WWII army units - N...
 
Notifications
Clear all

WWII army units - NO CO J

Walts Daughter
(@walts-daughter)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 12629
Topic starter  

I was in another forum and someone was asking about COMPANY names in WWII. I threw in the fact that there was NO COMPANY J in WWII. Did ya know that.? They wanted to avoid confusion because the letter "I" looks too much like the letter "J", so they actually skipped it.

 

Here's more info on that:

 

The infantry regiment was organized with three battalions, twelve lettered companies (A-M, skipping J), an Infantry Cannon Company (first equipped with two halftrack-mounted 105mm howitzers and six halftrack-mounted 75mm howitzers or guns, and later with a towed short-barrelled 105mm howitzer), an Antitank (AT) Company (initially with twelve 37mm and later nine 57mm AT guns), and a Service Company. The fourth company in each battalion (D, H, M) were heavy weapons companies with sustained fire heavy machine guns and mortars. The regiment and each battalion also had a H&H Company. The regimental H&H Company included a Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon, the battalion H&H company included an Amunition and Pioneer (A&P, responsible for light engineering duties and for transporting ammunition forward to the line companies) Platoon and an AT Platoon (initially with four 37mm and later with 3 57mm AT guns).

 

If you want to read the entire article on army units during WWII, this is a good one:

 

Army Units in WWII


Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company


   
Quote
Walts Daughter
(@walts-daughter)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 12629
Topic starter  

Here's a link in relation to Joint Army/Navy Company Designations:

 

Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet


Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company


   
ReplyQuote
(@pdhinkle)
Trusted Member Registered
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 53
 

We must remember the US models most military after European Armies. There is no J in some alphabets, maybe the reason!


Paul HInkle

WW2 vet

LM VFW

vision impaired

Senior center Volunteer

Pa. coal cracker

Retired USCS


   
ReplyQuote
Walts Daughter
(@walts-daughter)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 12629
Topic starter  

Ah, that could be one possible reason too my dear. R Lee Ermey also covered this topic recently on this Mail Call show on the History Channel and he also stated that the reason there was no letter J during WWII was that the letters I and J could be confused and therefore possibly have the potential for disaster. :pdt34:

 

 

 

R Lee Ermey's Website

 

Semper Fi


Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company


   
ReplyQuote
(@cadetat6)
Prominent Member Registered
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 409
 

Red Arrow 32nd Division (contained the following)

 

4 Regiments: 124th,,,125th,,,126th,,,128th,,,

 

Each regiment contained 3 Battalions

 

Each Battalion contained 4 Companies

 

Each Company contained 196-200+ men

 

cadetat6



   
ReplyQuote
(@j3rdinf)
Reputable Member Registered
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 377
 

Usual Infantry Regt. in ETO: 3 Rifle companies, 1 weapons company, 1 Hdq. Co.

per Bn. 3 Bns per Reg. Rifle Companies were A,B,C, weapons company was D, plus

Hdq Co. for 1st Bn. . 2 Bn. was E,F,G, as rifle companies and H Co. as weapons Co.

plus Hdq Co.. 3rd Bn was I,K,L, as rifle companies, and M Co, as weapons Co. plus

Hdq. Co. . No J company. Many explationations but no actual true answer I know of.



   
ReplyQuote
(@custermen)
Reputable Member Registered
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 452
 

I've created a webpage that explains the organization of a US Infantry Division in WW2. I drew charts to show their command structure.

Here is one of the charts that shows the companies within a Regiment and how they are formed into Battalions. The BLUE numbers represent the number of troops in that unit. NOTE: This only applies to Infantry (not Airborne Infantry) and only WW2 divisions.

Regiment.gif

 

The page is still in DRAFT form. I already see that the first Chart and last Chart are switch. You can view this at: US Infantry Division

 

Steve


Enginears...Engeneres....Engineres----- I are one and I can't spell it.

Reference Table of US Infantry Divisions


   
ReplyQuote
(@pdhinkle)
Trusted Member Registered
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 53
 

Ref: Stauntons Order of battle WW II

 

 

Allo Inf. Divisions were square (4 regiments, 2 bridages) until Dec. 8th 1941

By General Order they dropped one regiment. after that date All WWII Infantry Divisions were triangular( 3 regiments)


Paul HInkle

WW2 vet

LM VFW

vision impaired

Senior center Volunteer

Pa. coal cracker

Retired USCS


   
ReplyQuote
(@james-pickering)
Trusted Member Registered
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 42
 

......... there was NO COMPANY J in WWII. Did ya know that.? They wanted to avoid confusion because the letter "I" looks too much like the letter "J", so they actually skipped it ..........

 

That actually harks back to the Civil War for the US Army -- and that is why there is no 7th Cavalry Company J memorialized for the Battle of the Little Big Horn.


My Home Page


   
ReplyQuote
Walts Daughter
(@walts-daughter)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 12629
Topic starter  

Yes indeedie-do James. I had posted that above and most people hesitate to believe it. What, no Company J? Yup it was true!

 

And Joe, yes you are right, four divisions was the thing, then the triangular setup became the norm. Two outfits up front and one in reserve.

 

We are all on the ball here. What a top-notch crew we have! :drinkin:


Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company


   
ReplyQuote
(@capto)
Noble Member Registered
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1540
 

Hey, I found a website that has the phonetic alphabets of several different countries. I created a PDF from it and found this topic to post it in. Just thought I would share.

 

Here is the link to the website: http://morsecode.scphillips.com/alphabet.html

Phonetic Alphabet.pdf


Maj Todd O. USMC, Retired
Grandson of LTC John O'Brien


   
ReplyQuote
Walts Daughter
(@walts-daughter)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 12629
Topic starter  

I love the British RAF 1942-43 "B" BEER! Man, I knew I loved the British. I wasn't aware of that one. Then for the same group,same time period, there is "L" LOVE.

 

Roger, I repeat, Love Beer, Love Beer. Roger. Out...

 

 

B)


Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company


   
ReplyQuote