Forged in Winter, Bound for Europe: From Camp McCoy to Northern Ireland 1942–1943

On October 16, 1942, the 2nd Infantry Division received orders for a permanent change of station. Commanded by Major General Walter M. Robertson, the entire division was to be transferred to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. In November 1942, the division departed Fort Sam Houston by rail, marking its first permanent relocation since 1919.

The move was followed by an intensive four-month winter warfare training. At Camp McCoy, the division tested new equipment designed for operations in extreme cold, while soldiers became proficient in the use of skis and snowshoes.

This experimental training was part of the Army’s preparations for a possible invasion of Norway, an operation that was ultimately never carried out. The demanding field exercises, conducted in temperatures as low as –25 °C (–13 °F), proved hazardous and claimed the lives of several soldiers.

The program culminated at the end of February 1943 with large-scale winter maneuvers in Michigan—the first conducted by the division under true winter combat conditions. Upon returning to Camp McCoy, the troops resumed an intensive schedule of tactical training and combat preparation. Both individuals and units underwent specialized exercises designed to prepare them for the varied combat conditions they were expected to face overseas.

In early summer 1943, elements of one regiment were temporarily deployed to Detroit to help restore order during the city’s race riots. As summer came to an end, the division began preparing for overseas deployment. Soldiers were issued new uniforms and equipment, while units packed, inspected, and organized their supplies for the journey to Europe.

During the final days of September 1943, the long-awaited orders arrived. The division traveled by rail to the staging area at Camp Shanks, New York, completing the move on October 2. It was immediately placed on alert for overseas movement.

On October 7, 1943, the division departed New York Harbor as part of a large convoy protected by battleships, destroyers, and aircraft. The Atlantic crossing was completed without significant incident, and on October 17 the first elements of the division arrived in the Irish Sea off Belfast, marking the beginning of its deployment to the European Theater of Operations.