97th Infantry Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=97th Infantry Division


caption=97th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia
dates=1918; 1943-1946
country= United States of America
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Army
type=Infantry
role=
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colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=Trident
patron=
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battles=
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battle_honours=US Infantry
previous=96th Infantry Division
next=98th Infantry DivisionThe 97th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II.

World War I

The division was activated 5 September 1918 and inactivated 20 November 1918 ; one infantry regiment (303d) served with the 76th Division.

World War II

*Activated: 25 February 1943
*Overseas: 19 February 1945, for the ETO; 28 August 1945, for the Pacific Theater
*Campaigns: Central Europe
*Days of combat: 41 (ETO)
*Awards: Medal of Honor-1 (Joe R. Hastings); Distinguished Service Cross (United States)-1 ; Distinguished Service Medal (Army)-1 ; Silver Star-61; Legion of Merit-2; Soldier's Medal-3 ; Bronze Star -206
*Commanders: Maj. Gen. Louis A. Craig (4 February 1943-19 January 1944), Brig. Gen. Milton B. Halsey (20 January 1944-24 September 1945), Maj. Gen. Herman F. Kramer (24 September 1945 to inactivation). Returned to U. S.: 26 June 1945, from the ETO
*Overseas: 16 September 1945, to the Philippine Islands
*Inactivated: 31 March 1946 in Japan

Combat Chronicle

The 97th Infantry Division landed at Le Havre, France, 2 March 1945, and moved to Camp Lucky Strike. On 28 March, the division crossed the German border west of Aachen and took up a defensive position along the west bank of the Rhine River opposite Dusseldorf, engaging in patrolling. The 97th entered the battle of the Ruhr pocket, crossing the Rhine near Bonn, 3 April, and taking up a position on the southern bank of the Sieg River. It crossed that river, 7 April, against light resistance and fought a street-to-street engagement in Siegburg on the 10th.

Pushing on toward Düsseldorf through difficult terrain and heavy resistance in densely wooded areas, the division captured Solingen on 17 April. Düsseldorf fell on the next day and the Ruhr pocket was eliminated. Moving to protect the left flank of the Third Army on its southern drive, the 97th took Cheb, Czechoslovakia, on 25 April 1945 and attacked the Czechoslovak pocket near Widen, Germany, on the 29th. It had advanced to Konstantinovy Lazne, Czechoslovakia, when it received the cease-fire order on 7 May. The division left for Le Havre, 16 June 1945, for redeployment to the Pacific, arriving at Cebu, Philippine Islands, 16 September, and then sailed to Japan for occupation duty, arriving at Yokohama on 23 September 1945.

Assignments in the ETO

*30 January 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group
*28 March 1945: XXII Corps
*1 April 1945: First Army, 12th Army Group
*10 April 1945: XVIII (Abn) Corps
*19 April 1945: Third Army, 12th Army Group
*22 April 1945: XII Corps
*28 April 1945: First Army, 12th Army Group
*30 April 1945: V Corps
*6 May 1945: Third Army, 12th Army Group

General

*Nickname: Trident.
*Shoulder patch: A vertical trident in white on a blue background.

ee also

References

*"The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States" U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at [http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/lineage/cc/cc.htm http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/lineage/cc/cc.htm] .
* [http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/97thinfantry/index.html The Story of the 97th Infantry Division]