Professional Documents
Culture Documents
EISENHOWER LIBRARY
ABILENE, KANSAS
1,300,000
The U.S. Army Unit Records collection (formerly: U.S. Army, U.S. Forces, European Theater: Selected After
Action Reports, 1941-45) primarily spans the period from 1917 to 1950, with the bulk of the material covering
the World War II years (1942-45). The collection is comprised of organizational and operational records and
miscellaneous historical material from the files of army units that served in World War II.
The collection was originally in the custody of the World War II Records Division (now the Modern Military
Records Branch), National Archives and Records Service. The material was withdrawn from their holdings in
1960 and sent to the Kansas City Federal Records Center for shipment to the Eisenhower Library. The records
were received by the Library from the Kansas City Records Center on June 1, 1962. Most of the collection
contained formerly classified material that was bulk-declassified on June 29, 1973, under declassification project
number 735035. General restrictions on the use of records in the National Archives still apply.
The collection consists primarily of material from infantry, airborne, cavalry, armor, artillery, engineer, and tank
destroyer units; roughly half of the collection consists of material from infantry units, division through company
levels. Although the collection contains material from over 2,000 units, with each unit forming a separate series,
every army unit that served in World War II is not represented. Approximately seventy-five percent of the
documents are from units in the European Theater of Operations, about twenty percent from the Pacific theater,
and about five percent from units that served in the western hemisphere during World War II. Nearly every
campaign of World War II is covered to some extent by this collection. Every unit series, however, is
incomplete, with most series containing a relatively small amount of material. Some series may contain as many
as 25,000 pages, while others may have as few as 50 pages. Most organic or component units of divisions are
organized separately. Although organic units may comprise separate series, organic unit material may also be
found in division or regiment level series.
The bulk of the collection consists of duplicate or surplus copies, retained by the units, of original after action
reports and operation reports that were sent by the units on a regular basis to the Adjutant Generals Office (part
of Record Group 407, Records of the Adjutant Generals Office). Army Regulation 345-105, Military
Records, Historical Records and Histories of Organizations, November 18, 1929, with subsequent changes,
required that all commanders of regiments, separate battalions or squadrons, companies or detachments, and all
commanders of a higher grade prepare and submit to the Adjutant General a detailed history of the organization
concerned. The regulation also required that after every battle or engagement with the enemy or when
prescribed by higher headquarters reports after action against the enemy, together with unit and staff journals
and supporting documents would be submitted.
The histories and historical records submitted under this regulation comprise the Operations Reports series in
the custody of the Historical Records Section, Departmental Records Branch, Adjutant Generals Office. Except
for a small segment, all reports are of ground combat units that served in active theaters of war between
December 7, 1941 and September 2, 1945. These records were originally sent by the units to the Operations
Division, AFO, but after the war they were placed in a non-current status and retired to the War Department
Records Branch (now the Departmental Records Branch), AGO. The records eventually came under the custody
of the Historical Records Section.
The organization of the collection primarily follows the classification and filing scheme devised by Miss
Margaret Emerson and associates of the Combat Analysis Section. The scheme, adopted in May 1946, is based
on the organization of the Department of the Armys combat forces during World War II. For purposes of
classification it is divided into three general categories of units: (1) theaters and their commands; (2) organic
Page 1
units composed of army groups, armies, corps, and divisions; and (3) non-organic units composed of nondivisional arms and service troops.
This collection, however, only includes: (1) division-level units and their organic units composed of regiments,
battalions, squadrons, and companies and (2) non-organic units below division level. Within the series
descriptions this basic arrangement is referred to as the classification scheme of the Departmental Records
Branch (DRB).
In each unit series material of a general nature appears first, followed by more specific topics or items. The
organization is chronological. Some larger series are divided into subseries. Some, but all, series contain the
following categories of reports: General Historical and Operational, G-1 (Personnel), G-2 (Intelligence), G-3
(Operations and Training), G-4 (Logistics), G-5 (Civil Affairs), and Staff Section Reports. The General
Historical and Operational Reports consist primarily of unit histories, operation reports, after action reports,
journals, and miscellaneous historical items such as photographs, unit newsletters, correspondence, and
memorabilia. The Staff Section Reports consist primarily of reports concerning the operations and activities of
various staff sections and organizational components of the unit, such as artillery, ordnance, medical,
quartermaster, and headquarters company. Original material consists of maps, photographs, correspondence,
notes, memorabilia, and drafts of reports and histories.
Division-level after action reports, normally prepared on a monthly basis, usually consist of brief operation
summaries. A report may also consist of a general division summary of activities followed by after action or
operation reports from organic and attached units. G-2 periodic reports, normally prepared on a daily basis, are
usually divided into the following sections: Enemy situation at end of period, enemy operations during period,
miscellaneous (enemy casualties, weather, morale), enemy capabilities, POW interrogation reports, CI (counter
intelligence) reports, and special reports. G-3 periodic reports are usually divided into the following sections:
U.S. front lines, location of troops, information on adjacent and supporting troops, weather and visibility, our
operations for the period, combat efficiency, and results of operations. The G-3 periodic reports for most of the
units, as well as some of the G-2 periodic reports, include map overlays, and many of the reports also include
maps. The maps have been transferred to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Map Collection.
Photographs depicting unit activities and unit personnel, including many high-level officers, have been
transferred to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Audiovisual (AV) Department. When photographs appeared within the
body of a report they were replaced with a Xerox copy. NOTE: The photographs have not yet been processed
and made available for research. Contact the AV staff for more information.
The collection contains many items of special interest. Among the more interesting items are photocopies of
letters (in the 11th Inf. Regiment Series) written in 1814 by Major John Wingate Weeks while serving during the
War of 1812. The copies were sent in 1937 to Col. L.A. Kunsig (of the 11th Inf.) by Sinclair Weeks, a
descendant of Major Weeks and Secretary of Commerce during the Eisenhower Administration. Other items of
interest include allied interrogation reports (in the 101stAbn. Division series) involving people who were close to
Hitler and other members of the German High Command, and the notes of Major General Charles H Gerhardt (in
the 29th Inf. Division series) concerning his fact-finding trip to Italy in October 1943.
The last two boxes in the collection are card index files. The Unit Index contains cards for units in the
collection, arranged by type of unit, with information about associated organic units. The Campaign Index
contains listings for each official campaign in World War II, arranged in alphabetical order, listing the units in
the collection that participated in the campaign. NOTE: Although specific units in the collection may have
participated in a given campaign, this collection is incomplete and we may not have relevant documents for that
time period. For instance, a particular division may have taken part in the Normandy invasion, we may have
records for that division, but we do not necessarily have the records of that unit for June, 1944.
This collection contains the potential for numerous research topics. Some of the subject areas for which there is
a significant amount of material of research value are: U.S., German, and Japanese infantry tactics; U.S.,
German, and Japanese defensive positions; small unit tactics and actions; artillery operations; armored
operations and tactics; amphibious assault; airborne operations; engineer activities; logistics; military
Page 2
intelligence; training activities; occupation activity in Germany and Japan; and the life and experiences of the
American soldier in combat.
NOTE: The materials in the collection are fragmentary and incomplete for all units. This index lists the army
units for which records are available at the Eisenhower Library. As time permits, the Library staff is preparing
folder lists to the records of individual units. Records of units for which lists have not yet been prepared are
open to research but the Library staff must screen the records before any copying is done by researchers.
Detailed folder lists, when they have been created, are located in the following guides. Individual battalions and
Regiments may be listed two time, individually and with the division to which they were attached. Please make
sure to do a complete search of the index for the unit of interest.
Book 1
Book 2
Box 2-5
Box 5
Box 6
Box 7-15
Page 3
Box 14
Box 14-15
Box 16-24
Box 25
Box 26
Box 27-28
Box 29-40
Box 41
Box 42
Box 43
Box 44
Page 4
Box 46
Box 47
Box 48
Box 49-60
Box 60
Box 61-64
Box 65
Box 66-67
Box 68-80
Box 80
Box 81
Page 5
Box 82
Box 83-84
Box 85-92
Box 93
Box 94-95
Box 96-97
Box 98
Box 99-103
Box 104
Page 6
Box 110
Box 111-113
Box 113
Box 114-116
Box 116
Box 117-118
Box 119
Page 7
Box 121
Box 122
Box 123
Box 124
Box 125
Box 126
Box 127
Page 8
Box 131
Box 132
Box 133
Box 134
Box 135
44th Tank
45th Tank
46th Tank
47th Tank
48th Tank
Box 136
Box 137
Battalion
Battalion
Battalion
Battalion
Battalion
Page 9
Box 139
Box 140
Box 141
Box 142
Box 143
Box 144
Box 145
Box 146
Box 147
Box 148
Page 10
Box 150
Box 151-154
Box 155
Box 156
Box 157
Box 158
Box 159
Box 160
Box 161
Box 162
Box 163-166
Box 205
Box 206
Box 207-217
Box 218
Page 11
Box 220-221
Box 222
Box 223
Box 224
Box 225
Box 226
Box 227
Box 228-229
Box 230
Box 231
Box 232
Box 233
Box 234
Box 235
Page 12
Box 237-238
Box 239
Box 240
Box 241
Box 242
Box 243
Box 244
Box 245
Box 246
Box 247-248
Box 249
Box 250
Box 251
Box 252
Page 13
Box 253
Box 254
Box 255
Box 256
Box 257
Box 258
Box 259
Box 260
Box 261
Box 262
Box 263
Box 264
Box 265
Page 14
Box 267
Box 268
Box 269
Box 270
Box 271
Box 272
Box 273
Box 274
Box 275
Page 15
Box 276
Box 277
186th CA Battalion
195th AAA AW Battalion
197th AAA AW Battalion
198th AAA Gun Battalion
Box 278
Box 279
Box 280
Box 281
Box 282
Box 283
Page 16
Box 285
Box 286
Box 287
Box 288
Box 289
Box 290
Box 291
Box 292
Box 293
Box 294
Page 17
Box 295-A
450th
Box 296
Box 297
Box 298
Box 299
Box 300
Box 301
Box 302
Box 303
Box 304
Box 305
AAA AW Battalion
Page 18
Box 306
Box 307
Box 308
Box 309
Box 310
Box 311
Box 312
Box 313
Box 314
Box 315
Page 19
Box 317
Box 318
Box 319
Box 320
Box 321
Box 322
Page 20
Box 324
Box 325
895th AA AW Battalion
Box 326
Box 327
Box 328-329
Box 330
Box 331
Box 332
Page 21
Box 334
Box 335
61st CA Regiment
206th CA Regiment
Box 336
206th CA Regiment
244th CA Regiment
505th CA Regiment
115th CA Group
31st CA Group
54th CA Group
76th CA Group
77th CA Group
21st CA Battalion
31st CA Battalion
36th CA Battalion
44th CA Battalion
48th CA Battalion
49th CA Battalion
Box 337
51st CA Battalion
54th CA Battalion
198th CA Battalion
276th CA Battalion
281st CA Group
283rd CA Group
311th CA Barrage Balloon Battalion
426th CA Barrage Balloon Battalion
743rd CA Barrage Balloon Battalion
Page 22
Box 339
Box 340-342
Box 343
Box 344
Box 345
Box 346
Box 347
Box 348
Box 349
Page 23
Box 351
Box 352
Box 353
Box 354
Box 355
Box 356
Box 357
Box 358
424th
Box 359
Page 24
Box 363
Box 364
Box 365
Box 366
Box 367
Box 368
Box 369
Box 370
Box 371
Box 372
Box 373
Box 374
Box 375
Box 376
Page 25
Box 379
Box 380
Box 381
Box 382
Box 383
Box 384
Box 38
Box 386
Box 387
Box 388
Box 389
Page 26
Box 391
Box 392
Box 394
Box 395
Box 396
Box 397-398
Box 399
Box 400
Box 401
Box 402
Page 27
Box 403
Box 404
Box 405
Box 406
Box 407
Box 408
Box 409
Box 410
Box 411
Box 412
Box 413
Box 414
Box 415
Box 416
Box 417
Box 418
Box 419
Page 28
Box 421
Box 422
Box 423
Box 424
Box 425
Box 426
Box 427
Box 428
Box 429
Box 430
Page 29
Box 431
Box 432
Box 433-434
Box 435
Box 436
Box 437
Box 438
Box 439
Box 440
Box 441
Box 442
Page 30
Box 444
Box 445
Box 446
Box 447
Box 448
Box 449
Box 450
Box 451
Page 31
Box 453-455
Box 456
Box 457
Box 458
Box 459
Box 460
Box 461
Box 462
Page 32
Box 464
Box 465
Box 466
Box 467
Box 468
Box 469
Page 33
Box 471
Box 472
Box 473
Box 474
Page 34
Box 476
Box 477
Box 478
Box 479
Box 480
Page 35
Box 481
Box 482
Box 483
Box 484
Box 485
Box 486
Box 487
Page 36
Box 489
14th AA Command
Box 490-495
Box 496
Box 497
Box 498-499
Box 500
Box 501
Box 502
Box 503-506
Box 507
Box 508-512
Box 513
Box 514
Box 515
Box 516
Page 37
.
Box 518-525
Box 526-527
Box 528
Box 529
Box 530
Box 531
Box 532
Box 533
Box 534
Box 535
Box 536
Page 38
Box 537
Box 538
Box 539
Box 540
Box 541
Box 542
Box 543
Box 544
Box 545
Page 39
Box 547
Box 548
Box 549
Box 550
Box 551
Box 552
Box 553
Box 554
Box 555
Box 556
Box 557
Box 558
Page 40
Box 559
Box 560
Box 561
562
Box 563
Box 564
Box 565
Box 566
Box 567
Box 568
Box 569
Box 570
Box 571
Box 572
Box 573
Box 574
Page 41
Box 576
Box 577
Box 578
Box 579-581
Box 582-586
Box 587
Box 588
Box 589
Box 590
Box 591
Box 592
Box 593
Box 597
Page 42
Box 599-600
Box 601
Box 602
Box 603
Box 604-605
Box 606
Box 607-612
Box 613-615
Box 616
Box 617
Box 618
Box 619
Box 620
Box 621
Box 622
Box 623
Page 43
Box 625
Box 626
Box 627
Box 628
Box 629-630
Box 631
Box 632
Box 633
Box 634
Page 44
Box 636
Box 637
Box 638
Box 639
Box 640
Box 641
296th
Box 642
Box 643
Box 644
305th
Box 645
Box 646
Box 647
Page 45
Box 648
Box 649
Box 650
Box 651
Box 652
Box 653
Box 654
Box 655
Box 656
Box 657
Box 658
Box 659
Box 660
Page 46
Box 662
Box 663
Box 664
Box 665
Box 666
Box 667
Box 668
Box 669
Box 670
Box 671
Page 47
Box 673
Box 674
Box 675
Box 676
Box 677
Box 678
Box 679
Box 680
Box 681
Box 682
Box 683
Page 48
Box 684
Box 685
Box 686
Box 687
Box 688
Box 689
Box 690
Box 691
Page 49
Box 693
Box 694
Box 695
Box 696
Box 697
Box 698
Box 699
Box 700
Box 701
Page 50
Box 703
Box 704
705
Box 706
Box 707
Box 708
Box 709
Box 710
Page 51
Box 712
Box 713
Box 714-715
Box 716
Box 717
Box 718
Box 719
Box 720
Box 734
Box 735
Box 736-738
Box 739
Page 52
Box 741
Box 742
Box 743
1156th
1157th
1158th
1159th
1160th
1161st
1162nd
1163rd
1164th
1165th
Box 744
Box 745
Box 746
Page 53
Box 748-755
Box 756-757
Box 758-761
Box 762-782
No boxes 783-791
Box 791-792
Box 793-794
No box 795
Box 796-798
Box 799-806
Box 812-819
No box 820
Box 821-823
No box 829
Box 830-840
Box 841-843
No box 851
Page 54
Box 852-856
Box 857-867
No boxes 868-869
Box 870 -873
Box 878-885
Box 886-890
Box 891-895
No boxes 896-897
Box 898-902
Box 937-949
Box 950-959
Box 960-984
No box 985
Box 986-990
No box 991
Box 992-1018
Box 1019
Box 1038
Page 55
No box 1152
Box 1153-1154 89th Infantry Division
No box 1155
Box 1156-1158 90th Infantry Division
Box 1159-1165 91st Infantry Division
No box 1166
Box 1167-1171 92nd Infantry Division
No box 1172
Box 1173
Page 56
Box 1242
Box 1243
Box 1244
Box 1245
Box 1246
Box 1247
Box 1248
Page 57
Box 1258
Box 1274
Box 1284
Box 1285
Box 1289
Box 1290
Box 1291
Page 58
Box 1309
Box 1310
Box 1316
Box 1329
Box 1330
No box 1331
1332
No box 1333
Box 1334
Page 59
Box 1336
Box 1337
Box 1338
Box 1360
Box 1361
Box 1362
Box 1363
Box 1367-1370
Box 1371
Page 60
Box 1382
Box 1390
Box 1397
Box 1398
Box 1399
Box 1400
Box 1407
Box 1408
Box 1409
Box 1410
Page 61
Box 1415
No box 1416
Box 1417
Box 1427
Box 1436
Box 1437
Box 1438
Box 1439
Page 62
Box 1440
Box 1441
Box 1442
Box 1443
Box 1444
Box 1445
Box 1446
Box 1447
Box 1448
Box 1449
Box 1450
Box 1451
Box 1452
Box 1456
No box 1457
Box 1458-1459 314th Infantry Regiment
Box 1460
Page 63
Box 1466
Box 1467
Box 1468
Box 1469
Box 1470
Box 1471
Box 1472
Box 1473
No box 1474
Box 1475
Box 1476
Box 1477
Box 1478
Box 1479
Box 1480
Box 1481
Box 1482
Box 1483
Box 1484
Box 1485
Box 1486
Page 64
Box 1488
Box 1489
Box 1490
Box 1491
Box 1492
Box 1493
Box 1494
Box 1495
Box 1496
Box 1497
Box 1498
Box 1499
Box 1506
Box 1507
Box 1508
Page 65
Box 1518
Box 1519
Box 1520
Box 1525
Box 1526
Box 1527
Box 1531
No box 1532
Box 1533
Page 66
Box 1534
Box 1541
Box 1542
Box 1543
Box 1544
Box 1545
Box 1546
Box 1547
Box 1548
Page 67
Box 1550
Box 1551
Box 1552
Box 1553
Box 1554
Box 1555
Box 1556
Box 1557
Box 1558
Box 1559
Page 68
Box 1561
Box 1562
Box 1563
Box 1564
Box 1565
Box 1566
Box 1567
Box 1568
Unit Index
Box 1569
Campaign Index
Page 69