard formation stationed in Tennessee.
278 ACR mobilised and under federal orders to join the new US IV Corps in Louisiana.
Fighting with the IV Corps, the 278 ACR ended the war in July 1986 in Texas.

Berlin Brigade
Pre-war standing US Army formation deployed in West Berlin.
Berlin Brigade remained in Europe through the end of 1984 while US forces were interned by the neutralist Bonn Government.
Shipped home to the United States in March ’85 as part of the new 10th Infantry Division.

[forcon]

I like what you've done here, @jamesg. I may do something similar if that's okay.

[James G]

Jun 10, 2020 14:18:43 GMT forcon said:

I like what you've done here, @jamesg. I may do something similar if that's okay.

Thank you.
Go right ahead. I have the notes for a Soviet one opposite this and plan to do that.

[forcon]

Speculative list of US Army divisions and their roles in a European World War Three circa 2010, with the Warsaw Pact & USSR surviving until then. 

1st Mechanized Infantry Division – Stationed in Kansas with a forward brigade in West Germany under VII Corps in peacetime. When REFORGER commenced on September 17, the division deployed as a whole to West Germany, using equipment from POMCUS sets there. Fought as part of VII Corps’ on the left flank of the West German II Corps. The division was destroyed in its entirety on October 11 west of Nuremburg by elements of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army. Its forces were outmanoeuvred by Soviet mechanised infantry divisions, pummelled by artillery, and outflanked, with the majority of the division overrun or encircled. The division was reconstituted in the United States with draftees and reservists, and stood up at Fort Riley, its original base, in mid-December. The reconstituted 1st Infantry Division later deployed to West Germany under X Corps in January, and participated in Operation Rolling Fire in February, ending the war in northern Germany, short of the Polish border.


1st Armored Division – The division was stationed in West Germany under VII Corps. Early in the war, the 1st Armored Division was ‘rocked back on its heels’ by Soviet armour and artillery, but was able to fall back from the IGB in good order. When its sister division, the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division, was outmanoeuvred and destroyed, the 1st Armored Division launched a counterattack, moving towards Nuremberg in strength and clashing with Soviet armour. The division’s efforts were repulsed despite a valiant effort, and the 1st Armored Division fell back, stopping the Soviet advance short of Stuttgart later in October. As the stalemate set in, the division held its positions throughout the winter and reconstituted, replacing casualties and lost equipment. Further into the war, VII Corps counterattacked, eventually liberating Ansbach and following the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment into Nuremberg. The division crossed the Czech border on April 16th, ending the war after crossing into southern Poland and liberating Wroclaw.


1st Cavalry Division – A part of III Corps, the 1st Cavalry Division spent its pre-war years in Texas, participating in numerous REFORGER exercises until the real thing in September. Deploying to West Germany with the rest of SACEUR’s ‘counterattack corps’, the division’s troops linked up with their POMCUS stocks. The 1st Cavalry Division participated in the first NATO counterattacks against advancing Soviet forces, before driving southwards to replace the destroyed I Belgian Corps on the frontlines. The 1st Cavalry Division was the spearhead of Operation Rolling Fire in the North German Plain, breaking through Soviet lines south of Kassel alongside the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. The division was the first American formation to cross the IGB on April 4th, and participated in the Battle of Berlin, which raged from June 7th-June 19th. The division then fought its way across the border with Poland as that country collapsed into civil war, meeting minimal resistance throughout the final weeks of the war. For the 1st Cavalry Division, World War III ended at the gates of the Polish city of Poznan on the 1st August.


2nd Mechanized Infantry Division – Stationed in the Republic of Korea, the 2nd Infantry Division was kept at combat-ready alert nearly continuously. Four days after the Soviet assault into Western Europe, the 2nd Infantry Division’s barracks were rocked by North Korean artillery bombardments. The division defended the western approaches to Seoul in ferocious battles with the NKPA throughout mid-October. With the arrival of I Corps from Fort Lewis, the 2nd Infantry Division fell under the corps’ command. The division’s third brigade was effectively destroyed as a fighting force, but the remaining two heavy brigades remained in the fight, with the third brigade eventually replaced by the Idaho Army National Guard’s 116th Cavalry Brigade. When Allied forces launched the counteroffensive in the Korean Theatre of Operations (KTO) on December 2, the 2nd Infantry Division spearheaded the assault through the Chorwon Gap, and eventually made contact with the approaching People’s Liberation Army forces north of Pyongyang. Maj.-Gen William ‘Billy’ Staines is credited for the peaceful meeting of US and PLA forces.


2nd Armored Division – Like the 1st Cavalry Division, the 2nd Armored Division was a part of III Corps, with its forward brigade being the only US element in NORTHAG in peacetime. Deployed in full strength with the activation of REFORGER, the 2nd Armored Division participated in the early stages of the Third World War, fighting running battles with advancing Soviet armies and, famously, holding back Soviet tanks at the banks of the Weser River in order to allow for the escape of the survivors of the shattered I Belgian Corps. Credited with ‘saving the Belgian nation’ by many, the 2nd Armored Division spent the Winter of Blood refitting, while its troops participated in artillery duels and patrol skirmishes with the similarly stationary Warsaw Pact armies. Shortly before the counteroffensive, Operation Rolling Fire, the 2nd Armored Division was transferred to IV Corps, arriving on NORTHAG’s southern flank. The division then participated in the liberation of Leipzig in the spring, before eventually finishing the war east of Dresden, having liberated several dozen Warsaw Pact POW facilities located there.


3rd Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was based in West Germany under VII Corps. It fought a running battle with the advancing Soviet armies throughout the first weeks of the war, running into severe difficulties when a surviving regiment of Soviet paratroopers began to launch major harassment operations in its rears; this, combined with the efforts of holding back numerous Soviet mechanised divisions, lead to huge casualties in terms of both men and equipment within the 3rd Infantry Division. In the winter, the division was re-designated as a ‘light’ infantry division due to the sheer number of tank and AFV losses. The 3rd Infantry Division spent the remainder of the war providing an airmobile rear-area security force to the US Army’s II Corps.


3rd Armored Division – The West Germany-stationed unit is one of the most highly-decorated in US Army service. First fighting as a backstop behind the destroyed 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the 3rd Armored Division participated in the Battle of the Fulda Gap between October 7th-October 10th, and although the battle was lost, it inflicted grievous losses on the Soviet 28th Combined Arms Army and slowed the effective link up of that army with the 8th GCAA on its southern flank and 1st GTA to the north. After refitting over winter, 3rd Armored Division continued to fight as part of V Corps, leading the formation back through the Fulda Gap and into East Germany. It eventually fought at Cottbus and, in the war’s waning days, crossed the Oder River using bridging equipment, and fought numerous skirmishes with Soviet forces and loyalist elements of the Polish Army.


4th Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was peacetime based at Fort Carson in Colorado, and deployed to West Germany as part of REFORGER operations, utilising prepositioned equipment stocks deployed within the country. It likewise fought during the Battle of the Fulda Gap alongside the 3rd Armored Division, suffering heavy casualties. A shortage of fuel supplies led to the encirclement of several of the division’s companies and even battalions, with an overall loss rate of 20% of the division’s soldiers. It reconstituted over the winter before transferring to II Corps and participating in the offensive drive towards the Oder River, bearing the brunt of the corps’ efforts to cross the Elbe in the middle of April. Finally, the division arrived outside Bad Muskau, on the Polish border. It was in the midst of preparing to initiate crossing operations on August 1st when it was ordered to stand down and cease hostilities against Warsaw Pact forces.


4th Armored Division – The division was stood up at Fort Knox in early January with two active brigades manned mostly by draftees, soldiers-in-training whose courses had been dramatically shortened, retired soldiers brought back into service, and a small number of active duty officers and NCOs reassigned from units destroyed in the field or from staff positions. As one of the first newly-raised units, there were doubts in the Pentagon over its capabilities; the division was well-equipped with M1A1s and M2s taken from storage sites in Arizona, but the soldiers had largely spent several years out of uniform, or were ill-trained recruits. Another brigade joined the division from the South Carolina Army National Guard, the 218th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. Shipping out to West Germany by sea, the division arrived on March 4th, falling under the command of X Corps in northern Germany. The division is credited with the early-April liberation of Lubeck, and later the crossing of the IGB slightly further south, eventually splitting off from X Corps and driving south to participate in the Battle of Berlin. Following the fall of the city, the 4th Armored Division was sent east under III Corps and pushed across the Oder River in late June. The division later participated in the drive to Poznan, and was preparing to move towards Warsaw at the cessation of hostilities.


5th Mechanized Infantry Division – The third division under the wartime command of the ‘counterattack corps’, the 5th Infantry Division was based at Fort Polk in Louisiana, with two of its own brigades and a third brigade of National Guardsmen, the 256th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. The latter formation struggled with emergency deployment orders under REFORGER war plans, but made it to Germany with the remainder of the 5th Infantry Division. The division came under a vicious air and artillery bombardment on the war’s first day as they broke their POMCUS sets out of storage warehouses in the pouring raid. The 256th Brigade suffered extremely heavy losses during its first engagements on the war’s second day, October 4th. However, the division as a whole performed well, fighting back numerous attempts to outflank I British Corps by the Soviet 3rd Shock Army and a Polish army corps. After falling back across the Weser in early October, the 5th Infantry continued in its role as part of III Corps, advancing through Warsaw Pact lines, and participating in a northwards ‘right hook’ operation that saw the encirclement of almost eighty thousand Polish and East German troops in late February as part of Operation Rolling Fire. The division provided a reserve force for the Battle of Berlin, and eventually ended the war to the north of the newly-raised 4th Armored Division.


6th Light Infantry Division – For the 6th Infantry Division, World War Three began with bombs falling on its bases at Fort Wainwright and Fort Richardson in Alaska. Soon, bitter engagements were fought at Anchorage’s airports and seaport with the landing of Soviet paratroopers and naval infantry. When the small scale of these landing efforts was realised, the commander of the division, Maj-Gen. Thomas Burton, was relieved, and his deputy, Brig.-Gen Allen Wright, took command, leading a spectacularly successful counterattack alongside the Alaska Scouts of the 207th Infantry Group, which saw the defeat of the brigade-sized Soviet landing force by September 9th, a mere five days after the landing effort had commenced. By mid-November, the Pentagon had regained its confidence and after sending two additional brigades of National Guardsmen to Alaska along with a regiment of Canadian reservists, the 6th Light Infantry Division found itself shipped to Korea, reinforced by the US Army Reserve’s 205th Infantry Brigade. With experience at Anchorage under its belt, the division fought well in Korea despite being a primarily light force, using trucks and HMWWVs for transport. It forced open the corridors through the North Korean mountains throughout December, and was outside of Pyongyang, with its divisional artillery batteries pummelling NKPA defences, at the time the PLA moved in and the North Korean government collapsed.


7th Light Infantry Division – Based on the West Coast at Fort Ord, California, the 7th Infantry Division’s members were surprised to find themselves bound for West Germany at the commencement of REFORGER. The decision was made for the 7th Infantry to head to Germany as part of XVIII Airborne Corps. Arriving a mere few days before the outbreak of fighting, the 7th Infantry Division struggled to maintain its capabilities in the high-intensity battlefields of West Germany due to its light nature. It found success, however, in clearing out pockets of Soviet paratroopers who had landed behind Allied lines, also serving to protect the flanks of the corps’ 24th Mechanized Infantry Division. Eventually, the 7th Infantry Division transferred to V Corps and participated in the corps’ eastwards drive as an airmobile force, clearing out dozens of towns and cities of scattered East German and Soviet resistance, finishing its war on the western bank of the Oder River.


8th Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was stationed in West Germany pre-war, part of V Corps. Heavy casualties were incurred during the division’s series of tactical counterattacks against the 8th GCAA during the battles which ran north of the Fulda Gap and into the hills to the west. At one point, a pair of mechanised rifle divisions performed an outstanding pincer movement to outflank the 8th Infantry Division. The 2nd Brigade was effectively cut off, along with elements of the 3rd Brigade, on October 8th. However, the 3rd Brigade was able to pull itself out of its grave with the help of the 1st Brigade, although the 2nd Brigade was left to its fate and destroyed in detail. The 8th Infantry Division then fell back to aid in the defence of Stuttgart, assisting the 3rd Armored Division in preventing the Soviet forces from breaking into the city. During the winter stalemate, the 8th Infantry made one of NATO’s few offensive moves, with aggressive, battalion-sized patrols successfully forcing back the advance element of an East German regiment. In February, the division participated in Operation Rolling Fire, driving the Soviets across the IGB in conjunction with the rest of V Corps. The division was moved away from its corps command, fighting alongside II Corps, pushing along the Czechoslovak Border.


9th Motorized Infantry Division – The motorized division, equipped with Stryker fighting vehicles and armed HMWWVs as well as a smaller number of Griffin light tanks and M1A2s, was deployed to Jutland as part of the region’s multinational corps. The mixed division was quickly forced to withdraw into Lubeck under the weight of a massive Soviet and East German attack. Pocketed on October 6th, the division commander continued to resist for another ten days, before the white flag was raised on October 16th. After its surrender, the division was reconstituted at Fort Lewis, but the newly-raised 9th Infantry Division did see action.


10th Mountain Division – A light infantry division based in New York, the 10th Mountain Division was deployed to European Turkey as part of REFORGER. The division fought outstandingly alongside the ACE Mobile Force and the Turkish Land Forces. While Soviet airborne and naval infantry units landed on the coast forced their way into the 10th Mountain Division’s rear, the American formation fought along Highway 87 outside Derekoy, delaying Bulgarian mechanised formations for several days. However, despite a valiant effort, the 10th Mountain Division was surrounded at Derekoy, with Bulgarian infantry to the north and Soviet paratroopers to the south. After four days of fighting, the acting commander of the infantry division, Brig.-Gen Taylor Masters, offered his surrender after destroying his radio equipment and burning the colours. The division was reconstituted post-war as a trained mountain and arctic warfare unit equipped with the correct equipment.


11th Armored Division – Formed at Fort Bliss, Texas, throughout the first three months of the war, the 11th Armored Division trained its own personnel. Similarly to the 4th Armored Division, its personnel were from various places; reservists unassigned to existing units, veterans, staff officers, recruits, and draftees. It deployed to West Germany in April, joining VII Corps in the southernmost prong of the Allied advance into Czechoslovakia. The 11th Armored Division had the distinction of ending the war as the easternmost NATO unit in continental Europe, taking the surrender of the Czechoslovak garrison at Presov after a bitter fight across the country.


17th Airborne Division – The division was formed at Fort Ord, California, from staff officers & NCOs and new recruits from airborne school at Fort Bragg. The division was declared functional in late March. The new division was used to conduct the largest parachute jump of the war, occurring on 29th June, in which the paratroopers followed the 1st Marine Division into occupied Thrace, landing at Istanbul and splitting the Soviet contingent occupying the territory into two parts. The 17th Airborne Division spent the next two weeks fighting the harried Soviet and Bulgarian occupation forces before a surrender was accepted on July 16th.


23rd Mechanized Infantry Division – Another inactive formation, the 23rd Infantry was stood up at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, a month into the war. It was the first newly-raised division to ship off to Europe, joining III Corps in West Germany on Christmas Day. The division rode eastwards with III Corps, seeing heavy fighting to the west of Berlin, and at Magdeburg. It fought in the Battle of Berlin, and was the first Allied unit to reach the former grounds of the American garrison in West Berlin, which had been overrun during the first week of fighting. At the end of the fighting in Berlin, the 23rd Infantry went on to cross the border with Poland, following the 1st Cavalry Division to the outskirts of Poznan. During the last days of the war, the 23rd Infantry Division accepted the surrender of over thirty thousand Soviet troops and a further forty thousand East German soldiers, now nationless and attempting to flee the remnants of their occupied former country.


24th Mechanized Infantry Division – As part of XVIII Airborne Corps, the division was one of the last units to deploy as part of REFORGER, but nonetheless it participated in the war on the second day of fighting as the XVIII Corps moved to backstop VII Corps. As VII Corps suffered heavy casualties south of Fulda, the 24th Infantry rapidly dug in and fought a ferocious battle against Soviet armour, buying time for the 101st Airborne Division to evacuate from its precarious mountain defensive line further south. Later on, the 24th Infantry Division would keep pressure on Soviet forces during the winter stalemate, and then participate in the eastwards advance into Czechoslovakia alongside VII Corps and rest of XVIII Corps. On April 21st, the 24th Infantry linked up with paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne who had landed at sites on the outskirts of Prague several days earlier, before pushing towards Slovakia and then northwards towards Poland, ending the war on what is now the Czech-Slovak border as a highly decorated but blooded unit.


25th Light Infantry Division – This division, based in Hawaii, saw heavy fighting in Korea. Its deployment effort began in early October, with fighting taking place later in the month. Using trucks and helicopters to manoeuvre across the mountainous terrain, the 25th Infantry was partially responsible for relieving the beleaguered ROKA 9th Infantry Division. It crossed the DMZ under the US Army’s I Corps, initially in the rear. Later on, it was used to seize several road junctions through the Korean mountains, as well as for guarding POWs.


26th Infantry Division – This multirole National Guard division from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont, was one of the last Army National Guard elements to go to Europe; it eventually fell under the command of the II Corps, uniquely participating in fighting both in East Germany and, on a few occasions, on the southern side of the Czechoslovak border. The division also received the Presidential Unit Citation for overrunning a POW camp south of Chemnitz in mid-June, preventing the execution of several thousand Allied prisoners. Its war came to an unglamorous end as an occupying force in Dresden.


28th Infantry Division – Another mostly light National Guard Division, the 28th Infantry served under IV Corps, the National Guard’s first corps deployment to Europe following REFORGER. It participated in numerous offensives towards the end of the war, including one that saw the capture of the abandoned Soviet command centre at Legnica in southern Poland on July 27th, where the 28th Infantry Division stood down and ended its wartime deployment.


27th Light Infantry Division – A new unit formed from draftees, this division arrived in Germany under IV Corps in July, seeing minor action before the ceasefire.


29th Light Infantry Division – From Virginia and Maryland, the 29th Infantry Division initially deployed to Europe as a rear-area security force, but found itself replacing the 7th Light Infantry Division as part of XVIII Airborne Corps right before the initiation of Operation Rolling Fire. Used as a truck-borne ‘motorized’ formation, the 29th Infantry Division brought up the rear of the corps, fending off numerous ambushes in the rear before conducting a full-scale assault on Pilsen in early May, for which the division received numerous citations after fighting against Czechoslovak armour with only light anti-tank weapons and helicopters. Furthermore, the 29th Infantry Division was responsible in part for the capture of Prague, assaulting the city from the east after the 82nd Airborne Division moved in to encircle it.


30th Armored Division – Formed during wartime from various National Guard and USAR separate elements including the North Carolina ARNG brigade of the same number, the 30th Armored Division would participate in VIII Corps’ battles in central Germany for the last two months of the war, including the Battle of Brandenburg (a comparatively minor action overshadowed by the Battle of Berlin, although veterans of the 30th Armored Division would disagree) and ending the war in eastern Poland after crossing the border and collecting up prisoners.


35th Mechanized Infantry Division – As a capable National Guard ‘heavy’ division, the 35th fell under the command of VI Corps, which was sent to Europe following REFORGER but before the arrival of the newly-activated divisions. Before the counteroffensive, it transferred to X Corps, and fought in the campaign to liberate northern Germany and eventually portions of Poland, notably liberating Szczecin towards the end of the fighting.


38th Mechanized Infantry Division – The National Guard unit suffered a grave loss while deploying to Europe, in which a Boeing-747 flown by American Airlines and under the control of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, was shot down by a roving Su-27, killing all five hundred soldiers on board. The division then proceeded to fight with a vengeance upon the initiation of Operation Rolling Fire, driving eastwards first as part of X Corps and then under the command of III Corps during the final days of the war. Most significantly, it took the surrender of some twenty thousand encircled Soviet troops at Frankfurt-Der-Oder (not to be confused with Frankfurt) on the Polish border. It would have followed the 1st Cavalry Division over the Oder, had orders not come for the division to stand down rather than continue its advance past the beginning of August.


40th Mechanized Infantry Division – As a unit from California, the 40th Infantry Division ended up not in Europe but in the Republic of Korea, arriving in late November, in time to participate in offensive operations and cross the DMZ firstly under I Corps and then under the command of the ROKA’s Capitol Corps. It served with distinction and saw moderate action throughout the offensive operation, ending the war east and south of Pyongyang and eventually, like its active-duty cousins in the 2nd Infantry Division, shaking hands with the advancing PLA elements.


42nd Mechanized Infantry Division – From New York, this National Guard division fought with similar tenacity to its active-duty cousins. It was commanded by IV Corps and served alongside other divisions pushing through southern Germany and into southern Poland, losing an unofficial ‘race’ to Legnica to the 28th Infantry Division despite its mechanised nature, largely due to the deployment of numerous booby traps, minefields, and ambushes employed by the remaining defenders along the highway route used by the 42nd Infantry Division. The war for the division would come to an end south of Legnica, occupying the major highway and railway connections to the northern part of the war-torn Polish nation.


47th Light Infantry Division – Following the failed Soviet attempt to seize Anchorage at the onset of the war, the National Guard division was flown to Alaska to replace the active-duty 6th Infantry Division. It spent the remainder of the war there, hunting down Spetsnaz and downed Soviet airmen, while the Illinois-based 66th Infantry Brigade saw combat during the final days of the Korean War.


49th Armored Division – As the National Guard’s premiere division, the Lone Star Division, as it was called, had a lot to live up to. It proved its worth excellently as part of IV Corps and then as part of II Corps, fighting all the way from Fulda through to Chemnitz and ultimately all the way to Wroclaw, despite the valiant efforts of the Warsaw Pact armies to stop the Texan tanks. Wroclaw, a city in southern Poland, was where the war would end for the 49th Armored Division before it commenced its occupation duties.


50th Armored Division – As a part first of VII Corps, then of XVIII Corps, then of II Corps, the New Jersey-based armoured division had a somewhat chequered history, being initially slow to deploy despite the outbreak of war. The divisional commander was relied of his command after the first hours of Operation Rolling Fire due to his hesitance to use his troops as quickly as they could be used. However, the next divisional commander Maj.-Gen Harry Kingston, was much more confident, and successfully brought his division into Czechoslovakia before he was ordered north, overtaking the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division and crossing into southern Poland during the last week of fighting.

61st Light Infantry Division – The division was stood up at Fort Ord in June, and saw no combat during the war.



67th Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was stood up at Fort Benning in early July, and saw no combat during the war.



82nd Airborne Division – As one of the US Army’s most prestigious divisions, the 82nd Airborne went to Europe by air as REFORGER finished and the Soviet attack began. The division proved capable even if light, moving by truck and helicopter and using its assigned light tanks effectively in the mountains of southern Germany. The 82nd fought at Nuremberg, reinforcing the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division from the west, before withdrawing by helicopter when it became clear the position was no longer tenable. Throughout the stalemate, the division replenished its casualties and actually withdrew from Germany, reconstituting in France before re-joining XVIII Corps in the form of a parachute drop onto various areas outside of Prague to prevent Warsaw Pact forces from escaping the city before the remainder of the corps moved in. It then fought within Prague, and ultimately ended the war in Brno.


83rd Mechanized Infantry Division – Formed from draftees and recruits as well as some active duty officers and NCOs, the 83rd Infantry was present during the Battle of Chemnitz following its arrival in late April and subsequent three months of combat. Though it was a late arrival at the front, the division earned numerous distinctions for its actions at Chemnitz and later at the Oder River, where it broke through one of the last remaining Soviet divisions in Germany and secured a crossing over the river after several days of heavy fighting.


91st Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was stood up at Fort Bliss in May, and deployed to European Turkey, catching the last days of the fighting in Thrace, serving with distinction albeit for a very short amount of time, during the last week of fighting in that region. Of note was the death of the divisional commander, Maj.-Gen Edward Reese, at the hands of a Soviet sniper.


101st Air Assault Division – From Fort Campbell in Kentucky, the division likewise went to Europe as part of REFORGER. From the get-go, the 101st fought as an airmobile ‘fire brigade’ remaining away from the frontlines and moving rapidly by air to reinforce collapsing units and fill the gaps in NATO lines, spending the first weeks of the war hopping between various zones of battle. Upon the commencement of Operation Rolling Fire, the 101st moved with the remainder of XVIII Corps into Czechoslovakia and participated in the Battle of Prague before following the 82nd Airborne Division southwards towards Brno, liberating several POW camps, and eventually linking up with the paratroopers west of the city just before the ceasefire occurred.

[James G]

Jun 10, 2020 16:42:38 GMT forcon said:

Speculative list of US Army divisions and their roles in a European World War Three circa 2010, with the Warsaw Pact & USSR surviving until then. 

1st Mechanized Infantry Division – Stationed in Kansas with a forward brigade in West Germany under VII Corps in peacetime. When REFORGER commenced on September 17, the division deployed as a whole to West Germany, using equipment from POMCUS sets there. Fought as part of VII Corps’ on the left flank of the West German II Corps. The division was destroyed in its entirety on October 11 west of Nuremburg by elements of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army. Its forces were outmanoeuvred by Soviet mechanised infantry divisions, pummelled by artillery, and outflanked, with the majority of the division overrun or encircled. The division was reconstituted in the United States with draftees and reservists, and stood up at Fort Riley, its original base, in mid-December. The reconstituted 1st Infantry Division later deployed to West Germany under X Corps in January, and participated in Operation Rolling Fire in February, ending the war in northern Germany, short of the Polish border.


1st Armored Division – The division was stationed in West Germany under VII Corps. Early in the war, the 1st Armored Division was ‘rocked back on its heels’ by Soviet armour and artillery, but was able to fall back from the IGB in good order. When its sister division, the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division, was outmanoeuvred and destroyed, the 1st Armored Division launched a counterattack, moving towards Nuremberg in strength and clashing with Soviet armour. The division’s efforts were repulsed despite a valiant effort, and the 1st Armored Division fell back, stopping the Soviet advance short of Stuttgart later in October. As the stalemate set in, the division held its positions throughout the winter and reconstituted, replacing casualties and lost equipment. Further into the war, VII Corps counterattacked, eventually liberating Ansbach and following the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment into Nuremberg. The division crossed the Czech border on April 16th, ending the war after crossing into southern Poland and liberating Wroclaw.


1st Cavalry Division – A part of III Corps, the 1st Cavalry Division spent its pre-war years in Texas, participating in numerous REFORGER exercises until the real thing in September. Deploying to West Germany with the rest of SACEUR’s ‘counterattack corps’, the division’s troops linked up with their POMCUS stocks. The 1st Cavalry Division participated in the first NATO counterattacks against advancing Soviet forces, before driving southwards to replace the destroyed I Belgian Corps on the frontlines. The 1st Cavalry Division was the spearhead of Operation Rolling Fire in the North German Plain, breaking through Soviet lines south of Kassel alongside the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. The division was the first American formation to cross the IGB on April 4th, and participated in the Battle of Berlin, which raged from June 7th-June 19th. The division then fought its way across the border with Poland as that country collapsed into civil war, meeting minimal resistance throughout the final weeks of the war. For the 1st Cavalry Division, World War III ended at the gates of the Polish city of Poznan on the 1st August.


2nd Mechanized Infantry Division – Stationed in the Republic of Korea, the 2nd Infantry Division was kept at combat-ready alert nearly continuously. Four days after the Soviet assault into Western Europe, the 2nd Infantry Division’s barracks were rocked by North Korean artillery bombardments. The division defended the western approaches to Seoul in ferocious battles with the NKPA throughout mid-October. With the arrival of I Corps from Fort Lewis, the 2nd Infantry Division fell under the corps’ command. The division’s third brigade was effectively destroyed as a fighting force, but the remaining two heavy brigades remained in the fight, with the third brigade eventually replaced by the Idaho Army National Guard’s 116th Cavalry Brigade. When Allied forces launched the counteroffensive in the Korean Theatre of Operations (KTO) on December 2, the 2nd Infantry Division spearheaded the assault through the Chorwon Gap, and eventually made contact with the approaching People’s Liberation Army forces north of Pyongyang. Maj.-Gen William ‘Billy’ Staines is credited for the peaceful meeting of US and PLA forces.


2nd Armored Division – Like the 1st Cavalry Division, the 2nd Armored Division was a part of III Corps, with its forward brigade being the only US element in NORTHAG in peacetime. Deployed in full strength with the activation of REFORGER, the 2nd Armored Division participated in the early stages of the Third World War, fighting running battles with advancing Soviet armies and, famously, holding back Soviet tanks at the banks of the Weser River in order to allow for the escape of the survivors of the shattered I Belgian Corps. Credited with ‘saving the Belgian nation’ by many, the 2nd Armored Division spent the Winter of Blood refitting, while its troops participated in artillery duels and patrol skirmishes with the similarly stationary Warsaw Pact armies. Shortly before the counteroffensive, Operation Rolling Fire, the 2nd Armored Division was transferred to IV Corps, arriving on NORTHAG’s southern flank. The division then participated in the liberation of Leipzig in the spring, before eventually finishing the war east of Dresden, having liberated several dozen Warsaw Pact POW facilities located there.


3rd Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was based in West Germany under VII Corps. It fought a running battle with the advancing Soviet armies throughout the first weeks of the war, running into severe difficulties when a surviving regiment of Soviet paratroopers began to launch major harassment operations in its rears; this, combined with the efforts of holding back numerous Soviet mechanised divisions, lead to huge casualties in terms of both men and equipment within the 3rd Infantry Division. In the winter, the division was re-designated as a ‘light’ infantry division due to the sheer number of tank and AFV losses. The 3rd Infantry Division spent the remainder of the war providing an airmobile rear-area security force to the US Army’s II Corps.


3rd Armored Division – The West Germany-stationed unit is one of the most highly-decorated in US Army service. First fighting as a backstop behind the destroyed 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the 3rd Armored Division participated in the Battle of the Fulda Gap between October 7th-October 10th, and although the battle was lost, it inflicted grievous losses on the Soviet 28th Combined Arms Army and slowed the effective link up of that army with the 8th GCAA on its southern flank and 1st GTA to the north. After refitting over winter, 3rd Armored Division continued to fight as part of V Corps, leading the formation back through the Fulda Gap and into East Germany. It eventually fought at Cottbus and, in the war’s waning days, crossed the Oder River using bridging equipment, and fought numerous skirmishes with Soviet forces and loyalist elements of the Polish Army.


4th Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was peacetime based at Fort Carson in Colorado, and deployed to West Germany as part of REFORGER operations, utilising prepositioned equipment stocks deployed within the country. It likewise fought during the Battle of the Fulda Gap alongside the 3rd Armored Division, suffering heavy casualties. A shortage of fuel supplies led to the encirclement of several of the division’s companies and even battalions, with an overall loss rate of 20% of the division’s soldiers. It reconstituted over the winter before transferring to II Corps and participating in the offensive drive towards the Oder River, bearing the brunt of the corps’ efforts to cross the Elbe in the middle of April. Finally, the division arrived outside Bad Muskau, on the Polish border. It was in the midst of preparing to initiate crossing operations on August 1st when it was ordered to stand down and cease hostilities against Warsaw Pact forces.


4th Armored Division – The division was stood up at Fort Knox in early January with two active brigades manned mostly by draftees, soldiers-in-training whose courses had been dramatically shortened, retired soldiers brought back into service, and a small number of active duty officers and NCOs reassigned from units destroyed in the field or from staff positions. As one of the first newly-raised units, there were doubts in the Pentagon over its capabilities; the division was well-equipped with M1A1s and M2s taken from storage sites in Arizona, but the soldiers had largely spent several years out of uniform, or were ill-trained recruits. Another brigade joined the division from the South Carolina Army National Guard, the 218th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. Shipping out to West Germany by sea, the division arrived on March 4th, falling under the command of X Corps in northern Germany. The division is credited with the early-April liberation of Lubeck, and later the crossing of the IGB slightly further south, eventually splitting off from X Corps and driving south to participate in the Battle of Berlin. Following the fall of the city, the 4th Armored Division was sent east under III Corps and pushed across the Oder River in late June. The division later participated in the drive to Poznan, and was preparing to move towards Warsaw at the cessation of hostilities.


5th Mechanized Infantry Division – The third division under the wartime command of the ‘counterattack corps’, the 5th Infantry Division was based at Fort Polk in Louisiana, with two of its own brigades and a third brigade of National Guardsmen, the 256th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. The latter formation struggled with emergency deployment orders under REFORGER war plans, but made it to Germany with the remainder of the 5th Infantry Division. The division came under a vicious air and artillery bombardment on the war’s first day as they broke their POMCUS sets out of storage warehouses in the pouring raid. The 256th Brigade suffered extremely heavy losses during its first engagements on the war’s second day, October 4th. However, the division as a whole performed well, fighting back numerous attempts to outflank I British Corps by the Soviet 3rd Shock Army and a Polish army corps. After falling back across the Weser in early October, the 5th Infantry continued in its role as part of III Corps, advancing through Warsaw Pact lines, and participating in a northwards ‘right hook’ operation that saw the encirclement of almost eighty thousand Polish and East German troops in late February as part of Operation Rolling Fire. The division provided a reserve force for the Battle of Berlin, and eventually ended the war to the north of the newly-raised 4th Armored Division.


6th Light Infantry Division – For the 6th Infantry Division, World War Three began with bombs falling on its bases at Fort Wainwright and Fort Richardson in Alaska. Soon, bitter engagements were fought at Anchorage’s airports and seaport with the landing of Soviet paratroopers and naval infantry. When the small scale of these landing efforts was realised, the commander of the division, Maj-Gen. Thomas Burton, was relieved, and his deputy, Brig.-Gen Allen Wright, took command, leading a spectacularly successful counterattack alongside the Alaska Scouts of the 207th Infantry Group, which saw the defeat of the brigade-sized Soviet landing force by September 9th, a mere five days after the landing effort had commenced. By mid-November, the Pentagon had regained its confidence and after sending two additional brigades of National Guardsmen to Alaska along with a regiment of Canadian reservists, the 6th Light Infantry Division found itself shipped to Korea, reinforced by the US Army Reserve’s 205th Infantry Brigade. With experience at Anchorage under its belt, the division fought well in Korea despite being a primarily light force, using trucks and HMWWVs for transport. It forced open the corridors through the North Korean mountains throughout December, and was outside of Pyongyang, with its divisional artillery batteries pummelling NKPA defences, at the time the PLA moved in and the North Korean government collapsed.


7th Light Infantry Division – Based on the West Coast at Fort Ord, California, the 7th Infantry Division’s members were surprised to find themselves bound for West Germany at the commencement of REFORGER. The decision was made for the 7th Infantry to head to Germany as part of XVIII Airborne Corps. Arriving a mere few days before the outbreak of fighting, the 7th Infantry Division struggled to maintain its capabilities in the high-intensity battlefields of West Germany due to its light nature. It found success, however, in clearing out pockets of Soviet paratroopers who had landed behind Allied lines, also serving to protect the flanks of the corps’ 24th Mechanized Infantry Division. Eventually, the 7th Infantry Division transferred to V Corps and participated in the corps’ eastwards drive as an airmobile force, clearing out dozens of towns and cities of scattered East German and Soviet resistance, finishing its war on the western bank of the Oder River.


8th Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was stationed in West Germany pre-war, part of V Corps. Heavy casualties were incurred during the division’s series of tactical counterattacks against the 8th GCAA during the battles which ran north of the Fulda Gap and into the hills to the west. At one point, a pair of mechanised rifle divisions performed an outstanding pincer movement to outflank the 8th Infantry Division. The 2nd Brigade was effectively cut off, along with elements of the 3rd Brigade, on October 8th. However, the 3rd Brigade was able to pull itself out of its grave with the help of the 1st Brigade, although the 2nd Brigade was left to its fate and destroyed in detail. The 8th Infantry Division then fell back to aid in the defence of Stuttgart, assisting the 3rd Armored Division in preventing the Soviet forces from breaking into the city. During the winter stalemate, the 8th Infantry made one of NATO’s few offensive moves, with aggressive, battalion-sized patrols successfully forcing back the advance element of an East German regiment. In February, the division participated in Operation Rolling Fire, driving the Soviets across the IGB in conjunction with the rest of V Corps. The division was moved away from its corps command, fighting alongside II Corps, pushing along the Czechoslovak Border.


9th Motorized Infantry Division – The motorized division, equipped with Stryker fighting vehicles and armed HMWWVs as well as a smaller number of Griffin light tanks and M1A2s, was deployed to Jutland as part of the region’s multinational corps. The mixed division was quickly forced to withdraw into Lubeck under the weight of a massive Soviet and East German attack. Pocketed on October 6th, the division commander continued to resist for another ten days, before the white flag was raised on October 16th. After its surrender, the division was reconstituted at Fort Lewis, but the newly-raised 9th Infantry Division did see action.


10th Mountain Division – A light infantry division based in New York, the 10th Mountain Division was deployed to European Turkey as part of REFORGER. The division fought outstandingly alongside the ACE Mobile Force and the Turkish Land Forces. While Soviet airborne and naval infantry units landed on the coast forced their way into the 10th Mountain Division’s rear, the American formation fought along Highway 87 outside Derekoy, delaying Bulgarian mechanised formations for several days. However, despite a valiant effort, the 10th Mountain Division was surrounded at Derekoy, with Bulgarian infantry to the north and Soviet paratroopers to the south. After four days of fighting, the acting commander of the infantry division, Brig.-Gen Taylor Masters, offered his surrender after destroying his radio equipment and burning the colours. The division was reconstituted post-war as a trained mountain and arctic warfare unit equipped with the correct equipment.


11th Armored Division – Formed at Fort Bliss, Texas, throughout the first three months of the war, the 11th Armored Division trained its own personnel. Similarly to the 4th Armored Division, its personnel were from various places; reservists unassigned to existing units, veterans, staff officers, recruits, and draftees. It deployed to West Germany in April, joining VII Corps in the southernmost prong of the Allied advance into Czechoslovakia. The 11th Armored Division had the distinction of ending the war as the easternmost NATO unit in continental Europe, taking the surrender of the Czechoslovak garrison at Presov after a bitter fight across the country.


17th Airborne Division – The division was formed at Fort Ord, California, from staff officers & NCOs and new recruits from airborne school at Fort Bragg. The division was declared functional in late March. The new division was used to conduct the largest parachute jump of the war, occurring on 29th June, in which the paratroopers followed the 1st Marine Division into occupied Thrace, landing at Istanbul and splitting the Soviet contingent occupying the territory into two parts. The 17th Airborne Division spent the next two weeks fighting the harried Soviet and Bulgarian occupation forces before a surrender was accepted on July 16th.


23rd Mechanized Infantry Division – Another inactive formation, the 23rd Infantry was stood up at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, a month into the war. It was the first newly-raised division to ship off to Europe, joining III Corps in West Germany on Christmas Day. The division rode eastwards with III Corps, seeing heavy fighting to the west of Berlin, and at Magdeburg. It fought in the Battle of Berlin, and was the first Allied unit to reach the former grounds of the American garrison in West Berlin, which had been overrun during the first week of fighting. At the end of the fighting in Berlin, the 23rd Infantry went on to cross the border with Poland, following the 1st Cavalry Division to the outskirts of Poznan. During the last days of the war, the 23rd Infantry Division accepted the surrender of over thirty thousand Soviet troops and a further forty thousand East German soldiers, now nationless and attempting to flee the remnants of their occupied former country.


24th Mechanized Infantry Division – As part of XVIII Airborne Corps, the division was one of the last units to deploy as part of REFORGER, but nonetheless it participated in the war on the second day of fighting as the XVIII Corps moved to backstop VII Corps. As VII Corps suffered heavy casualties south of Fulda, the 24th Infantry rapidly dug in and fought a ferocious battle against Soviet armour, buying time for the 101st Airborne Division to evacuate from its precarious mountain defensive line further south. Later on, the 24th Infantry Division would keep pressure on Soviet forces during the winter stalemate, and then participate in the eastwards advance into Czechoslovakia alongside VII Corps and rest of XVIII Corps. On April 21st, the 24th Infantry linked up with paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne who had landed at sites on the outskirts of Prague several days earlier, before pushing towards Slovakia and then northwards towards Poland, ending the war on what is now the Czech-Slovak border as a highly decorated but blooded unit.


25th Light Infantry Division – This division, based in Hawaii, saw heavy fighting in Korea. Its deployment effort began in early October, with fighting taking place later in the month. Using trucks and helicopters to manoeuvre across the mountainous terrain, the 25th Infantry was partially responsible for relieving the beleaguered ROKA 9th Infantry Division. It crossed the DMZ under the US Army’s I Corps, initially in the rear. Later on, it was used to seize several road junctions through the Korean mountains, as well as for guarding POWs.


26th Infantry Division – This multirole National Guard division from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont, was one of the last Army National Guard elements to go to Europe; it eventually fell under the command of the II Corps, uniquely participating in fighting both in East Germany and, on a few occasions, on the southern side of the Czechoslovak border. The division also received the Presidential Unit Citation for overrunning a POW camp south of Chemnitz in mid-June, preventing the execution of several thousand Allied prisoners. Its war came to an unglamorous end as an occupying force in Dresden.


28th Infantry Division – Another mostly light National Guard Division, the 28th Infantry served under IV Corps, the National Guard’s first corps deployment to Europe following REFORGER. It participated in numerous offensives towards the end of the war, including one that saw the capture of the abandoned Soviet command centre at Legnica in southern Poland on July 27th, where the 28th Infantry Division stood down and ended its wartime deployment.


27th Light Infantry Division – A new unit formed from draftees, this division arrived in Germany under IV Corps in July, seeing minor action before the ceasefire.


29th Light Infantry Division – From Virginia and Maryland, the 29th Infantry Division initially deployed to Europe as a rear-area security force, but found itself replacing the 7th Light Infantry Division as part of XVIII Airborne Corps right before the initiation of Operation Rolling Fire. Used as a truck-borne ‘motorized’ formation, the 29th Infantry Division brought up the rear of the corps, fending off numerous ambushes in the rear before conducting a full-scale assault on Pilsen in early May, for which the division received numerous citations after fighting against Czechoslovak armour with only light anti-tank weapons and helicopters. Furthermore, the 29th Infantry Division was responsible in part for the capture of Prague, assaulting the city from the east after the 82nd Airborne Division moved in to encircle it.


30th Armored Division – Formed during wartime from various National Guard and USAR separate elements including the North Carolina ARNG brigade of the same number, the 30th Armored Division would participate in VIII Corps’ battles in central Germany for the last two months of the war, including the Battle of Brandenburg (a comparatively minor action overshadowed by the Battle of Berlin, although veterans of the 30th Armored Division would disagree) and ending the war in eastern Poland after crossing the border and collecting up prisoners.


35th Mechanized Infantry Division – As a capable National Guard ‘heavy’ division, the 35th fell under the command of VI Corps, which was sent to Europe following REFORGER but before the arrival of the newly-activated divisions. Before the counteroffensive, it transferred to X Corps, and fought in the campaign to liberate northern Germany and eventually portions of Poland, notably liberating Szczecin towards the end of the fighting.


38th Mechanized Infantry Division – The National Guard unit suffered a grave loss while deploying to Europe, in which a Boeing-747 flown by American Airlines and under the control of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, was shot down by a roving Su-27, killing all five hundred soldiers on board. The division then proceeded to fight with a vengeance upon the initiation of Operation Rolling Fire, driving eastwards first as part of X Corps and then under the command of III Corps during the final days of the war. Most significantly, it took the surrender of some twenty thousand encircled Soviet troops at Frankfurt-Der-Oder (not to be confused with Frankfurt) on the Polish border. It would have followed the 1st Cavalry Division over the Oder, had orders not come for the division to stand down rather than continue its advance past the beginning of August.


40th Mechanized Infantry Division – As a unit from California, the 40th Infantry Division ended up not in Europe but in the Republic of Korea, arriving in late November, in time to participate in offensive operations and cross the DMZ firstly under I Corps and then under the command of the ROKA’s Capitol Corps. It served with distinction and saw moderate action throughout the offensive operation, ending the war east and south of Pyongyang and eventually, like its active-duty cousins in the 2nd Infantry Division, shaking hands with the advancing PLA elements.


42nd Mechanized Infantry Division – From New York, this National Guard division fought with similar tenacity to its active-duty cousins. It was commanded by IV Corps and served alongside other divisions pushing through southern Germany and into southern Poland, losing an unofficial ‘race’ to Legnica to the 28th Infantry Division despite its mechanised nature, largely due to the deployment of numerous booby traps, minefields, and ambushes employed by the remaining defenders along the highway route used by the 42nd Infantry Division. The war for the division would come to an end south of Legnica, occupying the major highway and railway connections to the northern part of the war-torn Polish nation.


47th Light Infantry Division – Following the failed Soviet attempt to seize Anchorage at the onset of the war, the National Guard division was flown to Alaska to replace the active-duty 6th Infantry Division. It spent the remainder of the war there, hunting down Spetsnaz and downed Soviet airmen, while the Illinois-based 66th Infantry Brigade saw combat during the final days of the Korean War.


49th Armored Division – As the National Guard’s premiere division, the Lone Star Division, as it was called, had a lot to live up to. It proved its worth excellently as part of IV Corps and then as part of II Corps, fighting all the way from Fulda through to Chemnitz and ultimately all the way to Wroclaw, despite the valiant efforts of the Warsaw Pact armies to stop the Texan tanks. Wroclaw, a city in southern Poland, was where the war would end for the 49th Armored Division before it commenced its occupation duties.


50th Armored Division – As a part first of VII Corps, then of XVIII Corps, then of II Corps, the New Jersey-based armoured division had a somewhat chequered history, being initially slow to deploy despite the outbreak of war. The divisional commander was relied of his command after the first hours of Operation Rolling Fire due to his hesitance to use his troops as quickly as they could be used. However, the next divisional commander Maj.-Gen Harry Kingston, was much more confident, and successfully brought his division into Czechoslovakia before he was ordered north, overtaking the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division and crossing into southern Poland during the last week of fighting.

61st Light Infantry Division – The division was stood up at Fort Ord in June, and saw no combat during the war.



67th Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was stood up at Fort Benning in early July, and saw no combat during the war.



82nd Airborne Division – As one of the US Army’s most prestigious divisions, the 82nd Airborne went to Europe by air as REFORGER finished and the Soviet attack began. The division proved capable even if light, moving by truck and helicopter and using its assigned light tanks effectively in the mountains of southern Germany. The 82nd fought at Nuremberg, reinforcing the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division from the west, before withdrawing by helicopter when it became clear the position was no longer tenable. Throughout the stalemate, the division replenished its casualties and actually withdrew from Germany, reconstituting in France before re-joining XVIII Corps in the form of a parachute drop onto various areas outside of Prague to prevent Warsaw Pact forces from escaping the city before the remainder of the corps moved in. It then fought within Prague, and ultimately ended the war in Brno.


83rd Mechanized Infantry Division – Formed from draftees and recruits as well as some active duty officers and NCOs, the 83rd Infantry was present during the Battle of Chemnitz following its arrival in late April and subsequent three months of combat. Though it was a late arrival at the front, the division earned numerous distinctions for its actions at Chemnitz and later at the Oder River, where it broke through one of the last remaining Soviet divisions in Germany and secured a crossing over the river after several days of heavy fighting.


91st Mechanized Infantry Division – The division was stood up at Fort Bliss in May, and deployed to European Turkey, catching the last days of the fighting in Thrace, serving with distinction albeit for a very short amount of time, during the last week of fighting in that region. Of note was the death of the divisional commander, Maj.-Gen Edward Reese, at the hands of a Soviet sniper.


101st Air Assault Division – From Fort Campbell in Kentucky, the division likewise went to Europe as part of REFORGER. From the get-go, the 101st fought as an airmobile ‘fire brigade’ remaining away from the frontlines and moving rapidly by air to reinforce collapsing units and fill the gaps in NATO lines, spending the first weeks of the war hopping between various zones of battle. Upon the commencement of Operation Rolling Fire, the 101st moved with the remainder of XVIII Corps into Czechoslovakia and participated in the Battle of Prague before following the 82nd Airborne Division southwards towards Brno, liberating several POW camps, and eventually linking up with the paratroopers west of the city just before the ceasefire occurred.

That works! Good stuff.

[James G]

To complement the earlier post up the page with American ground forces, here is the Soviet counter-part: this list doesn't include extensive Soviet-allied forces.


1ST GUARDS MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation based in the Baltic Military District.
1 GMRD shipped to Cuba during June-July 1984 to be held ready for transfer to Mexico; division arrived in Mexico during September.
Entering combat in October ‘84, 1 GMRD reinforced Cubans & Nicaraguans in securing Phoenix (and its many air facilities) before advancing northeast with Las Vegas as divisional goal: brought to a halt still in Arizona near Kingman in battles with American forces.
1 GMRD was the lead unit of the Eleventh Guards Army to see action and spent ‘85 fighting on the western side of Arizona; US Army’s Spring Offensive saw the division forced into a retreat back to near Phoenix.
Fought against the American’s Arizona Offensive in ’86 with the destruction of the 1 GMRD in June occurring near to Tucson.

1ST TANK DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Baltic Military District.
1 TD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Eleventh Guards Army forming in Arizona ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Fought in the northern portion of Arizona during ‘85 and forced into retreat by the American’s Spring Offensive which liberated Flagstaff and pushed the 1 TD all the way back to near Phoenix.
1 TD covered the Eleventh Guards Army’s retreat back into Mexico during ’86 and was continuing to engage American forces in the Altar Desert at the end of hostilities in July; division left Mexico for Cuba in September.

4TH GUARDS TANK DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Moscow Military District.
4 GTD shipped to North America in early 1985 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Central Front HQ ready for combat operations in mid-‘85.
Engaged in combat operations against the American’s Spring Offensive coming out of Kansas into Oklahoma, the 4 GTD withdrew back to Texas via the Red River; divisional command staff removed and court martialled for ‘independent actions’ and ‘cowardice’ due to the 4 GTD having seen little of the enemy and regarded as having run away.
4 GTD assigned to the newly-arrived Sixth Guards Tank Army to fight in North Texas and forced to withdraw in the face of the US Army’s Texas Offensive in ’86; division retreated across Texas all the way to the Rio Grande and back into Mexico before the end of hostilities in July with a departure from Mexico in September.

6TH GUARDS TANK DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Belarus Military District.
6 GTD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Twenty–Eighth Army formed in Colorado ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Fought in Eastern Colorado and on the edges of Kansas & Nebraska too with the 6 GTD forced back into Southern Colorado during the American’s Spring Offensive.
6 GTD defeated and destroyed in Southern Colorado during the US Army’s New Mexico Offensive in ’86.

7TH GUARDS AIRBORNE DIVISION
Category A three-regiment formation based in the Baltic Military District.
7 GAD flown to Cuba during July 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; division conducted combat drops into South Florida on Day #1.
Homestead AFB and Miami Airport both taken by 7 GAD paratroopers with airlift bringing in much of division to follow; division fought alongside Cubans inside Florida through late-’84 to reach West Palm Beach before being stopped.
7 GAD defeated and destroyed outside Miami during Christmas ’84 with subsequent divisional disbandment.

9TH MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the North Caucasus Military District.
9 MRD shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Sixth Guards Tank Army which replaced the defeated Eighth Tank Army.
Fought against the US Army’s Texas Offensive coming over the Red River from Oklahoma in ‘86 with the 9 MRD forced into a retreat all the way down to South Texas by the end of hostilities in July; division crossed into Mexico in August and departed for Cuba in September.

10TH GUARDS TANK DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation deployed in East Germany.
10 GTD shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Twentieth Guards Army which replaced the destroyed Nicaraguan First Army.
Fought in North-West Texas during ’86 against the American’s Texas Offensive with the 10 GTD defeated and destroyed near to Amarillo in May.

17TH GUARDS TANK DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Kiev Military District.
17 GTD shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Sixth Guards Tank Army which replaced the defeated Eighth Tank Army.
Fought against the US Army’s Texas Offensive coming over the Red River from Oklahoma in ‘86 with the 17 GTD destroyed in combat in North Texas in May.

20TH GUARDS MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation deployed in East Germany.
20 GMRD shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Twentieth Guards Army which replaced the destroyed Nicaraguan First Army.
Fought in North-West Texas during ’86 against the American’s Texas Offensive and forced to retreat all the way back to the Rio Grande and over into Mexico by July and the end of hostilities; 20 GMRD departed Mexico for Cuba in August.

22ND MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Far East Military District.
22 MRD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Pacific to join the Seventeenth Army forming in Alaska ready for combat operations at the beginning of 1985.
Moved to the frontlines on the Alaska-Canada border, the 22 MRD spent 1985 engaged in combat against British & Canadian forces over in Yukon; many battles fought with no war-changing outcomes.
22 MRD spent ’86 on the Canadian border fighting with Allied forces until the end of hostilities in July; division departed Alaska and returned to the Soviet Union through August ’86.

23RD TANK DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Carpathian Military District.
23 TD shipped to North America via Atlantic convoys out of the Med. (protected by Azores, Bermuda & Iceland air cover) to reach South Texas in October 1984; division took longer than anticipated to form up in Texas and move through the occupied state.
First action seen in November in Southern Kansas and near the Missouri state line with the 23 TD engaging American armour and unable to make headway; division was the first major combat unit of the newly-arriving Eighth Tank Army that fought in Kansas in ‘85.
23 TD fought with the Eighth Tank Army to its doom during the American’s Spring Offensive in Southern Kansas with survivors chased into Oklahoma and then defeated in detail outside of Tulsa. Disbanded after destruction, the 23 TD was no more after June ‘85.

24TH MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation based in the Carpathian Military District.
24 MRD shipped to Cuba during June-July 1984 to be held ready for transfer to Texas; division entered Texas via captured ports during September.
With use of Brownsville & Corpus Christi to make entry, 24 MRD began advance up the Gulf Coast and engaged US forces near Houston in October before entering Louisiana; division brought to a halt on the Mississippi River between Natchez & Vicksburg in November ‘84.
24 MRD transferred up from Louisiana at the beginning of ’85 to join with the Eighth Tank Army in time to face the American’s Spring Offensive in Southern Kansas; retreat staged back into Oklahoma and almost caught in a trap between Altus & Lawton yet escape staged over the Red River into Texas.
Due to severe losses in battle and retreat, 24 MRD downsized to the 52nd Motor Rifle Brigade in December ’85.

25TH TANK DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation deployed in East Germany.
25 TD shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Twentieth Guards Army which replaced the destroyed Nicaraguan First Army.
Fought in North-West Texas during ’86 against the American’s Texas Offensive and destroyed while retreating towards Lubbock in June.

31ST GUARDS AIRBORNE DIVISION
Wartime-formed provisional unit; 31 GAD created from the combined 38th Guards Air Assault Brigade and 345th Guards Airborne Regiment – plus East German paratroopers too – in December 1985.
31 GAD fought to secure the link between the Western and Northern Fronts during ’86 along the Arizona and New Mexico state lines yet the division was instead effectively taken from behind during the American’s New Mexico Offensive with the US Army coming down from Colorado; division trapped and destroyed in the Lordsburg-Silver City area of New Mexico in June ’86.

31ST TANK DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation deployed in Czechoslovakia.
31 TD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Eighth Tank Army formed in Kansas ready for combat operations at the beginning of 1985.
Fought with the Eighth Tank Army in Southern Kansas in ’85 against the American’s Spring Offensive with the 31 TD blasted to ruin ahead of a withdrawal into the Oklahoma Panhandle.
31 TD was disbanded after its destruction in May ‘85.

33RD MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Far East Military District.
33 MRD shipped to North America via Pacific convoys out of the Med. (protected by air cover from Alaska) to reach the Cook Inlet in late-September 1984; division lost equipment aboard ships sunk by American submarines on the way.
Part of the division saw action upon initial entry into the Anchorage area to support the embattled 13 AAB; 33 MRD spent the rest of 1984 securing the rest of Southern Alaska and forcing the last of the Americans back over the border into Canada.
33 MRD was on the frontlines along the Alaska-Canada border and spent ‘85 engaged in combat against American forces over in Yukon; many battles fought with no war-changing outcomes.
Fought against American attempts to break back into Alaska during mid-’86 with engagements continuing until the end of hostilities in July; division departed Alaska and returned to the Soviet Union through August ’86.

35TH MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation deployed in East Germany.
35 MRD shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Twentieth Guards Army which replaced the destroyed Nicaraguan First Army.
Fought in North-West Texas during ’86 against the American’s Texas Offensive and forced to retreat all the way back into West Texas yet the 35 MRD still fighting come the end of hostilities in July; division crossed into Mexico in August and departed for Cuba in September.

42ND GUARDS TANK DIVISION
Category C four-regiment formation based in the Kiev Military District.
42 GTD shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Sixth Guards Tank Army which replaced the defeated Eighth Tank Army.
Fought against the US Army’s Texas Offensive coming over the Red River from Oklahoma in ‘86 with the 42 GTD retreating across Texas yet caught and destroyed in combat near Austin in June.

45TH GUARDS MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Leningrad Military District.
45 GMRD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Eleventh Guards Army forming in Arizona ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Transferred to the control of the Cuban Second Army ahead of any action in Arizona, the 45 GMRD fought in Southern California during ’85 and was unable to achieve victory in the Mojave Desert resulting in a withdrawal being made after the Battle of Barstow; division reverted to Eleventh Guards Army control at the end of the year and returned to Arizona.
45 GMRD caught in an encirclement near to Yuma in the face of the US Army’s Arizona Offensive during ’86 and pounded into submission with an unauthorised surrender occurring in June.

50TH GUARDS MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category C four-regiment formation based in the Belarus Military District.
50 GMRD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Twenty–Eighth Army formed in Colorado ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Fought in Eastern Colorado and on the edges of Kansas & Nebraska too with the 50 GMRD forced back into Southern Colorado during the American’s Spring Offensive.
50 GMRD defeated and destroyed in Southern Colorado during the US Army’s New Mexico Offensive in June ’86.

54TH MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B three-regiment formation based in the Leningrad Military District.
54 MRD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic to join the American TVD Headquarters in Texas ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Broken up and used for security tasks across Texas to protect vital infrastructure against enemy commando action; many 54 MRD sub-units urgently tasked to stop the Red River being bounced by the US Army’s ’85 Spring Offensive with success achieved yet heavy losses taken in victory.
54 MRD disbanded in October ’85 rather than being downsized to a brigade as initially planned.

55TH NAVAL INFANTRY DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation based in the Far East Military District.
55 NID boarded ships in September 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; division conducted landings into Alaska on Day #1.
Seizing key Aleutian Islands plus the Aleutian Peninsula and Kodiak Island, 55 NID moved from initial objectives onto secondary ones through October; division secured the coastal regions of Southern Alaska throughout late-’84.
55 NID spent ‘85 undertaking security duties across Southern Alaska with combat against American special forces and guerrillas throughout the year.
At the end of hostilities in July ’86, the 55 NID was undertaking further security tasks in Southern Alaska; division departed Alaska and returned to the Soviet Union through August ’86.

59TH GUARDS MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Odessa Military District.
59 GMRD shipped to Cuba in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Caribbean TVD Headquarters in the Caribbean ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Minus its tank regiment (sent to Louisiana), the 59 GMRD deployed to the Dominican Republic and Haiti in early ’85 following the pro-Cuban revolutions in both nations; division fought against counter-revolutionaries on Hispaniola throughout the rest of ’85.
59 GMRD engaged US Marines assaulting the Dominican Republic starting April ’86 but was forced to a withdrawal with near total destruction of the division by the end of hostilities; divisional remnants departed Hispaniola in during July.

75TH GUARDS TANK DIVISION
Category C four-regiment formation based in the Kiev Military District.
75 GTD shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Sixth Guards Tank Army which replaced the defeated Eighth Tank Army.
Fought against the US Army’s Texas Offensive coming over the Red River from Oklahoma in ‘86 with the 75 GTD forced into a retreat all the way down to South Texas by the end of hostilities in July; division crossed into Mexico in August and departed for Cuba in September.

76TH GUARDS AIRBORNE DIVISION
Category A three-regiment formation based in the Moscow Military District.
76 GAD flown to Guatemala during July 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; division conducted combat drops into New Mexico on Day #1.
Holloman AFB & Kirtland AFB & Roswell Airport taken by 76 GAD with paratroopers followed by divisional airlift to aid Nicaraguans in overrunning New Mexico throughout September; division fought in North-West Texas & Western Kansas during late-’84 with helicopter operations including the defeat of the Hays Airport mission.
76 GAD transferred to the Twenty–Eighth Army at the beginning of ’85 and engaged American forces driving south to lift the Siege of Denver; division failed to stop the US Army’s Spring Offensive from reaching Colorado Springs.
Forced into a retreat out of Colorado and into New Mexico during ’86 with the 76 GAD pushed south to near to El Paso by the end of hostilities in July; division crossed into Mexico in August and departed for Cuba in September.

81ST GUARDS MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Far East Military District.
81 GMRD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Pacific to join the Seventeenth Army formed in Alaska ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Moved to the frontlines on the Alaska-Canada border, the 81 GMRD spent ‘85 engaged in combat against American & Canadian forces over in Yukon; many battles fought with no war-changing outcomes.
81 GMRD spent ’86 on the Canadian border fighting with Allied forces until the end of hostilities in July; division departed Alaska and returned to the Soviet Union through August ’86.

98TH GUARDS AIRBORNE DIVISION
Category A three-regiment formation based in the Odessa Military District.
98 GAD flown to Cuba during August 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; division conducted combat drops into South Texas on Day #1.
Kelly AFB & Lackland AFB & Randolph AFB & San Antonio Airport seized by 98 GAD with paratroopers joined by divisional airlift to hold San Antonio open for arriving Cuban armour; division conducted air assault operations in Oklahoma in November and then Kansas too supporting Cuban tanks reaching their high-water mark.
98 GAD inside Oklahoma with the Nicaraguan Third Army, behind the Eighth Tank Army up in Kansas, when the American’s Spring Offensive in ’85 tore southwards shredding both field armies; division’s paratroopers & light armour ordered to defend the Interstate-35 between Oklahoma City and the Red River to deny it to the enemy and defeated in the failed attempt.
Following the complete destruction of the 98 GAD, it was disbanded in August ’85.

106TH GUARDS AIRBORNE DIVISION
Category A three-regiment formation based in the Moscow Military District.
106 GAD transferred to the Soviet Far East during August 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; division conducted combat drops into Alaska on Day #1.
Eielson AFB & Fairbanks Airport successfully captured by the 106 GAD but the mission to take Ladd Army Airfield at Fort Wainwright was a bloody failure allowing for US Army forces to withdraw away from Fairbanks; division engaged withdrawing Americans back eastwards and reached the Canadian border by late-’84.
106 GAD spent ‘85 undertaking security duties across Central Alaska with combat against American special forces and guerrillas throughout the year.
At the end of hostilities in July ’86, the 106 GAD was undertaking further security tasks in Southern Alaska; division departed Alaska and returned to the Soviet Union through August & early-September ’86.

107TH MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Baltic Military District.
107 MRD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Eleventh Guards Army forming in Arizona ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Fought in the northern portion of Arizona during ‘85 and forced into retreat by the American’s Spring Offensive which liberated Flagstaff and pushed the 107 MRD all the way back to near Phoenix.
107 MRD withdrew into Phoenix in the face of the US Army’s Arizona Offensive during ’86 and was cut off there; divisional remnants still holding out come the end of hostilities in July yet order broke down and mass munity occurred leading to no satisfiable organised post-ceasefire situation with the 107 MRD.

120TH GUARDS MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category A four-regiment formation based in the Belarus Military District.
120 GMRD shipped to Cuba during June-July 1984 to be held ready for transfer to Texas; division entered Texas via captured ports during September.
With use of Brownsville & Corpus Christi to make entry, 120 GMRD transferred across Texas and then New Mexico throughout October (interfering with Cuban supply lines) before seeing action in Colorado in November; division joined Nicaraguans in isolating American paratroopers inside Denver and advanced up the Interstate-25 nearly all the way to Fort Collins before being stopped in December ‘85.
120 GMRD was the lead unit of the Twenty–Eighth Army to see action and spent ‘85 fighting in Colorado against a successful American drive to push them back to Denver and then past it (lifting the siege of that city in June) all the way back to Colorado Springs.
Forced into a retreat out of Colorado and into New Mexico during ’86 with the 120 GMRD pushed south to near to El Paso by the end of hostilities in July; division crossed into Mexico in late-July and departed for Cuba in August.

128TH GUARDS MOTOR RIFLE DIVISION
Category B four-regiment formation based in the Carpathian Military District.
128 GMRD shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Eighth Tank Army formed in Kansas ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Fought with the Eighth Tank Army in Southern Kansas in ’85 against the American’s Spring Offensive with the 128 GMRD caught out by the destruction of much of the Cuban First Army across in Missouri and forced into a retreat to escape certain encirclement; division escaped continuing American advance into Oklahoma (leaving the 23 TD behind) to reach Texas.
Due to severe losses in battle and retreat, 128 GMRD downsized to the 15th Motor Rifle Brigade in November ’85.



4th Spetsnaz Brigade
Category A formation based in the Baltic Military District.
4 SB deployed to Texas in early 1985 to undertake rear-area security tasks against enemy commandos with expansion of those operations throughout Arkansas, Louisiana & Oklahoma too.
Fell back all the way to the Rio Grande in South Texas during ‘86, securing the retreat for Soviet forces with the 4 SB taking major losses on the way; brigade departed Texas with its men the last out in early-September.

5th Spetsnaz Brigade
Category A formation based in the Belarus Military District.
5 SB flown to Mexico in August 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; brigade conducted multiple raids & seizure operations throughout Arizona & California beginning Day #1.
Commando missions along the California coastline and at Yuma met most success though other Arizona operations saw the 5 SB left in a perilous way; eventual losses mounted to an unsustainable level and brigade was disbanded on New Year’s Eve with remaining personnel transferred elsewhere.

7th Motor Rifle Brigade
Category A formation based in Cuba in decades-long assignment.
7 MRB shipped to Mexico in August 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; brigade forced border crossing via Acuna-to-Del Rio on Day #1 and moved north.
Operating on the right flank of Cuban forces coming over the Rio Grande, the 7 MRB engaged American forces across Texas throughout September and crossed the Red River into Oklahoma in October; brigade fought outside Wichita in Kansas in late-’84 and was unable to overcome American dug-in defences.
7 MRB with the Eighth Tank Army in Kansas in ’85 and was held in place by American national guardsmen near Wichita when the US Army’s Spring Offensive raced southwards; brigade trapped where it was and pounded into submission.
Brigade’s acting commander surrendered the 7 MRB to the enemy without higher orders.

8th Spetsnaz Brigade
Category A formation based in the Carpathian Military District.
8 SB flown to North America in early 1985 to replace the mission of the 5th Spetsnaz Brigade in Arizona & California; operations throughout the year in both states with the brigade involved in trying to limit the American’s Spring Offensive.
Fought to counter the US Army’s Arizona Offensive in ’86 with the 8 SB fighting in both Mexico and Southern California by the end of hostilities in July; brigade departed from California via Mexico to transfer to Cuba during August ’86.

9th Spetsnaz Brigade
Category A formation based in the Kiev Military District.
9 SB flown to Cuba in July 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; brigade conducted multiple raids & seizure operations throughout New Mexico & Texas beginning Day #1.
Stunning successes achieved against unprepared American forces from the Rio Grande to the Gulf of Mexico due to mass infiltration with the 9 SB only failing in a very instances to open the way forward for ground forces; brigade operations continued throughout the rest of ’84 behind the lines of resistance as those were pushed northwards all the way onto the Great Plains.
9 SB in Kansas during ’85 in the way of the American’s Spring Offensive and failed to halt the tide of the advance; detachments made their way south through the Summer all the way down into Texas to re-join with the 9 SB which refocused on manning the frontlines directly along the Red River come the end of ’85.
Defeated and destroyed holding the frontlines along the Red River during ’86, the American’s Texas Offensive ended the war for the 9 SB.

13th Air Assault Brigade
Category A formation based in the Far East Military District.
13 AAB held ready to take part in invasion directly; brigade conducted assault into Alaska on Day #1.
Anchorage Airport taken and fighting within city, yet the 13 AAB was unable to force an American withdrawal from their Elmendorf AFB & Fort Richardson bases on the edge of Anchorage; brigade was at near collapse before sea-lift into the Cook Inlet of reinforcements leading to general US defeat around Anchorage at the end of September.
13 AAB was disbanded in November in the midst of security duties in Anchorage and Southern Alaska with men transferred to Seventeenth Army security units.

15th Motor Rifle Brigade
Wartime-formed provisional unit; 15 MRB created from the defeated 128th Guards Motor Rifle Division in December 1985.
52 MRB assigned to the newly-arrived Sixth Guards Tank Army and fought against American forces coming over the Red River as part of their Texas Offensive in ’86; brigade pushed into the Dallas-Fort Worth area and encircled with unauthorised surrender occurring in June.

16th Spetsnaz Brigade
Category A formation based in the Moscow Military District.
16 SB flown to Cuba in June 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; brigade conducted multiple raids & seizure operations throughout Texas beginning Day #1.
Deployed deep ahead of the invasion forces overrunning Texas, 16 SB suffered grave losses in the east and north; brigade tied down many opposing forces during its many missions and allowed for the war to move out into Louisiana and Oklahoma.
16 SB successfully pulled out of Arkansas & Louisiana during ’85 as the Cubans on the frontlines of war either were overrun to destruction or withdrew back into Texas.
Fought throughout ’86 against the American’s Texas Offensive with the 16 SB being destroyed and only a few survivors organised as defensive units in South Texas at the end of hostilities in July; brigade remnants withdrew from Texas back into Mexico in August.

17th Naval Spetsnaz Brigade
Category A formation based with the Black Sea Fleet.
17 SB flown to Grenada in July 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; brigade conducted multiple raids & seizure operations throughout the Caribbean beginning Day #1.
Action seen in the Virgin Islands (British & US possessions) as well as Puerto Rico in early September including holding open entry points for the Cuban invasion of that island in late-September; 17 SB remained in the Caribbean during late-’84 with detachments involved in completing the Panama Canal mission.
17 SB joined with Cuban marines and Soviet Naval Infantry in fighting through the Bahamas in ’85 where eventual defeat was met and the brigade took significant losses leading to near-disbandment.
Scaled down, the Naval Spetsnaz were involved in the fighting in the Dominican Republic and also Puerto Rico when US Marines arrived starting in April ’86; 17 SB almost completely destroyed as a fighting force with the few survivors organised as defenders of San Domingo when hostilities ended in July.

23rd Air Assault Brigade
Category A formation based in the Kiev Military District.
23 AAB flown into Cuban-held captured airheads in Southern California in December 1984 and joined the Cuban Second Army ready for combat operations at the beginning of ’85.
Joined the unsuccessful operation to take the San Fernando Valley alongside the Cubans coming north from Los Angeles with the 23 AAB forced to retreat westwards into the Simi Valley and trapped there; brigade broke the siege and escaped southwards through the Santa Monica Mountains to reach the sea in May before being evacuated back to San Diego.
23 AAB held the frontlines in Southern California during ’86 alongside Cuban forces with fighting still underway come July and the end of hostilities; brigade flown out of California during August ’86 to Nicaragua.

24th Spetsnaz Brigade
Category A formation based in the Transbaikal Military District.
24 SB held ready ahead of war for transfer to North America; brigade conducted multiple raids & seizure operations throughout Alaska beginning Day #1.
Counter-SF and anti-guerrilla operations across Alaska undertaken by the 24 SB throughout ’85 in addition to raiding missions forward over into Canada too.
24 SB continued to undertake security tasks across Alaska throughout ’86 up until the end of hostilities in July; brigade departed from Alaska at the beginning of September being the last men out.

27th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade
Category A formation based in the Moscow Military District.
27 GMRB shipped to North America in late-1984 via the Med. and the North Atlantic to join the Twenty–Eighth Army formed in Colorado ready for combat operations at the beginning of 1985.
Fought in Eastern Colorado and on the edges of Nebraska too with the 27 GMRB forced back into Southern Colorado during the American’s Spring Offensive.
27 GMRB defeated and destroyed in Southern Colorado during the US Army’s New Mexico Offensive in ’86.

37th Air Assault Brigade
Category A formation based in the Baltic Military District.
37 AAB deployed to Louisiana in early-1985 under the command of the Cuban Third Army for operations against American forces holding the Mississippi Line; brigade forced into retreat in the face of the US Army’s Spring Offensive during ’85 and back into Texas.
Forced into encirclement in the Galveston Bay area during the US Army’s Texas Offensive, the 37 AAB held out until the very end of hostilities in July ’86; brigade shipped out of Texas across to Cuba in August.

38th Guards Air Assault Brigade
Category A formation based in the Belarus Military District.
38 GAAB flown to Mexico in August 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; brigade conducted assaults in Arizona on Day #1.
Helicopter assaults and then an airlift saw Tucson taken as invasion begun with many successes at vital sites around the city including airbases and AMARC; 38 GAAB transferred up to Flagstaff to support Mexicans & Nicaraguans in securing the town yet failed to trap American forces there nor move onwards from Flagstaff.
38 GAAB deployed in Northern Arizona up against the Utah state line and securing the east-west Interstate-40 linking Flagstaff with Albuquerque as part of the Nicaraguan’s Second Army; forced into a major defeat and withdrawal by the US 101st Airborne Division who pushed the embattled 38 GAAB all the way into Central Arizona nearly ripping open the seem between the Nicaraguans and the Soviet Twenty–Eighth Army.
Formed part of the newly-raised 31st Guards Airborne Division – Soviet Airborne Forces (VDV) and Soviet Army’s Air Assault Forces (DShV) combined in an emergency – for operations under Northern Front command beginning ’86.

39th Air Assault Brigade
Category A formation based in the Carpathian Military District.
39 AAB flown to Mexico in August 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; brigade conducted assaults in South Texas on Day #1.
Airheads in the Lower Valley and bridges over the Rio Grande seized in helicopter assaults and cross-river light armoured attack saw Texas national guardsmen destroyed by the 39 AAB from Brownsville to Laredo; second major operation weeks later at the end of September saw the brigade support Cuban operations against the US Army near to Austin where 39 AAB took severe losses despite being on the winning side.
39 AAB with Cuban First Army units in Arkansas in the way of the American Spring Offensive in ’85; brigade trapped near to Pine Buff in April and held out for a month until the few survivors surrendered in May ’85 when their ammunition ran out.

52nd Motor Rifle Brigade
Wartime-formed provisional unit; 52 MRB created from the defeated 24th Motor Rifle Division in December 1985.
52 MRB assigned to the newly-arrived Twentieth Guards Army; fought in North-West Texas during ’86 against the American’s Texas Offensive and destroyed while retreating towards Lubbock in June.

58th Independent Tank Regiment
Category A formation based in East Germany.
58 TR shipped to Texas in early 1986 and assigned to the Twentieth Guards Army which replaced the destroyed Nicaraguan First Army.
Fought in North-West Texas during ’86 against the American’s Texas Offensive and forced to retreat all the way back into West Texas as the Twentieth Guards Army’s rear-guard with destruction occurring in June for the 58 TR near to Fort Stockton.

61st Naval Infantry Brigade
Category A formation based with the Northern Fleet.
61 NIB shipped to the Caribbean in November 1984 via the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic to join the Caribbean TVD Headquarters in Cuba ready for combat operations at the beginning of ‘85.
Naval Infantry fought in the Bahamas in ’85 alongside Cuban marines with the 61 NIB involved in combat against US Marines on Andros; brigade conducted evacuation from the Bahamas and back to Cuba.
61 NIB destroyed in engagements with US Marines liberating Puerto Rico in April ’86 with the Naval Infantry unable to assist the Cubans also on the American territory being retaken.

345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment
Category A formation based in Cuba on long-term detachment.
345 GAR flown to Mexico in July 1984 and held ready to take part in invasion directly; regiment conducted combat drops in Colorado on Day #1.
Colorado Springs and its air facilities were seized by the 345 GAR with the paratroopers deep inside enemy territory alongside Cubans also in Colorado through September ’84 where they fought the US Army out of its Fort Carson garrison; Nicaraguan tanks coming up from Mexico linked-up with 345 GAR and redeployment made into the Rockies west of Colorado Springs-Denver where the regiment spent late-’84 fighting US special forces and also a growing guerrilla threat too.
345 GAR begun ’85 in the Rockies west of Denver as part of the Twenty–Eighth Army but was urgently redeployed into Western New Mexico during the American’s Spring Offensive in Arizona threatening the whole western-facing flank; regiment held the line and was relieved by Nicaraguan armour as the enemy attack petered out late in the Summer.
Formed part of the newly-raised 31st Guards Airborne Division – Soviet Airborne Forces (VDV) and Soviet Army’s Air Assault Forces (DShV) combined in an emergency – for operations under Northern Front command beginning ’86.

356th Independent Tank Regiment
Category B formation based in the Odessa Military District, removed from 59th Guards Motor Rifle Division in February 1985.
356 TR deployed to Louisiana under the command of the Cuban Third Army for operations against American forces holding the Mississippi Line; regiment forced into retreat in the face of the US Army’s Spring Offensive during ’85 and back into Texas.
Defeated on the Sabine River at the beginning of the US Army’s Texas Offensive in ’86 with complete destruction of the 356 TR being achieved by the Americans.

[forcon]

I like what you've done here. One question; why are there lots of Cat B divisions sent to North America for the initial invasion? I can see why they'd be there by '86, but wouldn't the initial wave of combat units be the Cat As with their shiny T-80s and T-64s?

[forcon]

This Order of Battle exists for NATO forces that might be involved in liberating the Baltic States from a Russian Fiat Acompli. Such a scenario would likely see the Baltics occupied rapidly followed by a stalemate or ceasefire during which time NATO would buildup a significant concentration of heavy forces followed by a major counteroffensive. The original Operation Eagle Guardian battle plan called for nine NATO divisions to be deployed; the addition of the 2nd Marine Division makes that ten divisions.

The counteroffensive would have three prongs; a northernmost prong, consisting of II Marine Expeditionary Force, with the 2nd Marine Division, 2/1st Infantry Division, and a composite French division similar to that of the First Gulf War, would assault into Kaliningrad following an operation by the 75th Ranger Regiment to seize the nuclear weapons located within the exclave. To the south, V US Corps, with two American and one British heavy divisions, plus the 82nd Airborne and 101st Air Assault Divisions, would move through the Suwalki Gap, breaching Russian lines with expected heavy casualties. THey would move towards the Gulf of Riga, isolating and destroying Russian forces in detail. The southernmost prong would be composed of Multinational Corps Northeast, with German and Polish heavy forces supported by corps assets from numerous Allied nations, and would drive across northern Belarus, swinging northwards at the Russian border and driving rapidly towards Tallinn, at which point the German 1st Panzer Division would separate from the corps and swing westwards, attacking the Russian tactical reserves in eastern Latvia from the east. The operation would involve a six week air campaign followed by an expected three-to-six week ground campaign with extremely heavy losses on both sides; commanders expect that the first American unit to breach the Suwalki Corridor, the 1st Cavalry Division, would be combat ineffective within seventy-two hours.

II Marine Expeditionary Force

2nd Marine Division
• 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion
• 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion
• 2nd Low Altitude Air Defence Battalion
• 4th Combat Engineer Battalion (USMCR)
Regimental Combat Team 2
• 1-2nd Marines
• 1-8th Marines
• 2-2nd Marines
• 3-25th Marines (USMCR)
• 2nd Tank Battalion
• 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (USMCR)
• 2-10th Marines (155T)
Regimental Combat Team 6
• 1-25th Marines (USMCR)
• 2-6th Marines
• 3-2nd Marines
• 3-6th Marines
• 1st Tank Battalion
• 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
• 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion (USMCR)
• 3-14th Marines (155T) (USMCR)
Regimental Combat Team 8
• 1-6th Marines
• 2-8th Marines
• 3-8th Marines
• 3-4th Marines
• 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion
• 4th Tank Battalion (USMCR)
• 1-10th Marines (155T)
10th Marines Regiment
• 2-14th Marines (HIMARS)
• 5-11th Marines (HIMARS)
• 4-133rd Field Artillery Battalion (HIMARS) (Texas ARNG)

Division Faucon
• 1st Artillery Regiment (MLRS)
• 5th Combat Helicopter Regiment
• 2nd CBRN Defence Regiment
• 19th Engineer Regiment
• 54th Air Defence Artillery Regiment
7th Armored Brigade
• 1st Armored Regiment
• 5th Dragoon Regiment
• 1st Mechanized Infantry Regiment
• 35th Infantry Regiment
• 152nd Infantry Regiment
• 3rd Engineer Regiment
• 68th Artillery Regiment (155SP)
• 93rd Marine Artillery Regiment (155SP)
9th Marine Infantry Brigade
• Marine Infantry Tank Regiment
• 501st Tank Regiment
• 1st Marine Infantry Regiment
• 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment
• 92nd Infantry Battalion
• 126th Infantry Regiment
• 6th Engineer Regiment
• 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment (155SP)
• 11th Marine Artillery Regiment (155SP)

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
• 5-4th Cavalry Squadron
• 1-18th Infantry Battalion
• 1-63rd Armor Battalion
• 2-70th Armor Battalion
• 3-7th Field Artillery Battalion (155SP) 

Headquarters & Supply Group
• 2nd Radio Battalion
• 2nd Law Enforcement Battalion
• 2nd Intelligence Battalion
• 3rd Civil Affairs Group (USMCR)
• 4th Intelligence Battalion (USMCR)
• 4th Law Enforcement Battalion (USMCR)
• 8th Communications Battalion

Medical Group
• 1st Medical Battalion
• 2nd Medical Battalion
• 2nd Dental Battalion
• 4th Dental Battalion (USMCR)
• 4th Medical Battalion (USMCR)

2nd Combat Logistics Regiment
• 2nd Transport Battalion
• Combat Logistics Battalion 2
• Combat Logistics Battalion 6
• Combat Logistics Battalion 8
• Combat Logistics Battalion 24
• Combat Logistics Battalion 453 (USMCR)

Task Force SEABEE
• Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1
• Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11
• Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 14 (USNR)
• Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27 (USNR)
• Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133

Combat Logistics Regiment 25
• 2nd Maintenance Battalion
• 2nd Supply Battalion
• 8th Engineer Support Battalion
• Combat Logistics Battalion 22
• Combat Logistics Battalion 25

Combat Logistics Regiment 45 (USMCR)
• 6th Engineer Support Battalion
• Combat Logistics Battalion 45
• Combat Logistics Battalion 451

V Corps

1st Cavalry Division
1st Brigade Combat Team
• 1-7th Cavalry Squadron
• 2-5th Cavalry Battalion
• 2-8th Cavalry Battalion
• 2-12th Cavalry Battalion
• 1-82nd Field Artillery Battalion (155SP)
2nd Brigade Combat Team
• 4-9th cavalry Squadron
• 1-5th Cavalry Battalion
• 1-8th Cavalry Battalion
• 1-9th Cavalry Battalion
• 3-16th Field Artillery Battalion (155SP)
3rd Brigade Combat Team
• 6-9th Cavalry Squadron
• 1-12th Cavalry Battalion
• 2-7th Cavalry Battalion
• 3-8th Cavalry Battalion
• 2-82nd Field Artillery Battalion (155SP)
1st Cavalry Division Combat Aviation Brigade
• 7-17th Air Cavalry Squadron
• 1-227th Aviation Battalion
• 2-227th Aviation Battalion
• 3-227th Aviation Battalion

1st Armored Division
1st Brigade Combat Team
• 6-1st Cavalry Squadron
• 1-36th Infantry Battalion (Mech)
• 2-37th Armor Battalion
• 4-70th Armor Battalion
• 2-3rd Field Artillery Battalion (155SP)
2nd Brigade Combat Team
• 1-1st Cavalry Squadron
• 1-6th Infantry Battalion (Mech)
• 1-35th Armor Battalion
• 1-37th Armor Battalion
• 4-27th Field Artillery Battalion (155SP)
3rd Brigade Combat Team
• 2-13th Cavalry Squadron
• 1-67th Armor Battalion
• 1-77th Armor Battalion
• 4-6th Infantry Battalion (Mech)
• 4-1st Field Artillery Battalion (155SP)
1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade
• 3-6th Air Cavalry Squadron
• 1-501st Aviation Battalion
• 2-501st Aviation Battalion
• 3-501st Aviation Battalion

3rd (United Kingdom) Division
• 3rd Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals
• 4th Regiment, Army Air Corps
• 12th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
• 26th Regiment, Royal Artillery (MLRS)
12th Armoured Infantry Brigade
• The Royal Tank Regiment
• 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh Regiment
• 1st Battalion, The Scots Guards
• 22nd Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
• 1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (155SP)
16th Air Assault Brigade
• The Household Cavalry Regiment
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
• 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
• 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
• 23rd Parachute Engineer Regiment
• 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (105T)
20th Armoured Infantry Brigade
• The Queen’s Royal Hussars
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
• 1st Battalion, The Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment
• 5th Battalion, The Rifles
• 26th Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
• 19th Regiment, Royal Artillery (155SP)

82nd Airborne Division
1st Brigade Combat Team
• 3-7th Cavalry Squadron
• 1-501st Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 1-504th Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 2-504th Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 3-319th Field Artillery Battalion (105T & 155T)
2nd Brigade Combat Team
• 1-73rd Cavalry Squadron
• 1-325th Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 2-325th Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 2-508th Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 2-319th Field Artillery Battalion (105T & 155T)
3rd Brigade Combat Team
• 5-73rd Cavalry Squadron
• 1-508th Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 1-505th Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 2-505th Airborne Infantry Battalion
• 1-319th Field Artillery Battalion (105T & 155T)
82nd Airborne Division Combat Aviation Brigade
• 1-17th Air Cavalry Squadron
• 1-82nd Aviation Regiment
• 2-82nd Aviation Regiment
• 3-82nd Aviation Regiment

101st Air Assault Division
1st Brigade Combat Team
• 1-32nd Cavalry Squadron
• 1-506th Infantry Battalion
• 1-327th Infantry Battalion
• 2-327th Infantry Battalion
• 2-32nd Field Artillery Battalion (105T & 155T)
2nd Brigade Combat Team
• 1-75th Cavalry Squadron
• 1-26th Infantry Battalion
• 1-502nd Infantry Battalion
• 2-502nd Infantry Battalion
• 1-320th Field Artillery Battalion (105T & 155T)
3rd Brigade Combat Team
• 1-33rd Cavalry Battalion
• 1-187th Infantry Battalion
• 2-506th Infantry Battalion
• 3-187th Infantry Battalion
• 3-320th Field Artillery Battalion (105T & 155T)
101st Air Assault Division Combat Aviation Brigade
• 2-17th Air Cavalry Squadron
• 1-101st Aviation Regiment
• 5-101st Aviation Regiment
• 6-101st Aviation Regiment

2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
• 1-2nd Stryker Cavalry Squadron
• 2-2nd Stryker Cavalry Squadron
• 3-2nd Stryker Cavalry Squadron
• 4-2nd Stryker Cavalry Squadron
• Field Artillery Squadron (105T & 155T)

12th Combat Aviation Brigade
• 1-3 Aviation Regiment
• 1-214 Aviation Regiment
• 2-1st Aviation Regiment
• 3-1st Aviation Regiment

35th Signal Brigade
• 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion
• 51st Expeditionary Signal Battalion
• 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion
• 67th Expeditionary Signal Battalion

42nd Military Police Brigade
• 97th Military Police Battalion 
• 104th Military Police Battalion (New York ARNG)
• 118th Military Police Battalion (Rhode Island ARNG)
• 193rd Military Police Battalion (Colorado ARNG)
• 210th Military Police Battalion (Michigan ARNG)
• 504th Military Police Battalion
• 508th Military Police Battalion
• 716th Military Police Battalion

525th Military Intelligence Brigade
• 1-3rd Special Forces Battalion
• 1-134th Cavalry Squadron (Nevada ARNG)
• 250th Military Intelligence Battalion (California ARNG)
• 319th Military Intelligence Battalion
• 519th Military Intelligence Battalion

Task Forces Artillery
31st Air Defence Artillery Brigade
• 2-263rd Air Defence Artillery Battalion (South Carolina ARNG)
• 3-265th Air Defence Artillery Battalion (Florida ARNG)
• 3-2nd Air Defence Artillery Battalion
• 4-3rd Air Defence Artillery Battalion
• 5-5th Air Defence Artillery Battalion
41st Field Artillery Brigade
• 1-6th Field Artillery battalion (MLRS)
• 1-77th Field Artillery Battalion (MLRS)
• 1-147th Field Artillery Battalion (MLRS) (South Dakota ARNG)
• 2-142nd Field Artillery Battalion (155SP) (Arkansas ARNG)
75th Field Artillery Brigade
• 1-14th Field Artillery Battalion (HIMARS)
• 2-20th Field Artillery Battalion (MLRS)
• 2-4th Field Artillery Battalion (MLRS)
• 2-18th Field Artillery Battalions (MLRS)
• 3-13th Field Artillery Battalion (MLRS)
197th Field Artillery Brigade (New Hampshire ARNG)
• 1-201st Field Artillery Battalion (155SP) (West Virginia ARNG)
• 1-182nd Field Artillery Battalion (HIMARS) (Michigan ARNG)
• 1-142nd Field Artillery Battalion (MLRS) (Arkansas ARNG)
• 2-222nd Field Artillery Battalion (155SP) (Utah ARNG)
• 3-197th Field Artillery Battalion (HIMARS) (New Hampshire ARNG)

Task Forces Engineers
18th Engineer Brigade
• 15th Engineer Battalion
• 54th Engineer Battalion
• 62nd Engineer Battalion
• 112th Engineer Battalion
• 512th Engineer Battalion (Ohio ARNG)
• 878th Engineer Battalion (Georgia ARNG)
225th Engineer Brigade (Louisiana ARNG)
• 205th Engineer Battalion
• 527th Engineer Battalion
• 528th Engineer Battalion
• 769th Engineer Battalion
926th Engineer Battalion (USAR)
• 391st Engineer Battalion
• 467th Engineer Battalion
• 478th Engineer Battalion
• 841st Engineer Battalion
• 844th Engineer Battalion
• 926th Engineer Battalion

Task Forces Transport
4th Sustainment Brigade
• 49th Transportation Battalion
• 57th Transportation Battalion
• 180th Transportation Battalion
• 257th Transportation Battalion (USAR)
• 348th Transportation Battalion (USAR)
• 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
• 828th Transportation Battalion (USAR)
230th Sustainment Brigade (Tennessee ARNG)
• 30th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Tennessee ARNG)
• 176th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Tennessee ARNG)
• 332nd Transportation Battalion (USAR)
• 757th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Nevada ARNG)
• 1120th Transportation Battalion (Arizona ARNG)
• 1144th Transportation Battalion (Illinois ARNG)

Task Forces Medical
44th Medical Brigade
• 14th Combat Support Hospital
• 28th Combat Support Hospital
• 261st Multifunctional Medical battalion
• 531st Hospital Centre
• 528th Hospital Centre
307th Medical Brigade (USAR)
• 172nd Multifunctional Medical Battalion
• 256th Combat Support Hospital
• 328th Combat Support Hospital
• 349th Combat Support Hospital
• 801st Combat Support Hospital
213th Medical Brigade (Mississippi ARNG)
• 48th Combat Support Hospital (USAR)
• 108th Multifunctional Medical Battalion (Illinois ARNG)
• 134th Combat Support Hospital (Mississippi ARNG)
• 405th Combat Support Hospital (USAR)

Multinational Corps Northeast

1st Panzer Division (German Army)
• Artillery Demonstration Battalion 325 (MLRS & 155SP)
• Heavy Engineer Battalion 905 (Reserve)
9th Panzer Brigade
• Reconnaissance Battalion 3
• Panzer Battalion 93
• Panzergrenadier Battalion 33
• Jager Battalion 91
• Panzergrenadier Battalion 93
• Armoured Engineer Battalion 130
• Artillery Battalion 295 (MLRS & 155SP)
21st Panzer Brigade
• Reconnaissance Battalion 7
• Panzer Battalion 104
• Panzer Battalion 203
• Panzergrenadier Battalion 212
• Armoured Engineer Battalion 1
• Artillery Battalion 131 (MLRS & 155SP)
37th Panzergrenadier Brigade
• Reconnaissance Battalion 13
• Panzer Battalion 363
• Panzer Battalion 393
• Panzergrenadier Battalion 371
• Panzergrenadier Battalion 391
• Armoured Engineer Battalion 701
• Artillery Battalion 345 (MLRS & 155SP)

11th Armoured Cavalry Division (Polish Land Forces)
• 11th Staff Battalion
10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade
• 1st Tank Battalion
• 10th Mechanised Dragoon Battalion
• 24th Uhlan Battalion
• Self-Propelled Artillery Group (122SP)
• Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group
17th Mechanised Brigade
• 1st Motorised Infantry Battalion
• 7th Mounted Infantry Battalion
• 15th Uhlan Battalion
• 7th Horse Artillery Group (152SP)
• Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group
34th Armoured Cavalry Brigade
• 1st Tank Battalion
• 2nd Tank Battalion
• 34th Mechanised Infantry Battalion
• Self-Propelled Artillery Group (152SP)
• Anti-Aircraft artillery Group
23rd Artillery Regiment
• 1st Self-Propelled Artillery Group (152SP)
• 2nd Rocket Artillery Group (MLRS)
• 3rd Rocket Artillery Group (MLRS)
• 4th Rocket Artillery Group (MLRS)

16th Mechanised Division (Polish Land Forces)
• 16th Staff Battalion
9th Armoured Cavalry Brigade
• 1st Tank Battalion
• 2nd Tank Battalion
• 3rd Mechanised Battalion
• Self-Propelled Artillery Group (122SP)
• Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group
15th Mechanised Brigade
• 1st Tank Battalion
• 1st Mechanised Battalion
• 2nd Mechanised Battalion
• Self-Propelled Artillery Group (122SP)
• Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group
20th Mechanised Brigade
• 1st Tank Battalion
• 1st Mechanised Battalion
• 2nd Mechanised Battalion
• Self-Propelled Artillery Group (122SP)
• Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group
11th Artillery Regiment
• 1st Self-Propelled Artillery Group (152SP)
• 2nd Rocket Artillery Group (MLRS)
• 3rd Rocket Artillery Group (MLRS)
• 4th Rocket Artillery Group (MLRS)

Multinational Corps Northeast Support Brigade (Polish Land Forces)
• 1st Command Battalion
• 100th Signal Battalion
• 104th Support Battalion
• 12th Infantry Battalion (Royal Netherlands Army)

Composite Aviation Group
• 5th Transport Helicopter Battalion (Spanish Army)
• Transport Helicopter Regiment 10 (German Army)
• Attack Helicopter Regiment 36 (German Army)
• 298th Combat Helicopter Squadron (Royal Netherlands Air Force)
• 301st Combat Helicopter Squadron (Royal Netherlands Air Force)
1st Aviation Brigade (Polish Land Forces)
• 1st Helicopter Squadron
• 2nd Helicopter Squadron
• 3rd Helicopter Squadron

Multinational Engineer Group
• 11th Engineer Battalion (Belgian Land Component)
5th Engineer Regiment (Polish Land Forces)
• 1st Engineer Battalion
• 2nd Engineer Battalion
• 3rd Engineer Battalion
• 153rd Engineer Battalion (Czech Land Forces)
• Technical Support Battalion
• Logistics Battalion
10th Engineer Brigade (Romanian Land Forces)
• 3rd Engineer Battalion
• 52nd Engineer Battalion
• 72nd Engineer Battalion
• 136th Engineer Battalion
• 110th Logistics Battalion
• River Crossing Battalion

Multinational Field Artillery Group
• 13th Air Defence Battery (Royal Netherlands Army)
• 61st Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Romanian Land Forces)
• 3-73rd Air Defence Artillery Group (Spanish Army)
5th Artillery Regiment (Polish Land Forces)
• 1st Self-Propelled Artillery Group (122SP)
• 2nd Self-Propelled Artillery Group (122SP)
• 3rd Rocket Artillery Group (MLRS)
• 4th Rocket Artillery Group (MLRS)
11th Field Artillery Regiment (Spanish Army)
• 1-63rd Rocket Artillery Group (HIMARS)
• 1-11th Field Artillery Group (155SP)
• 2-11th Field Artillery Group (155SP)
13th Artillery Regiment (Czech Land Forces)
• 131st Artillery Battalion (152SP)
• 132nd Artillery Battalion (152SP)

Multinational Medical Group
• 3rd Medical Regiment (German Army)
• 400th Medical Battalion (Royal Netherlands Army)
2nd Military Field Hospital (Polish Land Forces)
• 6th Medical Group
• 10th Medical Support Group
• 25th Medical Security Group

[forcon]

This is a detailed Order of Battle for the British commitment to the NATO war effort; while the effort to deploy a heavy division, supporting ground assets, an air wing, and a naval force, would be herculean on the part of the MOD, the British government recently committed itself to retaining a 50,000-strong expeditionary capability, meaning that Britain should at least on paper be capable of deploying this force (approximately the size of that used in Operations Granby & Telic I) although at huge effort and great financial cost. The MOD would call this Operation Cabaret, and it would be initiated immediately upon the invasion of the Baltic States by Russian forces, with the arrival of the first elements of 16th Air Assault Brigade. It would likely take the whole summer to finish the deployment, thus putting British forces in place to take part in offensive operations in the autumn.


3rd (United Kingdom) Division
• 3rd Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals
• 4th Regiment, Army Air Corps (Two Apache squadrons, plus one attached Wildcat squadron)
• 12th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery (Equipped with Starstreak HVM)
• 26th Regiment, Royal Artillery (Equipped with 18 M270 GMLRS)
• The Royal Monmouthshire Militia (V)
• The Royal Dragoon Guards (Attached armoured cavalry regiment for divisional reconnaissance, equipped with Ajax or Scimitar ARVs)
• 1st Battalion, The Irish Guards (Security duties for divisional headquarters)
12th Armoured Infantry Brigade
• 207th Signals Squadron, Royal Corps of Signals
• The Royal Tank Regiment (Equipped with 56 Challenger 2 MBTs)
• 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment (Equipped with Warrior IFVs)
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh Regiment (Equipped with Warrior IFVs)
• 1st Battalion, The Scots Guards (Equipped with Mastiff APCs)
• 4th Armoured Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps
• 4th Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
• 22nd Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
• 1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (Equipped with 24 AS90 155mm SP howitzers)
16th Air Assault Brigade
• 216th Signals Squadron, Royal Corps of Signals
• The Household Cavalry Regiment (Equipped with Ajax or Scimitar ARVs)
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles (Light-role infantry)
• 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Airborne-role infantry)
• 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Airborne-role infantry)
• 16th Medical Regiment, Royal army Medical Corps (Supports 16th Air Assault Brigade)
• 7th Air Assault Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
• 23rd Parachute Engineer Regiment
• 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (Equipped with 18 L118 105mm towed howitzers)
20th Armoured Infantry Brigade
• 255th Signals Squadron, Royal Corps of Signals
• The Queen’s Royal Hussars (Equipped with 56 Challenger 2 MBTs)
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Equipped with Warrior IFVs)
• 1st Battalion, The Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment (Light-role infantry battalion)
• 5th Battalion, The Rifles (Equipped with Warrior IFVs)
• 5th Armoured Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps 
• 3rd Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
• 26th Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
• 19th Regiment, Royal Artillery (Equipped with 24 AS90 155mm SP howitzers)
101st Logistics Brigade
• 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment (Light-role infantry for brigade security)
• 10th Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (Supports 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade)
• 27th Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (Supports 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade)
• 154th Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (V)(Supports 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade)
• 13th Air Assault Support Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (Supports 16th Air Assault Brigade)
• 151st Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (V) (Supports 16th Air Assault Brigade)
• 1st Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (Supports 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade)
• 9th Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (Supports 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade)
• 157th Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (V) (Supports 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade)

Supporting assets deployed overseas but not under divisional command:
• 1st Battalion, The Welsh Guards (POW-guarding duties in Poland)
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment (Rear-area security duties in Poland)
• 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (LOC security duties in Germany)
• 6th Battalion, The Rifles (V) (LOC security duties in Poland)
• 7th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (V) (POW-guarding duties in Poland)
• 1st Regiment, Royal Military Police
• 1st Regiment, Army Air Corps (Two Wildcat squadrons, plus two Apache squadrons attached)
• 6th Regiment, Army Air Corps (V) (Ground support)
• 7th Air Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
• 14th Signals Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals (Electronic Warfare)
• 17th Port & Maritime Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (Logistics support at German & Dutch ports of entry)
• 21st Signals Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals (Provides theatre-level signals support)
• 28th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, Royal Engineers
• 33rd Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps
• 101st Theatre Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (V)
• 102nd Theatre Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (V)
• 152nd Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (V)
• 159th Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (V)
• 212th Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps (V)
• 243rd Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps (V)

Royal Air Force

No. 7 Force Protection Wing
• No. 2 Squadron, RAF Regiment (CSAR)
• No. 15 Squadron, RAF Regiment
• No. 63 Squadron, RAF Regiment
• No. 2262 Squadron, RAF Regiment (V)
No. 140 Expeditionary Air Wing
• No. 3 Squadron (Typhoon FGR4)
• No. 9 Squadron (Typhoon FGR4)
• No. 17 Squadron (F-35B)
• No. 18 Squadron (Chinook HC4)
• No. 33 Squadron (Puma HC2)
• No. 47 Squadron (Hercules C4)
• No. 617 Squadron (F-35B)

Royal Navy

Task Force in the North Sea
• HMS Queen Elizabeth II (CV)
• HMS Diamond (DDG)
• HMS Dragon (DDG)
• HMS Westminster (FF)
• HMS Iron Duke (FF)
• HMS Lancaster (FF)
• HMS Penzance (MCS)
• HMS Bangor (MCS)
• HMS Audacious (SSN)
• HMS Astute (SSN)
Amphibious Landing Group
• HMS Albion (LPD)
• HMS Bulwark (LPD)
• RFA Lyme Bay (LSD)
• RFA Cardigan Bay (LSD)
Replenishment Group
• RFA Argus (Casualty receiving/hospital vessel)
• RFA Fort Victoria (Replenishment ship)
• RFA Wave Ruler (Replenishment ship)

Carrier Air Wing:
• No. 7 Squadron, Royal Air Force (Chinook HC4)
• 662 Squadron, Army Air Corps (Apache WAH-64D)
• 809 Naval Air Squadron (F-35B)
• 824 Naval Air Squadron (Merlin HM2)
• 847 Naval Air Squadron (Wildcat HM2)

3rd Commando Brigade, Royal Marines
• 30 Commando Exploitation Group
• 539 Assault Squadron (Raiding boats & BVS209 arctic warfare vehicles)
• 1st Battalion, The Rifles (Light-role infantry battalion)
• 40 Commando Battalion (Amphibious-role infantry battalion)
• 45 Commando Battalion (Amphibious-role infantry battalion)
• 1st Marine Combat Group (Netherlands Marine Corps)
• Commando Logistics Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps
• 24th Commando Regiment, Royal Engineers
• 29th Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery (Equipped with 18 L118 105mm towed howitzers)

[forcon]

French forces involved in the operation are listed below.

Division Faucon
• 1st Artillery Regiment (M270 MLRS)
• 5th Combat Helicopter Regiment (Eurocopter Tiger, Gazelle, and NH90)
• 2nd CBRN Defence Regiment
• 54th Air Defence Artillery Regiment (Mistral)
• 785th Electronic Warfare Company
• 1st Foreign Legion Cavalry Regiment (AMX-10, VAB, VBL)
7th Armored Brigade
• 1st Armored Regiment (Leclerc, VBL)
• 5th Dragoon Regiment (Leclerc, VBCI, VAB)
• 1st Skirmisher Regiment (VBCI)
• 35th Infantry Regiment (VBCI)
• 152nd Infantry Regiment (VBCI)
• 3rd Engineer Regiment
• 68th Artillery Regiment (CEASER, TRF1, Mistral)
• 93rd Mountain Artillery Regiment (CEASER, TRF1, Mistral)
9th Marine Infantry Brigade
• Marine Infantry Tank Regiment (AMX-10, VAB, VBL)
• 501st Tank Regiment (Leclerc, VAB, VBL)
• 1st Marine Infantry Regiment (AMX-10, VAB, VBL)
• 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment (VBMR)
• 8th Marine Parachute Infantry Regiment (VAB)
• 92nd Infantry Regiment (VBCI)
• 126th Infantry Regiment (VBMR)
• 6th Engineer Regiment
• 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment (CEASER, TRF1, Mistral)
• 11th Marine Artillery Regiment (CEASER, TRF1, Mistral)
Logistics Group
• 1st Foreign Legion Engineer Regiment
• 19th Engineer Regiment
• 31st Engineer Regiment
• 511th Supply Regiment
• 516th Supply Regiment

French Air Force

Operational Combat Wing:
• 1/3 Fighter Squadron (Mirage 2000D)
• 1/4 Fighter Squadron (Rafale C)
• 1/7 Fighter Squadron (Rafale B)
• 2/4 Fighter Squadron (Mirage 2000N)
• 3/3 Fighter Squadron (Mirage 2000D)
Operational Support Wing:
• 093 Tanker Squadron (KC-135)
• 020160 Transport Squadron (C-160)
Ground Support Wing:
• 25th Air Engineer Regiment
• 01950 Air Defence Squadron
• 02950 Air Defence Squadron (Mistral)

French Navy

Carrier Task Group One
• FNS Charles De Gaulle (CVN)
• FNS Forbin (DDG)
• FNS Jean Bart (DDG)
• FNS Provence (DD)
• FNS La Fayette (FF)
• FNS Courbet (FF)
• FNS Perle (SSN)

Carrier Air Wing:
• Air Group 4F (E-2C)
• Air Group 11F (Rafale M)
• Air Group 17F (Rafale M)
• Air Group 33F (NH90)