Quote:
Originally Posted by Legbreaker
It is my belief these excess personnel would have been assigned to sub units of the existing 78th and 43rd rather than create another unnecessary command structure as the Germans had a habit of doing in WWII.
It makes more sense to make up several company's of sailors, etc and attach those units to existing parent units who can utilize the manpower immediately than muck about organising a HQ and supporting units. These sub units are unlikely to be sent into combat, but could be used for civil duties - construction, static guard, food and supply acquisition, maintenance, etc. Some may have been gradually retrained for other ground based roles once the lack of ships became obvious and may eventually have been split up as the demands for manpower in other more vital units grew.
A division, even a brigade is a big organization. There's more than enough room for such sub units to be absorbed with barely a trace.
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I agree to a point. If the US Army had unit nearby that needed to reinforce it would move the personnel from those forces into the local Army units. In other cases where there was no nearby Army unit, and only thing local was Naval, Coast Guard, Marine they would be rolled up into and become an very limited used Marine/Naval Infantry unit, or used to beef security and such. Where it was Air Force unit largely, you would see some larger Security Squadrons.
In early 1999 it wouldn't be to much of stretch for units being assigned and still expected to answer to commanders up to 50 mile are further away. If they had resource they would still have reasonable amount of time to shift forces. By the start of 2000 the some unit who have been order to move decided to stay put, acting as Infantry. Largely due to no matter what many Divisions no matter what side they were on controlled very little of the territory they were expected to patrol. If the unit was concentrated it may be able to exert control of area of up to 10-15 mile radius of their supply base. While spread out units would control area where they have set up bases and control little more than what was within the range of their weapons, and where they mount patrols at...
Just some thoughts....