1945 WWII Unit Route Map of the 103rd Infantry Division in France, Germany, and Italy

The Cactus Division as it fights its way through France, Germany, and Austria.

This is a 1945 World War II unit route map of the 103rd Infantry Division from France, through Germany, Austria, and Italy. It highlights battles, defensive positions, and occupation duties from November 1944 until May 1945.

A Closer Look

The map depicts the region from the Vosges Mountains in eastern France to Germany west of Munich, and from Darmstadt, Germany, to northern Italy. Cities and towns throughout the region are identified in black, with a focus on those along the route of the 103rd Division. Major cities not along the 103rd's route that are labeled include Colmar, Strasbourg, Stuttgart, Augsburg, and Munich. Arrows trace the advance of the 103rd from east of St. Dié, France, northwest through France and Germany to Bensheim, and then southwest through Germany to Austria and Italy. Sometimes the line branches in two and follows the advance of the 409th Infantry Regiment and the 410th Infantry Regiment separately. Red text provides dates when the Division was in certain locations, along with major actions, such as entering Germany, setting up defensive positions, breaching the Siegfried Line, and occupation duties.

The 103rd Infantry Division

The 103rd Infantry Division was activated at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, on November 15, 1942. (Notably, this was a week after the Operation Torch landings in North Africa.) The Division spent the next two years training in the United States and departed for Europe on October 5, 1944. It arrived in Marseille, France, on October 20, 1944, and left Marseille on November 1, 1944. The 103rd entered combat on November 11, 1944, and fought its way through the Vosges Mountains, capturing several well-defended mountain passes. The Division continued fighting through France until around December 22, 1944, when it was pulled off the line for a much-needed rest. However, after the Germans launched the offensive that has become known as the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium on December 16, 1944, the 103rd took up defensive positions to withstand any potential German attack. This took the form of Operation Northwind, launched by the Germans on December 21, 1944. The Division went on the offensive again in mid-January and helped thwart the German offensive, which was stopped by January 25, 1945. The 103rd next took part in Operation Undertone, launched on March 15, 1945, and the Division crossed several rivers, breached the Siegfried Line, and, by the end of Operation Undertone on March 31, captured the Alsatian territory lost during Operation Nordwind. The 103rd took up occupation at the beginning of April, but by mid-April was back on the offensive, chasing the German army across Germany. The 103rd liberated six concentration camps that were part of the Dachau system on April 27, 1945, and on April 30 helped capture Munich. Part of the 103rd crossed into Austria on May 1, and by May 4, the Division had reached Innsbruck, Austria. Another part of the 103rd continued south to the Brenner Pass, where it linked up with the 88th Infantry Division in northern Italy and linked the Western European and Italian fronts on May 4, 1945. The war ended on May 7, 1945, with Germany's unconditional surrender, and V-E Day was declared on May 8.

The Cactus Division

Its nickname, the 'Cactus Division,' comes from the Division's shoulder patch, which features a saguaro cactus. This design and nickname reflect the Division's original 1921 composition of soldiers from Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by an unknown individual, likely a member of the 103rd Infantry Division, and published in 1945 while the Division was still in Europe. We note 2 cataloged examples: Texas A and M University and the University of North Texas.

Condition

Very good. Light wear along original fold lines.

References

Texas A and M G5721.S7 1945.C37. OCLC 187181428.