NAME:
Eighty-Eight Infantry Division / 88th Division
NICKNAME:
"Blue Devils" and "The Clover Leaf Division"
BATTLE HONORS:
World War II
Rome-Arno
North Apennines
Po Valley
ACTIVATED:
Aug 5, 1917
July 15, 1942
DEACTIVATED:
June 10, 1919
Oct 24, 1947
HISTORY:
World War I
Activated: 5 August 1917, Camp Dodge, Iowa
Overseas: 7 September 1918
Major Operations: Did not participate as a division
Casualties: Total-78 (KIA-12; WIA-66)
Commanders: Maj. Gen. Edward H. Plummer (25 August 1917), Brig. Gen. Robert N. Getty (27 November 1917), Maj. Gen. Edward H. Plummer (19 February 1918), Brig. Gen. Robert N. Getty (15 March 1918), Brig. Gen. William D. Beach (24 May 1918), Maj. Gen. William Weigel (10 September 1918)
Inactivated: 10 June 1919, Camp Dodge, Iowa
Insignia, two figure "8's" in blue crossed at right angles. Organized at Camp Dodge Iowa, in Sept., 1917. This division was composed of National Army drafts from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. First units embarked for overseas on Aug. 8th and the last units arrived in France on Sept. 9th. Upon arrival in France the division was ordered to the twenty- first training area at Semur (Cote d'Or), except the artillery, which was sent to the vicinity of Bordeaux for training. On Sept. 14th the division was placed under the command of the 4th French Army and moved by rail to the Hericourt training area near Belfort and on Sept. 23d relieved the 38th French Division in the center sector (Haute-Alsace). The division held this sector until Nov. 2d, when it was placed under the 4th American Corps and moved to the Lagney area (Meurth et Moselle) as part of the 2d Army Reserve, where it was located at the time of the armistive. On Nov. 29th the division moved by marching to the first divisional training area at Gondrecourt (Meuse). On April 26, 1919, the control of the division passed to the C.G., S.O.S. Arrived in the U.S. on June 1st. The artillery did not rejoin the division but remained in training in the south of France until after the armistice, and was returned to the the U.S. in Jan. 1919.
Battle deaths, 27, wounded 63; number taken prisoners 2 officer and 7 men.
Commanding generals: Maj. Gen. Edward H. Plummer, Aug. 25 to Nov. 26, 1917; Brig. Gen. R. N. Getty, Nov. 26, 1917 to Feb. 9, 1918; Maj. Gen. Edward H. Plummer Feb. 19 to March 14, 1918 Brig. Gen. R. N. Getty, March 15 to May 23, 1918; Brig. Gen. Wm. D. Beach May 24 to Sept. 28, 1918; Maj. Gen. Wm. Weigel, Sept. 28 to Oct. 24, 1918; Brig. Gen. Wm. D. Beach, Oct. 24 to Nov. 7, 1918; Maj. Gen. Wm. Weigel, Nov. 7 to 11, 1918.
This division was composed of the following organizations: 156th, 157th Inf. Brigs., 163d Arty Brigs., 349th, 350th, 351st, 352d Inf. Regts., 337th, 338th, 339th Machine Gun Bns., 337th, 338th, 339th Fld. Arty. Regts., 313th Trench Mortar Battery, 313th Engr. Regt. And Train, 313th Fld. Sig. Bn., 313th Hqs. Train and M.P., 313th Supply Train, 313th Amm. Train, 313th Sanitary Train (349th, 350th, 351st and 352d Amb. Cos. And Field Hospitals).
World War II
Activated: 15 July 1942, Camp Gruber, Oklahoma
Overseas: 6 December 1943
Distinguished Unit Citations: 3
Campaigns: Rome-Arno, North Apennines, Po Valley
Days of combat: 307
Awards: MH-2 ; DSC-12 ; DSM-2 ; SS-522; LM-32; SM-19 ; BSM-3,784.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. John E. Sloan (July 1942-September 1944), Maj. Gen. Paul W. Kendall (September 1944-July 1945), Brig. Gen. James C. Fry (July-November 1945), Maj. Gen. B. E. Moore (November 1945 to inactivation)
Inactivated: 24 October 1947 in Italy
Combat Chronicle
The 88th Infantry Division arrived at Casablanca, French Morocco, 15 December 1943, and moved to Magenta, Algeria, on the 28th for intensive training. It arrived at Naples, Italy, 6 February 1944, and concentrated in the Piedmont d'Alife area for combat training. An advance element went into the line before Cassino, 27 February, and the entire unit relieved British elements along the Garigliano River in the Minturno area, 5 March. A period of defensive patrols and training followed.
On 11 May, the 88th drove north to take Spigno, Mount Civita, Itri, Fondi, and Roccagorga, reached Anzio, 29 May, and pursued the enemy into Rome, being the first American unit into the city on 4 June, after a stiff engagement on the outskirts of the city. An element of the 88th is credited with being first to enter the Eternal City. After continuing across the Tiber to Bassanelio the 88th retired for rest and training, 11 June. The Division went into defensive positions near Pomerance, 5 July, and launched an attack toward Volterra on the 8th, taking the town the next day. Laiatico fell on the 11th, Villamagna on the 13th, and the Arno River was crossed on the 20th although the enemy resisted bitterly.
After a period of rest and training, the Division opened its assault on the Gothic Line, 21 September 1944, and advanced rapidly along the FirenzuolaImola road, taking Mount Battaglia on the 28th. The enemy counterattacked savagely and heavy fighting continued on the line toward the Po Valley. The strategic positions of Mount Grande and Farnetto were taken, 20 and 22 October. From 26 October 1944 to 12 January 1945, the 88th entered a period of defensive patrolling in the Mount Grande-Mount Cerrere sector and the Mount Fano area. From 24 January to 2 March 1945, the Division defended the LoianoLivergnano area and after a brief rest returned to the front. The drive to the Po Valley began on 15 April. Monterumici fell on the 17th after an intense barrage and the Po River was crossed, 24 April, as the 88th pursued the enemy toward the Alps. The cities of Verona and Vicenza were captured on the 25th and 28th and the Brenta River was crossed, 30 April. The 88th was driving through the Dolomite Alps toward Innsbruck, Austria, when the hostilities ended on 2 May 1945.
The unit was in combat for 344 days and sustained 15,173 casualties (killed, wounded or missing).
Units
Units associated, assigned or attached to the division during World War II include:
349th Infantry Regiment
350th Infantry Regiment
351st Infantry Regiment
337th Field Artillery Battalion
338th Field Artillery Battalion
339th Field Artillery Battalion
913th Field Artillery Battalion
313th Combat Engineer Battalion
313th Medical Battalion
Post-War
After the war, they unit served as occupation forces in the Free Territory of Trieste area securing the disputed border between Italy, Yugoslavia and Austria.
Divisional history from:
http://ranger95.com/divisions/order_battle_88th_div_ww1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_88th_Infantry_Division
http://www.88infdiv.org/