[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 Portions of the information may be out of date.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 I
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Saw no combat; was activated 25 August 1917, went overseas in August 1918, returned
to United States in November 1918, and was inactivated in January 1919.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Barry (25 August 1917),
Brig. Gen. Lyman W. V. Kennon (26 November 1917),
Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Barry (15 February 1918),
Brig. Gen. Lyman W. V. Kennon (21 March 1918),
Brig. Gen. Charles H. Martin (18 April 1918),
Maj. Gen. Charles H. Martin (30 April 1918),
Brig. Gen. Lincoln C. Andrews (19 October 1918).
World War II
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Activated: 15 December 1942.
Overseas: 19 February 1945, for the ETO; 24 August 1945, for the Pacific.
Campaigns: Central Europe.
Days of combat: 34.
Awards: DSC-2; DSM-1; SS-12; LM-1; SM-1; BSM-282; AM-2.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. Alexander E. Anderson (December 1942),
Maj. Gen. Harris M. McLasky (4 January 1943-December 1945),
Maj. Gen. Paul J. Mueller (January 1946-April 1946),
Maj. Gen. Harry F. Hazlett (June 1946 to inactivation).
Returned to U.S.: 17 June 1945, from the ETO.
Overseas: 24 August 1945.
Inactivated: 30 December 1946 on Leyte, Philippine Islands.
Combat Chronicle
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The 86th Infantry Division arrived in France, 4 March 1945, and moved to
Koln, Germany, taking over defensive positions near Weiden, 24 March, in
relief of the
8th Infantry Division. After
a short period of patrolling on both sides of the Rhine, the Division was
relieved, and moved across the Rhine to Eibelshausen, Germany, 5 April. In
a rapid offensive advance, the 86th moved across the Bigge River, cleared
Attendorn, 11 April, and continued on to the Ruhr, taking part in the Ruhr
pocket fighting. On 21 April, the Division moved to Ansbach and continued
to advance, taking Eichstatt on the 25th, crossing the Danube on the 27th,
securing the bridge over the Amper Canal, 29 April, crossing the Isar and
reaching Mittel Isar Canal by the end of the month. The Division was ordered
to take Wasserburg, 1 May, and leading elements had reached the outskirts
of the city when they were ordered to withdraw, 2 May, and to move east
to Salzburg. The Division was securing the left flank of the XV Corps,
when the war in Europe ended. After processing German prisoners of war,
it was redeployed to the United States, arriving in New York 17 June 1945. The
Division trained briefly at Camp Gruber, Okla., 21 June-11 August 1945; and
then left San Francisco, 24 August 1945, for the Philippines.
Assignments in the ETO
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30 January 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group. // 22 March 1945: VII Corps,
First Army, 12th Army Group. // 30 March 1945: XXII Corps, Fifteenth
Army, 12th Army Group. // 5 April 1945: XVIII (Abn) Corps, First
Army, 12th Army Group. // 19 April 1945: Third Army, 12th Army
Group. // 22 April 1945: III Corps. // 2 May 1945: XV Corps, Seventh
Army, 6th Army Group.
General
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Nickname: Blackhawk Division.
Shoulder patch: Small red shield with initials "B" and "H" in black
superimposed upon a design of a blackhawk superimposed, in
turn, upon a red shield.
Publication: Pictorial Review; by unit members; Albert Love
Enterprises, Atlanta, Ga.; 1944.
• 86th Infantry Division Links
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• 86th Infantry Division Medal of Honor Recipients
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