36th Infantry Division (United States)
The 36th Infantry Division ("Arrowhead") also known as the "Panther Division", the "Lone Star Division", "The Texas Army", and the "T-patchers", is an infantry division of the U.S. Army and part of the Texas Army National Guard. The 36th Infantry Division was organized during World War I (1914–1918) from units of the Texas National Guard and of the Oklahoma National Guard. As an all-Texas unit, the Arrowhead Division was called to service for World War II (1937–1945) on 25 November 1940, was deployed to the European Theater of Operations in April 1943, and returned to the Texas Army National Guard in December 1945.
| 36th Division 36th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
36th Infantry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia | |
| Active | 1917 – 1919 1923 – 1945 2004 – present |
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch | Army National Guard |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | National Guard |
| Garrison/HQ | Camp Mabry |
| Nickname(s) | "Arrowhead" |
| Engagements |
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| Commanders | |
| Current commander | MG Ronald W. Burkett |
| Notable commanders | William Smith, Fred Walker, John Dahlquist, James K. "Red" Brown |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia | |
| Shoulder Sleeve Insignia—subdued version | |
| Combat Service Identification Badge | |
| Flag | |
In late 1941, a unit of the 36th Infantry, the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, was detached and deployed to the Pacific Theatre of Operations (PTO) against the Japanese forces. In the course of the fighting, the Japanese Imperial Army captured some soldiers from the 2/131 FA and enslaved them to perform forced labor. Their fate as a unit was unknown for most of World War II, which resulted in the 2/131 FA Bn. being nicknamed the "Lost Battalion" of the PTO.
In 2004, the 36th Infantry Division was reconstituted in a reorganization of the 49th Armored Division.