Second United States Army

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Second United States Army
Image:2nd Army insignia.jpg
Second Army Shoulder Insignia
Active October 15, 1918 - January 1, 1966
Country United States
Branch Regular Army
Type Field Army
Motto "Second To None"
Engagements World War I
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 William Simpson

Leonard T. Gerow

Second United States Army was formed October 15, 1918 during World War I. It functioned as a training and administrative headquarters until being inactivated 15 April 1919.

The U.S. Second Army was activated again and served as a training army for much of its existence until inactivation in 1966.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] World War I

Second Army's task during the First World War was to hold the line a short distance east of the Moselle River in France following the end of the Saint-Mihiel offensive along the Western Front. The army was also tasked with reinforcing units from the active-in-combat soldiers of the U.S. First Army.

On 10 November, Second Army advanced on German positions, already in disorder and retreating. Word did not reach the units advancing until after eleven-hundred hours on 11 November, making it one of the last units to fight to the very conclusion of the war. On 15 April of the following year, Second Army was inactivated.

[edit] Subordinate Units

[edit] Along the line

[edit] In reserve

[edit] World War II

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Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[edit] Post-World War II

In November 1964, as an effort to reorganize military operations, the Department of the Army announced the closure of Fort Jay at Governors Island New York and the relocation of U.S.First Army to Fort Meade, Maryland. First and Second Armies would merge and Second Army subsequently inactivated. It had been proposed that First Army be inactivated, but its commander Lt. General Robert W. Porter, Jr. strongly protested the proposal and it was dropped. In the end, Second Army headquarters staff were retained and became the new staff for U.S. First Army. On January 1, 1966 at Fort Meade, Second Army was inactivated and its colors cased by commander, Lt. General William F. Train who then assumed command of U.S. First Army.

[edit] Past Commanders

Date Began Date Ended Commanding General
15 October 1918 15 April 1919 Robert Lee Bullard
20 October 1939 25 April 1943 Ben Lear
25 April 1943 7 May 1945 Lloyd Fredendall
1945 October 1946 November William Simpson
1948 January 1950 July Leonard T. Gerow
10 August 1950 11 April 1951 James Alward Van Fleet
11 April 1951 1953 April Edward H. Brooks
1957 1960 Charles E. Hart

[edit] References

Ray, Max (1980). The History of the First United States Army From 1918 to 1980. Fort Meade MD: First United States Army, 120, 124. 

[edit] External links

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