General Orders

In the 103rd, like the rest of the military, General Orders were published to document important events or news for the division. During their training from March of 1942 until they were deployed overseas in 1944, the General Orders carried news that mainly covered the command staff of the 103rd and the units that comprised of the division. This information included the activation of the unit or a change in command took place at the highest levels of the division.

Once the 103rd arrived in France and became engaged in combat, the overwhelming majority of the General Orders carried details about awards for individual soldiers who were being recognized for gallantry, or those who received Purple Hearts. In the General Orders that were published while the 103rd was engaged in combat, soldiers who were being decorated for gallantry had the description of their actions published in the General Orders and if their decoration was being received posthumously.

In rare cases while the 103rd was engaged in combat operations, there were also General Orders published to announce an official change of command for the division. Perhaps the most well-known example of this is General Order 25, published on 11 January 1945. This General Order announced the assumption of divisional command by Brigadier General Anthony Mcauliffe, who led the 101st Infantry Division (Airborne) at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.