The 28th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. It continues its service today as the 28th Infantry Division (Mechanized), part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

It is nicknamed the "Keystone Division", as it was formed from units of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. in 1917; Pennsylvania is known as the "Keystone State".

Contents

1 World War I 2 World War II 2.1 Combat Chronicle 2.2 Assignments in the ETO 3 Post WWII Service 3.1 Current Composition 4 Heraldry 5 References

World War I

• Activated: September 1917 (National Guard division from Pennsylvania).
• Major Operations: Meuse-Argonne, Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, Ypres-Lys (FA).
• Casualties: Total-14,139 (KIA-2,165 ; WIA-11,974).
• Commanders: Maj. Gen. C. M. Clement (17 July 1917), Brig. Gen. W. G. Price, Jr. (18 September 1917), Brig. Gen. F. W. Stilwell (28 October 1917), Maj. Gen. C. M. Clement (4 December 1917), Brig. Gen. F. W. Stilwell (11 December 1917), Maj. Gen. C. H. Muir (15 December 1917), Brig. Gen. F. H. Albright (23 October 1918), Maj. Gen. William H. Hay (25 October 1918).
• Inactivated: Spring 1919.

World War II

• Activated: 17 February 1941.
• Overseas: 8 October 1943.
• Campaigns: Normandy, North France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
• Days of combat: 196.
• Awards: MH-1 ; DSC-29 ; DSM-1; SS-435; LM-27; SM-21 ; BSM-2,312 ; AM-100.
• Commanders: Maj. Gen. Edward Martin (February-December 1941), Maj. Gen. J. Garsche Ord (January-May 1942), Maj. Gen. Omar N. Bradley (June 1942-January 1943), Maj. Gen. Lloyd D. Brown (January 1943-July 1944), Maj. Gen. Norman D. Cota (August 1944 to inactivation).
• Returned to U. S.: 2 August 1945.
• Inactivated: 13 December 1945.

Combat Chronicle

The 28th Infantry Division after training in England, landed in Normandy, France, 22 July 1944, and entered the hedgerow struggle north and west of St. Lo. Inching their way forward against desperate opposition, the men of the 28th took Percy, 1 August, and Gathemo, 10 August. On the 12th, Brigadier General Wharton was killed a few hours after assuming command. The Division began to roll north and east, 20 August, meeting light resistance except at Le Neubourg, 24 August, and Elbeuf on the 25th. After parading through Paris, 29 August, it continued its sustained drive through France and Luxembourg to the German border, assembling near Binsfeld, 11 September: It began hammering at the Siegfried Line, 12 September, destroying pillboxes and other fortifications, moved north to Elsenborn, 1 October, then returned on the 6th for patrols and rotation of troops. The 28th smashed into the Hurtgen Forest, 2 November 1944, and in the savage seesaw battle which followed, Vossenack and Schmidt changed hands several times. On 19 November, the Division moved south to hold a 25-mile sector along the Our River in Luxembourg.

The Von Rundstedt offensive broke loose, 16 December, along the entire Division front. The 28th fought in place using all available personnel and threw off the enemy timetable before withdrawing to Neufchateau, 22 December, for reorganization. The Division moved to a defensive position along the Meuse River from Givet to Verdun, 2 January 1945, then to a patrol of the Vosges Mountains, 17 February. From 1 to 5 February, it participated in the reduction of the Colmar Pocket, headed for the Rhine and crossed the Rhine-Rhone Canal, 6 February. After an attack toward the Ahr River, 6 March, the 28th engaged in training, rehabilitation, and holding defensive positions. Beginning 7 April it performed occupation duties at Julich and Kaiserlautern until it left France.

Assignments in the ETO

• 22 October 1943: V Corps, First Army.
• 14 April 1944: XX Corps, Third Army.
• 24 April 1944: Third Army, but attached to First Army.
• 26 July 1944: XIX Corps.
• 30 July 1944: XIX Corps, First Army.
• 1 August 1944: XIX Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group.
• 28 August 1944: V Corps.
• 19 November 1944: VIII Corps.
• 20 December 1944: VIII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
• 5 January 1945: VIII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to Oise Section, Communications Zone, for supply.
• 6 January 1945: VIII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
• 8 January 1945: Third Army, 12th Army Group.
• 9 January 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group.
• 16 January 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
• 20 January 1945: French II Corps.
• 28 January 1945: XXI Corps.
• 14 February 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group, but attached to Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
• 19 February 1945: 12th Army Group.
• 21 February 1945: V Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group.
• 16 March 1945: VIII Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
• 22 March 1945: V Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group.
• 28 March 1945: III Corps.
• 7 April 1945: First Army, 12th Army Group.
• 10 April 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group.
• 13 April 1945: XXII Corps.
• 26 April 1945: XXIII Corps.

Post WWII Service

The 28th Infantry Division has continued to serve the nation as part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

After being deactivated as part of the Army in December 1945, it was reorganised in 1946 and returned to the Pennsylvania National Guard; following the outbreak of the Korean War, it was recalled to active duty and sent to bolster NATO forces in Germany. In 1954, it returned to the National Guard.

The Division was not mobilised during the Vietnam War, although in 1965 it was selected as one of three divisions in the Army Selective Reserve Force. Nor was it mobilised in force for Operation Desert Storm in 1991; however, the 121st Transportation Company, one of its constituent units, served in Saudi Arabia and volunteers from the Division were deployed overseas, some in the Middle East.

In 1996, after the signing of the Dayton Agreement, some units of the divisional artillery were called up to serve as peacekeeping forces in Bosnia; elements of the 28th served in Bosnia as peacekeepers for several years following this.

During the "Global War on Terror" following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the US the Keystone Division has provided troops for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Noble Eagle.

Current Composition

As an Infantry Division (Mechanised), the 28th is comprised of two infantry brigades and one armoured brigade, plus supporting elements.

2nd Brigade

1st Battalion - 103rd Armor Regiment

1st Battalion — 110th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)

1st Battalion — 112th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)

55th Brigade

1st Battalion — 109th Infantry Regiment

2nd Battalion — 103rd Armor Regiment

3rd Battalion — 103rd Armor Regiment

1st Battalion — 109th Field Artillery Regiment

337th Engineer Battalion

56th Brigade - "Independence Brigade"

1st Battalion — 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)

2nd Battalion — 112th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)

1st Battalion — 150th Armor Regiment

Aviation Brigade

1st Battalion — 104th Aviation

2nd Battalion — 104th Aviation

1st Squadron — 104th Cavalry Regiment

Divisional Artillery

1st Battalion — 108th Field Artillery Regiment

1st Battalion — 107th Field Artillery Regiment

28th Engineer Brigade

103rd Engineer Battalion

876th Engineer Battalion

1st Battalion — 213th Air Defense Artillery Regiment

Heraldry

• Nickname: Keystone Division
• Slogan: Fire and Movement
• Shoulder patch: A red keystone (aka "Bloody Bucket")

References

• The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at CMH.