The 16th Division was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

raised during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. It was the second formation of that name raised in the United States, the first being renamed to 37th Division in 1917.

History

The division was organized in 1918 as a regular army and national army division for World War I, and was commanded by Major General David C. Shanks, with

Stephen J. Chamberlin Stephen Jones Chamberlin (23 December 1889 – 23 October 1971) was a lieutenant general in the United States Army who served during World War II as General of the Army Douglas MacArthur's Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, the staff officer in cha ...

, later a

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

, as division Chief of Staff. Its two Infantry brigades, the 31st and 32nd, were commanded by

Peter Weimer Davison Peter Weimer Davison (May 15, 1869 – February 12, 1920) was an American brigadier general during World War I. Early life and education Peter Davison was born on his family's farm near Waupun, Wisconsin on May 15, 1869. He attended the United ...

and

Walter Cowen Short Walter C. Short (April 2, 1870 – March 5, 1952) was a career officer in the United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, a ...

. The division's 16th Field Artillery Brigade was commanded by Daniel W. Hand. The

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...

occurred before the 16th Division departed for France; under the command of Guy Carleton, it was briefly considered for inclusion in

American Expeditionary Force Siberia The American Expeditionary Force, Siberia (AEF in Siberia) was a formation of the United States Army involved in the Russian Civil War in Vladivostok, Russia, after the October Revolution, from 1918 to 1920. The force was part of the larger All ...

, but that conflict also ended before the division could embark. It did not go overseas and demobilized in March 1919 at

Camp Kearny Camp Kearny was a U.S. military base (first Army, later Navy) in San Diego County, California, on the site of the current Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. It operated from 1917 to 1946. The base was named in honor of Brigadier General Stephen W ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Because the 16th Division was in existence for such a brief period, it never designed or adopted a

shoulder sleeve insignia A shoulder sleeve insignia (often abbreviated SSI) is an embroidered patch worn on some uniforms of the United States Army. It is used by major formations of the U.S. Army; each formation has a unique formation patch. The U.S. Army is unique amon ...

distinctive unit insignia A distinctive unit insignia (DUI) is a metallic Heraldry, heraldic badge or device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit. DUIs may also be called "distinctive insignia" (D ...

References

External links

16th Division Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:016 United States Army divisions of World War I Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations disestablished in 1919