[Webmaster Note: The following division information is reproduced
from the public domain publication, The Army Almanac: A Book of
Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. Government Printing Office,
1950. Portions of the information may be out of date. Only minor formatting changes and
typographical corrections have been made.]
World War II
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Activated: 15 July 1943.
Overseas: 26 January 1945.
Campaigns: Rhineland, Central-Europe.
Days of combat: 62.
Awards: DSC-1; DSM-1; SS-180; LM-1; SM-8; BSM-695; AM 10.
Commanders: Brig. Gen. Robert L. Spragins (July 1943-October 1944),
Maj. Gen. Eugene M. Landrum (October-November 1944),
Maj. Gen. Willard G. Wyman (November 1944-16 August 1945),
Brig. Gen. Onslow S. Rolfe (17 August 1945 10 October 1945),
Maj. Gen. Arthur A. White (October 1945-February 1946).
Returned to U.S.: 10 March 1946.
Inactivated: 12 March 1946.
Combat Chronicle
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The 71st Infantry Division arrived at Le Havre, France, 6 February 1945, and trained at
Camp Old Gold with headquarters at Limesy. The Division moved east, relieved
the 100th Division at
Ratswiller and saw its first action on 11 March 1945. Their ouster of the Germans
from France began 15 March. The Division moved through outer belts of the Siegfried
Line, captured Pirmasens, 21 March, and crossed the Rhine at Oppenheim, 30 March. The
71st continued the advance, taking Coburg without resistance, cutting the Munich-Berlin
autobahn, 13 April, and capturing Bayreuth after fierce opposition on the 16th. Moving
south, the Division destroyed Schonfeld, 18 April, took Rosenberg, crossed the Naab River
at Kallmunz on the 24th and crossed the Danube on the 26th. Regensburg fell on the next
day and Straubing on the 28th. As resistance crumbled, the Division crossed the Isar on
the 29th and entered Austria, 2 May. The 71st organized and occupied defensive positions
along the Enns River and contacted Russian forces east of Linz, 8 May, the day
before hostilities ceased. The Division was assigned occupational duties until
it left for home and inactivation 1 March 1946.
Assignments in the ETO
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21 January 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group. // 2 March 1945: Seventh Army, 6th
Army Group. // 9 March 1945: XV Corps. // 22 March 1945: XXI Corps. //
25 March 1945: VI Corps. // 29 March 1945: 12th Army Group. // 8 April 1945: Third
Army, 12th Army Group. // 11 April 1945: XII Corps. // 20 April 1945: XX Corps.
General
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Nickname: The Red Circle.
Shoulder patch: A red circle with a white center bearing the Arabic
numerals "71" in blue and placed diagonally.
Publication: History of the 71st Infantry Division; by unit
members; E. Kieser, KG, Inhofstrasse 13, Augsburg, Germany; 1946; 117 pp.
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