IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 494 

Recognizing the exemplary service of the soldiers of the 30th Infantry Division 

(Old Hickory) of the United States Army during World War II. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 2, 2009 

Mr. KISSELL submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the exemplary service of the soldiers of the 30th 

Infantry Division (Old Hickory) of the United States 

Army during World War II. 

Whereas the 30th Infantry Division of the United States 

Army was first activated in October 1917 and originally 

consisted of National Guard units from North Carolina, 

South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee; 

Whereas the 30th Infantry Division was nicknamed Old 

Hickory in honor of General and President Andrew Jackson; 

Whereas, when the 30th Infantry Division was reorganized at 

Fort Jackson in 1941 for service in World War II, the 

division included two North Carolina National Guard 

regiments and one regiment from Tennessee; 


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•HRES 494 IH 

Whereas, during World War II, the 30th Infantry Division 

participated in the Normandy campaign, June 6 through 

July 24, 1944, the advance across Northern France, July 

25 through September 14, 1944, the invasion of the German Rhineland, September 15, 1944, through March 21, 

1945, the defense of the Ardennes-Alsace, December 16, 

1944, through January 25, 1945, and the final defeat of 

Germany, March 22 through May 11, 1945; 

Whereas the 823rd Tank Destroyer Battalion was attached 

to the 30th Division throughout its campaign in Europe; 

Whereas the 30th Infantry Division played a key role in the 

breakout of the Allied forces from Normandy at St. Lo 

and the subsequent advance across Northern France; 

Whereas the 30th Infantry Division is remembered for its 

role in the defense of Mortain and St. Barthelmy, 

France, and Hill 317 against a German counterattack in 

August 1944, actions for which four units of the division 

and two companies of the 823rd Tank Destroyer Battalion were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation; 

Whereas the 30th Infantry Division also played a key role 

stopping the German advance in the Battle of the Bulge 

and recaptured Malmedy and Stavelot and its vital bridge 

over the Ambleve River; 

Whereas, in the report prepared for General Dwight D. Eisenhower rating the American combat units that fought 

in the European Theater, the Army’s official historian, 

S.L.A. Marshall, picked the 30th Division as the finest 

infantry division to fight in Europe, writing that ‘‘It is 

the combined judgments of the approximately 35 historical officers who worked on the records and in the field 

that the 30th merited this distinction. It was our finding 


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•HRES 494 IH 

that the 30th was outstanding in three operations and we 

could consistently recommend it for citation on any of 

these occasions. It was further found that it had in no 

single instance performed discreditably or weakly and in 

no single operation had it carried less than its share of 

the burden or looked bad when compared to the forces 

on its flanks. We were especially impressed with the fact 

that it consistently achieved results without undue wastage of its men.’’; 

Whereas, in recognition of its exemplary service during World 

War II, the 30th Infantry Division was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Citation, 

and the French Croix de Guerre; and 

Whereas the proud fighting tradition of the 30th Infantry Division is perpetuated by the 30th Infantry Brigade, 

North Carolina Army National Guard: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog2 nizes the exemplary service of the soldiers of the 30th In3 fantry Division of the United States Army during World 

4 War II. 

Æ 


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