35th ID Reenactors

Email:chevysub1978@netzero.com

35th ID History 

• Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
• Days of combat: 264.
• Distinguished Unit Citations: 6.
• Awards: MH–1 ; Distinguished Service Cross (United States)-44 ; Distinguished Service Medal (United States)-1 ; Silver Star-688 ; LM-10; DFC-1 ; SM-22 ; BSM-3,435 ; AM-133.
• Commanders: Maj. Gen. Ralph E. Truman (December 1940 – October 1941), Maj. Gen. William H. Simpson (October 1941 – April 1942), Maj. Gen. Maxwell Murray (May 1942 – January 1943), Maj. Gen. Paul W. Baade (January 1943 to inactivation).
• Returned to U. S.: September 10, 1945.
• Inactivated: December 7, 1945.

The Division was activated on December 23, 1940, as a National Guard Division from Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. It departed for Europe on May 12, 1944. The 35th Infantry Division arrived in England, May 25, 1944, and received further training. It landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy, July 5–7, 1944, and entered combat July 11, fighting in the Normandy hedgerows, north of Saint-Lô. The Division beat off 12 German counterattacks at Emelie before entering Saint-Lô, July 18. After mopping up in the Saint-Lô area, it took part in the offensive action southwest of Saint-Lô, pushing the Germans across the Vire River, August 2, and breaking out of the Cotentin Peninsula. While en route to an assembly area, the Division was "flagged off the road", to secure the Mortain-Avranches corridor and to rescue the 30th Division's "Lost Battalion", August 7–13, 1944.  Then racing across France through Orléans and Sens, the Division attacked across the Moselle, September 13, captured Nancy, September 15, secured Chambrey, October 1, and drove on to the German border, taking Sarreguemines and crossing the Saar, December 8. After crossing the Blies River, December 12, the Division moved to Metz for rest and rehabilitation, December 19. The 35th moved to Arlon, Belgium, December 25–26, and took part in the fighting to relieve Bastogne, throwing off the attacks of four German divisions, taking Villers-laBonne-Eau, January 10, after a 13-day fight and Lutrebois in a 5-day engagement. On January 18, 1945, the Division returned to Metz to resume its interrupted rest. In late January, the Division was defending the Foret de Domaniale area.

Moving to the Netherlands to hold a defensive line along the Roer, February 22, the Division attacked across the Roer, February 23, pierced the Siegfried Line, reached the Rhine at Wesel, March 10, and crossed, March 25–26. It smashed across the Herne Canal and reached the Ruhr River early in April, when it was ordered to move to the Elbe, April 12. Making the 295-mile dash in 2 days, the 35th mopped up in the vicinity of Colbitz and Angern, until April 26, 1945, when it moved to Hanover for occupational and mopping-up duty, continuing occupation beyond VE-day. The Division left Southampton, England, September 5, and arrived in New York City, September 10, 1945. Assignments in the European Theater of Operations

• May 5, 1944: XV Corps, Third Army.
• July 8, 1944: Third Army, but attached to the XIX Corps of First Army.
• July 27, 1944: V Corps.
• August 1, 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to the V Corps of First Army.
• August 5, 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group.
• August 6, 1944: XX Corps
• August 9, 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to the VII Corps of First Army.
• August 13, 1944: XII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
• December 23, 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group.
• December 24, 1944: XX Corps.
• December 26, 1944: III Corps.
• January 18, 1945: XX Corps.
• January 23, 1945: XV Corps, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
• January 30, 1945: XVI Corps, Ninth Army, attached to the British 21st Army Group, 12th Army Group.
• April 4, 1945: XVI Corps, Ninth Army, 12th Army Group.
• April 13, 1945: XIX Corps, for operations, and the XIII Corps for administration.
• April 16, 1945: XIII Corps.