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103d Infantry Division
"Cactus Division"
The division insignia consists of a yellow disc with a green Saguaro cactus
superimposed upon a patch of blue, and was adopted in 1922 when this reserve
division had its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. The yellow disc represents
a golden sky, while the green cactus growing out of the blue sage-covered earth
characterizes the southwest.
[page 401]
COMMAND AND STAFF
Commanding General
20 Oct 44 |
Maj. Gen. Charles C. Haffner, Jr. |
11 Jan 45 |
Maj. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe |
Assistant Division Commander
20 Oct 44 |
Brig. Gen. John T. Pierce |
Artillery Commander
20 Oct 44 |
Brig. Gen. Roger M. Wicks |
Chief of Staff
20 Oct 44 |
Col. Guy S. Meloy, Jr. |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-1
20 Oct 44 |
Maj. Walter E. Winter |
20 Nov 44 |
Lt. Col. Charles A. Robinson |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-2
20 Oct 44 |
Maj. Bland West |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-3
20 Oct 44 |
Lt. Col. Russel R. Lord |
13 Dec 44 |
Maj. Richard C. Thomas |
16 Feb 45 |
Lt. Co. Richard C. Thomas |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-4
20 Oct 44 |
Maj. Robert E. Myers |
16 Dec 44 |
Lt. Col. Robert E. Myers |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-5
10 Nov 44 |
Maj. Shelden D. Elliott |
Adjutant General
20 Oct 44 |
Lt. Co. Alfred W. Croll |
Commanding Officer, 409th Infantry
20 Oct 44 |
Col. Claudius L. Lloyd |
19 Apr 45 |
Lt. Co. Hubert E. Strange |
Commanding Officer, 410th Infantry
20 Oct 44 |
Col. Henry J. P. Harding |
Commanding Officer, 411th Infantry
20 Oct 44 |
Col. Donovan P. Yeuell |
[page 402]
STATISTICS
Chronology
- Activated 15 November 1942
- Arrived ETO 20 October 1944
- Arrived Continent 20 October 1944 (D+66)*
- Entered Combat
- First Elements 9 November 1944
- Entire Division 11 November 1944
- Days in Combat
- D-Day for Southern France - 15 August 1944
Casualties (Tentative)
- Killed 582
- Wounded 3,276
- Missing 662
- Captured 23
- Battle Casualties 4,543
- Non-Battle Casualties 4,826
- Total Casualties 9,369
- Percent of T/O Strength 66.5
Campaigns
Individual Awards
- Distinguished Service Cross 6
- Legion of Merit 7
- Silver Star 291
- Soldiers Medal 12
- Bronze Star 2,087
- Air Medal 92
- Prisoners of War Taken 57,517
COMPOSITION
- 409th Infantry
- 410th Infantry
- 411th Infantry
- 103d Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
- 328th Engineer Combat Battalion
- 328th Medical Battalion
- 103d Division Artillery
- 382d Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
- 383d Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
- 928th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
- 384th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
Special Troops
- 803d Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
- 103d Quartermaster Company
- 103d Signal Company
- Military Police Platoon
- Headquarters Company
- Band
[page 403]
ATTACHMENTS
Antiaircraft Artillery
353d AAA SL Bn |
25 Jan 45-5 Feb 45 |
354th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) |
29 Mar 45-5 May 45 |
354th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) |
6 May 45-9 May 45 |
Armored
Co B, 756th Tk Bn |
15 Nov 44-3 Feb 45 |
1 tank co, CCA (14th Armd Div) |
2 Dec 44-3 Dec 44 |
Co A, 43d Tk Bn (12th Armd Div) |
5 Dec 44-7 Jan 45 |
Cos A & C, 47th Tk Bn (14th Armd Div) |
14 Dec 44-19 Dec 44 |
781st Tk Ben (- Co A & 2d Plat, Co D) |
17 Jan 45-5 Feb 45 |
Co A, 191st Tk Bn |
25 Jan 45-5 Feb 45 |
Co C, 781st Tk Bn |
7 Feb 45-22 Feb 45 |
Assault Gun Plat, Hq Co, 781st Tk Bn |
17 Feb 45-22 Feb 45 |
756th Tk Bn |
22 Feb 45-31 Mar 45 |
Cos A & C, 48th Tk Bn (14th Armd Div) |
4 Mar 45-10 Mar 45 |
761st Tk Bn |
10 Mar 45-28 Mar 45 |
781st Tk Bn |
23 Apr 45-5 May 45 |
Cavalry
115th Cav Gp |
24 Apr 45-3 May 45 |
117th Cav Rcn Sq |
24 Apr 45-5 May 45 |
Chemical
Co B, 3d Cml Mort Bn |
14 Nov 44- |
Co B, 3d Cml Mort Bn |
5 Dec 44-21 Dec 44 |
Cos B & C, 81st Cml Mort Bn |
15 Mar 45-5 May 45 |
83d Cml Mort Bn |
21 Apr 45-5 May 45 |
83d Cml Mort Bn |
6 May 45-9 May 45 |
Field Artillery
495th Armd FA Bn (12th Armd Div) |
26 Dec 44-2 Jan 45 |
69th Armd FA Bn |
19 Feb 45- |
242d FA Bn (105mm How) |
2 Mar 45-25 Mar 45 |
Btry C, 991st FA Bn (155mm Gun) |
20 Mar 45-24 Mar 45 |
242d FA Bn (105mm How) |
28 Mar 45-29 Mar 45 |
242d FA Bn (105mm How) |
26 Apr 45-5 May 45 |
69th Armd FA Bn |
3 May 45-9 May 45 |
Infantry
274th Inf (70th Div) |
17 Jan 45-22 Jan 45 |
Tank Destroyer
Co C, 601st TD Bn (SP) |
15 Nov 44-5 Feb 45 |
Co C, 614th TD Bn (T) |
7 Feb 45-31 Mar 45 |
Co A, 614th TD Bn (T) |
21 Feb 45-31 Mar 45 |
824th TD Bn (SP) |
24 Apr 45-5 May 45 |
614th TD Bn (T) |
30 Apr 45-5 May 45 |
[page 404]
DETACHMENTS
(Attached to)
Field Artillery
103d Div Arty |
VI Corps |
25 Mar 45-26 Mar 45 |
Infantry
409th Inf |
45th Div |
15 Jan 45-17 Jan 45 |
2d Bn, 411th Inf |
45th Div |
18 Jan 45-21 Jan 45 |
1st Bn, 410th Inf |
79th Div |
18 Jan 45-21 Jan 45 |
411th Inf (- 2d Bn) |
79th Div |
19 Jan 45-21 Jan 45 |
[page 405]
ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO HIGHER UNITS
DATE |
CORPS |
ARMY |
ARMY GROUP |
Assigned |
Attached |
Assigned |
Attached |
9 Oct 44 |
|
|
|
ETOUSA |
6th (Support & Operations) |
1 Nov 44 |
|
Seventh |
|
6th |
(-) |
6 Nov 44 |
VI |
Seventh |
|
6th |
|
22 Dec 44 |
XV |
Seventh |
|
6th |
|
9 Jan 45 |
XXI |
Seventh |
|
6th |
|
16 Jan 45 |
VI |
Seventh |
|
6th |
|
29 Mar 45 |
(-) |
Seventh |
|
6th |
|
19 Apr 45 |
VI |
Seventh |
|
6th |
|
(-) Indicates relieved from assignment.
[page 406]
COMMAND POSTS
DATE |
TOWN |
REGION |
COUNTRY |
20 Oct 44 |
Marseilles |
Bouches-du-Rhone |
France |
30 Oct 44 |
Docelles |
Vosges |
France |
9 Nov 44 |
Les Rouges Eaux |
Vosges |
France |
17 Nov 44 |
L'Haute Jacques |
Vosges |
France |
19 Nov 44 |
Les Rouges Eaux |
Vosges |
France |
21 Nov 44 |
Nompatelize |
Vosges |
France |
22 Nov 44 |
La Pecherie |
Vosges |
France |
24 Nov 44 |
Provencheres |
Vosges |
France |
26 Nov 44 |
Lubine |
Vosges |
France |
27 Nov 44 |
Fouchy |
Vosges |
France |
28 Nov 44 |
St-Martin |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
2 Dec 44 |
Dambach-la-Ville |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
4 Dec 44 |
Gugenheim |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
8 Dec 44 |
La Walck |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
11 Dec 44 |
Gundershoffen |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
12 Dec 44 |
Woerth |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
13 Dec 44 |
Gunstett |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
14 Dec 44 |
Merkwiller |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
15 Dec 44 |
Drachenbronn |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
19 Dec 44 |
Rott |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
22 Dec 44 |
Francaltroff |
Moselle |
France |
24 Dec 44 |
St-Jean Rohrbach |
Moselle |
France |
15 Jan 45 |
Reichshoffen |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
20 Jan 45 |
Imbsheim |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
15 Mar 45 |
Ober Modern |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
17 Mar 45 |
Gumbrechtshofen |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
18 Mar 45 |
Woerth |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
18 Mar 45 |
Lembach |
Bas-Rhin |
France |
19 Mar 45 |
Bobenthal |
Pfalz |
Germany |
23 Mar 45 |
Birkenhordt |
Pfalz |
Germany |
24 Mar 45 |
Klingenmunster |
Pfalz |
Germany |
29 Mar 45 |
Schifferstadt |
Pfalz |
Germany |
2 Apr 45 |
Neustadt |
Pfalz |
Germany |
7 Apr 45 |
Bensheim |
Hessen |
Germany |
20 Apr 45 |
Murrharat |
Wurttemberg |
Germany |
20 Apr 45 |
Pfedelbach |
Wurttemberg |
Germany |
21 Apr 45 |
Ober Urbach |
Wurttemberg |
Germany |
22 Apr 45 |
Kircheim |
Wurttemberg |
Germany |
25 Apr 45 |
Lonsee |
Wurttemberg |
Germany |
25 Apr 45 |
Horvelsingen |
Wurttemberg |
Germany |
25 Apr 45 |
Geislingen |
Wurttemberg |
Germany |
27 Apr 45 |
Krumbach |
Bavaria |
Germany |
27 Apr 45 |
Ketterschwang |
Bavaria |
Germany |
28 Apr 45 |
Pfaffenhoffen |
Bavaria |
Germany |
28 Apr 45 |
Bidingen |
Bavaria |
Germany |
30 Apr 45 |
Partenkirchen |
Bavaria |
Germany |
2 May 45 |
Mittenwald |
Bavaria |
Germany |
2 May 45 |
Seefeld |
Tyrol |
Austria |
4 May 45 |
Innsbruck |
Tyrol |
Austria |
[pages 407 (through 24 Dec 44)-409 (starting 30 Apr 45)]
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