45th Infantry Division

I finally updated my avatar to reflect the Thunderbird patch of the 45th Infantry Division, U.S., which
served in the MTO and ETO. This was my uncle's division from January 1945.

I am transcribing all of the 768 extant General Orders issued by Headquarters, 45th,
from 1943-1945. My Excel worksheet currently has 4200 names and is about 140 pages.
I expect to complete this project in 2019.

By the way, I also have a Facebook Group devoted to the 45th as well:

Thunderbirds, the 45th Infantry Division


Dave

 

Did they by chance ever train in Hawaii in 1942/43? If they did, can you please take a look for the surname (John H) Kimzey, sometimes spelled Kimsey? Thanks!

 

No, the division did not train in Hawaii. The detached 158th RCT trained in Panama before it was sent to the SWPA. It saw combat in New Guinea and Luzon.


Dave

 

Thanks! I was thinking of Lightening in the name, not Thunder. Oops.

 

The 45th was from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and...I forget the 4th state. I just read 'The Liberator' which was about Felix Sparks. I was shocked to learn that I had never really heard about them but they were considered the best fighting unit of the US right behind the 3rd Army which got most of the glory. They were pretty much overshadowed every time they did something impressive by the events that happened the next day. They landed in Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Southern France. At Anzio, Felix Sparks was 1 of 2 survivors out of his entire Regiment. First unit into Germany, but were told to retreat when the Battle of Bulge happened. Also took part in the 'Stalingrad of the West' the Battle of Aschaffenburg. They were also the unit who liberated Dachau Concerntration Camp too. Yet, I had never heard them mentioned before reading the book!

 

Perhaps you were thinking of the 25th Infantry Division, aka Tropic Lightning. They were based in Hawaii before heading to Guadalcanal in Dec 1942.

 

You got it! Thanks, I couldn't remember the whole name.

 

The 45th comprised National Guard units from several southwestern states, and early in its history, its symbol was a swastika, used by various Native American tribes in the area. With the rise of the Nazis, it was changed to the Thunderbird, also Native American.