8th US Infantry Division "Pathfinder"
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Divisional information
Divisional troops
Attachments
Assignments
Detachments
Command Posts


Divisional information

History
Activated 01.07.1940
Arrived ETO 15.12.1943
Arrived Continent (D+28) 04.07.1944
Entered Combat (First Elements) 06.07.1944
Entered Combat (Entire Division) 08.07.1944

Statistic
Days in Combat 266
Prisoners of War Taken 316187

Casualties (Tentative)
Killed 2239
Wouded 10370
Missing 514
Captured 335
Battle Casualties 13458
Non Battle Casualties 7598
Total Casualties 21056
Percent of T/O Strength 149.4%

Individual Awards
Distinguished Service Cross32
Legion of Merit11
Silver Star709
Soldiers Medal30
Bronze Star2287
Air Medal106

Campaigns
Normandyin WWII
Northern Francein WWII
Rhinelandin WWII
Central Europein WWII

Commanding General (CG)

15.12.1943 Maj.-Gen. William C. McMahon
12.07.1944 Brig.-Gen. Donald A. Stroh
30.08.1944 Maj.-Gen. Donald A. Stroh
28.11.1944 Brig.-Gen. W.G. Weaver
08.01.1945 Brig.-Gen. James A. Pickering (acting)
14.01.1945 Brig.-Gen. W.G. Weaver
06.02.1945 Maj.-Gen. W.G. Weaver
25.02.1945 Brig.-Gen. Bryant E. Moore

Assistant Division Commander
15.02.1944 Brig.-Gen. Nelson M. Walker
12.07.1944 Col. Cyrus H. Searcy
26.07.1944 Col. Charles D.W. Canham
01.09.1944 Brig.-Gen. Charles D.W. Canham

Artillery Commander
15.12.1943 Brig.-Gen. James A. Pickering

Chief of Staff
15.02.1944 Col. Thomas J. Cross
27.11.1944 Lt.-Col. Thomas B. Whitted (Jr.)
09.02.1945 Col. Thomas B. Whitted (Jr.)
22.03.1945 Lt.-Col. Joseph K. Gibson

Assistant Chief of Staff G-1
01.02.1944 Maj. Edwin W. Grenelle
31.03.1944 Lt.-Col. Edwin W. Grenelle

Assistant Chief of Staff G-2
15.12.1943 Lt.-Col. Joseph K. Gibson
22.03.1945 Maj. Laban G. Lively
01.05.1945 Lt.-Col. Laban G. Lively

Assistant Chief of Staff G-3
16.02.1944 Lt.-Col. Thomas H. Beck
01.04.1945 Lt.-Col. Fielder P. Greer

Assistant Chief of Staff G-4
15.02.1944 Lt.-Col. Thomas B. Whitted (Jr.)
27.11.1944 Maj. Jacob Shacter
20.12.1944 Lt.-Col. Jacob Shacter

Assistant Chief of Staff G-5
31.05.1944 Maj. Richard G. Croft
06.11.1944 Lt.-Col. Richard G. Croft
16.04.1944 Maj. Lester A. Ahroon

Adjutant General
15.02.1944 Lt.-Col. James D.C. Breckinridge
03.02.1945 Maj. Cromartie

Other information
Call sign Granite


Divisional troops

Infantry

13th Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
28th Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
121st Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Field Artillery (FA)
 
43rd FA Battalion (105mm Howizter) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
45th FA Battalion (105mm Howizter) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
56th FA Battalion (105mm Howizter) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
28th FA Battalion (155mm Howizter) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Other troops
 
8th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
8th Quartermaster Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
12th Engineer Combat Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
8th Medical Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
8th Signal Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
708th 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)
 
445th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile) 11.07.1944-12.05.1945

Armor
 
709th Tank Battalion 13.07.1944-26.01.1945
CC R, 5th Armored Division 20.11.1944-16.12.1944
740th Tank Battalion 06.02.1945-13.03.1945 & 06.04.1945-12.05.1945
CC R, 13th Armored Division 14.04.1945-17.04.1945

Cavalry
 
89th Cavalry Recon Squad, 9th Armored Division (less C & D Troops) 23.10.1944-01.11.1944
89th Cavalry Recon Squad, 9th Armored Division (less A & D Troops) 01.11.1944-10.11.1944
13th Cavalry Group 25.12.1944-05.02.1945

Chemical
 
86th Chemical Mortar Battalion 07.07.1944-20.09.1944 & 19.11.1944-24.12.1944
C & D Companies, 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion 09.02.1945-10.03.1945
C & D Companies, 95th Chemical Mortar Battalion 04.04.1945-18.04.1945
B & C Companies, 89th Chemical Mortar Battalion 29.04.1945-12.05.1945

Field Artillery (FA)

174th FA Group 16.08.1944-20.09.1944
196th FA Group 20.08.1944-20.09.1944
402nd FA Group 13.09.1944-20.09.1944
969th FA Group 02.10.1944-10.11.1944
687th FA Group 02.10.1944-10.11.1944
76th FA Battalion (105mm Howitzer) 19.11.1944-21.12.1944
18th FA Battalion (105mm Howitzer) 20.11.1944-06.12.1944
188th FA Battalion (155mm Howitzer) 26.11.1944-11.12.1944 & 08.02.1945-28.02.1945
987th FA Battalion (155mm Gun) 26.11.1944-11.12.1944
210th FA Group 02.05.1945-12.05.1945
548th FA Group 02.05.1945-12.05.1945
965th FA Group 02.05.1945-12.05.1945

Infantry
 
2nd Ranger Infantry Battalion 17.09.1944-20.12.1944
52nd Armored Infantry Battalion, 9th Armored Division 23.10.1944-30.10.1944
60th Armored Infantry Battalion, 9th Armored Division 02.11.1944-09.11.1944
112th CT, 28th Infantry Division 04.02.1945-11.02.1945
311th Infantry Regiment, 78th Infantry Division 09.12.1944-23.12.1944
16th CT, 1st Infantry Division 06.02.1945-07.02.1945
1st Battalion, 343rd Infantry Regiment, 86th Infantry Division 06.04.1945-07.04.1945

Tank Destroyer (TD)
 
644th TD Battalion (SP) 15.07.1944-28.04.1945
893rd TD Battalion (SP) 19.11.1944-10.12.1944
817th TD Battalion (T) 09.12.1944-08.02.1945


Assignments
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Date Assigned to Corps Assigned to Army Attached to Army Assigned to Army Group Attached to Army Group
30.11.1943     First Army ETOUSA  
24.12.1943 XV Corps   First Army    
11.01.1944 XV Corps        
01.07.1944 VIII Corps   First Army    
01.08.1944 VIII Corps Third Army   12th Army Group  
05.09.1944 VIII Corps Ninth Army   12th Army Group  
22.10.1944 VIII Corps First Army   12th Army Group  
19.11.1944 V Corps First Army   12th Army Group  
18.12.1944 VII Corps First Army   12th Army Group  
20.12.1944 XIX Corps Ninth Army   12th Army Group 21st Army Group (British)
03.02.1945 VII Corps First Army   12th Army Group  
02.04.1944 XVIII Airborne Corps First Army   12th Army Group  
26.04.1945 XVIII Airborne Corps Ninth Army Second Army (British) 12th Army Group 21st Army Group (British)

Detachments
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Unit Attached to  
28th FA Battalion 4th Armored Division 27.07.1944-03.08.1944
13th Infantry Regiment 4th Armored Division 27.07.1944-03.08.1944
45th FA Battalion 6th Armored Division 18.08.1944-21.08.1944
28th FA Battalion 6th Armored Division 18.08.1944-21.08.1944
43rd FA Battalion 82nd Airborne Division 29.04.1945-01.05.1945
56th FA Battalion 82nd Airborne Division 30.04.1945-01.05.1945
C Company, 12th Engineer Combat Battalion 82nd Airborne Division 01.05.1945

Command Posts
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Date Town Region Country
15.12.1943 Belfast   Northern Ireland
26.01.1944-01.03.1944 Knockmore   Northern Ireland
15.03.1944 Omagh Tyrone Northern Ireland
30.06.1944 Afloat    
04.07.1944 Utah Beach (landed) Manche France
09.07.1944 La Fosseraie Manche France
25.07.1944 La-Haye-du-Puits Manche France
27.07.1944 St-Patrice-de-Claids Manche France
28.07.1944 La-Haye-du-Puits (vic SE) Manche France
05.08.1944 Betton (vic E) Ille-et-Vilaine France
18.08.1944 Lesneven Finistere France
30.08.1944 Plouvien Finistere France
14.09.1944 La Fontaine Blanche Ille-et-Vilaine France
20.09.1944 La Bosere Ille-et-Vilaine France
22.09.1944 Lanviguer Ille-et-Vilaine France
30.09.1944 Grosbous -- Luxembourg
03.10.1944 Wiltz -- Luxembourg
19.11.1944 Rott Rhineland Germany
17.12.1944 Germeter Rhineland Germany
27.12.1944 Zweifall Rhineland Germany
16.01.1945 Groshau Rhineland Germany
10.02.1945 Merode Rhineland Germany
25.02.1945 Duren Rhineland Germany
02.03.1945 Bergerhausen Rhineland Germany
28.03.1945 Hachenburg Hessen-Nassau Germany
31.03.1945 Haiger Hessen Nassau Germany
07.04.1945 Siegen Westphalia Germany
09.04.1945 Buschhutten Westphalia Germany
11.04.1945 Olpe Westphalia Germany
12.04.1945 Kierspe Westphalia Germany
13.04.1945 Meinerzhagen Westphalia Germany
14.04.1945 Filde Westphalia Germany
15.04.1945 Milspe Westphalia Germany
23.04.1945 Elberfeld Westphalia Germany
27.04.1945 Gerdau Mecklenburg Germany
02.05.1945 Hagenow Mecklenburg Germany
03.05.1945 Schwerin Mecklenburg Germany
Sources & links: US Army Center of Military History
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