The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based in New York.
Designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division is the only one of its size in the US military to receive intense specialized training for fighting in mountainous and arctic conditions.
It’s creation was headed by the President of the National Ski Patrol, Charles Dole.
In 1939 Dole heard reports of Finnish troops on skis defeating Russian in the battle of Suomussalmi.
Even though the Finns were outnumbered, they triumphed because of their preparedness for the winter conditions.
That battle was epic, and remains so to this day. Over 50 yrs later ,I heard about it myself when was in high school and tales of the Finnish bravery always stuck with me.
The Finns had amassed about 11,500 men versus the Russians who had anywhere from 45-55,000 men.
The casualties the Russians suffered were around half their men and 43 tanks.
That Winter, temperatures dropped down to -40 Celsius, and thousands of Soviets froze to death along with their vehicles.
Soviet vehicles were winterized for temperatures down to -20F, which was normally adequate for that region.
The Finns losses were around 750 men. The Winter War was settled by the signing of a treaty in Moscow.
Inspired , Dole began lobbying for a similar ‘mountain’ brigade in the United States, and in 1940 he became the only civilian army recruiter, helping to enlist experienced skiers for the new division.
Anyone wanting to join needed three letters testifying to their skiing ability and outdoorsmanship.
The troops trained in harsh conditions on Mt. Rainier and set their base camp in Colorado.Built specifically for this purpose, Camp Hale was situated in a large flat valley bottom surrounded by steep mountain slopes perfect for skiing, rock climbing, and learning cold weather survival skills.
The troops learned to breath and climb to 14,000 feet using skis and snowshoes while carrying 90-pound rucksacks and heavy weapons.
The 10th trained hard to live, sleep, climb, ski, and fight on snow in the harshest conditions. It was a grueling regime that built muscle and endurance, as well as character and grit.
The soldiers learned the technical skills necessary to climb cliffs and struggled to handle the newly invented “Weasel” (an over-snow track vehicle) in rough terrain.
Despite the war intensifying for much of 1943 and 1944, the 10th Mountain Division kept training in Colorado, waiting for an assignment that would likely take them to the front.
![Pack mules during D Series. Creator(s) Krieser, Curt. A line of pack mules loaded with wooden crates, moves through the snowy pine woods guided by a Tenth Mountain Division soldier riding a mule. The mules were transporting supplies during the winter maneuvers called D Series held near Camp Hale. Date [Spring 1944] Courtesy: Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library, Denver, Colorado (USA).](https://i0.wp.com/i.pinimg.com/564x/59/f1/0b/59f10b1ec0b70dcf2100a931120166c3.jpg?resize=645%2C444&ssl=1)
Pack mules during D Series. Creator(s) Krieser, Curt. A line of pack mules loaded with wooden crates, guided by a Tenth Mountain Division soldier riding a mule.
The mules were transporting supplies during the winter maneuvers called D Series held near Camp Hale. Date [Spring 1944] Courtesy: Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library, Denver, Colorado (USA).
They marched more than 20 miles a day. Winter weather in the Rockies was brutal, and the men were often cold, wet and hungry.
At the end of one period of tactical training in Feb. 1944, known as the D-Series, 30 percent of the participants were recovering in the infirmary from frostbite or exhaustion.
During maneuvers, the 10th would lay down their skis on the snow, throw their double sleeping bags on top of that and call it good for the night.
This training created some of the strongest soldiers America had and they were called on to prove it.
December 1944, as the 10th Mountain Division decamped stateside and setsail for Italy
The German infantry had firmly entrenched in and along the high ground and ridges surrounding Mt. Belvedere.
The Germans held stong by covering the flat approaches with mines and manning machine gun pillboxes, large artillery platforms and lookouts. U.S. General George P. Hays, determined to break the Gothic Line, devised a plan to use the mountaineering skills of the newly arrived 10th Mountain Division and the cover of night.
The 10th were ordered to a dangerous assault on heavily fortified, German-held positions high in the Apennines Mountains.
The task was almost considered impossible , troops would have to climb and surrounded by minefields.
Other army divisions had attempted to scale the 1,500-foot vertical assent, but all had failed. The plan was to first capture the heavy artillery guns positioned on a steep slope of Mt. Belvedere called Riva Ridge.
The men of the 10th Mountain Division scaled the ridge at night, and took the Germans by surprise.
The Americans faced intense fire from the German as they their skis to run reconnaissance missions and locate the precise positions of German soldiers.
The Germans hunkered in winter foxholes ,engaged the men with firefights.
Just past midnight on February 19, three companies of the allied men began to ascend the steep precipice, using ropes and rock climbing techniques. The 10th hauled heavy machine guns, ammunition and artillery up the steep embankments, avoiding the minefields in the flat land while preparing for a dawn assault. As soon as the sun rose at 7:30 a.m., the 10th attacked, spraying unsuspecting Germans with machine gunfire, clearing out foxholes with grenades and moving with surprisingly little resistance.
By the afternoon, the companies secured Riva Ridge completely, suffering only 17 casualties.
The rest of the division prepared for the much more complex and difficult assault elsewhere on Mt. Belvedere , where a mass of German infantry was situated.
The ensuing fight was extremely bloody—desperation rendered the German fighters fierce as they exacted a steep toll on the advancing infantry.
Nevertheless, by February 24, the 10th Mountain Division captured Mt. Belvedere. But it was not without sacrifice.
The fight cost the division 926 casualties. But their prowess as fighters was undeniable.
They chased the Germans from peak to peak, intent on breaking the Gothic Line.
From the time the 10th Mountain Division landed in January 1945 until the German surrender in late April, the division suffered more casualties than any other in Europe.
Most historians today recognize those costly battles provided little if any strategic value to the overall war effort.
However, their triumphs, and particularly the capture of Mt. Belvedere, did much to enhance the reputation of American troops in the eyes of the broader public.
The Allied occupied most of Germany by the end of April ,1945 and by May 5th the men of the 10th rDiv had reached Nauders, Austria where it made contact with Germans being pushed south by the Allies.
Two days later , Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Western Allies , ending the war in Europe. America owes much to the men of the 10th Division.
After the War the Veterans of the 10 th Mountain Division ignited the modern Ski industry in the US. A consortium of them founded Vail, in proximity to Camp Hale.
Even one of Vail’s ski trails bears the name Riva Ridge in memory of their most triumphant battle.
Aspen, Whiteface and Sugarbush were also founded by 10th Mountain Division veterans along with over 60 ski resorts which been founded, managed, or employed head Ski instructors by 10th Mountain Division veterans.
Their legacy also lies in 29 back country huts and 350 miles of connecting trails in the mountains of Colorado.
Paul Petzoldt who founded National Outdoor Leadership School, and Bill Bowerman who created Nike shoes were also veterans of this legendary force.
A tough bunch with a great history!