Avant-Propos – 2009
Avant de publier sur ce site l’ouvrage des Editions Foxmaster que je dirigeais dans les courant des années 1990-1995 et avant de me séparer de la Société en prenant soins toutefois de conserver le catalogue et les droits, je voudrais attirer l’attention du lecteur d’expression française sur le point suivant : tant Heimdall que Foxmaster et d’autres ont publié bien des ouvrages sur le sujet. A chaque fois, des lecteurs exprimèrent de nombreux commentaires, souvent positifs ou non. Je lance donc ici un appel à ceux qui d’une manière ou d’une autre seraient susceptibles d’apporter à ce travail une quantité d’anecdotes inédites, des images inconnues voir même des récites toujours inconnus à ce jour. Bien que le coût du maintient de mon site en ligne devient de plus en plus difficile à supporter seul j’aimerai faire savoir aux lecteurs, aux historiens et aux passionnées de cette période que la place n’a pas de limite sur Internet. Il ne peut donc être question d’éloigner des photos ou des récits par manque de place comme dans l’édition papier. Aussi, je vous invite tous à ma faire parvenir vos documents et images via émail avec vos désidératas, vos envies, et surtout vos coordonnées afin de pouvoir ajouter vos propos dans le texte que je publie et que j’envisage de renommer – la version corrigée – avec votre aide, vos essais, vos écrits et même vos livres qui trouveront ici la publicité qu’ils méritent.
Gunter G. Gillot Jr – Jalhay – 2009
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The 1st Infantry Division also nicknamed The Fighting First, is the oldest division in the United States Army, and has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917. The 1st Division started preparing for World War II by moving to Fort Benning on November 19th 1939 and ran its personnel through the Infantry School. It then moved to the Sabine Parish, Louisiana area on May 11th 1940 to participate in the Louisiana Maneuvers, returned to Fort Hamilton on June 5th 1940 then to Fort Devens, Ma., on February 4th 1941. The Division was sent to both Carolina Maneuvres of October and November 1941, moved to Samarcand, North Carolina on October 16th 1941 and on December 6th 1941, returned to Fort Devens, Ma. It was then transfered to Camp Blanding, Florida (February 21st 1942) where it was re-designated 1st Infantry Division on May 15th 1942. The 1st Infantry Division moved then back Fort Benning, on May 22nd 1942, to Indian Town Gap Mil Reservation, on June 21st 1942 and, finally, Division departed New York Port of Embarkation on August 1st 1942. The 1st ID arrived in England on August 7th 1942 and assaulted in North Africa on November 2nd 1942 (Operation Torch).
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 then to Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, on May 11 1940. It moved then to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, on May 31 1940 and to Shamrock, Wisconsin, on August 3 1940. It returned to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, on September 4 1940 and moved to Fort Custer, Michigan, on December 13 1940. The 5th Infantry was then sent 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 Port of Embarkation on April 22 1942, departed on April 30 1942, and finally arrived in Iceland May 11 1942 where it was officially re-designated 5th Infantry Division on May 25 1943. The division departed Iceland on August 5 1943 and arrived in Northern Ireland on August 9 1943. The 5th Infantry Division landed in France on July 11 1944, entered Germany on February 8 1945 and Czechoslovakia on May 1 1945. The 5th Infantry Division arrived Boston POE on July 19 1945, arrived at Camp Campbell, Kentucky, July 22 1945 and was inactivated September 20 1946.
