69th Infantry Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=69^th Infantry Division


caption=69th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia
countryUSA
allegiance= Federal
type=Division
motto=Fighting Sixty-Ninth
branch=Regular Army
dates=May 15 1943 – September 16 1945US Infantry
previous=68th Infantry Division
next=70th Infantry DivisionThe 69th Infantry Division was a formation of the United States Army formed during World War II. It should not be confused with the much older and still existing 69th Infantry Regiment (United States) which is the famed Fighting 69th.

World War II

*Activated: 15 May 1943.
*Overseas: December 1944.
*Campaigns: Rhineland, Central Europe
*Days of combat: 86.
*Awards:
** Distinguished Service Cross-1
** Distinguished Service Medal (Army)-1
** SS-105
** LM-3
** Soldier's Medal-12
** BSM-2,253
** AM-33.
*Commanders:
**Maj. Gen. Charles L. Bolte (May 1943-September 1944),
**Maj. Gen. Emil F. Reinhardt (September 1944-August 1945),
**Brig. Gen. Robert V. Maraist (August 1945 to inactivation).
*Returned to U.S.: 13 September 1945.
*Inactivated: 16 September 1945.

Combat Chronicle

[The 69th Infantry Division arrived in England, 12 December 1944, where it continued its training. It landed in Le Havre, France, 24 January 1945, and moved to Belgium to relieve the 99th Division, 12 February, and hold defensive positions in the Siegfried Line. The Division went over to the attack, 27 February, capturing the high ridge east of Prether to facilitate use of the Hellenthal-Hollerath highway. In a rapid advance to the east, the 69th took Schmidtheim and Dahlem, 7 March. The period from 9 to 21 March was spent in mopping up activities and training. The Division resumed its forward movement to the west bank of the Rhine, crossing the river and capturing the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein, 27 March. It relieved the 80th Division in Kassel, 5 April, seized Hannoversch Münden on the 8th and Weissenfels on the 14th against sharp opposition, and captured Leipzig, 19 April, following a fierce struggle within the city. Eilenburg fell, 23 April, and the east bank of the Mulde River was secured. Two days later, Division patrols in the area between the Elbe and the Mulde Rivers contacted Russian troops in the vicinity of Riesa and again at Torgau on Elbe Day. Until VE-day, the 69th patrolled and policed its area. Occupation duties were given to the Division until it left for home and inactivation 7 September.

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] .

External links

*http://www.69th-infantry-division.com/