For the grouping of profiles of persons of this division, see the category for 32nd Infantry Division, United States Army, World War I

32nd Infantry Division - "Iron Jaw Division"

Made mostly from units from Wisconsin and Michigan.

Insignia, a flying red arrow with a red cross bar in the middle. Organized at Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas, in Sept., 1917. This division was formerly the old 12th National Guard Division, composed of troops from Wisconsin and Michigan, (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Regts. Wis. Inf., 21st , 32nd, and 33rd Mich. Inf., 1st Wis. F.A., and 1st Mich. F.A., 1st Wis. Cav. And 1st Mich. Cav., 1st Bn. Wis. Engrs and 1st Bn. Mich. Engrs., 1st Wis. Fld. Sig. Bn., and 1st Mich. Fld. Sig. Bn., Wis. And Mich. Field Hospital and Amb. Cos. Nos.1 and 2.)

First units of the division embarked for overseas at Hoboken on January 19, 1918, and the last units arrived in France, March 12, 1918. The division was ordered to the 10th training area with hdqs. at Prauthoy, Haute-Marne and was designated as a replacement division. On May 15, 1918, the status of the division was changed to a combat division and moved into Alsace where it took over a front-line sector near Belfort. The division held this sector until July 21st when it was relieved by the French and ordered to the Ourcq where it relieved the 3d Division in the Aisne-Marne offensive on July 30th. In this offensive the 32nd Division broke the German line of resistance on the Ourcq and drove the enemy back to the heights of the Vesle making a total advance of nineteen kilometers. On Aug. 28th it entered the front line northeast of Soissons as a part of the French 10th Army and contributed to an important extent to the success of the French in outflanking the German line on the Chemin-des-Dames. In this drive the 32nd Division captured the strong German position on the Juvigny plateau, advancing to a depth of five and a half kilometers. On Sept. 2d, the division was relieved by the 2d Moroccan Division and sent back to Joinville for a rest period. On Sept. 20th the division left the Joinville rest area and moved by bus to the Meuse-Argonne front. On Sept. 30th the division entered the front line before the Kriemhilde Stellung near Romagne-sous-Montfaucon. In a series of attacks during the next three weeks the division penetrated the enemy positio during the next three weeks the division penetrated the enemy position to a depth of eight and a half kilometers. On October 20th the division was relieved and placed in the 3d Army Corps reserve until Nov. 6th when it again entered the line at the Dun-sur-Meuse bridgehead and on Nov. 10th attacked east of the Meuse, and was in line when the armistice was signed.

The division became part of the 3rd Army upon its organization and on Nov. 17th began its march from Vilosnes-sur-Meuse to the Rhine and on Dec. 13th after marching 300 kilometers crossed the Rhine and occupied a sector in the Coblenz bridgehead with the 1st Division on the right and the 2d Division on the left.

This division captured from the enemy the following: 2,153 prisoners, 21 pieces of artillery and 190 machine guns. It made a total advance of thirty-six kilometers against resistance. Battle deaths, 2,898; wounded 10,986; number taken prisoners, one office and 155 men. Distinguished Service Crosses awarded, 134.^[1]