US WW2 2nd Infantry Division M-1943 Combat Jacket, named, SGT Menta

In a very good condition an US WW2 M-1943 jacket of the US 2nd Infantry Division, better known as the Indian Head Division. The jacket is coming in a good mannequin size and has IMO a war time sewed 2nd Infantry Division patch and rank insignia. Inside the lower pocket the label is still present but washed out as most are. The jacket is clearly named “Menta” which is stamped multiple times inside, can be a start of a research project. A very nice US WW2 combat jacket!

The US 2nd Infantry Division “Indianhead” fought in some of the most famous battles of WW2. After training in Northern Ireland and Wales from October 1943 to June 1944, the 2nd Infantry Division crossed the channel to land on Omaha Beach on D plus 1, 7 June 1944 near St. Laurent-sur-Mer. Attacking across the Aure River on 10 June, the division liberated Trévières and proceeded to assault and secure Hill 192.

On 15 August 1944. The division then raced toward “Brest/France”, the heavily defended port fortress which happened to be a major port for German U-Boats. After 39 days of fighting the battle was won, and was the first place the Army Air Forces used bunker busting bombs.

The division took a brief rest 19–26 September before moving to defensive positions at St. Vith, Belgium on 29 September 1944. The division entered Germany on 3 October 1944, and was ordered, on 11 December 1944, to attack and seize the Roer River dams. The German Ardennes offensive in mid-December forced the division to withdraw to defensive positions near Elsenborn Ridge, where the German drive was halted. In February 1945 the division attacked, recapturing lost ground, and seized Gemund, 4 March. Reaching the Rhine 9 March, the 2ID advanced south to take Breisig, 10–11 March, and to guard the Remagen bridge.

The division crossed the Rhine on 21 March and advanced to Hadamar and Limburg an der Lahn, relieving elements of the 9th Armored Division, 28 March. Advancing rapidly in the wake of the 9th Armored, the 2nd Infantry Division crossed the Weser at Veckerhagen, 6–7 April, captured Göttingen 8 April, established a bridgehead across the Saale, 14 April, seizing Merseburg on 15 April. On 18 April the division took Leipzig, mopped up in the area, and outposted the Mulde River; elements which had crossed the river were withdrawn 24 April. Relieved on the Mulde, the 2nd moved 200 miles, 1–3 May, to positions along the German-Czech border near Schonsee and Waldmünchen, where 2 ID relieved the 97th and 99th ID’s. The division crossed over to Czechoslovakia on 4 May 1945, and attacked in the general direction of Pilsen, attacking that city on VE Day. 2nd ID cooperated with Polish Holy Cross Mountains Brigade on these days. The division lost 3,031 killed in action, 12,785 wounded in action, and 457 died of wounds.