1 9 3 9 , ▁a ▁torn ado ▁hit ▁An oka , ▁Minnesota , ▁and ▁Governor ▁Harold ▁E . ▁St assen ▁called ▁on ▁the ▁Guard ▁again . ▁ 3 0 0 ▁Gu ards men ▁pat rolled ▁the ▁streets ▁and ▁im posed ▁a ▁quasi - mart ial ▁law ▁while ▁the ▁community ▁was ▁stabil ized . ▁ ▁P rel ude ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁The ▁expand ing ▁war ▁in ▁Europe ▁threatened ▁to ▁draw ▁a ▁rel uct ant ▁United ▁States ▁into ▁the ▁conflict . ▁As ▁the ▁potential ▁of ▁U . S . ▁invol vement ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁became ▁more ▁evident , ▁initial ▁steps ▁were ▁taken ▁to ▁prepare ▁troops ▁what ▁for ▁lay ▁ahead ▁through ▁" pre ca ution ary ▁training ." ▁The ▁division ▁was ▁de emed ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁service - ready ▁units , ▁and ▁Ell ard ▁A . ▁Wal sh ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁general ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁and ▁then ▁succeeded ▁to ▁division ▁commander ▁in ▁August , ▁following ▁month - long ▁command ▁t ours ▁intended ▁to ▁honor ▁senior ▁gener als ▁Lloyd ▁D . ▁Ross ▁( I owa ), ▁George ▁E . ▁Le ach ▁( M inn esota ), ▁and ▁David ▁S . ▁R itch ie ▁( N orth ▁Dak ota ) ▁before ▁their ▁ret ire ments . ▁G amer ▁ ▁The ▁Select ive ▁Training ▁and ▁Service ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁was ▁signed ▁into ▁law ▁ 1 6 ▁September , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁cons cription ▁in ▁U . S . ▁history ▁during ▁pe ac etime ▁comm