Activated November 15, 1942 at Cp. Van Dorn, Mississippi. - transferred to Cp. Maxey, Texas November 19, 1943 . Staged at Cp. Myles Standish, Massachusetts September 13, 1944 . The Division  finally departed Boston P/E September 30, 1944 to arrive in England October 10, 1944 . The 99th Infantry Division landed at Le Havre, France November 3, 1944 and assembled at Aubel, Belgium . It entered Germany November 9, 1944 . It then attacked the West Wall December 13, 1944 meeting with heavy resistance ! Surprised by the German counteroffensive in the Bulge, the Division had to give ground and retreated . It suffered heavy losses as it withdrew to new defensive positions . After heavy fighting, it was almost completely withdrawn into reserve, and finally relieved by the 1st Infantry Division on February 11, 1945 . After a period of R&R, the Checkerboard Division went back into the attack in Germany . It further crossed the Rhine, attacked the Ruhr Pocket, and even moved on to the Danube . The Division arrived at Hampton Roads P/E September 26, 1945 and was inactivated at Cp. Patrick Henry, Virginia September 27, 1945 . Campaigns : Rhineland - Ardennes-Alsace - Central Europe . Organic units : 393d Inf Regt - 394th Inf Regt - 395th Inf Regt - 371st Fld Arty Bn - 372d Fld Arty Bn - 924th Fld Arty Bn - 99th Rcn Tp - 324th Engr Cbt Bn - 324th Med Bn - 99th CIC Det - MP Pltn - 799th Ord Lt Maint Co - 99th QM Co - 99th Sig Co . Attached units : 750th Tk Bn - 786th Tk Bn - 629th TD Bn - 644th TD Bn - 801st TD Bn - 814th TD Bn - 535th AAA Auto-Wpns Bn . Commander : MG Walter E. Lauer July 43 > Aug 45 .              

            "Sgt. A.S. Vilinsky"

Pvt of the 394th Inf Regt, 99th Inf Div,
Schelle, Belgium, Oct 09, 1999


99th Infantry Division, "Checkerboard" unit history
published by Albert Love Enterprises, Atlanta, Georgia,
Feb 44 - 61 pages filled with numerous
B/W pictures illustrating the "Battle Babies",
large format, with full-color cover