2nd Infantry Division — “Indian Head”

 

Shoulder Patch: Red-faced Indian Head on a white star superimposed on a black shield.

 

Slogan: Second to None Type: Regular Army — Organized Bourmont, France, August 1917

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Overview Veteran of WWI at Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Blanc Mont and Soissons. Reactivated and trained at Fort Sam Houston, Camp McCoy and Third Army maneuvers in Louisiana before departing for the European Theater in October 1943.

 

Component Units (as of October 1943) 9th, 23rd and 88th Infantry Regiments — 12th (M), 15th, 37th and 38th (L) FA Battalions — 2nd Engineer and 2nd Medical Battalions Higher Commands: Third and Ninth Armies

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Combat History Entering action on D+1, June 7, 1944 at St. Laurent sur Mer the division liberated Trevieres and struck the German defense line against the 3rd Parachute Division of the Wehrmacht. The fight for Hill 192 was the vital struggle on the road to St. Lo — taken July 11. Capturing Tinchebray the division began a 300-mile journey to battle for Brest, which fell September 18, 1944. Pushing into the Siegfried Line in October 1944 the 2nd fought through the German breakthrough in January 1945 and ended the war at Pilsen, Czechoslovakia in April 1945.

 

Awards The 2nd Division is the only American division in which every wartime unit is entitled to wear the Fourragere for WWI action. Distinguished Unit Citations awarded to 2nd Signal Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion, Regiment HQ Co. 38th Infantry and all nine Infantry Battalions. Meritorious Service Plaque to 2nd QM Co., 702nd Ord. Co., 2nd Med. Battalion, Service Companies of the 38th, 23rd and 9th Infantry, 2nd Signal Co. and 2nd MP Platoon.

 

Commanding Generals Maj. Gen. John C. H. Lee through Maj. Gen. Walter M. Robertson, Brig. Gen. W. K. Harrison and Maj. Gen. Edward M. Almond through the end of the war.