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Overview
The 90th Division entered W.W.II combat in Normandy on D-Day and fought across Europe continuously until V-E Day. During these eleven months, it served under six different division commanders; the first two swiftly proved themselves inept and were deservedly relieved; the next two were great combat leaders who were rapidly promoted to higher ranks as corps commanders; the last two were able, competent leaders who did well by the division. The 90th was a standard triangular infantry division. Each of its three regiments was made up of three battalions, and each battalion had three rifle companies and one heavy weapons company. Each rifle company had three rifle platoons and one weapons platoon, and each rifle platoon was composed of three squads. A heavy weapons company fired 81mm mortars and water-cooled, .30-caliber machine guns. A rifle company's weapons platoon fired 60mm-mortars and air-cooled machine guns. A rifle squad had approximately 12 men: a squad leader (buck sergeant), an assistant squad leader (corporal), a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) team of two men, and eight riflemen. This infantry provided the basic combat strength of the Division, but each regiment was directly supported by an artillery battalion (105mm howitzers); another battalion of 155mm guns provided heavier reinforcing fire. June 6 - 8 June 9 June 10 June 11 Campaign of Northern France (The Breakout) July 24 was spent mostly in preparing for the 90th's role in COBRA, which was scheduled to jump off on the 25th of July. In preparation for this, the 90th launched a coordinated attack on the 26th that instantly ran into heavy resistance on the Seves river, including extensive mine fields that made rapid advance south through the Seves "Island" area hazardous. During the night of the 26-27th, the enemy in front of the 90th pulled out, enabling the Division to move farther south to liberate Periers on the 27th and then St. Sauver Lendelin the same day. On the 28th, the 4th Armored Division passed through the 90th while the 6th Armored passed through the 83rd Division (to the left). The 90th continued to push some elements southward; however, late in the day both the 90th and the 83rd were directed to stand fast so the 8th and 79th Divisions could pass through and follow close behind the 4th and 6th Armored Divisions in order to exploit the breakthrough towards Avranches and beyond. It was during this brief halt for rest and reorganization that Gen. Landrum was relieved and replaced by Brig. Gen. Ray McLain. One day later, the 29ths', Brig. Gen. "Wild Bill" Weaver, came over to the 90th as the new Assistant Division Commander. On the 1st of August, the Division again got under way, this time by motor, and moved south through Coutance and Avranches with the mission of setting up blocking positions east of Avranches between the See and Selune rivers; to protect the dams on the Selune river; and to capture Louvigne and make contact with the 79th Division on the 90th's right. Hitler's order directing von Kluge's Seventh Army to attack Mortain and cut off the twelve American divisions that had passed through that area not only failed, it led the to the Seventh Army's virtual destruction in the Falaise-Argentan region. The Seventh was partly encircled by the American First and Third Armies, While British and Canadian forces slugged their way south in an effort to close the trap. Von Kluge, realizing his predicament, on August 21st ordered his divisions to make their way out of the trap as best they could. He then committed suicide. The major route of retreat was a road running southeast from Falaise through Chambois, twenty-five kilometers away. The road ran through a valley on both sides of which high ground provided excellent observation of any actions and movements the enemy made. In a period of four days, the 90th had taken more than 13,000 prisoners, killed or wounded an estimated 8,000, but itself suffered less than 600 casualties. More than 300 enemy tanks, 250 self-propelled guns, 164 artillery pieces, 3,270 vehicles, and a variety of other types of equipment and weapons were destroyed. After a few days of rest near Chamobis, the 90th was reassigned to XX Corps and the Third Army. The American Seventh Army and the French First Army landed at Marseilles in southern France on Aug. 25th, so the enemy was either surrounded or overwhelmed at every turn. The Germans were in a state of confusion. Continuing eastward against ever-increasing German resistance, this campaign involved several of the 90ths' most important and difficult battles. The greatest obstacles in their path were the Moselle and Saar rivers, backed by the Maginot and Siegfried Lines. Their successful surprise crossing of the Moselle near Thionville, at a point where the river was to expand in width from less than 300 feet to over a mile because of flooding, was perhaps the most renowned of all their operations. This was followed by the epic fight to seize Ft. Koenigsmacher, breaking the ring of defenses around Metz, and leading to the first capture of Metz in modern history. Then on to battles at the Siegfried Line, which involved a most difficult crossing of the Saar - without bridges. Further progress against the Siegfried was abruptly interrupted by the German attack in the Ardennes, the Battle of the Buldge. The early success of Hitler's massive assault in the Ardennes caused a severe disruption in the Allied battle plans. Gen. Patton ceased attacks to the east and redirected the 90th's effort northward to cut off the base of the German salient. The 90th secretly withdrew across the Saar, trucked north over 70 miles of road iced like skating rinks, and then immediately engaged the Germans in bitter, brutal fighting. All of this was complicated by weather so severe that the infantry's losses from frostbite exceeded losses from wounds. Here the 90th experienced some of their toughest times, both in the form of opposition and weather, but they overcame them. After the German salient was eliminated, they resumed their drive to the east. After the Bulge was reduced, the 90th regrouped for a few days and again turned east. having lost the bulk of their best troops in the Ardennes, the Germans' principal defensive troops now were Volksgrenadiers (folk-soldiers), but they made professional use of their defensive assets - the Siegfried Line, bad weather, and the Moselle, Kyll, and Prum rivers. The 90ths' veteran infantry overcame the pillboxes by valor and expert tactics (night infiltration, direct fire by 155mm SP guns, satchel charges, and massive artillery concentrations). Progress was spotty - sometimes slow, The long-anticipated Rhine crossing was no problem at all as the 90th followed the 5th Division over its bridge, proceeded east to capture Darmstadt and cross the Main at Hanau, and then rolled up light German resistance toward Czechoslovakia. The 90th still encountered small groups of fanatical, vicious, unprincipled SS troops, but overcame them with light but regrettable US losses. Three memorable actions during this period did not involve combat: seizure of the German national treasure in the Merkers salt mine, acceptance of the surrender of the entire 11th Panzer Division at Hof, Germany, and liberation of the infamous Flossenburg concentration camp. These were fitting preludes to the unconditional surrender of the German armed forces at 0001 hours 9 May '45 (V-E Day has since been recognized as 8 May). Medical units supporting the 90th showed the total number of battle wounds was 15,076. Total killed, wounded, and missing in action came to 21,371. In addition, there were 976 non-battle injuries and 9,936 treated for miscellaneous diseases and injuries. Adding, we get 32,283 casualties of all kinds. Previous combat taught us that Very shortly after the war, Gen. Patton was authorized to recommend to Theater 10% of Third Army for Presidential Unit Citation. His response recommended two divisions, the 5th Infantry and the 90th, and some separate units. This was returned by Theater because the total came to more than 10%. He then sent a shortened list which included one full regiment plus some smaller units of the 5th but repeated his recommendation that the full 90th be so recognized! Further research revealed the 90th was the only division recommended by Patton for this award. The 101st Airborne received it after the Bastogne operation but that was at War Department initiative, not Patton's. Top |