Manuevers: Light Division



The 89th Light Division was organized August 1, 1943 and delivered into the hands of military scientists who hoped to discover some new angles on how and how not to fight a war. The laboratory was all outdoors, complete with blazing sun, torrential rain, snow, ice, mud and hot and cold wind. The guinea pigs were rifle-packing GIs.

The streamlined Division was calculated to operate with efficiency in difficult terrain, particularly in country that provided few roads or trails. All equipment was to be light in weight so that air transport would be practicable, if circumstances required. It was new type of service, calling for stout backs and soldiers capable of using their heads to improvise methods of overcoming difficult obstacles. Here were no books to assist men and officers in the new job. The 89th wrote its own.

The first job was to cut down the size of the former triangular division by a least one-fourth, and transferring excess personnel to other units, e.g., 71st Light Division at Camp Carson and the 10th Light Division, at Camp Hale, Colorado. The number of vehicles was slashed to 267 jeeps. For which 207 quarter-ton trailers were provided. There were also 532 handcarts, never to be forgotten by the men who by brute force and profane eloquence wrestled them many a weary mile in six months or experimentation. The largest guns were the artillery's 75-mm mobile pack howitzers, which used 116 of the 267 jeeps available as a light division.

Pending receipt of instructions from higher headquarters regarding specific training (there were no Field Manuals for a light division), the Division trained in range firing, individual specialist, mechanical, small-unit tactical and antitank mine training. Scouting and patrolling was emphasized. Training was provided which offered the nearest thing to realistic battle conditions, culminating in special training in the use of cargo nets. The 89th was pioneering.

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