[Webmaster Note: The following division information is reproduced
from the public domain publication, The Army Almanac: A Book of
Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. Government Printing Office,
1950. Portions of the information may be out of date. Only minor formatting changes and
typographical corrections have been made.]
World War II
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Activated: 15 May 1943.
Overseas: December 1944.
Campaigns: Rhineland, Central Europe.
Days of combat: 86.
Awards: DSC-1; DSM-1; SS-105; LM-3; SM-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
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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
Munden 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. 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.
Assignments in the ETO
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18 January 1945: 12th Army Group. // 7 February 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army
Group. // 7 February 1945: V Corps, First Army, 12th Army
Group. // 28 April 1945: VII Corps.
General
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Nickname: Fighting Sixty-Ninth.
Shoulder patch: A white bordered square consisting of two interlocking
parts, a red "6" and a blue "9", separated by a white border.
Publications: 69th Infantry Division Pictorial History, by unit
members. Pictorial Review; by unit members; Albert Love
Enterprises, Atlanta, Ga.; 1944.
• 69th Infantry Division Links
• 69th Infantry Division Components
• 69th Infantry Division Medal of Honor Recipients
• 69th Infantry Division Commanders
• 69th Infantry Division Videos
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