The 87th Infantry Division ("Golden Acorn"

World War II

Before Organized Reserve infantry divisions were ordered into active military service, they were reorganized on paper as "triangular" divisions under the 1940 tables of organization. The headquarters companies of the two infantry brigades were consolidated into the division's cavalry reconnaissance troop, and one infantry regiment was removed by inactivation. The field artillery brigade headquarters and headquarters battery became the headquarters and headquarters battery of the division artillery, and its three field artillery regiments were reorganized into four battalions. The engineer, medical, and quartermaster regiments were reorganized into battalions. In 1942, divisional quartermaster battalions were split into ordnance light maintenance companies and quartermaster companies, and the division's headquarters and military police company, which had previously been a combined unit, was split.

The 87th Infantry Division was ordered into active military service on 15 December 1942 at Camp McCain, Mississippi. It was nicknamed the "Baby Division" because many of its initial filler soldiers were among the first eighteen year olds conscripted after the lower limit of the draft age was reduced from twenty to eighteen years old in November 1942. It moved to the Tennessee Maneuver Area on 3 December 1943, for the Second Army #4 Tennessee Maneuvers, and consolidated at Fort Jackson, South Carolina on 20 January 1944 for divisional training. The division staged at Camp Kilmer, at Stelton (now Edison), New Jersey, on 10 October 1944 until it received its port call to the New York Port of Embarkation in Brooklyn, New York.

It sailed to the European Theater on 17 October 1944, arrived in England on 12 November 1944, and staged for movement to France. It was assigned to the Third Army on 25 November 1944, and arrived at Le Havre, France, on 28 November 1944. The 87th was further assigned to the III Corps on 4 December 1944, and to the XII Corps on 11 December 1944, to the XV Corps on 21 December 1944, and to the VIII Corps on 29 December 1944. Crossed into Belgium on 12 January 1945, and returned to XII Corps on 14 January 1945. Crossed into Luxembourg on 21 January 1945, and assigned to VIII Corps on 25 January 1945. Because of discontinuity in the German railroad system, the 87th was routed to Germany by returning to Belgium on 3 February 1945. Entered Germany 16 March 1945, and remained to Victory in Europe Day. Returned to the United States at the New York Port of Embarkation on 11 July 1945, and proceeded to Fort Benning, Georgia, on 14 July 1945 to prepare for deployment to Japan; it was at Fort Benning on VJ Day. The 87th Infantry Division was inactivated on 21 September 1945, at Fort Benning.

  • Campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
  • Days of combat: 154.
  • Distinguished Unit Citation: 2.
  • Awards:
  1. Medal of Honor-1;
  2. Distinguished Service Cross-9;
  3. Army Distinguished Service Medal-1;
  4. Silver Star-364;
  5. Legion of Merit −20;
  6. Soldier's Medal −41;
  7. Bronze Star −1,542;
  8. Air Medal −49.

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  • Commanders:
  1. MG Percy W. Clarkson (December 1942 – October 1943),
  2. MG Eugene M. Landrum (October 1943 – April 1944),
  3. 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

thumb|left|[[G.I.'s of the 1st Battalion, 345th Infantry Regiment, 87th Infantry Division, shown on duty at a gun position near Moircy, Belgium, December 31, 1944.]]

thumb|right|Chow is served to American infantrymen of the 347th Infantry Regiment on their way to La Roche, Belgium, 13 January 1945.

thumb|left|Vehicles of the 87th Infantry Division in the woods near Wallerode/St. Vith, Belgium, on 30 January 1945.

The 87th Infantry Division arrived in Scotland, 22 October 1944, and trained in England, 23 October-30 November. It landed in France, including at Rouen, 1–3 December, and moved to Metz, where, on 6 December, it went into action against and took Fort Driant after shelling the ports day and night for five days. The division then shifted to the vicinity of Gros-Réderching near the Saar-German border on 10 December. The 87th was moving into Germany when, on 16 December 1944, German Field Marshal Von Rundstedt launched his offensive in the Ardennes forest (Battle of the Bulge). Through 22 December, the division captured Rimling, Obergailbach, and Guiderkirch. Then ordered to head for the Bulge, they were relieved by the 44th division.

The Division was placed in SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force) reserve, 24–28 December, then thrown into the Bulge battle in Belgium, 29 December. In a fluctuating battle, it captured Moircy on 29 December and Recogne on 30 December. On 2 January 1945, it took Gérimont, on 10 January Tillet, 12 January St. Hubert, and reached the Ourthe by 13 January. On 15 January 1945, the division moved to Luxembourg to relieve the 4th Infantry Division along the Sauer and seized Wasserbillig on 23 January. 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 26 February, when Ormont and Hallschlag were taken in night attacks. The 87th crossed the Kyll River, 6 March, took Dollendorf on 8 March, and after a brief rest, returned to combat, 13 March 1945, crossing the Moselle on 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 Langgöns. 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 border to Czechoslovakia. On 6 May 1945, it took Falkenstein. On 10 May 1945, the division was ordered to maintain the immediate area, moving back through Poessneck to Saalfeld, where they took over two hotels, one of which was called the Hotel Goldener Anker. Troops maintained their positions until Victory in Europe Day, and remained in these hotels until at least 16 May 1945.

The 87th Division returned to the States in July 1945 expecting to be called upon to play a role in the defeat of the Imperial Japanese, but the sudden termination of the war in the Pacific while the division was reassembling at Fort Benning changed the future of the 87th. The division was inactivated 21 September 1945.

The last active soldier from the division that served in World War II retired in June 1981. Colonel Vedder B. Driscoll (1925–1983), who had enlisted in 1943 and was a platoon sergeant for Company I, 345th Infantry, achieved thirty years of commissioned service.

Casualties

  • Total battle casualties: 6,034
  • Killed in action: 1,154 The 87th MAC was later inactivated and, on 1 October 1993, the lineage of the 87th Infantry Division was redesignated as Headquarters, 87th Division (Exercise) and activated at Birmingham, Alabama. On 17 October 1999 it was reorganized and redesignated Headquarters, 87th Division (Training Support).

First Army Division East was activated on 7 March 2007, and was headquartered at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. "..Division East replaced the functions previously performed by US Army Reserve divisions, like the 87th Division, in its area of responsibility. As a result, the 87th Division's brigades were subsequently inactivated and the 87th Division was reorganized and redesignated as the 87th Army Reserve Support Command. The 87th Army Reserve Support Command assumed command and control of the newly formed Mobilization Support Group East and its 16 subordinate battalions effective 16 October 2008."

On 1 October 2015 the 87th Army Reserve Support Command was inactivated.

On September 22, 2021. The 87th Training Division was reactivated in Hoover, Alabama under the 84th Training Command.

Units in 2026

The 87th Training Division is a subordinate formation of the 84th Training Command. As of January 2026 the division consists of the following units:

  • 29px 87th Training Division, in Birmingham (AL)
  • Mission Training Complex (MTC), in Houston (TX)
  • 1st Brigade, at Fort Gillem (GA)
  • 1st Mission Command Training Detachment (MCTD), in Houston (TX)
  • 2nd Brigade, at Fort Jackson (SC)
  • 1st Mission Command Training Detachment (MCTD), at Fort Jackson (SC)
  • 2nd Mission Command Training Detachment (MCTD), at Fort Benning (GA)
  • 4th Battalion, 347th Regiment (Observe/Controller Trainer — OC/T), in Orlando (FL)

References

  • The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at

[https://web.archive.org/web/20071213203212/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cbtchron.html] .

  • Stalwart and Strong: The Story of the 87th Infantry Division
  • 87th Infantry Division Association
  • [http://wiat.com/2015/09/13/alabamas-87th-army-reserve-support-command-deactivates]
  • [https://www.usar.army.mil/84thTC/87thTD/]