88TH
INFANTRY
DIVISION |
88th
Infantry Division
Distinguished
Unit
Citations |
88TH
INFANTRY
DIVISION |
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2nd
Battalion, 350th Infantry
Regiment 
2nd Battalion,
351st Infantry Regiment

3rd Battalion,
351st Infantry Regiment

Awarded in the name
of the President of the United
States (and later redesignated
the “Presidential Unit
Citation”), this award
was created during WWII to
recognize units for a collective
display of extraordinary heroism.
The degree of heroism required
is the same as that which
would warrant the award of
the Distinguished Service
Cross to an individual. The
Distinguished Unit Emblem
may be worn by all soldiers
who were assigned, or permanently
attached and present for duty
as members of the unit in
the action for which it was
cited. Persons who join the
unit later may wear the emblem
while serving with the unit.
The emblem is a blue ribbon
set in a gold-colored metal
frame of laurel leaves.
As evidence of the
award, the unit displays a
dark blue streamer, with the
name of the action embroidered
in white, with its colors
or guidon.
The following 88th Infantry
Division units were awarded
Distinguished Unit Citations
in recognition of their collective
heroism in the actions listed. |
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The
Distinguished Unit Citation for
2nd Battalion,
350th Infantry Regiment
Is authorized by War Department General
Order 10, 1945
The 2nd Battalion, 350th Infantry
Regiment is cited for outstanding performance
of duty in action during the period
27 September to 3 October 1944 at Mt.
Battaglia, Italy. The 2nd Battalion
was assigned the mission of seizing
and holding strategic Mt. Battaglia.
For seven days, in the face of incessant
and violent counterattacks by powerful
enemy forces, which at times included
elements of four divisions, this battalion
clung tenaciously to its positions on
the objective. Each attack was preceded
by artillery and mortar barrages and
climaxed by bitter fire fights, use
of flamethrowers by the enemy, hand-to-hand
combat, bayonet charges, and grenade
duels. The gallant officers and men
of this battalion repulsed each attack
with a marked display of fighting ability
and teamwork. Evacuation of the wounded
was extremely difficult because of the
inclement weather conditions, the nature
of the terrain, and the fact that the
enemy artillery firing from the front
and both flanks, covered every route
of approach to Mt. Battaglia with a
hail of fire. Nevertheless, all casualties
were promptly evacuated by teams of
litter bearers who courageously transported
the wounded for long distances through
artillery barrages to a point in the
rear where further evacuation could
be carried on by ambulances. All supplies
were brought to the battalion's positions
by pack mules supplemented by carrying
parties. On several occasions the ammunition
supply became dangerously low, and when
the men exhausted their hand grenades,
they resorted to throwing rocks at the
oncoming enemy. Though fighting under
the most adverse battle conditions,
the officers and men of this battalion
displayed an indomitable spirit that
refused to waver under the fiercest
enemy attacks. The outstanding fighting
ability and magnificent courage displayed
by the 2nd Battalion, 350th Infantry
Regiment are exemplary of the finest
traditions of the Army of the United
States.
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The
Distinguished Unit Citation for
2nd
Battalion, 351st Infantry Regiment
Is authorized by War Department General
Order 43, 1946
The 2nd Battalion, 351st Infantry
Regiment is cited for outstanding performance
of duty in action during the period
27 September to 1 October 1944, near
mt. Capello, Itlay. The battalion was
assigned the mission of wresting the
strategically important Mt. Capello
from a determined and numerically superior
German force. In the face of a withering
hail of fire from all types of weapons,
the 2nd Battalion launched its attack
down the barren, forward slopes of Mt.Guasteto,
Italy, eliminating a strong reverse
slope German position in four violent
assaults characterized by bitter fire
fights and vicious hand-to-hand grenade
duels. Although outnumbered, the soldiers
of this organization maintained their
captured position, despite ruthless
enemy counterattacks preceded by intense
artillery and mortar barrages. Although
suffering from severe losses and confronted
by fanatical enemy resistance, the courageous
officers and men of the 2nd Battalion
again resumed a full scale offensive
and, advancing by infiltration, neutralizing
resistance by furious hand-to-hand fighting
within the German positions, gained
a foothold on the barren slopes of Mt.
Capello. Setting a commendable example
of coolness and efficiency in the face
of great danger, the 2nd Battalion fought
grimly, tenaciously maintaining its
foothold, despite the murderous enemy
fire and wave after wave of fresh enemy
assault troops. In a notable display
of combat skill, teamwork, and determination,
the men of the 2nd Battalion, because
of a shortage of ammunition, resorted
to using captured German machine guns
and grenades to meet the enemy onslaughts.
Utilizing personnel from battalion headquarters
as riflemen, because of its heavily
depleted effective strength, the battalion,
in a final all-out assault, drove the
enemy from Mt. Capello, retaining this
strategic terrain feature, despite final
desperate enemy counterattacks. The
timely capture of this key enemy position
frustrated violent enemy efforts to
hold terrain of vital importance. A
dangerous enemy penetration between
the 351st Infantry Regiment and another
hard-pressed infantry regiment on the
right was averted by the heroic determination,
self-sacrifice, and unfailing devotion
to duty of the officers and men of the
2nd Battalion, 351st Infantry Regiment.
The valorous performance of the 2nd
Battalion, 351st Infantry Regiment,
reflects great credit on the personnel
of the regiment and upon the armed forces
of the United States.

Lieutenant General John Lee, Commanding
General of US Army Forces in the Mediterranean
Theater, fastens the Distinguished Unit
Citation Streamer to the colors of the
2nd Battalion 351st Infantry Regiment. |
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The
Distinguished Unit Citation for
3rd
Battalion, 351st Infantry Regiment
Is authorized by War Department General
Order 6, 1945

The 3rd Battalion, 351st Infantry
Regiment, is cited for outstanding performance
of duty in action during the period
9 to 13 Jnly 1944 in the vicinity of
Laiatico, Italy. During the attack on
strongly fortified German positions
in the vicinity of Laiatico, the 3rd
Battalion occupied an advanced position
devoid of cover and with both flanks
exposed, and for three days withstood
heavy enemy artillery and mortar bombardments
as well as three vicious enemy counterattacks
supported by tanks. Displaying courage,
skill, and determined fighting spirit,
the battalion frustrated all enemy efforts
to defend the town and surrounding strategic
positions. On the fourth day, the battalion
launched a night attack and penetrated
the German stronghold from the flanks
and rear. Aggressively exploiting its
breakthrough, the battalion seized a
German regimental command post after
a savage hand-to-hand struggle in the
darkness and cut the main escape route
from the Laiatico hill mass. As a result
of the 3rd Battalion's prodigious efforts,
425 prisoners were taken, 250 Germans
were killed or wounded, and a large
quantity of enemy weapons were captured
which were promptly employed with telling
effect against the battered German forces.
The timely capture of this key enemy
defensive position compelled the Germans
to abandon a carefully prepared, strongly
defended line and opened the route of
advance to the Arno River. The fearlessness,
heroic determinations and aggressive
lighting spirit of the officers and
men of the 3rd Battalion, 351st Infantry
Regiment, resulted in a performance
which brings honor to the armed forces
of the United States. |
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