The 86th Infantry Division, also known as the Blackhawk Division, was a unit of the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and
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 opposin ...
.
Currently called the 86th Training Division, based at
Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
Fort McCoy is a United States Army installation on between Sparta and Tomah, Wisconsin, in Monroe County. In 1909, there were two separate camps named Camp Emory Upton and Camp Robinson; in 1926, these camps were joined together to form Camp ...
, members of the division now work with Active Army, Reserve, and National Guard units to provide them with a Decisive Action Training Environment on a yearly basis.
World War I
The division saw no combat in World War I. The division was originally organized on 25 August 1917 at
Camp Grant in Rockford, Illinois. A small
cadre
Cadre may refer to:
*Cadre (military), a group of officers or NCOs around whom a unit is formed, or a training staff
*Cadre (politics), a politically controlled appointment to an institution in order to circumvent the state and bring control to th ...
of
Regular Army
A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregulars, irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenary, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the ...
, in addition to
Officers Reserve Corps
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 2020, ...
and
National Army officers staffed the division, while the soldiers were predominantly
Selective Service
The Selective Service System (SSS) is an independent agency of the United States government that maintains information on U.S. citizens and other U.S. residents potentially subject to military conscription (i.e., the draft) and carries out contin ...
men drawn from the states of Illinois and
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
. It went overseas in August 1918, and was ordered to be skeletonized in October, with its personnel transferred to other units. It returned to the United States in November 1918, and was deactivated in January 1919.
Order of battle
* Headquarters, 86th Division
*
171st Infantry Brigade
** 341st Infantry Regiment
** 342nd Infantry Regiment
** 332nd Machine Gun Battalion
*
172nd Infantry Brigade
** 343rd Infantry Regiment
** 344th Infantry Regiment
** 333rd Machine Gun Battalion
* 161st Field Artillery Brigade
** 331st Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm)
** 332nd Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm)
** 333rd Field Artillery Regiment (155 mm)
** 311th Trench Mortar Battery
* Headquarters Troop, 86th Division
* 331st Machine Gun Battalion
* 311th Engineer Regiment
* 311th Field Signal Battalion
* 311th Train Headquarters and Military Police
** 311th Ammunition Train
** 311th Supply Train
** 311th Engineer Train
** 311th Sanitary Train
*** 341st, 342nd, 343rd, and 344th Ambulance Companies and Field Hospitals
Commanders
* Maj. Gen.
Thomas H. Barry (25 August 1917)
* Brig. Gen.
Lyman W.V. Kennon (26 November 1917)
* Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Barry (15 February 1918)
* Brig. Gen. Lyman W.V. Kennon (21 March 1918)
* Maj. Gen.
Charles Henry Martin (18 April 1918)
* Brig. Gen.
Lincoln Clark Andrews
Lincoln Clark Andrews (1867–1950) was a brigadier general in the United States Army during World War I and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury starting in 1925. As Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, he was in charge of Prohibition enforcement ...
(19 October 1918)
* Maj. Gen.
Charles Clarendon Ballou
Charles Clarendon Ballou (June 13, 1862 – July 23, 1928) was a United States Army officer who attained the rank of major general during World War I.
Early life
Ballou was born in Orange, New York. He graduated number sixty-three of seventy-s ...
(19 November 1918)
Interwar period
The division was reconstituted in the
Organized Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 2020 ...
on 24 June 1921 and assigned to the state of Illinois. The headquarters was organized on 10 September 1921.
World War II
*Ordered into active military service: 15 December 1942 at Camp Howze, Texas.
*Overseas: 19 February 1945, for the ETO; 24 August 1945, for the Pacific
*Campaigns: Central Europe
*Days of combat: 34
*Awards: DSC-2 ; DSM-1 ; SS-12 ; LM-1; SM-1 ; BSM282 ; AM-2
*Commanders: Maj. Gen. Alexander E. Anderson (December 1942), Maj. Gen.
Harris M. Melasky (4 January 1943 – December 1945), Maj. Gen.
Paul J. Mueller (January 1946 – April 1946), Maj. Gen.
Harry F. Hazlett (June 1946 to inactivation)
*Returned to U.S.: 17 June 1945, from the ETO, "the first combat division to return from the European theater."
[Associated Press, "Black Hawk Division Returns Home Today", ''The San Bernardino Daily Sun'', San Bernardino, California, Sunday 17 June 1945, Volume 51, page 1.]
*Overseas: 24 August 1945
*Deactivated: 30 December 1946 on Leyte, Philippine Islands
Order of battle
* Headquarters, 86th Infantry Division
* 341st Infantry Regiment
* 342d Infantry Regiment
* 343d Infantry Regiment
* 86th Infantry Division Artillery
** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
** 331st Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
** 332d Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
** 404th Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm)
** 911th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
* 311th Engineer Combat Battalion
* 311th Medical Battalion
* 86th Cavalry
Reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
Troop (Mechanized)
* Headquarters, Special Troops, 86th Infantry Division
** Headquarters Company, 86th Infantry Division
** 786th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
** 86th Quartermaster Company
** 86th Signal Company
** Military Police Platoon
** Band
* 86th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment
Combat chronicle
In early January 1945, General
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
was alarmed over the swift progress the Germans had made during the waning
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...
and was concerned that the Germans could move additional reinforcements to the west from the
Eastern Front. He requested additional divisions over and above those already earmarked for the European theater. The 86th and
97th Infantry Divisions, allocated for service in the Pacific, were ordered to the
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It commanded Army Ground For ...
instead for the final assault on Germany. The division arrived in France, 4 March 1945, and moved to
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
, Germany, taking over defensive positions near Weiden, 24 March, in relief of the
8th Infantry Division. After a short period of patrolling on both sides of the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
, the division was relieved, and moved across the Rhine to
Eibelshausen, Germany, 5 April. In a rapid offensive advance, the 86th moved across the Bigge River, cleared Attendorn, 11 April, and continued on to the Ruhr uniting with the
Ninth Army, taking part in the
Ruhr pocket fighting. On 21 April, the division moved to
Ansbach
Ansbach (; ; East Franconian: ''Anschba'') is a city in the German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränkische Rezat, a ...
and continued to advance, taking
Eichstätt
Eichstätt () is a town in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the district of Eichstätt. It is located on the Altmühl river and has a population of around 13,000. Eichstätt is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese ...
on the 25th, crossing the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
at
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt (, Austro-Bavarian: ) is an independent city on the Danube in Upper Bavaria with 139,553 inhabitants (as of June 30, 2022). Around half a million people live in the metropolitan area. Ingolstadt is the second largest city in Upper Bav ...
on the 27th, securing the bridge over the
Amper Canal, 29 April, crossing the
Isar
The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria, and Bavaria, Germany, which is not navigable for watercraft above raft size. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald and flows through Bad Tölz, Munic ...
and reaching Mittel Isar Canal by the end of the month. The division was ordered to take
Wasserburg, 1 May, and leading elements had reached the outskirts of the city when they were ordered to withdraw, 2 May, and to move east to
Salzburg
Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872.
The town is on the site of the ...
.
On 4 May, the division captured the
crown jewels of Hungary in
Mattsee
Mattsee is a market town at the eponymous lake in the district of Salzburg-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Salzburg.
History
About 765 Duke Tassilo III of Bavaria established the Mattsee Benedictine Abbey, which became a part of the Diocese of ...
, Austria. At the end of the war, the division was securing the left flank of the
XV Corps 15th Corps, Fifteenth Corps, or XV Corps may refer to:
*XV Corps (British India)
* XV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* 15th Army Corps (Russian Empire), a unit in World War I
*XV Royal Bav ...
. After processing German prisoners of war, it was redeployed to the United States, the 14,289 officers and men arriving in New York aboard four Navy transports
17 June 1945. The division trained briefly at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, 21 June – 11 August 1945; and then left San Francisco, 24 August 1945, for the Philippines. The 86th Division was aboard ship in Leyte harbor when the Japanese surrendered. After landing on Luzon the unit was dispersed throughout the Island, some to
Marikina
Marikina (), officially the City of Marikina ( fil, Lungsod ng Marikina), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 456,159 people.
It is loca ...
, some to other locations. A few were assigned to
Corregidor Island
Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historically b ...
to guard Japanese prisoners of war. While Japan formally had surrendered on 2 September 1945, division soldiers still sometimes had to face Japanese soldiers who had refused to surrender as well as Huks (
Hukbalahap
The Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon (), better known by the acronym Hukbalahap, was a Communism, communist Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla movement formed by the farmers of Central Luzon. They were originally formed to Philippine resistance against Ja ...
guerrillas). According to one account, as late as October 1946 the "straggler menace was still there" as 77 Japanese prisoners were captured. A division officer (Lt. Col. A. L. Hugins) also "was fired on while in convoy near Angeles" in the same month.
Casualties
*Total battle casualties: 785
[Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953)]
*Killed in action: 136
*Wounded in action: 615
*Missing in action: 12
*Prisoner of war: 19
Assignments in ETO
*30 January 1945: Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group.
*22 March 1945: VII Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group.
*30 March 1945: XXII Corps, Fifteenth Army, 12th Army Group.
*5 April 1945: XVIII (Abn) Corps, First Army, 12th Army Group.
*19 April 1945: Third Army, 12th Army Group.
*22 April 1945: III Corps.
*2 May 1945: XV Corps, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
Nickname and legacy
The division was nicknamed the "Black Hawk Division," named after the Sauk Leader Chief
Black Hawk.
Frederic McLaughlin
Maj. Frederic McLaughlin (27 June 1877 – 17 December 1944) was an American businessman and soldier. He was the first owner of the Chicago Black Hawks National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey team.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, McLaughlin inherited ...
was a commander with the 333rd Machine Gun Battalion of the 86th Infantry Division during World War I. In 1926, McLaughlin would be granted a franchise by the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
, which he would put in his home town of Chicago. He named the team the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
after the unit.
Present day
The 86th was redesignated HQ 86th Training Brigade on 11 Feb 2009 and activated at
Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
Fort McCoy is a United States Army installation on between Sparta and Tomah, Wisconsin, in Monroe County. In 1909, there were two separate camps named Camp Emory Upton and Camp Robinson; in 1926, these camps were joined together to form Camp ...
on 16 September 2010. Shortly after its reactivation, on 18 September 2010, it was redesignated as Headquarters 86th Training Division.
Subordinate units
As of 2019 the following units are subordinated to the 86th Training Division (Decisive Action):
* 1st Brigade
** 1st Battalion, 329th Regiment
** 3d Battalion, 346th Regiment
** 2d Battalion 383d Regiment
** 3d Battalion, 397th Regiment
Notable members
*
Edwin Hubble
Edwin Powell Hubble (November 20, 1889 – September 28, 1953) was an Americans, American astronomer. He played a crucial role in establishing the fields of extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology.
Hubble proved that many objects ...
served in 2d Battalion, 343d Infantry Regiment as a major during World War I.
*
Frederic McLaughlin
Maj. Frederic McLaughlin (27 June 1877 – 17 December 1944) was an American businessman and soldier. He was the first owner of the Chicago Black Hawks National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey team.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, McLaughlin inherited ...
, served in the division in WWI.
*
Al Neuharth
Allen Harold "Al" Neuharth (March 22, 1924 – April 19, 2013) was an American businessman, author, and columnist born in Eureka, South Dakota. He was the founder of ''USA Today'', The Freedom Forum, and its Newseum.
Early life
Al Neuharth was bo ...
served in the division in World War II.
* Donald Ziemer served in the division in World War II.
References
Sources
The Official History of the Eighty-Six Division 1921
{{DEFAULTSORT:086
Infantry divisions of the United States Army
Infantry Division, U.S. 086
Military units and formations established in 1917
United States Army divisions of World War I
History of the Chicago Blackhawks
Training divisions of the United States Army
Infantry divisions of the United States Army in World War II