61st Cavalry Division (United States)

61st Cavalry Division
Active	1921-1942
Garrison/HQ	Rochester/New York City

The Organized Reserve's 61st Cavalry Division was constituted 15 October 1921 from the perceived need for additional cavalry units after World War I. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation. The Division was officially disbanded on 30 January 1942 although most of its personnel had been reassigned in 1941. The unit was nicknamed "The Foragers".

The 61st Cavalry Division was headquartered in New York City. The Division was composed of personnel from New York and New Jersey. The Division Headquarters was initially located in Rochester, New York, but moved to New York City in 1922.

Organization

• Headquarters, Manhattan, New York
• Headquarters, Special Troops, Rochester, New York
• Headquarters Troop, Manhattan, New York
  • 61st Signal Troop, Buffalo, New York
  • 581st Ordnance Company, Buffalo, New York
  • 461st Tank Company, Manhattan, New York
• 151st Cavalry Brigade, Rochester, New York
  • 301st Cavalry Regiment [1], Rochester, New York
  • 302nd Cavalry Regiment [2], Newark, New Jersey
• 152nd Cavalry Brigade, Manhattan, New York
  • 303rd Cavalry Regiment [3], Manhattan, New York
  • 304th Cavalry Regiment [4], Manhattan, New York
• 861st Field Artillery Regiment, Manhattan, New York
• 461st Reconnaissance Squadron (reorganized from the 151st Machine Gun Squadron in 1929), Albany, New York
• 401st Engineer Squadron, Manhattan, New York
• 361st Medical Squadron, Albany, New York
• 461st Quartermaster Squadron, Rochester, New York

Standard organization chart for a Cavalry Division in November 1940

Famous Personnel

William J. Donovan was the first commanding officer of the 301st Cavalry Regiment.
Terry de la Mesa Allen served as the executive officer of the 303rd Cavalry Regiment.
Brice Pursell Disque commanded the 151st Cavalry Brigade from June 6, 1922, to April 14, 1937. From April 15, 1937, to June 1939, he commanded the 152nd Cavalry Brigade.

See also

• United States Army branch insignia
• Coats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry Regiments

References

• U.S. Army Order of Battle 1919–1941, Volume 2. The Arms: Cavalry, Field Artillery, and Coast Artillery, 1919–41 by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Steven E. Clay, Combat Studies Institute Press, Fort Leavenworth, KS, 2011
• Maneuver and Firepower, The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades, by John B. Wilson, Center of Military History, Washington D.C., 1998
• Cavalry Regiments of the U S Army by James A. Sawicki Wyvern Pubns; June 1985
• ”[5], The Trading Post, Journal of the American Society of Military Insignia Collectors, April- June 2009, page 21

External links

• Formations of the United States Army