The 29th 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 29th Infantry Division is among the 36 US divisions that have been recognized to date.
Key Facts
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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.
29th Infantry Division Campaigns during World War II
The 29th Infantry Division was created in July 1917, a few months after the United States entered World War I. It served in France in 1918. In early 1941, the "Blue and Gray" division was reactivated for service and became part of the first Allied assault on the Normandy beaches on D-Day (June 6, 1944), the massive invasion of western Europe. After landing at Omaha Beach, the unit pushed westward to participate in the attack on the French port of Brest.
In October 1944, the 29th advanced eastward. It reached the German border by the end of the year. In February 1945, it drove into Germany and in April was active in the fierce fighting in the Ruhr region. By war's end, the “Blue and Gray” had reached the Elbe River.
The 29th Infantry Division and the Liberation of Dinslaken
As the 29th Infantry Division advanced into Germany, it liberated Dinslaken, a civilian labor camp.
Recognition as a Liberating Unit
The 29th 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.
29th Infantry Casualty Figures
Casualty figures for the 29th Infantry Division, European theater of operations:
- Total battle casualties: 20,620
- Total deaths in battle: 4,824
29th Infantry Division Nickname
The "Blue and Gray" was coined as the nickname of the 29th Infantry Division by the division's commander during World War I. The name commemorates the lineage of the mid-Atlantic states' National Guard units that formed the division, many with service on both sides during the Civil War.
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?