Establishment and training

The 10^th Mountain Division was officially established on November 6, 1944 and was created from the previously named 10^th Light Division, which was activated at Camp Hale in Colorado, on July 15, 1943.

The 10^th Mountain Division was made up of expert skiers and mountaineers, who finished their training at Camp Swift in Texas. It was made up from three infantry regiments (85^th, 86^th and 87^th) each of which contained three Battalions comprising of A and M companies. Other than the infantries three field artillery Battalions were still included (604^th, 605^th and 616^th), a mountain infantry antitank Battalion made up from the 727^th machine gun Battalion and the 576^th antitank battery.

The fighting forces were supported by a medical Battalion made up of four medical companies and a vet, as well as the cavalry reconnaissance troop, the 110^th Signal Corps and the 126^th Engineer Mountain Battalion. During their time in Italy the 1125^th Armored Field Artillery Battalion and the 178^th English Lowland Medium Artillery Battalion were also attached.

On December 11,1944, after almost two years of training, the 86^th Regiment left Hampton Roads, Virginia aboard the USS Argentina destined for the city of Naples in Italy were they landed on the 22nd of December.

On January 4, 1945, the 85^th and 87^th Regiments left Hampton Roads aboard the USS West Point destined for Naples where they landed on January 13, 1945.