2nd Infantry Division (United States)
active United States Army formation
The 2nd Infantry Division (2ID, 2nd ID) ("Indianhead") is a formation of the United States Army. Since the 1960s, its primary mission has been the defense of South Korea in the event of an invasion from North Korea. Approximately 17,000 soldiers serve in the 2nd Infantry Division, with 10,000 stationed in South Korea, accounting for about 35% of the United States Forces Korea personnel. Known as the 2nd Infantry Division-ROK/U.S. Combined Division (2ID/RUCD), the division is bolstered by rotational Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) from other U.S. Army divisions.
The 2nd Infantry Division is unique as the only U.S. Army division to incorporate South Korean soldiers through the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) program, which began in 1950 with the agreement of South Korean President Syngman Rhee. By the end of the Korean War, around 27,000 KATUSAs had served with U.S. forces. As of May 2006, roughly 1,100 KATUSA soldiers are assigned to 2ID. Between 1950 and 1954, over 4,748 Dutch soldiers also served with the division.
History
World War I
The 2nd Division was first constituted on 21 September 1917 in the Regular Army. It was organized on 26 October 1917 at Bourmont, Haute Marne, France.
Order of battle
Headquarters, 2nd Division
3rd Infantry Brigade
9th Infantry Regiment
23rd Infantry Regiment
5th Machine Gun Battalion
4th Marine Brigade
5th Marine Regiment
6th Marine Regiment
6th Machine Gun Battalion
2nd Field Artillery Brigade
12th Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm)
15th Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm)
17th Field Artillery Regiment (155 mm)
2nd Trench Mortar Battery
4th Machine Gun Battalion
2nd Engineer Regiment
1st Field Signal Battalion
Headquarters Troop, 2nd Division
2nd Train Headquarters and Military Police
2nd Ammunition Train
2nd Supply Train
2nd Engineer Train
2nd Sanitary Train
1st, 15th, 16th, and 23rd Ambulance Companies and Field Hospitals
Twice during World War I the division was commanded by US Marine Corps generals, Brigadier General Charles A. Doyen and Major General John A. Lejeune (after whom the Marine Corps Camp in North Carolina is named), the only time in U.S. military history when Marine Corps officers commanded an army division.
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