Army Field Forces

Army Field Forces. It was a major command of the United States Army established in the aftermath of World War II to oversee the training and development of combat forces within the Continental United States. Activated in 1948, it was headquartered at Fort Monroe in Virginia and played a crucial role in preparing the U.S. Army for the Korean War. The command was responsible for developing tactical doctrine, conducting large-scale training exercises, and ensuring the readiness of Army National Guard and United States Army Reserve units.

History

The command was established on 1 March 1948, succeeding the earlier Army Ground Forces which had directed the massive expansion of the U.S. Army during World War II. Its creation was part of a broader post-war reorganization of the United States Department of the Army aimed at streamlining stateside command structures during the early Cold War. During the Korean War, it became the primary stateside organization responsible for training individual replacements and newly formed units, such as those from the National Guard of the United States, before their deployment to the Korean Peninsula. The command was inactivated on 1 February 1955, as part of a shift towards a more functionally organized structure under the Continental Army Command.

Organization

The command's headquarters at Fort Monroe exercised authority over the six CONUS-based armies: First Army, Second Army, Third Army, Fourth Army, Fifth Army, and Sixth Army. It also directly controlled the Army Artillery School at Fort Sill and the Infantry School at Fort Benning, which were critical for developing and disseminating new tactical doctrine. This structure centralized the oversight of all combat training, from individual soldier instruction at posts like Fort Knox to large-scale corps-level maneuvers.

Commanders

The first commanding general was General Jacob L. Devers, a veteran commander from the European Theater in World War II who had previously led the Sixth United States Army Group. He was succeeded by General Mark W. Clark, famous for his role in the Italian Campaign and as commander of the United Nations Command during the Korean War. Later commanders included General John E. Dahlquist, who had commanded the 36th Infantry Division in Europe.

Missions and responsibilities

Its primary mission was to ensure the combat readiness of all Army forces within the United States, excluding those assigned to the Military District of Washington. This involved developing and standardizing training programs, writing field manuals, and evaluating new equipment. The command conducted major training exercises, such as those at the Louisiana Maneuvers area, to test mobilization plans and unit effectiveness. It also held authority over the training of Army National Guard and United States Army Reserve units, preparing them for potential federal activation.

Legacy and successor organizations

Upon its inactivation in 1955, its functions were absorbed by the newly created Continental Army Command (CONARC), which assumed responsibility for both training and combat development. CONARC itself was later split in 1973, with its training mission passing to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Eustis, and its readiness mission to the United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) at Fort Bragg. The doctrinal focus and centralized training model pioneered by the command directly influenced the establishment of these major Army commands during the late 20th century.

Category:Commands of the United States Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1948 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1955