Overseas: Task Force Herren-December 1944; Support Troops-8 January 1945.
Campaigns: Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland, Central Europe.
Days of combat: 86.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 1.
Awards: DSC-12; SS-228 (4 clusters); LM-7; SM-16; BS-430 (14 clusters); Military Cross (UK)-1; AM-20; Meritorious Unit Citation-3.
Commanders: Major General John E. Dahlquist (June 1943 – July 1944), Major General. Allison J. Barnett (July 1944 – July 1945), Brigadier General Thomas W. Herren (July 1945 – October 1945).
Returned to U.S.: 10 October 1945.
Inactivated: 11 October 1945 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey
Order of battle
Headquarters, 70th Infantry Division
274th Infantry Regiment
275th Infantry Regiment
276th Infantry Regiment
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 70th Infantry Division Artillery
725th Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm)
882nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
883rd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
884th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
270th Engineer Combat Battalion
370th Medical Battalion
70th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
Headquarters, Special Troops, 70th Infantry Division
Headquarters Company, 70th Infantry Division
770th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
70th Quartermaster Company
570th Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Band
70th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment
Activation and training
The 70th Infantry Division was activated on 15 June 1943. The division's nickname, "Trailblazers," originated from the pioneers moving west into Oregon and "blazing" trails through the thick evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest. The enlisted fillers represented all forty-eight states, the District of Columbia, the territories, and forty foreign countries, including every Axis power. The states of the original Oregon Country (California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming), contributed around 1,200 men combined, however, the largest number of men from any one state (1,165) came from Missouri, while Minnesota, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Texas contributed over 1,000 men each.[2]
Combat chronicle
Memorial for fallen soldiers of the 70th at Spicheren Heights, near Stiring-Wendel
The three infantry regiments of the 70th Infantry Division, the 274th, 275th and 276th, landed at Marseille, France, 10–15 December 1944, and were formed into Task Force Herren under command of deputy division commander, Thomas W. Herren, before the arrival of the remainder of the division on 18 January 1945. Task Force Herren took over defensive positions along the west bank of the Rhine, 28 December 1944, in the vicinity of Bischwiller, south of Haguenau Forest. Elements took part in the fight to stop the German Operation Nordwind, and struck at the enemy at Philippsbourg and at Wingen between Bitche and Hagenau. In mid-January 1945, the task force moved to an area directly south of Saarbrücken, where it carried out reconnaissance and combat patrols, and improved its defensive positions. Upon the arrival of the remainder of the division, Task Force Herren was dissolved.
The division continued patrolling and combat raids as it made preparations for an offensive drive in mid-February. On 17 February 1945, the division attacked just below the Saar River. The 70th drove onto high ground overlooking Saarbrücken, smashed into Forbach, took Stiring-Wendel, and continued across the Saar to take Saarbrücken, 20 March 1945. Pushing through Siegfried Line defenses along the north bank of the Saar, the division took Völklingen and other Saarland cities and towns. On 31 March it was reassigned to the Third Army. In April it took part in the reduction of the Saar Basin, and after VE-day was engaged in occupational duties, with command posts at Otterberg, Bad Kreuznach, Frankfurt, and Oranienstein in Germany.
M24, donated by veterans of the 70th, facing ruins of fortifications at Spicheren Heights
20 December 1944: Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
28 December 1944: VI Corps.
3 February 1945: XV Corps.
25 February 1945: XXI Corps.
22 March 1945: Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
31 March 1945: 12th Army Group.
8 April 1945: Third Army, 12th Army Group.
Cold War
In 1952 it was allotted to the Organized Reserve Corps, now known as the Army Reserve. Later the same year the 70th was redesignated as the 70th Division (Training). It remained in Detroit until 1968, when it was moved to Livonia, Mich. The 70th Division (Training) was formally inactivated in Michigan on 15 Nov. 1996. The very next day, the 70th Regional Support Command was activated at Fort Lawton, Wash., bringing the name of the 70th back to the Northwest
In 1979 the command was redesignated as the 70th Regiment (Infantry One Station Unit Training), 70th Division (Training). During Desert Storm in 1991 the 70th took over Infantry School operations at Fort Benning, Georgia. The command was formally inactivated in Michigan on 15 Nov. 1996 and the 124th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM) adopted the division title and history the next day. In 2000 the 70th Regional Support Command became the 70th Regional Readiness Command and began developing a history and relationship with the 70th ID soldiers and association.
Based upon the 2005 BRAC recommendations, Fort Lawton was closed and the 70th Regional Support Command inactivated in 2009.
General
Nickname: Trailblazers.
Shoulder patch: Red, in shape of axe-blade with white axe-head superimposed on red background; below the axe, in white is a replica of Oregon's Mount Hood, beside which is a green fir tree. The green fir tree symbolizes the 91st Infantry Division from which officers and NCOs of the 70th were drawn prior to its activation.
