History

The Black Hawk division’s name comes from a Sauk Indian warrior, Makataimeshekiakiah, or Black Hawk. He was not a chief, but warrior. He led various raids against the Osages Indian tribes, and United States expansion, escalating up to engagements with the US Army. He was eventually captured and was kept prisoner at Fort Monroe for a month before being released.

World War I

During the Great War the division was sent to France and arrived at Bordeaux on September 21, 1918. However, the division was depleted and was heavily cannibalized to reinforce already established divisions. What was left of the division was sent to Le Mans. They returned back to the US in January of 1919.[1]

Training

Japan attacked the United States on December 7, 1941. Established regular army and national guard divisions were shipped overseas, however the US need more divisions to be activated and on December 15, 1942, the “Black Hawk” Infantry Division was activated at Camp Howze.

The commanding General of the 86th was General Alexander E. Anderson. The call to colors was rendered by a band from Perrin Field, Texas, and invocation was made by Chaplain John K. Connelly, Division Chaplain. At the activation ceremonies, Major General (later Lt. Gen.) was present and delivered the welcoming address. Sadly, just days later on December 24, 1942, died suddenly.^[1] In early January 1943, Major General Harris M. Melasky assumed command.

The division was at cadre strength until February, most from Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. Basic training commenced on March 1, 1943. The men were given lectures on hygiene, first aid, and military discipline. They crawled through the infiltration, close combat and combat in cities courses. One regiment completed the entire X Corps series of tests without a single unsatisfactory score.

In November 1943, the division was ordered to the Louisiana Maneuver Area in order to participate in the Third Army Maneuver. The division would participate in field training until January 20, 1944. After completing the cold and wet training, the division was garrisoned at Camp Livingston, Louisiana, just north of Alexander.

In February, all privates and PFC’s together with some noncoms and officers were transferred to an overseas replacement depot. This rattled and shocked morale until April 1944, when fillers began to arrive by the hundreds. Many of them were from the now curtailed ASTP (Advanced Service Training Program). Others were former Air Cadets due a cut down in air strength. These fillers gave the division and unusually high type of soldier and provided the backbone for the division.¹

On May 8, 1944, the Black Hawks once again entered a new phase of training. The “flyboys” and “college boys” were being whipped in shape during the three grueling months in Louisiana heat. On July 31, 1944, the division returned the maneuver area and completed Combat Team Exercises and Firing Tests. During this same period, the division suffered yet another round of men asked to fill replacement depots. This time it was far less severe than the first.

On September 14, 1944, the division was at its new home Camp Cooke, California, around 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The purpose moving the division to California was to train the division for amphibious attacks. Each regiment was taken afloat for 6 to 8 days, making three assaults in the meantime on San Clement Island off San Diego, and a grand RCT (Regimental Combat Team) landing near Camp Pendleton Marine Base north of La Jolla.¹

The division was to return to Camp Cooke but was instead sent to Camp San Luis Obispo. All officers and men took rope ladder training and were schooled in attacking beach fortifications. In November, the final phase of training occurred at Camp Callan, close to San Diego. The division used four ships USS Drew, USS Neville, USS Hunter Liggett and USS American Legion for their RCT landings.

The division completed its final round of training and was ready for battle in the Pacific. Unfortunately, the Germans would surprise Allied Forces in Belgium and Luxembourg with a massive assault, later known as the Battle of the Bulge. It became clear to Supreme Allied Command, that every man would be needed to finally destroy Hitler’s forces. Because of this offensive, the Black Hawks would be sent to Europe.

At last, the orders arrived, calling for 86th the clear Camp Luis Obispo by February 6, 1945.¹ Eight days later, the division arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, during a terrible blizzard. The division’s presence was censored, and patches were not worn. Finally, on February 19, 1945, the 86th Black Hawk Infantry Division was boarded on the Transport John Erickson. The Swedish luxury liner would take the 8000 members, in an eventual 60-ship convoy to La Harve, France.

On March 2, 1945, after wafting two days on bord the ship, the division was unloaded and trucked out to assembly area known as Camp Old Gold.¹ The troops would need to endure long “chow” lines and freezing cold nights for 20 days until being alerted and ordered to join the 15th Army in the northern sector of the front.

The Black Hawks were taken north of the Yvetot through Amiens, France and into Belgium. The trains would continue from the Meuse Valley, through Charleroi, Liege, Namur, Hoy and into Holland at Maastricht. Finally, from Maastricht, the division went eastward to Aachen, Germany. The men unloaded at the bombed-out Aachen depot and were taken to the front on transport trucks through Duren, to the outskirts of Cologne.¹

The Watch on the Rhine

The Ruhr Pocket

The Bavarian Redoubt

The Philippines