63rd Infantry Division

The U.S. Army's 63rd Infantry Division, nicknamed the Blood and Fire Division, was activated on December 26, 1942, and trained in the United States before being deployed to the European theater. After a period of preparation in the United Kingdom, it was engaged in combat relatively late compared to other American divisions.

The division landed in France in December 1944, after the start of the Battle of the Bulge, and was integrated into the Seventh U.S. Army. It was quickly engaged in defensive and offensive operations related to stabilizing the front in Alsace, as part of the fighting against the German Operation Nordwind. The 63rd Infantry Division participated in the defense of American positions and the reduction of German attacks in the French-German border sector.

In early 1945, the division took part in the Allied offensive into Germany. It participated in operations in the Rhineland campaign, crossing the Rhine in March 1945 and then advancing into southwestern Germany. It was engaged in combat aimed at reducing German defenses, securing cities, and neutralizing the last pockets of enemy resistance.

Over the following weeks, the 63rd Infantry Division continued its advance into Germany, operating in the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. It participated in the capture of urban centers, the taking of prisoners, and the occupation of territories until Germany's surrender in May 1945. After the fighting ended, the division was assigned to occupation duties in the area controlled by American forces.

The 63rd Infantry Division's service record during World War II includes campaign credits for the Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland, and Central Europe. Its operational engagement spanned from the final phase of the winter of 1944-1945 to the end-of-war operations in Germany.