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The History Of The Texas 36th Infantry Division
Unit Insignia:
The T-Patch was first used during the First World War. The Division was composed of men from the Texas and Oklahoma National Guards. The original choice of design was the Lone Star for Texas and an Indian Head for Oklahoma, but that insignia was adopted by the 2nd Infantry. Instead what was adopted was the T-Patch. It is in the shape of an arrow head to symbolize Oklahoma and sports a large T for Texas.
The Texas 36th In WW II:
On November 25, 1940 the Texas National Guard was inducted into federal service at San Antonio, Texas as the 36th Division with Major General Claude V. Birkhead as Division Commander. On December 14 the same year the Division was moved to Camp Bowie, Texas, near Brownwood. The Unit participated in the VIII Corps Brownwood Texas Maneuvers June 1-13, 1941 and returned to Camp Bowie until August 1941. They then moved to Mansfield, Louisiana for Third Army Maneuvers during August and September. On September 13 during these maneuvers and in the midst of a hurricane alert Major General Fred L. Walker was given command of the Division. October 2, 1941 saw the unit return to Camp Bowie. On February 1, 1942 the Unit was redesiginated 36th Infantry Division and reorganized in accordance with the standard "triangular" division system adopted by the US Army. On the 19th was relocated to Camp Blanding, Florida. While stationed at Camp Blanding the unit participated in the Carolina Maneuvers which took place from July 9 to August 15, 1942. Following the these maneuvers the Unit was again moved. This time to Camp Edwards, Massachusetts effective August 17, 1942. It took 40 trains to complete the move.
North Africa: More Training
The Division left the New York Port Of Embarkation on April 2, 1943. The bulk of the Division and it's associated material shipped out on the transports Brazil, Argentina, Gibbons, Barry and Hawaiian Shipper. The 636th Tank Destroyer Battalion was shipped on a special "steel vehicle-carrying ship" (no name given) with 24 new M-10 anti-tank vehicles and one company of the 636th Tank Destroyer Battalion acting as guards on board the ship.
While in North Africa the Unit trained at Arzew and Rabat, Morocco. Training in North Africa included amphibious training in preparation for the coming invasion of Italy.
Italy: Trial By Fire
D-Day
for Operation Avalanche, the invasion of Italy, was September 9, 1943. The 36th
Infantry Division, US 5th Army, led the American contingent of the invasion with
their assault on the ancient town of Paestum on the Gulf of Salerno. After much
confusion on the beaches the Unit managed to move inland against German
fortified positions. Four strong German counterattacks were repulsed including
one by the 132nd Field Artillery which has provided one of the more humorous
stories from this engagement. On September 12, 1943 the 142nd Infantry Division
was in position forward of the 132nd Field Artillery Division at Altavilla when
it was routed and elements began to filter back through the 132nd's positions.
It was soon reported that enemy troops were only 800 yards from the forward
field artillery positions. As Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel John N.
("Pete") Green recalled that Battery A's commander telephoned him to
get instructions. His answer was "If you see any damn Germans out there,
rap 'em on the head with the rammer staff (a long cylindrical object used to
push the shell into the artillery piece)." This cry was taken up by the
artillery troops which threw everything at them they had. This included anything
from small arms available up to the 105m howitzers of the unit fired with no
elevation at point blank range into the charging Germans with canister and
"Field Expedient" munitions stuffed in the breech. The division was
moved into reserve on September 20, 1943, after 11 days of hard combat, for much
needed rest and refitting.
November 16, 1943 found the unit on the move to the front again at Mignano Gap to relieve the 3rd Infantry Division. Despite the severest winter weather in Italy in years the unit captured several key mountains in the face of strong well organized and dug in German force. It was at this time War Correspondent Ernie Pyle wrote his famous dispatch "Capt. Waskow." On December 30, 1943 the unit once again moved into reserve. The Unit was back in combat on January 20, 1943 with an assault across the Rapido River in the Cassino area. Two days later the bridgehead across the river was defeated and units across the river were forced to retreat back across the river. During this time the 36th's Artillery was handed an off hand compliment by a German POW. It seems, despite the poor weather, the Artillery was keeping up a round the clock firing schedule which caused the POW to comment upon passing a field artillery position something along the line of "oh, that's the automatic artillery." On February 28, 1944 the Unit was withdrawn to assist the 34th Infantry Division in the Cassino area until being removed from combat for rehabilitation on March 12, 1944 due to accumulated combat losses. The Division was put ashore at the Anzio perimeter on May 22, 1944 and was immediately engaged in holding actions. The unit was involved in the breakout of the Anzio perimeter and the race to Rome. During this action the 111th Engineer Battalion distinguished it's self by building a 25 mile long 2nd class road, capable of handling tanks, over the 3,100 ft tall Mount Artemisio in just two days. This allowed the 36th to bypass the vulnerable Nemi-Velletri Highway. On June 4, 1944, two days before operation Overlord ("D-Day"), the Division entered Rome and continued up Highway 1 to eventually take the towns of Magliano and Piombino north of Rome. In late June 1944 the Unit was removed to Paestum for rehabilitation and rehearsal for the invasion of Southern France. While there, in July of 1944, Major General John E. Dahlquist replaced General Walker as Division Commander.
France, Germany, Austria: Mopping Up The Reich
Operation Anvil, the invasion of Southern France, began on
August 15, 1944 with the 36th landing in the Raphael-Frejus area. The Division
then began a quick push in and up the French Riveria. During this period the
Division was making unheard of gains translating into miles in a day. Because of
this when the Battle for Bruyeres, October 15-18, 1944, had drawn to a close the
1st Battalion of the 141st Regimental Combat Team found it's self cutoff from
the Division. The attached 442nd Regimental Combat Team ("Nisei") was
given, and accomplished, the difficult task of breaking through and
"rescuing" the Battalion.
On March 20, 1945 the 36th began it's assault the vaunted
Siegfried Line in the Ober-Otterbach area and the final push into the
"Fatherland." The attack on the Siegfried Line was not an easy matter.
The Siegfried Line was well built and well defended despite the fact that
Germany was all but defeated. The 36th entered Germany on March 23, 1945.
The Division crossed into Austria on May 7, 1945. The Barvaria region of Austria
was rich with the private residents of the Nazi elite along with the rest &
relaxation centers and training centers for the SS. This led to may fanatical
German holdouts against all hope in this area. It was in this area the 36th
captured it's most famous prisoners:
In addition to its captures the Texas 36th liberated many notables:
The 36th liberated the concentration camps in the Dachau, Hurlach and Landsberg area.
The end of the Second World War found the 36th at Kufstein, Austria. November of 1945 brought a new Division Commander, Brigadier General Robert I. Stack.
Stateside: The Return Home
The unit arrived back in the states at Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation on December 15, 1945 and was inactivated that date at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, thus bringing to end the involvement of the 36th Infantry Division in the Second World War.
Unit Combat Statistics:
Special Thanks to Dan Burton for all his help with this page. http://www.ghg.net/burtond/