[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 Portions of the information may be out of date.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 I
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Activated: August 1917.
Overseas: October 1918.
Major Operations: Provided replacements for other units; saw no combat.
Commanders: Brig. Gen. Wilber E. Wilder (25 August 1917),
Maj. Gen. Harry C. Hale (6 October 1917),
Brig. Gen. Wilber E. Wilder (26 November 1917),
Brig. Gen. Wilber E. Wilder (15 December 1917),
Maj. Gen. Harry C. Hale (1 March 1918),
Maj. Gen. Harry C. Hale (5 June 1918),
Maj. Gen. Harry C. Hale (21 July 1918),
Brig. Gen. Wilber E. Wilder (18 October 1918),
Maj. Gen. Harry C. Hale (31 October 1918).
Inactivated: January 1919.
World War II
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Activated: 15 October 1942.
Overseas: 20 September 1944.
Campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
Days of combat: 170.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 7.
Awards: DSC-12; DSM-1; SS-555; LM-4; SM-27; BSM-2,962; AM-59.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. John H. Hildring (October 1942-February 1943),
Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson (February-October 1943),
Maj. Gen. Robert B. McClure (October 1943-March 1944),
Maj. Gen. Roscoe B. Woodruff (March-June 1944),
Maj. Gen. Alexander R. Bolling (June 1944 to inactivation).
Returned to U.S.: 19 January 1946.
Inactivated: 21 January 1946.
Combat Chronicle
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The 84th Infantry Division arrived in England, 1 October 1944, and trained. It landed
on Omaha Beach, 1-4 November 1944, and moved to the vicinity of Gulpen, Holland, 5-12
November. The Division entered combat, 18 November, with an attack on Geilenkirchen,
Germany, as part of the larger offensive in the Roer Valley, north of Aachen. Taking
Geilenkirchen, 19 November, the Division pushed forward to take Beeck and Lindern in
the face of heavy enemy resistance, 29 November. After a short rest, the Division
returned to the fight, taking Wurm and Mullendorf, 18 December, before moving to
Belgium to help stem the German winter offensive. Battling in snow, sleet, and
rain, the Division threw off German attacks, recaptured Verdenne, 24-28 December,
took Beffe and Devantave, 4-6 January 1945, and seized Laroche, 11 January. By
16 January, the Bulge had been reduced. After a 5-day respite, the 84th resumed
the offensive, taking Gouvy and Beho. On 7 February, the Division assumed
responsibility for the Roer River zone, between Linnich and Himmerich, and trained
for the river crossing. On 23 February 1945, the Division cut across the Roer, took
Boisheim and Dulken, 1 March, crossed the Niers Canal on the 2nd, took Krefeld,
3 March, and reached the Rhine by 5 March. The Division trained along the west
bank of the river in March. After crossing the Rhine, 1 April, the Division
drove from Lembeck toward Bielefeld in conjunction with the
5th Armored Division,
crossing the Weser River to capture Hanover, 10 April. By 13 April, the Division
had reached the Elbe, and halted its advance, patrolling along the river. The
Russians were contacted at Balow, 2 May 1945. The Division remained on occupation
duty in Germany after VEday, returning to the United States in January 1946 for
demobilization.
Assignments in the ETO
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10 September 1944: Ninth Army, ETOUSA. // 21 September 1944: III Corps. // 4 November 1944: XIX
Corps, Ninth Army, 12th Army Group. // 8 November 1944: XIII
Corps. // 11 November 1944: Ninth Army, 12th Army Group, but attached for operations
to the British XXX Corps, British Second Army, British 21st Army
Group. // 23 November 1944: XIII Corps, Ninth Army, 12th Army
Group. // 20 December 1944: Ninth Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to
the XVIII (Abn) Corps of First Army, itself attached to the British 21st
Army Group. // 20 December 1944: VII Corps. // 22 December 1944: VII Corps,
First Army (attached to British 21st Army Group), 12th Army Group. //
18 January 1945: VII Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group. //
23 January 1945: XVIII (Abn) Corps. // 3 February 1945: XIII Corps, Ninth
Army (attached to British 21st Army Group), 12th Army Group. // 4 April 1945: XIII
Corps, Ninth Army, 12th Army Group.
General
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Nickname: Railsplitters.
Shoulder patch: A white axe splitting a rail on a red disk.
Publications: 84th in the Battle of Germany; by Lt. Theodore Draper, unit
historian; Viking Press, New York, N.Y.; distributor, National
Headquarters, Railsplitters Society; 1947. The 84th Division in the
Battle of the Ardennes; December 1944-January 1945; Historical
Section, 84th Infantry Division; 55 pp.
• 84th Infantry Division Links
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