The 411th Infantry Regiment were typically the soldiers that were on the frontlines during the 103rd Infantry Division’s time in combat. The mission of the 411th, along with the other Infantry Regiments of the division was to carry out either offensive operations based on orders from headquarters, or repulse enemy attacks and counterattacks. These men often fought in the worst conditions while on the frontlines, battling not only the Germans but the elements such as bitter cold, snow, and rain as they trekked through Europe. After the end of the war, the responsibilities of the 411th and others switched from being frontline combat soldiers to an occupying force in Austria. These tasks included monitoring and acting as security for any remaining Prisoners of War (POWs), weapons collections from surrendering forces, and efforts to de-Nazify those under their occupation.

During combat operations, units were required to submit a report of operations on a monthly basis. These were dubbed "Unit Journals" and have formed an integral part of the unit's history. Under “The War: Document Collection” tab, each infantry battalion of the 411th Infantry Regiment has a Unit Journal with a sometimes down to the minute description of their time in Europe and in combat. Along with these Unit Journals, each month the entire 411th Infantry Regiment created a narrative of the regimental combat operations, as well as casualty reports, awards, and maps of the regiments operations.

Along with these official reports and documents from when the 411th was engaged in combat, there are also some soldiers from the 411th Infantry Regiment who wrote and recorded their memories from the war. These individuals created either oral histories during reunions, or in some rare cases a soldier or soldiers recorded their memories and experiences into books. To find these materials, please see “The War: Soldiers’ Personal Accounts and Oral Histories” tab. Along with these individual soldier histories, there are some combat operations that the 411th Infantry partook in that were later used in the Advanced Officer Training Course in the post-World War II period.

The 411th regimental insignia consisted of a half-blue and half-white divided dancette, which represents the white mountains and blue sky of Colorado. The upper register of the shield depicted a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike.  The regimental motto, "Paratus Ferire" translated from Latin as "Ready to Strike," typifying the spirit of the 411th Infantry Regiment. The 411th Infantry Regiment was originally organized on June 3, 1916 and became a unit of the Army Reserves 103rd Division, headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

The Unit Journal for the 411th Infantry Regiment is available here.

The Morning Reports for the 411th Infantry Regiment are available here.

The Combat and After Action Reports for the 411th Infantry Regiment are available here.