[11] The onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s severely curtailed its funding for training and equipment. It arrived on December 2, 1920 and redesignated as a Philippine Scout regiment the next day. Battles & Campaigns of World War II Combat load of Infantry SoldierSicily The local townspeople were brought in to give the dead prisoners a proper burial. 79th Infantry Division, 03.01.1945-17.01.1945 & 22.01.1945-29.01.1945, 19th Armored Infantry Battalion, 14th 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. 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. 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. His old dress uniform has a 3rd Infantry Division shoulder patch. [39] The division captured Munich during the next two days, occupying the city until V-E Day and the surrender of Germany. The soldiers of the 45th Division who liberated the camp were outraged at the malnourishment and maltreatment of the 32,000 prisoners they liberated, some barely alive, and all victims of the Holocaust. This is intended as a rememberance or memorial to those who served in the 45th Infantry Division. 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. The division remained a National Guard formation until its downsizing in 1968. [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. last revision document.write(document.lastModified). The Division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the Moder River. [48] The U.S. 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. 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 [125], As of 1 August 1950, the division consisted of 698. The 3rd Div patch is on the left shoulder. 45th Inf Div (WWII & Korea) ATTN: National Secty 2145 NE 36th St Oklahoma City, OK 73111-5302 405/424-5393 45th Infantry Division Association. By mid-February, the 45th was positioned astride the "Via Anziate," the road leading to Rome. They worked their way up the East coast in their quest to reach Messina. The 816 surviving prisoners were taken to barracks within the camp. Raymer, Joe US Navy 419. While Sheeran's unit was climbing the Harz Mountains, they came upon a Wehrmacht mule train carrying food and drink up the mountainside. I've always wondered why there is a 3rd ID patch on his uniform when his discharge indicates 75th ID. Since its inception, Native Americans from the tribes of Oklahoma have served in the National Guard with pride and honor. 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. However, with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, with its infamous swastika symbol, the 45th Division stopped using the insignia. The division then defended the hill against a series of Chinese assaults from the Chinese 38th Army. [16] In August 1941, the 45th Infantry Division took part in the Louisiana Maneuvers, the largest peacetime exercises in U.S. military history. Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Sicily. 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. Devers. Veterans and next of kin of deceased veterans also may use eVetRecs to request records. 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. Just that, no other details. But the mule drivers were shot and buried in the holes they had dug. 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. Yeah, I've heard of that fire in 1973. 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. After Action Reports. [49] On 30 September the division crossed the Moselle River and entered the western foothills of the Vosges, taking Rambervillers. 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. If you provide your dad's name, I can check it. [93][97] Nevertheless, it was not deployed to Korea until December 1951, when its advanced training was complete. Sheeran explained that by then, he "had no hesitation in doing what I had to do. 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. [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. 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. Check out the people who helped make it possible! By the time the 45th Infantry Division made it into Germany, the German army was in bad shape. [39] During this time much of the division's artillery assets were attached to the 44th Infantry Division to provide additional support. [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 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. 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. [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. 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. In the Dachau camp itself, an international committee composed of representatives of the various nationalities imprisoned there was established to organize resistance. With few provisions, almost 2,000 inmates died during the circuitous route that took them from Thuringia through Saxony to Czechoslovakia and into Bavaria. View of a Clearing Station, somewhere behind Utah Beach, Normandy, taken June 6 - 7, 1944 - triage of Airborne casualties and patients . [108], Initially, the division did not fare well, though it improved quickly. 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. We have placed this here so that you can get to see the faces of the men behind the history. [39] The division had great difficulty moving across the rivers and through the mountainous terrain, and the advance was slow. ", This page was last edited on 9 January 2023, at 02:37. 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. [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. Nora Drewry wrote on January 10, 2014. I always felt there was more than a random reason he would have that, though his name\photo is not in the book. [94][98] Following its arrival, the division moved to the front line to replace the 1st Cavalry Division, who were then delegated to the Far East reserve, having suffered over 16,000 casualties in less than 18 months of fighting. On the second incident, Captain John T. Compton ordered Italian soldiers to be lined up and shot; the officer claimed he had only been following orders and was acquitted. These cars were an assortment of odd boxcars, some of which were locked, and some were coal-car type. 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. It joined the United Nations troops on the front lines during the stalemate of the second half of the war, with constant, low-level fighting and trench warfare against the People's Volunteer Army of China that produced little gain for either side. Lucas then ordered the rest of the division ashore. The proximity of the US Army gave hope to the prisoners in the camp and to anti-Nazis outside it. Artillery and the four Artillery Battalions) and did not find his name. They trace their lineage from frontier militias that operated in the Southwestern United States throughout the late 1800s. It is curious that his draft card (Ancestry.com) has an annotated discharge date of 31 March 1946. Dad's photo or name is not in the book. [2] Also activated from division assets were the 45th Field Artillery Group, later redesignated the 45th Fires Brigade, and the 90th Troop Command. [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. Sheeran later joked that they did so without complaint, likely hoping that he and his buddies would change their minds. You can not post a blank message. A non-commissioned officer, Sergeant Horace T. West, 33 years old, later confessed to the crimes in the first incident and was found guilty. [28], The division was subsequently assigned a lead role in the amphibious assault on Sicily, coming ashore on 10 July. The 45th, in turn, was under constant artillery and mortar attack. Each of the four sides of the patch represents one of those four states. [39] The division was then reassigned to V Corps, under the command of Major General Leonard T. Gerow, for its next advance. "Train, No. Like Our Web page? Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Southern France, Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Rhineland. The 45th Infantry Division, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico National Guards, the Thunderbirds, were a group of citizen soldiers who fought long and hard during World War II (Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno, Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe Campaigns), and still do today, as a Seperate Infantry Brigade. Thank you so much!Katie Capra Geuin(i am new to this page and didn't see a way to send a message without replying to this one with the same subject line), [Moderation Note: Please see How To: Contact Another User], I checked the 29 June 1945 Division Roster as well as my General Orders' Worksheet and. 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. In Section 1, Item 1, where it asks which items you are requesting, please check Other and specify that you want the entire file. On April 29, 1945, three US Army divisions converged on the camp: the 42nd Infantry, the 45th Infantry, and the 20th Armored. So he might have actually meant one of the subcamps which would increase the number of possible units. On April 28, the day before liberation, a train bearing about 40 or so railway cars arrived at the camp. The 45th Infantry Division was reassigned to VI Corps on New Year's day. Platoon, D Company), 47th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division, 47th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division (less 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. The division was organized in 1923, and Oklahoma members camped together for the first time at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1924. [92], In preparation for the deployment, the division was sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana, to begin training and to fill its ranks. For more information, please refer to Onsite Operations at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. Documents: All of the files from The 45th Division in World War II: The Thunderbirds Facebook Group in searchable PDF format plus other documents. [122][123], The 45th Infantry Division was awarded eight campaign streamers and one foreign unit award in World War II and four campaign streamers and one foreign unit award in the Korean War, for a total of twelve campaign streamers and two foreign unit decorations in its operational history. [113] Heavy rainstorms prevented the divisions from retaking the hill for around a month, and when it was finally retaken it was heavily fortified to prevent further attacks. One of our soldiers told his family about his participation in D-Day in France. 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. 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. 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. After investigating the incident, the Army considered court-martialling several officers involved, but Patton successfully intervened. He also claimed to have been at Dachau and talked about it to some detail when I was younger. . 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". . Rosters for units serving in World War II from 1944 - 1946 were destroyed in accordance with Army disposition authorities. [47] On 4 June the 45th Division crossed the Tiber River below Rome, and entered the city along with other VI Corps troops. [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. In March 1945, the "Thunderbird" division crossed the Rhine River and headed southward. The terrain was difficult and the weather was poor in the region. If you havent already done so, we suggest that you request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). Divisional information The 45th landed at Anzio, 22 January 1944, and for 4 months stood its ground against violent assaults. & 01.11.1944-10.11.1944 & 01.12.1944-14.02.1945 & 05.03.1945-22.03.1945 After linking up with the British Eighth Army, which had advanced from the south, the combined force, under the 15th Army Group, commanded by British General Sir Harold Alexander, was stalled when it reached the Gustav Line. & 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 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. [104], The division remained as a unit of the Oklahoma National Guard, and participated in no major actions throughout the rest of the 1950s save regular weekend and summer training exercises. In 1940, the "Thunderbird" division was reactivated and deployed in late June 1943 to North Africa. WW2 Order of Battle Medical Units. In January 1943 it moved to Fort Pickett, Virginia, for its final training. 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. 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. When US troops arrived in Dachau on April 29, they found 2,310 additional corpses on the train. Holocaust Memorial Museum provides information about which units liberated which camps on their Recognition of U.S. Liberating Army Units website. He died in 1966. Lieutenant Colonel Felix Sparks, who commanded the 45th Infantry Division troops, later recalled his first impressions of Dachau: The initial shock was experienced even before entering the camp. 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. Since all the many bodies were in various stages of decomposition, the stench of death was overpowering. Nonetheless, I do have a roster of the 45th Infantry Division for 1945. News of Dachau's liberation spread swiftly. Attachments A Company), B & C Companies, 2nd Chemical Division (less 3rd Battalion), 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry [55] On 17 February the division was pulled off the line for rest and training. The thunderbird is a symbol of the Southwestern Indians meaning sacred bearer of unlimited happiness. Headquartered mostly in Oklahoma City, the guardsmen fought in both World War II and the Korean War. Major General Roy Hoffman took command in 1931, followed by Alexander M. Tuthill, Alexander E. McPherren in 1935, and William S. Key in 1936. [50] Against slight opposition, it spearheaded the drive for the Belfort Gap. The following year, on 10 September 1946, the 45th Infantry Division was reconstituted as a National Guard unit. 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. [45] The next three months were spent on the defensive, with the 45th engaged in trench warfare, alike to that in World War I. [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. Veterans and next of kin of deceased veterans also may use eVetRecs to request records. [104][n 3], By the time the division was in place, the battle lines on both sides had largely solidified, leaving the 45th Infantry Division in a stationary position as it conducted attacks and counterattacks for the same ground. On 16 June, the 45th Division withdrew for rest in preparation for other operations. Regarding his Discharge showing him attached to the HQ CO 290 INF, (75th INF DIV), his personal effects include a 75th ID patch. These small-unit actions made up the majority of the division's combat in Korea. History Of the 45th Infantry Following World War I, the National Defense Act of 1920 created the authority to form the 45th Infantry Division from the four states of Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. [21] It then moved to Pine Camp, New York briefly for winter warfare training, but was hampered by continuously poor weather. 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. In some of these cars there were more than enough to cover the floors. See eVetRecs Help for instructions. [14] The new insignia featured the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939. The 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts, was an element of the Philippine Division, U.S. Army, based at Ft. McKinley. On 16 February, a major German attack struck the 45th, and nearly broke through the 179th Infantry on 18 February. Anyways if you see this his name was Clarence LaHayne and he was enlisted. The 45th Infantry Division was formed in 1924 from National Guard units in the southwestern United States. 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". [62] The cremation ovens, which were still in operation when the soldiers arrived, contained bodies and skeletons as well. Inside this website you will find over 100 pages of Maps History and Photographs of the World War Two Thunderbirds. Seventh Army, along with Free French forces, were able to advance north quickly. Primarily I'm looking for a roster of the 45th Division, but also interested in the same for the 3rd Division. His photos included a lot of concentration camp images. [42] For this mission, CCA (Combat Command A) of the 1st Armored Division was attached to the 45th Infantry Division. 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. I have to wonder why he would have that particular book. [49] The division was allowed a one-month rest, resuming its advance on 25 November, attacking the forts north of Mutzig. So he might have actually meant one of the subcamps which would increase the number of possible units. [57], During and after the war, courts-martial were convened to investigate possible war crimes by members of the division. The Regimental, Command Post was moved into Dachau and training began. [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. Below is a list of colors and symbols, and what they mean. The Dachau massacre and other reprisal killings of concentration camp guards and trustee inmates. I can count on one hand the stories - harmless stories - we know of his time over there. A shame. Men from the state militias of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma made up the division. Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Central Europe. AAA Group, 31.08.1944-10.11.1944 & 23.11.1944 &18.02.1945 Assignments Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Rome-Arno. [37], On 3 September 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allied powers. 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 [36] The 45th Division spent a few days in that city, but on 1 August, the division was withdrawn from the front line for rest and rear-guard patrol duty,[26] after which the division was assigned to Major General Ernest J. Dawley's VI Corps, part of the U.S. Fifth Army, under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, in preparation for the invasion of mainland Italy. The soldiers reacted in shock and disbelief to the evidence of Nazi atrocities. Slowly advancing through Italy, they fought in Anzio and the Beachhead breakout to the capture of Rome. [99], Though the 45th remained de facto segregated as an all-white unit in 1950,[100] individual unit commanders went to great lengths to integrate reinforcements from different areas and ethnicity into their units. Two regiments of the 45th (the 179th and 157th Infantry) were sent to the Aprilia sector to reinforce the British. [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. The 45th Infantry was originally a National Guard unit drawn from Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. 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" 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. The U.S. [39] The division remained on the line with the U.S. 6th Army Group the southernmost of three army groups advancing through France. 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. I also examined the lists of names in the History of the Third Infantry Division without success. His name was William C. Dennard, enlisted in Houston, TX in October of '42. [80] Its colors were returned to Oklahoma on 25 September of that year, formally ending the division's presence in Korea. After entering the camp, the soldiers found boxcars filled with dead bodies of prisoners who had succumbed to starvation or last-minute executions, and in rooms adjacent to gas chambers they found naked bodies piled from the floor to the ceiling. Hometown - Argyle. The delegations of journalists and congressmen who had been viewing the Buchenwald concentration camp were quickly diverted to Dachau to see the camp. [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. In each of them the floor of the car was covered with dead, emaciated bodies. [82], During this time, the U.S. Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. 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. Please type your message and try again. [citation needed]. [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. [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]. Error: You don't have JavaScript enabled. 1st Cavalry . 45th Infantry Division. [49] From 2 January 1945, the division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the Moder River. I know it is old but thought Id try to reach out. 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. Entry: 88092 Subject: EDWARD JAMES LAMBERT. They assumed he meant the more well known D-Day in Northern France in June 1944, but what he was actually talking about was the D-Day in Southern France in August 1944. [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. Some of the German troops were camp guards; the others were sick and wounded troops from a nearby hospital. [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. [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. "On 20 May, the Regiment was incorporated under the Dachau Area, Command. Yellow is a symbol of warmth or energy. Read more about the division insignia and there nickname. [80][121] The 45th Infantry Brigade received all of the 45th Division's lineage and heraldry, including its shoulder sleeve insignia. 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. However, everyone at that time had heard of Dachu so it is what stuck in people's minds. [120] In its place, the independent 45th Infantry Brigade (Separate) was established. Visit the 45th Infantry Museum. 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. 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. The majority of the 45th ID GIs who returned in September 1945 were discharge Nov. - Dec. 1945. Several units were activated to replace the division and carry on its lineage. For more information see Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Records Requests. 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. 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. Our History Department collects Veteran information for this website and the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Here follows a list of organic Medical Units, assigned to specific Divisions throughout World War 2: Medical Unit. The 45th participated in its fourth assault landing, 15 August 1944, at St. Maxime in Southern France. Company Morning Reports. [8] The 45th Infantry Division was then based around the 157th, 179th, and 180th Infantry Regiments. The first evidence of the horror to come was a string of about forty railway cars on a siding near the camp entrance. 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. 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. The 45th Infantry Division guardsmen saw . The 36th Infantry Division is a possible candidate for your father. [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. Command Posts. Army Unit Rosters and Unit Photos. The 3rd Division was not directly involved in the liberation of Dachau, but Dad, if he was with the 3rd Division, could have been sent over to see the camp. [15] Its men immediately began basic combat training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Armored Division, 409th Infantry Regiment, 103rd Infantry I have his army serial # as well if that would help. The 45th Infantry Division was formed in 1924 from National Guard units in the southwestern United States. Ray, E. D. 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron 914. 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. Screen shot attached. When the three units arrived at Dachau, they discovered more than 30,000 prisoners in the overcrowded camp. [39] The division crossed the Danube River on 27 April, and liberated 32,000 captives of the Dachau concentration camp on 29 April 1945. [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. This Native American symbol became the division's insignia in 1939. Click the image to view the campaign. 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. Following Sicily the division landed at Salerno and Anzio, as part of the forces in the taking of Italy. . (155mm Howitzer), 925th FA Battalion, 100th Infantry 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. On 7 December 1945, the division was inactivated from the active duty force and its members reassigned to other Army units. [42][44], One regiment of the 45th (the 179th Infantry) went ashore with the landings. These forts had been designed by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1893 to block access to the plain of Alsace. Horrible images. 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. Please turn JavaScript back on and reload this page. I've always guessed that was possibly for convenience of shipping home. 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. [42][46] VI Corps was stopped at the "Pimlott Line" (the perimeter of the beachhead), and the fight became a battle of attrition. [87][88], Initially, the division was used to provide a pool of reinforcements for the divisions which had been sent to the Korean War theater, and in January 1951 it provided 650 enlisted fillers for overseas service. This explains the book he had on the 180th Regiment. [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. He described often witnessing similar behavior by fellow, Orders from unit commanders during a mission. [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. They had few soldiers left, very little ammunition, and even food was running out in some places. Raymond B Company, 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion 382. The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States; , U.S. Government Printing Office. [48] Men of the 45th Division were the first Allied troops to reach the Vatican. Campaigns of the 45th Infantry Division: Naples-Foggia. 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 . Additionally, only about 20 percent of its personnel had prior experience of military service from World War II. [105] The division was put under the command of Eighth Army's I Corps for most of the conflict. In 1940, the "Thunderbird" division was reactivated and deployed in late June 1943 to North Africa. I checked the 1944 and 1945 Division rosters (45th Div. Under this Headquarters, the Regimental CP became the, George Fisher, in his superb "The Story of the 180th Infantry Regiment,", states "On June 9th, our Regiment was relieved of its mission of guarding, the Dachau Concentration Camp by the 72nd AAA Battalion. The 45th in this time was regarded as one of the better-trained National Guard divisions. The 45th Infantry Museum honors not just their service, but that of all Oklahomans. These pages are built and maintained by the World War II Recreation Association with membership in Northern Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The 179th Infantry and a tank battalion of CCA tried to recapture Aprilia but were repulsed. [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. The number of POWs taken by the 45th Division during its almost two years of fighting totalled 124,840 men. If you havent already done so, we suggest that you request a copy of his, . Red is a symbol of bravery and valor. Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, 105th [111], In the division's first few months on the line, Chinese forces conducted three raids in its sector. 45th ID in World War II. The 45th Infantry Division of the United States Army was a major formation of the Oklahoma Army National Guard from 1920 to 1968. The following month, the division landed in Sicily, where it engaged Axis troops in combat. 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. This tool uses JavaScript and much of it will not work correctly without it enabled. Washington, DC 20024-2126 It replaced another previously used Native American symbol, a swastika, that was withdrawn when it became closely associated with the Nazi Party. 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. [54], After the crossing was complete, the division was relieved from V Corps and assigned to Major General Wade H. Haislip's XV Corps. Main telephone: 202.488.0400 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. 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. Rosters. Group, 36th Engineer Combat Group (less 2nd OMPFs and individual medical reports for soldiers of the U.S. Army who served during World War II and who separated from the service before 1960 are in the custody of NARA's National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. Rosters. [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. [101] By 1952, it was fully integrated. [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. 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. PFC Donald E. Thompson, member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, per the 29 June 1945 Roster of the. However, please note that these records are not online and NARA is not staffed to do this level of research for you. Does anyone in the family have his discharge papers that confirm he was a member. The division was organized as a full Armored Division in May and June 1942 under the command of . [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. Welcome to our 45th Infantry Division photo Galleries. Headquartered for most of its history in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the guardsmen fought in both World War II and the Korean War. 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. Seventh Army under Lieutenant General George S. Patton, for the operation. 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. [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. The 45th Infantry Division took the strongly defended city of Epinal on 24 September. [84] Regardless, by mid-1950 the division had only 8,413 troops, less than 45 percent[n 1] of its full-strength authorization. According to the regimental After Action Report of May 1945. the 1st and 2nd Battalions were assigned to guard duty at KZ Dachau. Their bodies were left behind in various locations throughout Germany. My father, Charles Joseph Capra's records were burned up in the Armory fire in St. Louis. View the list of all donors. B Company, 325th Engineer Combat I had to show them his records, with our unit to prove that he was nowhere near Normandy in June 1944. The reenacting unit attends living history displays and tactical events throughout the region. The following month, the division landed in Sicily, where it engaged Axis troops in combat. [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. [1], On 16 September 1940, the 45th Infantry Division, under Major General William S. Key, was federalized from state control. [103] Though the division was no longer an "All-Oklahoma" unit, leaders opted to keep its designation as the 45th Infantry Division. 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW In later interviews with Charles Brandt, he divided such massacres into four categories: During World War II, the 45th Division fought in 511 days of combat. . & 3rd Battalions), 3rd Battalion, 36th Engineer Combat [50], The 45th Infantry Division participated in its fourth amphibious assault landing during Operation Dragoon on 15 August 1944, at St. Maxime, in Southern France. Then the Wehrmacht mule drivers were given shovels and ordered to "dig their own shallow graves". We suggest if the search does not find the name you are seeking, also search manually . However, everyone at that time had heard of Dachu so it is what stuck in people's minds. [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. It had left Buchenwald four weeks earlier on April 7 filled with more than 5,000 prisoners. . [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. 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. See: Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953), Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Streamer, "Lt. Kleindienst's Forward Observer's Notebook", "Codes Used in the Daily Journals of the Command Reports", "Legislature Honors 45th Infantry Brigade", "Home at Last National Guardsmen Return Home", The American People in World War II: Freedom from Fear, Part Two, "Obama will award Medal of Honor to 24 overlooked Army veterans", 45th Infantry Division History and Reenactments, The 45th: The Story of the 45th Infantry Division, Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Forty-fifth Infantry Division (OKANG), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=45th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)&oldid=1132482693, 70th Field Artillery Brigade (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), 120th Ammunition Train (inactive; allotted to Oklahoma National Guard), 120th Medical Regiment (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), 120th Quartermaster Regiment (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 45th Infantry Division Artillery, 45th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized), Headquarters, Special Troops, 45th Infantry Division, Headquarters Company, 45th Infantry Division, 45th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment, Revenge killings in the heat of battle. On 30 January 1944, when VI Corps advanced from the beaches, it encountered heavy resistance and took heavy casualties. 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. If you see this and check out your roster I would love to know what you find. The 45th Infantry Division in World War II: An Unofficial Guide to Resources [94] Its anti-aircraft and armor assets were used as mobile artillery, which continuously pounded Chinese positions. Once this rest period was complete, the division was assigned to XV Corps for the final push into German territory. Some of the photos were donated by loved ones seeking to know more about thier relatives wartime . 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. Raymond, Allen D. 1st Battalion, 272nd Infantry Regiment, 69th Infantry Division 200. The dates after the campaign name are the dates of the campaign not of the division. [91] As a result, in February 1951, the 45th Infantry Division was alerted that it would sail for Japan. [39] The 45th Infantry Division landed its 157th and 180th regimental combat teams and captured the heights of the Chaines de Mar before meeting with the 1st Special Service Force. See, for instructions. In the first two cases, dubbed the Biscari massacre, occurred on 14 July 1943, American troops from C Company, 180th Infantry Regiment, were alleged to have shot 74 Italian and two German prisoners in Acate following the capture of an airfield in the area. 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