M arch ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁– ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 3 ) ▁M G ▁Ernest ▁N . ▁Harm on ▁( A pril ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁– ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 4 ) ▁M G ▁Vern on ▁Pr ich ard ▁( J uly ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁– ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 5 ) ▁M G ▁R oder ick ▁R . ▁Allen ▁( Se ptember ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁– ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 6 ) ▁M G ▁Hob art ▁R . ▁Gay ▁( F ebru ary ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁in activ ation ) ▁ ▁Training ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁trained ▁at ▁Fort ▁Kno x , ▁Kentucky . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁new ▁experiment ▁in ▁a ▁self - support ing , ▁self - s ust aining ▁bl itz krie g ▁force . ▁It ▁had ▁never ▁been ▁carried ▁out ▁before ▁and ▁the ▁troops ▁necessary ▁for ▁this ▁kind ▁of ▁force ▁were ▁drawn ▁from ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁army ▁posts . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁organization ▁was ▁completed , ▁the ▁division ▁had ▁t anks , ▁art illery , ▁and ▁inf antry . ▁In ▁direct ▁support ▁were ▁tank ▁destroy er , ▁maintenance , ▁medical , ▁supply ▁and ▁engineer ▁batt al ions , ▁but ▁bringing ▁the ▁division ▁up ▁to ▁its ▁full ▁qu ota ▁of ▁t anks , ▁guns , ▁and ▁vehicles ▁was ▁difficult . ▁Although ▁new ▁equipment ▁was ▁received ▁almost ▁daily , ▁the ▁division ▁had ▁only ▁nine ▁out dated