87th Division (United States) - World War II

World War II

  • Activated: 15 December 1942 at Camp McCain, Mississippi.
  • Training: Moved to the Tennessee Maneuver Area on 3 December 1943, for the Second Army #4 Tennessee Maneuvers; Consolidated to Fort Jackson, South Carolina on 20 January 1944 for divisional training.
  • Staged at Camp Kilmer, at Stelton (now Edison), New Jersey, on 10 October 1944 until it received its Port Call to the New York Port of Embarkation in Brooklyn, NY.
  • Overseas: Deployed to the European Theater on 17 October 1944.
  • Arrived England on 12 November 1944, and Staged for movement to France.
  • Assigned to US 3rd Army on 25 November 1944.
  • Arrived La Havre, France 28 November 1944.
  • Was further assigned to US III Corps on 4 December 1944, and to US XII Corps on 11 December 1944, and to US XV Corps on 21 December 1944, and to US VIII Corps on 29 December 1944.
  • Crossed into Belgium on 12 January 1945, and returned to XII Corps on 14 January 1945.
  • Crossed into Luxembourg on 21 January 1945, and assigned to VIII Corps on 25 January 1945.
  • Due to discontinuity of German railroad system, 87th ID was routed to Germany by returning to Belgium on 3 February 1945.
  • Entered Germany 16 March 1945, and remained to VE Day.
  • Returned to Continental US at New York Port of Embarkation on 11 July 1945, and proceeded to Fort Benning, Georgia on 14 July 1945 to prepare for deployment to Japan.
  • Was at Fort Benning on VJ Day.
  • 87th Infantry Division was deactivated on 21 September 1945, at Fort Benning, Georgia.
  • Campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
  • Days of combat: 154.
  • Presidential Unit Citation: 2.
  • Awards:
  1. Medal of Honor-1 ;
  2. Distinguished Service Cross-9 ;
  3. Distinguished Service Medal-1 ;
  4. Silver Star-364;
  5. Legion of Merit −20;
  6. Soldier's Medal −41 ;
  7. Bronze Star −1,542 ;
  8. Air Medal −49.

Read more about this topic:  87th Division (United States)

Famous quotes containing the words world and/or war:

    When the Somalians were merely another hungry third world people, we sent them guns. Now that they are falling down dead from starvation, we send them troops. Some may see in this a tidy metaphor for the entire relationship between north and south. But it would make a whole lot more sense nutritionally—as well as providing infinitely more vivid viewing—if the Somalians could be persuaded to eat the troops.
    Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)

    The war is dreadful. It is the business of the artist to follow it home to the heart of the individual fighters—not to talk in armies and nations and numbers—but to track it home.
    —D.H. (David Herbert)