351st Infantry Regiment The Allies, however, were torn: an invasion of France was being planned and they did not know how best to use all their troops. Instead the unit took the name "Blue Devils", which was intended to be an insult which called them deceptive and ruthless, to their liking and chose to rename their unit. The 88th attacked to the northwest, with their orders being to cut Highway 6 then head eastward towards Rome. On 5 and 6 July 1944, the 88th was once again back at the front. In early May 1945 troops of its 349th Infantry Regiment joined the 103d Infantry Division of the VI Corps of the U.S. In forty-four days of fighting, the 88th had lost more than 6,000 men killed, wounded, or missing. BG Paul Kendall, who led the expedition, was the first member of the 88th to set foot on foreign soil. The Army Historical Foundation is the designated official fundraising organization for the National Museum of the United States Army. The 349th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army's 88th Infantry Division, the "Blue Devils. The 88th Infantry Division. The rest of the division was sent to Lake Garda, where they were given the assignment of guarding 300,000 POWs. From the date of its landing in Naples until the end of hostilities, the 88th Infantry Division was one of the most battle-tested divisions, earning the nickname "Blue Devils" from the German Army. Visualizza altre idee su Guerra mondiale, Seconda guerra mondiale, Storia. The Germans had spent six months digging themselves into caves, wrecked buildings, and rocky ridges. Many thought BG Kendall was not of the same caliber as MG Sloan. The Blue Devils saw to it that MG Sloan was good on his word: the 88th Infantry Division had well finished the job it had started long before in World War I. They were called the Blue Devils by Nazis because they fought like devils. Tired and battle worn, many in the Fifth Army had been fighting since Salerno, Sicily, or even as far back as North Africa. The Blue Devils moved into Bolzano, the city that had once been the headquarters of the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe. The units were losing men faster than they could be replaced, but orders remained unchanged: the 88th Division was to keep going. Upon inspection of the division, all were satisfied and impressed with the progress made by the men of the 88th. That attack occurred 28 September when elements of four German divisions assaulted the 350th Infantry atop Mount Battaglia. The soldiers began to wonder when, and if, they would ever see the front. The days passed, and by mid-April, both the Germans and the Allies had twenty-two divisions in Italy. Highway 6 was cut on 2 June, and by 3 June, the Blue Devils were just 4,000 yards from their objective. By 2200 on 8 July, the town was in American hands. Book. An advanced party of officers and men flew to Italy in late December 1943 under the command of BG Kendall. By November, there was nothing more they could do in the drive through the Apennines. This name was taken from German propaganda, which was shouted over speakers with the intentions of demoralizing U.S. troops. The 88th was driving through the Dolomite Alps toward Innsbruck, Austria, when the hostilities ended on 2 May 1945. During the time it was in combat, from March 4 1944 to May 2 1945, the Blue Devils suffered over four thousand battle casualties, of whom twelve hundred were killed in action. The division was finally inactivated on 24 October 1947 in Italy. Chart Enlisted Men's Uniform Insignias CD 2 1 Page - … The 351st Infantry Regiment was activated in July 1942 at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma as part of the 88th Infantry Division. It was during this battle that the 3d Battalion, 351st Infantry, earned a Distinguished Unit Citation. Originally, the unit was known as the "Clover Leaf Battalion" but later became known as the "Fighting Blue Devils". The Gustav line had been cracked. Office Hours The Germans were trying to keep the Allies as far south as possible as possible to avoid having them get anywhere close to Germany itself. Quite a short story of the American 88th Div "The blue Devils" in Italy. It was once again rainy, cold and miserable at the front. Many of them remained in Italy for the next two years. The ruse worked, and the relief went smoothly. There were no more reserves, but the North Apennines campaign had to continue. After resting in Montecatini, the 88th was once again headed back to the front on 24 January 1945. The war in Italy had ended. The Army Historical Foundation is the designated official fundraising organization for the National Museum of the United States Army. John was eventually assigned to the 351st Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Division. The Blue Devils Enter Rome. Even residents of cities and towns near Camp Gruber held the new outfit in high esteem. By the end of World War II the 88th Infantry fought its way to the northernmost extreme of Italy. The 88th Division played a major role in the battle of Italy, where it was rated by the Germans after the summer of 1944 as the best American division in Italy. Our funding helps to acquire and conserve Army historical art and artifacts, support Army history educational programs, research, and publication of historical materials on the American Soldier, and provide support and counsel to private and governmental organizations committed to the same goals. The division fought in the For seven bloody days, the Blue Devils threw back every assault and held the critical position. Soldiers on both sides had to trudge around the mountains in deep mud and water. The weather was often wet and cold; the terrain was muddy and hilly; and the men were always sore and tired. The offensive began in April. Fighting continued through 14 May, when the 1st Battalion moved on the town from the right and the 3d Battalion pushed upwards. They did little more there than heavy patrolling and maintaining defensive positions, and were once again pulled out of line for further rehabilitation. The 351st faced heavy fire on 18 May 1944 in its attempt to take Monte Grande, while the 349th and 350th advanced from Roccasecca to the Amaseno Valley, which they cleared on 28 May. American Trucking Associations Announced as Founding Supporter of the National Museum of the United States Army, USA Today Includes National Museum of the United States Army in 10 Best New Attractions. Vicenza fell three days later. The 351st, however, did not fare as well as its counterpart. That same day, the 88th was ordered to relieve the British 5th Infantry Division in the Minturno section of the Fifth Army line. They were to relieve the 91st Infantry Division near Loiana and Livergnano. John W Black, my pap. They were involved in some brief but intense fighting at Monterosi, battling German tanks and hoping to buy time for the main body of troops who were blasting Nazi soldiers fleeing north by Highway 2. Reprint, revised, of the original 1947 edition, issued ca. The only people who were not originally confident in the 88th were the soldiers themselves. The 88th Division arrived overseas with about 14,000 men. Upon landing, the men were assigned to Camp Passage. While he and his advance party members were busy preparing to receive the division, the 351st Infantry Regiment began its slow voyage across the ocean to North Africa. U. S. ARMY 88TH INFANTRY DIVISION (BLUE DEVILS) -  The 88th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army that saw service in both World War I and World War II. The battalion arrived at the front on 27 February. Once the past the Po Valley, the 88th headed to the Alps. On 2 November 1943, an advance party of ten officers left Camp Patrick Henry for North Africa. The 88th was ordered to seize the ancient Etruscan fortress town of Volterra, location of a large German garrison. Quite a short story of the American 88th Div "The blue Devils" in Italy. Because of the outstanding job it did in Italy, the 88th contributed its share to the winning of the war. For those fighting in the European Theater, World War II was over. It was produced by Jeffrey Wisotsky whose father and uncle were both in the 88th. The 88th Units were shuttled up and down the front in the hope of confusing the enemy. Even under the worst circumstances, the men of the 88th gave their all and wound up playing and integral part in the defeat of the German Army in Italy. 7:30 a.m. -3:00 p.m. Goodbye 2020 - Welcome 2021 - Happy New Year. Dad read it and wanted to know why his name wasn't in the appendix (He was 88 at the time and was slipping a little). To fool any enemy observers, the American soldiers wore British helmets while the switch took place. Sloan was tough, but the toughness paid off — total casualties in the division only numbered 134 officers and 1,844 enlisted men after 100 days of heavy fighting. Many mourned the men that did not make it to see the end. Done in secret, the 88th took command of the British sector 4 March 1944. Soon after they won Mount Ceracoli, and soon after that they captured Mount Rotondo. The 88th received its new orders: follow the Germans north. 88th Infantry Division Blue Devils Discussion Group Meet Others Post Pictures Ask Questions Sponsored by MtMestas.com Click Here. Shoulder patch: An infantry blue quatrefoil, formed by two Arabic numeral "8's". Orders came in to hold and dig in where they were. This campaign and operations route map charts the journey throughout Italy for the 88th Division during World War II. Our focus is towards preserving Family and Historical knowledge. Most importantly, they learned it was best never to volunteer for anything. In 344 days of combat, the 88th Infantry Division lost 2,298 men killed in action and 9,225 men wounded. On 19 July the Allies dug in at San Miniato, where they soon experienced the brutality of the Nazis. They were there primarily to recover from the voyage, have a few decent meals, see a few recent movies, and enjoy a quick sample of life in Casablanca. The Blue Devils proved that with rigorous training, teamwork, competent leadership, and fierce determination, an all-draftee division was more than capable of fighting well against a well-trained, well-equipped, and battle-hardened enemy. It was difficult to get supplies to the troops and evacuate the wounded. The division was so fierce in battle that German prisoners supposedly remarked that the troops of the 88th fought “like devils.” As a result, the division eventually adopted the nickname the “Blue Devils” in reference to their blue shoulder patches. Late in the night on 3 January 1944, the first members of the 88th went into the line with the Fifth Army. Although the Germans put up a fierce fight, Mount Diamano fell to the 350th Infantry in less than an hour. MG Sloan was forced to retire in August of 1944 due to his worsening dermatitis. Our funding helps to acquire and conserve Army historical art and artifacts, support Army history educational programs, research, and publication of historical materials on the American Soldier, and provide support and counsel to private and governmental organizations committed to the same goals. New York: 88th Infantry Division Association, 1968. We seek to educate future Americans to fully appreciate the sacrifices that generations of American Soldiers have made to safeguard the freedoms of this Nation. Originally printed in 1947, this is a superb history of the 88th 'Blue Devil' Division that fought in Italy from May 1944 until end of war in April 1945. After breaking out of the mountains, the 88th Division was thrust right back into combat. The happiness and celebration that followed the entry into the capital city soon gave way to the reality of war. It was one of the first of the Organized Reserve divisions to be reactivated, created nearly "from scratch" after the implementation of the draft in 1940. In the first few weeks, the draftees had to learn how to make a bed, sweep and mop a floor, police an area, what the letters “K.P.” meant, how to stand at attention, how to march, field sanitation, basic first aid, military organization, close-order drill, courtesy, discipline and the difference between stripes and bars. Not one man was lost during any of the crossings. The 349th Infantry came behind the 350th and 351st and led the division’s advance across the Ausonia Valley. While studying the Allies to figure out where to launch his main attacks, Field Marshall Albert Kesselring, the German commander, held his reserves in preparation for a surprise counter-attack. A corps from New Zealand and one from France took over the American sector of the line. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Young and inexperienced, the men began formal training 3 August 1942. 88th Infantry Division – Blue Devils 89th Infantry Division – “The Rolling W” The 90th Infantry Division – “Tough ‘Ombres” 91st Infantry Division – “Powder River” 92nd Infantry Division “Buffalo Soldiers” 93rd Infantry Division – The Blue Helmets 94th Infantry Division – “Pilgrim Division,” 95th Infantry Division – “The Victory Division” 96th Infantry Division Deadeyes 97th Infantry Division – “The Trident division” the 88th Infantry Division Blue Devils, the Mt.Mestas Memorial Monument, PFC Felix B. Mestas, Jr., and the Invasion of Italy and Trieste (TRUST) periods of World War II between 1942-1954. 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