157th Infantry Regiment
The Colorado History Museum has a very good 10th Div display. The 10th was made up of men from every state in the Union and trained in Colorado.
The 157th was Colorado born and bred. Trained in Colorado, recruited in Colorado, and its backbone was Colorado men. Look hard but you won’t find Colorado’s own 157 in the Museum.
The 157th went on active duty in September, 1940, entered combat in Sicily in 10 July, 1943, and from there to the end of the war they fought. The 157 made 4 beach assaults including Anzio where the 157 was “the rock of Anzio", fought in eight major battle areas, liberated the infamous Dachau, its own Van Barfoot was decorated with the Medal of Honor. The 157 from Colorado spent 511 Days in actual combat.
They 157th is never mentioned in the news to say nothing of having not even a little picture in the Historical Museum. Yet, this was Colorado’s very own.
Coloradans raised in Colorado, recruited in Colorado, and carried Colorado into combat in Europe in their own being. But you would never know it if you go to the Colorado History Museum or read the Colorado Newspapers.
I wonder why? (No I am not now a member of the 157 nor have I ever been nor has any member of my family.)
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