The 36th Infantry Division during World War II
In 1985, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the US Army Center of Military History began a program to honor US Army divisions that took part in the Allied liberation of Nazi camps. The US Army Center of Military History defines a liberating division as one whose official records show its presence at a camp within 48 hours of the first soldier’s arrival. The 36th Infantry Division is among the 36 US divisions that have been recognized to date.
Key Facts
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1
US, British, Soviet, and Canadian troops encountered concentration camps and other sites of Nazi crimes as they advanced across Europe in 1944 and 1945.
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2
The Allied soldiers liberated sick and starving camp prisoners from Nazi tyranny. They also provided them with food, clothing, and medical aid.
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3
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the US Army Center of Military History have recognized 36 US divisions for their role in the liberation of Nazi camps.
36th Infantry Division Campaigns during World War II
Formed in July 1917, just a few months after the United States entered World War I, the 36th Infantry Division first saw combat in France in 1918. The "Texas" or "Lone Star" division was reactivated in 1940 and landed in North Africa in April 1943 as part of the Allied campaign to drive German and Italian forces from the continent.
In September 1943, the unit advanced into Italy, where it took part in the fighting at Monte Cassino and entered Rome in June 1944. The 36th was subsequently redeployed to southern France and moved northeast to the region of Alsace. During the German offensive in December (the Battle of the Bulge), the "Texas" held its defensive position and by the end of the month was counterattacking enemy forces. In 1945, the division advanced into the Rhineland and, by war's end, had reached the Bavarian Alps.
The 36th Infantry Division and the Liberation of Kaufering
During the 36th's drive into Bavaria, the division overran some of the Kaufering subcamps of the Dachau concentration camp on April 30, 1945. One of its attached battalions had been ordered to locate and secure all concentration camps in the area around Hurlach, near Landsberg.
Recognition as a Liberating Division
The 36th Infantry Division was recognized as a liberating unit by the US Army's Center of Military History and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1995.
36th Infantry Division Battle Casualty Figures
Hundreds of thousands of US servicemen and women died or were wounded in the fight against Nazi tyranny.
The total number of battle casualties for the 36th Infantry Division in the European Theater of Operations and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations during World War II was 19,466. In this case, “battle casualties” includes all personnel who were unable to fight in battle because they were wounded, missing, captured, or killed.
Among the battle casualties suffered by the 36th Infantry Division, there were 3,717 deaths.
36th Infantry Division Nickname and Insignia
The 36th Infantry Division was raised during World War I from Texas and Oklahoma National Guard units. It was nicknamed the "Texas Division.” The Division’s insignia or patch is in the shape of a blue arrowhead pointed downward. The arrowhead represents Oklahoma, which in the 20th century was often referred to in popular usage as “Indian Territory.” The letter “T” (for Texas) is stitched in light green thread in the middle of the patch. The division was also referred to as the "Lone Star Division” (again, in reference to its Texan roots) or the “Panther Division.”
Footnotes
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Footnote reference1.
In the aftermath of World War II, the US Department of the Army compiled casualty figures for US Army personnel. The US government published these figures in 1953. The report listed casualty numbers for the US Army for the period from December 7, 1941 (Pearl Harbor) through December 31, 1946, when US President Harry S. Truman officially declared the end of war hostilities. Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths: Final Report, 7 December 1941-31 December 1946, Prepared by the Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, Under the Direction of the Program Review and Analysis, Division of the Comptroller of the Army, O.C.S., (Washington: Department of the Army, 1953), p. 3-4, 84-89.
Critical Thinking Questions
What challenges did Allied forces face when they encountered the camps and sites of other atrocities?
What challenges faced survivors of the Holocaust upon liberation?