Partial bibliography: A Soldier’s Story by Omar N. Bradley
Brave Men by Ernie Pyle (the quote named Tommy Clayton, but was generalized here because Ernie Pyle saw him as an example of the infantrymen he loved.)
Crusade in Europe by Dwight D. Eisenhower
The U.S. Infantryman in World War II by Robert S. Rush
Foot Soldier by Roscoe C. Blunt, Jr.
Links for Listings of United States Divisions during WW II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Army_divisions_during_World_War_II http://www.historyshots.com/usarmy/
Army Battle Casualties and Non-battle Deaths in World War II
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/ref/Casualties/index.html
3rd 'Marne' Infantry Division
http://www.custermen.com/ItalyWW2/Units/Division3.htm
Total casualties greater than 34,000
National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association
http://www.4thinfantry.org/content/division-history Total casualties of 34,000
29th Infantry Division
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/29th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)
45th Infantry Division
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)
Remembering the Thunderbirds – Oklahoma’s 45th Infantry Division
http://www.baptistmessenger.com/remembering-the-thunderbirds-oklahomas-45th-infantry-division/ Total casualties of 62,640 When Gen. George S. Patton described the 45th Infantry Division, he said it was “one of the finest, if not the finest infantry division in this history of modern warfare.”
Churchill, Ike, & The "Epic Human Tragedy" Of The First Wave At Omaha
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-06-06/churchill-ike-epic-human-tragedy-first-wave-omaha
A D-Day Survivor Story
https://biggeekdad.com/2019/05/a-d-day-survivor-story/
They’re still The Greatest Generation.
At least to me.
“Eighty years ago on May 8, the survivors realized they could go home”
Except those that had just found out they were scheduled to deploy to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan.
Thank you…
My old man, airborne, twice wounded, was one of those who got to come home.
His brothers as well
Three of his cousins were not so lucky.
Despite being informed, you still conflate infantryman with rifleman. Every member of an infantry regiment in WW2 was eligible for the CIB. I haven’t counted them, but I’d bet there were at least 40 different MOS that qualified. Yes, a machine gunner was an infantryman if serving in an infantry unit; yes, a cook was an infantryman if serving in an infantry unit. Do some research and correct your misstatements.
Thanks for this informative post on V-E day.
Most normies have zero sense of history except from the TV, maybe this will help.
reading this reminded me of the scene in Audie Murphy’s movie To Hell and Back, when his platoon was riding on the back of Sherman tank.
One of infantryman said to the tanker they got it made, and the tanker said back to him that the tank only had 3 inches of armor. The infantryman sarcastically responded, how thick do you think this shirt is!
Yet for many it would be 1946 before enough replacement troops were in place as a occupying force to allow them to go home.
And the bomber squadrons took terrible losses, too.
Entire divisions were nearly wiped out again and again. His story of 8 months of combat from D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge.
Of all the men and officers who started out in Company F of the 4th Infantry Division with him, Wilson was the only one who finished. (out of 160 men)
“If you survive your first day, I’ll promote you.”
If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer’s Riveting True Story
https://tinyurl.com/23kp5bvv
Lt. Wilson takes you on the D-Day walking tour of Europe. The battles are all there, along with the names of places we all know from WWII history. His service was exemplary - three Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, and a Silver Star.
Rick Spell
The Ultimate WWII GI Book comment: A green officer who eloquently describes his fear on his first combat where he falls between two tanks doing battle and amazingly is spared. Of course when you are quickly in a battle where 6 of 80 are surviving, you grow up quickly.