The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States; , U.S. Government Printing Office. The division remained on the front lines in such engagements as Old Baldy Hill and Hill Eerie until the end of the war, returning to the U.S. in 1954. 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. The 45th Infantry Division of the United States Army was a major formation of the Oklahoma Army National Guard from 1920 to 1968. These forts had been designed by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1893 to block access to the plain of Alsace. You can not post a blank message. History. Headquartered for most of its history in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the guardsmen fought in both World War II and the Korean War. The 45th Division was deployed on the southeastern side of the beachhead, along the lower Mussolini Canal.[45]. The 45th Infantry Division was a National Guard Unit. The proximity of the US Army gave hope to the prisoners in the camp and to anti-Nazis outside it. Rosters. Holocaust Memorial Museum provides information about which units liberated which camps on their, Recognition of U.S. Liberating Army Units, Re: Seeking Roster for 45th Inf Division WW2. The following month, the division landed in Sicily, where it engaged Axis troops in combat. Raymond, Allen D. 1st Battalion, 272nd Infantry Regiment, 69th Infantry Division 200. [39] It sent half of its artillery to support the 70th Infantry Division. NPRC expects to eliminate this portion of the backlog by fall 2022, and restore their pre-pandemic response times of under ten days for these requests later this fall. Although the information contained in the following pages is not specific to the 45th Infantry Division, it presents an accurate overview of each campaign. [55] On 17 February the division was pulled off the line for rest and training. Sheeran told Brandt that, when a German soldier had just killed his close friends and then tried to surrender, he would often "send him to hell, too". You did what you had to do.". [11], The division's original shoulder sleeve insignia, approved in August 1924,[12] featured a swastika, a common Native American symbol, as a tribute to the Southwestern United States region which had a large population of Native Americans. When describing his first murder for organized crime, Sheeran recalled: "It was just like when an officer would tell you to take a couple of German prisoners back behind the line and for you to 'hurry back'. The first evidence of the horror to come was a string of about forty railway cars on a siding near the camp entrance. These prisoners had apparently crawled out of the cars and had died on the ground. [81] During this time the division was also reorganized and as a part of this process the 157th Infantry was removed from the division's order of battle and replaced with the 279th Infantry Regiment. The 179th Infantry and a tank battalion of CCA tried to recapture Aprilia but were repulsed. [10] In 1937, the division's troops were once again called up, this time to help manage a locust plague affecting Colorado. We hope this is helpful. 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. [39] It would remain in the area for a month waiting for other units to catch up before crossing the Mortagne River on 23 October. Artillery and the four Artillery Battalions) and did not find his name. Documents. Find topics of interest and explore encyclopedia content related to those topics, Find articles, photos, maps, films, and more listed alphabetically, Recommended resources and topics if you have limited time to teach about the Holocaust, Explore the ID Cards to learn more about personal experiences during the Holocaust. 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 . Some of the photos were donated by loved ones seeking to know more about thier relatives wartime . Since its inception, Native Americans from the tribes of Oklahoma have served in the National Guard with pride and honor. Some of the German troops were camp guards; the others were sick and wounded troops from a nearby hospital. Sheeran later joked that they did so without complaint, likely hoping that he and his buddies would change their minds. Division, 2nd Battalion, 411th Infantry Regiment, If you see this and check out your roster I would love to know what you find. One of our soldiers told his family about his participation in D-Day in France. After the North Korean People's Army invaded the Republic of Korea, four understrength U.S. divisions on occupation duty in Japan were rushed to South Korea to stand alongside the Republic of Korea Army. You may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgment as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RL-SL. Battles & Campaigns of World War II Combat load of Infantry SoldierSicily [42][44], One regiment of the 45th (the 179th Infantry) went ashore with the landings. . [52][53] Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division engaged the dispersed forces of German Army Group G, suffering very few casualties. However, with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, with its infamous swastika symbol, the 45th Division stopped using the insignia. The delegations of journalists and congressmen who had been viewing the Buchenwald concentration camp were quickly diverted to Dachau to see the camp. Dad was not given to bragging about his three years in Europe. TTY: 202.488.0406, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC, The Holocaust and World War II: Key Dates, Wannsee Conference and the "Final Solution", Documenting Numbers of Victims of the Holocaust and Nazi Persecution, Gleichschaltung: Coordinating the Nazi State, War Refugee Board: Background and Establishment, Holocaust Survivors and Victims Resource Center. The 45th Infantry Museum honors not just their service, but that of all Oklahomans. In company with the British 1st Infantry Division, they advanced north along the Anzio-Albano road and captured the Aprilia "factory", but encountered ingrained resistance from German armored units a few miles further on. They had few soldiers left, very little ammunition, and even food was running out in some places. Division. They worked their way up the East coast in their quest to reach Messina. Since all the many bodies were in various stages of decomposition, the stench of death was overpowering. It is curious that his draft card (Ancestry.com) has an annotated discharge date of 31 March 1946. That's the most information, all in one place, nailing things down to a specific place and time, that I've seen on Dad. Anzio - Operation Shingle, 22 January- 24 May, 1944: The 45th began landing at Anzio on 22 January, 1944, with the 179th Regiment seeing the Division's first action of the campaign at Aprilia, also known as "the factory" on 27 January. Check out the people who helped make it possible! Possibly because he had enough points to be shipped home. [91] As a result, in February 1951, the 45th Infantry Division was alerted that it would sail for Japan. The Seventh Army was being disbanded and Patton had been appointed Military Governor of Bavaria, placing the matter in his hands. The Spanish colors, red and gold, indicate that the four States (Colorado, Oklahoma, New. Horrible images. While Sheeran's unit was climbing the Harz Mountains, they came upon a Wehrmacht mule train carrying food and drink up the mountainside. B Company), 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion (less The 42nd and 45th Infantry Divisions and the 20th Armored Division liberated Dachu, however there were many subcamps and soldiers with our unit, the 36th Infantry Division, often related in the stories they told to their families that they liberated Dachu, when technically it was a subcamp called Kaufring II in Landsburg. Please be aware that NPRC is prioritizing the requests for separation documents needed by veterans and their dependents to prove eligibility for a variety of benefits. In 1963, the formation was reorganized in accordance with the Reorganization Objective Army Divisions plan, which saw the establishment of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Brigade within the division. Yeah, I've heard of that fire in 1973. [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. [22] The division, now commanded by Major General Troy H. Middleton, a Regular Army soldier and highly distinguished World War I veteran, moved to the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation's Camp Patrick Henry to await combat loading on the transports. Our History Department collects Veteran information for this website and the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. The Regimental, Command Post was moved into Dachau and training began. [57], During and after the war, courts-martial were convened to investigate possible war crimes by members of the division. As a result, the division was not sent into combat upon arrival and instead commenced training at Arzew, French Morocco,[26] in preparation for the invasion of Sicily. In the Dachau camp itself, an international committee composed of representatives of the various nationalities imprisoned there was established to organize resistance. I have to wonder why he would have that particular book. Main telephone: 202.488.0400 "Train, No. Command Posts. For more information, please refer to, Onsite Operations at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, We searched the National Archives Catalog and located, for Army units that may include morning reports of the component units of the 45th Infantry Division and the 3rd Infantry Division, as well as the 290 Infantry Regiment. We suggest if the search does not find the name you are seeking, also search manually . These small-unit actions made up the majority of the division's combat in Korea. [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. After Action Reports. & 24.11.1944-14.02.1945 & 05.03.1945-15.03.1945 & 20.03.1945-22.03.1945, 15.08.1944-28.11.1944 & 22.12.1944-27.12.1944 [18] Still operating with outmoded equipment from World War I, the division did not perform well during these exercises, and was criticized by officers who considered it "feeble. [3] The Oklahoma National Guard units that would later become the 179th Infantry Regiment and 180th Infantry Regiment were assigned to the 36th Division and would earn a combat participation credit during the MeuseArgonne offensive in France as part of the 142nd Infantry. One possible method of researching his assignments is to start with the morning resorts for the last unit to which he was assigned, which would be the HQ & HQ Company 290 Infantry Regiment. Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Central Europe. On 16 June, the 45th Division withdrew for rest in preparation for other operations. On 7 December 1945, the division was inactivated from the active duty force and its members reassigned to other Army units. After brief inactivation and subsequent reorganization as a unit restricted to Oklahomans, the division returned to duty in 1951 for the Korean War. [11] The onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s severely curtailed its funding for training and equipment. [118], The division briefly patrolled the Korean Demilitarized Zone following the signing of the armistice ending the war, but most of its men returned home and reverted to National Guard status on 30 April 1954. The 45th, in turn, was under constant artillery and mortar attack. On 16 February, a major German attack struck the 45th, and nearly broke through the 179th Infantry on 18 February. These units were assigned to the 40th Division, and deployed to France where the division was used as a "depot" unit to process and provide replacements for front-line units. My mom remembers him talking about liberating concentration camps, and my grandmother remembers that he was artillery and she thinks he trained at Fort Sill. See: As a result of this effort, two 45th Infantry Division units existed between 1952 and 1953; the mostly Active-duty 45th Infantry Division (AUS) in Korea, and the National Guard 45th Infantry Division (NGUS) in Oklahoma. The first major German counterattack came in early February, was against the British 1st Division. Please type your message and try again. ", It appears that most of the regiment remained in the Dachau vicinity until, 20 July, when the regiment embarked by train for Camp St. Louis. Mortar Battalion, 2nd Battalion, 36th Engineer Combat Washington, DC 20024-2126 [47] On 4 June the 45th Division crossed the Tiber River below Rome, and entered the city along with other VI Corps troops. [117] One soldier from the division, Charles George, was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving in Korea. I know it is old but thought Id try to reach out. It quickly advanced through western France, reaching the German border by the end of the year. As Allied troops moved across Europe in a series of offensives against Nazi Germany, they found tens of thousands of concentration camp prisoners in deplorable conditions. Headquartered mostly in Oklahoma City, the guardsmen fought in both World War II and the Korean War. The division remained a National Guard formation until its downsizing in 1968. They returned home at the end of the war, which occurred on Armistice with Germany. [84] Regardless, by mid-1950 the division had only 8,413 troops, less than 45 percent[n 1] of its full-strength authorization. The 45th Infantry Division was formed in 1924 from National Guard units in the southwestern United States. Dad's photo or name is not in the book. forces. [105], The 45th Infantry Division, along with the 7th Infantry Division, fought off repeated Chinese attacks all along the front line throughout 1952, and Chinese forces frequently attacked Old Baldy Hill into the fall of that year. View of a Clearing Station, somewhere behind Utah Beach, Normandy, taken June 6 - 7, 1944 - triage of Airborne casualties and patients . "On 20 May, the Regiment was incorporated under the Dachau Area, Command. Over the course of its history, the 45th Infantry Division sustained over 25,000 battle casualties, and its men were awarded ten Medals of Honor, twelve campaign streamers, the Croix de Guerre and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. [15] Its men immediately began basic combat training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. [45] The next three months were spent on the defensive, with the 45th engaged in trench warfare, alike to that in World War I. At the time, the 45th Infantry Division was comprised overwhelmingly of high school students or recent graduates and only about 60 percent of its divisional troops had conducted training and drills with the division for a year or more. These were the 7th Infantry Division, the 1st Cavalry Division, the 24th Infantry Division, and the 25th Infantry Division, which were all under the control of the Eighth United States Army. [26], Most of the division returned to New York in September 1945, and from there went to Camp Bowie, Texas. I came on this site hoping to find a clue to Dad's whereabouts in Germany after crossing the Rhine, but I have to say I don't appreciate him being dismissed as every Tom, Dick, and Harry. In March 1945, the "Thunderbird" division crossed the Rhine River and headed southward. In the 45th Division Bill Mauldin 45th Division NewsAngelo Casertano UnknownWilson Kale UnknownHerb Alexander 120th QuartermasterEloy Bacca C/ 120th EngineersErnesto Padilla F/ 120th EngineersAllan Osbourne Sr UnknownHistory B Company 120th Medical Bn. TheDivision was pulled off the line for rest and training. Group, 36th Engineer Combat Group (less 2nd Headquartered for most of its history in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the guardsmen fought in both World War II and the Korean War. These brigades would see no major deployments or events, and were inactivated five years later in 1968. See, for instructions. By 31 May, the German defenses were shattered, and the 45th Division turned northwest, toward the Alban Hills and Rome. But the mule drivers were shot and buried in the holes they had dug. Company Morning Reports. Nonetheless, I do have a roster of the 45th Infantry Division for 1945. [39] The division captured Munich during the next two days, occupying the city until V-E Day and the surrender of Germany. [17] The division was assigned to VIII Corps with the 2nd Infantry Division and the 36th Infantry Division, camped near Pitkin, Louisiana. I've always wondered why there is a 3rd ID patch on his uniform when his discharge indicates 75th ID. For more information see, Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Records Requests, Please be aware that NPRC is prioritizing the requests for separation documents needed by veterans and their dependents to prove eligibility for a variety of benefits. The following month, the division landed in Sicily, where it engaged Axis troops in combat. [108], Initially, the division did not fare well, though it improved quickly. [49] From 2 January 1945, the division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the Moder River. In addition to burying the dead, the Allied forces attempted to help and comfort the survivors with food, clothing and medical assistance. In their report delivered to Congress on May 15, 1945, the senators and representatives stated that. . Dante's Inferno seemed pale compared to the real hell of Dachau. [14] The new insignia featured the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939. Anyways if you see this his name was Clarence LaHayne and he was enlisted. His discharge of course just general information, various theaters served in, listing him attached to HQ CO 290 INF, 75th DIV, but that didn't explain the 3rd DIV patch on his uniform. Calculated attempts to dehumanize and degrade German POWs. The dates after the campaign name are the dates of the campaign not of the division. Slowly advancing through Italy, they fought in Anzio and the Beachhead breakout to the capture of Rome. [101] By 1952, it was fully integrated. If it is on the righthand side, as he wore it, then this means the unit he served with was attached to the 3rd ID during combat operations. Division (less 3rd Battalion), 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry 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. [28], The division was subsequently assigned a lead role in the amphibious assault on Sicily, coming ashore on 10 July. If you havent already done so, we suggest that you request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). [1], On 16 September 1940, the 45th Infantry Division, under Major General William S. Key, was federalized from state control. NPRC expects to eliminate this portion of the backlog by fall 2022, and restore their pre-pandemic response times of under ten days for these requests later this fall. By mid-February, the 45th was positioned astride the "Via Anziate," the road leading to Rome. I checked the 1944 and 1945 Division rosters (45th Div. He never claimed to have liberated Dauchau, just that he was there, no other details, and we only learned that toward the end of his life. . In size, these cars were of the small European type, which, when used for the movement of troops, would never accommodate more than 40 men. [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. [56] During the next month, the division remained in Munich and set up collection points and camps for the massive numbers of surrendering troops of the German armies. [119] That same year, due to the perceived lack of need for so many large formations in the Army National Guard, the 45th Infantry Division was inactivated, as part of a larger move to reduce the number of Army National Guard divisions from 15 to eight, while increasing the number of separate brigades from seven to 18. [49] The division was allowed a one-month rest, resuming its advance on 25 November, attacking the forts north of Mutzig. This Native American symbol became the division's insignia in 1939. Up till now everything was basically small scattered pieces to the puzzle. Divisional information . [8] As a consequence of these militia roots, when the division was properly organized, many of its members were marksmen and outdoorsmen from the remote frontier regions of the Southwestern United States. I think that means he would have been in one of the artillery units for the 45th Infantry Division, but I don't know where to find a roster to check. Lucas sent famed U.S. Army Ranger leader Colonel William Orlando Darby to assume command of the 157th Infantry, and the Germans were repulsed. 45th Infantry Division "Thunderbird" 1939 and before 1939 - present The 45th Infantry Division served for 511 days in Combat in the European African Middle Eastern Theater; during this time they served in the campaigns of SICILY , NAPLES-FOGGIA , ANZIO , ROME-ARNO , SOUTHERN FRANCE , RHINELAND , ARDENNES-ALSACE, and CENTRAL EUROPE. B Company, 325th Engineer Combat If you havent already done so, we suggest that you request a copy of his, . 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. After investigating the incident, the Army considered court-martialling several officers involved, but Patton successfully intervened. I found that book on the 180th Regiment by George Fisher on line. Please turn JavaScript back on and reload this page. The main goals of the World War II Recreation Association, 45th Infantry Division reenactors are to honor the veterans who served the United States Armed Forces in World War Two so that their legacy may live on, and to educate all within our reach about the history of our nation and our Armed Forces. Eisenhower wanted as many as possible to witness the camps. Lucas then moved the rest of the 45th Division to the left-center of the perimeter, at Aprilia and along the west branch of the Mussolini Canal. I know that the 45th, the 42nd, and the 3rd Divisions swept down through that area. 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. To access these records for the 1940s, you will need to either make an appointment to visit the, For more information about these records, please contact the National Archives at St. Louis (RL-SL) at, You may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgment as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RL-SL. So he might have actually meant one of the subcamps which would increase the number of possible units. AAA Group, 31.08.1944-10.11.1944 & 23.11.1944 &18.02.1945 Nora Drewry wrote on January 10, 2014. The local townspeople were brought in to give the dead prisoners a proper burial. It replaced another previously used Native American symbol, a swastika, that was withdrawn when it became closely associated with the Nazi Party. Once this rest period was complete, the division was assigned to XV Corps for the final push into German territory. Two regiments of the 45th (the 179th and 157th Infantry) were sent to the Aprilia sector to reinforce the British. So he might have actually meant one of the subcamps which would increase the number of possible units. [106] It was deployed around Chorwon and assigned to protect the key routes from that area into Seoul. I also examined the lists of names in the History of the Third Infantry Division without success. If you provide your dad's name, I can check it. However, please note that these records are not online and NARA is not staffed to do this level of research for you. [125], As of 1 August 1950, the division consisted of 698. It went over to the attack, 23 May, crossed the Tiber River, 4 June, outflanking Rome and withdrew for rest and training on the 16th. However, everyone at that time had heard of Dachu so it is what stuck in people's minds. 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. Entry: 88092 Subject: EDWARD JAMES LAMBERT. A non-commissioned officer, Sergeant Horace T. West, 33 years old, later confessed to the crimes in the first incident and was found guilty. When US troops arrived in Dachau on April 29, they found 2,310 additional corpses on the train. Then the Wehrmacht mule drivers were given shovels and ordered to "dig their own shallow graves". PFC Donald E. Thompson, member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, per the 29 June 1945 Roster of the. The majority of the 45th ID GIs who returned in September 1945 were discharge Nov. - Dec. 1945. & 01.04.1945-10.05.1945, 636th TD Battalion (SP) (less C Company The 45th landed at Anzio, 22 January 1944, and for 4 months stood its ground against violent assaults. WW2 Order of Battle Medical Units. In Section 1, Item 1, where it asks which items you are requesting, please check Other and specify that you want the entire file. [6] The division was formed and federally recognized as a National Guard unit on 3 August 1923 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. [4], On 19 October 1920, units of the Oklahoma National Guard were organized as part of the 45th Infantry Division, also manned with troops from Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. [7] It was assigned the 89th Infantry Brigade of the Colorado and Arizona National Guards, and the 90th Infantry Brigade of the Oklahoma National Guard. We saw many dead bodies on the ground. [64] Some veterans of the 45th Infantry Division have said that only 30 to 50 German soldiers were killed and that very few were killed trying to surrender, while others have admitted to killing or refusing to treat wounded German guards.[65]. The Dachau massacre and other reprisal killings of concentration camp guards and trustee inmates. Read more about the division insignia and there nickname. In retaliation, the 245th Tank Battalion sent nine tanks to raid Agok. By the time the 45th Infantry Division made it into Germany, the German army was in bad shape. [39] The Fifth Army was battered and pushed back by German forces until 20 September, when Allied forces were finally able to break out and establish a more secure beachhead. Click the image to view the campaign. Welcome to our 45th Infantry Division photo Galleries. last revision document.write(document.lastModified). [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. One possible method of researching his assignments is to start with the morning resorts for the last unit to which he was assigned, which would be the HQ & HQ Company 290 Infantry Regiment. [39] At this time, VI Corps was attached to the Seventh Army, under Lieutenant General Alexander Patch, itself part of the Sixth United States Army Group under Lieutenant General Jacob L. Rosters for units serving in World War II from 1944 - 1946 were destroyed in accordance with Army disposition authorities. 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. Platoon, D Company), 47th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division, 47th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division (less Courtesy of the 45th Infantry Division Museum. Casualty figures for the 45th Infantry Division, European theater of operations: The 45th Infantry Division gained its nickname, "Thunderbird" division, from the gold thunderbird. For more information about these records, please contact the National Archives at St. Louis (RL-SL) at [email protected]. We have no records for him other than his registration card and photos. During World War I, Colonel A. W. Bloor, commander of the 142nd Infantry, 36th Division, tested and deployed a code, using the Choctaw language in place of regular military code. Sheeran explained that by then, he "had no hesitation in doing what I had to do. Some of those photos match the area where Operation Dragoon was executed. 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. The number of POWs taken by the 45th Division during its almost two years of fighting totalled 124,840 men. [35] After this, the division was allocated to drive towards Messina, being ordered by the Seventh Army commander to cover the distance as quickly as possible. On April 29, 1945, three US Army divisions converged on the camp: the 42nd Infantry, the 45th Infantry, and the 20th Armored. [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. Ray, John F Company, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division 482. [2] Also activated from division assets were the 45th Field Artillery Group, later redesignated the 45th Fires Brigade, and the 90th Troop Command. Men from the state militias of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma made up the division. When the three units arrived at Dachau, they discovered more than 30,000 prisoners in the overcrowded camp. Later that month, it was given 4,006 new recruits for its three infantry regiments and artillery assets, and each unit created a 14-week training program to prepare these new soldiers for combat. The 816 surviving prisoners were taken to barracks within the camp. In the town of Dachau, German opponents of the regime, including a few escaped concentration camp prisoners, took over the town hall, but the local SS put down the small rebellion and executed those among the insurgents whom they caught. Yellow is a symbol of warmth or energy. For more information see Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Records Requests. Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! He described often witnessing similar behavior by fellow, Orders from unit commanders during a mission. If there is any information requested by the form that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file if it survived the fire. The 45th Infantry Division in World War II: An Unofficial Guide to Resources [107] The division suffered its first casualty on 11 December 1951. Seventh Army, along with Free French forces, were able to advance north quickly. 1st Cavalry . [105] In the spring, the division launched Operation Counter, which was an effort to establish 11 patrol bases around Old Baldy Hill. [94] The division was awarded four campaign streamers and one Presidential Unit Citation. [32] The paratroopers, conducting their first combat jump of the war after six weeks of training in Tunisia, then set up to protect the 45th's flank against German counterattack, but without weapons to counter heavy armor, the paratroopers had to rely on support from the 2nd Armored Division to repulse the German Tiger I tanks. The division then defended the hill against a series of Chinese assaults from the Chinese 38th Army. [45] For the next few months the 45th Infantry Division was mostly stuck in place, holding its ground during repeated German counterattacks, and subjected to bombardment from aircraft and artillery.[39]. On April 20, it captured the city of Nuremberg and on April 30, Munich. We would like to thank Crown Family Philanthropies and the Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation for supporting the ongoing work to create content and resources for the Holocaust Encyclopedia. Following Sicily the division landed at Salerno and Anzio, as part of the forces in the taking of Italy. His old dress uniform has a 3rd Infantry Division shoulder patch. George Patton, the Seventh Army commanding general, asked Omar Bradley, II Corps commanding general, to get the cases dismissed to prevent bad press, but Bradley refused. Veterans and next of kin of deceased veterans also may use eVetRecs to request records. & 1st Platoon, Recon Company). [citation needed]. On 30 January 1944, when VI Corps advanced from the beaches, it encountered heavy resistance and took heavy casualties. [34] Italian and German forces resisted fiercely at Motta Hill on 26 July, however, and for four days the 45th Division was held up there. In some of these cars there were more than enough to cover the floors. This tool uses JavaScript and much of it will not work correctly without it enabled. Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths in World War II, Final Report, 1 December 1941 - 31 December 1946. Hoping to occupy as much of the country as humanly possible before the German Army could react, the U.S. Fifth Army prepared to attack Salerno. [49] The 45th moved north to the Sarreguemines area and smashed through the Siegfried Line, on 17 March taking Homburg on the 21st and crossing the Rhine between Worms and Hamm on the 26th. 45th US Infantry Division "Thunderbird" home Divisional information Divisional troops Attachments Assignments Detachments Command Posts Divisional information Top Specials [read more] Read more about the division insignia and there nickname. 1st Cavalry Medical Squadron. Confessed murderer Frank Sheeran later recalled his war service as the time when he first developed a callousness to the taking of human life. Markham. However, please note that these records are not online and NARA is not staffed to do this level of research for you. [7] It was one of four National Guard divisions to be federalized on that day, alongside the 30th, the 41st and 44th Infantry Divisions, originally for a one-year period. [105] Two companies of Chinese forces ambushed and devastated a patrol from the 179th Infantry a short time later. [41] Until 9 January 1944, the division, now under Major General William W. Eagles (replacing Major General Middleton who, struck down with arthritis, was sent to England to command VIII Corps in the Normandy invasion), inched forward into the mountains reaching St. Elia, north of Monte Cassino, before moving to a rest area. [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. Lucas then ordered the rest of the division ashore. 45th Infantry Division WWII Veteran Cap Black 5.0 (1) $2695 $7.49 delivery Fri, Dec 23 Arrives before Christmas 45th Infantry Division/Brigade 1 inch Enamel Pin $999 Save 15% when you buy $40.00 of select items FREE delivery Dec 22 - 28 Small Business 45th Infantry Division in the Sicilian Campaign, Part 2 by U.S. Army 45th Infantry Division In September of 1940, the War Department called the 45th Infantry to federal service and began training for a possible war with Germany and Japan. [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. [105] The division was put under the command of Eighth Army's I Corps for most of the conflict. His name was William C. Dennard, enlisted in Houston, TX in October of '42. These pages are built and maintained by the World War II Recreation Association with membership in Northern Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The 45th Infantry Division took the strongly defended city of Epinal on 24 September. I had to show them his records, with our unit to prove that he was nowhere near Normandy in June 1944. [48] The U.S. If there is any information requested by the form that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file if it survived the fire. [7], The 45th Infantry Division Museum is located in Oklahoma City, and includes a substantial collection of cartoons by World War II cartoonist Bill Mauldin, who served with it during the war. 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. Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Naples-Foggia. [39] During this time much of the division's artillery assets were attached to the 44th Infantry Division to provide additional support. [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. . One story I often share to illustrate how we have to look at the stories left by soldiers and their families helps illustrate the problem. Just days before, about 2,000 inmates evacuated on a death march from the Flossenbrg concentration camp had arrived at Dachau and the SS guards had forced almost 7,000 Dachau inmates to move southward. I always felt there was more than a random reason he would have that, though his name\photo is not in the book. It will take considerably longer to eliminate the backlog on other types of requests, such as genealogical requests for complete copies of records. Please check NARAs web page about, The U.S. [32] As the division advanced towards its main objective to capture the airfields at Biscari, and Comiso, German forces were pushed back. 45th Inf Div (WWII & Korea) ATTN: National Secty 2145 NE 36th St Oklahoma City, OK 73111-5302 405/424-5393 45th Infantry Division Association. The scene near the entrance to the confinement area numbed my senses. The U.S. Several units were activated to replace the division and carry on its lineage. [37] Opposing them were elements of the German 29th Panzergrenadier Division and XVI Panzer Corps. The 45th moved north to the Sarreguemines area and smashed through the Siegfried Line. [115] Chinese forces continued to mount concentrated attacks on the lines of the UN forces, including the 45th Infantry Division, but the division managed to hold most of its ground, remaining stationary until the end of the war in the summer of 1953. Originally organized in the continental U.S. in 1917, this organization sailed to the Philippines with all of its records and colors. The division was organized in 1923, and Oklahoma members camped together for the first time at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1924. [39] The division crossed the Danube River on 27 April, and liberated 32,000 captives of the Dachau concentration camp on 29 April 1945. Armored Division, 409th Infantry Regiment, 103rd Infantry [51] The German Army, reeling from the Battle of Normandy, in which it had suffered a major defeat, pulled back after a short fight, part of an overall German withdrawal to the east following the landings. 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" [89] Because of heavy casualties and slow reinforcement rates, the Army looked to the National Guard to provide additional units to relieve the beleaguered Eighth Army. It will take considerably longer to eliminate the backlog on other types of requests, such as genealogical requests for complete copies of records. The muster rolls often indicate which unit a soldier is transferring from when he is first noted on the muster rolls as transferring to the unit. 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. Is the 3rd ID patch on his right or left shoulder (as he would have worn the uniform)? [120] In its place, the independent 45th Infantry Brigade (Separate) was established. It had left Buchenwald four weeks earlier on April 7 filled with more than 5,000 prisoners. I have his army serial # as well if that would help. [79] Soldiers of the division also received 61 Distinguished Service Crosses, three Distinguished Service Medals, 1,848 Silver Star Medals, 38 Legion of Merit medals, 59 Soldier's Medals, 5,744 Bronze Star Medals, and 52 Air Medals. Your relative might have been told at the time that his unit was liberating a Dachu camp and it just stuck that it was "the" Dachu camp instead of one of its many sub camps. [102] Additionally, in an effort to reduce the burden on the National Guard,[n 2] troops from the division were often replaced by enlisted and drafted soldiers from the active duty force. [39] The division was then reassigned to V Corps, under the command of Major General Leonard T. Gerow, for its next advance. Best of luck with your family research! The 45th Infantry Division was recognized as a liberating unit by the US Army's Center of Military History and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1985. [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. I can count on one hand the stories - harmless stories - we know of his time over there. Based in Oklahoma City and one of the first National Guard units to be activated for World War II, from the shores of France and all the way to Berlin liberating Dachau along the way, they later served in the brutal Korean War. These cars were an assortment of odd boxcars, some of which were locked, and some were coal-car type. ", This page was last edited on 9 January 2023, at 02:37. I'm trying to find information on my great grandfather's service in WWII. Assignments 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. Allied intelligence estimated that the island was defended by approximately 230,000 troops, the majority of which were drawn mostly from weak Italian formations and two German divisions which had been reconstituted after being destroyed earlier. This tool uses JavaScript and much of it will not work correctly without it enabled. I have two rosters of the 45th Division plus several Excel worksheets of men who served in the division. Immediately after Dachau's liberation, US Army authorities and other Allied representatives began treating the sick prisoners, implementing health and sanitary measures to curb the typhus epidemic, and bringing in tons of food to feed the starving prisoners. [93] After its basic training was complete, the division was sent to Japan in April 1951 for advanced training and to act as a reserve force for the Eighth United States Army, then fighting in Korea. Seventh Army under Lieutenant General George S. Patton, for the operation. Please turn JavaScript back on and reload this page. The 3rd Div patch is on the left shoulder. 45th Infantry Division. [62] The cremation ovens, which were still in operation when the soldiers arrived, contained bodies and skeletons as well. A shame. Detachments [16] In August 1941, the 45th Infantry Division took part in the Louisiana Maneuvers, the largest peacetime exercises in U.S. military history. [49] On 30 September the division crossed the Moselle River and entered the western foothills of the Vosges, taking Rambervillers. Inside this website you will find over 100 pages of Maps History and Photographs of the World War Two Thunderbirds. According to the regimental After Action Report of May 1945. the 1st and 2nd Battalions were assigned to guard duty at KZ Dachau. I also examined the lists of names in the History of the Third Infantry Division without success. With few provisions, almost 2,000 inmates died during the circuitous route that took them from Thuringia through Saxony to Czechoslovakia and into Bavaria. Please complete a. and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. By 12 September, the Seventh Army linked up with Lieutenant General George S. Patton's U.S. Third Army, advancing from Normandy, joining the two forces at Dijon. In many cases where personnel records were destroyed in the, , proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued. As the 45th Infantry Division completed its drive on Munich, the unit was ordered to liberate the Dachau concentration camp. In January 1943 it moved to Fort Pickett, Virginia, for its final training. Please check NARAs web page about COVID-19 updates for the latest information. A Company), B & C Companies, 2nd Chemical They took part in intense fighting during the invasion of Sicily and the attack on Salerno in the 1943 Italian Campaign. Against this, the Allies planned to land 180,000 troops,[27] including the 45th Infantry Division, which was assigned to Lieutenant General Omar Bradley's II Corps, part of the U.S. So the stories that came down through the family where all about dad or grandpa's taking part in the D-Day landings on Normandy because they'd never heard about the ones in Southern France. [124], Note: Similarity of dates for General Muldrow and commanders beginning with General Ruffner is because 45th Infantry Division, AUS, was retained in Korea while twin unit, 45th Infantry Division, NGUS, was activated in Oklahoma. [37], On 3 September 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allied powers. 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 [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. I've often thought he may have been attached to the 75th after they were sent south to the Colmar Pocket, and when that was over, and the 75th went back north, Dad was transferred out to - my best guess at the time - the 3rd Division. 45th Infantry Division. 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. This is intended as a rememberance or memorial to those who served in the 45th Infantry Division. [9] The division's first commander was Major General Baird H. [111], In the division's first few months on the line, Chinese forces conducted three raids in its sector. The thunderbird is a symbol of the Southwestern Indians meaning sacred bearer of unlimited happiness. Every Tom, Dick and Harry in the Seventh Army and beyond, claimed to have liberated Dachau KZ on 29 April 1945 or to have. However, everyone at that time had heard of Dachu so it is what stuck in people's minds. 103rd Infantry Division, 15.08.1944-30.09.1944 & 06.10.1944-26.10.1944 I have a newspaper clipping from the local paper that he had informed his parents that he had been transferred to the infantry - from the Air Corp/Air Force - of course there would be no mention of what unit he was transferred to, and this was during the winter of '44, when they were pulling men from all branches to fill the line. Some of the victims apparently had died only hours before the 45th Division entered the camp, while many others lay where they had died in states of decomposition that overwhelmed the soldiers' senses. [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. Red is a symbol of bravery and valor. The 45th Infantry Division World War II in Germany. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience as we balance mission-critical work and the safety of our staff during the pandemic. [54], After the crossing was complete, the division was relieved from V Corps and assigned to Major General Wade H. Haislip's XV Corps. I have been trying to find out more about my grandfathers service and think he might have been a part of the 45th and was hoping you might see this and be able to check for me. This explains the book he had on the 180th Regiment. The muster rolls often indicate which unit a soldier is transferring from when he is first noted on the muster rolls as transferring to the unit. "[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]. Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, 105th German soldiers began surrendering to the Allies in large groups; 325,000 soldiers and civilians . [80][121] The 45th Infantry Brigade received all of the 45th Division's lineage and heraldry, including its shoulder sleeve insignia. [94] The involvement of the National Guard in the fighting in Korea was further expanded when the 40th Infantry Division of the California Army National Guard received warning orders for deployment as well. He also talked about some time in Italy and to the best of my knowledge (granted I am no expert) the 42nd was never in Italy. Wilkin. Does anyone in the family have his discharge papers that confirm he was a member. They trace their lineage from frontier militias that operated in the Southwestern United States throughout the late 1800s. Dragoon was originally planned to coincide with the Normandy landings in the north, but was delayed until August because of a shortage of landing craft. We have every reason to believe him, because he was not the kind to tell stories just to make himself look good. 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. In each of them the floor of the car was covered with dead, emaciated bodies. Could you kindly check your records and let me know if you have him on your list? A row of small cement structures near the prison entrance contained a coal-fired crematorium, a gas chamber, and rooms piled high with naked and emaciated human corpses. [39] The division had great difficulty moving across the rivers and through the mountainous terrain, and the advance was slow. The Division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the Moder River. 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. It's like a window back in time. Slowly advancing through Italy, they fought in Anzio and in Monte Cassino. Hometown - Argyle. [92], In preparation for the deployment, the division was sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana, to begin training and to fill its ranks. City and State: HUNTLEY MT The following year, on 10 September 1946, the 45th Infantry Division was reconstituted as a National Guard unit. To access these records for the 1940s, you will need to either make an appointment to visit the National Archives at St. Louis or hire a researcher. After landing in France during Operation Dragoon, they joined the 1945 drive into Germany that ended the War in Europe. Send Email To NORA DREWRY. Below is a list of colors and symbols, and what they mean. His photos included a lot of concentration camp images. Devers. Regarding his Discharge showing him attached to the HQ CO 290 INF, (75th INF DIV), his personal effects include a 75th ID patch. The 45th Infantry was originally a National Guard unit drawn from Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. [37] Against stiff resistance, the 45th pushed to the Calore River after a week of heavy fighting. [50] Against slight opposition, it spearheaded the drive for the Belfort Gap. When it arrived in Korea, only half the division's manpower were National Guard troops, and over 4,500 guardsmen left between May and July 1952, continually replaced by more active duty troops, including an increasing number of African Americans. [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. 1912 - 1946 for Army units that may include morning reports of the component units of the 45th Infantry Division and the 3rd Infantry Division, as well as the 290 Infantry Regiment. [80] Instead of comprising units from several states, the post-war 45th was an all-Oklahoma organization. Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Sicily. View the list of all donors. In Section 1, Item 1, where it asks which items you are requesting, please check Other and specify that you want the entire file. In many cases where personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued. [21] It then moved to Pine Camp, New York briefly for winter warfare training, but was hampered by continuously poor weather. [80] Its colors were returned to Oklahoma on 25 September of that year, formally ending the division's presence in Korea. [93][97] Nevertheless, it was not deployed to Korea until December 1951, when its advanced training was complete. Also in that collection are two Army Air Corps patches - he started out in the Air Corps - and one USSTAF patch, which the Air Corps evolved into sometime prior to the crossing of the Rhine. The 45th Infantry Division was reassigned to VI Corps on New Year's day. Veterans and next of kin of deceased veterans also may use eVetRecs to request records. The female cooks were first allowed to leave unmolested, then Sheeran and his fellow GIs "ate what we wanted and soiled the rest with our waste". [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. It arrived on December 2, 1920 and redesignated as a Philippine Scout regiment the next day. Malnutrition and disease were rampant, and corpses lay unburied. To search PDF documents, download and open in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Adobe is unable to convert all 75 year old text to searchable text. [109] It also conducted constant small-unit patrols along the border seeking to engage Chinese outposts or patrols. Please complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. Major General Roy Hoffman took command in 1931, followed by Alexander M. Tuthill, Alexander E. McPherren in 1935, and William S. Key in 1936. [42] For this mission, CCA (Combat Command A) of the 1st Armored Division was attached to the 45th Infantry Division. The soldiers reacted in shock and disbelief to the evidence of Nazi atrocities. [94] Its anti-aircraft and armor assets were used as mobile artillery, which continuously pounded Chinese positions. The 4th Armored Division was activated during World War II on 15 April 1941 with 3,800 men (10,000 by the end of May 1941) from various other units, at Pine Camp (Camp Drum, 1951; Fort Drum, 1974), New York under its first Commanding General, Brigadier General Henry W. Baird.. World War II. [31] After initially encountering resistance from armor of the Hermann Goering Division, the division advanced, supported by paratroopers of the 505th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, who landed inland on 11 July. The 45th Infantry Division was formed in 1924 from National Guard units in the southwestern United States. Rosters. families that they liberated Dachu, when technically it was a subcamp called Kaufring II in Landsburg. 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW [39] The division remained on the line with the U.S. 6th Army Group the southernmost of three army groups advancing through France. He also claimed to have been at Dachau and talked about it to some detail when I was younger. 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 [38] On 10 September, elements of the division conducted its second landing at Agropoli and Paestum with the 36th Infantry Division, on the southernmost beaches of the attack. & 05.03.1945-15.03.1945 & 20.03.1945-25.03.1945 & 11.04.1945-10.05.1945, 1st Platoon, A Battery, 353rd AAA SL Battalion, 15.08.1944-25.08.1944 & 30.08.1944-09.11.1944 and see if I can find a CIB for your dad. Their bodies were left behind in various locations throughout Germany. Cutting across the country, the unit was sent to southern France in August 1944. Holocaust Memorial Museum provides information about which units liberated which camps on their Recognition of U.S. Liberating Army Units website. In World War II, following stateside training at Camp Barkley, Fort Sill, Camp Devens, the 45th Infantry Division landed in Sicily on 10 July 1943. Fearing political ramifications, Army leaders sought to prevent large numbers of casualties from any one state, and the 45th Infantry Division was an all-Oklahoma organization at the beginning of the war. In 1940, the "Thunderbird" division was reactivated and deployed in late June 1943 to North Africa. [86], At the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, the U.S. Army looked to expand its force again to prepare for major conflict. 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