The 4th Infantry Divsion was originally founded in 1917 and was under the command of Maj. Gen. Cameron. When troops began deploying for Europe during the First World War, the 4th Division was part of the American Expeditionary Force and was involved in the Aisne-Marne campaign in July of 1918. By the war's end, it was the only division to serve in both the British and French sectors of the front.
"Ivy Division"
The division was nicknamed the "Ivy Division," as shown by its patch on the left. The ivy leaves on the patch are symbolic of tenacity and fidelity which is based on the division's motto, "Steadfast and Loyal." "Ivy" is also a play on words of the Roman Numeral "IV".
The 4th Infantry and WWII
Members of the 4th Infantry walk along Utah Beach
The Ivy Division was reinstated in 1940 with the start of the Second World War. By 1942, it was under the command of Maj. Gen. Raymond 0. Barton, who would lead the division up through 1944. Most of the division's training was meant to prepare troops for Operation Overlord (D-Day). When that day came, the division's 8th Infantry Regiment was the first allied ground force to invade Normandy, with the rest landing on Utah Beach within 15 hours. The division's objectives for that day were sucessful and only 197 soldiers were lost. The Ivy Division continued to push south through France over the next few months and was the first allied force to help with the liberation of Paris. By September of 1944, the division had reached Belgium and the boarder of Germany. The advancement into Germany was a slow one, but the division held its ground, ultimately ending its campaign at the Isar River in South Germany in May of 1945.