Summary of WWII operations

16 Sep 40 inducted into federal service at Ft Jackson S.C. as the 30th Division and moved to

Camp Forrest Tenn. 27 May 41 for the VII Corps Tennessee Maneuvers; returned to Ft Jackson S.C.1 Jul 41 and moved to Chester S.C. 27 Sep 41 for both Oct and Nov 41 Carolina Maneuver~ returned to Ft Jackson S.C. 29 Nov 41 where redesignated 30th Infantry Division 16 Feb 42 arrived Cp Blanding Fla 6 Oct 42 and Cp Forrest Tenn 30 May 43; relocated to Murfreesboro Tenn 4 Sep 43 and participated in the Second Army No.3 Tennessee Maneuvers; arrive' Camp Atterbury Ind 10 Nov 43 and staged at Camp Myles Standish Mass 31 Jan 44 until departed Boston Port of Embarkation 11 Feb 44; arrived England 23 Feb 44 and landed in France 10 Jun 44; crossed into Belgium 2 Sep 44 and into Holland 13 Sep 44 and into Germany 17 Sep 44; returned Belgium 17 Dec 44 and re-entered Germany 3 Feb 45; arrived Holland 6 Mar 45 and went back into Germany 19 Mar 45; arrived New York Port of Embarkation 21 Aug 45 and moved to Ft Jackson S.C. 24 Aug 4 where inactivated 25 Nov 45.

Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe

XIX Corps - 18 Feb 44	Ninth Army - 22 Oct 44
VII Corps - 15 Jul 44	V Corps (attached) - 17 Dec 44
XIX Corps - 28 Jul 44	XVIII (A/B) Corps - 21 Dec 44
V Corps - 4 Aug 44	XIX Corps - 3 Feb 45
VII Corps - 5 Aug 44	XVI Corps - 6 Mar 45
XIX Corps - 13 Aug 44	XIX Corps - 30 Mar 45
XV Corps - 26 Aug 44	XIII Corps - 8 May 45
XIX Corps - 29 Aug 44

Commanders: MG Henry D. Russell: Sep 40, MG Leland S. Hobbs: Sep 42, MG William H. Simpson: May 42, MG Albert C. Cowper: Sep 45

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Killed in Action: 3,003

30th Infantry Division Combat Narrative

"The division landed across Omaha Beach France on 10 Jun 44. The 120th Inf. captured Monmartin-en-Graignes the following day and then defended the Vire-Taute Canal line. The 117th Inf. attacked across the Vire and the 120th Inf. assaulted across the Vire-Taute Canal on 7 July 44, establishing a bridgehead at St Jean-de-Day which the 3rd Armd. Div. exploited. As the division advanced on St Lo it checked a German counterattack along the main Hauts-Vents Highway 11 July 44 and Pont Hebert fell after protracted fighting 14 July 44. Patrols reached the Periers-St Lo Road 18 July 44 and the division attacked across it 25 July 44 to drive beyond St Lo during Operation COBRA. The division took well defended Troisgots 31 July 44 and relieved the 1st Inf Div. near Mortain 6 Aug. 44. It was subjected to a strong German counterattack which ruptured its lines in the area on the following day during the battle for Avranches. The division went over to the offensive again 11 Aug. 44 and forced back German gains to Mortain.

The division then pushed east behind the 2nd Armd Div., taking Nonancourt 21 Aug. 44. It crossed into Belgium 2 Sep. 44, and advanced over the Meuse River at Vise and Liege 11 Sep. 44. The 120th Inf. occupied Lanaye Holland and captured the locks intact the same day, and on 14 Sep 44 the 117th and 119th Inf advanced into Maastricht. The 119th and 120th Inf. attacked toward the West Wall north of Aachen and the former reached positions commanding the Wurm River 18 Sep. 44. The division attacked across the river between Aachen and Geilenkirchen 2 Oct. 44 against strong German opposition, and the following day the 117th Inf. seized Uebach after house-to-house fighting as the 119th Inf. finally captured Rimburg Castle. The division was assisted by the 2nd Armd Div. as it continued slow progress in the West Wall, but was checked by a German counterattack on 9 Oct. 44 which isolated the 119th Inf. at North Wuerselen. The encirclement of Aachen was completed regardless on 16 Oct. 44 when the division made contact with the 1st Inf. Div."₂