United States Army 31st Infantry Division (Dixie)

U. S. ARMY 31ST INFANTRY (DIXIE DIVISION) -  The 31st Infantry Division was a unit of the Army National Guard in World War I and World War II.   It was originally activated as the 10th, a division established in early 1917 consisting of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia national guardsmen.  By the end of that same year, the 10th Division became the 31st. In World War II, national guardsmen from Mississippi were included in the division.

The division was activated in October 1917 (National Guard Division from Alabama, Florida and Georgia).  It was activated for WW I at Camp Gordon, Georgia.  It comprised the 61st Infantry Brigade and the 62nd Infantry Brigade, with four infantry regiments (121st, 122nd, 123rd, and 124th) between them.  It went overseas in September 1918.  Upon arrival in France, the 31st was designated as a replacement division.  The personnel of most of the units were withdrawn and sent to other organizations as replacements for combat casualties.

WWII Mobilized:  November 25, 1940 (National Guard Division from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi).
Overseas:  March 12, 1944.
Campaigns: New Guinea, Southern Philippines.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 1.
Awards: MH-1; DSC-7; DSM-3; SS-178; LM-11; DFC-1; SM-73; BS-948; AM-77.

WWII Casualties

• Total battle casualties: 1,733
• Killed in action: 340
• Wounded in action: 1,392
• Prisoner of war: 1

When the Korean War broke out in 1950, small units and individual leaders were sent to Korea as replacements from the activated 31st Infantry Division ("Dixie").  No units were deployed, but individuals representing three-fourths of the authorized strength were sent to either Korea or Japan. The 31st Infantry Division was transferred to Fort Carson, Colorado in February 1954 from Camp Atterbury. The 31st Division as an active service formation was then reflagged as the 8th Infantry Division on June 15, 1954.

The 31st Infantry Division was effectively reformed with units from Alabama and Mississippi.   It served as a National Guard division until its inactivation on January 14, 1968.  Alabama Army National Guard units subsequently became a part of the 30th Armored Division (“Volunteers”).