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26th INFANTRY DIVISION Army National Guard • Cold War Organization • 1988 |
In 1988 the 26th Infantry Division was organized under the ROAD (Reorganization Objective Army Divisions) scheme, which replaced the Pentomic organizational scheme in the late 1950s. ROAD had established the basic organizational template for Army divisions that remained in effect until the current modular brigade concept was adopted in 2005. ROAD divisions consisted of three maneuver brigades, an aviation brigade, a Division Artillery (DIVARTY) headquarters and a Division Support Command (DISCOM). Each division was allotted between eight and ten maneuver battalions (infantry, mechanized infantry and armored) that could be distributed among the brigades according to mission requirements. The mix of battalions depended on the division type: armored, mechanized infantry or infantry. The ROAD standard for infantry divisions was six infantry battalions, one mechanized infantry battalion and two armored battalions. However, due to the distribution of National Guard units by state, most National Guard infantry divisions deviated from the ROAD standard organization in one way or another. The Yankee Division, for example, had seven infantry battalions. In the event of mobilization, the extra battalion would probably have been allotted to some other division or brigade. The majority of the 26th Infantry Division's units came from the Massachusetts Army National Guard. Two of the maneuver brigades, however, were technically separate brigades with their own shoulder sleeve insignia, though in fact they were not organized as such. Vermont's 86th Armored Brigade, for example, had only two armored battalions. The division's mechanized infantry battalion was part of the Massachusetts ARNG and was assigned in peacetime to the 3rd Brigade. Upon mobilization this battalion would likely have been assigned to the 86th Armored Brigade. The organizational flag for infantry divisions was horizontally divided, scarlet over national flag blue, with the division's shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI) in proper colors centered. For brigades of these divisions, the flag was vertically divided, scarlet and national flag blue, with the division's SSI in proper colors horizontally centered over the brigade numeral or monogram. For brigades of infantry divisions, the numeral or monogram was white. The flag for the division artillery headquarters was scarlet with a wide central horizontal yellow stripe and the division's SSI in proper colors centered. For division support command headquarters, the flag had narrow scarlet end stripes and a wide national flag blue central stripe, with the division's SSI in proper colors centered. As separate brigades, the 86th Armored Brigade and the 43rd Infantry Brigade had flags with, respectively, vertical stripes of yellow and green and national flag blue and scarlet , with the brigade SSI in proper colors centered. Organizational flags for divisions and brigades were 3 feet at the hoist by 4 feet on the fly with 2 1/2-inch yellow fringe. They were made of heavyweight rayon banner cloth with the insignia and numerals or monograms applied to appear properly on both sides of the flag. Campaign and unit decoration streamers awarded to divisions were always displayed with these flags. Organizational flags were always carried or displayed with a National Color of the same material and dimensions. Guidons for headquarters elements of divisions were of the same design as the corresponding organizational flags. Dimensions were 20 inches at the hoist by 27 inches on the fly with a 10-inch fork. Older guidons made of cotton or wool bunting were still used if serviceable, but new ones were made of heavyweight rayon banner cloth. Note: Active links in descriptions point to pages depicting the guidons of subordinate units. Division base units, e.g. the combat engineer battalion, were administratively assigned to the DISCOM. Tactically, however, they fell under the direct control of the division headquarters and are so presented here. |
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