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| Second United States Army | |
|---|---|
 Second United States Army shoulder sleeve insignia |
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| Active | October 15, 1918 - April 15, 1919; October 20, 1939 - January 1, 1966 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Regular Army |
| Type | Field Army |
| Motto | "Second To None" |
| Engagements | World War I |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
William Simpson |
Second United States Army was formed October 15, 1918 during World War I. It functioned as a training and administrative headquarters until being inactivated 15 April 1919.
The Second United States Army was activated again and served as a training army for much of its existence until inactivation in 1966.
Contents |
History
World War I
Second Army's task during the First World War was to hold the line a short distance east of the Moselle River in France following the end of the Saint-Mihiel offensive along the Western Front. The army was also tasked with reinforcing units from the active-in-combat soldiers of the U.S. First Army.
On 10 November, Second Army advanced on German positions, already in disorder and retreating. Word did not reach the units advancing until after eleven-hundred hours on 11 November, making it one of the last units to fight to the very conclusion of the war. On 15 April of the following year, Second Army was inactivated.
Subordinate Units
Along the line
- U.S. 33rd Division (Illinois National Guard)
- U.S. 28th Division (Pennsylvania National Guard)
- U.S. 7th Division (Regular Army)
- U.S. 92nd Division (United States Colored Troops)
In reserve
- U.S. 4th Division (Regular Army)
- U.S. 35th Division (Missouri and Kansas National Guard)
- one brigade, U.S. 88th Division (Minnesota and North Dakota National Guard)
World War II
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (May 2008) |
Post-World War II
In November 1964, as an effort to reorganize military operations, the Department of the Army announced the closure of Fort Jay at Governors Island New York and the relocation of U.S.First Army to Fort Meade, Maryland. First and Second Armies would merge and Second Army subsequently inactivated. It had been proposed that First Army be inactivated, but its commander Lt. General Robert W. Porter, Jr. strongly protested the proposal and it was dropped. In the end, Second Army headquarters staff were retained and became the new staff for U.S. First Army. On January 1, 1966 at Fort Meade, Second Army was inactivated and its colors cased by commander, Lt. General William F. Train who then assumed command of U.S. First Army.
Past Commanders
| Date Began | Date Ended | Commanding General |
|---|---|---|
| 15 October 1918 | 15 April 1919 | Robert Lee Bullard |
| 20 October 1939 | 25 April 1943 | Ben Lear |
| 25 April 1943 | 7 May 1945 | Lloyd Fredendall |
| 1945 October | 1946 November | William Simpson |
| 1948 January | 1950 July | Leonard T. Gerow |
| 10 August 1950 | 11 April 1951 | James Alward Van Fleet |
| 11 April 1951 | 1953 April | Edward H. Brooks |
| 1957 | 1960 | Charles E. Hart |
References
Ray, Max (1980). The History of the First United States Army From 1918 to 1980. Fort Meade MD: First United States Army, 120, 124.
External links
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