80th Division (United States)

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80th Division
Image:80th Infantry Division.patch.png
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 80th Division
Active 5 August 1917 - 26 June 1919
24 June 1942 - present
Country United States of America
Branch Army Reserve
Type Infantry
Role Training
Size Division
Nickname Blue Ridge Mountain Division
Motto "The 80th only moves forward"
Engagements World War I
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
U.S. Infantry Divisions
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79th Infantry Division 81st Infantry Division


The 80th Division (Institutional Training) was a formation of the United States Army. During World War I and World War II, the unit was designated the 80th Infantry Division. Nicknamed the "Blue Ridge Division", it was initially composed of draftees from the mid-atlantic states of Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland. From 1946 to 1952, the division was redesignated the 80th Airborne Division. In May 1952, it was designated Reserve Infantry Division and a Reserve Training Division in March 1959. In 1994, the division was granted its current designation, 80th Division (Institutional Training).

Contents

[edit] World War I

  • Activated: September 1917
  • Overseas: June 1918
  • Major Operations: First Battle of the Somme (1918), Meuse-Argonne,St.-Mihiel.
  • Casualties: Total-6,029. (KIA-880; WIA-5,149).
  • Commanders: Brig. Gen. Herman Hall (27 August 1917), Maj. Gen. Adelbert Cronkhite (9 September 1917), Brig. Gen. L. M. Brett (26 November 1917), Brig. Gen. W. P. Richardson (28 December 1917), Brig. Gen. C. S. Farnsworth (7 January 1918), Brig. Gen. L. M. Brett (14 January 1918), Maj. Gen. Adelbert Cronkhite (1 March 1918), Maj. Gen. S. D. Sturgis (22 November 1918).
  • Inactivated: May 1919.

[edit] World War II

Prisoners of Ebensee, one of the sub-camps of Mauthausen-Gusen, upon liberation by 80th Division
Prisoners of Ebensee, one of the sub-camps of Mauthausen-Gusen, upon liberation by 80th Division

[edit] Combat Chronicle

The 80th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach, 3 August 1944, assembled near St. Jores by 7 August, and on 8 August was ordered to stop the German attack at Avranches. Arriving too late to take part in smashing the German drive, it turned east to seize Evron and Ste. Suzanne, 10 August. The Division then attacked Argentan, taking it, 20 August, and creating the Falaise Pocket. After mopping up in the area, the 80th took part in the Third Army dash across France, cutting through St. Mihiel, Chalons, and Commercy in pursuit of the retreating Germans until stopped by the lack of gasoline and other supplies at the Seille River.

From 25 September to 7 November, the Division maintained an aggressive defense of positions west of the Seille, and prepared for the Third Army sweep into the industrially vital Saar Basin. The attack jumped off on 8 November, the 80th advancing through Delme Ridge, Faulquemont, and St. Avold to within 5 miles (8.0 km) of Saarbrücken, when it was relieved by the 6th Armored Division, 7 December 1944.

After 10 days rest, the Division returned to combat, moving southeast to take part in an attack on the Siegfried Line at Zweibrucken when the Germans launched their winter offensive in the Ardennes. The 80th was moved northward to Luxembourg and was hurled against the German salient, fighting at Luxembourg and Bastogne, driving the enemy across the Sure to Dahl and Goesdorf, 7 January 1945, and across the Clerf and Wiltz Rivers by 23 January. On 7 February 1945, the Division stormed across the Our and Sauer Rivers at Wallendorf, broke through the Siegfried Line, pursued the fleeing enemy to Kaiserlautern, 20 March, and crossed the Rhine, 27-28 March, near Mainz.

Pursuit continued in April, the Division driving rapidly to Erfurt on the 12th, and Weimar, Jena, and Gera on the 14th. Relieved, 21 April, it moved to Nürnberg for occupation duty and on 28 April, to Regensburg, then to the Enns River, when the war in Europe ended.

[edit] Assignments in the ETO

[edit] Cold War to the present

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 80th Airborne Division (1946-1952).
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 80th Airborne Division (1946-1952).
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In January of 1946, the division returned to the United States was placed on inactive status. In July of that same year, the division was reorganized as the 80th Aiborne Division within the Army Reserve and served under that title until 10 May 1952. It was then reorganized once more as the 80th Infantry Division, but remained a reserve formation. On 1 March 1959, the division was completely reorganized once more and was designated simply 80th Division (Institutional Training).

Units from the 80th Division were activated in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the first units activated 17 November 1990. During the conflict, the 424th Transportation Company was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation. By June of 1991, all units had been released from active status.

[edit] General

  • Nickname: Blue Ridge. Thundering Herd
  • Slogan: Only moves forward. (Original slogan: Strength of the mountains.)
  • Shoulder patch: Whitebordered shield of gold upon which is superimposed three azure blue mountain peaks.

[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