47^th Infantry Regiment

The 47th Infantry Regiment was activated at Fort Bragg on August 10, 1940, and became one of the 9th Infantry Division's amphibious assault regiments. After training at Solomons Island, it sailed from Hampton Roads and landed at Safi on November 8, 1942. Companies K and L entered the port in the opening phase, helped secure the harbor and dock area, and enabled the landing of armor for the Western Task Force. In Tunisia the regiment fought a costly action near El Guettar on March 28, 1943, when its attack toward Hill 369 became disorganized in difficult terrain and heavy fire. It later moved north, demonstrated toward Djefna, helped clear the hills north of Djebel Cheniti, and entered Bizerte as German resistance collapsed.

The regiment landed in Sicily on July 31, 1943, and then returned to England with the division for the cross-Channel invasion. It landed in France on June 9, 1944, and was committed west of Orglandes during the drive to cut the Cotentin Peninsula. In the Cherbourg operation it advanced through the outer fortification belt, fought toward Flottemanville, Bois du Mont du Roc, Equeurdreville, and Redoute des Fourches, and on June 27 accepted the surrender of the arsenal after the city had been penetrated. Two days later it attacked Cap de la Hague with the 60th Infantry.

After the pursuit across France and Belgium, the 47th Infantry entered the West Wall fighting in the Roetgen Forest. It broke through positions near Vicht and Schevenhuette and later, while attached to the 1st Infantry Division, fought through the Huertgen Forest. During the Ardennes crisis it served in the Monschau-Hoefen sector. In February 1945 it cleared heights near Hammer, took Wollseifen, reached Urft Lake, and seized Dam #5 during the Roer-Urft dam operation. The regiment crossed the Roer on February 28, joined the advance to the Rhine and Remagen bridgehead, and finished the war clearing Opperode in the Harz Mountains before the division occupied the Mulde River line.