- 85th Division (United States)
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 85th Division
caption= 85th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia
dates=1917 -1919 1942 -1945 1946 -2007
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Army
type= Division
role= Light infantry
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= Custer Division
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=World War I Russian Civil War World War II
*Sicily
*Gothic Line
*Gustav Line
*Po Valley
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=US Infantry
previous=84th Infantry Division
next=86th Infantry DivisionThe 85th Infantry Division also known as Custer Division was named after the famous cavalry commander
George Armstrong Custer . The Division was composed of the 337th, 338th, and 339th Infantry Regiments serving in both World Wars, and the 340th Infantry Regiment in World War I.World War I
The division was first activated August 25, 1917 at
Camp Custer , Michigan. After a year of training the division left the U.S. for England. From England the339th Infantry Regiment sailed to Russia to fight along theWhite Army in theRussian Civil War against Bolshevik forces.The remainder of the division was stationed in Lorraine, on theWestern Front inFrance as a depot division and therefore did not participate in any combat operations.After the war the division remained on occupational duty in Germany and by August 1919, the last remains of the division returned to the United States.World War II
On
15 May 1942 the 85thInfantry Division was reactivated. It left theUnited States on24 December 1943 and arrived inCasablanca ,French Morocco ,2 January 1944 . It received amphibious training atPort aux Poules nearArzew andOran , Algeria,1 February to23 March , then embarked forNaples ,Italy , arriving on27 March . A selected advance detachment appeared on theMinturno -Castelforte front north of Naples,28 March . The Division was committed to action as a unit,10 April 1944 , north of theGarigliano River , facing theGustav Line , and held defensive positions for a month.On
11 May , it launched its attack, takingSolacciano ,Castellonorato , andFormia . Itri fell,19 May , and the 85th continued to mop up theGaeta Peninsula .Terracina was taken and the road to theAnzio beachhead was opened. The Division pursued the enemy to the hills nearSezze until pinched out by friendly forces from Anzio. The Gustav Line had been smashed and the 85th started for a rest area,29 May , but was ordered to theLariano sector which the Division cleared by the 31st. Driving onRome , the 85th pushed throughMonte Compatri andFrascati , entered Rome,5 June 1944 , and advanced toViterbo before being relieved,10 June .After rehabilitation and training, the 85th took over the defense of the
Arno River line, 15 to26 August . The Division attacked the mountain defenses of theGothic Line ,13 September , and broke through, takingFirenzuola on the 21st. The 85th advanced slowly through mud and rain against heavy resistance takingLa Martina and gaining theIdice River Valley road,2 October , and reachingMount Mezzano on the 24th overlooking thePo River Valley . From27 October to22 November 1944 , defense areas near Pizzano were held. On the 23d, the Division was relieved for rest and rehabilitation.The 85th relieved the
British 1st Infantry Division ,6 January 1945 , and limited its activities to cautious patrols until13 March . After a brief training period, the 85th thrust southwest ofBologna ,14 April , pushing throughLucca andPistoia into the Po Valley as enemy resistance collapsed. ThePanaro River was crossed on the 23rd and the Po the next day. The Division mopped up fleeing Germans until their mass surrender,2 May 1945 , in theBelluno -Agordo area.Through the entire campaign, the Division suffered some 7,268 casualties with 1,717 Killed In Action. Three soldiers from this division earned the
Medal of Honor .On
25 August 1945 , the division returned to the United States and was deactivated. It was then reactivated as the 85th Division (Training Support) in the Army Reserve.In September 2007, the 85th Division (Training Support) was formally deactivated and its remaining assets folded into the 75th Division (Training Support) and the 88th Regional Readiness Command.
General
*Nickname: Custer Division
*Patch: Circular khaki patch with large red "CD" initials.
*Unit History: Schultz, Paul; "History of the 85th Infantry Division in World War 2", by Battery Press.
*Army Publication: "Minturno to the Apennines", booklet published by MTOUSA and issued to troops in 1945.External links
*http://www.custermen.com/History85.htm
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