1939: National Guard

The National Guard, the largest component of the Army of the United States, is made up of American citizens whose interest in national defense is such that in time of peace they volunteer their services in case of war or other national emergency, and devote much of their time and energy, over and above their civil pursuits, to military training. Under the National Defense Act of 1920, as since amended, the Regular Army, the National Guard, and the Organized Reserves form the three principal components of the Army of the United States.

The National Guard is organized into divisions, brigades, regiments and smaller military units in a manner similar to the Regular Army. These units are, in time of peace, state troops under command of the Governors of the forty-eight States, Puerto Rico, and the Territory of Hawaii. In the District of Columbia the National Guard has a commanding general appointed by the President.

The Federal Government, however, supplies funds to the National Guard for arms, equipment, training, pay, and certain other expenses through annual Congressional appropriations. The appropriation for arms and equipment for the fiscal year 1939 was approximately $14,000,000.00. The states furnish funds for armory construction and maintenance, extra pay, etc.

Arms, equipment, field uniforms, and methods of training in the Guard are the same as in the Regular Army. The Regular Army furnishes 463 instructors on full time duty with Guard units. Several hundred commissioned and enlisted members of the Guard attend courses at the Regular Army service schools each year, and about 33,000 are enrolled in the correspondence training of the Army Extension Courses. Annually, all troops of the Guard component undergo a two week's period of training in the field, from 30,000 to 50,000 participating in large-unit maneuvers with troops of the Regular Army. During the rest of the year armory training is held, usually once a week.

Practically all of the commissioned officers of the National Guard are also members of the National Guard of the United States. Thus they hold a dual commission from their state and from the Federal Government, taking oath of allegiance to both. In time of national emergency, part or all of the Guard may be called or ordered into active military service by the President of the United States. In time of emergency within a state, the troops of that state are subject to the call of the governor under the state laws.

On June 30, 1939, the actual strength of the National Guard was 199,491 commissioned officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men. In the spring of 1939, Congress authorized a strength of 210,000, and President Roosevelt, by executive order on Sept. 8, 1939, increased the total authorized strength to approximately 250,000.

The National Guard Bureau in Washington is the agency of the War Department charged with supervising the training and development of the Guard component. The Chief of the National Guard Bureau is an officer of the National Guard appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress for a term of four years with rank of major-general. His duties are: to develop the National Guard to a high state of efficiency ready for immediate induction into the Army of the United States upon the occurrence of an emergency requiring it; to maintain an office of record for the National Guard and otherwise administer his Bureau; to make proposals for changes in existing policies, regulations, or law; and to maintain mutual understanding and cordial relations between the War Department and the National Guard.

Four other officers of the Guard are authorized by law for active duty in the National Guard Bureau, and, also, officers of the Regular Army, of which 25 are now detailed to such duty.

By law, also, five National Guard officers are detailed to duty with the War Department General Staff, where they assist in preparing all policies and regulations affecting the organization, distribution, and training of the National Guard.

The present plan for the military defense of our country (the Protective Mobilization Plan) calls for an immediate force of about 400,000, consisting of the Regular Army and the National Guard. This is known as the Initial Protective Force and includes 4 Regular Army infantry divisions, 18 National Guard infantry divisions, and other troops from both components. The enlargement of this force is to begin at once, upon the declaration of emergency, toward an army of 1,000,000.

The National Guard traces its history far back into the history of our nation. Some of its present units have come down from state troops which were first organized more than a century ago. In all of our wars units from states have formed a large part of the armies in the field. In the World War several hundred thousand troops of the National Guard were sent to France and the Guard divisions sustained nearly half of the total casualties of the American Expeditionary Forces in battle.