76th Infantry Division (United States)
| 76th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
76th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia
|
|
| Active | 1917–19 1942–45 1963–96 2013–present |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Branch |
 United States Army
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Nickname(s) | "Onaway Division," "Liberty Bell Division" |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| 2015-present | Major General Ricky L. Waddell |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |  |
The 76th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I, World War II and the Cold War. The division was deactivated in 1996 and has been reconstituted as the 76th US Army Reserve Operational Response Command in 2013.
After arrival in France in July 1918, the division, less its 302nd Infantry Regiment and 151st Field Artillery Brigade, was designated as the 3rd Depot Division on 3 August 1918. Most of its troops were used as replacements for front line units which reduced the division to 7,000 troops. The division was skeletonized on 7 November 1918 - four days before the Armistice.
Intensive training began on 12 April 1943. The was followed by advanced training in July 1943 at A.P. Hill Military Reservation near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Winter training started in September 1943 at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin. (Skis, snowshoes, toboggans, snow tractors, snow goggles, winter camouflage suits, Eskimo parkas, etc.) Simultaneously, advanced training group moved in November 1943 to Northern Michigan near Watersmeet. Winter training experts from Mountaining Training Center at Camp Hale, Colorado gave special training program. Additional winter training began at Ottawa National Forest near Watersmeet, Michigan on 19 February 1944. During this training temperatures dropped to −28 °F.
Four exercises were conducted during which the 385th Infantry Regiment (headquartered in Pori, Michigan, opposed the division as an enemy force.
On 12 March 1944, the division returned to Camp McCoy. 7,000 troops were taken from the 76th to build up forces for the impending invasion of France (D-Day) during April 1944.
In November 1944, trains headed to Camp Myles Standish in Taunton, Massachusetts for staging before transport to Europe. On Thanksgiving Day 1944, three transports sailed from Boston Port of Embarkation to Europe.
...
Wikipedia