Engineer
36th Engr Regt: 25 Jun 1944 – 15 Jun 1944
290th Engr Cbt Bn: 14-20 Jan 1945
2831st Engr Cbt Bn: 15-19 Apr 1945
Field Artillery
36th FAB (155-MM Gun): 11 Jul 1944 – 19 Aug 1944
69-AFAB: 11 Jul 1944 – 8 Nov 1944
634-FAB (155-MM How): 14 Jul 1944 – 19 Aug 1944
1 Det, 2-FAOB: 23 Jul 1944 – 30 Aug 1944
36-FAB (155-MM Gun): 30 Aug 1944 – 3 Sep 1944
634-FAB (155-MM How): 30 Aug 1944 – 3 Sep 1944
Hq & Hq Btry, 6-FAG: 30 Aug 1944 – 3 Sep 1944
977-FAB (- Btry C) (155-MM Gun): 8-10 Sep 1944
93-AFAB: 18-28 Nov 1944
Hq & Hq Btry, 17-FAG: 15-31 Dec 1944
977-FAB (155-MM Gun): 21-31 Dec 1944
141-FAB (155-MM How): 21 Dec 1944 – 9 Feb 1945
999-FAB (8″ How): 31 Dec 1944 – 19 Jan 1945
6-AD Artillery: 14-18 Mar 1945
693-FAB (105-MM How): 14 Mar 1945 – 20 Apr 1945
208-FAB (155-MM Gun): 14 Mar 1945 – 20 Apr 1945
208-FAG: 17-18 Mar 1945
250-FAB (105-MM How): 19 Mar 1945 – 12 Apr 1945
44-ID Artillery: 24-27 Mar 1945
969-FAB (155-MM How): 26-29 Apr 1945
693-FAB (105-MM How): 29 Apr 1945 – 7 May 1945
283-FAB (105-MM How): 2-6 May 1945
Infantry
141-IR (36-ID): 7-8 Sep 1944
E Co, 398-IR (100-ID): 17-18 Nov 1944
254-IR (63-ID): 28 Dec 1944 – 9 Feb 1945
1st Bn, French Prcht Regt: 10-20 Jan 1945
Tank Destroyer
601-TDB (SP): 13 Jul 1944 – 1 Jul 1945
Navy
1st Naval Beach Bn: 15 Jul 1944 – 15 Aug 1944
1 det Boat Gds: 15 Jul 1944 – 15 Aug 1944
5 Naval Shore Fire Control Parties: 18 Jul 1944 – 20 Aug 1944
3-ID Attachments to
Field Artillery
41-FAB to 36-ID: 18-21 Dec 1944
Infantry
30-IR to 36-ID: 15-18 Dec 1944
30-IR (- Co L) to 36-ID: 18-21 Dec 1944
2/15-IR to 36-ID: 20-21 Dec 1944
3rd Infantry Division – Command Posts
(1943-?)
15 August 1944 – La Croix (vic) – Var – France
16 August 1944 – Grimaud (vic) – Var – France
16 August 1944 – Cellobrieres (vic) – Var – France
18 August 1944 – Gonfaron (vic) – Var – France
19 August 1944 – Brignoles (vic) – Var – France
20 August 1944 – Trets (vic) – Bouches-du-Rhone – France
21 August 1944 – Aix (vic) – Bouches-du-Rhone – France
25 August 1944 – Cadenet (vic) – Vaucluse – France
26 August 1944 – Le Barroux (vic) – Vaucluse – France
27 August 1944 – Crillon (vic) – Vaucluse – France
28 August 1944 – La Begude (vic) – Drome – France
31 August 1944 – Voiron (vic) – Isere – France
1 September 1944 – Cremieu (vic) – Isere – France
2 September 1944 – Lagnieu (vic) – Ain – France
3 September 1944 – Poncin (vic) – Ain – France
4 September 1944 – Le Fied (vic) – Jura – France
5 September 1944 – Pagnoz (vic) – Jura – France
6 September 1944 – Tarcenay (vic) – Doubs – France
9 September 1944 – Besancon – Doubs – France
10 September 1944 – Devecey – Doubs – France
11 September 1944 – Rioz (vic north) – Haute-Saone – France
12 September 1944 – Rioz (vic north) – Haute-Saone – France
13 September 1944 – Dampierre (vic) – Haute-Saone – France
14 September 1944 – Les Belles Baraques – Haute-Saone – France
15 September 1944 – Les Belles Baraques – Haute-Saone – France
16 September 1944 – Mollans – Haute-Saone – France
20 September 1944 – Breuchotte – Haute-Saone – France
25 September 1944 – Faucegney – Haute-Saone – France
27 September 1944 – Remiremont – Vosges – France
20 October 1944 – Grandvilliers – Vosges – France
26 October 1944 – Brouvelieures – Vosges – France
12 November 1944 – Autrey – Vosges – France
20 November 1944 – St Remy – Vosges – France
23 November 1944 – La Chapelle – Vosges – France
25 November 1944 – Saales – Bas-Rhin – France
26 November 1944 – Mullerhof Chateau – Bas-Rhin – France
27 November 1944 – Mullerhof – Bas-Rhin – France
28 November 1944 – Strasbourg (vic) – Bas-Rhin – France
21 December 1944 – Ribeauville – Haut-Rhin – France
7 January 1945 – La Poutroie – Haut-Rhin – France
11 January 1945 – Ste-Marie-aux-Mines – Haut-Rhin – France
23 January 1945 – Ribeauville – Haut-Rhin – France
1 February 1945 – Riedweiler – Haut-Rhin – France
20 February 1945 – Pont-a-Mousson – Meurthe-et-Moselle – France
14 March 1945 – Ettingen – Moselle – France
18 March 1945 – Brenschelbach – Pfalz – Germany
23 March 1945 – Kaiserslautern – Pfalz – Germany
24 March 1945 – Altleiningen – Pfalz – Germany
25 March 1945 – Bobenheim – Pfalz – Germany
27 March 1945 – Burstadt – Hessen – Germany
28 March 1945 – Heppenheim – Hessen – Germany
30 March 1945 – Pfaffen Beerfurth – Hessen – Germany
31 March 1945 – Seckmauern – Bavaria – Germany
1 April 1945 – Ruck – Bavaria – Germany
3 April 1945 – Weibersbrunn – Bavaria – Germany
4 April 1945 – Partenstein – Bavaria – Germany
6 April 1945 – Burgsinn – Bavaria – Germany
7 April 1945 – Schondra – Bavaria – Germany
8 April 1945 – Bad Kissingen – Bavaria – Germany
10 April 1945 – Massbach – Bavaria – Germany
12 April 1945 – Mechenried – Bavaria – Germany
13 April 1945 – Priesendorf – Bavaria – Germany
15 April 1945 – Reundorf – Bavaria – Germany
16 April 1945 – Hemhofen – Bavaria – Germany
17 April 1945 – Neunkirchen – Bavaria – Germany
18 April 1945 – Buchenbuhl – Bavaria – Germany
24 April 1945 – Kirkingen – Bavaria – Germany
26 April 1945 – Kicklingen – Bavaria – Germany
27 April 1945 – Wertingen – Bavaria – Germany
29 April 1945 – Oberhausen – Bavaria – Germany
30 April 1945 – Uberracker – Bavaria – Germany
1 May 1945 – Neuaubing – Bavaria – Germany
2 May 1945 – Unter Haching – Bavaria – Germany
4 May 1945 – Siegsdorf – Bavaria – Germany
6 May 1945 – Salzburg – Salzburg – Austria
Narrative
The 3-ID landed in North Africa northeast of Fedala, being a part of Operation Torch which was the British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North African Campaign which started on November 8, 1942. The 3-ID entered Casablanca on November 11. Assigned the occupation of half of French Morocco, the 7-IR (3-ID) arrived behind the 1-ID for a possible commitment on the Tunisian front on May 6, 1943. However, the division was soon pulled out to train for the pending operation against Sicily, which it assaulted on July 10. With the assistance of the naval gunfire, the division took Agrigento on July 16-17 and reached Palermo ahead of armored columns on July 22. On August 1, the 3-ID relieved the 45-ID to drive east along the coastal highway. Despite mines and demolitions the 15-IR (3-ID), again assisted by naval gunfire, forced crossings over the Furano River on August 4. The 7-IR (3-ID) landed ahead of the general advance and a battalion of the 30-IR (3-ID) repeated a coastal landing east of Agata on August 7. This same battalion outflanked the retreating enemy by another successful landing at Capo d’Orlando on August 10. The division ended the Sicilian Campaign by racing its 7-IR into Messina, still under fire from the hostile Italian Coast, on August 16.
Nine days after the invasion of Italy the division landed at Salerno and started north into the mountains, driving through Battipaglia to take Acerno on September 22. It captured Avellino in a night assault on September 30 and crossed the Volturno River east of Capua on October 13. It seized Cisterna on October 15 and then fought a furious ten-day battle for the Winter Line which commenced on November 5. Its 15-IR on Mont Lungo was relieved on December 31 by the 6-IR (3-ID). The division assaulted Anzio, on January 22, 1944, and was heavily engaged for the next four weeks. After being prevented from achieving its objectives by the overwhelming German opposition in the area, the division was regrouped on January 27. On January 29, a German counterattack forced it back to the Mussolini Canal, but the division contained this threat.
It defeated the final German attack on the Anzio perimeter in the Ponte Rotto sector on February 3. It attacked out of the Anzio beachhead on March 23 and was designated at the garrison of Rome on June 4, remaining in the latter city as 5-A Reserve. The division landed in the Bay of Cavalaire and the Bay of Pampelonne, France, on August 15, 1944, and cleared St Tropez by August 17. The 15-IR and the 30-IR swept down National (Highway) 7 toward Toulon, and on August 24, the 3-ID reached the valley of the Rhône River at Arles. It cleared rearguard opposition from Montélimar, was relieved at the end of the month, and assembled at Voiron. On September 6, it returned to the attack and take Fort Fontain, opening the way to the outer defenses of Besançon, which fell to the division the following day.
On September 11, the division invested Vesoul and reached the Moselle River, which it crossed over on a bridge round intact near Rupt at midnight on September 23. It then took over the St Amé area from the 36-ID. Renewing the offensive on October 4, the 7-IR assaulted Vageny which fell 3 days later as the 15-IR reduced a quarry strong point near Cleurie after a week-long battle. Advancing against formidable resistance toward Saint Dié, the 15-IR seized Etival as German opposition crumbled on the Meurthe River. The 7-IR and the 30-IR crossed it in the Clairefontaine – St Michel area before dawn on November 20 and spearheaded the drive on Strasbourg. The division emerged from the Vosges onto the Alsatian Plain and entered Strasbourg on November 27 to relieve the French 2-AD. On December 5, the division began its attack toward the Maginot Line and cleared Bennwihr on December 24 after which it was relieved by the 28-ID. The 3-ID renewed its offensive against the Colmar Pocket again on January 26, 1945, and crossed the Colmar Canal supported by the French 5th Armored Division on January 29.
At the end of the month, it took Horbourg and the 7-IR was on the outskirts of Colmar. It assaulted the West Wall Line on March 18, taking numerous pillboxes and bunkers, and the division seized the bridge at Zweibruecken intact on March 20. After saturation bombing of the hostile shore, the division crossed the Rhine River on March 26 and advanced rapidly to the Main River which it crossed at Woerth on March 30. In April the division moved into the Hohe Rhon Hills and opened its rapid advance on Nuremberg on April 11. The division entered the city on April 17 to take it block by block against determined resistance, finally clearing the heavily fortified city on April 21. The 3-ID began the drive toward Augsburg on April 23 and relieved the 12-AD at the Dilligen Bridgehead. Augsburg was captured by the 7-IR and the 15-IR against light opposition on April 28, and the next day the division initiated its push toward Munich. On May 4, 1945, the 7-IR crossed into Austria through Salzburg to Berchtesgaden, where the division was located when hostilities and the Second World War ceased on May 7, 1945.