The 100th Infantry Division, known also as “The Century Division” was activated on November 15, 1942 at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. It was organized around the 397th, 398th, and 399th Infantry Regiments and supported by various artillery, engineer, medical, M.P, quartermaster, ordinance, reconnaissance, and signal supporting units.
The division sailed for Europe on October 6, 1944 and arrived at Marseille, France on October 20. There it was made part of VI Corps of the Seventh United States Army.
As soon as the Division was prepared for combat, it moved into the Meurthe-et-Moselle region, and sent its first elements into combat at St. Remy in the Vosges Mountains on 1 November 1944. On 5 November the Century Division assumed control of the sector and prepared to further engage the enemy. The attack jumped off on 12 November, and the division drove against the German Winter Line in the Vosges Mountains. The 100th took Bertrichamps and Clairupt, pierced the German line, and seized Raon-l'Étape and Saint-Blaise between 16 November and 26 November.
In late November the division moved into the Vosges region. Elements assisted in holding the Saverne Gap bridgehead while the bulk of the division went into reserve. The unit was relieved from assignment to VI Corps and transferred to the US XV Corps on 27 November 1944. It then moved into the Moselle region. At this time Bill was transferred from his Replacement Soldier unit and permanently attached to Company A, 399th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division.
The division of World War II, and even down to the present day, had its origins in the First World War. Traditionally the Army building block was the regiment, originally about 1000 men in the Civil War and around 3000 men in World War II. Regimental histories reach back to the Revolution. In the Civil War the division was just a couple of brigades, each consisting of two regiments.
ReplyDeleteThe World War I division brought together three infantry regiments and a field artillery regiment along with a battalion of engineers, and medical, transportation, signal, and military police companies, etc. This allowed the division to perform missions with its own organic support under a major general and his staff. The 100th division numbered probably about 15,000 men.
A distinctive feature of the division was the unique patch worn on the left shoulder of every member and usually the source of great pride.
Two or more divisions were grouped in a corps which was designated by Roman numerals. Typically a corps was headed by a lieutenant general. Corps were more flexible in their composition and divisions often moved between corps.
Corps were grouped together in armies, e.g., Bill's Seventh Army. Armies in Europe were gathered as army groups. Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery led army groups.