U.S. PRIVATE "SCOTT'' 2nd Infantry Division NORMANDY 1944 1/6 DRAGON

 

 

2nd Infantry Division

World War II

Assignments in the European Theater of Operations

 October 22, 1943: Attached to First Army

1. December 24, 1943: XV Corps, but attached to First Army
2. April 14, 1944: V Corps, First Army
3. August 1, 1944: V Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group
4. August 17, 1944: XIX Corps
5. August 18, 1944: VIII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group
6. September 5, 1944: VIII Corps, Ninth Army, 12th Army Group
7. October 22, 1944: VIII Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group
8. December 11, 1944: V Corps
9. December 20, 1944: Attached, with the entire First Army, to the British 21st Army Group
10. January 18, 1945: V Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group
11. April 28, 1945: VII Corps
12. May 1, 1945: V Corps
13. May 6, 1945: Third Army, 12th Army Group

Narrative

After training in Ireland and Wales from October 1943 to June 1944, the 2nd Infantry Division crossed the channel to land on Omaha Beach on D plus 1, June 7, 1944, near St. Laurent-sur-Mer. Attacking across the Aure River, the Division liberated Trevieres, June 10, and proceeded to assault and secure Hill 192, the key enemy strongpoint on the road to St. Lô. With the hill taken July 11, 1944, the Division went on the defensive until July 26. Exploiting the St. Lô break-through, the 2nd Division advanced across the Vire to take Tinchebray August 15, 1944. The Division then moved west to join the battle for Brest, the heavily defended fortress surrendering September 18, 1944 after a 39-day contest.

The Division took a brief rest September 19–September 26 before moving to defensive positions at St. Vith, Belgium on September 29, 1944. The division entered Germany on October 3, 1944, and the Second was ordered, on December 11, 1944, to attack and seize the Roer River dams. The German Ardennes offensive in mid-December forced the Division to withdraw to defensive positions near Elsenborn, where the German drive was halted. In February 1945 the Division attacked, recapturing lost ground, and seized Gemund, March 4. Reaching the Rhine March 9, the 2ID advanced south to take Breisig, March 10–11, and to guard the Remagen bridge, March 12–March 20.

The Division crossed the Rhine March 21 and advanced to Hadamar and Limburg an der Lahn, relieving elements of the 9th Armored Division, March 28. Advancing rapidly in the wake of the 9th Armored, the 2nd Infantry Division crossed the Weser at Veckerhagen, April 6–April 7, captured Göttingen April 8, established a bridgehead across the Saale, April 14, seizing Merseburg on April 15. On April 18 the Division took Leipzig, mopped up in the area, and outposted the Mulde River; elements which had crossed the river were withdrawn April 24. Relieved on the Mulde, the 2nd moved 200 miles, May 1–May 3, to positions along the German-Czech border near Schonsee and Waldmünchen, where 2 ID relieved the 97th and 99th ID's. The division crossed over to Czechoslovakia on May 4, 1945, and attacked in the general direction of Pilsen, attacking that city on VE Day.

2nd Infantry Division returned to the New York Port Of Embarkation on July 20, 1945, and arrived at Camp Swift at Bastrop, Texas on July 22, 1945. They started a training schedule to prepare them to participate in the scheduled invasion of Japan, but they were still at Camp Swift on VJ Day. They then moved to the Staging Area at Camp Stoneman at Pittsburg, California on March 28, 1946, but the move eastward was cancelled, and they received orders to move to Fort Lewis at Tacoma, Washington. They arrived at Fort Lewis on April 15, 1946, which became their Home Station. From their Fort Lewis base, they conducted Arctic, air transportability, amphibious, and maneuver training.

 

US infantry, 1942-1945
01 - M1 helmet
02 - M1934 shirt
03 - M1934 sweatshirt
04 - M1941 trousers
05 - Service boots
06 - M1938 leggins
07 - M1926 life belt
08 - M1937 ammo belt
09 - M1924 personal dressing
10 - M1910 canteen
11 - Gas mask bag
12 - M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle with M1907 belt
13 - Armband
14, 15 - Translator
16 - Shoulder badges:
A - 1st Armoured
B - 2nd Arm
C - 3rd Infantry
E - 34th Inf
F - 1st Inf

 

 

   

WW II : Rare Color Film June 1944

U.S. Army in France 1944 - 1945