If you do NOT see the Table of Contents frame to the left of this page, then
Click here to open 'USArmyGermany' frameset

42nd Infantry Division
U.S. Forces, Austria
Looking for more information from military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Forces, Austria from 1945 to 1955. If you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me.

Division History (Occupation)

Page 2

222nd Inf Regt

232nd Inf Regt

242nd Inf Regt


 
Division History (Occupation Period: 9 May 1945 - January 1947)

42nd Inf Div celebartes its 42nd anniversary with a review, July 14 1945 (Walter Elkins)
(The Division has just been assigned the mission of occupying Land Salzburg as part of II Corps)
1945 - 1947
 

222nd Infantry

232nd Infantry

242nd Infantry
 
 
Source: 42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division, A Combat History ...
On May 3, the 42nd Infantry Division crossed the INN River and then moved ahead toward the Austrian border. Shortly after noon on May 4, the leading elements reached the Austrian border north of SALZBURG and patrols crossed it. Orders were then received for the Div to move into assembly areas along the border.

The Div remained on the Austrian border in the vicinity of PALLING until May 14 and during that time had an opportunity to rest, clean up and maintain equipment. It also established road blocks around its entire area and began the gigantic task of controlling the flow of displaced persons who thronged the roads, seeking to return to their homes.

On May 14, the Div moved south into the picturesque Austrian TYROL and was soon engaged in the dual function of collecting the thousands of German soldiers who had fled into this area for a final stand and retraining for redeployment. In moving into the Tyrol, the Div relieved units of the 36th Inf Div and was itself relieved by the 20th Armd Div (along the Austrian border).

In its efforts to capture the German soldiers, SS and Nazi party officials who had retreated into the mountains in the hope of continuing the struggle and keeping the Nazi party alive, the Div stopped all movement in the area by establishing road blocks every few kilometers. Civilians were not allowed to travel outside their town without a special pass and every military vehicle was checked. In the towns every person was questioned by men of the CIC, a process known as "screening". Every road and trail was patrolled and every mountain cabin or hotel which could possibly serve as a hideout was investigated again and again.

Several times while the 42nd Inf was occupying the Tyrol, its occupational boundaries were changed. When the Div first moved into the area it occupied both the eastern portion of the Tyrol and portions of Landkreis ROSENHEIM, (BAD) AIBLING and MIESBACH immediately north of it in Germany. On May 19, the area was extended to include all of these three German areas and also the adjoining Landeskreis EBERSBURG. It was into this area of Ebersburg and Aibling that 200,000 surrendered German troops were being moved and the task of guarding them was assigned to the 232nd Inf Regt. On May 24 however, other troops took over in these areas and the 232nd was relieved.
 

42nd Inf Div band marches through Kitzbühl, Austria, 1945 (Walter Elkins) (1)
 
On June 12, the Div was relieved of all the area which it occupied in Germany in a move designed to reconcile unit boundaries with political boundaries to simplify military government problems. At the same time and for the same reason, portions of Landkreise KUFTSEIN, KITZBÜHL and SCHWAZ not previously by the Rainbow were taken over from the 101st Abn Div and the 103rd Inf Div.

The 103rd Inf Div occupied the western section of the TYROL and the 101st Abn Div occupied Land SALZBURG to the east. These borders remained unchanged for the remainder of the time that the Rainbow occupied the Tyrol.

Early in July orders were received to move the Div to the vicinity of SALZBURG as the French were to take over the occupation of the entire TYROL. The new Div area was in and immediately surrounding the city of Salzburg, already crowded with troops, displaced persons and refugees. Some men were going to have to sleep in tents until the 101st Abn Div, scheduled for redeployment, could be moved from its occupational zone. The Rainbow began its move to the vicinity of Salzburg on July 8 and its area in the Tyrol was formally turned over to the French 4th Moroccan Mountain Div at Kitzbühl at noon on July 10.
 

Camp Glasenbach in the winter of 1946 (Walter Elkins)
 
On August 2 the 101st Abn Div moved from Land Salzburg and the 42nd Ind Div expanded to take over its area. On August 9, Co K, 222nd Inf Regt, moved to VIENNA to serve as honor guard for Gen Mark W. Clark. Other elements of the 222nd were also alerted to to move to Vienna and garrison the city. On August 27, the remainder of 3rd Bn joined Co K, and on September 2, HQ 222nd, 1st Bn and Svc Co moved to the city.

(Readjustment: In October low-point vets from the 66th Inf Div were transferred to the 42nd Inf Div.)

(1) I originally considered this to be one of the photos taken during the July 14, 1945 anniversary ceremony in Salzburg. However, Gernod Fuchs, Austria pointed out that the Band is seen in front of the Tiefenbrunner Hotel (serving as a military hospital at the time -- Reserve Lazarett) located in in Kitzbühl. So, the parade could have been part of the ceremonies held when the 42nd Inf Div handed over its sector in TYROL to the French occupation Army in early July.
 

Sign at Camp Glasenbach shows the way, 1946 (Walter Elkins)
 
(Source: M. Rauchensteiner (OMZ 6/72)
At the conclusion of the redeployment and readjustment activities immediately following the cessation of hostilities, the US Zone in Austria was occupied by:
DIVISION SECTOR     
26th Inf Div Land Upper Austria    
42nd Inf Div Land Salzburg    

In Sep 1945, the US element of the Allied Commission together with the 222nd Inf Regt, 42d Inf Div, moved to VIENNA.
 
While doing research on another issue, the webmaster stumbled across a page that described distinguished persons interred at the St. Peter's Churchyard Cemetary in Salzburg. Among several well known Austrians such as the composer Haydn and several immediate members of the Mozart family, is the grave of Major General Harry J. Collins, commander of the 42nd Infantry Division (Rainbow) during WW II. He lays next to his wife, Irene (ne Gehmacher). The headstone states that Gen Collins was an honorary citizen of both Salzburg as well as Linz.

The 42nd stayed on in Austria as part of the Army of Occupation, with its headquarters located at Salzburg during most of that period.
 
(Source: Email from John F.W. Koch)
I served in Co. D, 222nd (Inf Regt) in Vienna. Lived on Cobenzl Gasse in the Hueringer (spelling ?) section, up the street from the Grinzing Strassenbahn station. Was in Vienna from August 1945 thru Thanksgiving Day 1945, at which time Joe Juris, #1 gunner on our H2O cooled heavy Machine Gun, & I enrolled in Rainbow University in Zell am See, Austria. That was much better than pulling guard on General Mark Clark's L-5 airstrip on the West side of the Donau Kanal where every nite the Russians would fire at us with their sub-machine guns, using live ammo naturally. We were not permitted to return fire -- they were our " Allies".

I was originally with the 66th Black Panther Division, Co.D, 262 Inf. We landed at Cherbourg, France 12/24/44. The troop ship Leopoldville that was on our right side was torpedoed as we entered the harbor. The torpedo passed under our ship, H.M.S. Cheshire, and struck the Leopoldville killing 800 men of the 262nd and 264th regiments. We were headed for the Bulge but the disaster knocked us out as a full strength unit. We were directed to the St. Nazaire and Lorient pockets on the west coast of France where the Germans ( 50,000 ) were holed up at their submarine pens.

After Zell am See we went to Linz and stood guard on the Heman Goering Tank Works which is now the Voest-Alpine Steel Co.

I have returned to Europe and Austria (I think of Austria as my home away from home ) 6 times. The most recent in September '00. I still correspond with friends in Vienna, Linz, Zell am See, Rauris, Liezen & several other villages. Our Instrument Corporal married a girl from Vienna and my Aunt came from there before WWI.
RAINBOW REVEILLE - Some of the issues published while in Austria

June 2, 1945 (p.1)

Jan 26, 1945


 
 
ISSUES IN COLLECTION
DATE ISSUE HQS
     
 
222nd Infantry Regiment

222nd Inf Glee Club, Vienna Concert House, 1945/46 (Alexander Leiningen-Westerburg)
 
 
 
 

Related Links: