Central Defense Command

Central Defense Command
Central Defense Command
Active	1941–1944
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Role	Home defense and training
Garrison/HQ	Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Commanders
Commanding General	Benjamin Lear
Commanding General	Lloyd R. Fredendall

Central Defense Command (CDC) was a command formation of the United States Army during World War II. The CDC was established on 17 March 1941, responsible for coordinating the defense of the Midwest region of the United States. A second major responsibility of CDC was the training of soldiers prior to their deployment overseas. The first Commanding General (CG) of CDC was Lieutenant General Ben Lear, who continued on in command of the U.S. Second Army. CDC headquarters was co-located with the existing Second Army headquarters in Memphis. CDC's operational region covered the states of Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia.^[1]

One of the main responsibilities of CDC was guarding the

Anti-aircraft) Regiment (Colored),^[2] and a barrage balloon battalion for a total in mid-1942 of 7,000 troops in the area. Canada provided an anti-aircraft battalion, elements of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and a warning system of 266 aircraft observation posts of the Aircraft Identity Corps extending northward to Hudson Bay. This was augmented by five US-manned radar stations in northern Ontario. Canada also hosted 2,000 of the US troops defending the area. Given the vast ground defenses, surprisingly no interceptor aircraft were provided. Three emergency landing fields were designated in the area for use by potential air reinforcements, however. By late 1943, with no threat emerging and spare components stockpiled in the event of lock damage, the US forces were cut to 2,500 troops, and the AA and air warning defenses were abandoned. In January 1944 the garrison was further reduced to a single military police battalion.^[3]

On 15 January 1944 Central Defense Command was merged into Eastern Defense Command.^[4]

Commanders

The following men served as Commanding General, Central Defense Command:

Lieutenant General Benjamin Lear, 17 March 1941 – 25 April 1943
Lieutenant General Lloyd R. Fredendall, 25 April 1943 – 15 January 1944

References

^ Map of Continental Defense Organization, from Conn
^ Stanton, p. 466
^ Conn, pp. 102–105
^ Conn, p. 44

Conn, Stetson; Engelman, Rose C.; Fairchild, Byron (2000) [1964]. Guarding the United States and its Outposts. United States Army in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
Stanton, Shelby L. (1991). World War II Order of Battle. Galahad Books.
ISBN 0-88365-775-9
.

[1] Map of Continental Defense Organization, from Conn

[2] Stanton, p. 466

[3] Conn, pp. 102–105

[4] Conn, p. 44

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

Commanders

See also

References