Unlike most of the National Guard divisions serving in World War I, which were reorganized in the peacetime Guard of the 1920s, the 39th Division was not among the group. It was not until the start of the Cold War, of the end of World War II, that the Delta Division was reconstituted as the 39th Infantry Division on 30 September 1946. It was composed of units from the states of Louisiana and Arkansas, with its headquarters stationed at New Orleans, Louisiana.
At the onset of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s, school desegregation was in the forefront of racial integration. In 1957 a Federal court ordered the public schools of Little Rock, Arkansas, to be integrated. Fearing trouble, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the Arkansas portion of the 39th Infantry Division to active Federal duty and deployed it along with Regular Army units around the city to maintain the peace. The Arkansas Guardsmen served from 24 September until 24 October 1957. There were verbal insults and some minor pushing and shoving but no serious trouble erupted as feared, so the troops were released after a month.
As part of the National Guard reorganization of 1967, the 39th Infantry Division was inactivated on I December 1967, with its lineage perpetuated by the 39th Infantry Brigade, Arkansas Army National Guard.
Original Organization Date: 25 August 1917 at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana
Official Nickname: The three states, which composed the original 39h Division; Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, are commonly referred to as the "delta" states of the Mississippi River, so the adoption of "Delta" as the divisional nickname was natural.
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION STREAMERS
World War I
Streamer without Inscription
