Second United States Army

Second United States Army. It was a field army of the United States Army, activated on three separate occasions during the 20th century. Initially formed for combat in World War I, it later served as a training and stateside defense command during World War II. Its final iteration was focused on training support and mobilization for the United States Army Reserve and Army National Guard before its inactivation in the post-Cold War drawdown.

History

The unit was first constituted in the American Expeditionary Forces during the final months of World War I. Following its reactivation in the interwar period at Fort Jay, New York, it became a key component of the Army Ground Forces structure. Its long history reflects the evolving needs of the United States Department of the Army, transitioning from a combat formation to a vital training and readiness command. The lineage and honors of the unit are maintained by the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command.

World War I

The initial activation occurred in October 1918 under the command of General John J. Pershing, who also led the American Expeditionary Forces. Established in France, it was intended to command combat operations along a sector of the Western Front. Its subordinate corps included III Corps and IV Corps, which contained divisions like the 28th and 33rd Infantry Divisions. However, the Armistice of 11 November 1918 ended hostilities before it saw actual combat, and it was inactivated in France in April 1919.

World War II

Reactivated in October 1933, it was headquartered at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, under the First Army. During the war, commanded by Lieutenant General Ben Lear, its primary mission was the training of forces and the defense of the East Coast of the United States. It supervised the training of numerous units, including the 76th and 78th Infantry Divisions, preparing them for deployment to the European Theater of Operations, United States Army. It also played a role in the large-scale Louisiana Maneuvers and later moved its headquarters to Memphis, Tennessee.

Post-World War II

Following the war, it continued its training mission for the Army Reserve and Army National Guard across the Eastern United States. In 1966, as part of a reorganization, it was inactivated at Fort Meade. The army was briefly reactivated in 1983 at Fort Gillem, Georgia, as part of United States Army Forces Command. This final iteration was responsible for the training readiness of all reserve component units in the eastern United States until its inactivation at Camp Bullis, Texas, in 1995 following the end of the Cold War and the Gulf War.

Commanders

Notable commanders throughout its history included General of the Armies John J. Pershing during its first activation. In World War II, Lieutenant General Lloyd Fredendall commanded before his posting to the North African Campaign, and Lieutenant General Ben Lear led during its critical training period. Later commanders included General Mark W. Clark in the post-war era and Lieutenant General John W. Foss during its final activation in the 1980s. 2 Category:Military units and formations established in 1918 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1995