45th Infantry Division (Vereinigte Staaten)

2015-05-01T05:27:32Z

199.3.246.231: /* History */

{{Good article}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=45th Infantry Division
|image=[[File:45thIBCTSSI.png|150px]]
|caption= 45th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia.
|dates=1920–45<br />1946–68
|country={{flag|United States}}
|allegiance=
|branch={{army|USA}}
|type=[[Infantry]]
|role=
|size=[[Division (military)|Division]]
|command_structure= [[Oklahoma Army National Guard]]
|garrison=[[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]]
|motto= ''Semper Anticus''<br/>([[Latin]]: "Always Forward")<ref name="TIOH"/>
|nickname= "Thunderbird"<ref name="Whitlock21"/>
|battles=[[World War II]]
* [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Sicily]]
* [[Allied invasion of Italy|Naples-Foggia]]
* [[Battle of Anzio|Anzio]]
* [[Rome]]-[[Arno]]
* [[Operation Dragoon|Southern France]]
* [[Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine|Rhineland]]
* [[Battle of the Bulge|Ardennes-Alsace]]
* [[Western Allied invasion of Germany|Central Europe]]
|notable_commanders= [[Troy H. Middleton]]<br/>[[Dwight E. Beach]]<br/>[[Philip De Witt Ginder]]
|identification_symbol=[[File:45thDivDUI.png|125px]]
|identification_symbol_label=Distinctive unit insignia (1920-46)
|identification_symbol_2=[[File:45thIBCTDUI.png|250px|The DUI of the 45th Division is one of only a few that are authorized a mirror image.]]
|identification_symbol_2_label=Distinctive unit insignia (1946-68)
}}
{{Infobox US infantry
|previous=[[44th Infantry Division (United States)|44th Infantry Division]]
|next=[[46th Infantry Division (United States)|46th Infantry Division]]
}}

The '''45th Infantry Division''' of the [[United States Army]] was a major formation of the [[Oklahoma Army National Guard]] from 1920 to 1968. Headquartered mostly in [[Oklahoma City]], the guardsmen fought in both [[World War II]] and the [[Korean War]]. They trace their lineage from frontier [[militia]]s that operated in the [[Southwestern United States]] throughout the late 1800s.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

The 45th Infantry Division guardsmen saw no major action until they became one of the first National Guard units activated in World War II in 1941. They took part in intense fighting during the [[Battle of Sicily|invasion of Sicily]] and the [[Operation Avalanche|attack on Salerno]] in the 1943 [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]]. Slowly advancing through [[Italy]], they [[Battle of Anzio|fought in Anzio]] and [[Battle of Monte Cassino|in Monte Cassino]]. After landing in [[France]] during [[Operation Dragoon]], they joined the 1945 drive into [[Nazi Germany]] that ended the [[European theatre of World War II|War in Europe]].

After brief inactivation and subsequent reorganization as a unit restricted to Oklahomans, the division returned to duty in 1951 for the Korean War. It joined the [[United Nations]] troops on the front lines during the [[Korean War#Stalemate (July 1951 – July 1953)|stalemate]] of the second half of the war, with constant, low-level fighting and [[trench warfare]] against the [[People's Volunteer Army]] of [[China]] that produced little gain for either side. The division remained on the front lines in such engagements as [[Battle of Old Baldy Hill|Old Baldy Hill]] and [[Battle of Hill Eerie|Hill Eerie]] until the end of the war, returning to the U.S. in 1954.

The division remained a National Guard formation until its inactivation in 1968 as part of a downsizing of the Guard. Several units were activated to replace the division and carry on its lineage. Over the course of its history, the 45th Infantry Division sustained over 25,000 battle casualties, and its men were awarded nine [[Medal of Honor|Medals of Honor]], twelve [[campaign streamer]]s, the [[Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)|Croix de Guerre]] and the [[Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation]].

==History==
With the outbreak of [[World War I]], troops of the National Guard were formed into the units which exist today, with the [[Colorado Army National Guard|Colorado Guard]] forming the [[157th Infantry Regiment (United States)|157th Infantry Regiment]], the [[Arizona Army National Guard|Arizona Guard]] forming the [[158th Infantry Regiment (United States)|158th Infantry Regiment]], and the [[New Mexico Army National Guard|New Mexico Guard]] forming the [[120th Engineer Regiment (United States)|120th Engineer Regiment]]. These units were attached to the [[40th Infantry Division (United States)|40th Infantry Division]] and deployed to [[France]] where they were used as "depot" forces to provide replacements for front-line units. They returned home at the end of the war.<ref name="Whit17">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=17}}</ref> The [[Oklahoma Army National Guard|Oklahoma Guard]] units that would later become the [[179th Infantry Regiment (United States)|179th Infantry Regiment]] and [[180th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|180th Infantry Regiment]] were assigned to the [[36th Infantry Division (United States)|36th Infantry Division]] and would earn a combat participation credit during the [[Meuse-Argonne Campaign]] (26 September – 11 November 1918) in France as the [[142nd Infantry Regiment (United States)|142nd Infantry]].<ref>{{cite web|title=142nd Infantry Regiment|url=http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/36division/archives/142/ch001.htm|publisher=Texas Military Forces Museum|accessdate=10 July 2012}}</ref>

=== Inter-war years ===
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'''1923–1940 "Square" Organization''' <ref>{{harvnb|Stanton|1945|p=126}}</ref>
* HQ 45th Division
* [[89th Infantry Brigade]]
** [[157th Infantry Regiment (United States)|157th Infantry Regiment]]
** [[158th Infantry Regiment (United States)|158th Infantry Regiment]]
* [[90th Infantry Brigade (United States)|90th Infantry Brigade]]
** [[179th Infantry Regiment (United States)|179th Infantry Regiment]]
** [[180th Cavalry Squadron (United States)|180th Infantry Regiment]]
* 70th Field Artillery Brigade
** [[158th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|158th Field Artillery Regiment]]
** [[160th Field Artillery Regiment]]
** [[189th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|189th Field Artillery Regiment]]
* 45th Military Police Company
* 45th Signal Company
* 120th Ordnance Company
* 120th Engineer (Combat) Regiment
* 120th Medical Regiment
* 120th Quartermaster Regiment
|}

On 19 October 1920, the Oklahoma State militia was organized as the 45th Infantry Division of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, and manned with troops from [[Arizona]], [[Colorado]], [[New Mexico]], and [[Oklahoma]].<ref name="McGrath234">{{harvnb|McGrath|2004|p=234}}</ref> The division was formed and federally recognized as a National Guard unit on 3 August 1923 in [[Oklahoma City]], Oklahoma.<ref name="Wilson663">{{harvnb|Wilson|1999|p=663}}</ref> It was assigned the 89th Infantry Brigade of the Colorado and Arizona National Guards, and the 90th Infantry Brigade of the Oklahoma National Guard.<ref name="McGrath171">{{harvnb|McGrath|2004|p=171}}</ref> As a consequence of these militia roots, when the division was properly organized, many of its members were marksmen and outdoorsmen from the remote frontier regions of the Southwestern United States.<ref name="Whit11">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=11}}</ref> The division's first commander was [[Major General]] Baird H. Markham.<ref name="Whit18">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=18}}</ref>

The 45th Infantry Division engaged in regular drills but no major events in its first few years, though the division's Colorado elements were called in to help quell a large coal mining strike.<ref name="Whit19">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=19}}</ref> The onset of the [[Great Depression]] in the 1930s severely curtailed its funding for training and equipment. Major General Roy Hoffman took command in 1931, followed by Alexander M. Tuthill, Alexander E. McPherren in 1935, and William S. Key in 1936.<ref name="Whit18"/> In 1937, the division's troops were once again called up, this time to help manage a [[locust]] plague affecting Colorado.<ref name="Whit19"/>

[[File:45th Infantry insignia (swastika).svg|thumb|150px|left|Before the 1930s, the division's symbol was a red square with a yellow [[swastika]], a tribute to the large Native American population in the southwestern United States.|alt=A red diamond with a yellow swastika inside it]]
The division's [[Western use of the Swastika in the early 20th century|original]] [[shoulder sleeve insignia]], approved in August 1924,<ref name="Whit20">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=20}}</ref> featured a [[swastika]], a common Native American symbol, as a tribute to the Southwestern United States region which had a large population of Native Americans. However, with the rise of the [[Nazi Party]] in [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], with its infamous swastika symbol, the 45th Division stopped using the insignia.<ref name="SY18">{{harvnb|Stout|Yeide|2007|p=18}}</ref> Following a long process of submissions for new designs, a new shoulder sleeve insignia, designed by a [[Carnegie, Oklahoma]] native named Woody Big Bow,<ref>{{harvnb|Perry|2009|p=115}}</ref> featuring the [[Thunderbird (mythology)|Thunderbird]], another Native American symbol, was approved in 1939.<ref name="Whitlock21">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=21}}</ref>

In August 1941, the 45th Infantry Division took part in the [[Louisiana Maneuvers]], the largest peacetime exercises in U.S. military history.<ref name="Whit5"/> It was assigned to [[VIII Corps (United States)|VIII Corps]] with the [[2nd Infantry Division (United States)|2nd Infantry Division]] and the [[36th Infantry Division (United States)|36th Infantry Division]], camped near Pitkin, Louisiana.<ref name="Whit9">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=9}}</ref> Still operating with outmoded equipment from World War I, the division did not perform well during these exercises.<ref name="Whit7">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=7}}</ref> With poor weather and bad equipment, the undertrained 45th Infantry Division was criticized by officers who considered it "feeble".<ref name="Whit9"/> In spite of these deficiencies, less than one month later, the men were recalled to the [[active duty]] force, much to their chagrin, because of concerns of an impending U.S. entry into [[World War II]].<ref name="Whit5">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=5}}</ref>

===World War II===
[[File:45th Infantry Division plaque.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=A large plaque with an inscription|A monument in Abilene, Texas commemorating the 45th Infantry Division's time in Texas as it trained at [[Camp Barkeley]] in 1940.]]
On 16 September 1941, the 45th Infantry Division was [[federalization of the National Guard|federalized]] from state control into the regular army force.<ref name="Wilson663"/> It was one of four National Guard divisions to be federalized, alongside the [[30th Infantry Division (United States)|30th Infantry Division]], the [[41st Infantry Division (United States)|41st Infantry Division]] and the [[44th Infantry Division (United States)|44th Infantry Division]], originally for a one-year period.<ref name="Whit6">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=6}}</ref> Its men immediately began [[basic combat training]] at [[Fort Sill, Oklahoma]].<ref name="Whit10">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=10}}</ref> Throughout 1942, it continued this training at [[Camp Barkeley]], [[Texas]],<ref name="Whit2228">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|pp=22–28}}</ref> before moving to [[Fort Devens]], [[Massachusetts]], to undergo [[amphibious assault]] training in preparation for an invasion of [[Italy]].<ref name="Blum"/> It then moved to [[Fort Drum|Pine Camp]], [[New York]] briefly for [[winter warfare]] training, but was hampered by continuously poor weather. In January 1943 it moved to [[Fort Pickett, Virginia]], for its final training.<ref name="Whit29">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=29}}</ref> The division moved to the [[Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation]] embarkation's [[Camp Patrick Henry]] to await combat loading on the transports.<ref name="Bykofsky">{{harvnb|Bykofsky|1990|p=194}}</ref>

The division's two combat commands, the 89th and 90th Brigades, were not activated, as the Army favored smaller and more versatile regimental commands for the new conflict.<ref name="McGrath171"/> The 45th Infantry Division was instead based around the 157th, 179th, and 180th Infantry Regiments.<ref name="Almanac592">{{harvnb|Young|1959|p=592}}</ref> Also assigned to the division were the 158th, 160th, 171st, and 189th Field Artillery Battalions, the 45th Signal Company, the 700th Ordnance Company, the 45th Quartermaster Company, the 45th Reconnaissance Troop, the 120th Engineer Combat Battalion, and the 120th Medical Battalion.<ref name="Almanac592"/>

====Sicily====

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'''1942–1963 "Triangular" Organization'''<ref>{{harvnb|Stanton|1945|p=179}}</ref>
* HQ 45th Infantry Division
* [[157th Infantry Regiment]]
* [[179th Infantry Regiment (United States)|179th Infantry Regiment]]
* [[180th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|180th Infantry Regiment]]
* 45th Division Artillery
** [[158th Field Artillery Regiment|158th Field Artillery Battalion]]
** [[160th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|160th Field Artillery Battalion]]
** [[171st Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|171st Field Artillery Battalion]]
** [[189th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|189th Field Artillery Battalion]]
* 45th Reconnaissance Troop
* 45th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
* 45th Military Police Platoon
* 45th Signal Company
* [[700th Support Battalion (United States)|700th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company]]
* 120th Engineer Combat Battalion
* 120th Medical Battalion
* 45th Quartermaster Company
|}

The division sailed from the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation for the [[Mediterranean]] region on 8 June 1943, [[Combat loading|combat loaded]] aboard thirteen attack transports and five cargo attack vessels as convoy UGF-9 headed by the communications ship {{USS|Ancon|AGC-4|6}}.<ref name="Blum">{{harvnb|Blumenson|1999|p=33}}</ref><ref name="Bykofsky"/> By the time the 45th Division landed in North Africa on 22 June 1943, the Allies had largely secured the African theater. As a result the division was not sent into combat upon arrival and instead commenced training at [[Arzew]], [[French Morocco]],<ref name="Almanac544">{{harvnb|Young|1959|p=544}}</ref> in preparation for the invasion of [[Sicily]]. Allied intelligence estimated that the island was defended by approximately 230,000 troops, the majority of which were drawn mostly from weak Italian formations and two German divisions which had been reconstituted after being destroyed earlier. Against this, the Allies planned to land 180,000 troops,<ref>{{harvnb|Collier|2003|p=56}}</ref> including the 45th Division, which was assigned to [[II Corps (United States)|II Corps]] of the [[Seventh United States Army]] for the operation.<ref>{{harvnb|Collier|2003|p=23}}</ref>

The division was subsequently assigned a lead role in the [[Battle of Sicily|amphibious assault on Sicily]], coming ashore on 10 July.<ref>{{harvnb|Muir|2001|p=182}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Axelrod|2006|p=104}}</ref> Landing near [[Scoglitti]], the southernmost U.S. objective on the island, the division advanced north on the U.S. force's eastern flank.<ref name="Collier22">{{harvnb|Collier|2003|p=22}}</ref> After initially encountering resistance from armor of the German [[Herman Goering Division]], the division advanced, supported by paratroopers of the [[82nd Airborne Division]] who landed inland on 11 July.<ref name="Muir, p. 184">{{harvnb|Muir|2001|p=184}}</ref> The 82nd paratroopers, conducting their first combat jump of the war, then set up to protect the 45th's flank against German counterattack, but without weapons to counter heavy armor, the paratroopers had to rely on support from U.S. armored units to repulse the German [[Tiger I]] tanks.<ref name="Muir, p. 184"/> As the division advanced towards its main objective to capture the airfields at [[Biscari, Sicily|Biscari]] and [[Comiso, Sicily|Comiso]], German forces pushed back.<ref>{{harvnb|Axelrod|2006|p=105}}</ref> For most of the first two weeks while the division moved slowly north, it encountered only light resistance from Italian forces fighting delaying actions.<ref>{{harvnb|Garland|Smyth|1965|p=206}}</ref> Italian and German forces resisted fiercely at Motta Hill on 26 July, however, and for four days the 45th Infantry Division was held up there.<ref>{{harvnb|Garland|Smyth|1965|p=127}}</ref> After this, division was allocated to drive towards [[Messina]], being ordered by General [[George S. Patton]] to cover the distance as quickly as possible.<ref>{{harvnb|Axelrod|2006|p=107}}</ref> It spent a few days in that city, but on 1 August, the division was withdrawn from the front line for rest and rear-guard patrol duty,<ref name="Almanac544"/> after which the division was assigned to [[VI Corps (United States)|VI Corps]] of the [[Fifth United States Army]], in preparation for the invasion of mainland Italy.<ref name="Pim140">{{harvnb|Pimlott|1995|p=140}}</ref>

====Salerno====
[[File:45th Infantry Division en route to Sicily 1943.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Troops of the 45th Infantry Division in a transport bound for Sicily in June 1943.]]
On 3 September, Italy surrendered to the Allied powers. Hoping to occupy as much of the country as possible before the German army could react, the Fifth Army prepared to [[Operation Avalanche (World War II)#Salerno landings|attack Salerno]].<ref>{{harvnb|Blumenson|1999|p=12}}</ref> On 10 September 1943, the division conducted its second landing at Agropoli and Paestum with the [[36th Infantry Division (United States)|36th Infantry Division]], on the southernmost beaches of the attack.<ref name="Pim140"/> Opposing them were elements of the German [[29th Infantry Division (Germany)|29th Panzergrenadier Division]] and [[XVI Panzer Corps]].<ref name="Pim140"/> Against stiff resistance, the 45th pushed to the [[Calore River]] after a week of [[Battle of Salerno|heavy fighting]].<ref name="Almanac545">{{harvnb|Young|1959|p=545}}</ref> The Fifth Army was battered and pushed back by German forces until 20 September, when American forces were finally able to break out and establish a more secure beachhead.<ref name="Pim140"/><ref>{{harvnb|Collier|2003|p=57}}</ref> On 3 November it crossed the [[Volturno River]] and took [[Venafro]].<ref name="Almanac545"/> The division had great difficulty moving across the rivers and through the mountainous terrain, and the advance was slow. After linking up with the [[British Eighth Army]], which had advanced from the south, the combined force, under the [[Fifteenth Army Group]], was stalled when it reached the [[Gustav Line]].<ref>{{harvnb|Pimlott|1995|p=141}}</ref> Until 9 January 1944, the division inched forward into the mountains reaching St. Elia, north of [[Cassino]], before moving to a rest area.<ref name="Almanac545"/>

====Anzio====
[[File:Chaplain01.jpg|thumb|left|Chaplain Lt. Col. William King leads troops of the 45th in Christmas Day services in Italy, 25 December 1943|alt=A chaplain reads from a bible while a formation of men stand in the background with heads bowed.]]

Allied forces conducted a frontal assault on the Gustav Line stronghold at [[Monte Cassino]], and VI Corps was assigned [[Operation Shingle]], detached from the Army Group to land behind enemy lines at [[Anzio]] on 22 January.<ref name="Pim142">{{harvnb|Pimlott|1995|p=142}}</ref> For this mission, the 45th Infantry Division was given additional armored units.<ref>{{harvnb|Clark|2007|p=78}}</ref> Landing on schedule, VI Corps surprised the German forces, but Major General [[John P. Lucas]]'s decision to consolidate the beachhead instead of attacking gave the Germans time to bring the [[LXXVI Panzer Corps (Germany)|LXXVI Panzer Corps]] forward to oppose the landings.<ref name="Pim142"/><ref>{{harvnb|Collier|2003|p=58}}</ref>

On 30 January 1944, when VI Corps moved out, it encountered heavy resistance from German armored units which inflicted heavy casualties.<ref name="Pim142"/><ref>{{harvnb|Collier|2003|p=124}}</ref> The fight became a war of attrition, and for the next four months the division stood its ground during repeated German counterattacks.<ref name="Almanac545"/> The 45th Infantry Division was mostly stuck in place as the Pimlott Line was subjected to bombardment from aircraft and artillery fire. It was May before the Germans, reeling from heavy bombing and repeated attacks from the Fifteenth Army Group, began to withdraw.<ref>{{harvnb|Pimlott|1995|p=143}}</ref>

On 23 May the division went on the offensive, crossing the [[Tiber River]] by 4 June and, in the process, outflanking Rome. VI Corps linked up with the rest of the Fifth Army by 25 May, and as the division crossed the river, the Fifth Army entered and captured Rome.<ref name="Collier60">{{harvnb|Collier|2003|p=60}}</ref> As a result, the 45th Infantry was the first military unit to enter the [[Vatican City|Vatican]]. On 16 June, it withdrew for rest in preparation for another assault.<ref name="Almanac545"/> During this time, VI Corps was attached to the Seventh United States Army, [[Sixth United States Army Group]],<ref name="Order184">{{harvnb|Stanton|1945|p=184}}</ref> part of a buildup in preparation for an invasion of mainland Europe in southern France, called [[Operation Dragoon|Operation Anvil]], which was originally planned to coincide with [[Operation Overlord]] in the north.<ref name="Pim166"/> The 45th, 36th and [[3rd Infantry Division (United States)|3rd Infantry Division]]s were pulled from the line in Italy to conduct Operation Anvil, but the attack was delayed until August because of a shortage of landing craft.<ref name="Pim166">{{harvnb|Pimlott|1995|p=166}}</ref>

====France and Germany====
[[File:Operation Dragoon - map.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Tactical map of Operation Dragoon|alt=A map of southern France with the 45th Infantry Division landing at the center of a large invasion force.]]
The 45th Infantry Division participated in its fourth assault landing during [[Operation Dragoon]] on 15 August 1944, at [[St. Maxime]], in Southern France.<ref name="Almanac545"/> The division landed its 157th and 180th [[regimental combat team]]s and captured the heights of the [[Chaines de Mar]] before meeting the [[1st Special Service Force]].<ref name="SY29">{{harvnb|Stout|Yeide|2007|p=29}}</ref> The German Army, reeling from the [[Operation Overlord|Battle of Normandy]], pulled back after a short fight, part of an overall German withdrawal to the east following the landings.<ref>{{harvnb|Pimlott|1995|p=167}}</ref><ref name="SY30">{{harvnb|Stout|Yeide|2007|p=30}}</ref> Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division engaged the dispersed forces of German [[Army Group G]], suffering very few casualties.<ref name="Collier60"/> The Seventh Army, along with [[Free French]] forces, were able to advance north quickly. By 12 September, the Seventh Army linked up with the [[Third United States Army]], advancing from [[Normandy]], joining the two forces at [[Dijon]].<ref name="Pim166"/> Against slight opposition, it spearheaded the drive for the [[Belfort Gap]]. The 45th Infantry Division took the strongly defended city of [[Epinal]] on 24 September.<ref name="Almanac545"/> The division was then reassigned to [[V Corps (United States)|V Corps]] for its next advance.<ref name="Order184"/> On 30 September the division crossed the [[Moselle River]] and entered the western foothills of the [[Vosges]], taking [[Rambervillers]].<ref name="Almanac545"/> It would remain in the area for a month waiting for other units to catch up before crossing the [[Mortagne River]] on 23 October.<ref name="Almanac545"/> The division remained on the line with the Sixth United States Army Group, the southernmost of three Army Groups advancing through France.<ref>{{harvnb|Pimlott|1995|p=189}}</ref>

After the crossing was complete, the division was relieved from V Corps and assigned to [[XV Corps (United States)|XV Corps]].<ref name="Order184"/> The division was allowed a one-month rest, resuming its advance on 25 November, attacking the forts north of [[Mutzig]]. These forts had been designed by [[Kaiser Wilhelm II]] in 1893 to block access to the plain of [[Alsace]]. The 45th Division next crossed the Zintzel River before pushing through the [[Maginot]] defenses.<ref name="Almanac545"/> During this time much of the division's artillery assets were attached to the [[44th Infantry Division (United States)|44th Infantry Division]] to provide additional support.<ref name="Order183">{{harvnb|Stanton|1945|p=183}}</ref> The 45th Infantry Division was reassigned to VI Corps on New Year's Day.<ref name="Order184"/> From 2 January 1945, the division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the [[Moder River]].<ref name="Almanac545"/> It sent half of its artillery to support the [[70th Infantry Division (United States)|70th Infantry Division]].<ref name="Order183"/> On 17 February the division was pulled off the line for rest and training. Once this rest period was complete, the division was assigned to XV Corps for the final push into German territory.<ref name="Order184"/> The 45th moved north to the [[Sarreguemines]] area and smashed through the [[Siegfried Line]], on 17 March taking Homburg on the 21st and crossing the Rhine between Worms and Hamm on the 26th.<ref name="Almanac545"/> The advance continued, with [[Aschaffenburg]] falling on 3 April, and [[Nuremberg]] on the 20th.<ref name="Almanac545"/> The division crossed the [[Danube River]] on 27 April, and liberated 32,000 captives of the [[Dachau concentration camp]] on 29 April 1945.<ref name="Almanac545"/> The division captured [[Munich]] during the next two days, occupying the city until [[V-E Day]] and the surrender of Germany.<ref>{{harvnb|Kennedy|2003|p=426}}</ref> During the next month, the division remained in Munich and set up collection points and camps for the massive numbers of surrendering troops of the German armies. The number of POWs taken by the 45th Division during its almost two years of fighting totalled 124,840 men.<ref name="Almanac545"/> The division was then slated to move to the [[Pacific theater of operations]] to participate in the [[Operation Downfall|invasion of mainland Japan]] on the island of [[Honshu]], but these plans were scrubbed before the division could depart after the [[surrender of Japan]], on [[V-J Day]].<ref>{{harvnb|Kennedy|2003|p=427}}</ref>

====Criminal allegations====
{{see also|Biscari massacre|Dachau massacre}}
After the war, [[Court-martial|courts-martial]] were convened to investigate possible [[war crimes]] by members of the division. In the first case, dubbed the [[Biscari massacre]], American troops from C Company, 180th Infantry Regiment, were alleged to have shot 74 Italian and two German prisoners in [[Acate]] in July 1943 following the capture of an airfield in the area. Patton asked General [[Omar Bradley]] to get the case dismissed to prevent bad press, but Bradley refused. A [[non-commissioned officer]] later confessed to the crimes and was found guilty, but an officer who claimed he had only been following orders was acquitted.<ref>{{harvnb|Atkinson|2007|p=119}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Botting|Sayer|1989|pp=354–359}}</ref><ref name="Whit389">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=389}}</ref>

[[File:Killed SS Cammo Dachau.jpg|thumb|left|Dead German troops near [[Dachau Concentration Camp]], allegedly killed in the [[Dachau massacre]] in 1945.]]
In a second incident, the Army considered court-martialling several officers of the 157th Infantry Regiment under [[lieutenant colonel (US)|Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Felix L. Sparks]] after servicemen were accused of massacring German soldiers who were surrendering at the Dachau [[concentration camp]] in 1945. Some of the German troops were camp guards; the others were sick and wounded troops from a nearby hospital. The soldiers of the 45th Division who liberated the camp were outraged at the malnourishment and maltreatment of the 32,000 prisoners they liberated, some barely alive, and all victims of the [[Holocaust]]. After entering the camp, the soldiers found boxcars filled with dead bodies of prisoners who had succumbed to starvation or last-minute executions, and in rooms adjacent to [[gas chambers]] they found naked bodies piled from the floor to the ceiling.<ref name="Whit360–364">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|pp=360–364}}</ref> The cremation ovens, which were still in operation when the soldiers arrived, contained bodies and skeletons as well. Some of the victims apparently had died only hours before the 45th Division entered the camp, while many others lay where they had died in states of decomposition that overwhelmed the soldiers' senses.<ref name="Whit359">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=359}}</ref> Accounts conflict over what happened and over how many German troops were killed. After investigating the incident, the Army considered court-martialling several officers involved, but Patton successfully intervened. Seventh Army was being disbanded and Patton had been appointed Military Governor of Bavaria, placing the matter in his hands.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sparks|first1=Felix|title=Liberation of Dachau|url=http://www.45thinfantrydivision.com/index14.htm|website=Albert R. Panebianco's World War II Website|accessdate=25 March 2015}}</ref> Some veterans of the 45th Infantry Division have said that only 30 to 50 German soldiers were killed and that very few were killed trying to surrender, while others have admitted to killing or refusing to treat wounded German guards.<ref name="Whit365">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|pp=365–366}}</ref>

===After the war===
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'''Callsigns of the 45th Division''' <ref>{{cite web|title=Lt. Kleindienst's Forward Observer's Notebook|url=http://www.45thdivision.org/CampaignsBattles/Anzio/Anzio/Anzio_notebook.htm|accessdate=16 March 2014}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|title=Codes Used in the Daily Journals of the Command Reports|url=http://koreanwar-educator.org/memoirs/mcgill_frank/index.htm#Codes|accessdate=16 March 2014}}</ref>
*45TH DIV..............POWER
*45TH DIV ARTY...PARASOL
*189TH FA BN.......PARK
*160TH FA BN.......PATIENCE
*158TH FA BN.......POLISH
*171ST FA BN.......POST
*157TH INF RGT...POISON (WWII)
*179TH INF RGT...PAGAN
*180TH INF RGT...PASSPORT
*279TH INF RGT...POISON (KOREA)
Battalions of the Infantry Regiments
* 1st INF BN............RED
* 2nd INF BN...........WHITE
* 3rd INF BN............BLUE
Regimental Tanks and Mortars
* TANK CO.............GREEN
* MORTAR CO........BROWN
|}
During World War II, the 45th Division fought in 511 days of combat.<ref name="Almanac544"/> Nine soldiers were awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] during their service with the 45th Infantry Division: [[Van T. Barfoot]],<ref name="Whit292">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=292}}</ref> [[Ernest Childers]],<ref name="Whit103">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=103}}</ref> [[Almond E. Fisher]],<ref name="Whit323">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=323}}</ref> [[William J. Johnston]],<ref name="Whit229">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=229}}</ref> [[Salvador J. Lara]], <ref>{{cite news|last=Santschi|first=Darrell R.|title=Riverside men to get top honor: Jesus S. Duran and Salvador J. Lara will be awarded the Medal of Honor|newspaper=[[The Press-Enterprise]]|date=February 23, 2014}}</ref> [[Jack C. Montgomery]],<ref name="Whit245">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=245}}</ref> [[James D. Slaton]],<ref name="Whit103"/> [[Jack Treadwell]],<ref name="Whit343">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=343}}</ref> and [[Edward G. Wilkin]].<ref name="Whit345">{{harvnb|Whitlock|2005|p=345}}</ref> Soldiers of the division also received 61 [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]es, three [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]]s, 1,848 [[Silver Star Medal]]s, 38 [[Legion of Merit]] medals, 59 [[Soldier's Medal]]s, 5,744 [[Bronze Star Medal]]s, and 52 [[Air Medal]]s. The division received seven [[distinguished unit citations]] and eight [[campaign streamer]]s during the conflict.<ref name="Almanac544"/> The division suffered 3,650 [[killed in action]], 13,729 [[wounded in action]], 3,615 [[missing in action]], 266 captured, and 41,647 non-battle casualties for a total of 62,907 casualties during the war.<ref>{{harvnb|Stanton|1945|p=180}}</ref>

Most of the division returned to New York in September 1945, and from there went to [[Camp Bowie, Texas|Camp Bowie]], Texas. On 7 December 1945, the division was deactivated from the active duty force and its members reassigned to other Army units. The following year, on 10 September 1946, the 45th Infantry Division was reconstituted as a National Guard unit.<ref name="Wilson665">{{harvnb|Wilson|1999|p=665}}</ref> Instead of comprising units from several states, the post-war 45th was an all-Oklahoma organization.<ref name="Don25">{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=25}}</ref> During this time the division was also reorganized and as a part of this process the 157th Infantry was removed from the division's order of battle and replaced with the [[279th Infantry Regiment (United States)|279th Infantry Regiment]].<ref name="Don230">{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=230}}</ref>

During this time, the U.S. Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. At the end of World War II, it contained 89 divisions, but by 1950, there were just 10 active divisions in the force, along with a few reserve divisions such as the 45th Infantry Division which were combat-ineffective.<ref>{{harvnb|Stewart|2005|p=211}}</ref> The division retained many of its best officers as senior commanders as the force downsized, and it enjoyed a good relationship with its community. The 45th in this time was regarded as one of the better-trained National Guard divisions.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=91}}</ref> Regardless, by mid-1950 the division had only 8,413 troops, less than 45 percent<ref group="n">As of 1 August 1950, the division consisted of 698 [[commissioned officer]]s, 64 [[warrant officer]]s, and 7,651 [[enlisted men]]. Army doctrine dictated a fully manned infantry division at 910 officers, 132 warrant officers, and 17,460 enlisted men. The National Guard at the time was operating at a reduced authorization of 851 officers, 130 enlisted men, and 12,777 enlisted men. See {{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=92}}.</ref> of its full-strength authorization.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=92}}</ref> Only 10 percent of the division's officers and 5 percent of its enlisted men had combat experience with the division from World War II.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=90}}</ref>

===Korean War===

At the outbreak of the [[Korean War]] in June 1950, the U.S. Army looked to expand its force again to prepare for major conflict. Positioned to oppose the [[North Korean People's Army]] alongside the [[Republic of Korea Army]] as hostilities began were four understrength U.S. divisions on occupation duty in Japan. These were the [[7th Infantry Division (United States)|7th Infantry Division]], the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]], the [[24th Infantry Division (United States)|24th Infantry Division]], and the [[25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th Infantry Division]], which were all under the control of the [[Eighth United States Army]]. Due to drastic reductions in U.S. military spending following the end of World War II, these divisions were equipped with antiquated weaponry and suffered from a shortage of anti-armor weapons capable of penetrating the hulls of the [[North Korea]]n [[T-34]] tanks.<ref name=Stewart222>{{harvnb|Stewart|2005|p=222}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Catchpole|2001|p=41}}</ref>

==== Reinforcement pool ====
Initially, the division was used to provide a pool of reinforcements for the divisions which had been sent to the Korean War theater, and in January 1951 it provided 650 enlisted fillers for overseas service. Later that month, it was given 4,006 new recruits for its three infantry regiments and artillery assets, and each unit created a 14-week training program to prepare these new soldiers for combat.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=61}}</ref> Because of heavy casualties and slow reinforcement rates, the Army looked to the National Guard to provide additional units to relieve the beleaguered Eighth Army. At the time, the 45th Infantry Division was comprised overwhelmingly of [[high school]] students or recent graduates and only about 60 percent of its divisional troops had conducted training and drills with the division for a year or more. Additionally, only about 20 percent of its personnel had prior experience of military service from World War II.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=27}}</ref> Nevertheless, the division was one of four National Guard divisions identified as being among the most prepared for combat based on the effectiveness of its equipment, training, and leadership.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=26}}</ref> As a result, in February 1951, the 45th Infantry Division was alerted that it would sail for Japan.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=62}}</ref>

In preparation for the deployment, the division was sent to [[Fort Polk]], [[Louisiana]], to begin training and to fill its ranks.<ref name="Var101"/> After its basic training was complete, the division was sent to Japan in April 1951 for advanced training and to act as a reserve force for the Eighth United States Army, then fighting in Korea.<ref name="Var102">{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=102}}</ref> The involvement of the National Guard in the fighting in Korea was further expanded when the [[40th Infantry Division (United States)|40th Infantry Division]] of the [[California Army National Guard]] received warning orders for deployment as well.<ref>{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=100}}</ref>

==== Initial struggles ====
[[File:120th Engineer Battalion soldier in Korea, 1952.jpg|thumb|alt=A man in military uniform constructs a net in a hilly outdoor environment |A soldier of the 120th Engineer Battalion, 45th Infantry Division sets up camouflage net near the front lines in Korea in 1952.]]
On 1 September 1951, the 45th Infantry Division was activated as the first National Guard division to be deployed to the Far East theater since World War II.<ref name="Var101">{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=101}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=98}}</ref> Nevertheless, it was not deployed to Korea until December 1951, when its advanced training was complete.<ref name="Var102"/><ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=102}}</ref> Following its arrival, the division moved to the front line to replace the 1st Cavalry Division, who were then delegated to the Far East reserve, having suffered over 16,000 casualties in less than 18 months of fighting.<ref>{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=93}}</ref>

Though the 45th remained ''de facto'' [[Segregation in the United States military|segregated]] as an all-white unit in 1950,<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=49}}</ref> individual unit commanders went to great lengths to integrate reinforcements from different areas and ethnicity into their units.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=50}}</ref> By 1952, it was fully integrated.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=121}}</ref> Additionally, in an effort to reduce the burden on the National Guard,<ref group="n">Fearing political ramifications, Army leaders sought to prevent large numbers of casualties from any one state, and the 45th Infantry Division was an all-Oklahoma organization at the beginning of the war. See: {{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=122}}</ref> troops from the division were often replaced by enlisted and drafted soldiers from the active duty force. When it arrived in Korea, only half the division's manpower were National Guard troops, and over 4,500 guardsmen left between May and July 1952, continually replaced by more active duty troops, including an increasing number of African Americans.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=120}}</ref> Though the division was no longer an "All-Oklahoma" unit, leaders opted to keep its designation as the 45th Infantry Division.<ref name="Don122">{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=122}}</ref><ref group="n">As a result of this effort, two 45th Infantry Division units existed between 1952 and 1953; the mostly Active-duty 45th Infantry Division (AUS) in Korea, and the National Guard 45th Infantry Division (NGUS) in Oklahoma. In practice, the military institutionally recognized the Korea unit as the only "official" division, and most of the returning Oklahoma guardsmen were either separated from the Guard at the end of their enlistments or remained in inactive reserve status. See: {{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=122}}</ref>

By the time the division was in place, the battle lines on both sides had [[Korean War#Stalemate (July 1951 – July 1953)|largely solidified]], leaving the 45th Infantry Division in a stationary position as it conducted attacks and counterattacks for the same ground.<ref name="Var24"/> The division was put under the command of Eighth Army's [[I Corps (United States)|I Corps]] for most of the conflict.<ref>{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=86}}</ref> It was deployed around [[Chorwon]] and assigned to protect the key routes from that area into [[Seoul]]. The terrain was difficult and the weather was poor in the region.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=105}}</ref> The division suffered its first casualty on 11 December 1951.<ref>{{harvnb|Ecker|2004|p=130}}</ref>

Initially, the division did not fare well, though it improved quickly.<ref name="Var102"/> Its anti-aircraft and armor assets were used as mobile artillery, which continuously pounded Chinese positions. The 45th, in turn, was under constant artillery and mortar attack.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=160}}</ref> It also conducted constant small-unit patrols along the border seeking to engage Chinese outposts or patrols. These small-unit actions made up the majority of the division's combat in Korea.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=107}}</ref> Chinese troops were well dug-in and better trained than the troops of the inexperienced 45th, and it suffered casualties and frequently had to disengage when it was attacked.<ref>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2001|p=108}}</ref>

In the division's first few months on the line, Chinese forces conducted three raids in its sector. In retaliation, the 245th Tank Battalion sent nine tanks to raid Agok.<ref name="Var24">{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=24}}</ref> Two [[company (military)|companies]] of Chinese forces ambushed and devastated a patrol from the 179th Infantry a short time later.<ref name="Var24"/> In the spring, the division launched Operation Counter, which was an effort to establish 11 patrol bases around [[Old Baldy Hill]]. The division then defended the hill against a series of Chinese assaults from the [[38th Army (People's Republic of China)|Chinese 38th Army]].<ref name="Var24"/>

==== Final engagements and the end of the war ====
[[File:Old Baldy Area.gif|thumb|left|Map of the area surrounding Old Baldy Hill, which the division defended for much of its tour in Korea.|alt=A topographic map showing a series of hills surrounded by defensive perimeters.]]
The 45th Infantry Division, along with the 7th Infantry Division, fought off repeated Chinese attacks all along the front line throughout 1952, and Chinese forces frequently attacked Old Baldy Hill into the fall of that year.<ref name="Var25">{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=25}}</ref> Around that time, the 45th Infantry Division relinquished command of Old Baldy Hill to the [[2nd Infantry Division (United States)|2nd Infantry Division]]. Almost immediately the Chinese launched a concentrated attack on the hill, overrunning the U.S. forces.<ref>{{harvnb|Catchpole|2001|p=168}}</ref> Heavy rainstorms prevented the divisions from retaking the hill for around a month, and when it was finally retaken it was heavily fortified to prevent further attacks.<ref>{{harvnb|Catchpole|2001|p=169}}</ref> The 245th Tank Battalion was sent to assault Chinese positions throughout late 1952, but most of the division held a stationary defensive line against the Chinese.<ref name="Var25"/>

In early 1953, North Korean forces launched a large-scale attack against Hill 812, which was then under the control of K Company, 3rd Battalion, 179th Infantry.<ref name="Var28">{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=28}}</ref> The ensuing [[Battle of Hill Eerie]] was one of a series of larger attacks by Chinese and North Korean forces which produced heavier fighting than the previous year had seen. These offensives were conducted largely in order to secure a better position during the ongoing truce negotiations.<ref name="Var28"/> Chinese forces continued to mount concentrated attacks on the lines of the UN forces, including the 45th Infantry Division, but the division managed to hold most of its ground, remaining stationary until the end of the war in the summer of 1953.<ref>{{harvnb|Varhola|2000|p=30}}</ref>

During the Korean War the 45th Infantry Division suffered 4,004 casualties, consisting of 834 killed in action and 3,170 wounded in action.<ref name="Var102"/> The division was awarded four campaign streamers and one Presidential Unit Citation.<ref>{{harvnb|Wilson|1999|p=666}}</ref> One soldier from the division, [[Charles George]], was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving in Korea.<ref>{{harvnb|Ecker|2004|p=160}}</ref>

===After Korea===
[[File:45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team farewell ceremony Feb 2011.jpg|thumb|alt=A stadium full of soldiers sits behind a podium of commanders in military uniform|Soldiers of the [[45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team]], the successor organization to the 45th Infantry Division, hold a ceremony ahead of a deployment to [[Operation Enduring Freedom]] in February 2011.]]
The division briefly patrolled the [[Korean Demilitarized Zone]] following the signing of the armistice ending the war, but most of its men returned home and reverted to National Guard status on 30 April 1954.<ref name="Wilson665"/> Its colors were returned to Oklahoma on 25 September of that year, formally ending the division's presence in Korea.<ref name="Don122"/>

The division remained as a unit of the Oklahoma National Guard, and participated in no major actions throughout the rest of the 1950s save regular weekend and summer training exercises. In 1963, the formation was reorganized in accordance with the [[Reorganization Objective Army Divisions]] plan, which saw the establishment of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Brigade within the division. These brigades would see no major deployments or events, and were deactivated five years later in 1968.<ref>{{harvnb|McGrath|2004|p=202}}</ref> That same year, due to the perceived lack of need for so many large formations in the Army National Guard, the 45th Infantry Division was deactivated, as part of a larger move to reduce the number of Army National Guard divisions from 15 to eight, while increasing the number of separate brigades from seven to 18.<ref>{{harvnb|Wilson|2001|p=338}}</ref> In its place, the independent [[45th Infantry Brigade (United States)|45th Infantry Brigade (Separate)]] was established.<ref name="Wilson665"/><ref>{{harvnb|Wilson|2001|p=240}}</ref> The 45th Infantry Brigade received all of the 45th Division's lineage and heraldry, including its shoulder sleeve insignia.<ref name="TIOH">{{citation|url=http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Heraldry/ArmyDUISSICOA/ArmyHeraldryUnit.aspx?u=3671 |title=The Institute of Heraldry: 45th Infantry Brigade |publisher=[[The Institute of Heraldry]] |accessdate=12 June 2012 |location=[[Fort Belvoir, Virginia]]}}</ref> Also activated from division assets were the [[45th Fires Brigade (United States)|45th Field Artillery Group]], later redesignated the 45th Fires Brigade, and the [[90th Troop Command]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Talley|first=Tim|title=Legislature Honors 45th Infantry Brigade|url=http://www.durantdemocrat.com/view/full_story/1162202/article-Legislature-honors-45th-Infantry-Brigade|accessdate=9 July 2012|newspaper=Durant Democrat}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Home At Last—National Guardsmen Return Home|url=http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=5899|accessdate=9 July 2012|newspaper=Tulsa Beacon|date=12 April 2012}}</ref>

==Honors==
The 45th Infantry Division was awarded eight campaign streamers and one unit award in World War II and four campaign streamers and one unit decoration in the Korean War, for a total of twelve campaign streamers and two unit decorations in its operational history.<ref name="Wilson663"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:center;"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! Conflict
! Streamer
! Inscription
! Year(s)
|-
||[[File:Streamer FCDG WWII.png|200px|alt=A red ribbon with four vertical dark green stripes in the center.]]
||[[Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)|French Croix de Guerre]], World War II (With Palm)
||Embroidered "[[Acquafondata]]"
||1943–1944
|-
|rowspan="8"| [[File:Streamer EAMEC.PNG|200px]]
|rowspan="8"| [[European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal|European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Streamer]]
|| [[Sicily]] (with [[Arrowhead (device)|Arrowhead]])
|| 1943
|-
|| [[Naples]]–[[Foggia]] (with Arrowhead)
|| 1943
|-
|| [[Anzio]] (wirth Arrowhead)
|| 1943
|-
|| Rome–[[Arno]]
|| 1944
|-
|| [[France|Southern France]] (with Arrowhead)
|| 1944
|-
|| [[Rhineland]]
|| 1944–1945
|-
|| [[Ardennes-Alsace|Ardennes–Alsace]]
|| 1944–1945
|-
|| Central Europe
|| 1945
|-
||[[File:Streamer KPUC.PNG|200px|alt=A white ribbon with vertical green and red stripes on its edges and a red and blue circle in the middle]]
||[[Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation]]
||For service in Korea
||1952–1953
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[File:Korean Service Medal - Streamer.png|200px]]
|rowspan="4"|[[Korean Service Medal|Korean Service Campaign Streamer]]
|| Second Korean Winter
|| 1951–1952
|-
|| Korea, Summer–Fall 1952
|| 1952
|-
|| Third Korean Winter
|| 1952–1953
|-
|| Korea, Summer 1953
|| 1953
|}

==Commanding Generals==
{| class=wikitable
|-! Rank !! Name !! In office !! Left office
|-
|MG
|Baird H. Markham
|15 Feb 1923
|6 Apr 1931
|-
|MG
|Roy V. Hoffman
|13 Jun 1931
|13 Jun 1933
|-
|MG
|Alexander M. Tuthill
|14 Jun 1933
|21 Oct 1935
|-
|MG
|Charles E. McPherren
|25 Nov 1935
|29 Jul 1936
|-
|MG
|[[William S. Key]]
|29 Jul 1936
|13 Oct 1942
|-
|MG
|[[Troy H. Middleton]]
|14 Oct 1942
|21 Nov 1943
|-
|MG
|[[William W. Eagles]]
|22 Nov 1943
|30 Nov 1944
|-
|MG
|[[Robert T. Frederick]]
|1 Dec 1944
|10 Sep 1945
|-
|BG
|H.J.D. Meyer
|11 Sep 1945
|7 Dec 1945
|-
|MG
|James C. Styron
|5 Sep 1946
|20 May 1952
|-
|MG
|David Ruffner
|21 May 1952
|15 Mar 1953
|-
|MG
|[[Philip De Witt Ginder]]
|16 Mar 1953
|30 Nov 1953
|-
|MG
|[[Paul D. Harkins]]
|1 Dec 1953
|15 Mar 1954
|-
|BG
|Harvey H. Fischer
|18 Mar 1954
|27 Apr 1954
|-
|MG
|Hal L. Muldrow, Jr
|10 Sep 1952
|31 Aug 1960
|-
|MG
|[[Frederick Alvin Daugherty]]
|1 Sep 1960
|20 Nov 1964
|-
|MG
|Jasper N. Baker
|21 Nov 1964
|31 Jan 1968
|-
|}
Note: Similarity of dates for General Muldrow and commanders beginning with General Ruffner is because 45th Infantry Division, AUS, was retained in Korea while twin unit, 45th Infantry Division, NGUS, was activated in Oklahoma.<ref name=Wood>{{cite book|last=Nelson|first=Guy|title=Thunderbird: A History of the 45th Infantry Division|year=1970|publisher=45th Infantry Division Association|location=Oklahoma City, OK|pages=130–131}}</ref>

== References ==

=== Notes ===
{{reflist|group="n"}}

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

=== Sources ===
{{Commons category|45th Infantry Division (United States)|45th Infantry Division}}
{{Refbegin}}
*{{citation|last=Atkinson|first=Rick|authorlink=Rick Atkinson|year=2007|title=The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943–1944 ([[The Liberation Trilogy]])|publisher=[[Henry Holt and Company|Henry Holt and Co.]]| location=[[New York City, New York]] |isbn=0-8050-6289-0}}
*{{citation|first=Alan |last=Axelrod |authorlink=Alan Axelrod |year=2006 |title=Patton: A Biography |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |location=[[London, United Kingdom]] |isbn=978-1403971395}}
*{{citation|first=Martin |last=Blumenson |title= United States Army in World War II: Mediterranean Theater of Operations: Salerno to Cassino |publisher=Department of the Army |year=1999 |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |isbn=978-0-16-001884-8}}
*{{citation|isbn=0-593-01709-9|first=Douglas|last=Botting|authorlink=Douglas Botting|first2=Ian |last2=Sayer|title=Hitler's Last General: The Case Against [[Wilhelm Mohnke]]|publisher=[[Bantam Books]]|location=[[London, United Kingdom]] |year=1989}}
*{{citation|first1=Joseph |last1=Bykofsky|last2=Larson |first2=Harold |year=1990 |title=The Technical Services—The Transportation Corps: Operations Overseas |series=United States Army In World War II |location=Washington, DC |publisher=Center Of Military History, United States Army |isbn= |lccn=56060000}}
*{{citation|first=Brian |last=Catchpole |title=The Korean War |year=2001 |publisher=[[Robinson Publishing]] |location=[[London, United Kingdom]] |isbn=978-1-84119-413-4}}
*{{citation|first=Lloyd |last=Clark |title=Anzio: Italy and the Battle for Rome – 1944 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Grove Press]] |isbn=978-0-8021-4326-6 |location=[[New York City, New York]]}}
*{{citation|first=Paul |last=Collier |title=Second World War: Volume 4 The Mediterranean 1940–1945 |year=2003 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-0-415-96848-5 |location=[[London, United Kingdom]]}}
*{{citation|first=William |last=Donnelly |title=Under Army Orders: The Army National Guard During The Korean War |year=2001 |publisher=[[Texas A&M University Press]] |location=[[College Station, Texas]] |isbn=978-1-58544-117-4}}
*{{citation|last=Ecker |first=Richard E. |title=Battles of the Korean War: A Chronology, with Unit-by-Unit United States Casualty Figures & Medal of Honor Citations |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |year=2004 |isbn=978-0786419807 |location=[[Jefferson, North Carolina]]}}
*{{citation|first=Howard N. |last=Garland |first2=Albert N. |last2=Smyth |title=United States Army In World War II: The Mediterranean Theater of Operations: Sicily and the Surrender of Italy |year=1965 |publisher=United States Government Printing Office|oclc=396186 |location=[[Washington, D.C.]]}}
*{{citation|first=David M. |last=Kennedy |authorlink=David M. Kennedy (historian) |year=2003 |title=[[Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945|The American People in World War II: Freedom from Fear, Part Two]] |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |location=[[Oxford, United Kingdom]] |isbn=978-0-19-516893-8}}
*{{citation|first=John J. |last=McGrath |title= The Brigade: A History: Its Organization and Employment in the U.S. Army |year=2004 |publisher=Combat Studies Institute Press |location=[[Fort Leavenworth, Kansas]] |isbn=978-1-4404-4915-4}}
*{{citation|first=Malcolm Jr. |last=Muir |year=2001 |title=The Human Tradition in the World War II Era |publisher=SR Books |isbn=978-0-8420-2786-1 |location=[[Lanham, Maryland]]}}
*{{citation|first=Guy |last=Nelson |year=1970 |title=Thunderbird: A History of the 45th Infantry Division |publisher=45th Infantry Division Association |location=[[Oklahoma City, OK]]}}
*{{citation|first=Robert |last=Perry |title=Uprising!: Woody Crumbo's Indian Art |publisher=Chickasaw Press |year=2009 |location=[[Ada, Oklahoma]] |isbn=978-0979785856}}
*{{citation|first=John |last=Pimlott |title=The Historical Atlas of World War II |year=1995 |publisher=[[Henry Holt and Company]] |isbn=978-0-8050-3929-0 |location=[[New York City, New York]]}}
*{{citation|last=Stanton |first=Shelby |title= Order of Battle of the United States Army: World War II European Theater of Operations |year=1945 |publisher=Department of the Army |isbn=978-0-16-001967-8 |location=[[Washington, D.C.]]}}
*{{citation|first=Richard W. |last=Stewart |title= American Military History Volume II: The United States Army in a Global Era, 1917–2003 |year=2005 |publisher=[[Department of the Army]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |isbn=978-0-16-072541-8}}
*{{citation|last=Stout |first=Mark |last2=Yeide |first2=Harry |title=First to the Rhine: The 6th Army Group in World War II |publisher=[[Zenith Press]] |location=[[New York City, New York]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-76-033146-0}}
*{{citation|first=Michael J. |last=Varhola |authorlink=Michael J. Varhola |title=Fire and Ice: The Korean War, 1950–1953 |publisher=[[Da Capo Press]] |year=2000 |isbn=978-1-882810-44-4 |location=[[Mason City, Iowa]]}}
*{{citation|first=Flint |last=Whitlock |title=The Rock Of Anzio: From Sicily To Dachau, A History Of The U.S. 45th Infantry Division |location=[[New York City, New York]] |publisher=[[Basic Books]] |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-813343-01-3}}
*{{citation|first=John B. |last=Wilson |title=Armies, Corps, Divisions, and Separate Brigades |year=1999 |publisher=[[Department of the Army]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |isbn=978-0-160499-94-4}}
*{{citation|first=John B. |last=Wilson |title=Maneuver and Firepower: Divisions and Separate Brigades |year=2001 |publisher=University Press of the Pacific |isbn=978-0-89875-498-8 |location=[[Honolulu, Hawaii]]}}
*{{citation|last=Young |first=Gordon Russell |title= Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States |year=1959 |publisher=[[United States Government Printing Office]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |isbn=978-0758135483}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Portal|World War II|United States Army}}
*[http://www.45thdivisionmuseum.com/ 45th Infantry Division Museum]
*[http://www.45thdivision.org/ 45th Infantry Division History and Reenactments]
*[http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/45thinfantry/index.html The 45th: The Story of the 45th Infantry Division]

* [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/F/FO050.html Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture – Forty-fifth Infantry Division (OKANG)]

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2011}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:045}}
[[Category:Infantry divisions of the United States Army|045th Infantry Division, U.S.]]
[[Category:United States Army divisions during World War II|Infantry Division, U.S. 045]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1924]]
[[Category:United States Army units and formations in the Korean War|USInfDiv0045]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1968]]
[[Category:Divisions of the United States Army National Guard|045]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Oklahoma|045]]

Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

45th Infantry Division (Vereinigte Staaten)