35th Infantry Division ( United States ) The 35th Infantry Division ( " Santa Fe " ) has been a formation of the National Guard since World War I . It is headquartered at Fort Leavenworth and its personnel come from Illinois , Kansas and Missouri . World War I . Combat Chronicle . The division was organized in August 1917 as a National Guard formation with troops from Kansas and Missouri , after a few months as the 14th Division . It consisted of the 69th Infantry Brigade ( 137th and 138th Infantry Regiments ) and the 70th Infantry Brigade ( 139th and 140th Infantry Regiments ) . It went overseas in May 1918 . Upon arrival in France , the 35th Division was garrisoned near the front in Alsace . It received limited training from the French Army . The Division saw combat in the Meuse - Argonne offensive where it collapsed after five days of fighting . During World War I , Battery D of the 129th Field Artillery Regiment had , as a battery commander , Captain Harry S . Truman , later President of the United States . World War II . Combat Chronicle . The Division was activated on 23 December 1940 , as a National Guard Division from Kansas , Missouri and Nebraska . The division was transferred to the Western Defense Command following the debacle of Pearl Harbor . In California , in March 1942 the division underwent ' triangularization ' losing two of its regiments and both brigade headquarters . From here the division moved north for further training at Camp San Luis Obispo where a third regiment was added to complete the three regiment organization . Added to the 137th Infantry Regiment from Kansas and the 134th Infantry Regiment from Nebraska was the 320th Infantry Regiment ( draftees ) . The division departed for Europe on 12 May 1944 . It arrived in the United Kingdom on 25 May 1944 , and received further training . It landed on Omaha Beach , Normandy , 5 – 7 July 1944 , and entered combat 11 July , fighting in the Normandy hedgerows , north of Saint - Lô . The Division beat off 12 German counterattacks at Emelie before entering Saint - Lô , 18 July . After mopping up in the Saint - Lô area , it took part in the offensive action southwest of Saint - Lô , pushing the Germans across the Vire River , 2 August , and breaking out of the Cotentin Peninsula . While en route to an assembly area , the Division took part in the attempt to stop Operation Luttich , secure the Mortain - Avranches corridor and to relieve the 30th Division , which was taking a severe beating from the Germans ' assault , 7 – 13 August . Then racing across France through Orléans and Sens , the Division attacked across the Moselle , 13 September , captured Nancy , 15 September , secured Chambrey , 1 October , and drove on to the German border , taking Sarreguemines and crossing the Saar , 8 December . After crossing the Blies River , 12 December , the Division moved to Metz for rest and rehabilitation , 19 December . The 35th moved to Arlon , Belgium , 25 – 26 December , and took part in the fighting to relieve Bastogne , throwing off the attacks of four German divisions , taking Villers - laBonne - Eau , 10 January , after a 13 - day fight and Lutrebois in a 5 - day engagement . On 18 January 1945 , the Division returned to Metz to resume its interrupted rest . In late January , the Division was defending the Foret de Domaniale area . Moving to the Netherlands to hold a defensive line along the Roer , 22 February , the Division attacked across the Roer , 23 February , pierced the Siegfried Line , reached the Rhine at Wesel , 10 March , and crossed , 25 – 26 March . It smashed across the Herne Canal and reached the Ruhr River early in April , when it was ordered to move to the Elbe , 12 April . Making the 295 - mile dash in 2 days , the 35th mopped up in the vicinity of Colbitz and Angern , until 26 April 1945 , when it moved to Hanover for occupational and mopping - up duty , continuing occupation beyond VE - day . The Division left Southampton , England , 5 September , and arrived in New York City , 10 September 1945 . Assignments in the European Theater of Operations . During World War II , the 320th Infantry Regiment had , as an operations officer ( S - 3 ) , Maj . Orval Faubus , later Governor of Arkansas . The 134th Infantry Regiment had , as Commander of Company C and 1st Battalion Commander , Lt . Col . John E . Davis , later Governor of North Dakota . Cold War to present . After several activations and reactivations in the immediate postwar years , the 35th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) was reactivated on 25 August 1984 from the 67th Infantry Brigade ( Mechanized ) of Nebraska , the 69th Infantry Brigade ( Mechanized ) of Kansas , and the 149th Armored Brigade from Kentucky . It continues in service today . In 1984 - 85 , the 69th Infantry Brigade was reported to comprise the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 137th Infantry Regiment , the 1st Battalion , 635th Armored Regiment , 1st Battalion , 127th Field Artillery Regiment , E Troop , 114th Cavalry , and the 169th Engineer Company . Bosnia . The 35th Infantry Division Headquarters Commanded Task Force Eagle of Multi - National Division North in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of SFOR - 13 ( Stabilization Force ) with the NATO peacekeeping mandate under the Dayton Peace Accords . The Headquarters were located at Eagle Base in the town of Tuzla . Brigadier General James R . Mason was the commander . He later went on to command the 35th Infantry Division . The Division received the Army Superior Unit Award for its service in Bosnia . The 35th Division was notable for its smooth coordination of Inter - Brigade Operations . Division Liaison Officers served in the towns of Mostar , Sarajevo , Banja Luka , Zenica and Doboj . Hurricane Katrina . The 35th provided headquarters control for the National Guard units deployed to Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina . while the 38th Division did the same for Mississippi . Kosovo . A detachment of the 35th Infantry Division was the headquarters element for Task Force Falcon of Multi - National Task Force East ( MNTF - E ) for the NATO Kosovo Force 9 ( KFOR 9 ) mission . The 35th provided the command elements from 7 November 2007 until 7 July 2008 , when they were succeeded by the 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade of the Missouri Army National Guard . Current Structure . 35th Infantry Division exercises Training and Readiness Oversight of the following elements , they cannot be considered organic : In popular culture . In the 1970 World War II - era film " Kelly ' s Heroes " ( starring Clint Eastwood ) , the American soldiers portrayed in the film are primarily from the 35th Infantry Division .