US Army 26th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve patch with a blue YD monogram

Shoulder sleeve insignia of the 26th Infantry Division, United States Army, called the Yankee Division. The blue Y and D monogram on the green patch represents its nickname, which dates from its activation in World War I when it was formed from National Guard units from New England. The 26th Division landed in Normandy on September 7, 1944, and advanced east, capturing several towns. During the Battle of the Bulge, the Division was diverted to Luxembourg. The Division advanced into Germany in March 1945. Its troops liberated Passau concentration camp, a subcamp of Mauthausen, in late April or early May 1945. The SS guards had already abandoned the camp and the prisoners. The Division pushed into Austria, where they participated in the capture of Linz on May 4, 1945. The 26th and the 11th Armored Division liberated Gusen concentration camp, a subcamp of Mauthausen, on May 5. They prevented the Germans from killing all the prisoners by blowing up the camp’s underground tunnels with the inmates inside. The Division had advanced into Czechoslovakia when Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. The Division was placed on occupation duty until inactivated on December 29, 1945.