WesWorld

US Infantry - 1935 pattern

Infantry Platoon - (40 men, 1 officer, 3 BAR)
3 squads - 13 men, 1 BAR
Command - 1 CO, 1 man

Weapons Platoon - (24 men, 1 officer, 3 MMGs, 3 mortars)
3 MG teams - 4 men, 1 MMG
3 mortar teams - 4 men, 1 2.2" mortar

Infantry Company - (151 men, 6 officers)
3 platoons (40 men, 1 officer)
Weapons Platoon (24 men, 1 officer)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 1 NCO, 6 men)

Weapons Company - (88 men, 3 officers)
MG Platoon (32 men, 1 officer, 8 MMGs)
Mortar Platoon (28 men, 1 officer, 4 3.2" mortar)
HMG Platoon (28 men, 1 officer, 4 0.50" HMGs)

Regimental Gun Battery (68 men, 2 officers)
3 Sections (16 men, 2 3" field guns)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 20 men, 2 MMGs)

Chemical Battery (164 men, 6 officers)
4 platoons (36 men, 1 officer, 3 4.2" chemical mortars)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 20 men, 2 MMGs)

Field Artillery Battery (68 men, 2 officers)
3 Sections (16 men, 2 4" howitzers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 20 men, 2 MMGs)

Heavy Field Artillery Battery (80 men, 2 officers)
3 Sections (20 men, 2 6"howitzers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 20 men, 2 MMGs)

Light AA Battery - (60 men, 2 officers)
3 AA Sections (18 men, 2 37mm guns)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 6 men)

Heavy AA Battery (78 men, 5 officers)
3 AA Sections (18 men, 1 officer, 2 3" AA guns)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 24 men, 2 MMGs)

Infantry Battalion - (561 men, 25 officers)
3 Infantry Companies (151 men, 6 officers)
Weapons Company (88 men, 3 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 2 Staff, 20 men)

Field Artillery Battalion (320 men, 10 officers)
4 Field Artillery Batteries (68 men, 2 officers)
Observer Section (18 men)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 2 Staff, 30 men)

Heavy Field Artillery Battalion (288 men, 8 officers)
3 Heavy Field Artillery Batteries (80 men, 2 officers)
Observer Section (18 men)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 2 Staff, 30 men)

Anti-Aircaft Battalion (450 men, 18 officers)
2 Batteries Heavy AA (75 men, 5 officers)
2 Batteries Light AA (60 men, 2 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 2 Staff, 30 men)

Infantry Regiment - (2871 men, 118 officers)
4 Infantry Battalions (561 men, 23 officers)
1 Regimental Gun Battery (68 men, 2 officers)
1 Chemical Battery (164 men, 6 officers)
1 Light AA Battery (60 men, 2 officers)
1 Support Company (135 men, 4 officers)
1 Signals Company (126 men, 4 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 6 staff, 74 men)

Artillery Regiment - (1646 men, 60 officers)
4 Field Artillery Battalion (320 men, 10 officers)
1 Light AA Battery (60 men, 2 officers)
1 Support Company (135 men, 4 officers)
1 Signals Company (126 men, 4 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 8 staff, 45 men)

Infantry Division (15644 men, 644 officers)
4 Infantry Regiments (2871 men, 118 officers)
1 Artillery Regiment (1646 men, 60 officers)
1 Anti-Aircraft Battalion (450 men, 18 officers)
1 Engineering Battalion (626 men, 22 officers)
1 Signals Battalion (482 men, 16 officers)
1 Support Battalion (400 men, 14 officers)
1 Transport Battalion (410 men, 18 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 22 staff, 146 men)

US Horse Cavalry - 1926 pattern

Cavalry Platoon - (35 men, 1 officer)
3 squads - 10 men
Command - 1 CO, 1 NCO, 4 men

Cavalry Company - (112 men, 6 officers)
3 platoons (35 men, 1 officer)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 1 NCO, 6 men)

Cavalry Squadron - (348 men, 22 men)
3 Cavalry Companies (112 men, 6 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 2 Staff, 12 men)

Cavalry Gun Battery (68 men, 2 officers)
3 Sections (16 men, 2 3" field guns)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 20 men)

Cavalry MG Company (99 men, 5 officers)
2 MG Platoons (30 men, 1 officer, 6 MMGs)
HMG Platoon (27 men, 1 officer, 3 0.50" HMGs)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 12 men)

Cavalry Regiment
4 Cavalry Squadron - (348 men, 22 men)
1 Cavalry Gun Battery (68 men, 2 officers)
1 Cavalry MG Company (99 men, 5 officers)
1 Support Company (180 men, 6 officers)
1 Signals Company (88 men, 4 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 6 staff, 48 men)

Is OTL Provisional mechanized cavalry Brigade under Chaffee already in service? Also historically the Marine Corps was the poor boy in regard to equipment and without their performance during the Great War and no Interwar missions for them, what is their status? IOTL the Army tried to get rid of them many times, and without their Central American and Caribbean adventures we could see a reduced Corps if at all.

As of July 1, 1935, no Provisional Mechanized Brigade exists, though one is very likely to be formed as money and manpower flows in over the course of the next year.

The Marines exist, see the post in the US News thread where the Marine Corps Commandant and the CNO are briefing the Secretary of the Navy on what their services need if the rumors of new money arrive. As of July 1, 1935, the Corps consists of 2 divisions, one on the east coast and one on the west coast.

But why two divisions? IOTL the Corps have various missions thru the world and it was only two brigades plus some support units iduring the Inter war period. Here their mission is more akin to the one of the Army and I could see the Army lobbying to reduce their size, due to them being redundant in their opinion.

Remember the Iberians in the Gulf? Thats why the Corps, like the Army (historically ~125,000 OTL, is ~300,000 here), is larger than OTL.

But why? No historical missions like IOTL, inter service rivalry could be at the high point trying to get funds IMO would cause the Army to try to lobby to get rid of the Corps or reduce their size due to what could perceived as duplicated missions. Maybe the Corps and the Navy in general did well in WW version of the Spanish-American War while the Army bumbled somehow. That could explain the better standing of the Corps here.

I believe a fair amount of that interservice rivalry was due to the press the Marines got for Belleau Wood. I recall some senior army commander vowing not to let the Marines fight in Europe in WWII. That wouldn't happen here.

However, I'm inclined to agree with Peredor.The US lacks the numerous overseas stations the original corps garrisoned. While there are Iberian islands just off shore, the Army would retain the main part of that. Two divisions is a large force of naval infantry for a generally non-interventionist nation with few overseas possessions.

Based on the outline of the Iberian-American War Canis posted earlier, the US Army wouldn't have seen any service in the Iberian-American war, while the Marines would have been used (as historical) as the initial troops in China for the Boxer Rebellion and (a-historically) as the reinforcing troops (since they're equipped and trained to load and deploy aboard ships, while the US Army was not, and either would have to come from Hawaii or continental US as the Phillipines is not garrisoned by the US at the time).

Another major item for the WW US Marine Corps, one that they were not directly involved with but would effect their development, is Gallipoli, which the Marines would have had a great professional interest in.

Off topic, but my Great-grandfather was a Marine who reportedly served in the Boxer rebellion.

On topic, it still seems like a single division or several brigades would be enough- kinda a pre-WWI force; but in WW the Marines may have won some different political fights. Certainly the US could afford it.

Historically, the Corps was 2 brigades at this time period, so it seems unlikely (given the additional funding available) that the force would be smaller. The Corps could be organized as 4-5 brigades (which is a smaller increase than the WW US Army got vs OTL), but that would mean a lighter structure of supporting arms than might be needed in WW (where the emphasis is less on the "little wars" of the Caribbean and more on larger operations).

The planned structure for the US Cavalry post-1936. There are issues, of course: there aren't enough scout cars to go around, and there are no suitable armored cars type-classified as of Q3 1935. The motorcycle units are also a bit of an experiment, they may well end up being replaced with additional scout-car equipped units. But it's a plan, anyway.


US Cavalry - 1936 pattern

Scout Car Platoon - (34 men, 1 officer)
4 squads - 7 men, 1 M2 Scout Car
Command - 1 CO, 1 NCO, 5 men, 1 M2 Scout Car

Scout Car Company - (107 men, 5 officers)
3 scout car platoons (34 men, 1 officer)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 1 NCO, 4 men), 1 M2 Scout Car


Armored Car Platoon - (19 men, 1 officer)
4 vehicles - 4 men, 1 armored car
Command - 1 CO, 1 NCO, 2 men, 1 armored car

Armored Car Company - (63 men, 5 officers)
3 armored car platoons (19 men, 1 officer)
Command - (1 CO, 1 XO, 6 men), 2 armored cars


Motorcycle Platoon - (45 men, 1 officer)
4 squads - 10 men
Command - 1 CO, 1 NCO, 4 men

Motorcycle Company - (142 men, 5 officers)
3 platoons (45 men, 1 officer)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 1 NCO, 6 men)


Cavalry Squadron - (431 men, 24 officers)
2 Scout Car Company - (107 men, 5 officers)
Armored Car Company - (63 men, 5 officers)
Motorcycle Company - (142 men, 5 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 2 Staff, 12 men, 4 M2 Scout Car)

Cavalry Gun Battery (68 men, 2 officers)
3 Sections (16 men, 2 3" field guns)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 20 men)

Cavalry Mortar Battery (64 men, 2 officers)
3 Sections (16 men, 2 3.2" mortars)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 12 men)


Cavalry Regiment (2172 men, 118 officers)
4 Cavalry Squadron - (431 men, 24 officers)
Cavalry Gun Battery (68 men, 2 officers)
Cavalry Mortar Battery (64 men, 2 officers)
Support Company (180 men, 6 officers)
Signals Company (88 men, 4 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 6 staff, 48 men)

The current (1935) structure for US armor units. Note: as of 1935, there are no armor units larger than a battalion in the US Army, though there is agitation within the Army to form some.

US Tank Battalion - 1935

Tank Platoon (19 men, 1 officer)
4 tanks (4 men)
Command (1 CO, 1 NCO, 2 men), 1 tank

Tank Company (67 men, 5 officers)
3 platoons (19 men, 1 officer)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 1 NCO, 9 men), 3 tanks

Tank Battalion (217 men, 19 officers)
3 tank companies (67 men, 5 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 2 staff, 16 men)

The 1936 Provisional Mechanized Cavalry Brigade - A new type of unit is being formed by the US Army in 1936, the mechanized cavalry brigade. Not only is it the first unit of it's type in the US Army, it also contains the first armored unit of larger than battalion strength in the Army.


Armored Regiment (904 men, 84 officers)
4 tank battalion (217 men, 19 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 6 staff, 36 men)


Mechanized Brigade (5314 men, 339 men)
Armored Regiment (904 men, 84 officers)
2 Cavalry Regiment (2172 men, 118 officers)
Cavalry Gun Battery (68 men, 2 officers)
Command (1 CO, 1 XO, 15 staff, 66 men)

How many motorcycles per platoon, including spares?

The motorcycle platoons would have 46 motorcycles, plus parts and spares at regiment (the support company) for repairing or replacing them. Actual complete spares, probably 4-5 per platoon.

So no sidecar equiped motorcycles then if its 46 per platoon (46 men, 45+ 1 officer). I was more interested in the number of spares, which you've answered.

Nope, currently no sidecar-carried troops, the motorcycle platoons are seen as scouts and recon troops more than as motorized infantry. A few sidecars might be added in the future, to carry radios and the like, if the motorcycle platoons stay around.

The (WW) US Tank Destroyer Corps was formed in January of 1936, with the task of developing tank destroyer doctrine and tank destroyer unit structures. Initially, the thought was that tank destroyer units would be composed exclusively of self-propelled tank destroyers (originally the Christie-designed M-8 tank destroyer), but by early 1937 the costs of this idea were proving to be too high: for the cost of a single M-8 tank destroyer, 4 2" AT guns could be purchased. Arguments raged within the War Department whether such towed guns should be part of the Artillery, the Infantry, or the Tank Destroyer Corps. In the end, because of their role, the Tank Destroyer Corps won design control of the AT guns that were being added to infantry divisions, but those AT gun units would remain part of the infantry divisions and be manned by cross-trained infantrymen. There was no question about the .60" M4 AT rifle: it was and would remain an infantry weapon, even though it's role was to engage enemy tanks.

The Tank Destroyer Corps itself also began to add 2" AT guns to it's formations, allowing it to grow in manpower and unit size at a lower cost than if it had remained an all-vehicular force. It was acknowledged that the M-8s would be superior in many ways to the 2" AT guns, but in a defensive role the 1.5" or 2" AT gun could give good service and provide numbers that the M-8 could not. Adding towed weapons to the Tank Destroyer TO&E would allow the strengthening of AT defenses in a defensive sector while freeing up the M-8s for use in other areas.

US Armored Division, 1939:

2 Armored Regiments (Light)
1 Armored Regiment (Medium)
1 Artillery Regiment
1 Infantry Regiment
1 Chemical Artillery Battalion
1 Engineer Battalion
1 Cavalry Squadron
1 Signals Battalion
1 Ordnance Battalion
1 Quartermaster Battalion
1 Medical Battalion

The light armored regiments are equipped with M3 light tanks, while the medium regiment is equipped with M4 mediums. As more M4s become available, the intention is to replace the M3s in the light regiments with M4s and convert them to medium regiments.