9th Infantry Division

The 9th Infantry Division was among the first U.S. combat units to engage in offensive ground operations in the ETO (European Theater of Operations) during World War II. The 9th saw its first combat on 8 November 1942, when its elements landed at Algiers, Safi, and Port Lyautey, The taking of Safi by the 3rd Battalion of the 47th Infantry Regiment marks the first liberation of a city from Axis control in World War II.

In February the 9th had small operations in Tunisia but in late March it launched an attack in Southern Tunisia and drove to Bizerte, located along the coast and a major German held port, arriving 7th of May.

In August the 9th landed in Palermo, Sicily and after much heavy fighting was in on the capture of Messina.

They returned to England for more training and landed on Utah Beach 10th June 1944, 4 days after the D-Day Invasion, also referred to as D plus 4. In a move designed to cut through the German defense and split their forces the 9th cut off the Cotentin Peninsula and then marched to the port of Cherbourg. Turning around the Division helped close the Falaise Gap in August. By the 28th they had turned east and crossed the Marne River and moved through Saarlautern. Beginning in November and concluding in January they held a number of defensive positions.

At the end of January they drove across the Roer to the Rhine River, crossing it at Remagen on 7 March 1945. They then helped with the sealing and clearing of the Rhur Pocket as well as engaging in the Harz Mountains. The 9th Infantry Division was at the Mulde River, near Dessau when VE-Day arrived.

Nickname(s): Old Reliables, The Varsity, Octofoil, 9th ID