042 76th Infantry Division

Nickname: Onaway Division. Shoulder Patch: Shield, upper area blue with white label (heraldic device) and lower, red, separated by khaki bar. The label was used to distinguish the coat of arms of the eldest son from that of his father. The 76th is first numerically of AUS (draft) divisions, (World War I) that is, eldest son of Regular Army and National Guard divisions. . Song: “Onaway,” words by Brig. Gen. Henry C. Evans, present commander. (Song is available in SIS flies.) History: Activated: Aug., 1917, Camp (now Fort) Devens, Massachusetts Overseas, Aug., 1918. . Training: Reactivated: June 15, 1942, Ft. Meade, Maryland. Other stations: A. P. Hill Military Reservation, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. Overseas: Nov., 1944 (ETO). Commanding Generals: Maj. Gen. Emil F. Reinhardt, June-Dec., 1942; Maj. Gen. William R. Schmidt, Dec., 1942, to July, 1945; Brig. Gen. Henry C. Evans, Aug., 1945 to present. . Component Units: (As of Nov., 1944): 304th, 385th and 417th Infantry Regiments; 302nd. 355th, 364th (M) and 901st (L) FA Battalions. Higher Commands: Third, First Armies. . Awards: Meritorious Service Unit “plaques to Service Batteries, all FA Battalions. and service companies of all regiments; also to 301st Medical Battalion, 76th QM Co., 776th Ord. Co., 76th MP Plat., 76th Band and Med Det. of 417th Regt. Commendation for the Division from XII Corps CG for crossing of Sauer river. . Combat Highlights: Combat accomplishments of the 76th include advance of 400 miles in 110 days of fighting, crossing of 20 rivers and capture of 33,000 prisoners. The Onaways went into line on the Sauer, the 417th striking across the river on Feb. 6, 1945, at Echternach, Luxembourg. A firm bridgehead was established and the 76th attacked north of the Sauer and west of the Prum, knocking out more than 110 pillboxes and strongpoints. Irrel fell. The 76th outflanked the Welsch-billig-Eisenach line and opened the way to the Moselle at Trier. In March, the 76th crossed the Kyll near Priest, took Speicher and Orenhocen and on the 18th crossed the Moselle between Schweich and Reil to support bridging operations of the XII Corps at Mulheim. The Rhine was crossed at Boppard and St. Boar, March 27, and then the Fulda. The 76th spearheaded with the 6th Armored, the Third Army, dash across Germany to Czechoslovakia, through the German provinces of Thuringia and Saxony. During the fast advance, the Onaways crossed the Werra, Mulde and Schopac rivers, but by that time the river jumpers had reduced river crossings to minor operations.