Hi all, This might be a little vague but what follows is all I've got..... I'm looking for info related to the US 83rd Infantry Division. All I have is that their HQ was stationed at Keele Hall, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, UK for around 2 months just prior to D Day. As far as I know they went to Normandy 18th June 1944 and entered combat 27th June 1944. Could anyone add to this info such as where did they land on D Day and where did they go into action? I would also like to find out what happened to the 83rd after D Day and the end of WW2. I don't expect there would be a list of members of their HQ, or a list of casualties, or is there? The reason I ask is that an Aunt who was in the UK Land Army was friendly with a member of this unit, the soldier was also a friend of my family during his time in the UK. I have a photo of him with my family with me included. Any help would be most appreciated. Thank you. Peter
Peter, The 83d Infantry Division was an Ohio Organized Reserve unit. It was known as the Thunderbolt Division” or the “Ohio Division”. Constituted 5 August 1917 as the 83d Division, National Army; organized at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio 13 August 1917; demobilized 8 October 1919; reconstituted in the OR 24 June 1921 (Wilson 1999, 481-482); activated 15 August 1942 at Camp Atterbury Indiana; assigned to ETOUSA and Third Army 4 April 1944; departed NYPOE 6 April 1944; attached to First Army and VIII Corps 8 April 1944; arrived England 16 April 1944; landed on OMAHA Beach 19 June 1944; entered combat 27 June 1944; attached to VII Corps 1 July 1944; attached to VIII Corps 15 July 1944; relieved from attachment to First Army and attached to XV Corps Third Army 1 August 1944; attached to VIII Corps 3 August 1944, assigned with VIII Corps to Ninth Army 5 September 1944; relieved from attachment to VIII Corps 10 September 1944 and remained under direct control of Ninth Army until the end of the campaign in France. There are various online document repositories, but "rosters" are uncommon. 83rd Infantry Division Documents - 83rd Infantry Division and 83rd Infantry Division Association have some good basic sources.
