Unit Timeline and National Archives Documents

Key Dates

Starr, Chester G. "From Salerno to the Alps-A History of the Fifth Army 1943-1945"

Schultz, Paul L. "The 85th Infantry Division in World War II", Infantry Journal Press, 1949 and 337th Regiment Unit Reports from National Archives

15-May-1942

85th Division organized and starts training at Camp Shelby, Miss.

29-Sep-42

85th Div. reviewed by President Roosevelt at Camp Shelby, Miss.

26-Mar-43

85th Div. ordered to Louisiana for maneuvers near Caney and Leesville Towns of interest:Peason, Hawthorn, Anacoco, Horbeck, Kurthwood, Slage, Alto, DeRidder, Merryville

10-Apr-43

Depart Camp Shelby via truck convoy and rail

12-Apr-43

Arrived at Louisiana Maneuver Area

10-Jun-43

Departed Louisiana Maneuver Area via rail

May-43

85th Division ordered to Camp Pilot Knob, near Yuma, AZ

13-Jun-43

Arrived Camp Pilot Knob

24-Jul-43

Platoon of 337th became lost during platoon leadership course; Lt. Sanford Miller and Pvt. William Day. 337th sent out to hunt for missing platoon; two found dead and one gave up for missing.

1-Aug-43

New orders to Camp Coxcomb, 50 miles from Camp Young; 150 miles north of Pilot Knob and 175 miles east of LA. 60 miles east of Indio and 95 miles east of Palm Springs

13-Aug-43

Depart Camp Pilot Knob via truck convoy

13-Aug-43

Arrived Camp Coxcomb, CA (near Desert Center, CA)

20-Aug-43

Weapons demonstration by 2nd Battallion of 339th.

Oct '43

85th Div. starts movement to Ft. Dix, New Jersey

8-Oct-43

Departed Camp Coxcomb via rail

12-Oct-43

Arrived Ft. Dix, NJ

19-Dec-43

Depart Ft. Dix via rail

20-Dec-43

Arrived Camp Patrick Henry, VA

1-Jan-44

337th sails on HMS Andes from Hampton Roads

9-Jan-44

337th arrives at Casablanca. Stationed at Camp Don B. Passage near Casablanca.

14-Jan-44

Depart Camp Don B. Passage for Camp St. Denis de Sig, Algeria via rail (sixty miles from Oran)

16-Jan-44

Arrived St. Denis du sig

17-Jan-44

85th Div. in St. Denis. Next move was to Port-aux-Poules, Algeria on Mediterranean coast for amphibious training. 3 Weeks of amphib training and Col. Oliver Hughes joined to command the 337th (7-Mar-44).

6-Feb-44

Departed St. Denis via truck for Port Aux Poules, Algeria. Rest of month spent on amphibious training.

1-Mar-44

85th Div. arrives in Italy

11-Mar-44

Orders received to sail from Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria on the SS Nightengale , SS Lyon, SS Stanton, HMS Letitial, and HMS Almanzora.

23-Mar-44

337th Departs via convoy from Camp St. Denis. Arrives at Oran, Algeria

24-Mar-44

337th departs Oran via USS Florence Nightingale & USS Lyons

27-Mar-44

Ships docked in Naples. Depart immediately via foot and convoy. Arrived Staging Area #1 in vicinity of Bagnoli, Italy.

1-Apr-44

Combat Team 337 in training area northeast of Sant Angelo

10-Apr-44

85th Div. moved into the lines west of Minturno-attached to II Corps

85th Div. committed to action on the line east of Scauri to a point north of Minturno

14-Apr-44

At 0200, 337th completed relief of 351st.

9-May-44

337th relieved by 88th Div with 1 Battalion attached to the 339th, still in line

11-May-44

Offensive begun with artillery barrage, spearheaded by the 85th Div. on the left, initially for San Martino Hill and the S Ridge. 337th Inf., commanded by Col. Oliver Hughes held it's lines on left flank and prepared to assist the other regiments. Near Tremensouli. Hill 66 is western (left) swell of San Martino Hill south of Cave d'Argila. Hill 69 is the eastern swell.

12-May-44

339th, 3rd Battalion attacked San Martino Hill.

By 0300, Company K of 339th were attacking Hill 66. By 0500, Germans counterattacked in company strength. By 1000, 1st Battalion 337th advanced under a smoke screen toward Hill 66. Two companies halted, but Company C kept going. Company C awarded Presidential Unit Citation.

13-May-44

Afternoon of the 13th, 1st Battalion 337th came up to attack Hill 66; first effort was repelled, second effort, the hill was taken after midnight. Company C, 1st Battalion, 337th receives Presidential Unit Citation for action on Hill 66 near Minturno.

13-May-44

338th attacked. Germans counterattacked at dawn.

14-May-44

337th pushed across the Spigno road on junction

15-May-44

337th launched an attack in the afternoon for Castellornorato; by midnight it was 400 yards beyond the town.

By noon, 337th had successfully repulsed two counterattacks to secure Hill 108. Gustav Line smashed. At 1400, new attack ordered. 2nd Battalion stormed up slopes of Castellornorato; town taken by 1900.

17-May-44

85th Div. reaches Formia at noon.

15-May-44

General Clark plans to transfer part or all of II Corps to the Anzio beachhead, but decides to direct it towards Terracina instead. 85th Division ordered by II Corps to move on its left flank through Monte San Biagio, Sonnino and Priverno.

17-May-44

337th advancing through Trivio and pushed on to take Maranola. Without pausing, continued on to capture Hills 906 and 510 and Mt. Mola where it rested.

19-May-44

85th Div. reaches Gaeta.

20-May-44

85th Div. clearing hills south of Highway 87 between Sperlonga and Gaeta.

337th moving along Hiway 7 and its parallel railroad, and swung to rear of 339th toward San Biaggio. Took 80 prisoners. One battalion continued on to occupy high ground beyond San Biaggio while rest of regiment drove southwest on Hiway 7 toward Terracina.

21-May-44

337th drove across Fondi plain to Monte San Biagio and hill above Terracina; 1st Battalion raced down Highway 7 toward Terracina to within 1 mile of town but by 0230 5-22-44 were forced to retreat to Mt. Croce.

22-May-44

1st Battalion, 337th discovers that German troops had infiltrated its positions on Mt. Croce; withdrawal was immediately necessary. 1st Battalion bore brunt of attack. 1st Battalion, having fought for 36 hours without rest was too exhausted to continue by dark. 1st Battalion relieved by 2nd Battalion for attack on 5-23-44.

24-May-44

Patrols of 337th enter Terracina by 0800 Terracina is in our hands.

337th has captured Mt. Croce and on night of 24-25 May swarmed into Terracina and captured the town. Road to Anzio beachhead now open.

29-May-44

85th Div. relieved by 88th Div. on night of 27-28 May after reaching Sezze and was joining up with Anzio beachhead forces near Valmontone.

85th Div. relieved after 49 days of continuos operations and moved to rest area near Sabaudia.

30-May-44

After 1 day of rest, 85th moved to Lariano-Fuiglianello sector.

31-May-44

85th Div. taking over from 3rd Div.

At 1300, attack began with 337th leading the way; 1st Battalion on right bypassed Lariano.

1-Jun-44

II Corps begins final drive on Rome. 85th Div. pushes towards Mt. Ceraso. By dusk, 337th pushing north along wooded draws of Mt. Aremisiso, met heavy opposition from Maschio d' Ariano. By dusk, 1st Battalion makes substantial advance north.

2-Jun-44

II Corps issues orders for wheeling movement toward Rome, with 85th Div. on the south. Main attack toward Rome in II Corps zone delivered by 85th and 88th Divisions. 85th Division in northern hills of Colli Laziali.

By night, 2nd Battalion was 1200 yards short of HiWay 6; 85th Division more than 2 miles ahead of the entire Fifth Army.

3-Jun-44

All troops on the move towards Rome. At dusk, orders to a battalion from the 351st, 350th and 338th towards assigned bridges over the Tiber.

Attack direction changed heading north toward Rome.

4-Jun-44

Troops enter Rome. On the left of II Corps, 337th ran into 1st Special Service Force on Hiway 6 above Centocelle, then turned southwest to cut HiWay 7 in front of VI Corps. Ran into 1st Armored Div. and ordered to halt.

Rome entered by leading elements of 85th Div.

5-Jun-44

II Corps pushed thru Rome up HiWay 2. 85th Division advanced to left of HiWay 2, 88th on right.

337th moved west of Tiber.

8-Jun-44

Task Force Howze formed due east of Lake Bracciano and advanced to within six miles of Viterbo.

Col. Hamilton Howze with 1st Battalion, 337th attached.

9-Jun-44

85th Div. minus Task Force Howze relieved by 3rd. Algerian Div. and ordered to rest and training area ten miles west of Rome at Lido di Roma.

1-Jul-44

II Corps out of the line.

8-Jul-44

85th Div. ordered to move 163 miles north of Rome to an assembly area near Roccastradda.

10-Jul-44

Movement to Roccastradda began.

28-Jul-44

85th Div. assembled in area between Volterra and San Gimignana.

16-Aug-44

85th Division back in the line on each side of Montelup.

17-Aug-44

337th relieved the 363rd of 91st. Div. taking over a sector of the line running parallel to Arno River and extending from the Elsa River west to Capanne.

26-Aug-44

85th Div. relieved by 6 South African Armored Div.

85th Div. moved to assembly areas between Montespoertoli and Certaldo on the slopes of the ridge separating the Elsa and Pesa River Valleys. After 2 days of rest, began training program.

12-Sep-44

337th closed into assembly area at 1900 hrs. north of Vaglia, about 20 miles northeast of Florence.

13-Sep-44

At 0600 hrs, 85th Div. attacked the Gothic Line, 337th in reserve.

15-Sep-44

337th ordered to move at once to vicinity of Luco di Nagello preparatory to taking a position on the right of the 339th in the sector of the British 1st Division.

16-Sep-44

337th committed on the right of the attack, to pass through the 66 Brigade towards Mt. Pratone. 337th took over the attack at noon, 1 1/2 miles south of Mt. Pratone; halted 1000 yards short of the objective.

At 0600 337th advanced towards Mt. Pratone. 1st Battalion of 337th moved to the right of the attack. Col Hughes: "This is the worst terrain I have ever seen".

17-Sep-44

337th takes Mt. Pratone on the afternoon of the 17th.

337th continued to attack Mt. Pratone. After a day of hard fighting, Hill 945 and high ground east of the summit of Mt. Pratone taken by the 1st and 3rd Battalion. By 1730, one company on crest of Pratone, "337th plucked its fair share of triumph in the smashing of the Gothic Line ";. By midnight, the entire 3rd Battalion had occupied Pratone and organizing for defense.

18-Sep-44

337th continued attack. 337th drove for 3500 foot Mount Fellone. 337th made steady advances throughout the day; 1st Battalion moved north over three intervening hills and finally halted on the southeast slopes of Fellone.

19-Sep-44

Moving on during afternoon, supply lines of 337th came under heavy shelling. 1st Battalion mop up pockets on Fellone, while others pushed on to Mount Acuto; reaching Hill 849 two kilometers south of Motale.

20-Sep-44

337th crossed the Santerno River at the village of San Pelligrino.

337th, 1st Battalion encountered enemy resistance in all day drive which brought it to east of Montale. 2nd Battalion crossed Santerno near San Pelligrino.

22-Sep-44

337th passes to reserve. Breakthrough at Il Giogio Pass.

26-Sep-44

337th, having relieved 349th on Mt. la Fine attacked at 0600 towards Mt. Pratlungo, which fell before dark. Battalion commander of 134th Grenadier Regiment captured. During this period, 337th attacking towards Radicosa Pass.

1-Oct-44

AT 0600, 88th, 85th, 91st and 34th Div. all attacked along 16 mile front. A sunny day but cold and blustery wind on the 2nd.

2-Oct-44

337th on the right pushing down the divide between the Idice and the Sillaro to Hill 751.

4-Oct-44

337th on Hill 566.

5-Oct-44

Next attack, east of Hiway 65 led by 85th. Div.

9-Oct-44

337th, having made furthest penetration in Oct. 1 attack, moved along ridge between Idice and Sillaro Rivers, moved forward 1 mile in 4 days. Hill 5778, crest of Monterrenzion hill mass lay directly ahead of 337th.

13-Oct-44

337th took Hill 578 by noon.

14-Oct-44

337th relieved by 339th.

16-Oct-44

Attack for final breakout to Po. 85th Div. made some gains in the high ground east of the Idice. Mt. Grande salient.

26-Oct-44

85th and 88th Divs. ordered to pull back to defensible ground and dig in.

1-Dec-44

85th Div. undergoing strenuous training program in the rear.

1-Mar-45

85th Div. in Army Reserve.

14-Apr-45

Spring offensive begins.

16-Apr-45

85th Div. moved to vicinity of Vergato.

18-Apr-45

337th committed on left of 85th Div. attack near Mt. Luminasio. 1st Battalion, 337th held up most of the 19th near Rasiglio and halted for the night to rear of 10th Mt. Division.

20-Apr-45

337th renewed advance towards Gesso, 6 miles west of Bologna.

22-Apr-45

337th passed thru 338th and battled in Camposanto; bridge over the Panaro secured and 337th crossed during the night and continued on.

23-Apr-45

At 1045, 3rd Battalion reached the Po at Quingentole. Bridge destroyed.

24-Apr-45

Crossing the Po at Quingentolewith rafts, DUKW's and assault boats on 24-25 April and held hills above Verona. (85th Div).

26-Apr-45

85th Div. moving through Verona to attack the Adige Line. 85th Div. moved to Army reserve.

30-Apr-45

85th Div. attached to II Corps.

2-May-45

85th Div. moved up to Piave Valley. Hostilities cease.