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“Roll On” has long been the slogan of Pennsylvania’s “Keystone” Division, but for a while in December 1944 it looked as if “Hold On” would be more appropriate. At that time, the 28th, with five months of fighting in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany already behind it, was deployed along a 25-mile stretch of the Our River, from northeastern Luxembourg to Wallenstein, Germany. And at that time Rundstedt launched the full fury of his counteroffensive against the Keystone’s lines. On the first day, five crack German divisions flung themselves over the Our, and within a few days the 28th was single-handedly fighting no less than nine enemy divisions. It held on, though, and one correspondent in the area later called its stand “one of the greatest feats in the history of the American Army.”
The 28th, whose nickname is taken from its parent state, had an impressive record in World War I, too. Noted for its fighting in the Meuse-Argonne area, perhaps its greatest single feat was the rescue of the famous Lost Battalion of the 77th Division in the Argonne. Twenty-six years later, the 28th came back to France after having sailed for Europe in October 1943, and having trained in Wales and England for the invasion of the Continent.
The Keystone Division struck its first blow at the enemy on July 22, 1944, shortly after its landing in Normandy. The fury of its assaults on enemy positions led the Germans, who felt that “Keystone” was an inadequately savage description of the 28th’s red shoulder patch, to call the division the “Bloody Bucket” outfit. After worming its way laboriously through the hedgerows, the Division broke loose and rolled through France, overrunning Verneuil, Breteuil, Damville, and other cities. It mopped up large numbers of Germans trapped west of the Seine River by the swift Allied advance, and, on August 29 entered Paris, a few days after the city’s liberation.
On September 6, the 28th crossed the Meuse, scene of much of its fighting in World War I, went on over the Belgian border, and then fanned out into Luxembourg, averaging 17 miles a day. In mid-September, it became the first division to enter Germany in strength. In November, the 28th cleaned up the Hürt gen Forest, and at the end of the month moved back to the front lines and took up positions along the Our. It was then that it was hit by the Ardennes offensive. Badly battered, the 28th nevertheless kept on fighting determinedly until it was relieved, by which time it had held on so long that the timetable for the enemy breakthrough had been irreparably upset.
After resting and reorganizing, the Division went back to the fight early in 1945. The Keystoners smashed across the Rhine-Rhône Canal and, by February, had taken up positions along the Olef River, near Schleiden. In March, the 28th moved on to the Ahr River, and two months later, as the fight ended, had penetrated into Kaiserslautern.
From Fighting Divisions, Kahn & McLemore, Infantry Journal Press, 1945-1946.
There are 3 soldiers of the 28th Infantry Division World War II that have been identified and recovered.
Private Lyle W. Reab 112th Infantry Regiment Missing: 11/09/1944, Recovered: 6/1/2018
Private First Class John J. Sitarz 110th Infantry Regiment Missing: 11/02/1944, Recovered: 2018
Private First Class Lawrence E. Worthen 112th Infantry Regiment Missing: 09/17/1944, Recovered: 4/2019"Bloody Bucket Division"
"Keystone Division"
The red keystone, official emblem of the State of Pennsylvania, is the official shoulder sleeve insignia of the 28th Division which was originally a Pennsylvania National Guard organization. The Germans called it the "Bloody Bucket" because of the blood-red keystone insignia and vicious fighting tactics during the Normandy Campaign.
Motto: "Fire and Movement"
| 18 Oct 1943 | Maj Gen Lloyd D Brown |
| 13 Aug 1944 | Brig Gen James E Wharton |
| 14 Aug 1944 | Brig Gen Norman D Cota |
| 26 Sep 1944 | Maj Gen Norman D Cota |
| 18 Oct 1943 | Brig Gen Kenneth Buchanan |
| 31 Aug 1944 | Brig Gen George A Davis |
| 1 Mar 1945 | Brig Gen Edmund B Sebree |
| 18 Oct 1943 | Brig Gen Basil H Perry |
| 18 Oct 1943 | Col Charles H Valentine |
| 7 Dec 1944 | Col Jesse L Gibney |
| 15 Dec 1943 | Lt Col Forrest Caraway |
| 14 Apr 1945 | Lt Col Lauren W Merriam |
| 15 Dec 1943 | Lt Col Harry S Messec |
| 17 Apr 1945 | Maj David Y Hurwitz |
| 15 Dec 1943 | Lt Col Thomas E Briggs |
| 1 Nov 1944 | Lt Col Benjamin J Tarpani |
| 1 Dec 1944 | Lt Col Thomas E Briggs |
| 27 Dec 1944 | Maj Carl W Plitt |
| 7 Mar 1945 | Lt Col Carl W Plitt |
| 7 May 1945 | Lt Col William f Train |
| 15 Dec 1943 | Lt Col John C Davis |
| 1 Nov 1943 | Maj Harry S Manry |
| 31 Aug 1944 | Lt Col Harry S Manry |
| 31 May 1944 | Maj John M Gregory |
| 15 Jun 1944 | Maj Norman R S Thompson |
| 7 Mar 1945 | Lt Col Norman R S Thompson |
| 15 Dec 1943 | Lt Col Paul M Kienzie |
| May 1945 | Col James E Rudder |
| May 1945 | Col Daniel B Strickler |
| May 1945 | Col Gustin M Nelson |
| Inducted |
17 Feb 41
|
| Arrived ETO |
18 Oct 43
|
| Arrived Continent (D/48) |
24 Jul 44
|
| Entered Combat: | |
| First Elements |
22 Jul 44
|
| Entire Division |
27 Jul 44
|
| Days in Combat |
196
|
| Killed |
1,901
|
| Wounded |
9,157
|
| Missing |
2,599
|
| Captured |
2,247
|
| Battle Casualties |
15,904
|
| Non-Battle Casualties |
8,936
|
| Total Casualties |
24,840
|
| Percent of T/O Strength |
176.3
|
| DSC |
16
|
| Legion of Merit |
4
|
| Silver Star |
258
|
| Soldiers Medal |
16
|
| Bronze Star |
2,029
|
| Air Medal |
92
|
PWs Taken 8,661
| 447th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) | 27 Jul 44-30 Jul 44 |
| 18th AAA Gp | 28 Jul 44-25 Aug 44 |
| 447th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) | 26 Aug 44-30 Sep 44 |
| 447th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) | 19 Jan 45-4 Jul 45 |
| 321st AAA Gp | 18 Apr 45-22 Apr 45 |
| 446th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) | 18 Apr 45-22 Apr 45 |
| 744th Tk Bn | 30 Jul 44-27 Aug 44 |
| 707th Tk Bn | 6 Oct 44-8 Jan 45 |
| CC B (9th Armd Div) | 9 Jan 45-10 Jan 45 |
| 2 plats Co B 709th Tk Bn | 1 Feb 45-3 Feb 45 |
| 777th Tk Bn | 28 Feb 45-26 Mar 45 |
| 113th Cav Gp | 29 Jul 44-2 Aug 44 |
| 113th Cav Gp | 2 Aug 44-4 Aug 44 |
| 85th Cav Rcn Sq (5th Armd Div) | 7 Sep 44-9 Sep 44 |
| 32d Cav Rcn Sq | 19 Nov 44-10 Dec 44 |
| Co D 87th Cml Bn | 26 Oct 44-4 Nov 44 |
| Co C 86th Cml Mort Bn | 28 Oct 44-15 Nov 44 |
| 86th Cml Mort Bn (- Co C) | 28 Oct 44- 19 Nov 44 |
| Co A 86th Cml Mort Bn | 1 Mar 45-14 Mar 45 |
| 20th & 1340th Engr C Bns 1171st Engr C Gp | 24 Oct 44-19 Nov 44 |
| 146th Engr C Bn (- Co B) | 30 Oct 44-19 Nov 44 |
| 44th Engr C Bn | 17 Dec 44-22 Dec 44 |
| 209th Engr C Bn | 20 Jan 45-5 Feb 45 |
| 1282d Engr C Bn | 27 Apr 45-20 May 45 |
| 1158th Engr C Gp | 28 Apr 45-20 May 45 |
| 288th Engr C Bn | 28 Apr 45-20 May 45 |
| 1286th Engr C Bn | 28 Apr 45-20 May 45 |
| 18th FA Bn (105 How) | 1 Aug 44-6 Aug 44 |
| 187th FA Bn (155 How) | 30 Aug 44-3 Sep 44 |
| Btry A 987th FA Bn (155 Gun) | 7 Oct 44-9 Nov 44 |
| 76th FA Bn (105 How) | 28 Oct 44-19 Nov 44 |
| 687th FA Bn (105 How) | 19 Nov 44-1 Jan 45 |
| 58th Armd FA Bn | 17 Dec 44-23 Dec 44 |
| 770th FA Bn (4.5" Gun) | 24 Dec 44-29 Dec 44 |
| 73d Armd FA Bn (9th Armd Div) | 24 Dec 44-29 Dec 44 |
| Fr 20th Mule Co | 20 Jan 45-1 Feb 45 |
| Fr 14th Mule Co | 20 Jan 45-7 Feb 45 |
| 283d FA Bn (105 How) | 28 Jan 45- 11 Feb 45 |
| 494th Armd FA Bn (12th Armd Div) | 4 Feb 45-9 Feb 45 |
| 495th Armd FA Bn (12th Armd Div) | 7 Feb 45 -10 Feb 45 |
| 773d FA Bn (4.5" Gun) | 12 Feb 45-17 Feb 45 |
| 253d Armd FA Bn | 19 Mar 45-21 Apr 45 |
| 658th FA Bn (8" How) | 18 Apr 45-22 Apr 45 |
| 761st FA Bn (155 How) | 18 Apr 45-22 Apr 45 |
| 790th FA Bn (8" How) | 18 Apr 45-22 Apr 45 |
| 12th CT (4th Div) | 6 Nov 44-10 Nov 44 |
| 42d FA Bn (4th Div) (105 How) | 6 Nov 44-10 Nov 44 |
| 1st plat Co B 4th Engr C Bn (4th Div) | 6 Nov 44-10 Nov 44 |
| Co A 801st TD Bn (SP) | 6 Nov 44-10 Nov 44 |
| 2d Ranger Inf Bn | 14 Nov 44-19 Nov 44 |
| Fr 2d Bn (Fr 2d Military Region) | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| Fr 6th Bn (Fr 2d Military Region) | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| Fr 8th Bn (Fr 2d Military Region) | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| Fr 9th Bn (Fr 2d Military Region) | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| Fr 4th Bn (Fr 2d Military Region) | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| Fr 4th Bn (Fr 20th Military Region) | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| Fr 5th Bn (Fr 20th Military Region) | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| Fr 14th Bn (Fr 20th Military Region) | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| 106th Inf Co Fr 3d Bn | 2 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
| 302d CT (94th Div) | 8 Jan 45-10 Jan 45 |
| 356th FA Bn (94th Div) (105 How) | 8 Jan 45-10 Jan 45 |
| 1 plat Co B 319th Engr C Bn (94th Div) | 8 Jan 45-10 Jan 45 |
| 2d Bn Dutch 13th Regt Limberg | 11 Apr 45 -18 Apr 45 |
| 2d Co Belg 22d Fusilliers Bn | 18 Apr 45-22 Apr 45 |
| 4th Co Belg 22d Fusilliers Bn | 18 Apr 45-22 Apr 45 |
| Fr 146th Inf Regt | 5 May 45-44 Jul 45 |
| 630th TD Bn (T) | 20 Jul 44-30 Sep 44 |
| 803d TD Bn (SP) | 2 Aug 44-4 Aug 44 |
| 629th TD Bn (SP) | 16 Sep 44-30 Sep 44 |
| 741st TD Bn | 19 Sep 44-30 Sep 44 |
| 893d TD Bn (SP) (- Co A) | 29 Oct 44-19 Nov 44 |
| 602d TD Bn (SP) (-) | 24 Dec 44-31 Dec 44 |
| 7th TD Gp (-) | 27 Dec 44-30 Dec 44 |
| 630th TD Bn (T) | 19 Jan 45-13 Mar 45 |
| Co B 612th TD Bn (SP) | 2 Mar 45-5 Mar 45 |
| Co A 661st TD Bn (SP) | 5 Mar 45-16 Mar 45 |
| Co B 607th TD Bn (T) | 18 Mar 45-21 Mar 45 |
| 630th TD Bn (T) | 3 Apr 45-8 Apr45 |
| 630th TD Bn (T) | 24 Apr 45-4 Jul 45 |