95th Infantry Division (United States)

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95th Infantry Division

95th ID shoulder insignia
Active 1942-1945
Country United States
Branch U.S. Army
Nickname Victory Division
OK Division
The Iron Men of Metz
Motto Iron Men of Metz
Battles/wars World War II

The 95th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War II.

Contents

[edit] World War II

[edit] Combat chronicle

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 the Netherlands, 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.

[edit] Assignments in the European Theater of Operations

[edit] General

  • Nicknames: Victory Division; also, the OK Division, and The Iron Men of Metz (After the Battle for Metz, November 1944)
  • Motto: Iron Men of Metz
  • Shoulder patch: Monogrammatic red "9" and a white Roman "V" on a blue elliptical background.

[edit] References

  • The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 (reproduced at CMH).

[edit] External links

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