Combined Arms Capabilities of the US Army's 80Th Infantry Division in World War II, 1944-1945
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The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Master's Theses Spring 5-1-2019 The Fighting Blue Ridgers: Combined Arms Capabilities of the US Army's 80th Infantry Division in World War II, 1944-1945 Brannon Price University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses Part of the Military History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Price, Brannon, "The Fighting Blue Ridgers: Combined Arms Capabilities of the US Army's 80th Infantry Division in World War II, 1944-1945" (2019). Master's Theses. 637. https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/637 This Masters Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE FIGHTING BLUE RIDGERS: COMBINED ARMS CAPABILITIES OF THE US ARMY’S 80TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN WORLD WAR II, 1944-1945 by Brannon J. Price A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate School, the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Humanities at The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Approved by: Dr. Andrew Wiest, Committee Chair Dr. Susannah Ural, Committee Member Dr. Allison Abra, Committee Member ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ Dr. Andrew Wiest Dr. Luis Iglesias Dr. Karen S. Coats Committee Chair Director of School Dean of the Graduate School May 2019 COPYRIGHT BY Brannon J. Price 2019 Published by the Graduate School ABSTRACT This study of the Second World War examines the tactics employed by the 80th Infantry Division of the United States Army in the European Theater of Operations in 1944 and 1945. Early historiography portrays American units as brave but less sophisticated than their German adversaries. However, recent scholarship praises American combat capabilities. Drawing largely upon official Army records and firsthand accounts from American soldiers, this thesis argues that the 80th Infantry Division developed into a highly effective fighting force in the European Theater when it properly employed the concept of combined arms (the coordination of infantry, artillery, and armor) on the battlefront with some exceptions. This study uses three examples from the 80th Division’s combat record that show the importance of combined arms and the sophistication of American fighting forces late in World War II: the closing of the Falaise Pocket, the crossing of the Moselle River, and in the Battle of the Bulge. This study fills a key historiographical gap in scholars’ understanding of the capabilities of American military forces in World War II. High- and low-level studies exist of armies and companies, but little analysis has been awarded to the divisions. It is crucial to understand division level combat because changes in WWII doctrine, to include the implementation of combined arms, were “codified, refined, and disseminated” at this echelon of command.1 In the end, this work provides a more complete picture of the way in which the United States Army fought the war against Hitler’s Wehrmacht. 1 Peter R. Mansoor, The GI Offensive in Europe: The Triumph of American Infantry Divisions, 1941-1945 (Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 1999), 159. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are a great number of people I want to thank for standing behind me during my entire graduate career, from applications to the completion of this thesis. This has been a long and arduous journey, and I owe these individuals so much more than any simple thanks on a page can offer. Nonetheless, I hope they know how much I sincerely appreciate their love and support as this chapter of my life comes to a close. First and foremost I want to thank God for granting me the opportunity to pursue a graduate degree in history and for blessing me with the skills necessary to complete my MA. Without Him, all I do is for naught. I could not have done any of this without my parents, Scott and Shawn Price who, from the beginning, encouraged me to go back to school. They helped pay for applications and entrance exams as well as accompanied me on the long road trips to visit colleges before making my decision to attend the University of Southern Mississippi. My sister and brother, Hannah and Campbell, were also extremely supportive of my endeavors. Furthermore, my grandparents, Sammy and Linda Price and Gene and Frances Beck were always there to offer their advice and love. Without the members of my thesis committee, I would not even be able to write a thesis worth defending. Therefore, I want to thank Dr. Andrew Wiest, Dr. Susannah Ural, and Dr. Allison Abra for their support throughout this process. Thank you to my references who helped me earn acceptance letters to graduate programs: Dr. Kyle Sinisi, Dr. Stephanie Hewett, and Ken Boes. The friends I made at the Wesley Foundation during my time at Southern Miss were a great support system. They were always there to listen whenever I had frustrations iii or needed a distraction from my work. For this, I can’t thank the following people enough: Holly Stokes, Ashley Thompson, Sara Clark, Albert Williams, Devon Coulter, Elizabeth Lammons, Zach and Lauren Mason, Brandon Cade, Darius Scott, Eric Davis, and David, Mary, and Connor Godbold. My fellow graduate students at USM were instrumental in helping me through this process. I cannot thank the following enough for enduring the struggles with me and, at times, listening to me vent my frustrations: Amy Myers, Jacob Featherling, Jamie Henton, Brennan Keuhl, John Sarvela, Andy Sims, Dani Kawa, Lucas Somers, Olivia Moore, and Hayley Hasik. As they were having the same experiences I was, they understood the frustrations and were always there to offer their help. Although they were not in graduate school with me, my classmates from The Citadel nonetheless played a role in this process. They helped me through my time as an undergraduate, which taught me the skills I needed to succeed in graduate school. Thank you to Brooks Wagstaff, Joseph Federico, Daniel Meyerhoffer, Tray Godowns, Amber Mills, Joey Parker, Kate Koller, Garen Griffin, Spencer Lukas, Josh Terry, Jonathan Mims, Eduardo Rodriguez, Ryan Burns, Brandon Larmore, Taylor Scott, John Chase Taylor, Cal Johnston, Barrett Owens, Mikey McGraw, Taylor Coleman, Mattison Wilbanks, Robb Dudley, Emily Milani, Yu-Fu Chen, Chris Gorospe, Ethan Boulware, and Wesley Kennedy. Last, but most certainly not least, thank you to my former roommate, and another classmate from The Citadel, Zac Light (I didn’t forget you!), and his wife Alyssa. They saw firsthand my highs and lows as I balanced working full time with applying to graduate programs. iv If I have omitted any names, it is entirely by mistake. To everyone who was there for me during this time in my life, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Pax et Honoris, Deus et Patria v DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to all veterans of the Second World War; those living and those who have passed on. Thank you for your bravery and sacrifice. The world we live in today would be vastly and horribly different if not for your efforts. Most of all, this is dedicated to the two World War II veterans nearest and dearest to my heart: Cecil Wilson Brannon (80th Infantry Division) and Alfred Clinton “Clint” Price. To me, they are simply Papa Brannon and Papa Price, my paternal great grandfathers. I strive to live up to the names I received from the both of you. You are missed. I’ll see y’all someday at the Pearly Gates. Figure 1. Cecil Wilson Brannon and Marion Harvey Brannon (née Marion Earline Harvey) vi Figure 2. Alfred Clinton Price and Lila Octavia Price (née Campbell) vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .............................................................................................. x CHAPTER I – INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER II – “FIRST BLOOD VICTORY”: BLUE RIDGERS AT ARGENTAN AND THE FALIASE GAP ........................................................................................................ 13 The Situation on the Front ............................................................................................ 15 The 80th at Argentan .................................................................................................... 19 The Coordination of Infantry and Armor...................................................................... 27 The Coordination of Infantry and Artillery .................................................................. 33 Conclusion and Overall Performance of the Blue Ridgers ........................................... 38 CHAPTER III – BLUE RIDGERS AND BROWN WATERS: THE 80TH INFANTRY DIVISION CROSES THE MOSELLE RIVER ............................................................... 43 The Situation on the Front ............................................................................................ 46 Background of River Crossings ...................................................................................