45 42nd Infantry Division Patch20th Armored Division Patch 191st
                Tank Battalion Shoulder PatchUnits at the Dachau Concentration Camp XV Corps 692th Tank Destroyer Battalion 8th Air Force
          Afternoon of April 29 to Afternoon of May 1, 1945

LEFT to RIGHT: Unit Insignia of the 45th Infantry Division, 42nd Infantry Division, 20th Armored Division, 191st Tank Battalion, XV Corps, 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion , Eight Air Force*

The 42nd and 45th Infantry and 20th Armored Division, XV Corps, Seventh Army are recognized by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum as the co-liberating divisions of Dachau.

From the afternoon of April 29 to afternoon of May 1, 1945
, the period of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp, the 42nd Infantry Division had over 14,000 soldiers in 21 component and attached units. the 45th Infantry Division had over 14,000 soldiers in 21 component and attached units. and the 20th Armored Division had over 11,000 soldiers in 19 component and attached units. That was a total of over 40,000 soldiers in 61 component and attached units.

Telling the complete and accurate history of the liberation of Dachau includes identifying the location of those soldiers and units from the afternoon of April 29 to afternoon of May 1, 1945.

That respects the soldiers and honors their service during liberation. Identifying the location of soldiers and units in no way changes or diminishes the status of those soldiers as a member of a recognized liberating division from
the afternoon of April 29 to afternoon of May 1, 1945.

Only of few hundred of those over 40,000 soldiers were inside the concentration camp during liberation. Most as ordered were on their way to or at their assignments at Munich or advancing towards the Austrian border.

A few hundred soldiers of the Division Headquarters Company and the 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division took part in the killing of the SS soldiers, the surrender of the concentration camp, camp security and care for the liberated prisoners after the surrender of Dachau. An unknown number of soldiers from the other units listed below briefly entered the concentration camp to participate in liberation as soldier-witnesses before the camp was closed late on April 29, 1945

A few hundred soldiers of the units of the 45th Infantry Division, mostly from the 157th Infantry Regiment, were inside the concentration camp, took part in the killings of SS soldiers, and camp security and care for the liberated prisoners after the surrender of Dachau.

An unknown number of soldiers from the 20th Armored Division units listed below briefly entered the concentration camp to participate in liberation as soldier-witnesses before the camp was closed late on April 29, 1945.

Included in the list of units in the concentration camp are non-divisional units that were also in the concentration camp
from the afternoon of April 29 to afternoon of May 1, 1945. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum only recognized divisions are liberators. Those units are included here to recognize their liberation service.

We continue to research the liberation of Dachau and add units as we find them.

45th Infantry Division:

42nd Infantry Division:
20th Armored Division:
XV Corps

Seventh Army

*Eighth Air Force
 

Brigadier General Charles Y. Banfill, Deputy Commander for Operations, U.S. Eighth Air Force was with the units of the 42nd ID at Dachau. He was accompanying the 42nd to observe the effects of supporting aerial operations.

General Banfill was in the equivalent of a non-divisional unit and therefore his presence at Dachau did not meet the U.S. Army Center of Military History criteria for his unit to be recognized as a co-liberating division of Dachau.

Post War/Occupation until Mid-July 1945

180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division

The 45th Infantry Division was stationed around Dachau on occupation duty until mid-July 1945. During that time 45th ID soldiers had the opportunity to visit Dachau as postwar GI tourists.

No records have been found that soldiers of the 42nd or 20th visited Dachau as postwar GI tourists.
 

Sources: Under Construction


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<< The 45th Infantry Division in World War II: An Unofficial Guide to Resources

All items not in the public domain c 2021-2025
The 45th Infantry Division in World War II: An Unofficial Guide to Resources

Posted: April 2, 2021
Last Reviewed:

Update,Revision & Correction History:
May 12, 2023
:December 20, 2021
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Administrators: Leonard H. Cizewski & Judy Erwin Branham

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Web Page Acknowledgement:

Web page researched and composed by Leonard H. Cizewski. Rich Mintz, and Govan Yee
.

Greg Webber shared the information about his father Lt. Elmer Webber, Co. A, 191st TB.

Web Site Permission and Acknowledgements:

While almost all items on this site are in the public domain, please contact the administrators for instructions on how to acknowledge the source.

Many volunteer researchers at their own expense obtained many of these public domain items from sources such as the National Archives.