The 3rd Infantry Division went ashore in North Africa in November 1942. Over the course of the next thirty months, it fought in Tunisia, Sicily, central Italy, Anzio, souther France, Alsace and Germany. This made the 3rd ID one of the five hardest hit divisions (3rd, 4th, 9th, 36th and 45th) of the war, which collectively ran through an average of 176% of their personnel during their time in the ETO. As a result, by the end of January, 1945, one company in the division had just 2 men left of the 235 whi had come ashore at Casablanca. One of them was the supply sergeant, the other was a young Texan named Audie Murphy who collected twenty-four decorations, including the Medal of Honor (and the most decorated soldier of WWII) as well as rising from the rank of Private to First Lieutenant.
source is "Dirty Little Secrets of World War Two"
__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
|