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The 35th Infantry Division has been a unit of the National Guard since World War I. It is currently headquartered at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
World War I
Combat ChronicleUpon arrival in France, the 35th Division was garrisoned near the front in Alsace. It received limited training from the French Army. The Division saw combat in the Battle of Meuse-Argonne where it collapsed after five days of fighting.[1] During World War I, the 129th Field Artillery Regiment had, as a battery commander, Capt. Harry S Truman, later President of the United States. World War II
Combat ChronicleThe Division was activated on 23 December 1940, as a National Guard Division from Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. It departed for Europe on 12 May 1944. The 35th Infantry Division arrived in England, 25 May 1944, and received further training. It landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy, 5-7 July 1944, and entered combat 11 July, fighting in the Normandy hedgerows, north of St. Lo. The Division beat off 12 German counterattacks at Emelie before entering St. Lo, 18 July. After mopping up in the St. Lo area, it took part in the offensive action southwest of St. Lo, pushing the Germans across the Vire River, 2 August, and breaking out of the Cotentin Peninsula. While en route to an assembly area, the Division was "flagged off the road," to secure the Mortain-Avranches corridor and to rescue the 30th Division's "Lost Battalion," 7-13 August 1944. Then racing across France through Orleans and Sens, the Division attacked across the Moselle, 13 September, captured Nancy, 15 September, secured Chambrey, 1 October, and drove on to the German border, taking Sarreguemines and crossing the Saar, 8 December. After crossing the Blies River, 12 December, the Division moved to Metz for rest and rehabilitation, 19 December. The 35th moved to Arlon, Belgium, 25-26 December, and took part in the fighting to relieve Bastogne, throwing off the attacks of four German divisions, taking Villers-laBonne-Eau, 10 January, after a 13-day fight and Lutrebois in a 5-day engagement. On 18 January 1945, the Division returned to Metz to resume its interrupted rest. In late January, the Division was defending the Foret de Domaniale area. Moving to the Netherlands to hold a defensive line along the Roer, 22 February, the Division attacked across the Roer, 23 February, pierced the Siegfried Line, reached the Rhine at Wesel, 10 March, and crossed, 25-26 March. It smashed across the Herne Canal and reached the Ruhr River early in April, when it was ordered to move to the Elbe, 12 April. Making the 295-mile dash in 2 days, the 35th mopped up in the vicinity of Colbitz and Angern, until 26 April 1945, when it moved to Hanover for occupational and mopping-up duty, continuing occupation beyond VE-day. The Division left Southampton, England, 5 September, and arrived in New York City, 10 September 1945. Assignments in the European Theater of Operations
During World War II, the 320th Infantry Regiment had, as an operations officer (S-3), Maj. Orval Faubus, later Governor of Arkansas. Post WarAfter several activations and reactivations in the immediate postwar years, the 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized) was reactivated on August 25, 1984 from the 67th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) of Nebraska, the 69th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) of Kansas, and the 149th Armored Brigade from Kentucky. It continues in service today. BosniaThe 35th Infantry Division Headquarters Commanded Task Force Eagle of Multi-National Division North in Bosnia as part of SFOR-13 (Stabilization Force) with the NATO peacekeeping mandate under the Dayton Peace Accords. The Headquarters were located at Eagle Base in the town of Tuzla. Brigadier General James R. Mason was the commander. He later went on to command the 35th Infantry Division. The Division received the Army Superior Unit Award for its service in Bosnia. The 35th Division was notable for its smooth coordination of Inter-Brigade Operations. Division Liaison Officers served in the towns of Mostar, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Zenica and Doboj. Current Structure
Attached units
In Popular CultureIn the 1970 WWII-era film Kelly's Heroes (starring Clint Eastwood), the American soldiers portrayed in the film are primarily from the 35th Infantry Division. References
External links
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