Stationed at Fort Hamilton, N.Y. as the 1st Division; moved to Fort
Benning, Ga. 19 Nov 39 and to the Louisiana Maneuvers in the Sabine, La. area 11 May 40;
returned to Fort Hamilton, N.Y. 5 Jun 40 and moved to Fort Devens, Mass. 4 Feb 41;
participated in both Carolina Maneuvers of Oct and Nov 41 and went to Samarcand, N.C. 16
Oct 41; returned to Fort Devens, Mass. 6 Dec 41 and transferred to Camp Blanding, Fla. 21
Feb 42 where redesignated 1st Infantry Division 15 May 42; moved to Fort Benning, Ga. 22
May 42 and Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pa. 21 Jun 42; departed New York Port of
Embarkation 1 Aug 42 and arrived in England 7 Aug 42; assaulted North Africa 8 Nov 42 and
Sicily 10 Jul 43; returned to England 11 Nov 43 and assaulted Normandy, France 6 Jun 44;
crossed into Belgium 3 Sep 44 and entered Germany 15 Sep 44 where active thru 1946.
The division landed 8 Nov 42 in North Africa as the 16th and 18th
Infantry went ashore east of Oran and the 26th Infantry landed at Les Andalouses, and
entered Oran 10 Nov 42. The 18th Infantry went into action at Djebel el Ahmera with the
British, and the 26th Infantry cleared the Ouseltia Valley by 25 Jan 43 and went into
positions at Kasserine Pass 18 Feb 43. The division attacked as a concentrated whole for
the first time on 16 Mar 43 east from El Guettar, and the 18th and 26th Infantry contained
two strong German counterattacks on 23 Mar 43. The 18th Infantry was forced out of Djebel
Berda on 25 Mar 43 and the attacks toward Gabes were checked by 28 Mar 43. The division
took Sakket on 3 Apr 43 in an attempt to break this stalemate but further offensive
movement down the Gabes road was stopped 5 Apr 43. The division then relieved the British
4th Division near Beja on 16 Apr 43 and attacked 22 Apr 43 along the Medjez el Bab-Tunis
highway. After the 18th Infantry cleared Hill 407 and the 26th Infantry cleared Hill 575,
the 26th Infantry reached Djebel el Anz against strong German resistance of 28 Apr 43. The
next day the 16th Infantry began its attack on Hill 523, and the division was actively
engaged in Tunisia until 9 May 43.
The division assaulted Gela, Sicily 10 Jul 43. After fending off a
German armored attack on 11 Jul 43 it pushed inland and took Mazzarino and Niscemi 14 Jul
43 and Barrafranca on 16 Jul 43. The division seized the Salso River crossings east of
Caltanisseta and repelled a German counterattack at Gangi 25 Jul 43. It reached Troina 1
Aug 43 after a series of sharp battles over difficult terrain, but an all-out attack on
the town failed 4 Aug 43. It was taken after the Germans withdrew during the night of 6
Aug 43. The division left Sicily 23 Oct 43 and landed in England to train for the invasion
of northern France.
Reinforced by the 116th Infantry, it assaulted Omaha Beach, France in
the face of fierce opposition. The 16th Infantry, which led the division attack, reached
the St. Lo-Bayeux highway 10 Jun 44, and the 18th and 26th Infantry seized Caumont 13 Jun
44. On 13 Jul 44 the division was relieved by the 5th Infantry Division in line and
withdrew to Colmbieres. It next attacked as part of the COBRA breakout effort on 25 Jul
44, took Marigny and secured the Sée River crossings 31 Jul 44. It sped south to Mortain
where it was relieved by the 30th Infantry Division 6 Aug 44, allowing it to then push
forward to Mayenne with the 3rd Armored Division. The division assembled south of Paris on
25 Aug 44.
The 16th Infantry mopped up the Belgian Mons Pocket 3 Sep 44, and the
division crossed the Meuse River at Liege 9 Sep 44, reaching the German border against
scattered rear-guard resistance. It laid siege to the fortress-city of Aachen and the
battle was commenced with an attack on its municipal forest 12 Sep 44. As the division
tried to encircle Aachen, the 16th Infantry was halted at the West Wall 15 Sep 44.
On 8 Oct 44 the division renewed its Aachen assault with the 18th Infantry pushing through
Verlautenheide, the 26th Infantry attacking through the hear t of the city, and the 16th
Infantry holding defensive positions near Eilendorf. By 12 Oct 44 the 26th Infantry had
gained most of the factory district between Aachen and Haaren and began an all-out central
attack the next day. After severe fighting it had gained most of Observatory Hill but
German counterattacks forced all further advances to a halt 15 Oct 44. The 16th Infantry
was forced to defend its area against strong German assaults as well. On 18 Oct 44 the
division was reinforced for yet another attack on Aachen. The 26th Infantry gained
Observatory Hill and forced the Germans back into the western suburbs, and on 21 Oct 44
the city was finally taken by direct assault.
After being relieved by the 104th Infantry Division, the division
opened First Army's offensive to secure the Roer River crossings east of Aachen on 16 Nov
44. After 15 days of intense fighting in this sector the division had only gained four
miles, which included the 26th Infantry's capture of Laufenburg Castle 20 Nov 44, and on
29 Nov 44 the same regiment was hit hard by a strong German counterattack at Merode. The
9th Infantry Division relieved the division 5 Dec 44 which then went to a rest area in the
Luchem-Langerwehe-Juengersdorf-Merode region (less the 16th Infantry attached to V Corps).
As a result of the German Ardennes counteroffensive the division was sent to the Malmedy
sector. It cleared the region south of Eupen, contained numerous German attacks in the
Butgenbach-Faymonville region, and fought at Elsenborn Ridge 21-28 Dec 44. The division's
lines were breached at Butgenbach 22 Dec 44 but shortly restored. It then attacked and
took Steinbach 15 Jan 45, opening a passage for the 7th Armored Division drive toward St.
Vith. The division next ran into stiff resistance northeast of Schoppen as the 16th
Infantry cleared the Bambusch Woods. After blunting the German drive, the division
advanced on the West Wall 28 Jan 45 and attacked through Buchholz Forest. It was
relieved by the 99th Infantry Division 5 Feb 45 and moved to assembly areas at Aywaille,
Belgium.
The division took over the 8th Infantry Division zone and initiated the
attack across the Roer River at Kreuznau with the 16th Infantry on 25 Feb 45 against
moderate opposition. The division took Burg 27 Feb 45 and the 16th Infantry crossed the
Neffel 1 Mar 45. The division reached Bonn 7 Mar 45 and captured it 9 Mar 45, ending
German resistance west of the Rhine. On 15 Mar 45 the 16th Infantry assaulted across the
Rhine River and the division pressed its attack toward the Sieg in the face of strong
German defenses. On 30 Mar 45 it attacked with three regiments in line to gain the heights
dominating Seigen, and on 1 Apr 45 was relieved by the 8th Infantry Division and trucked
to blocking positions southwest of Paderborn to held seal the Ruhr Pocket. On 8 Apr 45 the
division was called up to force the Weser River after the 3rd Armored Division had reached
it only to find all the bridges blow. The 16th and 18th Infantry expanded the bridgehead
while the motorized 26th Infantry attacked toward Einbeck. With the 4th Cavalry Group
attached the division was tasked with mopping up along the edge of the Harz Mountains. The
bypassed German troops were encircled commencing 12 Apr 45 and organized resistance ended
by 20 Apr 45.
The division next relieved the 97th Infantry Division in place, and
then was transferred to the Czechoslovakian border on 30 Apr 45. It made limited attacks 2
May 45 to improve its positions. On 6 May 45 the division opened its drive on Karlsbad.
The 18th Infantry had seized Sangerberg and Mnichov, the 16th Infantry had taken Kynsperk,
and the 26th Infantry was in Schoenback when hostilities were declared ended on 7 May 45.
Compiled and formatted by Patrick Clancey
