USFA Timeline
Last Update: November 9, 2001

 
D R A F T

 

TIMELINE For Major Occupational Units

- Command & Control -

  HQ US Forces, Austria On July 5, 1945, HQ USFA was established under the command of GEN Mark W. Clark, and Austria was made a part of the European Theater. The Theater Commander was responsible for operational command, training, logistical support, and administration of the new hqs initially set up at VERONA, Italy.

On July 24, 1945, an advance party of Sig Sec, HQ USFA moved to VIENNA to arrange comm needs. Vienna Area Command, originally formed in Italy, opened its headquarters in VIENNA.

On August 19, 1945, the advance headquarters of USFA moved into VIENNA.

On August 31, 1945, the USFA Command Post was closed (at VERONA) and USFA MAIN opened that same day at SALZBURG.

Between Oct 16 and 22, 1945, USFA MAIN was moved to VIENNA.
   
  II Corps On June 29, 1945, II Corps assumed command of that portion of the Austrian provinces of Ober Donau (later renamed Oberösterreich), Salzburg, and Tyrol in the US Sector, opening its Command Post at SALZBURG. (Concurrent with this activity, XV Corps, previously responsible for the ocupation of the US sector in Austria, moved to BAMBERG in Germany where it assumed occupational duties for northeastern Bavaria.)

On July 6, 1945, II Corps passed from operational control of 3rd Army to that of US Forces in Austria. At this time II Corps comprised the 11th Armored Division and the 42nd and 65th Infantry Divisions.
   
   
   

- Infantry Divisions & Separate Regiments -

 
  26th Infantry Division On Aug 2 1945, adv det of 26th Inf Div departed for II Corps. On Aug 5 1945, elements of 26th Inf Div began move to vic RIED, Austria. On Aug 8 1945, CP 26th Inf Div closed at HETZLOS and opened at RIED, Austria. Remainder of Div departed from XV Corps area (in Bavaria) for RIED.

On Aug 5 1945, the 26th Inf Div was transferred to Austria (probably taking over responsibility for the areas previously occupied by the 65th Inf Div (and other units?)).

On Aug 8 1945, CP 26th Inf Div closed at HETZLOS and opened at RIED, Austria. Remainder of Div departed from XV Corps area for RIED.
   
  42nd Infantry Division Early in July 1945 orders were received to move the Div to the vicinity of SALZBURG as the French were to take over the occupation of the entire TYROL. The new Div area was in and immediately surrounding the city of SALZBURG, already crowded with troops, displaced persons and refugees. Some men were going to have to sleep in tents until the 101st Abn Div, scheduled for redeployment, could be moved from its occupational zone. The Rainbow began its move to the vicinity of SALZBURG on July 8 and its area in the Tyrol was formally turned over to the French 4th Moroccan Mountain Div at KITZBÜHL at noon on July 10.

On August 1, the 101st Abn Div, headquartered at BAD GASTEIN, relinquished its zone of occupation, Land SALZBURG, to the 42nd Inf Div and moved (on Aug 2) to AUXERRE, France. The 42nd Inf Div then expanded south into the Land to take over its area. The 222nd Inf Regt was destined to garrison VIENNA.

On August 9, Co K, 222nd Inf Regt, moved to VIENNA to serve as honor guard for Gen Mark W. Clark. Other elements of the 222nd were also alerted to move to VIENNA and garrison the city.

On August 27, the remainder of 3rd Bn joined Co K, and on September 2, HQ 222nd, 1st Bn and Svc Co moved to the city.

On 26 February 1946 the Division's area was expanded to include all the American zone in Austria (probably because the 83rd Infantry Div was returned to the US).
   
  65th Infantry Division On Aug 19 1945, 65th Inf Div continued movement into 14th Armd Div area (in Bavaria) and CP 65th Inf Div opened at GABERSEE.

65th Inf Div completed move into 14th Armd Div area closing on Aug 21.

On Aug 31 1945, 65th Inf Div disbanded.
   
  83rd Infantry Division In October 1945 it became necessary to nominate one of the XII Corps divisions to relieve the 26th Inf Div in the U.S. Zone in Austria. Since the 83rd was the most accessible and it had already been determined that the 4th Armd Div was to occupy the Corps zone in toto, the 83rd was selected for the relief. The date set for the relief of the 83rd and assumption of responsibility by the 2nd Cav and 4th Armd was Oct 23.

Beginning Oct 25, 1945, the 83rd was to commence its relief of the 26th Inf Div in Austria. On Oct 23, relief of 83rd Inf Div by 4th Armd Div and 2nd Cav Gp completed.

The 83rd Inf Div was released by Third Army to Austria on Oct 25, 1945.

On Nov 28 1945, USFA attached the 4th Cav Gp, less one troop to the 83rd Inf Div and authorized it to employ this force as a District Constabulary. This group comprised the 4th and 24th Cav Recon Sq (Mech), one troop of the 24th being attached to the Vienna Area Command as a DC for that area.
   
  5th Infantry Regiment Moved to Austria (from an occupational sector in southern Germany) on 13 April 1946

Relieved 1 May 1946 from assignment to the 71st Infantry Division

Inactivated in Austria on 15 November 1946
   
  16th Infantry Regiment Hq 16th Inf Regt opened its CP in SALZBURG (US Zone) on 21 October 1946.

1st Bn, 16th Inf Regt arrived in (VIENNA) Austria on 11 October 1946

2nd Bn, 16th Inf Regt arrived in SALZBURG, Austria, on 18 October 1946
   
  350th Infantry Regiment The Regt activated on June 15 1948 at Camp Truscott, in Austria, to replace the 16th Infantry Regiment in occupying the United States Zone of Austria and the United States Sector of Vienna.

Originally the 1st Battalion was in Vienna, while the Headquarters, Service, Medium Tank, Medical, and Heavy Motar Companies, as well as the 2nd Battalion, were at Camp McCauley, near Linz.

In January 1949 the 1st Battalion was transferred to Camp Saalfelden with the Heavy Motar and Medium Tank Companies; the 2nd Battalion was transferred to Camp St. Johann; and the Headquarters, Service, and Medical Companies were transferred to Camp Truscott, where the 3rd Battalion was reactivated.

In March of 1951 the Regiment was assigned to USFA Tactical Command as a divisional-type Regiment rather than a separate Regiment.