INTERWAR PERIOD: 1919-1941

During the interwar period, the 96th would be reactivated, in Portland, OR, as a reserve division. Reactivated in the WWI configuration, that is four infantry regiments (381st, 382nd, 383rd, and 384th) with attached heavy machine gun attachments (361st, 362nd, and 363rd HM battalions; these would become the field artillery battalions for WWII). The units would be spread through Oregon and Washington with the HQ unit based in Portland. The division would work with civilian groups and the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) through the 20’s and 30’s, along with their military activities. During this time, rank numbers suffered with the challenges of the Great Depression and by 1940 there was talk of reducing the number of active reserve units. The Selective Training  and Service Act of 1940 would slow this talk, and then the attack on Pearl Harbor would change everything.