| 45th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
45th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia. |
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| Active | 19 October 1920 – 7 December 1945 10 September 1946 – 1 February 1968 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Allegiance | United States Army |
| Branch | Army National Guard |
| Type | Infantry Division |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | Oklahoma Army National Guard |
| Nickname | Thunderbird[1] |
| Motto | Semper Anticus Latin: "Always Forward"[2] |
| Engagements | World War II Korean War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Troy H. Middleton Dwight E. Beach Philip De Witt Ginder |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
| US infantry divisions (1939–present) | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 44th Infantry Division | 46th Infantry Division |
The 45th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army. As a major formation of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, it was headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for most of its history. The division traces its lineage to the Oklahoma state militia activated in the late 19th century.
The 45th Infantry Division first saw action as a division in World War II fighting in the Mediterranean. Making amphibious landings at Sicily, Salerno, and Anzio, the division played a key role in the liberation of Italy before making a fourth amphibious landing in Europe to liberate France. Eventually, the division advanced into Germany itself.
After a brief deactivation, the division returned to duty in the Korean War on the UN lines against repeated attacks from Chinese forces. Fighting in numerous raids and bigger battles such as the Battle of Old Baldy, the 45th Infantry Division was decorated several times for its actions during both wars. Following its service, the division was deactivated and formed into the 45th Infantry Brigade.
Contents |
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1940 ("Square") Organisation
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| Stanton, Order of Battle, U.S. Army World War II, p. 126 |
The history of the 45th Infantry Division can be traced back to 1890 with the formation of the Militia of the Territory of Oklahoma.[3] That militia was mobilized in 1898 during the Spanish American War but was never deployed. In 1916 the First Oklahoma Infantry Regiment deployed for border security duty during the Mexican Border Conflict. In 1917, the First Oklahoma Infantry Regiment, redesignated as part of the 142nd Infantry Regiment of the 36th Division fought in the final month of World War I.[3]
On 19 October 1920, the Oklahoma State militia was organized as the 45th Infantry Division of the Oklahoma Army National Guard and organized with troops from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.[4] The division was organized and federally recognized on 3 August 1923 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[5] It was assigned the 89th Infantry Brigade of the Colorado and Arizona National Guards, and the 90th Infantry Brigade of the Oklahoma National Guard.[6]
The division's original shoulder sleeve insignia featured a left-facing swastika,[7] a common Native American symbol,[8] as a tribute to the south-western United States region which had a large population of Native Americans.[2] However, with the rise of the Nazi party in Germany, with its famous right-facing swastika symbol, the 45th Division stopped using the insignia. A new shoulder sleeve insignia featuring the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, was approved in 1939.[2]
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1942 ("Triangular") Organisation
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| Stanton, Order of Battle, U.S. Army World War II, p. 179 |
On 16 September 1940, the 45th Infantry Division was federalized into the Active duty force.[5] The division's two combat commands, the 89th and 90th Brigades were not activated, as the Army favored smaller and more versatile regimental commands for the new conflict.[6] The Division was based around the 157th Infantry Regiment, the 179th Infantry Regiment, and the 180th Infantry Regiment.[9] Also assigned to the division were the 158th, 160th, 171st, and 189th Field Artillery Battalions, the 46th Signal Company, the 700th Ordinance Company, the 45th Quartermaster Company, the 45th Reconnaissance Troop, the 120th Engineer Combat Battalion, and the 120th Medical Battalion.[9]
After activation, the division trained at Fort Sill, Camp Barkeley, Fort Devens, Pine Camp and Camp Pickett.[10] The division trained in amphibious assault techniques at Fort Devens in preparation for the invasion of Italy. On 8 June 1943, the division sailed for the Mediterranean region, combat loaded.[11] The 45th Division landed in North Africa on 22 June 1943, and trained at Arzew, French Morocco.[12] By this time, the allies had largely secured the African theater and the decision was made to invade Sicily to the north. For this mission it was assigned to II Corps of the Seventh United States Army.[13] The invasion would place 180,000 allied troops on the island, against 230,000 mostly weak Italian troops and two reconstituted German divisions.[14]
On 10 July, the division was one of the leading units in the amphibious assault on Sicily.[15][16] The division landed near Scoglitti, the southernmost U.S. objective on the island and advanced north on the U.S. force's eastern flank.[17] After initially encountering resistance from armor of the German Herman Goering Division, the division advanced, supported by paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division landing inland on 11 July.[18] The 82nd paratroopers, conducting the first combat jump of the war, then set up to protect the 45th's flank against German counterattack, but without weapons to counter heavy armor, the paratroopers had to rely on support from U.S. Armor units to repulse the German Tiger tanks.[18] German forces pushed back, the division advanced, its main objective was to capture airfields at Biscari and Comiso.[19] for most of the first two weeks while the division moved slowly north, it encountered only light resistance from Italian forces fighting delaying actions.[20] The enemy resisted fiercely at Motta Hill on 26 July, and the 45th Infantry Division fought for four days to defeat Italian and German forces.[21] The division was one of the units involved in Patton's race to Messina, and he personally ordered the division to make for the city as quickly as possible.[22] On 1 August, the division withdrew from the front line for rest and rear-guard patrol duty.[12] The division was assigned to VI Corps of the Fifth United States Army, in preparation for the invasion of mainland Italy.[23]
On 3 September, Italy surrendered to the Allied powers. Hoping to occupy as much of the country as possible before the German army could react, the Fifth Army prepared to attack Salerno.[24] On 10 September 1943, the division conducted its second landing at Agropoli and Paestum with the 36th Infantry Division, on the southernmost beaches of the attack.[23] Opposing them were elements of the German 29th Panzergrenadier Division and XVI Panzer Corps.[23] Against stiff resistance, the 45th pushed to the Calore River after a week of heavy fighting.[25] The Fifth Army was battered and pushed back by German forces until 20 September, when American forces were finally able to break out and establish a more secure beachhead.[23][26] On 3 November it crossed the Volturno River and took Venafro.[25] The division had great difficulty moving across the rivers and through mountainous terrain, and the advance was slow. After linking up with the British Eighth Army that had advanced from the south, the combined force, under the Fifteenth Army Group was stalled when coming on the Gustav Line.[27] Until 9 January 1944, the division inched forward into the mountains reaching St. Elia, north of Cassino, before moving to a rest area.[25]
Allied forces conducted a frontal assault on the Gustav Line stronghold at Monte Cassino, and VI Corps was assigned Operation Shingle, detached from the Army Group to land behind enemy lines at Anzio.[28] For this mission, the 45th Infantry Division was given additional Armor units.[29] The VI Corps landed on schedule, surprising German forces, however General Mark Clark's decision to consolidate the beachhead instead of attack gave the Germans time to bring the LXXVI Panzer Corps to oppose the landings.[28][30] On 30 January 1944, when VI Corps moved out, it encountered heavy resistance from German armored units which inflicted heavy casualties.[28][31] The fight became a war of attrition, and for the next four months the division stood its ground during repeated German counterattacks.[25] The 45th Infantry Division was mostly stuck in its place as the Pimlott Line was subjected to bombardment from aircraft and artillery fire. It was May before the Germans, reeling from heavy bombing and repeated attack from the Fifteenth Army Group, began to withdraw.[32] On 23 May the division went on the offensive, crossing the Tiber River by 4 June and, in the process, outflanked Rome. VI Corps linked up with the rest of the Fifth Army by 25 May, and, as the division crossed the river, the Fifth Army entered and captured Rome.[33] As a result, the 45th Infantry was the first military unit to enter the Vatican. On 16 June, it withdrew for rest in preparation for another assault.[25] During this time, VI Corps was attached to the Seventh United States Army, Sixth United States Army Group,[34] part of a buildup in preparation for an invasion of mainland Europe in southern France, called Operation Anvil, which was to coincide with Operation Overlord in the north.[35] The 45th Infantry Division, along with the 36th and 3rd Infantry Divisions were pulled from the line in Italy to conduct Operation Anvil, however the attack was delayed until August due to a shortage of landing craft.[35]
The 45th Infantry Division participated in its fourth assault landing during Operation Dragoon on 15 August 1944, at St. Maxime, in Southern France.[25] The German Army, reeling from the Battle of Normandy pulled back after a short fight, part of an overall German withdrawal to the east following the landings.[36] Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division engaged the dispersed forces of German Army Group G, suffering very few casualties.[33] The Seventh Army, along with Free French forces, were able to advance north quickly. By 12 September, the Seventh Army linked up with the Third United States Army, advancing from Normandy, joining the two forces at Dijon.[35] Against slight opposition, it spearheaded the drive for the Belfort Gap. The 45th Infantry Division took the strongly defended city of Epinal on 24 September.[25] The division was then reassigned to V Corps for its next advance.[34] On 30 September the division crossed the Moselle River and entered the western foothills of the Vosges, taking Rambervillers.[25] It would remain in the area for a month waiting for other units to catch up before crossing the Mortagne River on 23 October.[25] The division remained on the line with the Sixth United States Army Group, the southernmost of three Army Groups advancing through France.[37]
After the crossing was complete, the division was relieved from V Corps and assigned to XV Corps.[34] The division was allowed a one-month rest, resuming its advance on 25 November, attacking the forts north of Mutzig (forts Kaiser Wilhelm II designed in 1893 to block access to the plain of Alsace) and crossed the Zintzel River and pushed through the Maginot defenses.[25] During this time much of the division's artillery assets were attached to the 44th Infantry Division to provide additional support.[38] The 45th Infantry Division was reassigned to VI Corps on New Year's Day.[34] From 2 January 1945, the division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the Moder River.[25] It sent half of its artillery to support the 70th Infantry Division.[38] On 17 February the division was pulled off the line for rest and training. Once this rest period was complete, the division was assigned to XV Corps for the final push into German territory.[34] The 45th moved north to the Sarreguemines area and smashed through the Siegfried Line, on 17 March taking Homburg on the 21st and crossing the Rhine between Worms and Hamm on the 26th.[25] The advance continued, with Aschaffenburg falling on 3 April, and Nuremberg on the 20th.[25] The division crossed the Danube River on 27 April, and liberated 32,000 captives of the Dachau concentration camp on 29 April 1945.[25] The division captured Munich during the next two days, occupying the city until V-E Day and the surrender of Germany.[39] During the next month, the division remained in Munich and set up collection points and camps for the massive numbers of surrendering troops of the German armies. The number of POWs taken by the 45th Division, during its almost two years of fighting, totalled 124,840 men.[25] The division was then slated to move to the Pacific theater of operations in order to participate in the invasion of mainland Japan on the island of Honshu, but these plans were scrubbed before the division could depart due to the surrender of Japan, V-J Day.[40]
After the War, accounts of war crimes allegedly committed by the division began to surface. The first alleged incident was of American troops from C Company, 180th Infantry Regiment shooting 74 Italian and two German POWs that it had captured in Acate following the capture of an airfield in the area. The killings, which were allegedly committed in two separate incidents in July 1943, came to be known as the Biscari massacre.[41] General George S. Patton attempted to dismiss the case, telling General Omar Bradley to write the executed prisoners off in order to prevent bad press for American forces, but Bradley refused. Courts-martial later found guilty an NCO who had confessed to the crimes, but acquitted an officer who claimed he had only been following orders.[42]
In a second incident, soldiers of the 45th Division were accused of massacring surrendering German soldier at the Dachau concentration camp during the Dachau massacre in 1945. Some of the German troops were camp guards, but the others were sick and wounded troops from a nearby hospital. The soldiers of the 45th Division who liberated the camp were outraged at the medical and nutritional maltreatment of the 32,000 prisoners they liberated. Camp survivors were mostly skin and bones, and in some cases barely alive. After entering the camp, the soldiers found boxcars filled with dead bodies of prisoners who had succumb to starvation or last-minute executions, and in rooms adjacent to the gas chambers they found naked bodies piled from the floor to the ceiling.[43][44] The cremation ovens, which were still in operation when the soldiers arrived, contained bodies and skeletons as well.[44] Some of the victims apparently had only died hours before the 45th Division entered the camp and lay where they had died in states of decomposition that overwhelmed the soldiers' senses.[44]
Accounts conflict about what happened and the number of German troops killed. The 19-year-old machine gunner who opened fire claimed they were trying to escape. However, another soldier who was present determined the young soldier was horribly shaken by what he saw at Dachau and that his claim was thus doubtful.[43][45]
After investigating the incident, the Army considered court-martialling several officers involved, but General Patton dismissed the charges.[46]
Some veterans of the 45th Infantry Division have reported that only thirty to fifty German soldiers were killed and that very few were killed trying to surrender.[43] Army records and veterans' accounts indicate that over 1000 German soldiers were made prisoners (guards and others) on their surrender. Accounts also indicate that those who were killed while surrendering numbered about a dozen, with several others being wounded.
During World War II, the 45th Division fought in 511 days of combat.[12] Soldiers of the division received eight Medals of Honor, 61 Distinguished Service Crosses, three Distinguished Service Medals, 1,848 Silver Star Medals, 38 Legion of Merit medals, 59 Soldiers Medals, 5,744 Bronze Star Medals, and 52 Air Medals. The division received seven distinguished unit citations and eight campaign streamers during the conflict.[12] The division suffered 3,650 killed in action, 13,729 wounded in action, 3,615 missing in action, 266 captured, and 41,647 non-battle casualties for a total of 62,907 casualties during the war.[47]
The division returned to New York in early June 1945, and from there went to Camp Bowie, Texas. On 7 December 1945, the division was deactivated from the active duty force and its members reassigned to other Army units.[3] The 45th Infantry Division was reconstituted as a National Guard unit following the war, on 10 September 1946.[48] Instead of comprising units from several states, the post-war 45th was an all-Oklahoma organization.[3]
At the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, the US Army looked to expand its force again to prepare for major conflict. During this time, the US Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. At the end of World War II, it contained 89 divisions, but by 1950, there were just 10 active divisions in the force, along with a few reserve divisions such as the 45th Infantry Division which were combat ineffective.[49] It was one of four understrength divisions on occupation duty in Japan alongside the 1st Cavalry Division, 24th Infantry Division, and 25th Infantry Division, all under control of the Eighth United States Army. The divisions were equipped with antiquated equipment from World War II due to drastic reduction in spending. Few American weapons could penetrate North Korean T-34 tanks, and fewer still were available for use.[50][51]
While the undermanned active divisions moved into the war suffered from lack of reinforcements and high casualties, the Army looked to the National Guard to provide additional troops to the region. On 1 September of that year, the 45th Infantry Division was activated as the first National Guard division to be deployed to the theater.[52] The 157th Infantry was removed from the unit and replaced with the 279th Infantry Regiment.[53] The 40th Infantry Division of the California Army National Guard would follow in April 1951.[54] The 45th Infantry Division was sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana to begin training and fill its ranks in preparation for deployment.[52] The division was sent to Japan in April 1951 after its basic training was complete, for advanced training and to act as a reserve force for the Eighth United States Army, currently fighting in Korea.[53] It was not deployed to Korea until December 1951, when its advanced training was complete.[53] The division moved to replace the 1st Cavalry Division on the front line. The 1st Cavalry Division was delegated to the Far East reserve, having suffered over 16,000 casualties in less than 18 months of fighting.[55]
By the time the division was in place, the battle lines on both sides had largely solidified, leaving the 45th Infantry Division in a stationary position as it conducted attacks and counterattacks for the same ground.[56] The division was put under the command of I Corps, Eighth Army for most of the conflict.[57] During its first few months of service in combat, the division did not fare well, though it improved quickly.[53] In its first few months on the line, Chinese forces conducted three raids in the division's sector. In retaliation, the 245th Tank Battalion sent nine tanks to raid Agok.[56] Two companies of Chinese forces ambushed and devastated a patrol from the 179th Infantry a short time later.[56] In the spring, the division launched Operation Counter, an effort to establish 11 patrol bases around Old Baldy Hill. The division defended the hill against a series of Chinese assaults from the Chinese 38th Army.[56]
The 45th Infantry Division, along with the 7th Infantry Division fought repeated Chinese attacks all along the front line throughout 1952, and Chinese forces frequently attacked Old Baldy Hill into the fall of that year.[58] Around that time, the 45th Infantry Division relinquished command of Old Baldy Hill to the 2nd Infantry Division. Almost immediately the Chinese launched a concentrated attack on the hill, overrunning the US forces.[59] Heavy rainstorms prevented the divisions from retaking the hill for around a month, and when it was finally retaken it was heavily fortified to prevent further attacks.[60] The 245th Tank Battalion was sent to assault Chinese positions throughout late 1952, but most of the Division remained stationary that year as it attempted to hold a defensive line against the Chinese.[58]
In early 1953, North Korean forces launched a large attack against Hill 812, which was under control of K Company, 3rd Battalion, 179th Infantry.[61] The ensuing Battle of Hill Eerie was one of a series of larger attacks by Chinese and North Korean forces which produced heavier fighting than the previous year had seen.[61] Chinese forces continued concentrated attacks on the lines of the UN forces, including the 45th Infantry Division, but the division managed to hold most of its ground, remaining stationary until the end of the war in the summer of 1953.[62]
During the Korean War the 45th Infantry Division suffered 4,004 casualties; 834 killed in action and 3,170 wounded in action.[53] The division was awarded four campaign streamers and one Presidential Unit Citation.[63]
The Division returned home after the end of the Korean War, and reverted to National Guard status on 30 April 1954.[48] The division remained as a unit of the Oklahoma National Guard, and participated in no major actions throughout the rest of the 1950s. In 1963, the formation was reorganized in accordance with Reorganization Objective Army Divisions plan, with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Brigade. These brigades would see no major deployments or events, and were deactivated five years later in 1968.[64] That same year, due to the perceived lack of need for so many large formations in the Army National Guard, the 45th Infantry Division was deactivated, as part of a larger move to reduce the number of Army National Guard divisions from 15 to 8, while increasing the number of separate brigades from seven to 18.[65] In its place, the independent 45th Infantry Brigade (Separate) was established.[48][66] The 45th Infantry Brigade received all of the 45th Division's lineage and heraldry, including its shoulder sleeve insignia.[2]
The 45th Infantry Division was awarded eight campaign streamers and one unit award in World War II, four campaign streamers and two unit decorations in World War II, and four campaign streamers and one unit decoration in the Korean War, for a total of twelve campaign streamers and two unit decorations in its operational history.[5]
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Croix de Guerre, World War II (With Palm) | 1943–1944 | Embroidered "Acquafondata" | |
| Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation | 1952–1953 | For service in Korea |
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| World War II | Sicily (with Arrowhead) | 1943 |
| Naples-Foggia (with Arrowhead) | 1943 | |
| Anzio (wirth Arrowhead) | 1943 | |
| Rome-Arno | 1944 | |
| Southern France (with Arrowhead) | 1944 | |
| Rhineland | 1944–1945 | |
| Ardennes-Alsace | 1944—1945 | |
| Central Europe | 1945 | |
| Korean War | Second Korean Winter | 1951–1952 |
| Korea, Summer-Fall 1952 | 1952 | |
| Third Korean Winter | 1952–1953 | |
| Korea, Summer 1953 | 1953 |
People who served in the 45th Infantry Division and later went on to achieve notability in the military or other fields include cartoonist Bill Mauldin,[67] historian Raul Hilberg,[68] alleged hitman Frank Sheeran,[69] Colorado Supreme Court justice Felix L. Sparks,[70] composer Donald O. Johnston,[71] actor Dan Blocker[72] and US Army Generals Paul D. Adams and Michael S. Davison.
Nine soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during their service with the 45th Infantry Division, eight of these during World War II. They include Van T. Barfoot, Ernest Childers, Almond E. Fisher, William J. Johnston, Jack C. Montgomery, James D. Slaton, Jack Treadwell, and Edward G. Wilkin.[73][74][75][76] Additionally, Charles George earned the medal while serving with the division in Korea.[77]