List of United States Army campaigns during World War II

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Allied troops storming the Normandy beaches from several landing craft
D-Day in Normandy: U.S. troops wading through water and German gunfire. The picture is titled Into the Jaws of Death. Taken on 6 June 1944.

The United States Army conducted many campaigns during World War II. These are the campaigns that were officially designated by the Army. It is the basis of campaign honors and awards for U.S. Army units and servicemen,[1][2] but is not a comprehensive list of all the campaigns of the war, as it omits campaigns in which U.S. Army participation was minimal.[3]

In all, 44 World War II campaigns were designated by the U.S. Army: 24 for the

American Theater. In addition, there were three main blanket campaigns: antisubmarine warfare, ground combat and air combat. These were designated for each theater, except the American Theater, which only had the one blanket campaign awarded – anti-submarine warfare. These three theaters each had its own campaign ribbon. The list of campaigns includes those undertaken by U.S. Army units participating in ground combat as well as those undertaken by United States Army Air Forces participating in air combat.[3]

Overview

M4 Sherman tank
. Taken on 29 February 1943.

The war started for America on 7 December 1941 with the Japanese

southern Philippines through 1945.[10] U.S. forces landed on Okinawa and in April 1945.[11] Atomic bombs developed under the direction of the U.S. Army were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, which caused the Japanese to unconditionally surrender on 2 September 1945, aboard the USS Missouri.[12]

While U.S. support for China was a reason for the war, the U.S. Army did not deploy major ground forces there, although U.S. air and service units played a vital role.

U.S. Army Air Forces operations from China, the Japanese drove the Americans and Chinese from eastern China. Only in the last weeks of the war did the tide turn in favor of the Allies in China.[13]

Although many campaigns were fought in Asia and the Pacific, the major focus of the U.S. Army was always on the European Theater, where most its strength was ultimately deployed. U.S. forces saw action in the

Gustav Line, which the landing at Anzio and the fighting at Monte Cassino in January 1944 failed to break. The Gustav Line was finally broken in May 1944, while Rome was captured on 4 June, and the Germans retreated to the Gothic Line in Northern Italy,[20] where the Allies were held until they broke into the Po Valley in a successful offensive in April 1945.[21]

In June 1944, the U.S. Army participated in

from the Rhineland, and the Rhine was crossed in March 1945.[25] In April 1945, U.S. Army forces entered the heartland of Germany. Operations continued until the war in Europe ended on 8 May 1945 with the signing of unconditional surrender the previous day.[21]

Asiatic–Pacific Theater

A ribbon with a mostly yellow color, that was awarded to people that served in the Pacific theater
The Asiatic–Pacific Campaign streamer

Pacific campaigns

Panay Island
. Taken on 13 March 1945.
Campaign name Date Result
Pacific Air Offensive 17 April 1942 – 2 September 1945[8]
Philippine Islands Campaign 7 December 1941 – 10 May 1942[5] Japanese victory, American retreat from the Philippines[5]
East Indies Campaign 1 January – 22 July 1942[5] Japanese victory, Allied retreat from the East Indies.[5]
Aleutian Islands Campaign[a]
3 June 1942 – 24 August 1943[5] Allied victory, Japanese withdraw from the Aleutian Islands.[5]
Guadalcanal Campaign
7 August 1942 – 21 February 1943[27] U.S. victory, Japanese withdraw from Guadalcanal.[28][29]
Northern Solomons Campaign 22 February 1943 – 21 November 1944[6] Allied victory, Japanese resistance remains.[6][29]
Bismarck Archipelago Campaign 15 December 1943 – 27 November 1944[8] Allied victory, Japanese resistance remains.[29][30]
Papua Campaign
23 July 1942 – 23 January 1943[6] Allied victory, Japanese withdraw from Papua.[6][29]
New Guinea Campaign[31]
24 January 1943 – 31 December 1944[31] Allied victory, Japanese resistance remains.[29][31]
Leyte Campaign
17 October 1944 – 1 July 1945[32] Allied victory, Japanese withdraw, sporadic resistance remains.[32]
Luzon Campaign
15 December 1944 – 4 July 1945[10] Allied victory, Japanese resistance remains.[10]
Southern Philippines Campaign
27 February – 4 July 1945[10] Allied victory, Japanese resistance remains.[10]
Central Pacific Campaign 7 December 1941 – 6 December 1944[7] U.S. victory, Japanese resistance remains.[7][29]
Eastern Mandates Campaign
31 January – 14 June 1944[7] U.S. victory, Japanese resistance remains.[7][29]
Western Pacific Campaign
15 June 1944 – 2 September 1945[9] U.S. victory, Japanese resistance remains.[9][29]
Ryukyus Campaign 26 March – 2 July 1945[11] U.S. victory, Japanese sporadic resistance remains.[11][29]

Campaigns in the China India Burma Theater

Soldiers that are part of Merrill's Marauders, resting alongside a jungle trail in Burma
Merrill's Marauders rest during a break along a jungle trail near Nhpum Ga in Burma. Taken in 1943–1944,
Campaign name Date Result
Burma, 1942
7 December 1941 – 26 May 1942[33] Japanese victory, Allied retreat into India.[14]
India–Burma Campaign
2 April 1942 – 28 January 1945[15] Allied victory, Japanese retreat into Central Burma.[34]
Central Burma Campaign
29 January – 15 July 1945[35] Allied victory, Japanese are driven out of Burma[16]
China Defensive Campaign 4 July 1942 – 4 May 1945[13] Japanese victory, Allies driven from eastern China[13]
China Offensive Campaign 5 May – 2 September 1945[13] Allied victory when war ends.[13]

Blanket campaigns

Campaign name Date Result
Anti-submarine campaign 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945[2]
Ground Combat 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945[2]
Air Combat 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945[2]

European–African–Middle East Theater

A mostly green, red, and white streamer, awarded to those who served in either the Mediterranean or European theater.
The European–African–Middle Eastern campaign streamer

North African / Mediterranean Theater campaigns

American troops on a beach near Algiers, behind a large U.S. flag
American troops hit the beaches, near Algiers, behind a large American flag, hoping for Vichy French troops not to fire. The French did not fire at the American forces on the beaches. Taken on 8 November 1942.
Campaign name Date Result
Egypt–Libya Campaign 11 June 1942 – 12 February 1943[36] Allied victory, Axis withdraw into Tunisia.[36]
Algeria–French Morocco Campaign 8 November 1942 – 11 November 1942[17] Allied victory over Vichy French.[17]
Tunisia Campaign
17 November 1942 – 13 May 1943[17] Allied victory, Axis withdraw to Italy.[17]
Sicily Campaign 9 July – 17 August 1943[18] Allied victory, Germans retreat into Italy.
Naples–Foggia Campaign
9 September 1943 – 21 January 1944[19] Stalemate; Germans conduct a fighting withdrawal to the Gustav Line.[19]
Anzio Campaign 22 January – 24 May 1944[20] Stalemate at first; Allies fail to capture Rome, Germans fail to destroy Allied beachhead. The Allies broke out from the beachhead several months later.[20]
Rome–Arno Campaign 22 January – 9 September 1944[20] Allied victory, Germans withdraw to the Gothic Line.[20]
North Apennines Campaign 10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945[20] Stalemate.[20]
Po Valley Campaign 5 April – 8 May 1945[21] Allied victory, Germans surrender in Italy.[21]

European campaigns

M5 "Stuart" tank on their march to recapture the town of St. Vith
during the Battle of the Bulge in January 1945. Taken on 23 January 1945.
Campaign name Date Result
European Air Offensive 4 July 1942 – 5 June 1944[8][37]
Normandy Campaign 6 June – 24 July 1944[22][37] Allied success, Germans withdraw to central France.[22]
Northern France Campaign
25 July – 14 September 1944[23][37] Allied success; Germans are driven out of Northern France but Allied offensives in France, Germany and the Netherlands stall.[23]
Southern France Campaign 5 August – 14 September 1944[23][37] Allied victory, Germans are driven out of Southern France.[23]
Ardennes-Alsace Campaign 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945[24][37] Allied victory, German offensive is driven back.[24]
Rhineland Campaign
15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945[25] Allied victory, Germans retreat across Rhine River.[25][37]
Central Europe Campaign 22 March – 11 May 1945[21] Allies are triumphant, war in Europe ends with Germany's surrender.[21][37]

Blanket campaigns

Campaign name Date Result
Anti-submarine campaign 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945[1]
Ground Combat 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945[1]
Air Combat 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945[1]

American Theater

A mostly blue and red streamer, awarded to those who served in the American theater.
The American Theater streamer.

Blanket Campaigns

Campaign name Date Result
Anti-submarine campaign 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945[38]

Notes

  1. ^ The Aleutian Islands Campaign is considered part of both the Pacific and American theaters since it is physically part of North America, but geographically juts out into the Pacific Ocean.[26] Participation is recognized with a Campaign Star on the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal rather than on the American Campaign Medal.[2]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d "European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal". The Institute of Heraldry: Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal". The Institute of Heraldry: Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b Wilson, pp. 40–41.
  4. ^ Sturgeon, pp. 148–149.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Sturgeon, pp. 158–161
  6. ^ a b c d e f Sturgeon, pp. 164–167
  7. ^ a b c d e f Sturgeon, pp. 230–231.
  8. ^ a b c d Stanton, p. 596
  9. ^ a b c Sturgeon, pp. 238–239
  10. ^ a b c d e Sturgeon, pp. 240–241
  11. ^ a b c Grant, p. 327
  12. ^ Sturgeon, pp. 322–325
  13. ^ a b c d e f Sturgeon, pp. 246–247
  14. ^ a b McLynn, p. 45
  15. ^ a b McLynn, p. 254
  16. ^ a b McLynn, p. 352.
  17. ^ a b c d e Sturgeon, pp. 186–187
  18. ^ a b Sturgeon, pp. 210–211.
  19. ^ a b c Sturgeon, pp. 212–213.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g Sturgeon, pp. 252–253
  21. ^ a b c d e f Sturgeon, pp. 304–305
  22. ^ a b c Sturgeon, pp. 258–259
  23. ^ a b c d e Sturgeon, pp. 268–269
  24. ^ a b c Dandocollins, pp. 100–101
  25. ^ a b c Sturgeon, pp. 298–299
  26. ^ Tucker, p. 1595.
  27. ^ McGee, p. 21.
  28. ^ Frank, pp. 589–597
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i Callery, pp. 74–75.
  30. ^ Grant, p. 320
  31. ^ a b c Drea, p. 3.
  32. ^ a b Grant, pp. 322–323.
  33. ^ McLynn, pp. 25–30
  34. ^ McLynn, p. 256.
  35. ^ McLynn, p. 304.
  36. ^ a b Sturgeon, p. 183.
  37. ^ a b c d e f g "World War II - European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaigns". U.S. Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  38. ^ "American Campaign Medal". The Institute of Heraldry: Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.

References