89th INFANTRY DIVISION
"Middle West Division"
"Rolling W Division"
The division insignia consists of a black "W" within a circular black tower. The division personnel, during World War I, was drawn primarily from the Middle West, and the "W" indicates its western origin; when inverted, the letter becomes "M" and thus the name, "Middle West" Division. On its side, the letter represents the Greek letter "sigma", the symbol of summation that is, coordination or single effort. The circle is that geometrical figure which can come to stability in any position, yet move rapidly in answer to a change of forces.
Motto: "Get It Done!"
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COMMAND AND STAFF
Commanding General
| 22 January 1945 | Maj. Gen. Thomas D. Finley |
Assistant Division Commander
| 22 January 1945 | Brig. Gen. John N. Robinson |
Artillery Commander
| 22 January 1945 | Brig. Gen. John T. Bissel |
Chief of Staff
| 22 January 1945 | Col. Norman M. Winn |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-1
| 22 January 1945 | Lt. Col. Harold E. Sanford |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-2
| 22 January 1945 | Lt. Col. Charles M. Myrick |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-3
| 22 January 1945 | Lt. Col. George H. Gerhart |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-4
| 22 January 1945 | Lt. Col. James A. Wilson |
Adjutant General
| 22 January 1945 | Lt. Col. Vernon J. Blondell |
Commanding Officer, 353d Infantry
| 22 January 1945 | Col. Frank R. Maerdian |
Commanding Officer, 354th Infantry
| 22 January 1945 | Col. Robert C. Aloe |
| 17 April 1945 | Col. Curtis D. Renfro |
Commanding Officer, 355th Infantry
| 22 January 1945 | Col. Jesse T. Harris |
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STATISTICS
Chronology
| Activated | 15 July 1942 |
| Arrived ETO | 22 January 1945 |
| Arrived Continent (D+230) | 22 January 1945 |
| Entered Combat | 12 March 1945 |
| Days in Combat | 57 |
Casualties (Tentative)
| Killed | 222 |
| Wounded | 692 |
| Missing | 91 |
| Captured | 1 |
| Battle Casualties | 1,006 |
| Non-Battle Casualties | 1,074 |
| Total Casualties | 2,080 |
| Percent of T/O Strength | 14.6 |
Campaigns
Rhineland
Central Europe
Individual Awards
| Legion of Merit | 5 |
| Silver Star | 45 |
| Soldiers Medal | 1 |
| Bronze Star | 164 |
Prisoners of War Taken 43,512
COMPOSITION
353d Infantry
354th Infantry
355th Infantry
89th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
314th Engineer Combat Battalion
314th Medical Battalion
89th Division Artillery
340th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
341st Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
914th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
563d Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
Special Troops
714th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
405th Quartermaster Company
89th Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Headquarters Company
Band
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ATTACHMENTS
Antiaircraft Artillery
| 550th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) | 5 Mar 45-31 May 45 |
Armored
| 748th Tk Bn | 25 Mar 45-6 Apr 45 |
| 707th Tk Bn | 6 Apr 45-31 Apr 45 |
Chemical
| Co A, 91st Cml Mort Bn | 9 Mar 45-23 Mar 45 |
| Co B, 93d Cml Mort Bn | 4 Apr 45-20 Apr 45 |
Tank Destroyer
| 811th TD Bn (SP) | 6 Mar 45-12 Mar 45 |
| 602d TD Bn (SP) | 12 Mar 45-29 May 45 |
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DETACHMENTS
(Attached to)
Infantry
| 355th CT | 11th Armd Div | 17 Mar 45-21 Mar 45 |
| …914th FA Bn | 11th Armd Div | 17 Mar 45-21 Mar 45 |
| …Co C, 314th Engr C Bn | 11th Armd Div | 17 Mar 45-21 Mar 45 |
| 355th CT | 4th Armd Div | 3 Apr 45-6 Apr 45 |
| …914th FA Bn | 4th Armd Div | 3 Apr 45-6 Apr 45 |
| …Co C, 314th Engr C Bn | 4th Armd Div | 3 Apr 45-6 Apr 45 |
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ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO HIGHER UNITS
| DATE | CORPS | ARMY | ARMY GROUP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assigned | Attached | Assigned | Attached | ||
| 18 Jan 45 | ETOUSA; 12th | ||||
| 21 Jan 45 | Fifteenth | 12th | |||
| 4 Mar 45 | XII | Third | 12th | ||
| 23 Mar 45 | VIII | Third | 12th | ||
| 22 Apr 45 | VIII | First | 12th | ||
(-) Indicates relieved from assignment.
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COMMAND POSTS
| DATE | TOWN | REGION | COUNTRY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jan 45 | Fecamp (vic) (Camp Lucky Strike) | Seine-Inferieure | France |
| 22 Feb 45 | Blangy | Seine-Inferieure | France |
| 6 Mar 45 | Mersch | Luxembourg | |
| 10 Mar 45 | Ralingen | Rhineland | Germany |
| 10 Mar 45 | Speicher | Rhineland | Germany |
| 13 Mar 45 | Gillenfeld | Rhineland | Germany |
| 15 Mar 45 | Bad Bertrich | Rhineland | Germany |
| 18 Mar 45 | Peterswald | Rhineland | Germany |
| 20 Mar 45 | Rhaunen | Rhineland | Germany |
| 22 Mar 45 | Soberheim | Rhineland | Germany |
| 24 Mar 45 | Lingerhahn | Rhineland | Germany |
| 25 Mar 45 | Badenhard | Rhineland | Germany |
| 28 Mar 45 | Weisel | Hessen-Nassau | Germany |
| 29 Mar 45 | Bad Schwalbach | Hessen-Nassau | Germany |
| 3 Apr 45 | Hersfeld | Hessen-Nassau | Germany |
| 4 Apr 45 | Nesselroden | Thuringia | Germany |
| 8 Apr 45 | Waltershausen | Thuringia | Germany |
| 11 Apr 45 | Arnstadt | Thuringia | Germany |
| 13 Apr 45 | Bad Berka | Thuringia | Germany |
| 15 Apr 45 | Kahla | Thuringia | Germany |
| 16 Apr 45 | Weida | Thuringia | Germany |
| 18 Apr 45 | Werdau | Saxony | Germany |
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