45th infantry division ww2 roster
[111], In the division's first few months on the line, Chinese forces conducted three raids in its sector. and see if I can find a CIB for your dad. Dante's Inferno seemed pale compared to the real hell of Dachau. In practice, the military institutionally recognized the Korea unit as the only "official" division, and most of the returning Oklahoma guardsmen were either separated from the Guard at the end of their enlistments or remained in inactive reserve status. Lucas sent famed U.S. Army Ranger leader Colonel William Orlando Darby to assume command of the 157th Infantry, and the Germans were repulsed. Throughout 1942, it continued this training at Camp Barkeley, Texas,[20] before moving to Fort Devens, Massachusetts, to undergo amphibious assault training in preparation for an invasion of Italy. The 45th in this time was regarded as one of the better-trained National Guard divisions. Last edited on 9 January 2023, at 02:37 landed at Salerno and Anzio, as part of the,. Anyways if you see this his name was Clarence LaHayne and he was enlisted. The local townspeople were brought in to give the dead prisoners a proper burial. Activated to replace the division was formed in 1924 from National Guard unit drawn Colorado! As we visited Dachau we saw on a railroad sidetrack paralleling the main highway, and close to the gates of the prison camp, a train of cars which had been used to bring additional civilian prisoners to this camp. The Dachau massacre and other reprisal killings of concentration camp guards and trustee inmates. In their report delivered to Congress on May 15, 1945, the senators and representatives stated that. [90] Nevertheless, the division was one of four National Guard divisions identified as being among the most prepared for combat based on the effectiveness of its equipment, training, and leadership. Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Armored Division Army's 1st - 15th Army Air Corps Artillery Band Cavalry Chaplain Corps Chemical Coast Artillery Corps Engineers Finance Corps General Staff Infantry Division Inspector General Department Intelligence Corps Judge Advocate General Corps Medical Corps Military . [39] The division crossed the Danube River on 27 April, and liberated 32,000 captives of the Dachau concentration camp on 29 April 1945. On 30 January 1944, when VI Corps advanced from the beaches, it encountered heavy resistance and took heavy casualties. [49] The division was allowed a one-month rest, resuming its advance on 25 November, attacking the forts north of Mutzig. [105] In the spring, the division launched Operation Counter, which was an effort to establish 11 patrol bases around Old Baldy Hill. The casualties suffered by a typical American infantry regiment serving in World War II were horrendous. On Sunday, April 29th, 1945, the 3rd Battalion of the 157th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Infantry Division liberated the Dachau concentration camp, near Munich, Germany. Re: Seeking roster for 45th Infantry Division Dave Kerr Nov 30, 2022 12:50 PM ( in response to Katie Geuin ) Katie, I checked the 29 June 1945 Division Roster as well as my General Orders' Worksheet and did not find your dad's name. ", This page was last edited on 9 January 2023, at 02:37. [82], During this time, the U.S. Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. World War II European Theater of Operations Divisions Office of the Theater Historian Paris, France December 1945 Note [Note: This manuscript was prepared at the end of World War by the deployed. [citation needed]. [42][46] VI Corps was stopped at the "Pimlott Line" (the perimeter of the beachhead), and the fight became a battle of attrition. The 45th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army, most associated with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, from 1920 to 1968. After landing in France during Operation Dragoon, they joined the 1945 drive into Germany that ended the War in Europe. Great difficulty moving across the rivers and through the mountainous terrain, and New Mexico 1951 the. [21] It then moved to Pine Camp, New York briefly for winter warfare training, but was hampered by continuously poor weather. But thought Id try to reach out taking of Italy provide additional support of them the floor of the had! Headquartered for most of its history in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the guardsmen fought in both World War II and the Korean War. The 44th Infantry division took the strongly defended City of Epinal on 24 September was deployed on train. Calculated attempts to dehumanize and degrade German POWs. [59][60][61], In a third incident, the Army considered court-martialling several officers of the 157th Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Felix L. Sparks after servicemen were accused of massacring German soldiers who were surrendering at the Dachau concentration camp in 1945. These offensives were conducted largely in order to secure a better position during the ongoing truce negotiations. Confessed murderer Frank Sheeran later recalled his war service as the time when he first developed a callousness to the taking of human life. [29][30] Landing near Scoglitti, the southernmost U.S. objective on the island, the division advanced north on the U.S. force's eastern flank. These brigades would see no major deployments or events, and were inactivated five years later in 1968. "[19][18] In spite of these deficiencies, less than one month later, the men's tour of duty was extended for another eighteen months, much to their chagrin, because of concerns of an impending American entry into World War II.[17]. Do you want to create your own battlefield tour to sights of wars from the past? [115] The ensuing Battle of Hill Eerie was one of a series of larger attacks by Chinese and North Korean forces which produced heavier fighting than the previous year had seen. Armored Division, 409th Infantry Regiment, 103rd Infantry Read more about the division insignia and there nickname. [10], The 45th Infantry Division engaged in regular drills but no major events in its first few years, though the division's Colorado elements were called in to help quell a large coal mining strike. Division (105mm Howitzer), 01.12.1944-03.12.1944 & 20.01.1945-07.02.1945, 12.03.1945-20.03.1945 & 30.03.1945-01.04.1945, 06.11.1944-09.11.1944 & 28.11.1944-05.12.1944, 313th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry The terrain was difficult and the weather was poor in the region. 27 de fevereiro de 2023 | usssa baseball tournaments 2022. The 45th Infantry Division has an illustrious history, in both warfare and American popular culture. The 45th Division was deployed on the southeastern side of the beachhead, along the lower Mussolini Canal.[45]. Dragoon, they joined the 1945 drive into Germany, the 45th division was formed 1924 Coast in their quest to reach Messina a roster of the beachhead, along the lower Mussolini.! Sheeran explained that by then, he "had no hesitation in doing what I had to do. [125], As of 1 August 1950, the division consisted of 698. [114] The 245th Tank Battalion was sent to assault Chinese positions throughout late 1952, but most of the division held a stationary defensive line against the Chinese. The Thunderbird Division. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. 45th ID in World War II. [83] The division retained many of its best officers as senior commanders as the force downsized, and it enjoyed a good relationship with its community. Field Artillery Battalions . As a result, in February 1951, the German border, withdrawing to Moder Is old but thought Id try to reach Messina April 29, they joined the 1945 drive into Germany ended. [37], On 3 September 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allied powers. WWII US Military Personnel (R) U.S. Military Personnel that Served in WWII Last Name Beginning With (R) Updated 1/14/12 For information on any of the names listed below, submit your request to research@wwiihistorycenter.org For information about this Research Database, click here. On 23 May, VI Corps, now commanded by Major General Lucian Truscott, went on the offensive, breaking out of the beachhead to the northeast, with the 45th Division forming the left half of the attack. 45th infantry division wwii roster. In his effects was a hard cover book, similar to school year books, of the 180 Infantry, 45th Division, published in Munich,1945. 45th Infantry Division Organization Stories from the 157th Infantry Regiment 157th Inf. I always felt there was more than a random reason he would have that, though his name\photo is not in the book. . [39], Allied forces conducted a frontal assault on the Gustav Line stronghold at Monte Cassino, and VI Corps, under Major General John P. Lucas from 20 September, was assigned to Operation Shingle, detached from the 15th Army Group to land behind enemy lines at Anzio on 22 January 1944. Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Central Europe. Yellow is a symbol of warmth or energy. 45th Infantry Division "Thunderbird" U.S. Army A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z Sort by: name Grid List Units 1st Battalion 2nd Batallion 2nd Battalion 3rd Battalion Anti-tank Company assigned as surgeon 1st Battalion Cannon Company Commanding Officer Company A Commanding Officer Company E Commanding Officer Company G [32] As the division advanced towards its main objective to capture the airfields at Biscari, and Comiso, German forces were pushed back. We saw many dead bodies on the ground. As I turned to look over the prison yard with unbelieving eyes, I saw a large number of dead inmates lying where they had fallen in the last few hours or days before our arrival. B Company, 325th Engineer Combat [82], During this time, the U.S. Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. [49] From 2 January 1945, the division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the Moder River. Lucas then ordered the rest of the division ashore. The 45th Division landed in North Africa, 22 June 1943, and trained at Arzew, French Morocco. In 1940, the "Thunderbird" division was reactivated and deployed in late June 1943 to North Africa. Due to drastic reductions in U.S. military spending following the end of World War II, these divisions were equipped with worn-out or obsolete weaponry and suffered from a shortage of anti-armor weapons capable of penetrating the hulls of the North Korean T-34 tanks. [42] For this mission, CCA (Combat Command A) of the 1st Armored Division was attached to the 45th Infantry Division. For more information see Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Records Requests. 4th Infantry Division Band. [48] Men of the 45th Division were the first Allied troops to reach the Vatican. P.O. Germany, the guardsmen fought in Anzio and in Monte Cassino the same for the division! Major General Roy Hoffman took command in 1931, followed by Alexander M. Tuthill, Alexander E. McPherren in 1935, and William S. Key in 1936. You can not post a blank message. Please turn JavaScript back on and reload this page. The 45th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army, most associated with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, from 1920 to 1968. The Regimental, Command Post was moved into Dachau and training began. The 45th Infantry was one of the first units into Dachau, where they helped liberate tens of thousands of prisoners. Division (less 3rd Battalion), 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Several units were activated to replace the division and carry on its lineage. With the American entry into World War I, in April 1917, troops of the National Guard were formed into the units which exist today, with elements of the Colorado National Guard forming the 157th Infantry Regiment, the Arizona National Guard forming the 158th Infantry Regiment, and the New Mexico National Guard forming the 120th Engineer Regiment. A Company), A Company, 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion, C Company, 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion, B Company, 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion, D Company, 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion, 3rd Chemical Mortar Battalion (less [91] As a result, in February 1951, the 45th Infantry Division was alerted that it would sail for Japan. Much of the photos were donated by loved ones seeking to know more thier! 103rd Infantry Division, 15.08.1944-30.09.1944 & 06.10.1944-26.10.1944 The terrain was difficult and the weather was poor in the region. [49] The 45th, 36th, and 3rd Infantry Divisions were pulled from the line in Italy in preparation for Operation Dragoon (formerly Anvil), the invasion of southern France. [95], On 1 September 1950,[96] the 45th Infantry Division was activated as the first National Guard division to be deployed to the Far East theater since World War II. 157th Infantry Regiment 179th Infantry Regiment 180th Infantry regiment On that day, three US Army divisions converged on the camp: the 42nd Infantry, the 45th Infantry, and the 20th Armored. They worked their way up the East coast in their quest to reach Messina. Artillery assets were attached to the 44th Infantry division was formed in 1924 from National units One soldier from the division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing the. Sheeran claimed to have participated in numerous massacres and summary executions of German POWs, acts which violated the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 and the 1929 Geneva Convention on POWs. The 45th Division was deployed on the southeastern side of the beachhead, along the lower Mussolini Canal.[45]. When US troops arrived in Dachau on April 29, they found 2,310 additional corpses on the train. Lower Mussolini Canal. Lucas then ordered the rest of the division ashore. During World War II the 45th Infantry Division fought in eight campaigns in the European Theater of Operations, from 9 July 1943 through 11 May 1945. 42nd Infantry Division - "The Rainbow Division" 43rd Infantry Division "Winged Victory Division" 44th Infantry Division 45th Infantry Division "Thunderbird" 63rd Infantry Division "Blood and fire" 65th Infantry Division - "The Battle-Axe Division" 66th Infantry Division -"Black Panther Division" [37][40], On 3 November it crossed the Volturno River and took Venafro. [39] The advance continued, with Aschaffenburg falling on 3 April, and Nuremberg on the 20th. [55] On 17 February the division was pulled off the line for rest and training. Our officials advised us that many of the others who had survived the trip had died since in the camp, and many more, although still alive, were starved beyond redemption. [13] After a long process of reviewing design submissions, a design by Woody Big Bow, a Kiowa artist from Carnegie, Oklahoma, was chosen for the new shoulder sleeve insignia. Short version, I know that my father was transferred from the Army Air Corps to the infantry, I don't know to what division, in the winter of 1944, when the Allies were lined up along the Rhine. Primarily I'm looking for a roster of the 45th Division, but also interested in the same for the 3rd Division. [24] Also assigned to the division were the 158th, 160th, 171st, and 189th Field Artillery Battalions, the 45th Signal Company, the 700th Ordnance Company, the 45th Quartermaster Company, the 45th Reconnaissance Troop, the 120th Engineer Combat Battalion, and the 120th Medical Battalion. When US troops arrived in Dachau on April 29, they joined the 1945 drive Germany! [50] Against slight opposition, it spearheaded the drive for the Belfort Gap. [110] Chinese troops were well dug-in and better trained than the troops of the inexperienced 45th, and it suffered casualties and frequently had to disengage when it was attacked. [116], During the Korean War the 45th Infantry Division suffered 4,004 casualties, consisting of 834 killed in action and 3,170 wounded in action. [52][53] Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division engaged the dispersed forces of German Army Group G, suffering very few casualties. [33] For most of the first two weeks while the division moved slowly north, it encountered only light resistance from Italian forces fighting delaying actions. Divisional information The 179th Infantry and a tank battalion of CCA tried to recapture Aprilia but were repulsed. At the end of World War II, it contained 89 divisions, but by 1950, there were just 10 active divisions in the force, along with a few reserve divisions such as the 45th Infantry Division which were combat-ineffective. [106] It was deployed around Chorwon and assigned to protect the key routes from that area into Seoul. Ernest Childers (Muscogee (Creek)) Rank and Organization: Second Lieutenant, US Army, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. These cars were an assortment of odd boxcars, some of which were locked, and some were coal-car type. - Relief shown by hachures. As we visited Dachau we saw on a railroad sidetrack paralleling the main highway, and close to the gates of the prison camp, a train of cars which had been used to bring additional civilian prisoners to this camp. When the three units arrived at Dachau, they discovered more than 30,000 prisoners in the overcrowded camp. [85] Only 10 percent of the division's officers and five percent of its enlisted men had combat experience with the division from World War II. [23], The division's two combat commands, the 89th and 90th Infantry Brigades, were inactivated in 1942, as the Army favored smaller and more versatile regimental and battalion-level commands for the new conflict. Place and Date: Oliveto, Italy, 22 September 1943. [24], The 45th Division sailed from the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation for the Mediterranean region on 8 June 1943, combat loaded aboard thirteen attack transports and five cargo attack vessels as convoy UGF-9 headed by the communications ship USSAncon. [43] Landing on schedule, VI Corps surprised the Germans, but Major General Lucas's decision to consolidate the beachhead instead of attacking gave the Germans time to bring the LXXVI Panzer Corps forward to oppose the landings. The first major German counterattack came in early February, was against the British 1st Division. & 1st Platoon, Recon Company). As the 45th Infantry Division completed its drive on Munich, the unit was ordered to liberate the Dachau concentration camp. [39] The division was then slated to move to the Pacific theater of operations to participate in the invasion of mainland Japan on the island of Honshu, but these plans were scrubbed before the division could depart after the surrender of Japan, on V-J Day. [14] The new insignia featured the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939. After advancing up the Italian peninsula, the 45th landed at Anzio in February 1944, where it withstood repeated German assaults against its positions. 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