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Map, "
Hell on Wheels" is the nickname for the 2nd Armored Division of the United States Army. The map shown in the image is a pictorial route map detailing the division's campaigns during World War II, which spanned from 1942 to 1944. The map was created by an individual with the initials "M.E.B." and was issued by the divisional G-2 Section.
The map chronicles the division's movements across three main theaters of operation:
North Africa (1942-1943): The division's first combat operation was in North Africa as part of Operation Torch, landing at Casablanca in November 1942.
Sicily (1943): The division participated in the Allied invasion of Sicily, known as Operation Husky, landing at Licata and fighting to the capital city of Palermo.
Europe (1944): The main part of the map details the division's route after landing in Normandy, France, in June 1944, and its subsequent push through France, Belgium, and into Germany. The division was also involved in the Battle of the Bulge in eastern Belgium and was one of the first American units to reach the Elbe River.
The map also lists the names of several notable commanders who led the division during this period, including:
Major General Charles L. Scott
Major General George S. Patton Jr.
Major General Willis D. Crittenberger
Major General Ernest N. Harmon
Major General Hugh J. Gaffey
Major General Edward H. Brooks
Brigadier General Allen F. Kingman
These maps were often created as commemorative items for the soldiers who served in the division. |
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