35th Infantry Division Memory
For never forget...
Santa Fe
The 35th Infantry Division was created in August 1917 from soldiers of the National Guard of Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska – among them was Harry Truman, future President of the United States. Sent to France in 1918, it fought in the Argonne and mourned the loss of 7,200 men. It was dissolved in April 1919. The German aggression against Poland, and then the invasion of France, shook the certainties of even the most pacifist Americans. In an initial military effort, Congress voted for the mobilization of certain National Guard units. Thus, the 35th Infantry Division was reconstituted on the same basis as in 1917, on December 23, 1940. For three years, the division trained in the United States. Its path led through Louisiana, Tennessee, and California, where it guarded the coasts against a highly unlikely Japanese invasion for a time. It was then dispatched to Great Britain on May 12, 1944. In early June, a fully prepared division awaited deployment to combat.
The 35th Infantry Division was deployed on Omaha Beach on July 5th. It was attached to the 19th Corps and positioned between the 29th and 30th Infantry Divisions. Starting from La Meauffe, it launched its first attack toward Saint-Lô on the 11th. Its adversaries – primarily elite paratrooper troops – made quick work of the 35th’s novices. By the end of the first day, the sole 137th Infantry Regiment recorded 126 soldiers wounded… for a gain of 300 meters! From July 16th, the 134th Infantry Regiment, previously held in reserve, was engaged at the junction with the 29th Infantry Division. It managed to seize Hill 122 and the village of Emelie, despite enduring twelve counterattacks. From there, it overlooked Saint-Lô, but it was officially the 29th Infantry Division that was tasked with its liberation on the 18th. After the withdrawal of the latter, the 35th was assigned to hold the front in preparation for Operation Cobra. With the successful breakthrough, the 35th was attached to the 5th Corps to reinforce the advance toward the Vire River. Advancing through Torigny-sur-Vire, it crossed the Vire River on August 5th, pushing the Germans back nearly 30 kilometers. From the Vire, the 35th Infantry Division was transported to the Mortain sector. It positioned itself near Barenton. On August 8th, the 320th Infantry Regiment managed, at the cost of high casualties, to extricate a battalion of the 30th Infantry Division that was surrounded by elements of the 2nd SS Panzer Division – the 737th Tank Destroyer Battalion, tasked with clearing the way, lost nearly 30 M-10 tank destroyers out of the 54 engaged. The 35th DI pushed back the Germans until August 13th, before being transported to Le Mans. For them, the Battle of Normandy had come to an end
Starting from August 13th, the mission of the 35th Infantry Division changed radically: attached to the 12th Corps, it was tasked with securing the right flank of General Patton’s 3rd Army. It advanced at breakneck speed, reaching Châteaudun on August 16th, Orléans on August 17th, and Sens on August 21st. Montargis was liberated on August 23rd, followed by Joigny the next day, and the 35th DI established itself in Brienne-le-Château on September 1st. Gradually, the pace of the advance slowed down as supplies became scarce and German resistance strengthened. On the 12th, the 35th managed to cross the Meuse River and veered toward Nancy. Supported by the 4th Armored Division’s CCB, it executed a southern envelopment and contributed to the city’s liberation alongside the 80th Infantry Division on the 15th – after fierce battles, the defenders had evacuated Nancy the day before. Manteuffel’s counteroffensive, launched the following day, struck violently at the 35th’s lines. The division valiantly defended itself, pushing the enemy out of the Gremecy Forest and occupying Chambrey, but at the cost of severe losses – the 137th Infantry Regiment lost half of its strength in four days of combat. The front stabilized until early November. From November 8th, the 35th was engaged toward the Saar region. It progressed through Fresnes, then Château Salins, before assaulting Viviers, which changed hands several times before returning to American control. On the 14th, it captured 2,000 prisoners at Morhange. After a brief rest, it resumed its journey and crossed the Saar River on December 8th – now fighting in Germany. It continued across the Blies River, capturing Reinheim, Gersheim, and Nieder-Gailbach after difficult street battles.
On December 27th, it launched an attack east of the Arlon road, under atrocious conditions. Repelling four German divisions, including an SS and a paratrooper division, it managed to recapture Villers-La Bonne Eau on January 10th, and then Lutrebois, after a five-day battle during which four companies from the 134th and 137th were captured by the enemy. On the other side, the 320th Infantry Regiment, reinforcing the 6th Armored Division, attacked near Bourcy, east of Bastogne. It succeeded in breaking through the enemy’s defensive perimeter on the 15th. From the 19th, it was replaced for this mission by the 134th Infantry Regiment, which managed to push back the 560th and 340th Volksgrenadier divisions all the way to the Our River by January 31st.
The offensive, codenamed Grenade, was postponed until the 23rd – the Germans had flooded the terrain. The 35th Infantry Division crossed the Wurm River, then managed to seize a bridge at Hilfarth. In just two days, it captured 23 towns. On March 2nd, a detachment liberated Venlo, located on the Dutch side. The next day, it encountered the 53rd British Infantry Division, before establishing itself on the left bank of the Rhine. As part of Operation Plunder, the 35th DI crossed the Rhine on March 25th. Five days later, it captured the city of Bottrop. It was immediately engaged in the encirclement of the Ruhr. Pushing back the resistance nests along its path, the 320th Infantry Regiment captured the suburbs of Dortmund. On April 9th, it reached the Rhine-Herne Canal, before establishing itself along the Ruhr River. On April 12th, the 35th DI was tasked with its final offensive mission – reaching the Elbe River. Loaded onto trucks, it covered over 400 kilometers in two days, reinforcing the 83rd Infantry Division’s bridgehead on the Elbe, threatened by a counterattack. This was its last offensive action. On April 26th, the 35th DI was assigned to the occupation of Hanover, a task that continued after May 8th. Embarked on September 5th for the journey back to the United States, the 35th DI was finally dissolved on December 7th.
