Army of the United States
Encyclopedia
The Army of the United States is the official name for the conscription
(U.S. term: draft
) force of the United States Army
that may be raised at the discretion of the United States Congress
in the event of the United States
entering into a major armed conflict. The Army of the United States was utilized in World War II
, the Korean War
, and the Vietnam War
.
. The Army of the United States saw a major expansion following the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor
. The Army of the United States was considered a successor to the National Army, which had been founded to fight in World War I
and had been disbanded in 1920.
The first officers of the Army of the United States were appointed from the ranks of the Regular Army. The standard practice for such officers was to hold a “permanent rank” within the Regular Army while holding a “temporary rank” for service in the Army of the United States. A typical situation would be a colonel in the Army of the United States holding the permanent rank of captain in the Regular Army. Another term for the Army of the United States rank was “Theater Rank,” held by officers who were deployed to the European Theater or serving in the Pacific
.
Promotions within the Army of the United States were sometimes very rapid and some officers rose as many as four to five ranks in the space of three to four years. Dwight Eisenhower, who served as General of the Army
, rose from a colonel to five-star general in three years. Rank within the Army of the United States could also be revoked just as easily, however, with senior commanders who were relieved reverting to their permanent rank in the Regular Army. This was known as “loss of theater rank,” with some instances of generals returning to the United States, in disgrace or at least under a cloud, as colonels or majors.
The enlisted force of the Army of the United States was made up of Regular Army professionals who, unlike their officer counterparts, did not hold rank in the Army of the United States but were considered as Regular Army only. Personnel enlisting in the United States Army could also choose to enlist as Regular Army, which would entail a greater service obligation. The draft forces of the U.S. Army were all Army of the United States personnel and were annotated by the abbreviation “AUS” in front of their service number
s and in the Component block 5 on their discharge papers . Regular Army personnel were denoted by the abbreviations “RA.”
In 1946, with postwar demobilization, the Army of the United States was suspended, along with the draft
. Officers from that point reverted to Regular Army rank and all enlisted personnel either were discharged from the Army of the United States or reenlisted in the Regular Army. The Army of the United States was reinstated during the Korean War
but mainly was confined to the enlisted forces. Most officers of the Korean War held Regular Army rank only.
was as follows:
For the Korean War, the Army of the United States changed its abbreviation to “US,” replacing the older “AUS.” It thus became something of a point of honor among the enlisted corps whether or not someone was an “RA” (meaning that he had voluntarily enlisted) or a “US,” meaning that the soldier had been drafted. Some who were drafted would then enlist in the Regular Army (sometimes on the same day as being drafted) in order to change their designation from Army of the United States to Regular Army.
, and it was disbanded after 1974. Today, the only further use of the Army of the United States is on the retired officer rolls of the U.S. Army. In cases of senior personnel, the retired rolls may list their rank as “AUS Retired,” meaning that the rank they hold for retirement pay is higher than their permanent rank at the actual time of retirement. Army Reserve Officers who are retired from active duty by reason of longevity (20 years or more of active duty), and those Army Reserve Officers placed on the Permanent Disability Retired List are transferred to the Retired Reserve, and use the designation "Army of the United States, Retired."
The Army Reserve and National Guard of the United States have never been incorporated into the Army of the United States, and have always been separate components. The Army National Guard is known by the service abbreviation “ARNG,” while the Army Reserve is referred to as “USAR.”
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
(U.S. term: draft
Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
) force of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
that may be raised at the discretion of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in the event of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entering into a major armed conflict. The Army of the United States was utilized in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
World War II
The Army of the United States (AUS) was first established in February 1941, in response to the looming threat of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Army of the United States saw a major expansion following the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. The Army of the United States was considered a successor to the National Army, which had been founded to fight in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and had been disbanded in 1920.
The first officers of the Army of the United States were appointed from the ranks of the Regular Army. The standard practice for such officers was to hold a “permanent rank” within the Regular Army while holding a “temporary rank” for service in the Army of the United States. A typical situation would be a colonel in the Army of the United States holding the permanent rank of captain in the Regular Army. Another term for the Army of the United States rank was “Theater Rank,” held by officers who were deployed to the European Theater or serving in the Pacific
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
.
Promotions within the Army of the United States were sometimes very rapid and some officers rose as many as four to five ranks in the space of three to four years. Dwight Eisenhower, who served as General of the Army
General of the Army (United States)
General of the Army is a five-star general officer and is the second highest possible rank in the United States Army. A special rank of General of the Armies, which ranks above General of the Army, does exist but has only been conferred twice in the history of the Army...
, rose from a colonel to five-star general in three years. Rank within the Army of the United States could also be revoked just as easily, however, with senior commanders who were relieved reverting to their permanent rank in the Regular Army. This was known as “loss of theater rank,” with some instances of generals returning to the United States, in disgrace or at least under a cloud, as colonels or majors.
The enlisted force of the Army of the United States was made up of Regular Army professionals who, unlike their officer counterparts, did not hold rank in the Army of the United States but were considered as Regular Army only. Personnel enlisting in the United States Army could also choose to enlist as Regular Army, which would entail a greater service obligation. The draft forces of the U.S. Army were all Army of the United States personnel and were annotated by the abbreviation “AUS” in front of their service number
Service number
A service number is an identification code used to identify a person within a large group. Service numbers are most often associated with the military; however, they may be used in civilian term as well...
s and in the Component block 5 on their discharge papers . Regular Army personnel were denoted by the abbreviations “RA.”
In 1946, with postwar demobilization, the Army of the United States was suspended, along with the draft
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
. Officers from that point reverted to Regular Army rank and all enlisted personnel either were discharged from the Army of the United States or reenlisted in the Regular Army. The Army of the United States was reinstated during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
but mainly was confined to the enlisted forces. Most officers of the Korean War held Regular Army rank only.
Korean War
Upon its reinstatement for the Korean War, the Army of the United States only consisted of conscripts with the Regular Army, National Guard, and Army of the United States existing simultaneously in the same theater. The system of Service NumbersService number (United States Army)
Service numbers were used by the United States Army from 1918 until 1969. Prior to this time, the Army relied on muster rolls as a means of indexing enlisted service members while officers were usually listed on yearly rolls maintained by the United States War Department...
was as follows:
- ER: Enlisted Reserve
- OR: Officer Reserve
- NG: National Guard
- RA: Regular Army
- US: Army of the United States
For the Korean War, the Army of the United States changed its abbreviation to “US,” replacing the older “AUS.” It thus became something of a point of honor among the enlisted corps whether or not someone was an “RA” (meaning that he had voluntarily enlisted) or a “US,” meaning that the soldier had been drafted. Some who were drafted would then enlist in the Regular Army (sometimes on the same day as being drafted) in order to change their designation from Army of the United States to Regular Army.
Vietnam and beyond
The last use of the Army of the United States was during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, and it was disbanded after 1974. Today, the only further use of the Army of the United States is on the retired officer rolls of the U.S. Army. In cases of senior personnel, the retired rolls may list their rank as “AUS Retired,” meaning that the rank they hold for retirement pay is higher than their permanent rank at the actual time of retirement. Army Reserve Officers who are retired from active duty by reason of longevity (20 years or more of active duty), and those Army Reserve Officers placed on the Permanent Disability Retired List are transferred to the Retired Reserve, and use the designation "Army of the United States, Retired."
The Army Reserve and National Guard of the United States have never been incorporated into the Army of the United States, and have always been separate components. The Army National Guard is known by the service abbreviation “ARNG,” while the Army Reserve is referred to as “USAR.”