American troops of the 28th Infantry Division are seen here marching down the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during a victory parade in 1944. Click here to enlarge.
The 28th Infantry Division, known as the "Keystone Division" for its Pennsylvania origins, earned its enduring nickname, the "Bloody Bucket" Division, from its fierce and costly combat in the European Theater. Following its Normandy landing in July, 1944, the division was a key component in the brutal operation to liberate Paris. Its most legendary and harrowing trial came during the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, where it suffered tremendous casualties in a nightmarish campaign of attrition. Shortly after, the 28th helped blunt the northern shoulder of the German offensive in the Battle of the Bulge, with elements making a determined stand at Bastogne. Its soldiers' resilience through some of the war's most brutal fighting made the Bloody Bucket patch a symbol of both sacrifice and tenacity.
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