U.S. 87th Infantry Division

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The 87th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II.

1 World War I
2 World War II
- 2.1 Combat Chronicle
- 2.2 Assignments in the European Theater of Operations
3 General
4 References

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World War I

87th Division was a National Army division allocated to Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
was activated at Camp Pike, Arkansas on 25 August 1917.
went overseas in September 1918, was utilized as a pool of laborers.
returned to the Continental US in January [[1919] to Camp Dix, New Jersey, and was Deactivated in February, 1919.
was reassigned to the Organized Reserve program in 1921, and allocated to Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Commanders:

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World War II

Activated: 15 December 1942 at Camp McCain, Mississippi.
Training: Moved to the Tennessee Maneuver Area on December 3, 1943, for the Second Army #4 Tennessee Maneuvers; Consolidated to Fort Jackson, South Carolina on January 20, 1944 for divisional training.
Staged at Camp Kilmer, at Stelton (now Edison), New Jersey, on October 10, 1944 until it received its Port Call to the New York Port of Embarkation in Brooklyn, NY.
Overseas: Deployed to the European Theater on 17 October 1944.
Arrived England on November 12, 1944, and Staged for movement to France.
Moved to Cherbourg, France on December 5, 1944, and was assigned to US 3rd Army on November 25, 1944.
was further assigned to US III Corps on December 4, 1944, and to US XII Corps on December 11, 1944, and to US XV Corps on December 21, 1944, and to US VIII Corps on December 29, 1944.
Crossed into Belgium on January 12, 1945, and returned to XII Corps on January 14, 1945.
Crossed into Luxembourg on January 21, 1945, and assigned to VIII Corps on January 25, 1945.
Due to discontinuity of German railroad system, 87th ID was routed to Germany by returning to Belgium on February 3, 1945.
Entered Germany Mar 16, 1945, and remained to VE Day.
Returned to Continental US at New York Port of Embarkation on July 11, 1945, and proceeded to Fort Benning, Georgia on July 14, 1945 to prepare for deployment to Japan.
Was at Fort Benning on VJ Day.
87th Infantry Division was deactivated on September 21, 1945, at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
Days of combat: 154.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 2.
Awards:

Commanders:

MG Percy W. Clarkson (December 1942-October 1943),
MG Eugene M. Landrum (October 1943-April 1944),
MG Frank L. Culin, Jr. (April 1944 to inactivation).

Returned to U. S.: 11 July 1945.
Inactivated: 20 September 1945.

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Combat Chronicle

The 87th Infantry Division arrived in Scotland, 22 October 1944, and trained in England, 23 October-30 November. It landed in France, 1-3 December, and moved to Metz, where, on the 8th, it went into action against and took Fort Driant. The Division then shifted to the vicinity of Gross Rederching near the Saar-German border on 10 December and captured Rimling, Obergailbach, and Guiderkirch.

The 87th was moving into Germany when Von Rundstedt launched his offensive in the Ardennes. The Division was placed in SHAEF reserve, 24-28 December, then thrown into the Bulge battle in Belgium, 29 December. In a fluctuating battle, it captured Moircy on the 30th and Remagne on the 31st. On 2 January 1945, it took Germont, on the 10th Tillet, and reached the Ourthe by the 13th. On 15 January 1945, the Division moved to Luxembourg to relieve the 4th Division along the Sauer and seized Wasserbillig on the 23d. The 87th moved to the vicinity of St. Vith, 28 January, and attacked and captured Schlierbach, Selz, and Hogden by the end of the month. After the fall of Neuendorf, 9 February, the Division went on the defensive until the 26th, when Ormont and Hallschlag were taken in night attacks. The 87th crossed the Kyll River, 6 March, took Dollendorf on the 8th, and after a brief rest, returned to combat, 13 March 1945, crossing the Moselle on the 16th and clearing Koblenz, 18-19 March. The Division crossed the Rhine, 25-26 March, despite strong opposition, consolidated its bridgehead, and secured Grossenlinden and Langgons. On 7 April, it jumped off in an attack which carried it through Thuringia into Saxony. Plauen fell, 17 April, and the Division took up defensive positions, 20 April, about 4 miles from the Czech border. On 6 May 1945, it took Falkenstein and maintained its positions until VE-day.