The 46th Infantry Division was a formation of the

Michigan Army National Guard The Michigan Army National Guard is the Army component of the Michigan National Guard and a reserve component of the United States Army. During the Cold War, the 156th Signal Battalion was federalized on 1 October 1962 at its home stations in res ...

active between 1947 and 1968. It was initially headquartered at

Lansing Lansing () is the capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. It is the sixth-most populous city in Michigan with a popul ...

. Many of its units had previously been part of the 32nd Infantry Division. It was converted to the

Reorganization Objective Army Division The history of the United States Army began in 1775. The Army's main responsibility has been in fighting land battles and military occupation. The Corps of Engineers also has a major role in controlling rivers inside the United States. The Conti ...

(ROAD) structure in March 1963. The Division's 2nd Brigade was assigned to the Selected Reserve Force, a higher-readiness component of the ARNG, in 1965. Virtually the entire division was involved in responding to the 12th Street riot in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

in July–August 1967. The 1968 reductions of the Army National Guard, initiated by Defense Secretary

Robert McNamara Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American businessman and government official who served as the eighth United States secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson ...

who felt that fifteen divisions were too many, reduced the division to the 46th Brigade (formed from the 2nd Brigade at

Wyoming, Michigan Wyoming is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 76,501 at the 2020 census. Wyoming is the second most-populated community in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and is bordered by Grand Rapids on the northea ...

), which was allocated to the 38th Infantry Division on 1 February 1968. The brigade was eliminated during Army restructuring in 2004.

History

During World War II, the 46th Infantry Division name was used as a Phantom or deception division during

Operation Fortitude Operation Fortitude was a military deception operation by the Allied nations as part of Operation Bodyguard, an overall deception strategy during the buildup to the 1944 Normandy landings. Fortitude was divided into two subplans, North and So ...

. Soldiers assigned to other real units would wear the 46th Infantry patch and others whenever they went into town. They also set up inflatable vehicles to fool German Reconnaissance flights. By 1957 the division included the following units: Armories in parentheses, subordinate companies and batteries of battalions not shown. * Headquarters, Special Troops, 46th Infantry Division ** Headquarters Company, Special Troops (Lansing) ** Medical Detachment and Division Headquarters (Lansing) ** 46th Infantry Division Band (

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

) ** 46th Military Police Company (

Cadillac Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...

) ** 46th Quartermaster Company ( Midland) ** 46th Signal Company (

Ypsilanti Ypsilanti ( ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north ...

) ** 46th Reconnaissance Company (Detroit) ** 46th Replacement Company (Lansing) * 125th Infantry Regiment ** HHC (

Flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Historically, flint was widely used to make stone tools and start ...

) ** Service Company (Flint) ** Heavy Mortar Company (

Howell Howell may refer to: Places In the United States * Howell, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Howell, Evansville, a neighborhood in Indiana * Howell, Michigan, a city in Livingston County * Howell County, Missouri * Howell, Missouri, a ...

) ** Tank Company (90mm Gun) (

Monroe Monroe or Monroes may refer to: People and fictional characters * Monroe (surname) * Monroe (given name) * James Monroe, 5th President of the United States * Marilyn Monroe, actress and model Places United States * Monroe, Arkansas, an unincorp ...

) ** Medical Company ( Bay City) ** HHC, 1st Battalion (

Saginaw Saginaw () is a city in Saginaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 44,202 at the 2020 census. Located along the Saginaw River, Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of ...

) ** HHC, 2nd Battalion (Flint) ** HHC, 3rd Battalion (

Port Huron Port Huron is a city in and seat of government of St. Clair County, Michigan, United States. The population was 28,983 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the west by Port Huron Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Por ...

) * 126th Infantry Regiment ** HHC (Grand Rapids) ** Service Company (Grand Rapids) ** Heavy Mortar Company ( Greenville) ** Tank Company (90mm Gun) ( South Haven) ** Medical Company (Grand Rapids) ** HHC, 1st Battalion (

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

) ** HHC, 2nd Battalion (

Muskegon Muskegon ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Muskegon County, Michigan, United States. Situated around a harbor of Lake Michigan, Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, and boating. It is the most populous city along Lake Michigan' ...

) ** HHC, 3rd Battalion (Grand Rapids) * 425th Infantry Regiment (all units at Detroit) ** HHC ** Service Company ** Heavy Mortar Company ** Tank Company (90mm Gun) ** Medical Company ** HHC, 1st Battalion ** HHC, 2nd Battalion ** HHC, 3rd Battalion * 46th Division Artillery (all battalions had three gun batteries except for the 146th, with had four) ** HHB (Detroit) ** Medical Detachment (Detroit) ** HHB, 119th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer Towed) (Lansing) ** HHB, 177th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer Towed) (Detroit) ** HHB, 943rd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer Towed) (

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

) ** HHB, 182nd Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer Towed) (Detroit) ** HHB, 146th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (Automatic Weapons) (Detroit) * Headquarters and Headquarters Service Company (HHSC), 107th Engineer Battalion (Combat) ( Ishpeming) * Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 746th Ordnance Battalion (Lansing) * HHC, 107th Medical Battalion (Detroit) * HHSC, 246th Tank Battalion (90mm Gun) ( Dowagiac) As a result of the

Pentomic Pentomic (cf. ''Greek pent(e)-'' +'' -tome'' "of five parts") was a structure for infantry and airborne divisions adopted by the US Army between 1957 and 1963 in response to the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons on future battlefields. I ...

reorganization, the division included the following units in 1960: * Special Troops ** Headquarters Company, 46th Infantry Division (Lansing) ** 46th Aviation Company (Grand Ledge) ** 107th Engineer Battalion (Ishpeming) ** 107th Signal Battalion (Ypsilanti) ** 46th Infantry Division Trains and 46th Infantry Division Band (Grand Rapids) *** 46th Administration Company (Lansing) *** 146th Transportation Battalion (Jackson) *** 107th Ordnance Battalion (Lansing) *** 107th Medical Battalion (Detroit) *** 46th Quartermaster Company (Midland) * 2nd Reconnaissance Squadron, 246th Armor (Detroit) * 1st Medium Tank Battalion (Patton), 246th Armor (Dowagiac) * 1st Battle Group, 125th Infantry (Flint) * 2nd Battle Group, 125th Infantry (Flint) * 1st Battle Group, 126th Infantry (Grand Rapids) * 2nd Battle Group, 126th Infantry (Grand Rapids) * 1st Battle Group, 225th Infantry (Detroit) * 46th Infantry Division Artillery (Detroit) ** 1st Howitzer Battalion, 119th Artillery (Lansing) – One 105 mm and one 155 mm battery ** 2nd Howitzer Battalion, 119th Artillery (Lansing) – One 105 mm and one 155 mm battery ** 3rd Howitzer Battalion, 119th Artillery (Jackson) – One 105 mm and one 155 mm battery ** 1st Rocket/Howitzer Battalion, 182nd Artillery (Detroit) – One 8-inch Howitzer battery and one Honest John battery ** 2nd Howitzer Battalion, 182nd Artillery (Detroit) – One 105 mm and one 155 mm battery ** 3rd Howitzer Battalion, 182nd Artillery ( Kingsford) – One 105 mm and one 155 mm battery After the beginning of the ROAD reorganization the division had a strength of 7,948 on 31 December 1963. It included the following units under the ROAD structure, showing headquarters locations in parentheses: * Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 46th Infantry Division (Lansing) * 46th Infantry Division Military Police Company (Flint) * HHC, 1st Brigade, 46th Infantry Division (Detroit) * HHC, 2nd Brigade, 46th Infantry Division (Grand Rapids) * HHC, 3rd Brigade, 46th Infantry Division (Flint) * 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry (Flint) * 2nd Battalion, 125th Infantry (Flint) * 1st Battalion, 126th Infantry (Grand Rapids) * 2nd Battalion, 126th Infantry (Muskegon) * 3rd Battalion, 126th Infantry (Grand Rapids) * 1st Battalion, 225th Infantry (Detroit) * 1st Squadron, 146th Cavalry (Detroit) * 2nd Battalion, 246th Armor (Dowagiac) * 3rd Battalion, 246th Armor (Bay City) * 46th Aviation Battalion ( Grand Ledge) * 107th Engineer Battalion (Ishpeming) * 107th Signal Battalion (Ypsilanti) * 46th Infantry Division Artillery (Detroit) ** 1st Battalion (Towed 105mm), 119th Artillery (Lansing) – three batteries ** 2nd Battalion (Towed 105mm), 119th Artillery (Jackson) – three batteries ** 1st Battalion, 182nd Artillery (Detroit) – Three towed 155mm batteries, one 8-inch ** 2nd Battalion (Towed 105mm), 182nd Artillery (Detroit) – three batteries ** 3rd Battalion (Honest John), 182nd Artillery (Kingsford) – two batteries * 46th Infantry Division Support Command ** Headquarters and Headquarters Company (Lansing and Grand Rapids) **46th Infantry Division Band (Grand Rapids) **46th Administration Company (Lansing) **107th Medical Battalion (Detroit) **107th Maintenance Battalion (Lansing) **46th Supply and Transportation Battalion (Midland)

Elimination of the division and 46th Brigade, 38th Infantry Division

The reductions of the Army National Guard, initiated in 1967 by Defense Secretary

who felt that fifteen divisions were too many for a reserve component, reduced the division to the 46th Brigade (formed from the headquarters of the 2nd Brigade at Wyoming, Michigan), which was allocated to the 38th Infantry Division on 1 February 1968. The division headquarters became the Michigan Army National Guard Emergency Operation Headquarters, while the headquarters of the 1st Brigade and that of the 1st Battalion, 225th Infantry became the headquarters of the non-divisional 1st Battalion, 225th Infantry. The headquarters of the 3rd Brigade and that of the 2nd Battalion, 225th Infantry became the headquarters of the non-divisional 46th Engineer Group (Construction), and the headquarters of the 46th Infantry Division Artillery became that of the non-divisional 157th Artillery Group, which included the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 182nd Artillery.
Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Michigan
', 1967–1968, pp. 39–42, 44 The 46th Brigade gained the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, the 3rd Battalion, 126th Infantry, the 1st Battalion, 246th Armor, and Troop C, 1st Squadron, 238th Cavalry (the former Troop B, 1st Squadron, 146th Cavalry) for its maneuver elements. Its artillery battalion was the 1st Battalion, 119th Artillery, while Company D, 113th Engineer Battalion, Company D, 113th Medical Battalion, Company D (Forward Support), 738th Maintenance Battalion, and the 46th Brigade Administrative Section, 38th Administration Company formed its other support elements. The 46th Brigade, 38th Infantry Division included the following units in 1970: * HHC, 46th Brigade, 38th Infantry Division (Wyoming) * 1st Battalion (Towed 105mm), 119th Artillery (Lansing) * 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry (Flint) * 3rd Battalion, 126th Infantry (Wyoming) * 1st Battalion, 246th Armor (Dowagiac with Detachment 1 at Three Rivers) * Troop C, 1st Squadron, 238th Cavalry (South Haven) * Company D, 113th Engineer Battalion (Wyoming) * Company A (Assault Helicopter), 38th Aviation Battalion (Grand Ledge) * Company D, 113th Medical Battalion (Detroit) * Company D (Forward Support), 113th Maintenance Battalion (Wyoming) * 2nd Platoon, 38th Military Police Company (Wyoming) * 2nd Light Truck Platoon, Company B, 38th Supply and Transportation Battalion (Wyoming) * 46th Brigade Administrative Section, 38th Administration Company (Wyoming) In 1985 the Brigade, still headquartered at Wyoming, consisted of the 1–125 Infantry, the 3-126 Infantry, and the 1–225 Infantry. As part of United States Army restructuring, the brigade headquarters was eliminated in 2004–2005, with the official inactivation ceremony on 1 October 2004. Its last commander was Colonel William Ewald. At the time, the brigade numbered 1,600 soldiers, and its 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery temporarily transferred to the

177th Military Police Brigade The 177th Military Police Brigade (Combat Support) is a military police brigade of the United States Army based in Taylor, Michigan. It is the largest component of the Michigan Army National Guard.42nd Infantry Division during the War on Terror, while most units remained with the 38th Division.

Commanders

* Brigadier General Ralph A. Loveland (24 April 1947 – 31 January 1954; promoted to major general 8 June 1948) * Brigadier General Gordon A. MacDonald (1 February 1954 – 1 November 1959; promoted to major general 1954) * Major General Cecil J. Kennedy (3 November 1959 – 1 March 1962) * Major General Cecil L. Simmons (1 March 1962 – 1 January 1968) *Brigadier General Leonard C. Ward (acting; January 1968) *Brigadier General Robert T. Williams (acting; January 1968)

Notes

References

Ngef.org
* * * *The Treasure Bunker https://www.treasurebunker.com/forums/index.php?/topic/3927-ww2-phantom-patches/ {{DEFAULTSORT:046 Divisions of the United States Army National Guard 046h Infantry Division, U.S. Military units and formations in Michigan Military units and formations established in 1947 Military units and formations disestablished in 1968