Reviewed by Doc Snafu on April 15, 2026.
Document Source: Order of Battle of the United States Army, World War II, European Theater of Operations. Office of the Theater Historian, Paris, France, December 20, 1945.
29th Infantry Division – Blue and Gray Division
The division insignia, as suggested by Major J.A. Ulio (later Major General, the Adjutant General), then Division Adjutant, is the monad, the Korean symbol of eternal life. It is half blue and half gray in matching teardrop design. The colors represent the tradition of the division, composed of men of both North and South, whose forefathers fought in the Union (blue) and the Confederate (gray) Armies during the Civil War.
The 29th Infantry Division, known as the “Blue and Gray Division,” traces its origins to the National Guard formations reorganized in the aftermath of the First World War. Officially constituted in 1917 and reorganized in 1921, the division drew its personnel primarily from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia—states historically aligned on opposing sides during the American Civil War. This unique heritage gave rise to its distinctive nickname, symbolizing the reunification of former Union blue and Confederate gray under a single national banner.
Mobilized for active service on February 3, 1941, the division underwent an extensive period of training in the United States before deployment overseas. After staging in England in October 1942, the 29th Infantry Division engaged in nearly two years of intensive preparation for large-scale amphibious operations. This period included rigorous exercises along the British coast, where the division refined assault tactics, coordination with naval forces, and combined-arms integration—skills that would prove essential for the coming invasion of occupied Europe.
On June 6, 1944, elements of the 29th Infantry Division took part in the assault on Omaha Beach during the Allied landings in Normandy. Facing some of the strongest German defenses encountered on D-Day, the division suffered heavy casualties but played a decisive role in securing a foothold on the beach. Units such as the 116th Infantry Regiment, in conjunction with attached Ranger elements, advanced through intense enemy fire to breach the coastal defenses and enable the continued flow of Allied forces inland.
Following the landings, the division participated in the bitter fighting across the Norman bocage, where dense hedgerows and limited visibility favored the defender. The 29th Infantry Division advanced methodically, engaging in a series of attritional battles that culminated in the capture of key objectives such as Saint-Lô in July 1944—a critical breakthrough that facilitated the Allied advance across France.
From Normandy, the division continued its operations through northern France, Belgium, and into Germany, contributing to the reduction of enemy resistance and the eventual collapse of German forces in Western Europe. Throughout the campaign, the 29th Infantry Division demonstrated resilience, cohesion, and combat effectiveness, establishing itself as one of the most experienced and battle-hardened divisions of the U.S. Army during the Second World War.
Commanding General
11 Oct 1942 – Maj Gen Leonard T Gerow
22 Jul 1943 – Maj Gen Charles H Gerhardt
Assistant Division Commander
11 Oct 1942 – Brig Gen George Alexander
13 Oct 1943 – Brig Gen Norman D Cota
31 Aug 1944 – Col Leroy H Watson
07 Dec 1944 – Brig Gen Leroy H Watson
Artillery Commander
11 Oct 1942 – Brig Gen William H Sands
Chief of Staff
11 Oct 1942 – Col James H Hagan
10 Jan 1944 – Lt Col Karl W Curtis
28 Apr 1944 – Col Godwin Ordway Jr
13 Jun 1944 – Lt Col William G Purnell (Actg)
15 Jun 1944 – Col Edward H McDaniel
05 Oct 1944 – Lt Col Louis G Smith
26 Nov 1944 – Col Harry R Warfield (Actg)
13 Dec 1944 – Lt Col Louis G Smith
10 Jan 1945 – Col Louis G Smith
Assistant Chief of Staff G-1
11 Oct 1942 – Lt Col Cooper B Rhodes
26 Nov 1944 – Maj George P Page (Actg)
10 Dec 1944 – Lt Col Cooper B Rhodes
28 Mar 1945 – Maj James L Hayes (Actg)
05 May 1945 – Maj James L Hayes
Assistant Chief of Staff G-2
11 Oct 1942 – Lt Col Norman C Atwood (Actg)
05 Dec 1942 – Lt Col Norman C Atwood
14 Feb 1944 – Maj Paul W Krznarich
15 Jul 1944 – Lt Col Paul W Krznarich
Assistant Chief of Staff G-3
11 Oct 1942 – Lt Col Carey Jarman
17 Dec 1943 – Maj William J Witte
01 May 1944 – Lt Col William J Witte
Assistant Chief of Staff G-4
11 Oct 1942 – Lt Col Louis M Gosorn
10 Apr 1945 – Maj Stanley WT Phillips
Assistant Chief of Staff G-5
23 Feb 1944 – Capt Asa B Gardiner
13 Oct 1944 – Capt Walter D Buttner
24 Oct 1944 – Maj Donovan P Yeuell Jr
16 Dec 1944 – Lt Col Donovan P Yeuell Jr
01 Jan 1945 – Maj Robert E Walker
11 Jan 1945 – Maj J P Powhida (Actg)
24 Apr 1945 – Maj Robert E Walker (Actg)
Adjutant General
11 Oct 1942 – Maj Robert H Archer Jr
01 Nov 1944 – Lt Col Robert H Archer Jr
CO 115th Infantry Regiment
11 Oct 1942 – Col Eugene N Slappey
13 Jun 1944 – Col Godwin Ordway Jr
18 Jul 1944 – Col Alfred V Ernie
11 Aug 1944 – Lt Col Louis G Smith
05 Oct 1944 – Col Edward H McDaniel
19 Oct 1944 – Lt Col Edley Craighill
21 Nov 1944 – Lt Col William O Blandford
13 Mar 1945 – Col William O Blandford
CO 116th Infantry Regiment
11 Oct 1942 – Lt Col Morris A Warner
16 Mar 1943 – Col Charles D W Canham
07 Jul 1944 – Col Philip R Dwyer
11 Oct 1944 – Col Philip R Dwyer
13 Nov 1944 – Lt Col Harold A Cassel
03 Dec 1944 – Lt Col Sidney V Bingham Jr
29 Mar 1945 – Col Sidney V Bingham Jr
CO 175th Infantry Regiment
11 Oct 1944 – Col Philip Wood
01 May 1944 – Col Paul R Goode
11 Jun 1944 – Lt Col Alexander George
18 Jun 1944 – Lt Col William C Purnell
23 Jun 1944 – Col Ollie W. Reed
30 Jun 1944 – Lt Col William C Purnell
01 Oct 1944 – Col William C Purnell
20 Feb 1945 – Lt Col Arthur T Sheppe
21 Feb 1945 – Col Harry D McHugh
11 Mar 1945 – Col Edward O McDaniel
Operational Chronology
Activated: February 3, 1941
Arrived in the European Theater: October 11, 1942
Landed in Normandy: June 6, 1944
First Elements Entered Combat: June 6, 1944
Entire Division Entered Combat: June 7, 1944
Days in Combat: 242
Casualties (Tentative)
Killed: 3.720
Wounded: 15.403
Missing: 462
Captured: 526
Battle Casualties: 20.111
Non-Battle Casualties: 8.665
Total Casualties: 28.776
Percent of T/O Strength: 204.2%
Campaigns
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Central Europe
Individual Awards
Distinguished Service Cross: 40
Legion of Merit: 11
Silver Star: 856
Soldier’s Medal: 25
Bronze Star: 5.954
Air Medal: 176
Prisoners of War Captured
4.912
Composition – Organic Units
115th Infantry Regiment
116th Infantry Regiment
175th Infantry Regiment
29th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
121st Engineer Combat Battalion
104th Medical Battalion
29th Quartermaster Company
29th Signal Company
729th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
Military Police Platoon
Headquarters Company
Division Band
29th Infantry Division Artillery
110th Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM Howitzer)
111th Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM Howitzer)
224th Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM Howitzer)
227th Field Artillery Battalion (155-MM Howitzer)
Special Troops
29th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
121st Engineer Combat Battalion
104th Medical Battalion
729th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
29th Quartermaster Company
29th Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Headquarters Company
Division Band
Attachments
Antiaircraft Artillery
1 det Sq & Hq Btry, 49th AAA Brigade — 07 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
Hq & Hq Btry, 18th AAA Group — 07 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
110th AAA Gun Battalion (Mobile) — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
457th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile) — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
1 det 413th AAA Gun Battalion (Mobile) — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
1 det 320th AAA Balloon Battalion — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
459th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile) — 09 Jun 1944 to 17 Aug 1944
1 British RAF Detachment (Radar) — 02 Sep 1944
459th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile) — 28 Sep 1944 to 29 Oct 1944
554th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile) — 06 Nov 1944 to 15 Aug 1945
18th AAA Group — 04 Apr 1945 to 16 Apr 1945
141st AAA Gun Battalion (Mobile) — 14 Apr 1945 to 16 Apr 1945
379th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile) — 14 Apr 1945 to 16 Apr 1945
571st AAA AW Battalion (SP) — 14 Apr 1945 to 16 Apr 1945
Armored
743d Tank Battalion — 17 May 1944 to 14 Jun 1944
747th Tank Battalion — 17 May 1944 to 17 Aug 1944
Co A, 709th Tank Battalion — 23 Aug 1944 to 21 Sep 1944
1 Squadron, British 141st Royal Armoured Corps (79th Armoured Division) — 12 Sep 1944 to 18 Sep 1944
747th Tank Battalion — 02 Sep 1944 to 06 Mar 1945
44th Tank Battalion (- Co A) — 30 Sep 1944 to 03 Nov 1944
1 Platoon, Headquarters, 739th Tank Battalion — 09 Feb 1945 to 26 Feb 1945
747th Tank Battalion — 29 Mar 1945 to 23 Jul 1945
Cavalry
Hq & Hq Troop, Cavalry Corps — 17 May 1944 to 10 Jun 1944
102d Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron — 17 May 1944 to 10 Jun 1944
113th Cavalry Group — 18 Jul 1944 to 20 Jul 1944
102d Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (- Tr A) — 14 Aug 1944 to 17 Aug 1944
102d Cavalry Group (- 102d Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron) — 16 Aug 1944 to 17 Aug 1944
Troops A & E, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (6th Armored Division) — 23 Aug 1944 to 10 Sep 1944
113th Cavalry Group — 30 Sep 1944 to 03 Nov 1944
17th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron — 17 Dec 1944 to 24 Dec 1944
113th Cavalry Group — 05 Feb 1945 to 07 Feb 1945
125th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron — 05 Feb 1945 to 07 Feb 1945
113th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron — 05 Feb 1945 to 07 Feb 1945
15th Cavalry Group — 14 Apr 1945 to 16 Apr 1945
15th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron — 14 Apr 1945 to 16 Apr 1945
175th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron — 14 Apr 1945 to 16 Apr 1945
Chemical
Companies B & D, 1st Chemical Mortar Battalion — 07 Jun 1944 to 01 Jul 1944
81st Chemical Mortar Battalion — 07 Jul 1944 to 13 Jul 1944
Companies A & D, 1st Chemical Mortar Battalion — 12 Aug 1944 to 17 Aug 1944
81st Chemical Mortar Battalion (- Companies A & D) — 16 Aug 1944 to 17 Aug 1944
Company A, 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion — 23 Aug 1944 to 16 Sep 1944
Company B, 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion — 11 Sep 1944 to 13 Sep 1944
Hq & Companies A & B, 92d Chemical Mortar Battalion — 06 Nov 1944 to 21 Dec 1944
83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion – 20 Dec 1944 – 12 Jan 1945
1st Plat Co C 92nd Chemical Mortar Battalion – 11 Jan 1945 – 15 Jan 1945
83rd Chemical SG Co – 6 Feb 1945 – 23 Feb 1945
92nd Chemical Mortar Battalion – 8 Feb 1945 – 28 Feb 1945
89th Chemical Mortar Battalion – 20 Apr 1945 – 30 Apr 1945
Co C 3rd Chemical Mortar Battalion – 30 Apr 1945 – 3 May 1945
Engineer
992d Engineer Treadway Bridge Company — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
503d Engineer Light Ponton Company — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
5th Engineer Special Brigade — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
6th Engineer Special Brigade — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
Hq & Hq Company, 1171st Engineer Combat Group — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
1340th Engineer Combat Group — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
502d Engineer Light Ponton Company — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
1 det, 996th Engineer Treadway Bridge Company — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
234th Engineer Combat Platoon — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
Hq & Hq Company, 121st Engineer Combat Group — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
254th Engineer Combat Battalion — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
610th Engineer Light Equipment Company — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
246th Engineer Combat Battalion — 30 Sep 1944 to 12 Oct 1944
Company B, 22d Engineer Combat Battalion — 30 Sep 1944 to 02 Oct 1944
Company B, 234th Engineer Combat Battalion — 30 Sep 1944 to 12 Oct 1944
Company C, 234th Engineer Combat Battalion — 06 Oct 1944 to 07 Oct 1944
Company C, 234th Engineer Combat Battalion — 11 Oct 1944 to 22 Nov 1944
1 det, 234th Engineer Combat Battalion — 22 Feb 1945 to 23 Feb 1945
Field Artillery
Hq & Hq Battery, V Corps Artillery — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
1 det, 17th FA Observation Battalion — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
Hq & Hq Battery, 110th FA Group — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
190th FA Battalion (155-MM Gun) — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
186th FA Battalion (155-MM Howitzer) — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
200th FA Battalion (155-MM Gun) — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
187th FA Battalion (155-MM Howitzer) — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
58th Armored FA Battalion — 17 May 1944 to 14 Jun 1944
230th FA Battalion (30th Infantry Division) (155-MM Howitzer) — 11 Jun 1944 to 14 Jun 1944
1 Battery, 200th FA Battalion (155-MM Gun) — 11 Jun 1944 to 14 Jun 1944
967th FA Battalion (155-MM Howitzer) — 10 Jul 1944 to 27 Jul 1944
203d FA Battalion (105-MM Howitzer) — 11 Oct 1944 to 02 Nov 1944
203d FA Battalion (105-MM Howitzer) — 06 Nov 1944 to 26 Jan 1945
967th FA Battalion (155-MM Howitzer) — 08 Nov 1944 to 21 Dec 1944
70th FA Battalion (105-MM Howitzer) — 17 Dec 1944 to 02 Mar 1945
592d FA Battalion (155-MM Howitzer) — 27 Jan 1945 to 30 Jan 1945
83d Division Artillery — 08 Feb 1945 to 26 Feb 1945
323d FA Battalion (83d Infantry Division) (155-MM Howitzer) — 08 Feb 1945 to 28 Feb 1945
Infantry
26th Combat Team (1st Infantry Division) 17 May 1944 – 7 Jun 1944
33rd Field Artillery Battalion (1st Infantry Division)(105-MM How)13 May 1944 – 7 June 1944
1 det Hq & Hq Btry 1st Division Artillery – 17 May 1944 – 7 Jun 1944
Company C, 1st Engineer Combat Battalion (1st Infantry Division) — 17 May 1944 to 07 Jun 1944
2d Ranger Infantry Battalion — 07 Jun 1944 to 10 Jun 1944
5th Ranger Infantry Battalion — 07 Jun 1944 to 10 Jun 1944
1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment (28th Infantry Division) — 31 Jul 1944 to 31 Jul 1944
Companies D, E & F, 2d Ranger Infantry Battalion — 23 Aug 1944 to 11 Sep 1944
2d Ranger Infantry Battalion (- Companies D, E & F) — 26 Aug 1944 to 18 Sep 1944
5th Ranger Infantry Battalion (- Companies A, C & E) — 31 Aug 1944 to 18 Sep 1944
Companies A, C & E, 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion — 04 Sep 1944 to 18 Sep 1944
Netherlands Companies 2, 3 & 4, Royal Stoot Troepen — 08 Oct 1944 to 11 Oct 1944
407th Infantry Regiment (102d Infantry Division) — 28 Oct 1944 to 03 Nov 1944
330th Infantry Regiment (83d Infantry Division) — 23 Feb 1945 to 28 Feb 1945
