U.S. 35th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
Combat Chronicle
The division was organized in August 1917 as a National Guard formation with troops from KansasKansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, after a few months as the 14th Division. It consisted of the 69th Infantry Brigade (137th and 138th Infantry Regiments) and the 70th Infantry Brigade (139th and 140th Infantry Regiments).
It went overseas in May 1918. Upon arrival in France, the 35th Division was garrisoned near the front in Alsace. It received limited training from the French Army.
The Division saw combat in the Meuse-Argonne offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
where it collapsed after five days of fighting.
During World War I, the 129th Field Artillery Regiment had, as a battery commander, Capt. Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, later President of the United States.
World War II
- Campaigns: NormandyOperation OverlordOperation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, Northern France, Roer riverOperation GrenadeDuring World War II, Operation Grenade was the plan for the U.S. 9th Army to cross the Roer river in February 1945.On 9 February, the U.S...
, Rhineland, Ardennes-AlsaceBattle of the BulgeThe Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, Central EuropeCentral Europe CampaignAfter crossing the Rhine the Western Allies fanned out overrunning all of western Germany from the Baltic in the north to Austria in the south before the Germans surrendered on 8 May 1945. This is known as the "Central Europe Campaign" in United States military histories.By the early spring of...
. - Days of combat: 264.
- Distinguished Unit Citations: 6.
- Awards: MHMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
–1Junior J. SpurrierJunior James Spurrier, born James I. Spurrier, Jr., was a United States Army soldier who received America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II....
; Distinguished Service Cross (United States)Distinguished Service Cross (United States)The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
-44 ; Distinguished Service Medal (United States)Distinguished Service Medal (United States)The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
-1 ; Silver StarSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
-688 ; LM-10; DFC-1 ; SM-22 ; BSM-3,435 ; AM-133. - Commanders: Maj. Gen. Ralph E. Truman (December 1940 – October 1941), Maj. Gen. William H. Simpson (October 1941 – April 1942), Maj. Gen. Maxwell Murray (May 1942 – January 1943), Maj. Gen. Paul W. Baade (January 1943 to inactivation).
- Returned to U.S.: 10 September 1945.
- Inactivated: 7 December 1945.
Combat Chronicle
The Division was activated on 23 December 1940, as a National Guard Division from Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. It departed for Europe on 12 May 1944.The 35th Infantry Division arrived in England, 25 May 1944, and received further training. It landed on Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
, Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, 5–7 July 1944, and entered combat 11 July, fighting in the Normandy hedgerows, north of Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
. The Division beat off 12 German counterattacks at Emelie before entering Saint-Lô, 18 July. After mopping up in the Saint-Lô area, it took part in the offensive action southwest of Saint-Lô, pushing the Germans across the Vire River
Vire River
The Vire is a river in Normandy, France whose 128 km course crosses the départements of Calvados and Manche, flowing through the towns of Vire, Saint-Lô and Isigny-sur-Mer, finally flowing out into the English Channel....
, 2 August, and breaking out of the Cotentin Peninsula
Cotentin Peninsula
The Cotentin Peninsula, also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy, forming part of the north-western coast of France. It juts out north-westwards into the English Channel, towards Great Britain...
. While en route to an assembly area, the Division took part in the attempt to stop Operation Luttich
Operation Lüttich
Operation Lüttich was a codename given to a German counterattack during the Battle of Normandy, which took place around the American positions near Mortain from 7 August to 13 August 1944...
, secure the Mortain-Avranches corridor and to relieve the 30th Division, which was taking a severe beating from the Germans' assault
Operation Lüttich
Operation Lüttich was a codename given to a German counterattack during the Battle of Normandy, which took place around the American positions near Mortain from 7 August to 13 August 1944...
, 7-13 August.
Then racing across France through Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
and Sens
Sens
Sens is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.Sens is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is crossed by the Yonne and the Vanne, which empties into the Yonne here.-History:...
, the Division attacked across the Moselle
Moselle River
The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....
, 13 September, captured Nancy, 15 September, secured Chambrey
Chambrey
Chambrey is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-See also:* Communes of the Moselle department...
, 1 October, and drove on to the German border
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, taking Sarreguemines
Sarreguemines
Sarreguemines is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is the seat of an arrondissement.-Geography:...
and crossing the Saar
Saar River
The Saar is a river in northeastern France and western Germany, and a right tributary of the Moselle. It rises in the Vosges mountains on the border of Alsace and Lorraine and flows northwards into the Moselle near Trier. It has two headstreams , that both start near Mont Donon, the highest peak...
, 8 December. After crossing the Blies
Blies
The Blies is a right tributary of the Saar River in south-western Germany and north-eastern France . The Blies flows from three springs in the Hunsrück mountains near Selbach, Germany. It is approximately 100 km long, ending in the French city of Sarreguemines...
River, 12 December, the Division moved to Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
for rest and rehabilitation, 19 December. The 35th moved to Arlon, Belgium, 25–26 December, and took part in the fighting to relieve Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
, throwing off the attacks of four German divisions, taking Villers-laBonne-Eau, 10 January, after a 13-day fight and Lutrebois in a 5-day engagement. On 18 January 1945, the Division returned to Metz to resume its interrupted rest. In late January, the Division was defending the Foret de Domaniale area.
Moving to the Netherlands to hold a defensive line along the Roer, 22 February, the Division attacked across the Roer, 23 February, pierced the Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
, reached the Rhine at Wesel, 10 March, and crossed, 25–26 March. It smashed across the Herne Canal and reached the Ruhr River early in April, when it was ordered to move to the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
, 12 April. Making the 295-mile dash in 2 days, the 35th mopped up in the vicinity of Colbitz and Angern, until 26 April 1945, when it moved to Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
for occupational and mopping-up duty, continuing occupation beyond VE-day
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
. The Division left Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, England, 5 September, and arrived in New York City, 10 September 1945.
Assignments in the European Theater of Operations
- 5 May 1944: XV Corps, Third Army.
- 8 July 1944: Third Army, but attached to the XIX CorpsXIX Corps (United States)XIX Corps started as the III Armored Corps at Camp Polk, Louisiana on 20 August 1942 under the command of Major General Willis D. Crittenberger....
of First ArmyU.S. First ArmyThe First United States Army is a field army of the United States Army. It now serves a mobilization, readiness and training command.- Establishment and World War I :...
. - 27 July 1944: V Corps.
- 1 August 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to the V Corps of First Army.
- 5 August 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group.
- 6 August 1944: XX CorpsXX Corps (United States)The XX Corps of the United States Army fought from northern France to Austria in World War II. Constituted by redesignating the IV Armored Corps, which had been activated at Camp Young, California on 5 September 1942, XX Corps became operational in France as part of Lieutenant General George S....
- 9 August 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to the VII Corps of First Army.
- 13 August 1944: XII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
- 23 December 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group.
- 24 December 1944: XX Corps.
- 26 December 1944: III Corps.
- 18 January 1945: XX Corps.
- 23 January 1945: XV Corps, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
- 30 January 1945: XVI Corps, Ninth ArmyU.S. Ninth ArmyThe Ninth United States Army was one of the main U.S. Army combat commands used during the campaign in Northwest Europe in 1944 and 1945. It was commanded from its inception by Lieutenant General William Simpson...
, attached to the British 21st Army GroupBritish 21st Army GroupThe 21st Army Group was a British headquarters formation consisting primarily of British and Canadian forces. The Army Group was an important Allied force in the European Theatre of World War II. It was established in London during July 1943 under the command of Supreme Headquarters Allied...
, 12th Army Group. - 4 April 1945: XVI Corps, Ninth Army, 12th Army Group.
- 13 April 1945: XIX Corps, for operations, and the XIII Corps for administration.
- 16 April 1945: XIII Corps.
During World War II, the 320th Infantry Regiment had, as an operations officer (S-3), Maj. Orval Faubus
Orval Faubus
Orval Eugene Faubus was the 36th Governor of Arkansas, serving from 1955 to 1967. He is best known for his 1957 stand against the desegregation of Little Rock public schools during the Little Rock Crisis, in which he defied a unanimous decision of the United States Supreme Court by ordering the...
, later Governor of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
The 134th Infantry Regiment had, as Commander of Company C and 1st Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. John E. Davis, later Governor of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
Cold War to present
After several activations and reactivations in the immediate postwar years, the 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized) was reactivated on 25 August 1984 from the 67th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) of Nebraska, the 69th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) of Kansas, and the 149th Armored Brigade from Kentucky. It continues in service today.Bosnia
The 35th Infantry Division Headquarters Commanded Task Force Eagle of Multi-National Division North in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
as part of SFOR-13 (Stabilization Force) with the NATO peacekeeping mandate under the Dayton Peace Accords. The Headquarters were located at Eagle Base in the town of Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
. Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
James R. Mason was the commander. He later went on to command the 35th Infantry Division. The Division received the Army Superior Unit Award for its service in Bosnia. The 35th Division was notable for its smooth coordination of Inter-Brigade Operations. Division Liaison Officers served in the towns of Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
, Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
, Zenica
Zenica
Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
and Doboj
Doboj
Doboj is a city and a municipality in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in the northern part of the Republika Srpska entity on the river Bosna. Doboj is the largest national railway junction; as such, the seats of the Republika Srpska Railways, and the Railways Corporation of Bosnia and...
.
Hurricane Katrina
The 35th provided headquarters control for the National Guard units deployed to LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. while the 38th Division did the same for Mississippi.
Kosovo
A detachment of the 35th Infantry Division was the headquarters element for Task Force Falcon of Multi-National Task Force East (MNTF-E) for the Kosovo Force Kosovo Force 9 (KFOR 9) mission. KFOR is a NATO-led international force responsible for establishing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo, the self-proclaimed, independent and partially recognized landlocked country in the Balkans, which has been under UN administration since 1999. The 35th provided the command elements from 7 November 2007 until 7 July 2008, when succeeded by 110th MEB of the Missouri National Guard.Current Structure
35th Infantry Division exercises Training and Readiness Oversight of the following elements, they cannot be considered organic:- Division Special Troops Battalion
- 33rd (Infantry) Brigade Combat Team (IL NG)
- 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion
- 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment (RSTA)
- 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment
- 634th Brigade Support Battalion
- 39th (Infantry) Brigade Combat Team (AR ARNGArkansas Army National GuardThe Arkansas Army National Guard is a component of the Arkansas National Guard and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
)- Brigade Special Troops Battalion
- 1st Squadron, 151st Cavalry Regiment (RSTA)
- 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery Regiment
- 39th Brigade Support Battalion
- 48th (Infantry) Brigade Combat Team48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a modular infantry brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard.One of the oldest units in US Army history, the lineage of the 48th Infantry Brigade can be traced back to 1825...
(GA NGGeorgia Army National GuardThe Georgia Army National Guard is the Army National Guard component of the Georgia National Guard, administratively part of the Georgia Department of Defense. It consists of more than 11,100 Citizen-Soldiers training in more than 79 hometown armories and regional facilities across the state...
)- 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion
- 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment (RSTA)
- 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment
- 148th Brigade Support Battalion
- Combat Aviation Brigade, 35th Infantry Division20th Aviation Brigade (United States)The 35th Combat Aviation Brigade began as the 635th Aviation Group in October 1988 by granted authority from the National Guard Bureau. Between April and August 1989, the unit assumed command and control of 3rd Battalion/135th Aviation Regiment, 205th Medical Battalion, and 1st Battalion/135th...
(MO NG)- Headquarters and Headquarters Company
- 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation Regiment (S&S) (NE NG)
- 1st Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (Attack) (MO NG)
- 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment (General Support), (UT NGUtah Army National GuardThe Utah National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions...
) - 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment (Assault) (KS NG)
- 935th Aviation Support Battalion
- 218th (Heavy) Brigade Combat Team218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (United States)The 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a maneuver enhancement brigade of the United States Army National Guard of South Carolina. It formerly was a heavy brigade combat team. As an ME brigade, it will control a mix of engineer, military police and chemical units.-History:The 218th Heavy Separate...
. (SC, KS NG)
(Later reorganized and redesignated as the separate 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade)
Attached units
- 142nd Fires Brigade (AR NG)
- 287th Sustainment Brigade287th Sustainment Brigade (United States)The 287th Sustainment Brigade is a sustainment brigade of the Kansas Army National Guard in Kansas.The 287th Sustainment Brigade was activated on 1 September 2005, and is headquartered in Wichita. Its mission is to plan, prepare, execute and assess combat service support operations within a corps...
(KS NG) - 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MO NG)
- 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (United States)The 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a maneuver enhancement brigade of the United States Army National Guard of South Carolina. It formerly was a heavy brigade combat team. As an ME brigade, it will control a mix of engineer, military police and chemical units.-History:The 218th Heavy Separate...
In popular culture
In the 1970 World War II-era film Kelly's HeroesKelly's Heroes
Kelly's Heroes is an offbeat 1970 comedy/war film about a group of World War II soldiers who go AWOL to rob a bank behind enemy lines. Directed by Brian G...
(starring Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
), the American soldiers portrayed in the film are primarily from the 35th Infantry Division.