104th Infantry Division (United States)

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104th Infantry Division

Shoulder sleeve insignia of the United States Army 104th Infantry Division, the Timbelwolf Division
Active
Country United States
Branch U.S. Army
Nickname Timberwolf Division
Battles/wars World War II
*Battle of Hurtgen Forest
*Battle of the Bulge
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Terry de la Mesa Allen

The 104th Infantry Division —nicknamed the Timberwolf Division— was a division of the United States Army that fought for 195 consecutive days during World War II. Some 34,000 men served with the division under the leadership of General Terry Allen, who was much admired despite his nickname, "Terrible Terry". The division's first action came in October of 1944 during the taking of Achtmaal and Zundert in Holland. It then participated in the Battle of the Bulge, advanced through the Siegfried line and across the Inde River into Cologne, and it helped complete the encirclement of the Ruhr pocket. Finally, it made a 350-mile sweep to the Mulde River in the heart of Germany. The division was particularly renowned for its night fighting prowess.

Contents

[edit] Insignia

The division's nickname came from its timberwolf shoulder insignia. The division insignia is a gray Timberwolf's head on a balsam green disc. It was designed by Charles Livingston Bull, artist and authority on wild life, and represents the northwest. It was in this section of the country that the 104th conducted its training in 1942-43 when it was activated (see U. S. Army Center for Military History - 104th Infantry Division).

[edit] Assignment and Attachment to Higher Units

From Arno Lasoe's U. S. XIX Corps website:[1]

  • 28 August 1944, Ninth Army, 12th Army Group
  • 5 September 1944, III Corps
  • 15 October 1944, Ninth Army, but attached for operations to the British I Corps, Canadian 1st Army, British 21st Army Group
  • 5 November 1944, First Army, 12th Army Group
  • 8 November 1944, VII Corps, First Army
  • 20 December 1944, VII Corps, First Army (attached to the British 21st Army Group), 12th Army Group
  • 21 December 1944, XIX Corps, Ninth Army (attached to the British 21st Army Group), 12th Army Group
  • 3 February 1945, VII Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group

[edit] History

The 104th Infantry Division landed in France on September 7, 1944[2] . It is likely that the division was initially involved with implementing the Red Ball Express.

[edit] With Canadian First Army, in the Battle of the Scheldt

The 104th's first combat experience occurred during the latter portions of the Battle of the Scheldt. While attached to the Canadian 1st Army, the division moved into defensive positions in the vicinity of Wuustwezel, Belgium, on October 23, 1944, and went over to the offensive on the 25th, taking Zundert and Achtmaal, gaining control of the Breda-Roosendaal Road (see map), and overrunning Vaart Canal defenses. Leur and Etten fell as the division advanced to the Mark River on October 31. A coordinated attack over the Mark River at Standaarbuiten (part of Moerdijk municipality), on November 2, 1944, established a bridgehead. Zevenbergen was captured and the Maas River reached on November 5.

[edit] With VII Corps, in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest

After release by the First Canadian Army, on November 6 the 104th began moving by motor convoy towards Aachen, Germany (see map). The 414th Regimental Combat Team remained behind temporarily to secure Moerdijk. On November 8, the division started its relief of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division in the vicinity of Aachen, and it became attached by the VII Corps, First Army.

The 104th participated in the northern edge of what is now called the Battle of Hurtgen Forest. The abstract of a Defense Technical Information Center report, "Huertgen Forest: Offensive, Deliberate Attack, Forest, 16 November 1944", describes what happened as follows:[3] "The VII (US) Corps, 1st Army attacked 16 November 1944 with 1st Inf Div, 4th Inf Div, 104th Inf Div, and CCR 5th AD to clear Huertgen Forest and the path of 1st Army to the Roer River. After heavy fighting, primarily by the 4th Infantry Division, VII Corps' attack ground to a halt. V Corps was committed on 21 November 1944. Attacking with 8th Inf Div, and CCR 5th AD, the V Corps managed to capture Huertgen after stiff fighting on 28 November 1944."

While the 4th Infantry Division was being stalled by dug-in defenders deep within the Hurtgen Forest, the 104th Infantry Division attacked and secured Stolberg on November 16. Pushing on against heavy resistance, the 104th division was able to take Eschweiler on the November 21. The division next cleared the area west of the Inde River, including Inden, in vicious fighting.

[edit] With VII Corps, Battle of the Bulge

Despite strong enemy counterattacks in the vicinity of Lamersdorf, Inden and Lucherberg (see map) in early December, by December 23 the 104th and its attached units had completed a hard-fought, town-by-town drive beyond the Siegfried Line to the Roer River. From December 15, 1944 to February 22, 1945 (during the Battle of the Bulge), the 104th was involved with defending its sector near Düren and Merken (see map).

[edit] Drive to Cologne

As the German offensive in the Ardennes wound down, the division moved across the Roer and took Huchem-Stammeln, Birkesdorf, and North Duren. On March 5, it entered Cologne after heavy fighting (see map). This archive from the 750th Tank Battalion elaborates on actions involved in the approach to Cologne.

[edit] Encirclement of the Ruhr pocket

After defending the west bank of the Rhine, the division crossed the river at Honnef on March 22, 1945, and attacked to the east of the Remagen bridgehead. General Collins’ VII Corps (First Army) was given the assignment of encircling the important Ruhr industrial area of Germany from the south. Beginning early on March 25, the 3rd Armored Division, with the 104th's 414th Infantry Regiment attached, began a lightning-like thrust eastward. After 9 days, the 3rd Armored and 414th Infantry had completed a 193-mile dash to Paderborn, and at Lippstadt, they linked up with the U.S. Ninth Army to complete the encirclement of the Ruhr pocket (see map), thus trapping 335,000 German troops. During this offensive, the 3rd Armored advanced in four columns on more or less parallel roads. The remainder of the 104th Infantry Division, mounted on trucks and accompanied by the 750th Tank Battalion and other supporting troops, had the job of mopping up enemy forces bypassed by the 3rd Armored. In many cases, these bypassed forces had recovered from the initial shock by the time the follow-up forces reached them and put up a strong defense. The 104th repulsed heavy attacks near Medebach, and Paderborn was captured on April 1, 1945. After regrouping, the 104th advanced to the east and crossed the Weser River on the 8th, blocking enemy exits from the Harz Mountains.

The rapid 3rd Armored advance created an ever-lengthening line for the 104th to defend. The line was threatened both from German troops on the west attempting to break out of the entrapment and from enemy forces on the east. There were many engagements all along the line. Supply vehicles carrying much-needed fuel and other materials were frequently ambushed. General Collins placed additional divisions in the ever-lengthening line to contain the Germans. Ultimately there were five infantry divisions, plus a cavalry group, stretched over a 175-mile arc from Remagen to Paderborn. As the increasing seriousness of the German situation became apparent, larger and larger groups attempted (without success) to break through the American lines. It was a very fluid situation, and it was uncertain as to when or where the enemy might be encountered (see the 750th records).

[edit] Liberation of Nordhausen camps, and the battle for Halle

After liberating the Mittelbau Dora concentration camp near Nordhausen on April 11 (see The Journey of Private Galione, Supporting Documents), the 104th then crossed the Saale River and took Halle in a bitter 5-day struggle which lasted from April 15 to 19 (see map). The sector to the Mulde River was cleared by the 21st, and after vigorous patrolling, the division contacted the Red Army at Pretzsch on April 26. The 104th left for home and inactivation on June 27.

[edit] Units

  • 413th Infantry Regiment - (3 battalions)
  • 414th Infantry Regiment - (3 battalions)
  • 415th Infantry Regiment - (3 battalions)
  • 385th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
  • 386th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
  • 387th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
  • 929th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
  • 329th Medical Battalion
  • 329th Engineer Combat Battalion
  • 104th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
  • 804th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
  • 104th Quartermaster Company
  • 104th Signal Company
  • Military Police Platoon
  • Headquarters Company
  • Band

References: 1. The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950. 2. Order of Battle of the United States Army, World War II, European Theater of Operations, Office of the Theater Historian, Paris, France, December 1945.

[edit] Attached Units

  • 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion - attached Oct 29, 44 - Mar 7, 45
  • 555th AAA Battalion - attached Oct 26, 44 - May 24, 45
  • 750th Tank Battalion - attached Nov 16, 44 - Dec 23, 44
  • 87th Chemical Battalion - attached Dec 10, 44 - Dec 22, 44

[edit] Casualties

As reported in the U. S. Center for Military History[4]

  • Killed 1,294
  • Wounded 5,305
  • Missing 385
  • Captured 27
  • Battle Casualties 7,011
  • Non-Battle Casualties 6,396
  • Total Casualties 13,407
  • Percent of T/O Strength 95.1

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States. Combat Chronicle: 104th Infantry Division. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1950.
  2. U. S. Army Center for Military History - 104th Infantry Division
  3. 104th Division (Institutional Training) history page
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