The U.S. 3rd Infantry Division in World War II

Headquarters Third Infantry Division

Public Relations Office

A.P.O. #3

Following is a brief history of the Third Infantry division during 26 months of combat in World War II, prepared by the Division’s Public Relations Office. It has been approved by the chief press censor and may be mailed home.

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Members of the Third Infantry Division in World War II can be proud of the fact they belong to the division that wears more battle stars than any other division of the United States Army in the European Theater of Operations. Since the November 8, 1942 landing at Fedala, French Morocco, the Rock of the Marne of 1918 has taken part in seven separate campaigns, and rolled up a fighting record second to none in the entire United Nations group.

The Third bears a glorious history. It won undying fame for itself and for the American Expeditionary Forces as a whole through the deeds of valor performed by its members of the battlefields of France during the first war, and has repeated in this war through French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, Southern Italy, Anzio, and the drive to Rome, and again in France and Alsace.

Perhaps the division is best known in World War I for its famous defense of the Marne River on July 15, 1918. On this day, along the shell swept banks of the Marne, the Third Division, taking part in its initial action of the war, turned back two divisions of German shock troops.

On the night of July 14/15, 1918, it fell to the lot of this division to meet the massed attach of the German army in its last great effort to break through our lines. With cool courage and determination our troops, most of whom had never been under fire before, stood their ground through the German artillery bombardment and subsequent attacks by masses of German infantry and machine guns. The result was that those troops composed of the best regiments of the German army were thrown back in confusion.

After taking part in pinching off the St. Michel salient, and operation of 48 hours, accomplished what many had been wishing to see done for four years. The Third Division moved to its last great task of the war, the Meuse-Argonne offensive. During this great battle, the division was in the line for 26 days. It advanced six miles against German defenses that has been organized for four years and succeeded in penetrating the Hindenburg line, the mighty hinge of the German defense.

Although the Third Division was organized in 1917, its real background is rooted in the glorious past of the famous regiments, which constitute it. Their battle honors include the campaigns of 1812, the Indian Wars, the Mexican and civil Wars, the Spanish-American War as well as two World Wars. The 7th Regiment was first organized in 1798, mustered out in 1800, reorganized in 1808 and has had continuous service since that date. Its long list of battle honors begins with the Battle of Tippecanoe in the Indian War of 1811.

The 15th Regiment was first organized as a unit of volunteers to serve against the British in the War of 1812, and spent 16 years as garrison troops in China. The 30th Regiment is recorded as participating in the War of 1812 and in the Civil War, but the history of the present 30th Regiment began with the formation by Act of Congress, February 2, 1901, and its organization at Fort Logan, Colorado.

The division saw its first combat of this modern war at 0445 hours on November 8, 1942. At that hour the first troops of the 7th and 30th Regiments began landing on the beaches north of Fedala. By 0900 hours the 30th Regiment had captured Botterio du Pont Blondin, a battery of four 138mm guns located five miles north of Fedala, and was well on its way to securing the crossing of the Qued Nefifikh, a deep gorge which formed a natural defense line on our northeastern flank.

The 7th Regiment was met at the beach by a company of Senegalese riflemen, who promptly surrendered, and were sent back to their barracks in the northeast part of Fedala. The following day, the division began its advance southwest toward Casablanca, meeting little initial resistance. On the night of D plus two, our troops consolidated positions and prepared for a coordinated attack on Casablanca. However, the French asked for an armistice the following morning (November 11), and at 0655 General Patton arrived at Third Division headquarters to call off the attack.

Between November and March, the division occupied bivouac areas in Casablanca, Fedala, Rabat, and Port Lyautey, while the 30th Regiment moved to eastern Morocco to provide security against a possible enemy attack through Spanish Morocco. In April of ‘43, the division moved to Port-aux-Poules, near Arzew, Algeria, and began training for an amphibious operation. General Lucian K. Truscott had taken command from General Jonathan W. Anderson on March 6, and instituted his training policies, which stressed physical conditioning plus speed and aggressiveness in attack. On April 30, the division was ordered to move to Tunisia, where it was assigned to II Corps and moved into the line to complete the destruction of the Afrika Corps. On May 9, 1943, the 15th Regiment was moving up to attack when the enemy surrendered, and the II corps mission was completed without our division firing a shot.

Amphibious training was continued at Jemmapes, Algeria, and early in June, the division returned to El Alia, near Bizerte, where it made final preparations for the Sicilian operation. At 0200 hours, July 10, all three regiments, reinforced by the 3rd Ranger Battalion and numerous combat attachments, including CC “A” of the 2nd Armored Division, began landing on the beaches east and west of Licata, Sicily. There followed an operation which is classic in military annals for speed and success. The division expanded its beachhead to more than 100 square miles on D-day; on D plus seven, Argigento fell, and only five days later, division patrols entered Palermo, 100 miles to the north. The bulk of this distance was covered by all three regiments in three days; in one 34 hour period, the 3rd Battalion, 30th Regiment, marched 54 miles through mountainous country and participated in the successful attack of San Stefano Quisquina.

After a week’s rest at Palermo, the division relieved the 45th Infantry Division at San Stefano di Camastra on the north coast of Sicily, and in 17 days, drove 90 miles along the single coastal highway, against stubborn German delaying action, to capture Messina. During this advance, the division fought a tough four-day engagement at San Fratello, finally cracking the position with a deep “end run” through mountainous terrain to assault the ridge from the south flank; executed two amphibious landings made by the 2nd Battalion of the 30th at Sant’Agata and Brolo, and reconstructed the highway, where it had been blown off the fact of the cliff at Capo Calava, in 18 hours.

Exactly one month after the fall of Messina (September 17, 1943), the division began its move from Palermo to Italy. On the evening of September 10, elements of the 30th Regiment engaged German troops south of Acorna, and from then on, for 59 consecutive days, the division never lost contact with the enemy for more than a few hours at a time. The capture of the road center of Avollino threatened the German position on the Naples plan and contributed to the fall of that great port; the terrific drive across the Volturno, on October 13, broke a strong natural defense position and upset the German withdrawal timetable; the pursuit through Dragoni, Baia e Latina, and the capture of the Pietravairano ridge system dept the outfought, outguessed enemy on his heels.

But it was on the mountainous approaches to Cassino that the division ran into its toughest opposition and displayed its greatest offensive prowess. Heavily reinforced by new divisions brought in from other theaters, the Germans sat on MonteRetondo, MonteLungo, and Monte la Defensa, ringing Mignano on the north, determined to hold at all costs. With winter, rain, and cold closing down, and supplying it mountain forces by man-pack, the division captured MonteRetondo, the south nose of Lungo, and II of atop, barren La Defenso, except one summit guarded by a 200-foot cliff. This fighting was the most bitter and heartbreaking the division had ever undertaken, but forced the first approaches to Cassino and gave other troops a good toehold for their later attacks.

The division came out of the line November 17, 1943, rested until the end of December in San Felice and then went to Pozzoli, where the troops went into training for the Anzio operation.

At 0300 January 22, the three regiments of the Third Division began landing on beaches two to three miles south of Nettuno, and established a large beachhead on D-day with virtually no opposition. Unfortunately, shipping and reserve troops were not available to permit the division to exploit its landing immediately, and by the time the 45th Infantry Division had landed a week later, the Germans had built up their defensive forces by hurling into the line small fragments of mobile units from the southern front, from army reserve, and from northern Italy. Houses between Castorna and Mussolini Canal were fortified and strongly held, and enemy tanks were brought up to support the infantry.

Consequently, when the division attacked Castorna on January 30, progress was slow and casualties high, although tremendous losses were inflicted on the enemy, who was often compelled to counterattack across the open through our murderous artillery fire. In two days our depleted battalions smashed their way within 1000 yards of Castorna from the south and southwest, but were not strong enough to be left in such exposed positions, and were somewhat withdrawn.

On February 2, the division was ordered to assume the defensive, which it did from that time until March 28, when it was relieved by the 34th Infantry Division. Under orders from Hitler to destroy the beachhead, Kesselring’s forces launched tremendous attacks on February 16 and February 29, the second attack being directed entirely against Third Division positions. On February 16 and again on March 1, the force of the enemy attack was broken and many prisoners taken. In both cases counterattacks were delivered with great vigor and effectiveness, and all ground initially lost was regained, and the beachhead line again stabilized.

The division changed commanders on February 17, when General Truscott moved to assume command of VI Corps and was replaced by Brig. Gen (new Maj. Gen.) John W. O’ Daniel, formerly assistant division commander.

From April 16 to May 1, the division was back in the line in the Carano-Padiglioni sector, southeast of Corrocote, its main activity being a series of small and generally successful attacks which resulted in the capture of more than 100 prisoners and retaking some important terrain. Patrolling and infantry-tank cooperation were outstanding in this period.

At 0630 hours on May 23, the division dumped off on the toughest, yet most spectacular assignment of its career—the breakthrough at Cisterna. Suffering heavier casualties than ever before, yet working terrible destruction on the enemy, the division completely smashed the powerful German defense system, took Cisterna, reached and captured Cori in three days. On the evening of the fourth day, reconnaissance entered Artena; on the fifth day Artona fell. There followed a three-day buildup in the Artena sector, and on June 1 the division collided with the fresh Hermann Goering division, smashed it to bits, and that night crossed and blocked Highway 6, the main German escape route from the south. On June 2, Valmontone and Labica fell, and the division, blocking to the north with an attack, which cut the lateral road to Palestrina, turned toward Rome. At 0900 June 4, elements of the 3rd Rocan Troup entered the city limits; during the day and following night, the division cut Highways 4 and 5, brought Hiway 3 under fire, and the following day entered the city in company with other units of II corps.

During this great drive, 1800 prisoners were taken by the division, countless enemy tanks, vehicles, and guns were smashed; the 362nd and 715th Infantry Divisions were annihilated (credit 1st Armored division, 133rd Infantry Regiment, and 1st SSF with assists), and the Hermann Goering Division was badly cut up. Capture of Cisterna, Cori, Artona, and Valmontone were the labor of the Third Division alone.

The division garrisoned and guarded Rome for two weeks, spent a few days in the field near the Lido, then moved back to the Naples area to start amphibious training again. On August 15, 1944, at 0800 hours, men of the Third Division waded as heroes on the French Riviera. It was their fourth amphibious invasion, more than any other division in this theater, and was called, by high-ranking militarists, the perfect landing.

In the first 24 hours, the division broke through the enemy’s costal defenses, captured close to 1000 prisoners and started its inland chase. Once the initial defense line was broken, the enemy had no chance to set up another defense, and its only chance was to head for Belfort Gap in hasty withdrawal.

First strong opposition came at Brignoles and later at Aix-en-Provence, but both cities were taken without any great amount of trouble. Covering a front sometimes as much as 10 miles wide, the division headed west and isolated the ports of Toulon and Marseilles, broached the Rhine river at Avignon and then headed north in the beautiful Rhine valley. The most spectacular occasion of the dash occurred of the dash occurred at Montelimar, when enemy vehicular and train convoys were intercepted by the division’s artillery. In a 12-mile stretch of road north of Montelimar, Third Infantry Division artillery and infantry destroyed nearly 2,000 vehicles, knocked out four trains and five railroad guns, killing 900 Germans and taking 900 prisoners.

The first large fortress town in southern France to fall was Bosancon, which was captured after a sharp, bitter two-day fight. The enemy moved a fresh division into the forts surrounding the town with orders to hold for ten days, but when one regiment was whipped out and the division commander was killed, all resistance collapsed. After the liberation of Vesoul, the Third entered the Vosges mountain campaign, which lasted roughly from the first of October until the last week in November. The division crossed the Moselle and Moeselotto rivers, then shifted north to cross the Marengo river near Bruyeres and in less than three days cracked the enemy’s main line of resistance along the Marengo river and headed for the high ground overlooking StDio from the west.

Following the original breakthrough, one regiment drove along the main axis from Bruyeres toward StDio, capturing Les Rouges Eaux and Les Hautes Jacques, the latter being worsted from an extremely efficient mountain outfit brought in from Austria to stem the drive down the valley, but it was decisively decimated by our hard hitting units. Les Hautes Jacques is merely an insignificant spot on the map, but to the men who fought and won the battle there, it will be long remembered for the bitter battle the Huns put up. It will also be remembered by military strategists, who realized the value of winning this key point to support the success of future operations.

Meanwhile, other division troops swung to the north to clear the Meurthe River plain, taking a number of small places all bitterly contested by the enemy. Once in Meurthe River was reached, it was time for another river crossing, this time more difficult because there were not bridges standing. So the Third attacked two regiments abreast—the 30th and 7th—at night, crossing the river on rubber pontoon bridges erected that same night under the Krauts’ very noses. Nightly patrolling along the river by the 15th Regiment had led the enemy to believe this was just another routine operation.

The attack began November 20, and just seven days later troops of the Third rolled into Strasbourg and reached the Rhine River south of the city. Another night attack, done in inky blackness, proved the clincher and broke any German hopes of spending the winter in Vosges. Infiltrating through an elaborate system of bunkers, pillboxes, trenches, and tank traps, one battalion arrived in Suelos before bewildered Germans knew American troops were within firing range of the city. Suelos was the first Alsatian town taken by troops of the Third Division and was followed immediately by Saulxures. After a battalion of enemy, who had intended to counterattack Suelos but were forced to fight defensively at Bourg-Bruche, has been wiped out, the division raced through all opposition in the Vosges plains. One small unit stopped momentarily at Natzweiler at a large SS concentration camp, previously evacuated, and another infantry company, plus a group of engineers, finally knocked out a fortress full of Germany by rolling a captured personnel carrier, loaded with 7000 pounds of TNT, against the fortress’ side. In the lightening thrust, and the first time in military history that the Vosges Mountains had been successfully crossed, the Third captured close to 2,000 prisoners and killed countless more.

When the backbone of the enemy’s winter line was broken, the withdrawal was reminiscent of the drive through southern France, with its hundreds of prisoners, huge amounts of captured equipment, and hastily abandoned command posts. Following the Vosges campaign, the division spent a period as police and garrison troops in the largest town and capital of Alsace-Strasbourg, putting Allied troops in the city for the first time in four years.

Prior to this war, no military force had ever been able to capture Rome from the south, nor had troops ever been able to hurdle the Vosges. The Third Division did both. The division had been well rewarded for its illustrious combat record. Old-timers in the division wear seven combat stars—more than any other division—14 fighting men with the Third have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor—more than any other division—and four separate units have been cited with the Presidential Unit Citation. The 30th’s “I” Company and 2nd and 3rd Battalions and the 15th’s “L” Company were all cited for outstanding action—the 2nd Battalion in Sicily, the 3rd BN and “L” Company in southern Italy, and “I” Company on the Anzio Beachhead.

 

3rd Division troops departing from Naples for the Salerno landing.

Riflemen of the 3rd Infantry Division firing back at unseen German sniper in Cisterna, Italy, June 1944.

Two 3rd Infantry Division GI's share their C Rations with a local boy near Anzio.

3rd Infantry Division mortar squad firing at German forces from a narrow dirt road. Rigney area, France, 9 September 1944.

Lt.Col. Kenneth Wallace, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division (on the right), discusses the surrender of Berchtesgaden with Bürgermeister Karl Sandrock (left, in overcoat) and Landrat Theodor Jacob (center), in the square in front of the war memorial. From there, this group traveled up to the Obersalzburg, to complete the surrender of the area, 4 May 1945.

Left to right, Pvt. John A. Quinn, Syracuse, N.Y., PFC Bennett Fenberg, Detroit, Mich., both of the 163rd Signal Photo Company, and Cpl. Harry Koppelman, Cleveland, Ohio, 3rd Division, Hqs., enjoy their Christmas dinner on the hood of a jeep.” San Felice area, Italy, 25 December 1943.

Soldiers of the 30th Regiment marching towards Monterotondo.

Men of the 3rd Infantry Division in Nuremberg, Germany on 20 April 1945.

These hungry infantrymen of the 7th Army waste no time when they hear "seconds on cake". Bult area, France. Co. C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. 12 November 1944.

Infantrymen of the 1st Bn., 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, prepare to rush a house in which German snipers are hidden. Guiderkirch, France. March 15, 1945.

3rd Infantry Division entering the wrecked city of Cori, Italy, 26 May 1944.

A U.S. mortar squad wheels their 60mm weapon down the main street of Itri, Italy, on their way to the front in a pram. 18 May 1944.

3rd Infantry Division troops start the long road home after the end of the war.

7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division soldiers loaded to capacity on M36 Jackson tank destroyers in Westhausen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, April 9, 1945. Drinking beer out of everything… buckets, mugs, canteen cups, while others eat apples as civilians stand by looking on, offering more.