BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : THE 92nd INFANTRY DIVISION WAS A UNIT OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR 1 : ORGANIZED IN OCTOBER 1917 AT CAMP FUNSTON, KANSAS THE UNIT WAS FORMED WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIERS FROM ALL STATES :

                                    BLACK              SOCIAL            HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     The 92nd Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. Organized in October 1917 at Camp Funston, Kansas, the unit was formed with African American soldiers from all states. Before leaving for France in 1918, the buffalo was selected as the divisional insignia due to the Buffalo Soldiers nickname, given to African American cavalrymen by Native Americans in the 19th century. The Buffalo Soldiers Division divisional nickname was inherited from the 367th Infantry, one of the first units of the division organized. This segregated unit was the only African American infantry division to see combat in Europe during World War II, as part of the 5th Army. It served in the Italian Campaign from 1944 to the war's end

History

The 92nd Division was first constituted on paper 24 October 1917 in the National Army. The division comprised the 183rd Infantry Brigade with the 365th and 366th Infantry Regiments, and the 184th Infantry Brigade with the 367th and 368th Infantry Regiments. The division was actually organized on 27 October 1917 at Camp Funston, Kansas.

World War 

• Activated: October 1917.
• Overseas: 18 July 1918.
• Major Operations: Meuse-Argonne less field artillery.
• Casualties: Total: 1,647 (KIA: 120; WIA: 1,527).
• Commanders: Maj. Gen. Charles C. Ballou (29 October 1917), Maj. Gen. Charles Henry Martin (19 November 1918), Brig. Gen. James B. Erwin (16 December 1918).
• Returned to U S. and deactivated: February 1919.

For an account of the fighting of the Buffalo Division in the Woevre Plain offensive see the article on William M Cain at Kaisers cross..

As would be the case with the 93rd Infantry Division French Army after both the main American Expeditionary Force (A E F) and the British Army refused to have African-American soldiers serve in combat under them.

, parts of the 92nd would serve under and alongside the 

The 92nd was a National Army unit formed from black draftees, with a cadre of 154 NCOs transferred from the four Regular Army regiments, mostly led by inexperienced black junior officers fresh out of training and commanded by indifferent white officers. They were a green and untried unit that was not allowed to maneuver as a division before they were committed to the line. After arrival in France, the 92nd like all AEF units, trained for deployment in the trenches. They began to be fed into the French sector front lines by company in mid-August 1918. The 92nd Artillery Brigade only came online in October 1918.

Unlike the 93rd, the 92nd would ultimately fight as a whole under American command. The division saw combat in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive during Nov 1918. Their indifferent showing was more due to brittle morale and poor handling by their white superiors than any real failings. As a result, the division received a bad reputation that further damaged morale.

Units

92nd Division (1917–1919)

• 92nd Division Headquarters Troop
• Support Units
  • 317th Engineer Regiment
  • 317th Signals Battalion
  • 349th MG Battalion
• 183rd Brigade (Infantry)
  • 365th Infantry Regiment
  • 366th Infantry Regiment
  • 350th MG Battalion
• 184rd Brigade (Infantry)
  • 367th Infantry Regiment
  • 368th Infantry Regiment
  • 351st MG Battalion
• 167th Brigade (Field Artillery)
  • 349th Field Artillery Regiment
  • 350th Field Artillery Regiment
  • 351st Field Artillery Regiment
  • 317th Trench Mortar Battery