Regimental combat team

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A regimental combat team was a provisional major infantry unit of the United States Army during the Second World War and Korean War. The regimental combat team, or "R.C.T.", was formed by augmenting a regular infantry regiment with smaller artillery, combat engineer, mechanized cavalry reconnaissance, signal, air defense, quartermaster, military police, medical, and other support units to enable it to be a self-supporting organization in combat.

World War II RCTs were generally of two types: (1) temporary organizations configured for the accomplishment of a specific mssion or series of missions, and (2) semi-permanent organizations designed to be deployed as a unit throughout a combat theater. An example of the latter is the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.