As the combat troops approached the fortifications of the Siegfried Line, enemy resistance stiffened and the tactical situation settled into one of a relatively static front. Opportunity was taken to regroup the medical units of First Army so that this new phase of the campaign might be more adequately covered. An area was secured midway between the army’s north and south boundaries, and the bulk of army medical units, evacuation hospitals, NP hospitals, 91st Medical Gas Treatment Battalion, the 1st Medical Depot Company, and the headquarters of the medical groups were concentrated in this area with all possible speed.
The army surgeon rearranged the army medical units to provide three identical groups. One group operated in each corps zone and was charged with the responsibility for control of army medical service. The composition of the three groups was as follows :
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The 9th Infantry Division was activated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on August 1, 1940 as the 9th Division then it participated in both October and November 1941 Carolina Maneuvers and was sent later to amphibious training under the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Corps.
Stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the 2nd Infantry Division was sent to maneuvers at Christine, Texas from January 3rd to January 27th 1940 then at Horton, Texas from April 26th to May 28th 1940. In August 1940, from the 16th to 23rd, the 2nd Division was sent to Cravens, Louisiana, and from June 1st to June 14th 1941, the Division participated in the VIII Corps, Brownwood, Maneuvers at Comanche, Texas. It was then sent to Mansfield, Louisiana, for the Louisiana Maneuvers of August and September 1941. On June 27th 1942, the 2nd Division was sent back to Fort Sam, Houston, Texas for the VIII Corps Louisiana Maneuvers and was re-designated 2nd Infantry Division on August 1st 1942. On September 22nd 1942 the 2nd moved to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, then staged at Camp Shanks, New York, October 3rd 1943 until departed the New York POE, October 8th 1943. The 2nd Infantry Division arrived in England on October 18th 1943, landed in Normandy, France on June 7th 1944, crossed into Belgium on September 29th 1944 and finally into Germany on October 3rd 1944. After the Battle of the Bulge and the Germany Campaign, the 2nd entered Czechoslovakia May 4th 1945 and after VE Day the Division returned to the New York POE on July 20th 1945. It moved to Camp Swift, Texas, July 22nd 1945. A little while later, it moved to Camp Stoneman, California, March 28th 1946 and arrived finally at Fort Lewis, Washington, on April 15th 1946.
With the help and the work from my American friend David Gettman, the son of Lt Henry ‘Shorty’ Gettman, Platoon Leader of the 1st Platoon, 99th Reconnaissance Troop, 99th Infantry Division (1-99/99th Inf Div), 1st Army, ETO, WW II, Gerolzhofen, Germany, post VE Day.
The 99th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War II. It played a strategic role in the Battle of the Bulge when its inexperienced troops held fast on the northern shoulder of the German advance, refusing them access to the vital northern road network that led into Belgium.
