Activated on Jun 1 1940 as the 4th Division at Fort Benning, Georgia the Division was reorganized as 4th Division (Motorized) on Aug 1 1940 then as 4th Motorized Division in Jul 11 1941. It moved then to Dry Prong Louisiana, on Aug 1 1941 for IV Corps Louisiana Maneuvers and returned to Fort Benning Aug 27 1941. It moved then to Fort Jackson South Carolina Oct 30 1941 for the First Army Carolina Maneuvers and arrived back to Fort Benning on Dec 3 1941. On Dec 29, the 4th Division arrived at Camp Gordon, Georgia and, finally, went to Carolina Maneuver Area on Jul 7 1942. The 4th Division returned to Camp Gordon on Aug 31 1942 and moved to Fort Dix, New Jersey on Apr 12 1943 where it was re-designated to 4th Infantry Division on Aug 4 1943. Sent, then, to Camp Gordon Johnston, Florida on Sept 19 1943 for the III Corps Carrabelle Maneuvers the 4th was sent to Fort Jackson South Carolina on Dec 1 1943 and staged at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on Jan 4 1944 until departed New York POE on Jan 18 1944. The Division landed in England on Jan 26 1944 and was ready to start fighting
Commanding Officers – 4th Infantry Division
Maj Gen Walter E. Prosser : Jun 1940 – Oct 1940
Maj Gen Lloyd R. Fredendall : Oct 1940 – Aug 1941
Maj Gen Oscar W. Griswold : Aug 1941 – Oct 1941
Maj Gen Harold R. Bull : Oct 1941 – Dec 1941
Maj Gen Terry de la Mesa Allen : Dec 1941 – Jan 1942
Maj Gen Fred C. Wallace : Jan 1942 – Jul 1942
Maj Gen Raymond O. Barton : Jul 1942 – Dec 1944
Maj Gen Harold W. Blakeley : Dec 1944 – Nov 1945
Maj Gen George P. Hays : Nov 1945 – VE Day
Casualties
KIA : 4007 – WIA : 17371 – DOW : 757
Order of Battle – 4th Infantry Division – 1944
Hqs & Hqs Co 4th Infantry Division
8th Infantry Regiment
12th Infantry Regiment
22nd Infantry Regiment
Hqs & Hqs Battery Division Artillery
20th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm)
29th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
42nd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
44th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
Hqs Special Troops
4th Engineer Combat Battalion
4th Medical Battalion
4th Counter Intelligence Corps Det
4th Reconnaissance Troop, Mecz
4th Signal Company
4th Quartermaster Company
704th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
Military Police Platoon
70th Tank Battalion : at Jun 9 1944 – Mar 23 1945)
70th Tank Battalion : at Mar 23 1945 – Mar 27 1945)
70th Tank Battalion : at Apr 6 1945 – May 9 1945)
610th Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Jan 25 1945 – Mar 10 1945)
610th Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Mar 17 1945 – May 9 1945)
776th Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Apr 9 1945 – Apr 18 1945)
801st Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Jun 13 1944 – Oct 15 1944)
802nd Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Dec 9 1944 – Jan 27 1945)
803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Nov 9 1944 – Dec 25 1945)
893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Aug 23 1944 – Sept 29 1944)
377th AAA A-Weapons Battalion : at Jun 14 1944 – Mar 23 945
4th Infantry Division Combat Narrative
The 4th Infantry Division, reinforced by the 359/90th ID, assaulted Utah Beach France with the 8th Inf Regt leading against light resistance 6 Jun 44.
The 8th Inf rewieved the isolated 82nd A/B Div at Ste Mere-Eglise and countered several German attacks Jun 7 1944. The following day the division began its drive on the Cotentin Peninsula toward Cherbourg, and the 22nd Inf took Azevllle Fort on Jun 9 1944 with naval gun support.
The Division reached Cherbourg’s main defenses by Jun 21 1944 and on Jun 22 1944 began its assault with the 12th Inf Regt augmented by tank support.
On Jun 25 1944 it breached the fortress-city and garrisoned it until relieved at the end of the month by the 101st A/B Div. The division then went south to participate in the general offensive in France.
On Jul 6 1944 it attacked toward Périers and participated in the Operation Cobra breakout Jul 25 1944.
The division sped south and took St Pois after a furious battle on Aug 5 1944, countered German attacks at Avranches and committed the 22nd Inf Regt in the Le Teilleu area.
The division entered Paris with French army units Aug 25 1944.
On Sep 1 1944, riding on tanks of the 5th Armd Div’s CCA, the division pushed to Chauny and assembled near Mézières, moving forward from the Meuse River Sep 6 1944.
On Sep 14 1944 it penetrated the West Wall in the Schnee Eifel, but the 12th Inf Regt was stopped after small gains over the next few days despite costly attacks.
The 8th and 22nd Inf Regts also failed to take Brandscheid and the offensive halted Sep 17 1944 in the face of German counterattacks. Making slow progress through October, the division moved into the Zweitfall area and relieved the 28th Inf Div on Nov 6 1944.
Fighting in the Huertgen Forest, the 12th Inf Regt was subjected to a strong German counterattack on Nov 10 1944 which cut off regimental elements until Nov 15 1944.
The 8th and 22nd Inf Regts had a gap wedged between them in forest fighting which stopped the offensive Nov 19 1944. During rive costly days of combat in the Huertgen Forest the division had only gained 1 1/2 miles.
Attacks were renewed Nov 22 1944 and the 12th Inf Regt finally closed the gap on Nov 28 1944. After severe fighting the 22nd Inf took Grosshau by frontal assault the following day.
The 8th Inf reached the edge of Huertgen Forest Nov 30 1944 but failed in further advances, and on Dec 3 1944 the division was relieved by the 83rd Inf Div and moved to Luxembourg.
While in Luxembourg the division was subjected to the fury of the German Ardennes Counteroffensive on Dec 16 1944. Despite heavy
losses and the loss of several isolated components, it managed to hold its lines at Dickweiler and Osweiler.
Reinforced by tanks, the 12th Inf Regt made several unsuccessful efforts to rescue trapped elements near Echternach.
On Dec 22 1944 the division renewed attacks there which finally took the town Dec 27 1944.
On Jan 17 1945 the 87th Div took over the division’s zone along the Sauer from Echternach to Wasserbillig, releasing the division to seize the heights overlooking the Our and cross the river at Bettendorf on Jan 22 1945. It resumed the offensive Jan 29 and advanced into Germany Feb 1 1945, breaching the defenses of the West Wall along the Schnee Eifel near Brandscheid on Feb 4 1945.
On Feb 9 1945 the division crossed the Pruem River with the 8th Inf Regt and stormed the town itself on Feb 12 1945. It then went onto the defensive Feb 11 1945 defending the river from Olzheim to Watzerath against counterattacks.
On Feb 28 1945 the division crossed the river in force but the 12th Inf Regt was only able to make negligible gains. Gondelsheim was finally taken on Mar 4 1945 and the division raced out of the Pruembridgehead behind the 11 th Armd Div.
The 8th Inf reached the Honerath area by Mar 8 1945, and on Mar 30 1945 the division completed crossing the Rhine and followed behind 12th Armd Div, and was ferried across the Main at Ochenfuhrt Apr 2.
The 12th and 22nd Inf Regts fought determined opposition up the wooded slopes in the Koenigshofen area, and the general offensive was resumed on Apr 10 1945. The drive toward Rothenburg started a day later and against strong German defenses but the city was taken by the 12th Inf on Apr 17 1945 as the 8th Inf reached Ansbach the same day.
The division then moved north toward the Danube, and forward elements crossed it on Apr 25 1945. The 8th Inf established a bridgehead across the Lech at Schwabstadt Apr 27, and by the end of the month the 12th and 22nd Inf had reached the Isar River bridges at Miesbach.
The division was relieved by the 101st A/B Div in that sector on 2 May 45. On 4 May 45 it was moved to Neumarkt for occupation duty under Third Army.
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