8th Infantry Division Insignia, Decorations, Medals and Badges Earned and Awarded in World War II.
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World War II 8th Infantry Division
Activated: 1 July 1940 at Camp Jackson, South Carolina
Trained at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in late 1942
Trained at Camp Laguna, Arizona, in 1943
Overseas: 5 December 1943
Campaigns:
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Central Europe
Days of combat: 266.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 5
Awards: Medal of Honor - 3 ; Distinguished Service Cross (United States) - 33 ; Distinguished Service Medal (United States) - 2 ; Silver Star - 768; LM - 12 ; DFC - 2 ; SM - 24; BSM - 2,874; PH - 14,000 plus ; AM - 107.
Order of battle
Headquarters, 8th Infantry Division
13th Infantry Regiment
28th Infantry Regiment
121st Infantry Regiment
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 8th Infantry Division Artillery
28th Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm)
43rd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
45th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
56th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
12th Engineer Combat Battalion
8th Medical Battalion
8th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
Headquarters, Special Troops, 8th Infantry Division
Headquarters Company, 8th Infantry Division
708th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
8th Quartermaster Company
8th Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Band
8th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment
Casualties
Total battle casualties: 13,986[8]
Killed in action: 2,532[8]
Wounded in action: 10,057[8]
Missing in action: 729[8]
Prisoner of war: 668[8]
Assignments in the European Theater of Operations
30 November 1943: Attached to First Army.
24 December 1943: XV Corps.
1 July 1944: VIII Corps, attached to First Army.
1 August 1944: VIII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
5 September 1944: VIII Corps, Ninth Army, 12th Army Group.
22 October 1944: VIII Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group.
19 November 1944: V Corps.
18 December 1944: VII Corps.
20 December 1944: Attached, with the entire First Army, to the British 21st Army Group.
22 December 1944: XIX Corps, Ninth Army (attached to British 21st Army Group), 12th Army Group.
3 February 1945: VII Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group.
2 April 1945: XVIII (Abn) Corps.
26 April 1945: XVIII (Abn) Corps, Ninth Army, 12th Army Group, but attached for operations to the British Second Army in the British 21st Army Group.
Medals of Honor
Three soldiers of the 8th Division were awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II.
Private First Class Ernest Prussman, 13th Infantry Regiment. Prussman took over his squad on 8 September 1944 during the advance on Les Coates [wrong transliteration of Loscoat, near Brest] in Brittany, and disarmed several Germans, including a machine gun crew. Shot by a German rifleman, his dying act was to unleash a hand grenade that killed the man who shot him. His Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously.
Private First Class Walter C. Wetzel, 13th Infantry Regiment. As acting squad leader in the regimental Anti-Tank Company, PFC Wetzel defended his platoon's command post from an enemy attack on 3 April 1945. Wetzel threw himself on either 1 or 2 enemy grenades (sources vary) thrown into the C.P. His Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously.
Staff Sergeant John W. Minick, Company I, 121st Infantry Regiment. After his battalion was halted by enemy minefields during an advance on 21 November 1944 during the Hurtgen fighting, he led four men through the obstacle, then successfully destroyed an enemy machine gun post that had opened fire on the small party. Moving forward again, he single-handedly engaged an entire company of enemy soldiers, killing 20 men and capturing 20 more. Resuming the advance, he tried to scout through another minefield, but detonated a mine in the attempt. His Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously.
I was in 8th inf. 5/68 CSC recon, 76 77 78. Sullivan barracks .Germany. the way they described the 8th patch to me was that the blue background was the water we crossed to get here, the 8 was the hours it took to get here, and the arrow was the shaft you got when you got here! (LOL) A really great division
My Uncle was KIA on August 13th 1944 with this unit. A bronze star with Oak leaf cluster.
As always, enjoyed your presentation. Waiting to see your presentation on the 36 Infantry Division my father-in-law served in the 141st Infantry Regiment.
am working towards doing the the 36 th Inf Div.
My uncle Albert won the silver star with the 8th
That is to be very proud of for your family.
1-13 40 Rounds!
During the cold war of the 1970s I read where the 8th had its own parachute unit and its own ranger/recondo unit
That is correct, they did.
The airborne brigade was stationed in Mainz with a jump school in Wiesbaden. The 509th PIR was the primary infantry with a company from the various support units. I was assigned to the 8th Medical Battalion whose Bravo Company was the airborne component. The 8th lost the airborne brigade which was sent to SETAF in Italy in the early 70’s. The guys that were left behind were upset because they lost jump pay which was a good chunk of money when pay was very low in the 1970’s.
@sandovalperry2895 in 1973 I had a pamphlet on the 8th and went to the recruiter he said "oh, the beer can division!" Cheesey smile. Didn't like his attitude so I joined the usaf.
@@davidscott3820 Wise choice,the division was probably the worst unit in my 27 years in the Army. Broken down barracks, short staff, poor leadership I couldn’t wait to get out of there.
@sandovalperry2895 I was 20 years usaf security police, there were some bad times but I don't remember them now. Good to go. Served at 11 bases around the world. Nuclear security, intelligence, air base defense
My division Baumholder, Germany 🇩🇪 90’-92 240th support Battalion C Co. headquarters, Bad Kruznock But that mountain we was on😭🤫 HOOAH
Lord, bless the troops!
My Division. 1977-1980.
Baumholder West Germany
Combat Support Company
1st Battalion 13th Infantry Regiment
T.O.W Anti Tank Platoon.
And PROUD of it! 💪
you should be, be all you can be!
Stationed at Baumholder 1st Armored Division 1992-1994. HHC 2/68 Armor Scouts
Scouts HHC 1/39 Inf 85 to 87
@@phillipbrandt6075 Triple AO! Patton's old unit. Howdy neighbor 😀
@@robertpontisso4953 We went to the field together with 2/68! All the f##kn' time! M60A1 all the way. "Forty Rounds"!
I was in 4/8 in Sanhoffen Germany near Mannheim during the Cold War. I was told the 8 was for the 8 hour flight to get there and the arrow Was for the shaft you got once there.
Thats a new one but sounds right for the times!
That opening clip looks a lot like the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
The blue is for the ocean you cross to get there, the 8 is for the 8 hours it takes to get there, the circles that make up the 8 are for the circles they run you in and the arrow is for the shaft you get every day you're there.😂
I love it!
Better is remembering those who were killed in action! Those are the true heroes no matter what the circumstances were. Infantry is the most heroic band of all Armed forces.
you are spot on…they infantryman wins the war!
My father was drafted and joined the 13th Infantry Regiment starting March 1941 at Ft. Jackson
,SC. He remembered that Southern soldiers took exception with motto “First at Vicksburg “. I know he was in Patton’s 3rd Army and got to Pilsen in Czechoslovakia and spent about 4 and a 1/2 years in the Army. He was a 1stLt when discharged. The pictures from 1941 made him look like a soldier from 1918, campaign hats etc. I was born during the war and everyone was a veteran and no one displayed any medals. Had 4 uncles and an aunt that served, very few war stories, one being an alcoholic due to his wartime experience.
Served with the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry, 8th Infantry Division, Mainz, Germany ('83-'85)
My uncle was captured at normandy on the 7th of june,44.He was with the 8th and after his capture he was sent to dresden as a P.O.W.The russians liberated his camp in the spring of 45.
Glad he made it back!