36th Infantry Division

Nickname: Texas Division. . Shoulder Patch: Blue flint arrowhead (for Oklahoma, Old Indian Territory.) with a khaki “T” for Texas. . Song: “The Eyes of the World Are Upon You. 36th,” by Sgt. John Porte . History: Organized: Camp Bowie, Tex., July 1917. World War I actions: Freeing of Rheims, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne. . Training: Inducted: Nov., 1940, Camp Bowie. Tex. Other stations: Camp Branding. Florida, VI Corps; Camp Edwards, Massachusetts Maneuvers: La., 1941, Third Army. Overseas: Apr., 1943 (North Africa TO) . Commanding Generals: Maj. Gen. Claude V. Birkhead, Nov., 1940, to Sept., 1941: Maj. Gen. Fred L. Walker. Sept., 1941, to June, 1944: Maj. Gen. John E. Dahlquist, July. 1944, to present. . Component Units: (As of Apr., 1943): 141st, 142nd and 143rd Infantry Regiments: 155th (M), 131st, 132nd and 133rd (L) FA Battalions. Higher Commands: Fifth Army (Italy), Seventh Army and French First Army (France). . Awards: Distinguished Unit Citation to 3rd Battalion, 141st Infantry, for action at Paestum (Italy), Sept. 9, 1943. . Combat Highlights: The famous Tex. Division made an enviable record for itself in the tough Italian campaign and later in the conquest of Southern France. The 36th hit Italian beaches first at Salerno and before resting pushed on to the La Costa river. Mountain training paid off at Mignano Gap where the 36th took Maggiore (2800 feet) and Sammucro (4000 feet) Later at Mt. Rotondo and Mt. Lungo, the 36th was under fire 24 days and nights. Winter was on and in taking the mountains about San Pietro, the 36th suffered 2400 casualties. They paid heavily again to cross the Rapido river and went on to bitter fighting at Cassino. Taking off from Anzio beachhead the 36th (May 25, 1944) smashed the Velletri line paving the way for assault on Rome. The division passed through the city and took thousands of German prisoners June 4, 1944. At San Rafael (Southern France), the Texans hit the beaches. After 32 days of fighting, the division reached the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. 300 miles north. The Moselle was crossed Sept. 12 and the 36th moved through dense forests of the Vosges, crossed the Meurthe river, broke enemy resistance and stormed their way into the Alsatian plains. Other actions included: Saarbourg, the fight at Haguenau, crossing the Moder river, capture of Oberhoffer, ringing of the Annweiler Forest, capture of Wissembourg and Kaiserlautern.

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