united_states infantry division united_states_army major formation based boston massachusetts history today division heritage carried formed july activated august camp edwards consisting units new_england area division commander selected nickname yankee division highlight division geographic makeup sent europe world war division saw extensive combat france sent europe world war division fought france advancing germany concentration camp end war following end world war division remained active command national_guard gradually expanding command contain units divisions consolidated division called support major major combat eventually reorganized brigade 29th history world war constituted july formally activated august year boston massachusetts division commanded brigades comprising national guard units massachusetts connecticut rhode_island new_hampshire vermont maine contained contained shortly division commander major general called press conference determine nickname newly formed division edwards decided settle suggestion yankee division subordinate units division new_england shortly division approved shoulder sleeve insignia reflect september division arrived saint france second division arrive theater time division wholly organized united_states joining additional divisions completed wave american troop deployment 2nd division formed france arriving october division immediately moved training division soldiers raw recruits new military service division force trained experienced french forces trained extensively divisions organized january moved quiet sector trenches february remained relatively quiet region lines des months relieved near april line taken extended vicinity west far jury right french line joined american line division headquarters stay division sector marked encounters enemy considerable forces engaged furthermore nightly encounters patrols ambush parties fire artillery sides active april lines held near french left heavily attacked germans enemy secured advanced trenches strongly held succeeded driving enemy losses line entirely established late april german infantry conducted raid positions attacks americans war april german field artillery bombarded positions near german moved village artillery box barrage continuing hours isolated american units germans overwhelmed machine gun company infantry companies temporarily breached trenches elements division rallied recaptured village germans withdrew division counterattack inflicted casualties including killed wounded captured losing men including killed similar raids struck infantry june repulsed 26th division relieved june moved train entered line northwest relieving july size grew division placed command july campaign began shortly division placed command french sixth army protecting east flank offensive began division advanced spine weeks pushing moving miles july august pulled lines near prepare offensive division offensive battle saint division moved position major offensive war campaign war armistice signed shortly world war division spent days combat suffered killed action wounded action division returned united_states camp massachusetts years following world war division remained national_guard seeing periodic major deployments weekend training replaced guard replaced replaced briefly year later relieved division order form world war army wide reorganization division brigade headquarters disbanded favor regimental commands division instead based regiments assigned division 39th 26th company 26th major general took command division lead rest war deploying overseas 26th trained camp campbell kentucky europe division assigned 12th commanded lieutenant general shipped united_states directly france sent britain landed france september enter combat division month later elements patrol duty coast september saw action october division reassigned october 26th relieved canal rhine sector maintained defensive positions division launched limited objective attack october woods november 26th went offensive took november advanced captured december house house fighting reaching fortifications december entering december time reassigned rest interrupted german offensive battle division moved north december battle break attacked december beat strong german captured christmas day heavy fighting attacked forced withdraw face determined german resistance january attacked crossing january division continued advance taking january crossed river january division reassigned division immediately shifted east bank maintained defensive positions area january march division drive rhine river jumped march carried division march rhine march rhine march division reassigned took house house reduction march broke drove april helped reduce april moving southeast austria division assisted capture changed direction advance moving northeast czechoslovakia cease fire order received day later division overran concentration camp conjunction german forces discovered germans forced labor elaborate tunnel system underground aircraft production facilities officers camp allegedly planned demolish tunnels prisoners inside movement 11th armored divisions prevented post war world war spent days combat time suffered killed action wounded action missing action prisoners war non battle casualties total casualties conflict soldiers division received medals honor won distinguished service crosses seven merit silver stars soldier medals division returned united_states camp massachusetts december cold war division reactivated april boston remained major command command took control units states following consolidation division remained active reserve component selected deployments cold war division received distinctive unit insignia division reorganized accordance organization probably battle groups division reorganized 1st division reorganized plan regimental commands favor brigades headquartered headquartered springfield massachusetts division units infantry infantry division organized light infantry division time established provide air support consolidated 26th division command dissolved arose place battalions formed basis new divisional april division relocated camp edwards massachusetts division headquarters consolidated place assigned division round unit following end cold war army began process forces army reactivated 29th began forces consolidating result army decided brigade command 29th september division 26th designated place based springfield 3rd 43rd brigades command october division formally designated 29th 26th brigade transitioned 26th yankee infantry brigade honors division received campaign world war campaign world war total campaign operational lifetime campaign legacy city boston massachusetts route nicknamed honor contribution concentration camp united_states continually flies division colors entrance high profile memorial ceremonies honoring divisions assisted liberation german concentration camps notable members division include surviving veteran world war dog served division combat world war resident member division awarded medal honor france world war additionally members division received medal honor world war
26th Infantry Division (United States)