339th Infantry Regiment
| 339th Regiment 339th Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
|
Men of the 339th Infantry during the Polar Bear Expedition. | |
| Active |
1918-1919 1942-1945 |
| Country |
 United States |
| Branch |
 United States Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Engagements | |
The 339th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, raised for service in World War I, that served in the North Russia Intervention and World War II.
North Russia Intervention
The 339th Regiment was created in June 1918, composed mainly of young draftees, for the purpose of fighting on the Western Front in France. Most of the 4,487 men were from Michigan, but some 500 draftees from Wisconsin were included. It was commonly referred to as "Detroit's Own". They were sent to fight the Bolsheviks in Northern Russia.[1] They were nicknamed the “polar bears” because of their service there.
The journey to Archangel went via England, where they were outfitted with English winter equipment. Only after leaving England, were the men told of their destination. Spanish Influenza broke out on two of the three transports, and seventy-two men would eventually succumb to the disease or resultant pneumonia.[1]
World War II
The 339th Infantry Regiment was later reactivated in 1942, during World War II, to serve in the European theater, fighting in the Allied campaign in Italy from 1944 to 1945.[2] The regiment was assigned to the 85th Infantry Division. As a unit of the 85th Infantry or "Custer" Division, the 339th Infantry saw combat service in Italy from March 1944 until the surrender of German forces in May 1945.
See also
References
- 1 2 Rhodes, Benjamin D. (1988). The Anglo-American Winter War with Russia, 1918-1919, Greenwood Press, Inc. Connecticut, USA ISBN 0-313-26132-6.
- ↑ "339th Infantry in World War II". Retrieved 25 December 2013.