34th Infantry Division ( United States ) The 34th Infantry Division is a division in the Army National Guard that participated in World War I and World War II . It holds the distinction of being the first U . S . division deployed to Europe in World War II . The division was deactivated in 1945 , and the 47th " Viking " Infantry Division later created in the division ' s former area . In 1991 the 47th Division was redesignated the 34th . Since 2001 division soldiers have served on homeland security duties in the continental United States , in Afghanistan , and in Iraq . The 34th has also been deployed to support peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere . The division continues to serve today , with most of the Division part of the Minnesota and Iowa National Guard . In 2011 , it was staffed by roughly 6 , 500 soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard , 2 , 900 from the Iowa Guard , about 300 from the Nebraska Guard , and about 100 from other states . World War I . The division was established as the 34th Division of the National Guard in August 1917 , consisting of units from North Dakota , South Dakota , Iowa , and Minnesota . On 25 August 1917 it was placed under the command of Maj . Gen . A . P . Blacksom , who was succeeded by Brig . Gen . F . G . Mauldin briefly on 18 September 1917 but was back in command by 10 December 1917 . The division takes its name from the shoulder sleeve insignia designed for a 1917 training camp contest by American regionalist artist Marvin Cone , who was then a soldier enlisted in the unit . Cone ' s design evoked the desert training grounds of Camp Cody , New Mexico , by superimposing a red steer skull over a black Mexican water jug called an " olla . " In World War I , the unit was called the " Sandstorm Division . " German troops in World War II , however , called the U . S . division ' s soldiers " Red Devils " and " Red Bulls , " the division later officially adopted the nickname Red Bulls . On 8 May 1918 Brig . Gen . F . G . Mauldin took command . The 34th Division arrived in France in October 1918 but it was too late for the division to be sent to the front , as the end of hostilities was ending , an armistice was signed the following month . Brig . Gen . John A . Johnston took command 26 October 1918 , and some personnel were sent to other units to support their final operations . The 34th returned to the U . S . and was inactivated in December 1918 . Between the world wars . On 17 January 1921 , the 109th Observation Squadron was federally recognized as the first aviation unit in the Minnesota National Guard . The squadron was assigned as a divisional observation unit for the 34th Division , at that time recruiting from Minnesota , Iowa , South Dakota , and North Dakota . The 34th was reorganized as the 1st Infantry Regiment , Minnesota National Guard on 31 January 1920 . On 16 May 1934 , the truck driver ' s union initiated a strike ( Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934 ) , which quickly degenerated into open violence in the streets of Minneapolis . Minnesota Governor Floyd B . Olson activated the National Guard , and 4 , 000 Guardsmen to suppress the chaos . Utilizing roving patrols , curfews , and security details , the 34th quickly restored order , thus enabling negotiated settlement of the labor dispute . On 18 June 1939 , a tornado hit Anoka , Minnesota , and Governor Harold E . Stassen called on the Guard again . 300 Guardsmen patrolled the streets and imposed a quasi - martial law while the community was stabilized . Prelude to World War II . The expanding war in Europe threatened to draw a reluctant United States into the conflict . As the potential of U . S . involvement became more evident , the administration of President Franklin D . Roosevelt still hoped to avoid war , while military leaders needed to prepare to fight . A review of existing legislation , including the National Defense Act of 1916 and its amendments , indicated that new legislation was needed to ensure effective integration of the National Guard into the regular Army , draft and selective service regulations , and related matters . While legislative review was in motion , initial steps were taken to prepare troops what for lay ahead through " precautionary training . " The 34th Infantry Division was deemed one of the most service - ready units , and Ellard A . Walsh was promoted to Major General in June , 1940 and placed in command . The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 was signed into law 16 September , and the first conscription in U . S . history during peacetime commenced . The 34th was subsequently activated on 10 February 1941 , with troops from North Dakota , South Dakota , Minnesota , and Iowa . The division was transported by rail and truck convoys to the newly constructed Camp Claiborne in Rapides Parish , Louisiana near Alexandria . The soldiers started rigorous training including maneuvers in Alexandria starting 7 April 1941 . The climate during the summer was especially harsh . The division then participated in what became known as the Louisiana Maneuvers , and become a well - disciplined , high spirited , and well prepared unit . In the early phase of the maneuvers , General Walsh , who suffered from chronic ulcers , became too ill to continue in command , and was replaced by Major General Russell P . Hartle on 5 August 1941 . World War II . In common with other U . S . Army divisions the 34th was reorganized from a square to a triangular division before seeing combat . The division ' s three infantry regiments became the 133rd , 135th , and 168th Infantry Regiments . On 8 January 1942 , the 34th was transported by train to Fort Dix , New Jersey to quickly prepare for overseas movement . The first contingent embarked at Brooklyn on 14 January 1942 and sailed from New York the next day . The initial group of 4 , 508 stepped ashore at 12 : 15 hrs on 26 January 1942 at Dufferin Quay , Belfast . They were met by a delegation including the Governor ( Duke of Abercorn ) , the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland ( John Miller Andrews ) , the Commander of British Troops Northern Ireland ( General G . E . W . Franklyn ) , and the Secretary of State for Air ( Sir Archibald Sinclair ) . While in Northern Ireland , Hartle was tasked with organizing an American version of the British Commandos , a group of small " hit and run " forces , and promoted his Aide - de - camp , artillery Captain William O . Darby to lead the new unit . Major Darby assembled volunteers , and of the first 500 Rangers , 281 came from the 34th Infantry Division . On 20 May 1942 , Hartle was designated commanding general of V Corps and Major General Charles Ryder took command of the 34th . The division trained in Northern Ireland until it boarded ships to travel to North Africa for Operation TORCH in November 1942 . The 34th Infantry Division saw its first combat in French Algeria on 8 November 1942 . As a member of the Eastern Task Force , which included two brigades of the British 78th Infantry Division , and two British Commando units , they landed at Algiers and seized the port and outlying airfields . Elements of the Division took part in numerous subsequent engagements in Tunisia during the Allied build - up , notably at Sened Station , Sidi Bou Zid and Faid Pass , Sbeitla , and Fondouk Gap . In April 1943 the Division assaulted Hill 609 , capturing it on 1 May 1943 , and then drove through Chouigui Pass to Tebourba and Ferryville . The Battle of Tunisia was won , and the Axis forces surrendered . The Division then trained for the inception of the Allied Invasion of Italy ( Operation Avalanche ) , beginning with the Salerno landing . The 151st Field Artillery Battalion went in on D - day , 9 September 1943 , at Salerno , while the rest of the Division followed on 25 September . Engaging the enemy at the Calore River , 28 September 1943 , the 34th , as part of the U . S . II Corps , relentlessly drove north to take Benevento , crossed the winding Volturno three times in October and November , assaulted Monte Patano , and took one of its four peaks before being relieved , 9 December 1943 . In January 1944 , the Division was back on the front line battering the Bernhardt Line defenses . Persevering through bitter fighting along the Mignano Gap , the 34th used goat herds to clear the minefields . The 34th took Monte Trocchio without resistance as the German defenders withdrew to the main prepared defenses of the Gustav Line . On 24 January 1944 , during the First Battle of Monte Cassino they pushed across the Rapido River into the hills behind and attacked Monastery Hill which dominated the town of Cassino . While they nearly captured the objective , in the end their attacks on the monastery and the town failed . The performance of 34th Division in the mountains is considered to rank as one of the finest feats of arms carried out by any soldiers during the war . In return they sustained losses of about 80 per cent in the Infantry battalions . They were relieved from their positions 11 – 13 February 1944 . Eventually , it took the combined force of five allied infantry divisions to finish what the 34th nearly accomplished on its own . After rest and rehabilitation , the 34th landed at the Anzio beachhead 25 March 1944 . The division maintained defensive positions until the offensive of 23 May , when it broke out of the beachhead , took Cisterna , and raced to Civitavecchia and Rome . After a short rest , the Division drove across the Cecina River to liberate Livorno , 19 July 1944 , and continued on to take Monte Belmonte in October during the fighting on the Gothic Line . Digging in south of Bologna for the winter , the 34th jumped off , 15 April 1945 , and captured Bologna on 21 April . Pursuit of the routed enemy to the French border was halted on 2 May upon the German surrender in Italy . The Division participated in six major Army campaigns in North Africa and Italy . The Division is credited with amassing 517 days of front - line combat , more than any other U . S . division . One or more 34th Division units were engaged in actual combat with the enemy on 611 days . This would have been 1st Battalion , 133rd Infantry and the IRONMAN battalion . This battalion still holds the record over the rest of the United States Army for days in combat . The division was credited with more combat days than any other division in the war . The 34th Division suffered 3 , 737 killed in action , 14 , 165 wounded in action , and 3 , 460 missing in action , for a total of 21 , 362 battle casualties . Casualties of the division are considered to be the highest of any division in the theatre when daily per capita fighting strengths are considered . There is little doubt the division took the most enemy - defended hills of any division in the European Theatre . The division ' s soldiers were awarded ten Medals of Honor , ninety - eight Distinguished Service Cross es , one Distinguished Service Medal , 1 , 153 Silver Star s , 116 Legion of Merit medals , one Distinguished Flying Cross , 2 , 545 Bronze Star Medal s , fifty - four Soldier ' s Medal s , thirty - four Air Medal s , with duplicate awards of fifty - two oak leaf clusters , and 15 , 000 Purple Heart s . Cold War to 2001 . The 34th Infantry Division was inactivated on 3 November 1945 . The Division was reformed within the Iowa and Nebraska National Guard s in 1946 – 7 , but it disbanded again in 1963 , being replaced in part by the 67th Infantry Brigade . It also retained its Division HQ as a Command HQ to supervise training of combat and support units in the former division area for some years . The 47th Infantry Division ( which had never seen combat ) was active at St Paul , Minn . , by 1963 , as the National Guard combat division covering the former 34th ' s area . The division was reactivated as a National Guard division ( renaming the 47th Division ) for Minnesota and Iowa on 10 February 1991 upon the fiftieth anniversary of its federal activation for World War II . At that point the Division transitioned into a Medium Division , with a required strength of 18 , 062 soldiers . In 2000 the Minnesota Legislature renamed all of Interstate 35 in Minnesota the " 34th Division ( Red Bull ) Highway , " in honor of the Division and its service in the World Wars . Twenty - first century . The Minnesota National Guard now maintains an “ optimal force structure , ” preparing and organizing the right people with the right training and the right equipment to accomplish the job . The 34th Infantry Division was the first National Guard Division to transform to the Army ' s modular and expeditionary Brigade Combat Team Structure . The Division ' s units have grown and are now spread across Minnesota , Iowa , Wisconsin , Michigan , North Dakota , Montana , Idaho , Colorado , Wyoming and Missouri . The Minnesota Army National Guard provides the Division Headquarters and is located in Rosemount ( Main Command Post ) , and Inver Grove Heights ( Tactical Command Post ) ; both are southern suburbs of the Twin Cities . Today , the division has undergone much change due to transformation . The entire division is projected to have transformed by Training Year 2010 . Since October 2001 , division personnel served in Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo . Other deployments during the same time period have included Operation Vigilant Hammer in Europe , the Mediterranean Theater of Operations , and Egypt , and Joint Task Force Bravo – Honduras . The 34th Infantry Division has deployed approximately 11 , 000 soldiers on operations since October 2001 . At home this has included troops deployed for Operation Noble Eagle ; abroad units and individual soldiers have gone to Afghanistan and Iraq . Current Structure . 34th Infantry Division exercises Training and Readiness Oversight of the following elements , they cannot be considered organic :