Return to Table of Contents

97th Infantry Division

The division insignia consists of a white trident on a blue shield within a white border. Neptune's trident was originally adopted to represent the coastal states of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, from which personnel for the division was draw in 1918. The three prongs of the trident represent the three states; the blue symbolizes the states numerous fresh water lakes; and, the white of the border and trident represents the snow that covers these states' picturesque mountains.

[page 358]

COMMAND AND STAFF

Commanding General

1 Mar 45 Brig. Gen. Milton B. Halsey

Assistant Division Commander

1 Mar 45 Brig. Gen. Frank H. Partridge

Artillery Commander

1 Mar 45 Brig. Gen. Sherman V. Hasbrouck

Chief of Staff

1 Mar 45 Col. Edward O. Wolf

Assistant Chief of Staff G-1

10 Mar 45 Maj. Wilbert Allen

Assistant Chief of Staff G-2

10 Mar 45 Lt. Col. Henry H. Kilpatrick

Assistant Chief of Staff G-3

10 Mar 45 Lt. Col. Gustave E. Kidde

Assistant Chief of Staff G-4

10 Mar 45 Lt. Col. Joseph O. Gerot

Assistant Chief of Staff G-5

10 Mar 45 Maj. James S. Kelley
2 Apr 45 Maj. Joseph R. Reed (Acting)

Adjutant General

1 Mar 45 Lt. Col. Julian R. Alford

Commanding Officer, 303d Infantry

1 Mar 45 Col. William B. Forse

Commanding Officer, 386th Infantry

1 Mar 45 Col. Samuel M. Lansing

Commanding Officer, 387th Infantry

1 Mar 45 Col. William D. Long

[page 359]

STATISTICS

Chronology

Activated 25 February 1943
Arrived ETO 3 March 1945
Arrived Continent (D+272) 5 March 1945
Entered Combat--First Elements 31 March 1945
Entered Combat--Entire Division 1 April 1945
Days in Combat 31

Casualties (Tentative)

Killed 178
Wounded 669
Missing 87
Captured  
Battle Casualties 934
Non-Battle Casualties 384
Total Casualties 1,318
Percent of T/O Strength 9.4

Campaigns

Central Europe

Individual Awards

Legion of Merit 1
Silver Star 33
Bronze Star 87

Prisoners of War Taken

COMPOSITION

[page 360]

ATTACHMENTS

Antiaircraft Artillery

542d AAA AW Bn (Mbl) 2 Apr 45-4 Apr 45
Btry D, 839th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) 6 Apr 45-9 Apr 45
444th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) 20 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 45

Armored

782d Tk Bn 20 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 45

Chemical

95th Cml Mort Bn 18 Apr 45-20 Apr 45

Engineer

1 plat, Co A, 311thEngr C Bn (86th Div) 5 Apr 45-9 Apr 45
1262d Engr C Bn 8 Apr 45-14 Apr 45

Field Artillery

331st FA Bn (86th Div) (105mm How) 5 Apr 45-8 Apr 45
762d FA Bn (155mm How) 6 Apr 45-18 Apr 45
660th FA Bn (8" How) 18 Apr 45-20 Apr 45
768th FA Bn (155mm How) 18 Apr 45-20 Apr 45
Hq & Hq Btry, 188th FA Gp 18 Apr 45-20 Apr 45
Btry A, 17th FA Obsn Bn 30 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 45
190th FA Gp 30 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 45
187th FA Bn (155mm How) 30 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 45
987th FA Bn (155mm How) 30 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 45
656th FA Bn (8" How) 3 May 45-4 May 45

Infantry

341st Inf (86th Div) 5 Apr 45-9 Apr 45

Tank Destroyer

630th TD Bn (T) 18 Apr 45-20 Apr 45
820th TD Bn (SP) 20 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 1945

[page 361]

DETACHMENTS

(Attached to)

Infantry

303d CT 78th Div 3 Apr 45-6 Apr 45
387th Inf 78th Div 4 Apr 45-6 Apr 45
386th CT 78th Div 5 Apr 45-6 Apr 45
3d Bn, 386th Inf 17th Armd Gp 25 Apr 45-1 May 45

[pages 361-362]

ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO HIGHER UNITS

DATE CORPS ARMY ARMY GROUP
Assigned Attached Assigned Attached
30 Jan 45   Fifteenth   ETOUSA; 12th  
28 Mar 45 XXII Fifteenth   12th  
1 Apr 45 (-) First   12th  
10 Apr 45 XVIII Abn First   12th  
19 Apr 45 (-) Third   12th  
22 Apr 45 XII Third   12th  
28 Apr 45 (-) First   12th  
30 Apr 45 V First   12th  
6 May 45 (-) Third   12th  

(-) Indicates relieved from assignment.

[page 363]

COMMAND POSTS

DATE TOWN REGION COUNTRY
2 Mar 45 Fecamp (vic., Camp Lucky Strike) Seine-Inferieure France
28 Mar 45 Lovenich Rhineland Germany
31 Mar 45 Glehn Rhineland Germany
4 Apr 45 Oberpleis Rhineland Germany
12 Apr 45 Siegburg Rhineland Germany
14 Apr 45 Rosrath Rhineland Germany
15 Apr 45 Bergish-Gladbach Rhineland Germany
17 Apr 45 Solingen Rhineland Germany
21 Apr 45 Hof Rhineland Germany
23 Apr 45 Wunsidel Bavaria Germany
29 Apr 45 Weiden Bavaria Germany
5 May 45 Tachov Bohemia Czechoslovakia
7 May 45 Konstantinovy Lazne Bohemia Czechoslovakia

[page 364]

Return to Table of Contents