How did the Military come up with numbering units and divisions?

Just one of those late night things I was pondering, and yes I could google it, but someone might want 10 points!


Seriously how did the 101st, 82nd, 3Armored, etc.. where did they get the numbers from to label the divisions and units?


Thanks a lot!!How did the Military come up with numbering units and divisions?
It comes from the very olden days when every unit was numbered. There were units of all different types numbered from 1 to whatever. But, Army decided to condense these units into Divisions, and wrapped several of the old numbered units of the same type (infantry with infantry, artillery with artillery, and so on) into specific units. And then, as time went on, and we downsized the military after WWII, many of these units were disbanded and the ones that remaned were the ones with particularly heroic stories to tell (like the 101st's defense of Bastogne, the 3rd ID's defense of the Marne, the 1st ID's invasion on D-Day along with the 82nd Airborne and 2nd Rangers, etc.)How did the Military come up with numbering units and divisions?
3rd Armored was the 3rd division of armor in the army and is disbanded. 1st still exists as does the 2nd.


101st and 82nd, well I just don't know but at one time we *did* have many divisions.





Most Army divisions are based on the simple numeration of how many there are of that type: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions, 1st and 2nd Armor divisions, etc.

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