Significant Dates in the 30th's History
Below are listed some of the most significant dates in the
history of the 30th Division upon its creation, and since its
activation in 1940 and throughout WWII.
| July 18, 1917 |
The 30th Division, Old Hickory, was
created.
(2006 - 89th Birthday!) |
| August 3, 1917 |
The 30th Division assembled at Camp
Sevier, S.C. |
| May 1, 1918 |
The 30th Division sailed for England |
| July 9, 1918 |
The 30th Division was committed to the
Front Line |
Significant Dates at Camp/Ft. Jackson, SC and
during WWII.
| August 15, 1940 |
Camp Jackson becomes Fort Jackson, per
G.O. #7, and AR 210-10, par 2c. |
| September 16, 1940
|
30th Division activated and called to
Federal active duty at Ft. Jackson, S.C. where the Division
trained until October 1942. |
| September 25, 1940 |
117th Infantry Regiment & 118th F.A. Bn.
arrive at Ft. Jackson |
| October 1, 1940 |
113th F.A. Bn. Arrives at Ft. Jackson
|
| January 9, 1941 |
First contingent of Selective Service men
assigned to the 30th Infantry Division. |
| March 9, 1941 |
President Roosevelt visits the 30th
Infantry Division at Ft. Jackson, S.C. |
| May 20-28, 1941 |
30th Division departs for Tullahoma and
the Tennessee maneuvers. |
| August 1, 1941 |
Maj. Gen. Henry Russell relieved of
command of the 30th Division, and assumes command of the
First Army Corps in Columbia, S.C. |
| September 21, 1941 |
30th Division departs for the First Army
Carolina maneuvers. |
| December 2, 1941 |
30th Division returns to Ft. Jackson from
the Carolina maneuvers. |
| December 7, 1941 |
Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. |
| February 21, 1942 |
30th Division reorganized from a Square
Division, (4 Regiments) to a Triangular Division, (3
Regiments) and renamed the "30th Infantry Division". |
| May 3, 1942 |
Maj. Gen. William H. Simpson assumes
command of the 30th Infantry Division. |
| May 30, 1942 |
B.G. Arthur M. Harper assumes command of
the 30th Div. Arty. |
| June 15, 1942 |
Lt. Col. Richard W. Stephens assumes
position of G-3, 30th Infantry Division. |
| June 24, 1942 |
Prime Minister Winston Churchill and
Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson visits 30th Infantry
Division and witnesses demonstrations. |
| July 23, 1942 |
Gen. Ben Lear visits Ft. Jackson and
inspects 30th Infantry Division. |
| August 3-16, 1942 |
118th Infantry Regiment relieved from
duty with the 30th Infantry Division and departed for duty
as a Separate Regiment in Iceland. |
| August 28, 1942 |
Maj. Gen. William H. Simpson is relieved
of duty with the 30th Infantry Division and assumes command
of the XII Corps at Columbia, S.C. |
| September 10, 1942 |
119th Infantry Regiment activated and
assigned to the 30th Infantry Division. |
| September 12, 1942 |
Maj. Gen. Leland S. Hobbs assumes command
of the 30th Infantry Division |
| October, 1942 |
30th Infantry Division moves to Camp
Blanding, Florida for 1 year of intensive training. They
trained here until May, 1943. |
Significant Dates at Camp Blanding, Florida
| November 1942 |
B.G. William K. Harrison Jr. becomes
Ass't. Div. CO |
| February 9, 1943 |
Sale of beer or other liquor, stronger
than 3.2 % is strictly forbidden on any Old Hickory
premises, by order of Maj. Gen.
L. S. Hobbs!! |
| April 29, 1943 |
Last Division Review at Camp Blanding,
Fla. |
Significant Dates at Camp Atterbury, Ind.
| November 1943 |
30th Infantry Division arrives at Camp
Atterbury, Ind. |
| February 1, 1944 |
30th Infantry Division leaves Camp
Atterbury, Ind. |
| February 2, 1944 |
30th Infantry Division arrives at Camp
Myles Standish, Mass. |
Significant dates during Combat Era
| February 12, 1944 |
30th Division leaves Boston POE for
Europe, aboard the SS Argentina, SS Brazil &
SS John Ericsson |
| February 22, 1944 |
30th Division arrives at Glascow,
Scotland (120th), and Liverpool England (117th & 119th) and
proceeds to south coast of England by train. |
| Feb.- June 6, 1944 |
Intensive training period in England. |
| June 8-15, 1944 |
30th Division crossed the English
Channel. |
| June 15, 1944 |
30th Division went into combat south of
Isigny, relieving elements of the 101st A. B. Division and
the 29th Infantry Division. |
| June 17, 1944 |
Col. Hammond D. Birks, C.O. 120th
Regiment, awarded a Silver Star Medal. The First man in
Division to receive this high award. |
| July 7, 1944 |
Liberated St. Jean-de-Daye, the 1st major
town in Normandy to be liberated by the 30th Infantry
Division. |
| July 12-13, 1944 |
Designated as the lead unit in Operation
Cobra, to spearhead the breakthrough at St. Lo. |
| July 15, 1944 |
Col. Edwin M. Sutherland assumes command
of the 119th Reg't. |
| July 24, 1944 |
Bombed by the 8th Airforce, in error,
killing 25 men and wounding 131 men. Delayed jump-off for
one day. |
| July 25, 1944 |
Bombed again, in error, by 8th Airforce,
killing 111 men, including Lt. Gen. Leslie Mc Nair, and
wounding 490 men. Operation Cobra took off despite these two
tragic errors and losses. |
| July 26, 1944 |
B.G. Raymond S. McLain relieved of duty
as CO of the 30th Division Artillery, to assume command of
the 90th Inf. Div. |
| July 26, 1944 |
B.G. James M. Lewis assumes command of
the 30th Div. Arty.
|
| July 29, 1944 |
Col. Walter M. Johnson assumes command of
the 117th Reg't. |
| August 6-12, 1944
|
Battle of Mortain - 2nd Battalion of the
120th Regiment surrounded on Hill #314 for 5 days. German
High Command declared this Battle to be the major turning
point of the war, leading to the ultimate defeat of the
German Army. |
| August 14, 1944 |
Started the 'Rat-Race' across northern
France. |
| August 17, 1944 |
First contact made with the King's Own
Scottish Battalion, 3rd Division, 2nd British Army, was made
at Flers at 1630. |
| August 23, 1944 |
Evreux liberated. |
| August 27, 1944 |
First troops of the 30th crossed the
Seine River at Mantes-Gassicourt, France. |
| September 1, 1944 |
First Allied troops to enter the Kingdom
of Belgium. |
| September 3, 1944 |
Captured and liberated the City of
Tournai, the 1st City liberated in Belgium. |
| September 10, 1944 |
30th Division crossed the Meuse River at
Vise and Liege, Belgium. |
| September 12, 1944 |
First Allied troops to enter The
Netherlands. |
| September 14, 1944 |
Liberated the City of Maastricht,
Provincial capitol. 1st City in The Netherlands to be
liberated. |
| September 17, 1944 |
First troops of the 30thInfantry Division
enter Germany, (120th) at Horsbach. |
| September 24, 1944 |
Evacuation of Kerkrade begins. |
| October 2, 1944 |
Attack on Seigfreid Line at Aachen,
Germany begins. |
| October 6, 1944 |
Col. Birks transferred to 9th Inf. Div.
as Ass't Div. C.O. |
| October 6, 1944 |
Col. Branner P. Perdue assumes command of
the 120th Reg't. |
| October 16, 1944 |
Captured the City of Aachen, Germany, in
conjunction with the 1st Inf. Div. First City in Germany to
fall to the Allies. |
| October 18, 1944 |
Maj. Gen. Raymond S. Mc Lain assumes
command of the XIX Corps.
October 22, 1944 XIX Corps transferred into the newly formed
Ninth Army under Lt. Gen. William H. Simpson. |
| December 17, 1944 |
Beginning of the participation of the
30th Inf. Div. in the Battle of the Ardennes at Malmedy,
Belgium. Stopped the penetration of the 1st SS Panzer
Division at Stavelot-Stoumont-La Gleize. |
| December 27, 1944 |
Col. Russell A. Baker assumes command of
the 119th Inf. Reg't. |
| January 13, 1945 |
30th Division launched the
counteroffensive to return the front line to original
position as of December 16, 1944. |
| January 30, 1945 |
Line of the Breakthrough returned to
original line. |
| February 2, 1945 |
30th Division returns to original Roer
River position in Germany. |
| February 23, 1945 |
The Roer River was successfully crossed
near Julich, Germany. |
| March 24, 1945 |
30th Division crossed the Rhine River. |
| April 12, 1945 |
30th Division reached the Elbe River, 40
mi. SW of Berlin. |
| April 18, 1945 |
Captured the City of Magdeburg, one of
the easternmost penetrations in the Ninth Army sector. |
| May 4, 1945 |
Russians were contacted by 30th Inf. Div.
at Grunewald on the Elbe River. |
| May 8, 1945 |
Victory in Europe |
| May 9, 1945 |
30th Infantry Division starts Occupation
duties in Germany. |
| June 1945 |
30th Infantry Division was alerted for
deployment for action in Japan. |
| August 16-21, 1945
|
30th Infantry Division returned to the
U.S.A. aboard the Queen Mary, except the 119th
Regiment which returned to Boston, Mass., on the USS Gen.
Black. |
| November 25, 1945 |
30th Infantry Division deactivated at Ft.
Jackson, S.C. |
Frank W. Towers 2/04
Revised 2/06
|
Page last revised
01/01/2022