48th Armored Division (United States)

The 48th Armored Division was a division of the United States Army National Guard from September 1946 until 1968. Most of its units were part of the Florida Army National Guard and the Georgia Army National Guard. From 1946 to 1955 it was an infantry division. During World War II the denotation 48th Infantry Division was a 'phantom division' created for Operation Quicksilver, part of Operation Fortitude South II.

48th Armored Division
48th Armored Division shoulder sleeve insignia
Active1946 - 1955 (48th Infantry Division)
1955 - 1968 (48th Armored Division)
Country United States
Branch United States Army
TypeArmor
RoleArmored warfare
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQJacksonville, Florida
Nickname(s)"Hurricane"
NATO Map Symbol
48
U.S. Armored Divisions
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History
The 48th Division "Ghost" patch used during World War II.
Elements of the 48th Armored Division, circa 1960, probably the 124th Infantry of Florida.
Shoulder patch used by the National Guard 48th Infantry Division from 16 February 1949 to 1 November 1955.[1]
A platoon from Co A, 124th Infantry, 48th Infantry Division, Florida National Guard circa 29 March 1948. Note the use of the "Ghost Division" patch. For a short time, circa 1948, at least part of the National Guard 48th Infantry Division used this patch before a new patch (the red and white star) was designed.

48th Infantry Division (National Guard)

The 48th "Hurricane" Infantry Division was formed on 15 September 1946 of Florida and Georgia National Guardsmen. The division conducted its first annual training from 18 July to 1 August 1948 at Fort Jackson.[2]

48th Armored Division (National Guard)

On 1 November 1955, the division was reorganized as an armored division[3]

Unit Headquartered Commander
Division Headquarters Jacksonville, Florida
124th Infantry Regiment Jacksonville, Florida Col. Maxwell C. Snyder
121st Infantry Regiment Georgia
149th Field Artillery Battalion Lakeland, Florida Lt. Col. Milton E. Hull

The 124th Infantry Regiment of the Florida ARNG was assigned on 5 July 1946 to the 48th Infantry Division. It was broken up on 1 November 1955 and its elements, the 124th Armored Infantry Battalion and the 154th Armored Infantry Battalion were both assigned to the 48th Armored Division. The 124th and 154th Armored Infantry Battalions were consolidated 15 April 1959 to form the 124th Infantry, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st and 2d Armored Rifle Battalions, elements of the 48th Armored Division.

"To prepare for challenges in Western Europe, the new troop basis authorized the conversion of four National Guard infantry divisions to armored divisions."[4] Georgia, and Florida agreed to convert and on 1 November 1955 the 48th Division was redesignated as an armored division. When the 51st Infantry Division was inactivated in 1963, some of its units, both from Florida and South Carolina, were assigned to the 48th Armored Division. On 1 October 1957 the 48th Armored Division headquarters was transferred from Macon, Georgia, to Jacksonville, Florida, as Major General Maxwell Snyder took command.

When the Army National Guard experienced its next major reorganization in 1967, the 48th Armored Division was chosen for inactivation, which occurred on 1 January 1968.

Soldiers and units in Florida were assigned to the 53d Infantry Brigade, predecessor to today's 53d Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The number "48" was carried on by the Georgia National Guard and is today the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Commanders
  • Maj. Gen. Henry D. Russell, Georgia National Guard (3 July 1946 - 6 February 1951)
  • Maj. Gen. Joseph C. Hutchinson, Florida National Guard (7 February 1951 – 29 February 1952)
  • Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Fraser, Georgia Army National Guard (1 March 1952 - 1 August 1955)[5]
  • Maj. Gen. Patrick E. Seawright, Georgia Army National Guard (1 August 1955 – 1 October 1957)[6]
  • Maj. Gen. Maxwell C. Snyder, Florida Army National Guard (1 October 1957 - July 1962)[7]
  • Maj. Gen. Benjamin Merritt, Georgia Army National Guard (July 1962 - )[8]

Notes
  1. "The Institute of Heraldry". Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  2. Lance, Mark (1948). Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Florida, 1947-1948. Florida National Guard. p. 9.
  3. Collins, Vivian (1946). Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Florida. Florida National Guard. p. 11.
  4. Wilson, John B. 1998. Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades. Washington, D.C. Center for Military History
  5. "Gone But Not Forgotten", The Florida Guardsman, (March 1963), 16b.
  6. "Gone But Not Forgotten", The Florida Guardsman, (March 1963), 16b.
  7. "Gone But Not Forgotten", The Florida Guardsman, (March 1963), 16b.
  8. "Gone But Not Forgotten", The Florida Guardsman, (March 1963), 16b.

References
  • Holt, Thaddeus. The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War. Phoenix. 2005. ISBN 0-75381-917-1
  • Hesketh, Roger. Fortitude: The D-Day Deception Campaign. St Ermin's Press. 1999 ISBN 0-316-85172-8
  • Harris, Tomás & Seaman, Mark. Garbo: The Spy Who Saved D-Day. Public Record Office. 2000. ISBN 1-873162-81-2
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