Texas Military Forces Historical Sketch
1922 to 1938
On August 31, 1922, reorganization had progressed to the state of having 6,615 officers and men on the rolls, a gain of 4,100 in eight months, an average gain of more than 500 per month. In addition to cavalry organizations, which had been maintained intact, there were 78 federally recognized infantry units (two complete infantry brigades) and 10 federally recognized batteries of field artillery as of that date.
In the following year, the 61st Field Artillery Brigade was completed, with the exception of the Brigade Ammunition Train, and 111th Engineer Regiment was organized in its entirety. Major General John A. Hulen was federally recognized May 2, 1923. The enrollment of the Guard had risen to 8,202, in 1923, then to 8,451 in 1924.
An act of Congress, approved April 16, 1924, authorized the issuance of distinctive service medals to officers and enlisted men of the two brigades of Texas cavalry organized during the spring and summer of 1918 but never drafted into Federal service, and, therefore, ineligible for the Victory Medal.
In the period 1925-26, the organization of additional National Guard units was prohibited by the War Department by reason of the national economy program. Only a band section at Ft. Worth for the 111th Medical Regiment was organized. Ground was broken for permanent improvements to the 36th Division camp site at Palacios on December 28, 1925, thus increasing the training facilities of the National Guard although increase in personnel was prohibited for that time. A camp site, located two miles west of the town of Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, was deeded to the State in 1926 for permanent training camp of the 56th Cavalry Brigade.
With the enrollment increased to 8,711 enlisted men, nine warrant officers and 566 officers, in 1927, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 36th Division Train, and 142nd Motor Transport Company, 36th Division Train, were organized, completing the peace-time organization of the 36th Division Train.
In 1928, though, the actual numerical strength of the Texas National Guard was decreased approximately 1,300 men, but this decrease was the result of a reduction in strength ordered by the War Department due to a shortage of funds for payment of the National Guard. The total enrollment was 7,962, but only the maximum strength of the companies was reduced and not the number of companies.
An increase of 183 officers and men was reported in 1929. Part of this increase was due to a reorganization of the 56th Cavalry Brigade in accordance with revised tables of organization on account of which the allotted strength of the Texas National Guard was increased by 11 officers, one warrant officer and 54 enlisted men, but the increase was mainly due to the fact that organizations had become better adjusted to the strength limitation and were being maintained at or near their maximum strength.
During the next few years, no great change was reported in either the number of men or the number of companies in the National Guard, and on August 31, 1932, there were 619 officers, nine warrant officers and 7,791 enlisted men.
It was in 1932 that Adjutant General W. W. Sterling recommended a rather great change in the personnel under his direction, when he reported to the governor as follows:
"I recommend that the Ranger Service be taken out of the hands of the Adjutant General. My reasons for this recommendation are that the Adjutant General in almost every case is a military man and has no conception of the duties of a Ranger. He is constantly called upon to make decisions for the Rangers, and his training does not fit him to handle the problems of the Rangers. The military organization of the State has now grown to such an extent that the Adjutant General should devote his entire time to the military."