86th US Infantry Division "Blackhawk"
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Divisional information
Divisional troops
Attachments
Assignments
Detachments
Command Posts


Divisional information

History
Activated 15.12.1942
Arrived ETO 03.03.1945
Arrived Continent (D+270) 03.03.1945
Entered Combat 29.03.1945

Statistic
Days in Combat 34
Prisoners of War Taken 53354

Casualties (Tentative)
Killed 84
Wouded 653
Missing 21
Captured 2
Battle Casualties 760
Non Battle Casualties 473
Total Casualties 1233
Percent of T/O Strength 8.8%

Individual Awards
Distinguished Service Cross1
Silver Star2
Soldiers Medal1
Bronze Star45

Campaigns
Central Europein WWII

Commanding General (CG)

03.03.1945 Maj.-Gen. Harris M. Melasky

Assistant Division Commander
03.03.1945 Brig.-Gen. George V.W. Pope

Artillery Commander
03.03.1945 Brig.-Gen. Einar B. Gjelsteen

Chief of Staff
03.03.1945 Col. Charles P. Jones

Assistant Chief of Staff G-1
03.03.1945 Lt.-Col. James R. Williams (Jr.)

Assistant Chief of Staff G-2
03.03.1945 Lt.-Col. William K. Weaver (Jr.)

Assistant Chief of Staff G-3
03.03.1945 Lt.-Col. Robert Outsen
22.04.1945 Maj. Stanley M. Gotikov

Assistant Chief of Staff G-4
03.03.1945 Maj. George V. Nunn

Assistant Chief of Staff G-5
01.05.1945 Capt. Kalford K. Miazza (acting)

Adjutant General
03.03.1945 Lt.-Col. Charles J. Perry


Divisional troops

Infantry

341st Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
342nd Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
343rd Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Field Artillery (FA)
 
331st FA Battalion (105mm Howizter) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
332nd FA Battalion (105mm Howizter) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
911th FA Battalion (105mm Howizter) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
404th FA Battalion (155mm Howizter) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Other troops
 
86th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
86th Quartermaster Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
311th Engineer Combat Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
311th Medical Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
86th Signal Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
786th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Band 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Headquarters Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Military Police Platoon 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Attachments

Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)
 
446th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile) 01.04.1945-04.04.1945
839th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile) 08.04.1945-10.05.1945

Armor
 
A & B Companies, 740th Tank Battalion 08.04.1945-18.04.1945
27th Tank Battalion, 20th Armored Division 21.04.1945-23.04.1945
787th Tank Battalion 02.05.1945-10.05.1945

Cavalry
 
C Troop, 33rd Cavalry Recon Squad 21.04.1945-23.04.1945
23rd Cavalry Recon Squad, 16th Armored Division 01.05.1945-02.05.1945

Chemical
 
A Company, 95th Chemical Mortar Battalion 08.04.1945-18.04.1945
A Company, 90th Chemical Mortar Battalion 21.04.1945-23.04.1945
95th Chemical Mortar Battalion 22.04.1945-02.05.1945

Field Artillery (FA)

746th FA Battalion (8 inch Howitzer) 28.03.1945-04.04.1945
417th FA Group 31.03.1945-04.04.1945
805th FA Battalion (155mm Howitzer) 31.03.1945-04.04.1945
672nd FA Battalion (155mm Howitzer) 31.03.1945-04.04.1945
B Battery, 724th FA Observation Battalion 01.04.1945-04.04.1945
18th FA Battalion (105mm Howitzer) 09.04.1945-13.04.1945
172nd FA Battalion (4.5 inch Gun) 09.04.1945-13.04.1945
205th FA Group 09.04.1945-16.04.1945
190th FA Battalion (155mm Gun) 09.04.1945-16.04.1945
670th FA Battalion (155mm Howitzer) 14.04.1945-16.04.1945
281st FA Battalion (105mm Howitzer) 20.04.1945-02.05.1945
254th FA Battalion (155mm Howitzer) 01.05.1945-02.05.1945

Tank Destroyer (TD)
 
A Company, 644th TD Battalion (SP) 08.04.1945-18.04.1945
648th TD Battalion (T) 15.04.1945-18.04.1945
807th TD Battalion (SP) 21.04.1945-10.05.1945


Assignments
Top

Date Assigned to Corps Assigned to Army Attached to Army Assigned to Army Group Attached to Army Group
20.01.1945       ETOUSA  
30.01.1945   Fifteenth Army   12th Army Group  
04.03.1945   Fifteenth Army Normandy Base 12th Army Group  
10.03.1945   Fifteenth Army   12th Army Group  
22.03.1945 VII Corps First Army   12th Army Group  
30.03.1945 XXII Corps Fifteenth Army   12th Army Group  
05.04.1945 XVIII Airborne Corps First Army   12th Army Group  
19.04.1945   Third Army   12th Army Group  
22.04.1945 III Corps Third Army   12th Army Group  
02.05.1945 XV Corps Seventh Army   6th Army Group  


Detachments
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Unit Attached to  
341st Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division 05.04.1945
1 Platoon, A Company, 311th Engineer C. Bn. 97th Infantry Division 05.04.1945-09.04.1945
331st FA Battalion 97th Infantry Division 05.04.1945-09.04.1945
341st Infantry Regiment 97th Infantry Division 05.04.1945-09.04.1945
1st Battalion, 343rd Infantry Regiment 8th Infantry Division 06.04.1945-07.04.1945

Command Posts
Top

Date Town Region Country
03.03.1945 Yvetot Seine-Inferieure France
27.03.1945 Weiden (vic Cologne) Rhineland Germany
05.04.1945 Eibelshausen Hessen-Nassau Germany
09.04.1945 Erndtebruck Hessen-Nassau Germany
10.04.1945 Einsburg Hessen-Nassau Germany
11.04.1945 Bilstein Hessen-Nassau Germany
12.04.1945 Attendorn Westphalia Germany
14.04.1945 Ludenscheid Westphalia Germany
19.04.1945 Windsheim Bavaria Germany
21.04.1945 Ansbach Bavaria Germany
24.04.1945 Ellingen Bavaria Germany
25.04.1945 Eichstatt (5 miles North) Bavaria Germany
26.04.1945 Eitensheim Bavaria Germany
27.04.1945 Ingolstadt Bavaria Germany
29.04.1945 Wolnzach Bavaria Germany
30.04.1945 Freising Bavaria Germany
01.05.1945 Erding Bavaria Germany
04.05.1945 Purten (vic Aschau) Bavaria Germany
05.05.1945 Neu Oberndorf Ober Oesterreich Austria
08.05.1945 Burghausen Bavaria Germany
Sources & links: US Army Center of Military History
  86th Blackhawk Division Association
Site design & initiative: Hans Houterman
Site created by: Jeroen Koppes
Last update: 08.02.2003
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