[Webmaster Note: The following division information is reproduced
from the public domain publication, The Army Almanac: A Book of
Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. Government Printing Office,
1950. Portions of the information may be out of date. Only minor formatting changes and
typographical corrections have been made.]
World War II
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Activated: 1 March 1942.
Overseas: 7 January 1944.
Campaigns: Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
Days of combat: 172.
Awards: MH-2; DSC-8; DSM-1; SS-1,316; LM-18; SM-19; BSM-3,047; AM-81.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. Lindsay McD. Silvester (1 March 1942-November 1944),
Maj. Gen. Robert W. Hasbrouck (November 1944-August 1945),
Brig. Gen. Truman E. Boudinot (September 1945 to inactivation).
Returned to U.S.: 8 October 1945.
Inactivated: 9 October 1945.
Combat Chronicle
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The Division landed on Omaha and Utah Beaches, 13-14 August 1944, and drove
through Nogent-le-Rotrou in an attack on Chartres. The city fell on
18 August. From Chartres the Division advanced to capture Dreux, Melun,
and Chateau-Thierry, crossed the Seine River, 24 August, and pushed on to
take Verdun, 31 August. The 7th halted briefly for refueling and then drove
on toward the Moselle near Dornot. The Division was repulsed in its attacks
across the Seille River. The 7th then shifted to Holland, where on 8 October
it joined in defensive operations protecting the British-Canadian drive to
clear the northern and western approaches to Antwerp. After resting during
November, the Division returned to the front near Linnich, Germany, on the
banks of the Roer. It was preparing to drive into Germany when the
Von Rundstedt winter offensive began on 16 December 1944. The Division was
ordered to St. Vith where it absorbed much of the weight of the German drive
and was forced to withdraw west of the Salm River, 23 December. It shifted to
Manhay, Belgium, and by the end of December had cleared the town of the
enemy. After a brief rest in January 1945, the Division returned to positions
near St. Vith, attacked, and captured the town. February and part of March
were spent in rest and rehabilitation. In March 1945 the Division held
defensive positions along the west bank of the Rhine, south of Bonn to
Unkelbach. The 7th returned to the offensive on 26 March, breaking out
of the Remagen bridgehead, and took part in the reduction of the Ruhr
Pocket. On 16 April the 53d German Panzer Corps surrendered to the
Division and the eastern sector of the pocket collapsed. The Division
then cut across the Elbe and swept north into Mecklenburg, effecting a
junction with the Russians as the war in Europe ended.
Assignments in the ETO
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30 July 1944: First Army. // 1 August 1944: First Army, 12th Army Group. //
5 August 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group. // 10 August 1944: XX Corps. //
25 September 1944: XIX Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group. //
8 October 1944: Ninth Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to the
British VIII Corps, British 21st Army Group. // 9 November 1944: XIII Corps,
Ninth Army, 12th Army Group. // 16 December 1944: VIII Corps, First
Army, 12th Army Group. // 20 December 1944: XVIII (Abn) Corps, First
Army (attached, same date, to British 21st Army Group), 12th Army Group. //
18 January 1945: XVIII (Abn) Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group. //
29 January 1945: V Corps. // 7 March 1945: III Corps. // 19 April 1945:
V Corps. // 30 April 1945: XVIII (Abn) Corps.
General
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Nickname: Lucky Seventh.
Shoulder patch: Same as 1st Armored but with number "7" in upper
portion of triangle.
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