65th Infantry Division
World War II
Activated: 16 August 1943.
Overseas: 10 January 1945.
Campaigns: Rhineland, Central Europe.
Days of combat: 55.
Awards: MH-1 ; DSM-1 ; SS-77; LM-14; SM-4; BSM-686; AM-19.
Commanders:
Maj. Gen. Stanley E. Reinhart (August 1943-1 August 1945)
Brig. Gen. John E. Copeland (1 August 1945 to inactivation).
Inactivated: 31 August 1945 in Germany.
Combat Chronicle
The 65th Infantry Division landed at Le Havre, France, 21 January 1945, and proceeded to Camp Lucky Strike, where training continued until 1 March, when the Division moved forward to relieve the 26th Infantry Division. First elements entered the line, 5 March 1945, and the Division as a whole took over aggressive defense of the sector along the Saar, from Orscholz to Wadgassen, on 8 March 1945. On 17 March, the Division attacked across the Saar, crossing the river at Dillingen and captured Saarlautern, 19 March, as Siegfried Line defenses cracked. Capturing Neunkirchen, 21 March 1945, the Division raced to the Rhine, crossed the river at Oppenheim, 30 March, and ran into heavy Germany resistance and counterattacks. Langensalza fell on 5 April, Struth on the 7th, and Neumarkt on the 22d. Continuing its advance against crumbling Nazi opposition, the Division crossed the Danube 4 miles below Regensburg, 26 April, took the city, 27 April, seized Passau, cross the Inn River, 4 May, and occupied Linz, Austria, on the 5th. Germans surrendered en masse. On 9 May, as hostilities officially ended in Europe, the troops of the 65th made contact with the Russians at Erlauf.
Assignments in the ETO
25 January 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group.
1 March 1945: XX Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
4 April 1945: VIII Corps. 17 April 1945: XX Corps.
General
Nickname: Battle-axe. Shoulder patch: A white halberd on a blue shield. Association: 65th Infantry Division Association, 4034 Ventura Canyon Avenue, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (Brig. Gen. John E. Copeland, secretary).
65th US Infantry Division |
Divisional troops |
Infantry
259th Infantry Regiment | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
260th Infantry Regiment | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
261st Infantry Regiment | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Other troops
Headquarters & Headquarters Company | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Headquarters Special Troops | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
65th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
265th Engineer Combat Battalion | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
565th Signal Company | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
765th Ordnance Light Maintenance Battalion | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
65th Quartermaster Company | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
365th Medical Battalion | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Military Police Platoon | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Divisional Band | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Cavalry
3rd Cavalry Group | 19.03.1945-21.03.1945 |
Detachments |
261st CT | 11th Armored Division | 28.03.1945-29.03.1945 |
261st CT | 6th Armored Division | 29.03.1945-04.04.1945 |
- 859th FA Battalion | 6th Armored Division | 29.03.1945-04.04.1945 |
- 65th Reconnaisance Troop | 6th Armored Division | 29.03.1945-04.04.1945 |
- 1st Platoon, C Company, 265th Engineer Combat Battalion | 6th Armored Division | 29.03.1945-04.04.1945 |
Sources & links: |
Divisional troops |
Infantry
157th Infantry Regiment | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
179th Infantry Regiment | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
180th Infantry Regiment | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Other troops
120th Engineer Combat Battalion | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
45th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
120th Medical Battalion | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
700th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
45th Quartermaster Company | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
45th Signal Company | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Military Police Platoon | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Headquarters Company | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Band | 00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
Cavalry
B Troop, 117th Cavalry Recon Squadron | 15.08.1944-18.08.1944 |
A Troop, 117th Cavalry Recon Squadron | 25.08.1944-30.09.1944 |
117th Cavalry Recon Squadron | 02.11.1944-09.11.1944 |
100th Recon Troop, 100th Infantry Division | 28.11.1944-05.12.1944 |
C Troop, 117th Cavalry Recon Squadron | 04.01.1945-07.01.1945 |
106th Cavalry Group | 23.04.1945-04.05.1945 |
Infantry
399th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division | 02.11.1944-09.11.1944 |
398th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division | 06.11.1944-09.11.1944 |
397th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division | 06.11.1944-09.11.1944 & 28.11.1944-05.12.1944 |
100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment | 09.11.1944-12.11.1944 |
275th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division | 31.12.1944-08.01.1945 |
313th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division (less 3rd Battalion) | 01.01.1945-14.01.1945 |
314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division | 01.01.1945-14.01.1945 |
1st Battalion, 315th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division | 02.01.1945-15.01.1945 |
274th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division | 03.01.1945-17.01.1945 & 22.01.1945-29.01.1945 |
19th Armored Infantry Battalion, 14th Armored Division | 04.01.1945-10.01.1945 |
2nd Battalion, 276th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division | 09.01.1945-13.01.1945 |
409th Infantry Regiment, 103rd Infantry Division | 15.01.1945-17.01.1945 |
2nd Battalion, 411th Infantry Regiment, 103rd Infantry Division | 18.01.1945-21.01.1945 |
Detachments |
179th Infantry Regiment | 36th Infantry Division | 23.08.1944-24.08.1944 |
3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment | 36th Infantry Division | 25.08.1944-29.08.1944 |
1st & 2nd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment | VI Corps | 26.08.1944-30.08.1944 |
179th Infantry Regiment | VI Corps | 03.09.1944-07.09.1944 |
45th Divisional Artillery | 44th Infantry Division | 10.11.1944-18.11.1944 |
45th Reconnaissance Troop | 44th Infantry Division | 20.11.1944-22.11.1944 |
157th Infantry Regiment | 44th Infantry Division | 25.11.1944-27.11.1944 |
160th FA Battalion | 70th Infantry Division | 05.01.1945-07.01.1945 |
158th FA Battalion | 70th Infantry Division | 08.01.1945-12.01.1945 |
Sources & links: |