Order of Battle - 1st Inf Div 1944

On November 19 1939, this Unit (1st Division) was stationed at Fort Hamilton New York, moverd to Fort Benning Georgia and also to the Louisiana Maneuvers in the Sabine Louisiana on May 11 1940. On June 5 1940, moved back to Fort Hamilton New York then to Fort Devens Massachusetts on February 4 1941. The Divison was sent to both Carolina Maneuvres of October and November 1941 then moved to Samarcand North Carolina on October 16 1941. On December 6 1941, the 1st Division returned to Fort Devens Massachusetts and was transfered to Camp Blanding Florida on February 21 1942 where it was redesignated 1st Infantry Division on May 15 1942. The 1st moved then to Fort Benning Georgia on May 22 1942 and to Indiantown Gap Mil Reservation on June 21 1942. The Division departed New York Port of Embarkation on August 1 1942, arrived in England on August 7 1942 and assaulted in Nort Africa on November 2 1942.

Commanders :
Maj General Donald Cubbison : (July 1942 - June 1942)
Maj General Terry de la Mesa Allen : (June 1942 - July 1943)
Maj Gen Clarence R. Huebner : (July 1943 - December 1944)
Maj Gen Clift Andrus : (December 1944 - VE Day)

Casualties :
Killed in Action : 3.616 - Wounded in Action : 15.208 - Died of Wounds : 664

1st Infantry Division (Big Red One) Order of Battle 1944
16th Infantry Regiment
18th Infantry Regiment
26th Infantry Regiment
Headquarters & Headquarters Battery Division Artillery
5th Field Artillery Battalion (155 MM)
7th Field Artillery Battalion (105 MM)
32nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 MM)
33rd Field Artillery Battalion (105 MM)
1st Reconnaissance Troop Mecz
1st Engineer Combat Battalion
1st Medical Battalion
1st Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
Headquarters Special Troops
Headquarters Company, 1st Infantry Division
Military Police Platoon
701st OD Light Maint Company
1st Quartermaster Company
1st Signal Corps Company
745th Tank Battalion (att 06-061944 - 08-05-1945)
634th Tank Destroyer Battalion (att 01-08-1944 - 02-05-1945)
635th Tank Destroyer Battalion (att 07-06-1944 - 30-09-1944)
703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (att 18-12-1944 - 31-12-1944)
103rd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion (att 16-06-1944 - 07-02-1945)
103rd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion (att 24-02-1945 - 08-05-1945)

1st Infantry Division (Big Red One) Combat Narrative (Shelby L. Stanton)
The 1st Infantry Division landed November 8 1942 in North Africa as the 16th and 18th Infantry Regiments went ashore east of Oran and the 26th Infantry Regiment landed at Les Andalouses, and entered Oran November 10 1942. The 18th Infantry Regiment went into action at Djebel el Ahmera with the British, and the 26th cleared the Ouseltia Valley by January 25 1943 and went into positions at Kasserine Pass on February 18 1943. The division attacked as a concentrated whole for the first time on March 16 1943 east from El Guettar, and the 18th and 26th Inf contained two strong German counterattacks on March 23. The 18th Inf was forced out of Djebel Berda on March 25 and the attacks toward Gabes were checked by March 28. The division took Sakket on April 3rd 1943 in an attempt to break this stalemate but further offensive movement clown the Gabes road was stopped April 5. The division then relieved the British 4th Div near Beja on April 16 and attacked April 22 along the Medjez el Bab-Tunis highway. After the 18th Infantry Regiment cleared Hill 407 and the 26th Hill 575, the 26th reached Djebel el Anz against strong German resistance of April 28. The next day the 16th Inf began its attack on Hill 523, and the division was actively engaged in Tunisia until May 9 1943. The division assaulted Gela Sicily July 10 1943. After fending off a German armored attack on July 11 it pushed inland and took Mazzarino and Niscemi on JUly 14 then Barrafranca on July 16. The division seized the Salsa River crossings east of Caltanisseta and repelled a German counterattack at Gangi on July 25. It reached Troina August 1 after a series of sharp battles over difficult terrain, but an all-out attack on the town failed August 4. It was taken after the Germans withdrew during the night of August 6 1943. The division left Sicily October 23 1943 and landed in England to train for the invasion of northern France. Reinforced by the 16th Infantry Regiment, it assaulted Omaha Beach France in the face of fierce opposition. The 16th Inf, which led the division attack, reached the St Lô - Bayeux highway on June 10 1944, and the 18th and 26th seized Caumont on June 13. 0n June 13 the division was relieved by the 5th Infantry Division in line and withdrew to Colombieres. It next attacked as part of the COBRA breakout effort on July 26 1944, took Marigny and secured the Sée River crossings July 31. It sped south to Mortain where it was relieved by the 30th Infantry Division on August 6, allowing it to then push forward to Mayenne with the 3rd Armored Divison. The division assembled south of Paris on August 25. The 16th Infantry Regiment mopped up the Belgian Mons Pocket September 3 1944, and the division crossed the Meuse River at Liege September 9, reaching the German border against scattered rearguard resistance. It laid siege to the fortress-city of Aachen and the battle was commenced with an attack on its municipal forest on September 12 1944. As the division tried to encircle Aachen, the 16th Inf was halted at the West Wall September 15 1944. On October 8 1944 the division renewed its Aachen assault with the 18th Inf pushing through Verlautenheide, the 26th Inf attacking through the heart of the city, and the 16th Inf holding defensive positions near Eilendorf. By October 12 the 26th Inf 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 on October 15 1944. The 16th Inf was forced to defend its area against strong German assaults as well. On October 18, the division was reinforced for yet another attack on Aachen. The 26th Inf gained Observatory Hill and forced the Germans back into the western suburbs, and on October 21 the city was finally taken by direct assault. After being relieved by the 104th Infantry Division, the 1st Infantry Division opened First Army’s offensive to secure the Roer River crossings east of Aachen on November 16 1944. After 15 days of intense fighting in this sector the division had only gained four miles, which included the 26th Inf’s capture of Laufenburg Castle November 20, and on November 29 Nov the same regiment was hit hard by a strong German counterattack at Merode. The 9th Infantry Division relieved the division December 5 1944 which then went to a rest area in the Luchem - Langerwehe - Juengersdorf - Merode region (less the 16th Inf 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 în the Butgenbach and the Faymonville region, and fought at Elsenborn Ridge December 21 - 28 1944. The division’s lines were breached at Butgenbach December 22 but shortly restored. It then attacked and took Steinbach January 15 1945, opening a passage for the 7th Armored Division drive toward St Vith. The division next fan into stiff resistance northeast of Schoppen as the 16th Inf cleared the Bambusch Woods. After blunting the German drive, the division advanced on the West Wall January 28 and attacked through the Buchholz Forest. It was relieved by the 99th Infantry Division on February 5 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 Inf on February 25 1945 against mode rate opposition. The division took Burg February 27 and the 16th Inf crossed the Neffell Mar 45. The division reached Bonn March 7 and captured it March 9, ending German resistance west of the Rhine. On March 15 the 16th Inf assaulted across the Rhine River and the division pressed its attack toward the Sieg in the face of strong German defenses. On March 30 it attacked with three regiments in line to gain the heights dominating Seigen, and on April 1 was relieved by the 8th Infantry Division and trucked to blocking positions southwest of Paderborn to help seal the Ruhr Pocket. On April 8 1945 the division was called up to force the Weser River afte’r the 3rd Armored Division had reached it only to find all the bridges blown. The 16th and 18thlnf expanded the bridgehead while the motorized 26th Inf 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 April 12 1945 and organized resistance ended by April 20. The division next relieved the 97th Infantry Division in place, and then was transferred to the Czechoslovakian border on April 30. It made limited attacks May 2 to improve its positions. On May 6 the division opened its drive on Karlsbad. The 18th Inf had seized Sangerberg and Mnichov, the 16th Inf had taken Kynsperk, and the 26th Inf was in Schoenbach when hostilities were declared ended on May 7 1945.