NAME:
Eighty-Seventh Infantry Division / 87th Division
NICKNAME:
"Acorn Division"
BATTLE HONORS:
World War II
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
ACTIVATED:
Aug 25, 1917
1921
Dec 15, 1942
Nov 1946
DEACTIVATED:
Feb 1919
1941(?)
Sept 21, 1945
HISTORY:
World War I
87th Division was a National Army division allocated to Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Activated: Camp Pike, Arkansas on 25 August 1917.
Overseas: September 1918 - utilized as a pool of laborers.
Returned: January 1919 to Camp Dix, New Jersey
Deactivated: February, 1919
Reassigned: Organized Reserve program in 1921, and allocated to Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Commanders:
MG S. D. Sturgis (25 August 1917),
BG R. C. Van Vliet (13 November 1917),
MG S. D. Sturgis (17 November 1917),
COL John O'Shea (6 October 1918),
MG S. D. Sturgis (23 October 1918),
BG W. F. Martin (22 November 1918).
Combat Chronicle
Popularly known as the "Acorn Division." Insignia, a brown acorn on a green circle. Organized as Camp Pike, Ark., in Sept., 1917. This division was composed of drafted men from Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. It remained in training at Camp Pike until June, 1918, when it was sent to Camp Dix, N. J. The first units embarked for overseas on Aug. 23rd and the last units arrived in France on Sept. 13th. Upon arrival in France the division was turned over to the Service of Supply and ordered to Pons (Charente-Inferieure) where it was broken up and the units placed on various work in the intermediate section. The cadres of the division returned to the U.S. in Dec., 1918.
Commanding generals: Maj-Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, Aug. 26 to Nov. 26, 1917; Brig. Gen. Robt. C. Van Vliet, Nov. 27, 1917 to March 10, 1918; Maj. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, March 10 to Nov. 11, 1918.
This division was composed of the following organizations: 173d and 174th Inf. Brigs., 162d Fld. Arty. Brig., 345th, 346th, 347th, 348th Inf. Regts., 334th, 335th, 336th Machine Gune Bns., 334th, 335th, 336th Fld. Arty Regts., 312th Trench Mortar Battery, 312th Fld. Sig. Bn., 312th Engr. Regt. And Train, 312th Sanitary Train (Amb. Cos. And Field Hospitals Nos. 345, 346, 347 and 348).
World War II
Activated: 15 December 1942 at Camp McCain, Mississippi.
Training: Moved to the Tennessee Maneuver Area on December 3, 1943, for the Second Army #4 Tennessee Maneuvers; Consolidated to Fort Jackson, South Carolina on January 20, 1944 for divisional training.
Staged at Camp Kilmer, at Stelton (now Edison), New Jersey, on October 10, 1944 until it received its Port Call to the New York Port of Embarkation in Brooklyn, NY.
Overseas: Deployed to the European Theater on 17 October 1944.
Arrived England on November 12, 1944, and Staged for movement to France.
Moved to Cherbourg, France on December 5, 1944, and was assigned to US 3rd Army on November 25, 1944. Further assigned to US III Corps on December 4, 1944, and to US XII Corps on December 11, 1944, and to US XV Corps on December 21, 1944, and to US VIII Corps on December 29, 1944.
Crossed into Belgium on January 12, 1945, and returned to XII Corps on January 14, 1945.
Crossed into Luxembourg on January 21, 1945, and assigned to VIII Corps on January 25, 1945.
Due to discontinuity of German railroad system, 87th ID was routed to Germany by returning to Belgium on February 3, 1945.
Entered Germany Mar 16, 1945, and remained to VE Day.
Returned to Continental US at New York Port of Embarkation on July 11, 1945, and proceeded to Fort Benning, Georgia on July 14, 1945 to prepare for deployment to Japan.
Was at Fort Benning on VJ Day.
87th Infantry Division was deactivated on September 21, 1945, at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
Days of combat: 154.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 2.
Awards:
Medal of Honor-1 ;
Distinguished Service Cross-9 ;
Distinguished Service Medal-1 ;
Silver Star-364;
Legion of Merit -20;
Soldier's Medal -41 ;
Bronze Star Medal -1,542 ;
Air Medal -49.
Commanders:
MG Percy W. Clarkson (December 1942-October 1943),
MG Eugene M. Landrum (October 1943-April 1944),
MG Frank L. Culin, Jr. (April 1944 to inactivation).
Combat Chronicle
The 87th Infantry Division arrived in Scotland, 22 October 1944, and trained in England, 23 October-30 November. It landed in France, 1-3 December, and moved to Metz, where, on the 8th, it went into action against and took Fort Driant. The Division then shifted to the vicinity of Gross Rederching near the Saar-German border on 10 December and captured Rimling, Obergailbach, and Guiderkirch.
The 87th was moving into Germany when Von Rundstedt launched his offensive in the Ardennes. The Division was placed in SHAEF reserve, 24-28 December, then thrown into the Bulge battle in Belgium, 29 December. In a fluctuating battle, it captured Moircy on the 30th and Remagne on the 31st. On 2 January 1945, it took Germont, on the 10th Tillet, and reached the Ourthe by the 13th. On 15 January 1945, the Division moved to Luxembourg to relieve the 4th Division along the Sauer and seized Wasserbillig on the 23d. The 87th moved to the vicinity of St. Vith, 28 January, and attacked and captured Schlierbach, Selz, and Hogden by the end of the month. After the fall of Neuendorf, 9 February, the Division went on the defensive until the 26th, when Ormont and Hallschlag were taken in night attacks. The 87th crossed the Kyll River, 6 March, took Dollendorf on the 8th, and after a brief rest, returned to combat, 13 March 1945, crossing the Moselle on the 16th and clearing Koblenz, 18-19 March. The Division crossed the Rhine, 25-26 March, despite strong opposition, consolidated its bridgehead, and secured Grossenlinden and Langgons. On 7 April, it jumped off in an attack which carried it through Thuringia into Saxony. Plauen fell, 17 April, and the Division took up defensive positions, 20 April, about 4 miles from the Czech border. On 6 May 1945, it took Falkenstein and maintained its positions until VE-day.
The 87th Division returned to the States in July 1945 expecting to be called upon to play a role in the defeat of the Japanese, but the sudden termination of the war in the Pacific while the division was reassembling at Fort Benning changed the future of the 87th. The Division was inactivated 21 September 1945.
Assignments in the European Theater of Operations
25 November 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group.
4 December 1944: III Corps.
11 December 1944: XII Corps.
21 December 1944: XV Corps, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
29 December 1944: VIII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
14 January 1945: XII Corps.
25 January 1945: VIII Corps.
22 April 1945: VIII Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group.
Order of Battle
345th Infantry Regiment
346th Infantry Regiment
347th Infantry Regiment
87th Reconnaissance Troop
312th Engineer Combat Battalion
312th Medical Battalion
87th Division Artillery
334th Field Artillery Battalion
335th Field Artillery Battalion
336th Field Artillery Battalion
912th Field Artillery Battalion
Special Troops
787th Ordnance Light Maintenance]]
87th Quartermaster Company
87th Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Headquarters Company
Band
Decorations
Presidential Unit Citation (Army)Rhine Crossing (347th Infantry regiment)
Cold War through 1990s
Deactivated at the end of the war, the 87th Infantry Division was reactivated in Birmingham, Alabama as a Reserve Division in November 1946.
Following The Korean War, the Department of the Army conducted a post evaluation of reserve component unit training. This led to the conclusion that a new organization was needed with the exclusive mission of conducting training exercises for the Reserve Components. Thus, on 7 February 1957, the 87th Maneuver Area Command (MAC) came into existence. The 87th MAC wore the original "Golden Acorn" patch of the 87th Infantry Division, carrying on the heritage of the unit for over thirty-six years.
The post Desert Shield/Storm analysis of Army training led to the conclusion that new methods and organizations were needed to improve the combat readiness of the Reserve Components. The new focus is on Automated Battle Simulations for Commanders and Battle Staffs, and on Small Unit Collective Training for Squads, Platoons and Companies. The Maneuver Exercise Command concept was developed in 1990, which, in turn evolved into the Infantry Division (Exercise) concept in 1992. The 87th MAC was deactivated and the 87th Division (Exercise) was activated on 1 October 1993.
In October 1999, the Division once again re-flagged as the 87th Training Support Division. With this reorganization came closer integration of Active Component and National Guard units and resources, and an increase in the importance of the 87th Division's training and support missions . While the 87th Division is still considered a Direct Reporting Command to the US Army Reserve Command (USARC), the Division's new parent unit is now the First Continental US Army (CONUSA), located in Georgia.
Present
The 87th Division (Training Support) is a U.S Army Reserve Division headquarted in Birmingham, Alabama. The Division hase subordinate units located in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico.
The 87th Division plans, conducts and evaluates training exercises for Army Reserve and National Guard units. The primary mission requirements include LANES Training for Combat Support and Combat Service Support units and Battle Command Staff Training for unit staffs and command elements. The 87th Division also provides training and mobilization support to Reserve Component units upon their mobilization. The Division's Training Support Brigades also serve to support Military Assistance to Civilian Authorities (MSCA) missions in response to natural disasters or emergencies.
The 87th Division conducts Lane training for National Guard and USAR company level units, and Battle Command Staff Training, or BCST exercises for all Reserve Component CA, CS and CSS units at battalion and brigade level. Priority is given to Force Support Package or FSP units, enhanced Brigades, LAD<30, Round Out Units and, then any other units throughout the Southeastern United States and Puerto Rico.
In the event of mobilization, the division provides assistance to designated mobilization station commanders, by conducting Post-Mobilization training of units prior to their deployment to the theater of operations.
The Division's 1st Brigade (BCST), also located in Birmingham, provides planning, execution, and evaluation for units participating in Combat Support Simulation Exercises and Brigade Battle Staff Training.
Divisional history from:
http://ranger95.com/divisions/order_battle_87th_div_ww1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_87th_Infantry_Division
http://www.87thinfantrydivision.com/
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/87d.htm