[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 Portions of the information may be out of date.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: 15 July 1942.
Overseas: 10 August 1944.
Campaigns: Northern France, Rhineland, Central Europe.
Days of combat: 151.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 1.
Awards: MH-1; DSC-11; DSM-1; SS-752; LM-15; SM-19; BSM-4,281; AM-162.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. Harry L. Twaddle commanded the division throughout
its entire life in World War II.
Returned to U.S.: 29 June 1945.
Inactivated: 15 October 1945.
Combat Chronicle
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The 95th Infantry Division arrived in England on 17 August 1944. After
receiving additional training, it moved to France, 15 September, and
bivouacked near Norroy-le-Sec, 1-14 October. The Division went into
the line, 19 October, in the Moselle River bridgehead sector east of
Moselle and South of Metz and patrolled the Seille River near Cheminot,
repulsing enemy attempts to cross the river. On 1 November, elements went
over to the offensive, reducing an enemy pocket east of Maizieres. On the
8th, these units crossed the Moselle River and advanced to Bertrange. Against
heavy resistance, the 95th captured the forts surrounding Metz and captured
the city, 22 November. The Division pushed toward the Saar, 25 November, and
entered Germany on the 28th. The 95th seized a Saar River bridge, 3 December,
and engaged in bitter house-to-house fighting for Saarlautern. Suburbs of the
city fell and, although the enemy resisted fiercely, the Saar bridgehead was
firmly established by 19 December. While some units went to an assembly area,
others held the area against strong German attacks. On 2 February 1945, the
Division began moving to the Maastricht area in. Holland, and by
14 February, elements were in the line near Meerselo in relief of British
units. Relieved, 23 February, the 95th assembled near Julich, Germany,
1 March. It forced the enemy into a pocket near the Hitler Bridge at Uerdingen
and cleared the pocket, 5 March, while elements advanced to the Rhine. From
12 March, the 95th established defenses in the vicinity of Neuss. Assembling
east of the Rhine at Beckum, 3 April, it launched an attack across the
Lippe River, 4 April, and captured Hamm and Kamen on the 6th. After
clearing the enemy pocket between the Ruhr and the Mohne Rivers, the
Division took Dortmund, 13 April, and maintained positions on the
north bank of the Ruhr.
Assignments in the ETO
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27 July 1944: XIII Corps, Ninth Army. // 28 August 1944: XIII Corps, Ninth Army,
12th Army Group. // 5 September 1944: III Corps. //
10 October 1944: XX Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group. //
29 January 1945: VIII Corps. //
5 February 1945: Ninth Army (attached to the British 21st Army Group),
12th Army Group. // 13 February 1945: Ninth Army (attached to the British
21st Army Group), 12th Army Group, but attached for operations to the
British VIII Corps of the British Second Army. // 20 February 1945:
XIX Corps, Ninth Army (attached to the British 21st Army Group), 12th
Army Group. // 26 February 1945: XIII Corps. 30 March 1945: XIX Corps. //
31 March 1945: XXII Corps, Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group. //
2 April 1945: XIX Corps, Ninth Army (attached to British 21st Army
Group), 12th Army Group. // 4 April 1945: XIX Corps, Ninth Army,
12th Army Group. // 9 April 1945: XVI Corps.
General
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Nicknames: Victory Division; also, the OK Division.
Shoulder patch: Monogrammatic red "9" and a white Roman "V" on
a blue elliptical background.
Publications: History of the 95th Infantry Division; by unit
members; Albert Love Enterprises, Atlanta, Ga.; 1947. Pictorial
Review; by unit members; Albert Love Enterprises,
Atlanta, Ga.; 1944.
Bravest of the Brave; Stars and
Stripes; Paris, 1945.
• 95th Infantry Division Links
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• 95th Infantry Division Medal of Honor Recipients
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