329th Infantry Regiment ( United States ) The 329th Infantry Regiment was a unit of the United States Army during World War II . It was part of the 83rd Infantry Division . History . During World War II , Lt . Sam Magill facilitated the mass surrender of 20 , 000 German troops on the banks of the Loire River on September 17 , 1944 . Brigadier General John Mauldin was the regimental surgeon during World War II . He took more than 400 photographs between the time the unit landed in England eight days after D - Day until Germany was liberated in 1945 . General George Patton reviewed the 329th and concluded “ That ’ s the finest body of soldiers I have ever seen in the field . ” The 329th Infantry Regiment was the closest US unit to Berlin at the end of World War II , being ordered to stop some 30 miles short of the city . Lineage . Constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army ( USA ) as the 329th Infantry and assigned to the 83d Division Organized 30 August 1917 at Camp Sherman , Ohio Demobilized 15 February 1919 at Camp Sherman , Ohio Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as the 329th Infantry and assigned to the 83d Division ( later redesignated as the 83d Infantry Division ) Organized in December 1921 with Headquarters at Dayton , Ohio Ordered into active military service 15 August 1942 and reorganized at Camp Atterbury , Indiana Inactivated 6 April 1946 at Camp Kilmer , New Jersey Activated 1 October 1946 with Headquarters at Indianapolis , Indiana Relieved 1 March 1952 from assignment to the 83d Infantry Division and assigned to the 70th Infantry Division ( United States ) Reorganized and redesignated 1 May 1959 as the 329th Regiment , an element of the 70th Division ( Training ) , with Headquarters at Detroit , Michigan Reorganized 31 January 1968 to consist of the 1st and 3d Battalions , elements of the 70th Division ( Training ) Reorganized 1 September 1971 to consist of the 1st , 2d , and 3d Battalions , elements of the 70th Division ( Training ) Reorganized 1 October 1994 to consist of the 1st , 2d , and 3d Battalions , elements of the 70th Division ( Institutional Training ) Reorganized 13 January 1995 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions , elements of the 70th Division ( Institutional Training ) Reorganized 16 October - 16 November 1996 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions , elements of the 84th Division ( Institutional Training ) Reorganized 1 October 2004 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions , elements of the 100th Division ( Institutional Training ) A Gold color metal and enamel device in height consisting of a shield blazoned : Argent , on a pile Sable a fleur - de - lis Or . Attached around the bottom and sides of the shield a Gold scroll inscribed “ NOUS GARDONS ” in Black letters . White is the old Infantry color ; the black pile is the background of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 83d Division and the gold fleur - de - lis indicates the organization ’ s service in France . The motto translates to “ We Guard . ” The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 329th Infantry Regiment on 7 May 1927 . It was redesignated for the 329th Regiment on 22 August 1960 . Presidential Unit Citation ( Army ) for GURZENICH