designated as the 36th Infantry Division. Prior to its redesignation, the 49th was cap-stoned to the U.S. Army III Corps and stood as the only fully functional, reserve component, armored division in the United States Army. (The 50th Armored Division in the north eastern states had been eliminated by consolidation with the 42nd Infantry Division in the early 1990s.) The Newly designated Troops came home after a year of deployment, with only a few wounded, and fortunately, no dead. They were the first Texas National Guardsmen to deploy since WWII. They are the last soldiers that were allowed to wear the 49th Armored patch as a battle patch. They would also be awarded the coveted Texas Cavalry Service Medal, as well as the wounded receiving the Texas Purple Heart Medal, the 3rd highest decoration awarded by the State of Texas. Commanders division deactivated and replaced by the 36th Inf. Div. Command Sergeants Major CSM David L Moore CSM Wilfred Martin CSM Jim Merritt CSM Mikeal Graham CSM Don Steelhammer CSM Donnie Strickland CSM Bobby Adams CSM Rodger W Brownlee - Last CSM 49AD - First CSM 36ID References Citations Bibliography 49th Armored Division, U.S. Divisions of the United States Army National Guard Military units and formations established in 1947 Military units and formations disestablished in 2004