34th Infantry Division (United States) - World War II

World War II

In common with other U.S. Army divisions the 34th was reorganised from a square to a triangular division before seeing combat. The division's three infantry regiments became the 133rd, 135th, and 168th Infantry Regiments.

The first contingent embarked at Brooklyn on 14 January 1942 and sailed from New York the next day. The initial group of 4,508 stepped ashore at 12:15 hrs on 26 January 1942 at Dufferin Quay, Belfast commanded by Major-General Russell P. Hartle. They were met by a delegation including the Governor General (Duke of Abercorn), the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (John Miller Andrews), the Commander of British Troops in Ulster (General G. E. W. Franklyn), and the Secretary of State for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair).

After continuing its training in Northern Ireland, the 34th Infantry Division saw its first combat in North Africa on 8 November 1942. As a member of the Eastern Task force, which included two brigades of the British 78th Infantry Division, and two British Commando units, they landed at Algiers and seized the port and outlying airfields. Elements of the Division took part in numerous subsequent engagements in Tunisia during the Allied build-up, notably at Sened Station, Faid Pass, Sbeitla, and Fondouk Gap. In April 1943 the Division assaulted Hill 609, capturing it on 1 May 1943, and then drove through Chouigui Pass to Tebourba and Ferryville.

The Division then trained for the Salerno landing. The 151st FA Bn. went in on D-day, 9 September 1943, at Salerno, while the rest of the Division followed on 25 September. Contacting the enemy at the Calore River, 28 September 1943, the 34th, part of U.S. II Corps, drove north to take Benevento, crossed the winding Volturno three times in October and November, assaulted Mount Patano and took one of its four peaks before being relieved, 9 December 1943. In January 1944, the Division was back in II Corps front line battering at the Bernhardt Line defenses. Thankfully, after bitter fighting through the Mignano Gap, they were able to take Mount Trocchio without resistance as the German defenders withdrew to the main prepared defenses of the Gustav Line. On 24 January 1944, during the First Battle of Monte Cassino they pushed across the Rapido River into the hills behind and attacked Monastery Hill which dominated the town of Cassino. While they nearly captured the objective, in the end their attacks on the monastery and the town failed. The performance of 34 Division in the mountains is considered to rank as one of the finest feats of arms carried out by any soldiers during the war. In return they sustained losses of about 80% in the Infantry battalions. They were relieved from their positions 11–13 February 1944. Eventually, it took the combined force of five allied infantry divisions to finish what the 34th nearly accomplished on its own.

After rest and rehabilitation, it landed in the Anzio beachhead, 25 March 1944, maintaining defensive positions until the offensive of 23 May, when it broke out of the beachhead, took Cisterna, and raced to Civitavecchia and Rome. After a short rest, the Division drove across the Cecina River to liberate Livorno, 19 July 1944, and continued on to take Mount Belmonte in October during the fighting on the Gothic Line. Digging in south of Bologna for the winter, the 34th jumped off, 15 April 1945, and captured Bologna on 21 April. Pursuit of the routed enemy to the French border was halted on 2 May upon the German surrender in Italy.

The Division participated in six major Army campaigns in North Africa and Italy. The Division is credited with amassing 517 days of front line combat, more than any other U.S. division. One or more 34th Division units were engaged in actual combat with the enemy on 611 days. This would have been 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry and the IRONMAN battalion. This battalion still holds the record over the rest of the United States Army for days in combat. The division was credited with more combat days than any other division in the war. The 34th Division suffered 3,737 killed in action, 14,165 wounded in action, and 3,460 missing in action, for a total of 21,362 battle casualties. Casualties of the division are considered to be the highest of any division in the theater when daily per capita fighting strengths are considered. There is little doubt the division took the most enemy-defended hills of any division in the European Theater. The division's soldiers were awarded 10 Medals of Honor, 98 Distinguished Service Crosses, one Distinguished Service Medal, 1,153 Silver Stars, 116 Legion of Merit medals, one Distinguished Flying Cross, 2,545 Bronze Star Medals, 54 Soldier's Medals, 34 Air Medals, with duplicate awards of 52 oak leaf clusters, and 15,000 Purple Hearts. More recently, in 2000 the Minnesota Legislature renamed all of Interstate 35 in Minnesota the "34th Division (Red Bull) Highway," in honor of the Division and its service in the World Wars.

• Activated: 10 February 1941 (National Guard Division from North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota)
• Overseas: May 1942
• Days of combat: 517
• Distinguished Unit Citations: 3
• Awards:
  • Medals of Honor: 11
  • Distinguished Service Crosses: 98
  • Distinguished Service Medals: 1
  • Silver Stars: 1,153
  • Bronze Stars: 2,545
  • Legions of Merit: 116
  • Soldier's Medals: 54
  • Purple Hearts: 15,000
• Foreign Awards:
  • French Croix de Guerre
• Casualties:
  • Killed in Action: 3,737
  • Wounded in action: 14,165
  • Missing in action: 3,460
  • Total Battle Casualties: 21,362

• Commanders:
  • MG Ellard A. Walsh (February–August 1941)
  • MG Russell P. Hartle (August 1941 – May 1942)
  • MG Charles W. Ryder (May 1942 – July 1944)
  • MG Charles L. Bolte (July 1944 to inactivation)
• Returned to U.S.: 3 November 1945
• Inactivated: 3 November 1945