By Maj. William Carraway
Historian, Georgia Army National Guard
On May 1, 1939, the Georgia National Guard published a
leather-bound pictorial review depicting all the Soldiers and units of the
Georgia National Guard. Compiled on the eve of World War II, the book serves as
a snapshot in time, capturing units in their last months of existence and
Soldiers whose lives would soon be cut short by the world’s most destructive
war. In his introduction to the book, Brig. Gen. John E. Stoddard wrote: “If in
the years to come, this edition shall bring back pleasant memories of deeds
well done and services faithfully rendered it shall have served its purpose,
and I, together with the others who have made its publication possible, shall
feel that the efforts put forth in getting out this edition were well
worthwhile.”
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| A machine gun crew of The Albany Guards, Company H, 121st Infantry Division at Camp Clifford Foster, Fla. Georgia Archives |
The 1939 pictorial review captures a Georgia National Guard
in a state of transition. While the Guard structure had changed very little
since the reorganization following WWI, from 1939 forward, the units and
mission of the Georgia Guard would change regularly, shaped by the perceived
threat of the Soviet Union and its capabilities. This article offers an
overview of the Georgia Guard structure of 1939 and serves as the first of many
articles that will delve into the role of the Georgia Guard in World War II.
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| Brig. Gen. John Stoddard, Georgia's Adjutant General 1937-1940. Georgia Guard Archives |
The driving force behind the 1939 pictorial review, Brig.
Gen. John Stoddard began his military career in Nebraska where he organized and
commanded an infantry company of the 7th Nebraska regiment. When that unit was
not called for service in World War I, Stoddard attempted to pursue a
commission from the Balloon School at Fort Omaha. Anxious to serve and unable
to receive a timely appointment, Stoddard enlisted in the United States Navy and
rose through the petty officer grades before commissioning as an ensign. After
resigning his commission in the Navy, Stoddard remained in the Naval Reserves
until 1925. Five years later, Stoddard returned to military service in the
Georgia Guard when he organized the Washington, Ga.-based Company B, 264th
Coast Artillery. During his time in command, Company B achieved the highest
firing record of any National Guard artillery unit. In 1937 he was appointed
adjutant general by Governor E. D. Rivers. Stoddard served as the adjutant
general until 1940.[i]
In 1939, the Georgia Army National Guard was organized into a
State Headquarters, 30th Division Units and Non-Division Units.
State Staff
The headquarters of the Military Department of Georgia was
located in the Old Soldiers Home east of Grant Park near the present location
of 410 United Avenue. At the time, there were no armories for National Guard
units, although construction had been initiated for facilities in Calhoun and
Marietta.
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| Non-commissioned officers on the state staff in 1939: Master Sgt. R. J. Banks, TSgt. Luther Holcombe, Staff Sgt. D. Owen Walker and Sgt. Addison Smith. Georgia Guard Archives. |
The state staff of the Georgia National Guard was federally
recognized September 5, 1927 and by 1939 consisted of 12 officers and enlisted
personnel, including the adjutant general. By contrast, the Joint Force
Headquarters of the Georgia National Guard in 2019 consisted of nearly 500
personnel.[ii]
Thirtieth
Division
 |
| Commander and staff of the 30th Infantry Division. Major General Henry Russell is seated on the left. Georgia Guard Archives. |
Following World War I, the 30th Infantry Division was
reorganized with National Guard troops allocated from Tennessee, North and
South Carolina and Georgia. Division Headquarters was reorganized in Macon, Ga.
August 23, 1923. The Special Troops of the 30th Division contained several
Georgia Guard specialty units and was headquartered in Griffin and Atlanta. The
30th Military Police Company was designated June 2, 1924 in Springfield, Ga.,
while the 30th Tank Company was established in Forsyth August 15, 1924. A
medical detachment of the 30th Division Special Troops was authorized in
Toccoa, Ga. in 1936.
 |
| Soldiers of the Forsyth-based 30th Tank Company in 1939. Georgia Guard Archives. |
In addition to headquarters and special units, the 30th
Division was comprised of two infantry brigades, a field artillery brigade, an
engineer regiment and aviation assets. Of these, Georgia Guard units comprised
parts of the 59th Infantry Brigade and the 55th Field Artillery Brigade.
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| Crests of the 59th Infantry Brigade and 55th Field Artillery Brigade. Georgia Guard Archives |
The 59th Infantry Brigade, headquartered in Macon, Ga.
consisted of the 121st Infantry Regiment, Georgia National Guard and the 118th
Infantry Regiment, South Carolina National Guard. The Headquarters Company of
the 59th Infantry Brigade was the Macon Volunteers, which is today the
Headquarters Company of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
 |
| Summer encampment of the Albany Guards, Company H, 121st Infantry Regiment, Georgia National Guard at Camp Clifford Foster, Fla., July 1932. Left to right: 1: Capt. S. Saye, 2-, 3-, 4: Col. Lewis Pope, 5-, 6: Sgt. McCauley, 7-, 8-, 9: Capt. John Joe West, 10-, 11: Dave Gotatowsky. Georgia Guard Archives. |
The 121st Infantry Regiment headquarters and 1st
Battalion were based in Macon. The 2nd Battalion was based in
Brunswick while the third battalion was based in Dublin. In addition to the
regimental and battalion headquarters and line companies A to M, the 121st
included a Macon-based service company and medical detachment as well as a
Monroe-based howitzer company.
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| Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment at Camp Jackson, S.C., 1935. Georgia Guard Archives. |
The 55th Field Artillery Brigade was headquartered in
Savannah, Ga. and consisted of the 118th Field Artillery Regiment of Georgia,
113th FA of North Carolina and 115th FA of Tennessee. The 118th FA was composed
of two Savannah-based field artillery battalions, each with a headquarters
battery and combat train and three line batteries. All batteries were based in
Savannah with the exception of the Waynesboro-based Battery A.
 |
| Headquarters Platoon, Company H, 105th Quartermaster Regiment in 1939. Lieutenant Colonel George Mallett stands center. Georgia Guard Archives. |
The 105th Medical Regiment was comprised of units based in
North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Georgia’s Company H, 105th Medical
Regiment was organized March 17, 1924 in Atlanta, Ga. as Field Hospital Number
114.
Division Headquarters Platoon, Headquarters Company, 105th
Quartermaster Regiment was organized and federally recognized June 13, 1927 in
Jackson, Ga. Lt. Col. George Mallet commanded the detachment from its
organization.
Non
Division Units
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| Company A, 122nd Infantry Regiment at Fort McClellan, Ala. 1932. Georgia Guard Archives. |
The 122nd Infantry
Regiment
The 122nd Infantry Regiment was based in Atlanta Georgia and
mirrored the structure of the 121st Infantry Regiment. With historic units such
as the Gate City Guard dating back to 1857, the 122nd Infantry entered World
War I service as the 5th Infantry Regiment, Georgia Guard and was redesignated the
122nd Infantry in September 1917. Reorganized in 1924, the 122nd Infantry was
initially comprised of two battalions with units based in Atlanta. A third battalion
was constituted with units based in Calhoun, Cedartown, and Elberton.
 |
| The 108th Cavalry on parade in Atlanta in 1939. Georgia Guard Archives. |
108th
Cavalry
With regimental headquarters based in Hinesville, Ga., the
108th Cavalry Regiment was composed of units from Louisiana and Georgia. In
addition to the regimental headquarters, the Georgia component of the 108th
consisted of the 1st Squadron, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. along with a
Machine Gun Troop, known as The Governor’s Horse Guards. Troop A, the Georgia
Hussars, was based in Savannah with a medical detachment while Troop B, the
Liberty Independent Troop, was stationed in Hinesville.
264th Coast
Artillery Battalion
The Statesboro-based 264th Coast Artillery Battalion was
initially allocated to Georgia in 1930. Headquarters, Medical Detachment and
Battery A were based in Statesboro with Battery B in Washington. Brigadier
General John Stoddard, the Adjutant General of Georgia had organized Battery B
in 1930 and served as its first commander.
 |
| Soldiers of the 264th Coast Artillery Medical Detachment in 1939. Top Row: Private William D. Franklin, Pvt. I. V. Simmons, Pfc. Gerald D. Groover. Bottom Row: Sgt. Albert Green, Pvt. James Deal. Georgia Guard Archives. |
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| A Howitzer of the Atlanta-based 179th Field Artillery Regt. Georgia Guard Archives. |
Pre-War
Organizational Changes
While the units of the 30th Division would remain intact, the
non-divisional units of the Georgia Guard would face reorganization and the
Soldiers of those units would be retrained in different military specialties. On
July 1, 1939, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, of the 122nd Infantry Regiment were
reorganized and federally recognized as the 179th Field Artillery regiment. The
179th would field 155 mm towed howitzers and would ultimately serve in the
European Theater of the war[iii].
The 3rd Battalion of the 122nd Infantry Regiment was combined
with the batteries of the 264th Coast Artillery to form the 214th Coast
Artillery (antiaircraft).[iv] Instead
of going to war as cavalrymen, the Soldiers would serve anti-aircraft guns as
their unit was reorganized as the 101st Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons
Battalion. The 214th and the 101st would both see active service in the Pacific
Theater of the war.
[i]
Pictorial Review of the National Guard of the State of Georgia, 1939, inside
cover.
[ii]
Ga. ARNG Task Organization December 1, 2018
[iii]
Pictorial Review of the National Guard of the State of Georgia, 1939, 89.
[iv]
Official National Guard Register, War Department, 1939, 66.
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