The 3rd Armored Division landed in Normandy on June 23, 1944, and entered combat a week later against the Villiers-Fossard salient northeast of Saint-Lo. Combat Command B crossed into the Airel bridgehead on July 7, fought through the Haut-Vents crossroads, and then passed through the 1st Infantry Division to seize Marigny during Operation COBRA. Combat Command A forced the Sienne at Gavray on July 30 and secured the See crossing at Brecey the next day. In August the division drove through St. Pois, Domfront, Ranes, and Fromenthal, fighting into position to help close the Falaise-Argentan pocket before crossing the Seine at Tilly and joining the pursuit across the Marne and Aisne.

Campaign map image

World War II Campaign Map of the 3rd Armored Division. Map courtesy of HistoryShots.

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By early September the division had taken Huy, helped clear Liege, and reached the West Wall near Schmidthof. Its first German frontier battles were costly and often fought for ridges, road junctions, and fortified villages rather than open armored maneuver. Combat Command B breached positions between Roetgen and Rott, while Combat Command A pushed toward Nutheim and Eilendorf. The advance then slowed around Stolberg, Geisberg Hill, Weissenberg Hill, and Muensterbusch. Stolberg fell on September 22, but the division remained tied to the Aachen approaches, later clearing the Lousberg Heights and cutting the Aachen-Laurensberg highway before returning to the Stolberg corridor and the Roer.

The German Ardennes counteroffensive pulled the division south before the Roer could be forced. Combat Command A defended near Eupen, Combat Command B fought with the 30th Infantry Division around Stoumont and La Gleize, and the rest of the division contested the Hotton-Manhay-Houffalize road network. Its December fighting included Hotton, Grandmenil, Sadzot, and the roadblocks around Manhay; in January it advanced through Bihain, Gouvy, and Beho as the salient collapsed.

In 1945 the division broke out from the Elle and Erft bridgeheads, reached the Rhine at Roggendorf and Worringen, and fought for Cologne on March 5-7 alongside the 104th Infantry Division. After crossing the Rhine on March 23, it drove to Marburg and Paderborn; Major General Maurice Rose was killed near Paderborn on March 30. The division reached the Weser on April 7, captured Nordhausen on April 11, reached the Mulde near Torten on April 15, and fought at Dessau before being relieved on April 25.