Final G-3 Periodic Report [97th Infantry Division]

Visualizing the line of battle for the 97th Infantry Division on V-E Day.

This colorful diagram was illustrated by Lt. Colonel G.E. Kidde, Assistant Chief of Staff of the 97th’s C-3 Section. Functioning as an abstract map, the ‘Periodic Report’ reflects the approximate relative location of various units attached to the division. Their positioning dates to between the hours of 0001 and 2400 “Bravo” on May 7, 1945 – the day of Germany’s unconditional surrender. Insignia for various infantry, field artillery, reconnaissance, engineering, and medical battalions are shown in a V-formation, sandwiched between the lines of the 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions.

The 97th Infantry Division was ordered into active duty in February 1943 – the last of the Organized Reserve divisions to do so. Training in Texas, Missouri, and California was followed by a deployment overseas to the European Theater of Operations in February of 1945, where nearly 50,000 prisoners were taken in just over 40 days of combat. The graphic is uncommon on the market and unlisted in WorldCat or other online repositories as of April 2024.