27th Armored Division (United States)

The 27th Armored Division was a United States Army formation. It was part of the New York Army National Guard in the 1950s and 1960s.

27th Armored Division
Active	1955 - 1968
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Armored
Nickname(s)	"Empire"
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major General Ronald C. Brock (first commander)

Activation

In February, 1955 a reorganization of the Army National Guard included reorganizing the 27th Infantry Division as the 27th Armored Division.^[1] This included exchanging the black and red "NYD" (New York Division) shoulder patch for the triangle-shaped patch of the Army's armor divisions. The 27th Armored Division was called the "Empire Division," after New York's nickname, the Empire State.^[2]

The division headquarters was originally in Buffalo, and was later moved to Syracuse.^[3][4]

Composition, 1955

In 1955, the composition of the 27th Armored Division was:

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division
• Combat Commands A, B, and C

Infantry:

• 105th Armored Infantry Battalion
• 108th Armored Infantry Battalion
• 174th Armored Infantry Battalion
• 175th Armored Infantry Battalion

Armor:

• 127th Tank Battalion
• 205th Tank Battalion
• 208th Tank Battalion
• 274th Tank Battalion

Artillery:

• Headquarters, 27th Armored Division Artillery (DIVARTY)
• 106th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
• 186th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
• 249th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
• 270th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
• 210th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (from 127th AAA)

Separate Units:

• 27th Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
• 152nd Armored Engineer Battalion
• 27th Armored Signal Battalion

Trains:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division Trains
• 727th Armored Ordnance Battalion
• 134th Armored Medical Battalion
• 27th Armored Quartermaster Battalion
• 27th Military Police Company
• 27th Replacement Company

Composition, 1960

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division
• Combat Commands A, B, and C

Infantry: armored rifle battalions

• 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry
• 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry
• 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry
• 1st Battalion, 174th Infantry

Armor: medium tank battalions

• 1st Battalion, 127th Armor
• 1st Battalion, 174th Armor
• 1st Battalion, 205th Armor
• 1st Battalion, 108th Armor
• 1st Battalion, 210th Armor (from 210th Anti-aircraft Artillery)
• 1st Squadron, 121st Armor (from 27th Armored Reconnaissance Battalion)

Artillery:

• Headquarters, 27th Armored Division Artillery (DIVARTY)

Howitzer battalions:

• 1st Battalion, 104th Artillery
• 1st Battalion, 180th Artillery
• 1st Battalion, 270th Artillery
• 1st Battalion (Rocket), 106th Artillery

Separate units:

• 127th Aviation Company
• 152nd Engineer Battalion
• 227th Signal Battalion (from 27th Signal Battalion).

Trains:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division Trains
• 727th Armored Ordnance Battalion
• 134th Armored Medical Battalion
• 27th Armored Quartermaster Battalion
• 27th Military Police Company
• 227th Transportation Detachment (Aircraft Maintenance)
• 527th Administrative Company

Composition, 1966

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 27th Armored Division
• 1st Brigade:
  • 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry
  • 1st Battalion, 205th Armor
  • 1st Battalion, 210th Armor
• 2nd Brigade:
  • 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry
  • 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry
  • 1st Battalion, 208th Armor
• 3rd Brigade:
  • 1st Battalion, 174th Infantry
  • 1st Battalion, 127th Armor
  • 2nd Battalion, 127th Armor
  • 1st Battalion, 174th Armor
  • 1st Squadron, 121st Cavalry
• Headquarters, 27th Armored Division Artillery (DIVARTY):
  • 1st Battalion, 104th Field Artillery
  • 1st Battalion, 106th Field Artillery
  • 1st Battalion, 156th Field Artillery
  • 2nd Battalion, 156th Field Artillery
  • 1st Battalion, 170th Field Artillery
• Separate commands:
  • 27th Armored Division Band
  • 27th Administrative Company
  • 27th Supply & Transportation Battalion
  • 134th Medical Battalion
  • 152nd Engineer Battalion
  • 727th Maintenance Battalion^[5]

Commanders

Ronald C. Brock, first commander of the 27th Armored Division.

Three individuals served as commander of the 27th Armored Division:

• Major General Ronald C. Brock (1955–1957).^[6] Brock had been commander of the 27th Infantry Division.^[7] He subsequently served as commander of the New York National Guard.^[8]
• MG Almerin C. O'Hara (1957–1959).^[9] O'Hara later served as commander of the New York National Guard, and state Commissioner of General Services. When Albany County shifted to a county executive/county legislature form of government in 1975, O'Hara was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for Albany County Executive.^[10]
• MG Collin P. Williams (1959–1968)^[11] Williams had served as commander of Combat Command B, 27th Armored Division and the division's Assistant Division Commander.^[12] He retired in 1968.^[13]

Deactivation

The 27th Armored Division was inactivated in February, 1968 during another reorganization of the Army National Guard.^[14] During its existence the 27th Armored Division was not activated for federal service and saw no combat.^[15] It was activated for state service, including the response to the 1964 Rochester riot.^[16]

Subsequent history

27th Infantry Division SSI.

The division was reorganized in 1968 as the 27th Armored Brigade, a unit of the 50th Armored Division.^[17]

The 27th Armored Brigade was reorganized as an Infantry brigade in 1975 and aligned with the 42nd Infantry Division.^[18]

In 1985 the 27th Infantry Brigade was activated as part of the New York Army National Guard, and assigned as the "roundout" brigade of the Army's 10th Mountain Division.^[19]

The 27th Brigade was later reorganized as the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and reestablished use of the 27th Infantry Division's NYD shoulder sleeve insignia.^[20] The 27th Infantry Brigade carries on the lineage and history of the 27th Infantry Division.