United States Army 8th Infantry Division (Pathfinder/Golden Arrow)

U. S. ARMY 8TH INFANTRY DIVISION (PATHFINDER/GOLDEN ARROW) -  The 8th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army during the 20th century.  "Pathfinder Division" – Official; original nickname (supplanted by "Golden Arrow" and later reinstated), so named in honor of John C. Fremont, an explorer of California, the namesake of Camp Fremont, which is where the Division was formed.  "Golden Arrow" – Official as of 1948. Shoulder patch: An upward pointing gold arrow piercing a silver figure "8" on a blue shield.  The division served in World War I, World War II, and Operation Desert Storm.  Initially activated in January 1918, the unit did not see combat during World War I and returned to the United States.  Activated again on July 1, 1940 as part of the build-up of military forces prior to the United States' entry into World War II, the division saw extensive action in the European Theatre of Operations.  Following World War II, the division was moved to West Germany, where it remained stationed at the Rose Barracks in Bad Kreuznach until it was inactivated on January 17, 1992.

WWII Activated: July 1, 1940 at Camp Jackson, South Carolina

• Overseas:  December 5, 1943
• Distinguished Unit Citations: 5
• Awards: Medal of Honor-3 ; Distinguished Service Cross (United States)-33 ; Distinguished Service Medal (United States)-2 ; Silver Star-768; LM-12 ; DFC-2 ; SM-24 ; BSM-2,874 ; PH-1 ; AM-107.

WWII Casualties

• Total battle casualties: 13,986
• Killed in action: 2,532
• Wounded in action: 10,057
• Missing in action: 729
• Prisoner of war: 668