Category Archives: History

WWII 3rd Division History

Then and Now, Saint-Hippolyte School

As a result of this WWII diary, dad and I have developed some new friendships.    One such friend, Alban Bagy whose home town is Saint-Hippolyte in Alsace, eastern France. The post on December 25, 1944 showed Chick and fellow soldiers … Continue reading

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Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France

Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on 15 August 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the … Continue reading

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Operation Shingle – The Invasion of Anzio

On January 22, 1944 Operation Shingle was launched. This was an Allied amphibious landing in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by American Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces … Continue reading

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Bridge at Point Calava, Sicily

The following excerpts have been taken from different references sources about the Bridge that was built by the 10th Engineers. …… While no direct enemy fire was received when the 30th approached Cape Calava, the advance was halted abruptly where … Continue reading

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President Roosevelt reviews the troops

On January 21, 1943, the 3rd Division was present at the making of world history. On this day President Franklin D. Roosevelt reviewed troops of the 3rd Infantry and 2nd Armored Divisions on the main highway leading north from Sale. … Continue reading

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Group 3 Convoy arrives from Camp Pickett

The Group Three convoy, which had remained at Camp Pickett, arrived at Casablanca.  This convoy brought the Division’s transportation virtually up to normal strength.  The four-ton prime movers oft he medium artillery battalion and the big wreckers of the Ordnance … Continue reading

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Division Command Post moves

The Division Command Post was moved from Casablanca to the Casino in Fedala, a large, drafty wooden structure whose western windows overlooked the beaches on which the original landings had been made.  The nearby Miramar Hotel, from which the German … Continue reading

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The “Truscott Trott”

From the close of the Casablanca operation until their departure to Sicily, the 3rd Division was scattered throughout French Morocco and western Algeria. The main staging area preparing to invade Sicily, convoy after convoy of men and equipment arrived at … Continue reading

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Operation Torch – North Africa

The first offensive that the 3rd Division saw was the joint British–American invasion of French North Africa that started on the 8th of November 1942.  The Allies organized three amphibious task forces to seize the key ports and airports of … Continue reading

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UG Convoys

The 3rd Division was part of a convoy of over 100 ships, 35,000 troops that were transported directly from the U.S. in the first of a new series of UG convoys.  These east-bound trans-Atlantic convoys from the United States to … Continue reading

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