U.S. soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division, 7th Army, wave American flags from the dais of the Luitpold Arena in Nuremberg, Germany, April 20, 1945 [1511 × 1200]
The 45th Infantry Division was a U.S. National Guard unit organized mainly of men from the American southwest, namely the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma. Known as the “Thunderbirds“ (based on their [divisional insignia] (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/45th_Infantry_insignia_%28thunderbird%29.svg)), the 45th would see action in both Sicily and Italy before landing in southern France as part of Operation Dragoon in August 1944. The division would then advance to the Franco-German border and take part in the fighting around the Rhineland that autumn.
On March 26, 1945, the 45th Division crossed the Rhine near Worms and captured the city of Nuremberg on April 20. The city had deep significance to the Nazi Party, and had been the location of many Nazi Party conventions. The Luitpold Arena had been the setting of most of these, including the 1934 Party Congress that would be depicted in Leni Reifenstahl’s Triumph of the Will. Nine days after the Nuremberg’s capture units of the 45th Division would liberate the Dachau concentration camp. It finished the war around Munich, having been in combat for 511 days.
Allydarvel
I was down that way in February. There are still large parts of the area intact. It’s absolutely huge. The area where the rallies were held now has American football pitches in the centre. There’s one large building left intact from the time.
AccessTheMainframe
Buddy with a sword over there, that’s badass. I bet he looted it.
![U.S. soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division, 7th Army, wave American flags from the dais of the Luitpold Arena in Nuremberg, Germany, April 20, 1945 [1511 × 1200]](https://i.redd.it/xj9610avsxt41.jpg)
DaveScout44
The 45th Infantry Division was a U.S. National Guard unit organized mainly of men from the American southwest, namely the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma. Known as the “Thunderbirds“ (based on their [divisional insignia] (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/45th_Infantry_insignia_%28thunderbird%29.svg)), the 45th would see action in both Sicily and Italy before landing in southern France as part of Operation Dragoon in August 1944. The division would then advance to the Franco-German border and take part in the fighting around the Rhineland that autumn.
On March 26, 1945, the 45th Division crossed the Rhine near Worms and captured the city of Nuremberg on April 20. The city had deep significance to the Nazi Party, and had been the location of many Nazi Party conventions. The Luitpold Arena had been the setting of most of these, including the 1934 Party Congress that would be depicted in Leni Reifenstahl’s Triumph of the Will. Nine days after the Nuremberg’s capture units of the 45th Division would liberate the Dachau concentration camp. It finished the war around Munich, having been in combat for 511 days.
Allydarvel
I was down that way in February. There are still large parts of the area intact. It’s absolutely huge. The area where the rallies were held now has American football pitches in the centre. There’s one large building left intact from the time.
AccessTheMainframe
Buddy with a sword over there, that’s badass. I bet he looted it.
mbrasher1
My dad seeved in the 45th. Thanks for sharing.
robust_mongoloid
Are there only 16 stars on the flag on the right?