The 90th Infantry Division was Activated on March 25, 1942 at Camp Barkley, TX. The men of the 90th Infantry Division began their training in the Summer of 1942 in preparation for deployment to the ETO.

The first units of the 90th ID to see combat were elements of the 359th Infantry Regiment who were attached to the 4th Infantry Division and participated in the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6th. The remaining regiments of the 90th, the 357th and 358th Infantry Regiments, landed on June 7th and 8th at Utah beach. The 90th Infanry Division began to organize themselves in preparation for moving inland.

On June 10th, the 90th Infantry Division made its first attack as a Division. The elements of the 90th Infantry Division met with heavy German resistance in and around the towns of Picauville, Cauquingy, and pont l'Abbe. During the first six weeks after the Normandy invasion, the 90th Infantry Division participated in some of the most difficult, demanding, and bloodiest battles of the war. It was during these six weeks that the 90th Infanrty Division met and conquered the German's main line of resistance at the Mahlman Line.

By the end of July, the men of the 90th Infantry Division were preparing for Operation COBRA, the breakout from the Normandy Peninsula. On August 1, the men of the 90th moved south to set blocking positions east of Avranches and to protect the dams on the selune river. On August 5, the 90th moved 30 miles to secure crossing over the Mayenne River. Elements of the 90th were formed into Task Force Weaver to accomplish this task.

Meanwhile the German 7th Army was fighting for survival in the Falaise Pocket. The 7th Army had been ordered to cut off the 12 American divisions that had fought their way south past their positions. The only way out for the 7th Army was south but the men of the 90th's 359th Infantry Regiment turned north and closed the only escape route that was left open. During 4 days of fierce fighting, the 359th captured 13,000 prisoners, killed or wounded over 8,000 soldiers, and destroyed almost 4,000 vehicles, tanks, self-propelled guns, and artillery pieces. In contrast, the 359th suffered less than 600 killed or wounded.

After a few days of rest, the 90th Infantry Division, now assigned to XX Corps, was ordered to proceed to Fontainbleu to cross and secure the river Seine. After traveling 176 miles, the objective was taken on August 26.

After securing the crossing at the river Seine, XX Corps and the 90th Infantry Division were ordered to liberate the city of Reims. On September 1, the 90th had secured the city securing numerous vital river crossings on the way. During the drive, the men of the 90th traveled over some of the most famous battlegrounds of World War I.

Continuing eastward against ever-increasing German resistance, the Moselle-Saar campaign involved several of the 90th Infantry Division's most important and difficult battles. The greatest obstacles in their path were the Moselle and Saar rivers, backed by the Maginot and Siegfried Lines. Their successful suprise crossing of the Moselle near Thionville, at a point where the river was to expand in width from less than 300 feet to over a mile because of flooding, was perhaps the most renowned of all their operations. This was followed by the epic fight to seize Ft. Koenigsmacher, breaking the ring of defenses around Metz, and leading to the first capture of Metz in modern history. Then on to battles at the Siegfried Line, which involved a most difficult crossing of the Saar - without bridges. Further progress against the Siegfried was abruptly interrupted by the German attack in the Ardennes, the Battle of the Buldge.

Shortly after crossing the Saar, the 90th was ordered to withdraw back across, travel 70 miles north over treacherous, icy roads to stop the German's assault in the Ardennes. Despite more losses to frostbite than to enemuy fire, the men of the 90th stopped the German offensive in its tracks. The 90th then resumed its drive to the East.

The next objective was the dreaded Siegfried Line. Fortunately, the 90th had helped to eliminate some of the best troops the Germans had in the Ardennes and the Line was manned by German National Guard Units (Volksgrenadiers or Folk-soldiers). Overcoming bad weather, heavy pillbox concentrations, and 3 rivers, the 90th finally cleared the Siegfried Line and reached the Rhine.

After crossing the Rhine and mopping up light German resistance towards Czecholslovakia, the 90th enganed in 3 actions that did not involve combat. The 90th Infantry Division siezed the German national treasure in the Merkers salt mine, accepted the surrender of the entire 11th Panzer Division at Hof, Germany, and liberation of the infamous Flossenburg concentration camp.

The 90th Infantry Division suffered 15,076 men wounded in action. Total killed, wounded, and missing in action was 21, 371. In addition, the 90th suffered 976 non-battle injuries, and 9,936 treated for miscelaneous diseases and injuries. A good many of which were undoubtedly the frostbite cases that came about in stopping the German offensive in the Ardennes. In all, the division suffered 32,283 casualties.

It is interesting to note that the 90th Infantry Division was recommended for the Presidential Unit Citation by General Patton along with the 5th Infantry Division. His recommendation was retruned for revision because he could only recommend 10% of his units for this award. In his revised recommendation, he reduced the number of units but insisted that the entire 90th Infantry Division receive this award. The 90th Infantry Division is the only Division Patton officially recommended for this distinguished award.