Battle of Mortain, France, in 1944: WWII 30th Infantry Division “Old Hickory” awarded Presidential Unit Citation

WWII 30th Infantry Division awarded Presidential Unit Citation

N.C. Guard commemorates 75th anniversary of WWII battle 

By Lt. Col. Matthew Devivo | North Carolina National Guard | Aug. 9, 2019

On Aug. 7, four Nazi Panzer Divisions attacked the 30th Infantry Division at Mortain in northwestern France. The “Heroes of Old Hickory” fought them back and the Normandy Campaign was saved.

Many believe that the Mortain victory was one of the most outstanding military achievements during the war in Europe and think it is long overdue for the 30th to be awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

As each day passes, more members of “Old Hickory” pass away; Citizen-Soldiers who served proudly and with distinction during World War II.

Like all WWII era units, the 30th Infantry Division’s ranks are growing smaller and smaller. 

Many think it would be a fitting and overdue honor if the surviving members of one of America’s greatest WWII divisions get the recognition they deserve before there are no more “Old Hickory” veterans left. 

Today, the 30th Infantry Division Association, the North Carolina National Guard Association, former 30th veterans from WWII and others are urging President Donald Trump to award the 30th Infantry Division the Presidential Unit Citation for its exemplary performance and extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action during the Battle of Mortain.

Army Lt. Gen. Lawton J. Collins commanded VII Corps and led the breakout from the Normandy beachhead. In 1947 he wrote a recommendation for the 30th Infantry Division to be awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for actions at Mortain.A portion of his recommendation reads, “With full knowledge that no reserves were immediately available, the troops fought tenaciously, determined to contain the enemy at all costs. Artilleryman fought as infantry while firing direct fire with their artillery pieces at enemy personnel and armor less than 200 yards from their positions. Engineers, clerks, messengers, drivers, cooks, and every available man became a fighting soldier.” 

After the war, the Army Awards Board said that if the 30th Infantry Division had failed in its defense of Mortain, it would have caused a revision of Allied plans second only to a failure at Normandy on D-Day. Captured German Gen. Kurt Dittmar called the Mortain victory the decisive battle of the west in World War II.

Gen. Dwight Eisenhower’s European Theater Historian, S.L.A Marshall, determined that the 30th Infantry Division was the best infantry division in the European Theater during World War II but still, the citation was never awarded.

The 30th landed at Omaha Beach on June 10, 1944, and entered combat five days later. The division took part in every major campaign in the European Theater of Operations: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes – Alsace and Central Europe.

The 30th Infantry Division spent 282 days in almost constant combat. The division suffered 3,435 killed in action and 12,960 wounded. Six Medals of Honor were awarded to Old Hickory soldiers, 65 Distinguished Service Crosses, 1,718 Silver Stars, 6,319 Bronze Stars and 20,000 Purple Hearts.

By North Carolina National Guard

President Trump announced Tuesday the Army is awarding the Presidential Unit Citation to the famed World War II National Guard unit, the 30th Infantry Division, for extraordinary heroism at the Battle of Mortain, France, in 1944.

The battle of Mortain was ferocious, said Tony Jaber, 94, of Raleigh and an “Old Hickory” veteran of both the Battle of Mortain and the Battle of the Bulge.

“I would take six months in the Bulge over six days in Mortain. Those were the hardest days of the war for me,” he said.

The 30th Infantry Division, nicknamed “Old Hickory” after President Andrew Jackson, was a National Guard unit comprised mostly of men from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The division landed at Omaha Beach in Normandy days after D-Day and was immediately ordered into combat to defend key locations from the Nazi counterattack. Mortain was one of those locations, in Normandy.

Robert Baumer’s book “Old Hickory,” states that in August 1944, Hitler issued his sternest order, “Strike through Mortain to seal off the Americans at Avranches!”

On Aug. 6, multiple Nazi Panzer divisions attacked the 30th Infantry Division, and for six days at Mortain, the heroes of “Old Hickory” fought the Nazis back, saving Mortain and the Normandy Campaign.

“We are extremely happy for 30th Infantry Division veterans and their families,” said Maj. Gen. Todd Hunt, adjutant general of the North Carolina National Guard. “We are honored to carry on the lineage and colors of “Old Hickory” in our 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team that is currently deployed to the Middle East. This recognition is long overdue for the men who were called “Roosevelt’s SS” by German soldiers. They were the real deal, feared by the enemy, tough as nails and sacrificed so much from Normandy to the Elbe River.”

The 30th Division was never awarded a citation recognizing this critical victory during the initial months of the Normandy invasion. Many believe the Mortain victory was one of the most outstanding achievements of the war in Europe.

After the war, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower’s European theater historian, S.L.A Marshall, determined that the 30th Infantry Division was the best infantry division of its category in the European theater and deserved the highest decoration that could be awarded to a unit for bravery. But an Army award policy change prevented it.

Trump said in his announcement: “I am proud to direct the Army to honor the remainder of the division and attached units with the Presidential Unit Citation for their heroic stand at Mortain. This action rightfully recognizes our veterans who triumphed against incredible odds, as well as those who died during a critical battle that helped ensure the Allied victory in Europe.”

In July, the North Carolina National Guard will host the 74th annual 30th Infantry Division Association reunion and present the Presidential Unit Citation to surviving WWII veterans of “Old Hickory.”