bigpigeon.us webpage WWII-Germany > The ETO > ETO Orders of Battle > Unit Subordination, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 26 Dec 2022.
In process December 2022
  • If completed, this will list the chain of command history for major ETO units - army groups, armies, and corps - and US divisions in the European Theater.
  • Initially I have included all such units that entered combat no later than 1 August, when the Third Army sprang forth, and to extend chain of command history through 15 December, the eve of the German Ardennes counteroffensive.
  • This webpage will support my orders of battle webpages, which will ordinarily list unit chain of command on a particular date rather than changes over time.
The Army Groups in the European Theater
  • British 21st Army Group (Bernard Montgomery), operational Normandy 6 June 1944.
  • US 12th Army Group (Omar Bradley), operational Normandy 1 August 1944.
  • US 6th Army Group (Jacob Devers), established Corsica 1 August 1944, operational under ETO France 15 September 1944.
Commentary, The Army Groups in the European Theater
  • The 21st and 12th Army Groups were always subordinate to the ETO command structure, led by General Dwight Eisenhower. The 6th Army Group was subordinate to Mediterranean Theater command until about 15 September, when it came under General Eisenhower's command.
  • US and French forces of the 6th Army Group landed in southern France on 15 August 1944 and advanced northward. Tactical command of all forces was held by General Alexander Patch, the US Seventh Army commander, until Mid-September, when the 6th Army Group came under ETO control.
  • This webpage, like my website in general, ignores the major contribution of the massive Soviet Union forces advancing from the east. Soviet army groups were called fronts.
  • In Europe, the Western Allies used a relatively small number of corps and divisions compared to the Soviet Union and Germany.
The five United States Armies in the European Theater
  • US First Army (Omar Bradley --> Courtney Hodges 1 August 1944), operational Normandy under 21st Army Group 6 June 1944 --> 12th Army Group 1 August 1944 --> 21st Army Group 20 December 1944 --> 12th Army Group ~16 January 1945.    
  • US Third Army (George Patton), operational Normandy under 12th Army Group 1 August 1944. 
  • US Seventh Army (Alexander Patch), operational southern France under 6th Army Group 15 August 1944.
  • US Ninth Army (William Simpson), operational Brittany under 12th Army Group 5 September 1944 --> to First Army's right flank early October --> to First Army's left flank late October --> 21st Army Group 20 December 1944 --> 12th Army Group 4 April 1945.
  • US Fifteenth Army (Leonard Gerow), operational France under 12th Army Group 21 Jan 1945 - rear area functions, originally meant to become the occupation army in Germany.​
The three Allied Armies in the European Theater
  • British Second Army (Miles Dempsey), operational Normandy under 21st Army Group 6 June 1944.
  • Canadian First Army (Harry Crerar), operational Normandy under 21st Army Group 23 July 1944.
  • French First Army (Jean de Lattre), operational southern France as French Army B under US Seventh Army --> became French First Army under 6th Army Group 15 September 1944.
The fifteen United States Corps in the European Theater
  • III Corps (John Millikin --> James Van Fleet Mar) operational w/ rear area duties under Ninth Army ? Sep --> Third Army 10 Oct --> First Army ~10 Feb.
  • V Corps (Leonard Gerow --> Clarence Huebner Jan '45), operational Omaha Beach under First Army 6 Jun.
  • VI Corps (Lucian Truscott --> Edward Brooks Oct), operational southern France under Seventh Army 15 Aug.
  • VII Corps (J. Lawton Collins), operational Utah Beach under First Army 6 Jun.
  • VIII Corps (Troy Middleton), operational Normandy under First Army 15 Jun --> Third Army 1 Aug --> Ninth Army 5 Sep --> First Army 22 Oct.​
  • XII Corps (Manton Eddy --> Ernest Harmon Jan), operational south of Le Mans under Third Army as of 13 Aug.
  • XIII Corps (Alvan Gillem), operational Ninth Army before 8 Nov.
  • √  XV Corps (Wade Haislip), operational Normandy under First Army ? Jul --> Third Army 1 Aug --> entered combat 2 Aug --> First Army 24 Aug --> Third Army 29 Aug --> Seventh Army 29 Sep to VE Day.
  • XVI Corps (John Anderson), operational w/ rear area duties under Ninth Army 28 Sep, on front line 6 Feb, entered combat 23 Feb in Operation Grenade.
  • XVIII Airborne Corps (Matthew Ridgway) ... Fifteenth Army 21 Jan --> VE Day.
  • XIX Corps (Charles Corlett --> Raymond McCain Nov), operational Normandy under First Army 14 Jun. ​
  • XX Corps (Walton Walker), operational Normandy before 1 Aug --> Third Army 1 Aug
  • XXI Corps (Frank Milburn), operational Alsace under Seventh Army 17 Jan --> French First Army 25 Jan --> Seventh Army 16 Feb.
  • XXII Corps (Ernest Harmon), operational w/ rear area duties under Fifteenth Army 21 Jan --> responsibility for left bank of Rhine in Cologne area 30 Mar ... --> VE Day.
  • XXIII Corps (James Van Fleet), operational w/ rear area duties Fifteenth Army 21 Jan ... --> VE Day.​​
Commentary - The United States Corps in the European Theater
  • I have been unable to find a source for information about WWII US corps subordination to armies.
The Allied Corps in the European Theater
  • British I Corps (John Crocker), operational Normandy under British Second Army 6 June 1944 --> Canadian First Army 23 July/1 August 1944 --> rear area duties in Antwerp area.
  • British VIII Corps (Richard O'Connor --> Evelyn Barker November 1944), operational Normandy 11 June 1944. 
  • British XII Corps (Neil Ritchie), operational Normandy 16 July 1944.
  • British XXX Corps (Gerard Bucknall), ​operational Normandy under British Second Army 6 June 1944.
  • Canadian I Corps (Charles Foulkes), Italy --> Netherlands area ~ March 1945; operational ~ April 1945 under Canadian First Army.
  • Canadian II Corps (Guy Simonds), operational Normandy early July 1944.
  • French I Corps (), operational southern France  ~ 16 August 1944 .
  • French II Corps (), operational southern France ~ 16 August 1944.
Commentary - The Allied Corps in the European Theater
The United States Divisions in the European Theater - early arrivals
  • √ 1st Infantry Division, arrived & entered combat Omaha Beach under V Corps 6 Jun --> VII Corps 15 Jul.
  • √ 2nd Infantry Division, arrived Omaha Beach under V Corps 7 Jun --> entered combat 8 Jun --> XIX Corps 17 Aug --> VIII Corps 18 Aug --> V Corps 11 Dec.
  • √ 4th Infantry Division, arrived & entered combat Utah Beach under VII Corps 6 Jun --> VIII Corps 16 Jul --> VII Corps 19 Jul --> V Corps 22 Aug --> VII Corps 8 Nov --> VIII Corps 7 Dec.
  • √ 5th Infantry Division, arrived Utah Beach 9 Jul --> entered combat under V Corps 14 Jul --> First Army reserve 1 Aug --> XX Corps 4 Aug.
  • √ 8th Infantry Division, arrived Utah Beach under VIII Corps 4 Jul --> entered combat 8 Jul --> V Corps 19 Nov.
  • √ ​9th Infantry Division, arrived Utah Beach under VII Corps 10 Jun --> entered combat 14 Jun --> V Corps 26 Oct --> VII Corps 6 Dec.
  • √ ​26th Infantry Division, arrived Cherbourg & Utah Beach under III Corps 7 Sep --> Third Army reserve 28 Sep --> XII Corps 1 Oct --> entered combat 12 Oct --> III Corps 12 Dec. 
  • √ ​​28th Infantry Division, arrived Normandy 22-24 Jul --> XIX Corps 26 Jul --> entered combat 27 Jul --> V Corps 28 Aug --> VIII Corps 19 Nov.
  • √ ​​29th Infantry Division, arrived & entered combat Omaha Beach under V Corps 6 Jun --> XIX Corps 14 Jun --> V Corps 12 Aug --> VIII Corps 19 Aug.
  • √ ​​​30th Infantry Division, arrived Omaha Beach under XIX Corps 10/14 Jun --> entered combat 15 Jun --> VII Corps 15 Jul --> XIX Corps 28 Jul --> V Corps 4 Aug --> VII Corps 5 Aug --> XIX Corps 13 Aug --> XV Corps 26 Aug --> XIX Corps 29 Aug --> Ninth Army reserve 22 Oct.
  • √ ​​​35th Infantry Division, arrived Omaha Beach under XIX Corps 5-8 Jul --> entered combat 11 Jul --> V Corps 27 Jul --> Third Army reserve 5 Aug --> XX Corps 6 Aug --> VII Corps 9 Aug --> XII Corps 13 Aug.
  • √ 44th Infantry Division, arrived Cherbourg under III Corps 15 Sep --> Ninth Army reserve 10 Oct --> XV Corps 14 Oct --> entered combat 17-24 Oct. 
  • √ ​​​​79th Infantry Division, arrived Utah Beach under VII Corps 12-14 Jun --> entered combat 19 Jun --> VIII Corps 1 Jul --> XV Corps 3 Aug --> XIX Corps 29 Aug --> XV Corps 7 Sep --> VI Corps 5 Dec.
  • √ ​80th Infantry Division, arrived Utah Beach 3 Aug --> XX Corps 7 Aug --> XV Corps & entered combat 8 Aug --> XX Corps 10 Aug --> V Corps 17 Aug --> Third Army reserve 23 Aug --> XII Corps 26 Aug.
  • √ ​​​82nd Airborne Division, arrived & entered combat Normandy under VII Corps 6 Jun --> VIII Corps 19 Jun --> ? 13 Jul --> XVIII Airborne Corps 12 Aug --> British I Airborne Corps 17 Aug --> British XXX Corps 9 Oct --> Canadian XX Corps 9 Nov.
  • √ ​​83rd Infantry Division, arrived Omaha Beach under VIII Corps 19 Jun --> entered combat 27 Jun --> VII Corps 1 Jul --> VIII Corps 15 Jul --> XV Corps 1 Aug --> VIII Corps 3 Aug --> Ninth Army reserve 10 Sep --> XX Corps 21 Sep --> VIII Corps 11 Oct --> XX Corps 8 Nov --> VIII Corps 11 Nov --> VII Corps 7 Dec.
  • √ ​​90th Infantry Division, arrived Utah Beach under VII Corps 8 Jun --> entered combat 10 Jun --> VIII Corps 19 Jun --> XV Corps 1 Aug --> V Corps 17 Aug --> XV Corps 25 Aug --> XX Corps 26 Aug.​​
  • √√ ​​94th Infantry Division, arrived Utah Beach 6 Sep, assigned to 12th Army Group in Brittany --> entered combat 10-17 Sep --> XX Corps 6 Jan --> XXIV Corps 29 Mar.
  • √ ​​95th Infantry Division, arrived France 15/19 Sep under III Corps --> XX Corps 10 Oct --> entered combat 18-20 Oct. 
  • √ ​101st Airborne Division, arrived & entered combat Normandy under VII Corps 6 Jun --> VIII Corps 15 Jun --> XVIII Airborne Corps 12 Aug --> British XXX Corps 18 Sep --> British I Airborne Corps 21 Sep --> British VIII Corps 23 Sep --> British XII Corps 28 Sep --> Canadian II Corps 9 Nov.
  • √ ​​104th Infantry Division, arrived continent under III Corps 7 Sep --> I British Corps 15 Oct --> entered combat 23-24 Oct --> First Army reserves 5 Nov --> VII Corps 8 Nov.
  • √ ​​​2nd Armored Division, arrived Omaha Beach 9 Jun --> V Corps 12 Jun --> entered combat 13 Jun --> VII Corps 18 Aug --> XIX Corps 19 Aug --> XV Corps 28 Aug -->XIX Corps 29 Aug.
  • √ ​​3rd Armored Division, arrived Omaha Beach under XIX Corps 24+ Jun --> entered combat 29 Jun --> VII Corps 15 Jul.
  • √ ​​4th Armored Division, arrived Utah Beach 11-13 Jul --> VIII Corps 15 Jul --> entered combat 17 July --> XII Corps 13 Aug.
  • √ ​5th Armored Division, arrived Utah Beach 25 Jul --> XV Corps 1 Aug --> entered combat 2 Aug --> V Corps 21 Aug --> VII Corps 29 Nov.
  • √ 6th Armored Division, arrived Utah Beach 18 Jul --> entered combat under VIII Corps 27 Jul --> XII Corps 20 Sep --> III Corps 11 Dec.
  • √ 7th Armored Division, arrived Utah & Omaha Beaches under XX Corps 10-14 Aug --> entered combat 13 Aug -- > XIX Corps 25 Sep --> British VIII Corps 8 Oct --> XIII Corps 9 Nov.​
  • √ French 2nd Armored Division, arrived continent under XX Corps 1 Aug --> XV Corps 8 Aug --> First Army/V Corps 17 Aug --> First Army Reserve 2 Sep --> XV Corps 8 Sep --> VI Corps 27 Nov --> French First Army reserve 5 Dec.
Commentary - The United States Divisions in the European Theater
  • All divisions arriving in continental Europe prior to 1 August 1944, and a few others, are currently listed.
  • Only subordinations prior to 16 December 1944 are listed.​
  • Data is incomplete.
  • Checked data is marked with a √.
The thirteen United States Cavalry Groups (Mechanized) in the European Theater
 2nd Cavalry Group, with Third Army in Czechoslovakia at war's end.
  • 2nd Cavalry Squadron
  •  42nd Cavalry Squadron
3rd Cavalry Group --> XX Corps, Third Army
  • 3nd Cavalry Squadron --> Utah Beach 7 Aug 
  • 43nd Cavalry Squadron
4th Cavalry Group --> VII Corps initially.
  • 4th Cavalry Squadron
  • 24th Cavalry Squadron
6th Cavalry Group --> Normandy Jul, assigned to Third Army and directly under General Patton's control.
  • 6th Cavalry Squadron
  • 28th Cavalry Squadron
11th Cavalry Group --> France 26 Nov
  • 36th? Cavalry Squadron
  • 44th Cavalry Squadron
14th Cavalry Group --> Omaha Beach 30 Sep --> .. VIII Corps 12 Dec --> 7th Armored Div. ~18 Dec --> XVIII Airborne Corps 25 Dec --> Third Army.
  • 18th Cavalry Squadron --> 2nd Infantry Division --> VIII Corps 12 Dec
  • 32nd Cavalry Squadron --> 83rd Inf. Div. --> VIII Corps 12 Dec 
15th Cavalry Group --> Utah Beach 5 Jul under Third Army
  • 15th Cavalry Squadron
  • 17th Cavalry Squadron 
16th Cavalry Group   
  • 16th Cavalry Squadron
  • 19th Cavalry Squadron
101st Cavalry Group (from New York National Guard) --> XV & XXI Corps of Seventh Army.
  • 101st Cavalry Squadron
  • † 116th Cavalry Squadron
102nd Cavalry Group (from New Jersey National Guard)
  • 102nd Cavalry Squadron --> Omaha Beach under V Corps 6 Jun.
  • 117th Cavalry Squadron --> Italy under VI Corps ~22 May '44 --> Southern France  15 Aug --> Alsace --> Germany.
106th Cavalry Group (from Illinois National Guard) --> VIII Corps, First Army 27 Jun - 31 Jul --> XV Corps, Third Army 1-27 Aug --> XIX Corps, Third Army 28 Aug - 10 Sep --> XV Corps, Seventh Army 11 Sep - V-E Day.
  • 106th Cavalry Squadron
  • 121st Cavalry Squadron
113th Cavalry Group (from Iowa National Guard) --> XIX Corps, First & Ninth Armies.
  • † 113th Cavalry Squadron
  • 125th Cavalry Squadron
​115th Cavalry Group (Wyoming National Guard) --> relieved 15th Cavalry Group near St. Nazaire, France ? Feb --> attached to 103rd Inf. Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army near Stuttgart, Germany 25 Apr.
Commentary - The thirteen United States Cavalry Groups (Mechanized) in the European Theater
  • Each such group contained two cavalry squadrons.
  • Cavalry squadrons devolved from pre-war regular army or National Guard cavalry regiments.
  • Each ETO corps generally was assigned a cavalry group, controlled directly by the corps commander.​
Sources for Big Pigeon's The ETO > ETO Orders of Battle > Unit Subordination webpage: