For information about the World War II History Center Research Database, . The 90th Infantry Division was activated 25 March 1942, shipped out to Europe on 23rd March 1944 and arrived in England on 5 April 1944. [2] 1st and 2d Battalions were inactivated on December 31, 1965 and relieved from assignment to the 90th Infantry Division. 315 Engr Bnwhich had for the past 5 days operated exclusively as a combat unit, was relieved at daylight from its position atop the FORET and returned to much neglected Engr work. The advance of the 83rd Inf Div had covered the BAUPTE Crossing and L Co was therefore released to its Bn. For the remainder of the day emphasis was placed on the regrouping and position improvement of the remaining effective companies of the combined force (A, B, C, and K). 2nd Bn 359th Inf, unmoleted by this attack, remained in possession of the high ground E of this point. Whether the Boche were forewarned of the impending attack or whether the inactivity on the remainder of the Corps front permitted him to concentrate all available artillery on the attack area has never been accurately determined; the bitter fact remains that the heavy artillery fire which began at H-Hour and continued throughout the day from the outset disrupted and disorganized the assault echelons and foredoomed the failure the well planned and well coordinated attack. G Co crossed the River without difficulty and overran the first German entrenchments. Corps order assigned a new mission to the 90th Division. Each of the links below open in a new window, A History of the 90th Division in WW1 by Major George Wythe, 90th Division Association, 1920 The assault units extricated themselves only by the gallant action of those men not pinned to the ground, who charged the Germans with bayonet, grenades and hip fired MGs. The VIII Corps follow-up attack contemplate a straight push with 4 Divisions abreast (in order from right to left, 79th, 8th, 90th, 83rd) to seize the high ground vicinity COUTANCES. 6 june (D-Day) : We have no pictures of D-Day. As the 4th Armd Div on the immediate right was holding fast, the 1st bn was swung into the gap which thus developed and followed on the right rear of the 2nd Bn. During this period 357th and 359th Infs maintained their positions overlooking the SEVES R, harassing the enemy on the ISLAND with fire of all types. 1 Km S of PERIERS it encountered enemy infantry and tanks. 3rd Bn executed similar maneuver on the left flank of the 2nd Bn and in this wedge formation the Regiment advance to its initial objective cutting the PERIERS CARENTAN Road, 2 Kms SW of RAIDS. The 4th Inf Div, having been committed in the right of the original zone of action of the 83rd Inf Div, made small progress on our immediate left. The 2nd Bn of the 357th launched an attack of a limited nature in order to strengthen its position. 23 March 1944: Third Army, but attached to First Army. 1st june (D-5) : Landing on Utah Beach amidst the heavy fire of the enemy was a remarkable achievement. On our left the 4th Infantry Division maneuvering deliberately through difficult swampy terrain made excellent progress. Once aware of the point of our attack, the enemy shifted more troops to the S bank of the stream to oppose us and begin mortaring and machine-gunning the deployed troops. The supporting tanks were immediately knocked out by German SP guns or immobilized in the sticky underfooting. (4) Although Regt entered the battle at full strength, well over 50% of its Bn strengths were replacements for whom this was their first fight. 2nd Bn, passing to the right of the 2nd Bn 358th Inf, advanced on the right rear of the 1st Bn, seized LA COMMUNE and continued to the RIVER to establish contact with the 1st Bn on its left, and shortly before dark with the 121st Infantry on its right. 2nd Bn 359th Inf, Division Reserve, was ordered forward at 1400 and marched to assembly area at the crossroads at LA BAGOTTERIE. 358th Inf: Lorraine 1918, World War II: Normandy (with Unable to silence this fire with either mortars or artillery, E Company rose to the man and charged across the stream, overrunning the German positions. Moving for the most part dismounted, it reached PERIERS at 1530, passed through the town and continued S in the direction of ST SAUVEUR LENDELIN. It was finally held short of its objective. The limited road net did not permit the Troop to bypass this resistance and it made no additional progress during the day. Regiment was alerted to pass through 358th Inf the following day and continue the attack S through BEAU COUDRAY. The ISLAND was soon reported devoid of Boche but littered with mines. By dar, Regiment had completely readjusted and positioned all weapons to support the attacks of the 357th and 359th Infs by fire. 357th Inf: 79th Inf Div on the right flank of the Corps had sustained enemy counter-attacks W of LA HAYE DU PUITS throughout the day. Remainder of the battalion was held by the dogged enemy some distance to its left rear. The CHERBOURG CAMPAIGN was nearly at an end. In this action the Division suffered 5000 killed, wounded, or captured, one of the highest casualty rates suffered in WW II. 1 August 1944: XV Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group. Group A landed on Utah Beach at 1000-1600 and moved to an assembly area in the vicinity of St Martin de Verreville (404983) as part of the 4th Infantry Divisions Reserve. Subsequently the remainder of the Engr Bn was attached and C Co moved into the line to reinforce B Co. 359th Inf: This failed to materialize due to the severity of the enemy resistance. At 1300, C and B Cos ignoring flanking machine gun fire jumped to the ISLAND and overcoming the immediate resistance advanced S about 1 Km. The enemy, contrary to general expectations had disclosed his intentions of defending in place to the end, whatever the price. ", United States Army, 90th Infantry Division, 359th Infantry Regiment, Regimental histories, United States Army, "Album: 359th Infantry - 90th Division" (1945). 3rd Bn followed by bounds in trace of the 2nd Bn and assembled E of HAU PERREY. The attack of the 358th Inf was postponed 24 hours by Corps direction to permit the acquisition of the artillery ammunitions necessary for the support of the operations. Mr. Winebrenner was a soldier in the 90th Division, 358 Regiment. . The 247th Rifle Division was the fourth of a group of 10 regular rifle divisions formed from cadres of NKVD border and internal troops as standard Red Army rifle divisions, very shortly after the German invasion, in the Moscow Military District. Thus at midnight the 8th Div had not yet passed through our lines and our resumption of the offensive was consequently postponed. 391.3.6 Records of cavalry regiments (1916-41) 391.4 RECORDS OF THE ENGINEERS 1846-1939 1,076 lin. Good luck in your search. However, 3rd Bn 358th Inf effected relief of 3r Bn 359th Inf to place the attack LD under Regtl control. The presence of the Boche tanks on the one side and the inability to move AT or TD weapons in position to oppose them on the other resulted in a stalemate until dark. At 2240 elements of the Battalion had again entered the town, and by 2330, Gourbesville had passed completely into the possession of the 3rd Bn of the 357th Infantry. By 2300 the 2 Bns had made physical contact and the 1st Bn 358th Inf was attached to the 359th Inf for the continuation of the attack the following day. 90th Light Infantry Division; 1st insignia of 90th Light Div. K Company broke out of the woods and reached a position overlooking the road to LASTELLE, the battalion objective. Memoirs. At 0628 when the preparation started, both battalions were rearward of the prescribed LD. Share a testimony from a relative or a friend, veteran or civilian, resistance member, ally or German, actor or witness of History. 357th Inf: arrowhead); Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II for Consequently the Division attack plan was radically revised. Active: August 1941 - May 1943 July 1943 - April 1945: Country Nazi Germany: Branch: Army: Type: Infantry: Role: Light infantry . At 1600 this battalion was ordered to move to the SW toward the tip of the FORET DE MONT CASTRE to relieve pressure on the 2nd Bn 359th Inf. 11 june (D+5) : This richly illustrated book chronologically describes the course of Operation Overlord through 357 specific events. The casualties suffered by a typical American infantry regiment serving in World War II were horrendous. At 1017 the 1st Bn 358th Inf and 2nd Bn 359th Inf passed to the control of the 358th Inf. From A Spearhead Regiment (the book's introduction): "When the blood, sweat, and dirt of war become memories, who will remember the " little things" that GI Joe did, to make war just "a memory"? Elements of A and D Cos crossed at 1800. The main attack was preceded by the attempt on the part of a task force consisting of an Engineer Company to capture the town. The Division was immediately thrust into the fighting; cut across the Merderet and took Pont l'Abbe. Alerted immediately the enemys general withdrawal had become apparent, the troop went into action at 1200. 28 July 1944 At 1400, the 3rd Bn 358th Inf attacked SE into the heavily wooded reverse slopes of the FORET. Group A completed embarkation at Dartmouth. The Boche had thus driven a salient square into the middle of the Division zone and was in a favorable position to exploit against the right flank of the 357th Inf or to split the Division in two. (a) 359th Inf on the right, extended from its contact point with the 82nd A/B Div just short of PRETOT, SE to vicinity Port AUNY. By 1400 the 1st Bn had reached the stream line just N of GORGES with its left at the swamp and its right opposite the town. On the 18th of July the 4th Armd Div, available for employment in a defensive role only, replaced the 4th Inf Div in the interval between the 90th and 83rd Divs. 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Infantry Division. 2nd Bn, attacking to secure the NE nose of the FORET, encountered heavy resistance throughout the day. Share a testimony from a relative or a friend, veteran or civilian, resistance member, ally or German, actor or witness of History. Tous droits rservs. However to our SE the attack of the VII Corps was developing into a breakthrough and could be expected to have an immediate effect upon the Boche forces confronting us. 3rd Bn continued the attack to the W at 0900. 1st Bn remained in its original position until the reserve Bn of the 121st Inf had come abreast of it and then moved left to an assembly position as Regimental Reserve. CT 9 (- Group A) and the Division advance detachment went aboard the personnel ship, the Susan B. Anthony, and moved into the Bristol Channel at 1800. Although reinforced by tanks, it was unable to reduce this pocket of resistance. After our return to civilian . As the battalion moved S towards the town, a Boche infantry-tank assault struck its right flank and forced it back on the crossroad. (c) 357th Inf would execute a holding attack until pinched out by the advance of the two right regiments, at which time it would revert to Division Reserve. While the VII Corps smashed the encircled Boche in the trap its maneuver had sprung and VIII Corps drove S through AVRANCEHS, 90th Inf Div remained in the general area secured 28 July welcoming its first breathing spell since D-Day. The315th Engr Bnmoved into position to reoccupy the high ground vacated by the 3rd Bn 358th Inf, when the latter attacked, to guarantee the integrity of the Division front. The Bn secured its objectives, but physical juncture was not made by the 1st and 2nd bns and it consequently remained in the line. This situation together with fire which continued to fall on both banks accentuated the difficulties attendant upon resupply of ammunition to the 1st Bn and G Co. At first light there was still no tank crossing and only a handful of ammunition had reached the assault trips. At 0400, Division issued instructions that all units would mop up rear areas, consolidate and improve positions and continue to pressure by patrols and fire, but that a resumption of the general attack would be delayed. WW2 Army Unit Records Research. By the days end, the Division could count on an average advance of 1200 yards at a cost of over 600 casualties. 358th Inf: At the end of the days fighting the Division had advance its lines approximately 2000 yards. At 1400 an advance was initiated with 2 company groups to secure the E W road through BEAU COUDRAY. 2nd Bn 359th Inf jumped off parallel to and on the left of the 3rd Bn 358th Inf when the latters advance had brought them abreast. Immediately the preparation lifted at 0630 the Boche began the most intense and sustained counter preparation fire that the Division had experienced to date. > 329th Inf experienced great difficulty repositioning its troops and late in the afternoon decided to postpone this effort until the following morning. Heavy fire delayed organization of the attack and it was subsequently postponed until dawn. Regiment directed that E Company, under the control of the 3rd Bn and supported by tanks, attack at once to relieve the situation of I and L companies. 359th Inf: At 1345 it passed to the control of 359th Inf for the completion of mop up operations W to the Division boundary. They were likewise employed to guard communications from the regimental CP across the wilderness to Bn forward positions. 357th Inf (Less 3rd Bn), moved by infiltration across the DOUVE RIVER causeway to a new assembly area vicinity of APPEVILLE. Thus the 1st Bn with 3 Rifle Companies committed was unable to force its way into or through BEAU COUDRAY. necessary readjustments were made by the 358th and the 359th so that they might tie in with the defensive positions of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. Both Infantry Regiments crossed the LD at the prescribed time (the 358th at 0400 and the 357th at 0515). Their attack was very effective it greatly aided the 358th Infantry in its approach to Pont lAbbe. 2nd Bn 358th Inf in the center of the Regtl line was attacked at 0330 by an estimated German battalion. The 357th Infantry pressed its attack at 0800 with the mission of capturing the high ground in the vicinity of Amfreville. At nightfall, and under the cover of darkness, unit commanders regrouped their forces in preparation for the continuation of the attack on 13 June. The resumption of the attack (in a southeasterly direction) had been planned as a coordinate effort by the 359th and 358th Infs. By 1030 all fighting on the ISLAND had ceased and the Boche was in firm control of the S bank. 357th suffered 13 casualties. At 0800 the 1st Bn on the left and the 3rd Bn on the right, moved rapidly SE against negligible resistance. 200 yards beyond however, they were stopped by heavy fire. ", Company "B", 359th Regiment, 90th Infantry Division Living History & Reenactment, Raw Combat Footage of the 90th Infantry Division, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=90th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)&oldid=1102516934. It continued its advance to the W, holding for the night in the clear, on a predetermined line through the E slope of the FORET. 90th Rcn Tr: Soldiers of the US 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry "T+O" (Texas and Oklahoma) Division gather for a picture below deck in LCI(L) 326 (Landing Craft Infantry) the night before the big invasion. 90th Rcn Trcontinued to screen the right rear of the Regt, blocking approaches up the valley N of the FORET from the W. 358th Inf (less 1st Bn):