9th Infantry Division

Shoulderpatch, of second world war origin, of the 9th Infantry Division.

The 9th Infantry Division saw its first combat on November 8, 1942, during Operation Torch when its elements landed in Algiers, Safi, and Port Lyautey. With the collapse of the French resistance on November 11, 1942, the patrol division along the border of the Spanish Sahara.

In February 1943, the 9th was sent back to Tunisia where it was engaged in patrols and small defensive actions in particular towards Tébessa during the Battle of Kasserine. On March 28, 1943, it launched an attack in southern Tunisia, towards Gabès, then reached Bizerte on May 7.

In June 1943, the 9th took part in Operation Husky, landed in Palermo, and captured Randazzo and Messina. The division was then sent to England where it underwent advanced training.

On June 10, 1944, the 9th DIUS landed at Utah Beach (D-Day + 4) with the mission of cutting off the Cotentin Peninsula (which it did on June 18 at Barneville-Carteret), then pushing on Cherbourg and taking the city1

After a brief rest, the unit was engaged in July 1944 in the fighting around Saint-Lô and in August took part in the fighting in the Falaise Pocket, then pursued the German troops who had escaped from the pocket towards the East.

On August 28, the 9th DIUS crossed the Marne, crossed Sarrelouis, then held defensive positions from Montjoie to Losheim in November-December 1944 before moving north to Bergrath, then launching an attack on December 10 towards the Roer, while holding Echtz and Schlich. From mid-December to January 1945, during the Ardennes offensive, the division held defensive positions from Kalterherberg to Elsenborn.

On January 30, 1945, the division, leaving Monschau, crossed the Roer and arrived on the Rhine at Remagen on March 7. After taking and installing a bridgehead, the 9th DIUS crossed the Remagen bridge, closing the Ruhr pocket, before traveling, from April 14, 1945, 240 km eastward, reaching Nordhausen and attacking German troops in the Harz mountains, until April 20. On April 21, the division joined the 3rd DBUS along the Mulde River, near Dessau, and held this line until VE Day.