34th Infantry Division - "The Red Bull Division" (1 Viewer)

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sceic2

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Figarti has named it's new US 8"howitzer and crew number (A3803E), "The Long Horns of Red Bull". This US 8" Howitzer with Crew winter version (Battle of the Bulge) will be a limited edition.



I am wondering where the title of this gun set comes from. Was the 8inch nick-named a "red bull" or is it about the "Red Bull" Infantry Division? If it is named after the 34th, then something is wrong as during WW2 the Red Bulls did not fight in Belgum, they were in North Africa, Sicily, Corscia, Sardinia, and Italy. The 34th Infantry Division is a National Guard division from Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota.

http://www.34infdiv.org/
 

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Here is some more history about the "Red Bull's", the US infantry division with the most continuous front line action in Europe in WW2 and formed the beginning members of the US Army Rangers.

"The Division participated in six major Army campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. The Division is credited with amassing 517 days of continuous front line combat, more than any other division in the European theater. One or more 34th Division units were engaged in actual combat with the enemy 611 days. The division was credited with more combat days than any other division in the theater. The 34th Division suffered 3,737 killed in action, 14,165 wounded in action, and 3,460 missing in action, for a total of 21, 362 battle casualties. Casualties of the division are considered to be the highest of any division in the theater when daily per capita fighting strengths are considered. There is little doubt the division took the most enemy-defended hills of any division in the European Theater. The division's men were awarded 10 Medals of Honor, 98 Distinguished Service Crosses, one Distinguished Service Medal, 1,052 Silver Stars, 116 Legion of Merit medals, one Distinguished Flying Cross, 1,713 Bronze Stars, 51 Soldier Medals, 34 Air Medals, with duplicate awards of 52 oak leaf clusters, and 15,000 purple hearts.

The U.S. Rangers trace their lineage through the 34th Infantry Division. Volunteers from the 34th Division provided 80 percent of the men for a newly formed 1st Ranger Battalion and many of them participated with the British Commandos in the famous raid on Dieppe, France. During WW II, the 1st Ranger Battalion was formed under the command of one of the Division's officers, CPT William Darby. Eighty Percent of the 1st Ranger Battalion's volunteers were drawn from the 34th, and they soon became famous as "Darby's Rangers"."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/34id.htm

Some of my neighbors and friends are members of this division. I am very proud of my fellow midwesterner's. We work hard, fight hard and play hard.
 
Michael:

Perhaps it's Italy (Cassino I or II) which was fought in dead winter Jan/ Feb 1944.

Carlos
 
Go to Treefrog's homepage, click on "upcoming releases", click on "Figarti Miniatures" and you will see it.
 
Thanks, Carlos. It must be my vision being bad or the photo of the gun crew (showing their shoulder patches) being bad, but I can't tell if they are "Red Bull" patches. They look like they are. If they are, and this gun set is modeled on the 34th, then Rick should change the product description to make it more accurate - Italy instead of Belgum. And, we need 10 more crew members. 8inch howitzer had a 14 man gun crew. Perhaps an add-on set.
 
sceic2 said:
Thanks, Carlos. It must be my vision being bad or the photo of the gun crew (showing their shoulder patches) being bad, but I can't tell if they are "Red Bull" patches. They look like they are. If they are, and this gun set is modeled on the 34th, then Rick should change the product description to make it more accurate - Italy instead of Belgum. And, we need 10 more crew members. 8inch howitzer had a 14 man gun crew. Perhaps an add-on set.
Click to expand...

Michael:

Where in the description does it say Belgium? Yeah, maybe it should say Italy anyway since it could get confusioning. I'm with you on the add on sets. I love Artillery.

Carlos
 
desk11desk12 said:
Michael:

Where in the description does it say Belgium? Yeah, maybe it should say Italy anyway since it could get confusioning. I'm with you on the add on sets. I love Artillery.

Carlos
Click to expand...

I does not exactly say "Belgum", but it does say "Battle of the Bulge". And, yes bring on the big guns and their towing tractors. We also need heavy German artillery pieces too. You know, heavy enough but not railway guns, well maybe some more railway guns. I have yet to get the heavy guy from Figarti, but it's on my list.
 
Oh, I get it. It has that description in the Treefrog Rivet Newsletter. Gees, I wonder if that's what Figarti intent was.

Yes, it would be nice if they produced tractor or wasn't there a variant of the M4 or M3 that pulled this sucker?


Carlos
 
desk11desk12 said:
Oh, I get it. It has that description in the Treefrog Rivet Newsletter. Gees, I wonder if that's what Figarti intent was.

Yes, it would be nice if they produced tractor or wasn't there a variant of the M4 or M3 that pulled this sucker?


Carlos
Click to expand...

The Treefrog web site also has the same description about the Bulge. I think it was an M4 high speed tractor that pulled the 8incher.
 
1) Prime mover - yes, the M4 18-ton High Speed tractor was the designated prime mover, with some units using the 7.5 ton Mack Model NO.

2) Red Bull or not, the 8-inch howitzer was NOT divisional artillery in WW2. The 8-in howitzer and 155mm gun ("Long Tom") were added firepower from Corps assets, that is these artillery battalions were not permanently assigned to divisions. They were a pool controlled by Corps or Army level HQ and were added or fires assigned based on needs. So no 8-inch artillerymen should be wearing "Red Bull" patches.

3) As far as a play on a nickname, I've never heard a common nickname for the 8-inch howitzer.

Gary B.
 
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