This information is in both Military Medals of America or U.S. Army Medals, Badges and Insignia available at [ Ссылка ]. This video explains 1st Infantry Division, Big Red One World War 2 Veterans' Patch, Crest, Basic Medals and Unit Awards!. For replacement medals, ribbons, insignia, shadow boxes and more shop our on line catalog: [ Ссылка ]
A special section layout out the basic military medals every 1st Infantry Division veteran in the World War II received for their service during the war 1940 to 1946. Unit Awards by date, Campaigns, units and key battles are listed below. Special Thanks To: Medals of America for providing the medals in this video. To purchase replacement medals, ribbons, shadow boxes and more, visit:[ Ссылка ]
The Big Red One." It was activated on June 8, 1940, at Fort Benning, Georgia.
The 1st Infantry Division entered combat on November 8, 1942, in Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa. It then fought in several campaigns throughout the war, including the Sicilian Campaign, the Normandy Campaign, the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign, the Rhineland Campaign, and the Central Europe Campaign.
The 1st Infantry Division spent 400 plus days in combat during World War II, more than any other American division. It suffered 20,659 casualties during the war, including 4,922 killed in action, 12,785 wounded in action, 2,476 missing in action, and 1,476 captured.
Campaigns:
Algeria-French Morocco, 8 November 1942 to 11 November 1942
Tunisia, 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943
Sicily, 9 July 1943 to 17 August 1943
Normandy, 6 June 1944 to 24 July 1944
Northern France, 25 July 1944 to 14 September 1944
Rhineland, 15 September 1944 to 21 March 1945
Ardennes-Alsace, 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945
Central Europe, 22 March 1945 to 11 May 1945
Overall, the 1st Infantry Division fought in eight campaigns during World War II, earning the nickname "The Fighting First."
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for OMAHA BEACH, 6 June 1944 to 7 June 1944
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for AACHEN, GERMANY, 2 October 1944 to 21 October 1944
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for SCHMIDT, GERMANY, 6 November 1944 to 9 November 1944
Valorous Unit Award for DJEBEL NAFOUSSE, 19 April 1943
Valorous Unit Award for NORMANDY, 6 June 1944 to 30 July 1944
Meritorious Unit Commendation for EUROPEAN THEATER 1942-1944
Belgian Fourragere 1940
Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered NORMANDY
Distinguished Unit Citation (Presidential Unit Citation):
Company K, 18th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat on 23 March 1943 (War Department General Order No. 60, 1944)
32nd Field Artillery Battalion, for action in combat from 21–24 March 1943 (War Department General Order No. 66, 1945)
2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat on 23 April 1943 (War Department General Order No. 4, 1945)
1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 29–30 April 1943 (War Department General Order No. 60, 1944)
2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 10–13 July 1943 (War Department General Order No. 60, 1944)
1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 10–14 July 1943 (War Department General Order No. 60, 1944)
Cannon Company, 16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 11–13 July 1943 (War Department General Order No. 60, 1944)
16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat on 6 June 1944 (War Department General Order No. 73, 1944)
18th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 6–16 June 1944 (War Department General Order No. 14, 1945)
1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 13–22 September 1944 (War Department General Order No. 42, 1945)
18th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 8–10 October 1944 (War Department General Order No. 42, 1945)
3rd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 8–19 October 1944 (War Department General Order No. 30, 1945)
Companies G and L, 16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 15–17 October 1944 (War Department General Order No. 14, 1945)
1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 16–19 November 1944 (War Department General Order No. 120, 1946)
2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 18–26 November 1944 (War Department General Order No. 120, 1946)
3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat from 16–26 November 1944 (War Department General Order No. 120, 1946)
Company F, 18th Infantry Regiment, for action in combat on 2 February 1945 (War Department General Order No. 29, 1946)
Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered BELGIUM
Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered LUXEMBOURG
Note: The unit awards listed above are not exhaustive, and the 1st Infantry Division received additional recognition for their service in World War II.
