The 385th Infantry Regiment was part of the
76th Infantry Division of the US Army during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
and fought in Germany, including the
Siegfried Line.
The 385th's 2nd Battalion crossed the
Nims River
The Nims is a , lefthand arm of the River Prüm in the South Eifel region of the Eifel Mountains. It runs through the county of Bitburg-Prüm in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Geography
Path
The Nims rises in Weinsheim, east o ...
at Niederweis taking the town while the 1st Battalion attacked south between Nims and the Prum toward Irrel. 3rd Battalion was the first of the regiment to span the Sauer and go into action in Germany. The first days of combat were a series of pillboxes and prepared defenses until the Line had been breached and the Regiment began moving at an ever accelerated speed.
Lineage
Constituted 5 September 1918 in the
National Army (USA)
The history of the United States Army began in 1775. From its formation, the United States Army has been the primary land based part of the United States Armed Forces. The Army's main responsibility has been in fighting land battles and military ...
as the 385th Infantry and assigned to the 97th Division
* Demobilized 30 November 1918.
* Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as the 385th Infantry and assigned to the 76th Division, (later redesignated as the 76th Infantry Division).
* Organized in December 1921 with headquarters at
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...
.
* Ordered into active military service 15 June 1942 and reorganized at
Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation located in Maryland, that includes the Defense Information School, the Defense Media Activity, the United States military bands#Army Field Band, United States Army Field Band, and the head ...
, Maryland.
* Disbanded 31 August 1945 in Germany.
* Reconstituted 7 October 1946 in the Organized Reserves as the 385th Infantry and assigned to the
76th Infantry Division.
* Activated 17 December 1946 with headquarters at Providence, Rhode Island,
(Organized Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as the Organized Reserve Corps; redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve).
* Reorganized and redesignated 1 May 1959 as the 385th Regiment, an element of the 76th Division (Training), with headquarters at Providence, Rhode Island.
* (Location of headquarters changed 1 April 1960 to
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, the third largest city in the state with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 census. It is located approximately south of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, southwest of Boston, Massachu ...
).
* Reorganized 31 January 1968 to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the 76th Division (Training).
* Reorganized 1 October 1994 to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the 76th Division (Institutional Training).
* Reorganized 16 October - 16 November 1996 to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the
98th Infantry Division (Institutional Training).
* Deactivated in June, 2017 due to restructuring of the Army Reserve.
Honors
;WWII Campaign Participation Credit
Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
Notable members
:
PVT Audie Murphy
Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from t ...
,
Audie Murphy assignments
/ref> future Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
recipient
Distinctive unit insignia
*Description
Superimposed on a gold shield high, a black felt hat of the Puritan period with white band and gold buckle transfixed horizontally by a red Indian arrow with gold arrowhead outlined red all above and conjoined with a gold motto scroll inscribed "FOLLOW ME" in black letters.
*Symbolism
The hat is of the type worn by Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island, transfixed by an Indian arrow.
*Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 385th Infantry, Organized Reserves on 9 August 1924. It was redesignated for the 385th Regiment (BCT), Army Reserve on 15 June 1960. The insignia was amended to revise the description of the design on 11 June 1970
Coat of arms
*Blazon
**Shield: Azure, a bend Argent, overall in pale an anchor Or, that portion on the bend fimbriated of the first.
**Crest: From a wreath Argent and Azure, a felt hat of the Puritan period Proper (Black hat, White band and Gold buckle) transfixed fessways by an Indian arrow Gules armed Or.
**Motto: FOLLOW ME
*Symbolism
**Shield: The shield is blue and white representing Infantry, the previous unit designation, and displays the Rhode Island anchor.
**Crest: The crest is a hat of the type worn by Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, transfixed by an Indian arrow.
*Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 385th Infantry, Organized Reserves on 4 August 1924. It was amended to change the wording of the blazon on 10 February 1928. The coat of arms was redesignated for the 385th Regiment (BCT), Army Reserve, on 15 June 1960.
Publication after hostilities ended
385th At Ease 29 May 1945 Edition
File:385th at ease may 29 1945 pg1.PDF, Page 1
File:385 at ease May 29 1945 pg 2.PDF, Page 2
File:385 at ease May 29 1945 pg 3.PDF, Page 3
File:385 at Ease May 29 1945 pg 4.PDF, Page 4
385th At Ease 3 July 1945 Edition
File:385th At Ease July 3, 1945 Page 1.pdf, After VE Day
See also
* SS ''Sea Owl''
References
{{reflist
*"We Ripened Fast - The unofficial History of the Seventy-Sixth Infantry Division", Published by 1st Lt. Joseph J. Hutnick, ADC, Germany 1946
*385th in the ETO, Prepared by the Special Service Office 385th Infantry, 76th Division under the direction of 1st Lt. C. W. Miller, Special service Officer. Edited by Bill Laubenstein. Printed in Zwickau, Germany.
External links
*http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/regt/0385rgt.htm Army History page
385
Military in Connecticut