US infantry strength at end of World War II

Medal of Honor actions by 1st Lt. James E. Robinson.

Men awarded the medal performed amazing feats of bravery. The citation for 1st Lt. James E. Robinson shows another aspect of the European theater that is not mentioned in general books of history. We read of divisions and regiments, 15,000 or 3,000 soldiers, and are not aware of the true numbers of trigger-pullers.

1 st Lt. Robinson on 6 April 1945 was assigned as forward observer to Company A, 1st Battalion, 253rd Infantry Regiment. When the commander and most sergeants were incapacitated by wounds, Robinson led the 23 remaining uninjured rifleman and a few walking wounded in an assault.

“… 23 remaining uninjured riflemen.”

In World War II, an American infantry company’s strength was around 200. 1st Lt. Robinson’s actions occurred one month before the end of the war in Europe. His company was about 177 soldiers below strength. The company’s combat efficiency should have been somewhere around zero. But those soldiers attacked, because an attack was needed.

The plain truth is, at the end of the war, the Army was running out of infantrymen.

1 st Lt. Robinson’s citation can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._Robinson_Jr.