Order of Battle - 5th Inf Div 1944

The 5th Infantry Division was activated on October 16 1939 at Fort McClellan Alabama as the 5th Division. It moved then to Fort Benning Georgia on April 9 1940 and to Camp Beauregard Louisiana on May 11 1940 and arrived at Fort Benjamin Harrison Indiana on May 31 1940 and Shamrock Wisconsin August 3 1940. It returned to Fort Benjamin Harrison Indiana September 4 1940 and moved to Fort Custer Michigan December 13 1940.

The 5th was sent then to Camp Forrest Tennessee May 29 1941 for the VII Corps Tennessee Maneuvers, returned then to Fort Custer Michigan on July 1 1941 and was transfered to Camp Joseph T. Robinson Arkansas on August 25 1941 for the VII Corps Arkansas Maneuvers and the Louisiana Maneuvers of September 1941.
The 5th Infantry Division returned to Fort Custer Michigan on October 3 1941, arrived New York POE April 22 1942 and departed April 30 1942. It arrived in Iceland May 11 1942, was officially re-designated 5th Infantry Division May 25 1943, departed Iceland on August 5 1943 and arrived in Northern Ireland on August 9 1943.
The 5th Infantry Division landed in France July 11 1944 and entered Germany on February 8 1945 and Czechoslovakia May 1 1945.
The 5th arrived Boston POE July 19 1945 and arrived at Camp Campbell Kentucky July 22 1945 and was inactivated September 20 1946.

5th Infantry Division Casualties

Killed in Actions 2298 – Wounded in Actions : 9549 – Died of Wounds 358

5th Infantry Division Commanders

Brig Gen Campbell B. Hodges : December 1939 – September 1940
Maj Gen Joseph M. Cummins : September 1940 – July 1941
Maj Gen Charles H. Bonesteel : July 1941 – August 1941
Maj Gen Cortlandt Parker : August 1941 – June 1943
Maj Gen Stafford L. Irwin : June 1943 – April 1945
Maj Gen Albert E. Brown : April 1945 - V day

5th Infantry Division - Order of Battle - 1944


HQs & HQs Co, 5th Infantry Division
2nd Infantry Regiment
10th Infantry Regiment
11th Infantry Regiment
HQs & HQs Battery Division Artillery
19th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
21st Field Artillery Battalion (155mm)
46th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
50th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
5th Reconnaissance Troop. Mecz
5th Medical Battalion
5th Counter Intelligence Corps Det
7th Engineer Combat Battalion
HQs Special Troops
Military Police Platoon
705th OD Light Mat Co
5th QM Company
5th Signal Corps Company
735th Tank Battalion : (attached July 13 1944 - October 20 1944)
- 735th Tank Battalion : (attached November 1 1944 - December 20 1944)
737th Tank Battalion : (attached December 23 1944 - June 11 1945)
654th Tank Destroyer Battalion : (attached December 22 1944 - December 25 1944)
774th Tank Destroyer Battalion : (attached September 14 1944 - September 24 1944)
- 774th Tank Destroyer Battalion : (attached November 5 1944 - November 22 1944)
803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion : (attached December 25 1944 - June 13 1945)
807th Tank Destroyer Battalion : (attached December 17 1944 - December 21 1944)
818th Tank Destroyer Battalion : (attached July 13 1944 - December 20 1944)
449th AAA Auto-Wpns Battalion : (attached July 13 1944 - November 23 1944)
- 449th AAA Auto-Wpns Battalion : (attached November 9 1944 - March 31 1945)

5th Infantry Division - Narratives - (Shelby L. Stanton)

The division arrived on Utah Beach France July 11 1944 and assumed defensive positions from the 1st Infantry Division near Caumont July 13 1944. On July 26 1944 it attacked to take Vidouville and made a limited advance to the Torigny-sur-Vire - Caumont Road, after which it was reassembled August 1 1944.
On August, the division opened its offensive toward Nantes, taking Angers August 10 1944, and with the assistance of the 7th Armored Division captured Chartes August 18. Speeding eastward the division crossed the Seine at Montereau August 24 and took Rheims August 30 and established a bridgehead across the Meuse at Verdun at the month’s end.
The division began the battle for Metz September 7 as the 2nd Infantry Division was stopped in the Amanvillier - Verneville area and the 11th Infantry Regiment pushed up the Meuse heights near Dornot. The 2nd Infantry Division continued to batter the city’s outer fortifications, and on September 8 the division gained a precarious bridgehead over the Moselle which immediately came under heavy shellrire and continuous counterattack. The 2nd Infantry made repeated frontal assaults as engineers bridged the river for tanks on September 12. But the Arneville bridgehead effort was hampered by German shelling of the bridges, deep mud, and ammunition shortages. The 10th Infantry and 11th Infantry regrouped inside the perimeter and defended it against a strong German attack September 17. The division attacked Fort Driant commencing September 27, which guarded the northern approaches to Metz. The 11th Infantry forced its way into the bastion’s outer edges October 3, but the Germans counterattacked from tunnels after dark.
The division committed itself entirely into this battle in very costly combat, but by October 12, attempts to seize the Fort were given up, and the division withdrew to rest.
On November 12 1944 the division returned to the assault and was counterattacked at once as it entered the bridgehead of 6th Armored Division. Over the next few days the 2nd Infantry took Ancerville. The 10th Infantry reduced Fort Aisne, Bois de l’Hopital, Marly, and Fort Queuleu, and the 11th Infantry captured Prayelle Farm, Frescaty airfield, Fort Verdun, and Fort St Privat.
On November 18 1944 the 10th and 11th Infantry pushed into Metz itself, the division encircling the town completely the following day. Rearguard opposition inside Metz had been mopped up by November 22, but the division kept infantry to contain the forts there while it relieved the 95th Infantry Division and attacked across the Nied November 25 1944. The St-Quentin fortifications surrendered to the division December 6, as it was pulled back to assembly areas.

On December 16 1944 the German Ardennes Counteroffensive began, and the division relieved the 95th Inf Div at the Saarlautern bridgehead, attacking out of it December 18. After slow progress Waldbilling and Haller fell December 25 1944. Throughout January the division continued to reduce the southern flankof the German drive in conjunction with 4th Infantry Division.
On February 4 1945 it was relieved in line by the 6th Cavalry Group and took up new positions. It attacked across the Sauer River near Echternach February 7 despite strong currents and German shelling which prevented bridging. It expanded this bridgehead to the West Wall Line by February 10, and by February 19 cleared up to the west bank of the Pruem River.
After regrouping, the 2nd and 10th Infantry crossed it near Peffingen during the night of February 24 - 25 1945. The 11th Infantry cut the Bitburg - Trier Highway on the 27 and cleared to the west bank of the Kyll by the following day. The division opened its attack to establish the Kyll bridgehead between Erdorf and Philippsheim March 2 1945. Progress was rapid as the division leapfrogged elements past numerous towns and reached the Moselle March 10. The 2nd and 11th Infantry crossed the river March 14 after divisional regroup and seized Treis, Lutz, and Eveshausen.
Working closely with the 4th Armored Division, the 5th Infantry Division reached the Rhine with the 11th Infantry Regiment at Oppenheim and Nierstein on March 21. The next day the regiment crossed the river with little difficulty.
On March 26, the 10th Infantry captured the Rhine - Main airport as the division reached Frankfurt am. On April 4, it completed clearing the city and secured it until April 9 when it closed into the Olsenburg area. The 10th Infantry attacked to take Arnsberg while the 2nd Infantry reached the Rohr River April 12. The 11th Infantry rejoined the division from Frankfurt on April 14, and the division then occupied Westphalian regions south of the Ruhr until relieved by the 75th Infantry Division on April 24 1945. On May 1 1945 the division advanced across the Czechoslovakian border and into Austria behind armored units. On May 5 the division attacked across the Tepla River and followed the 4th Armored Division through the Regen and Freyung Passes as the end of hostilities brought its offensive to a halt.