Like everything else here- a work in progress. I keep adding to this as time allows. If you know of something that should be in here please let me know....
The sad fact is that there are very few books written about the 8th Division. If you know of any please drop me a line. I am particularly interested in privately published (or unpublished) memoirs.
28th Infantry Regt in WW1. As part of the 1st Inf Div in WW1, this unit had a very long and impressive wartime history. As such, there are a number of books about it, including a Regimental history, and the 1st Div history.
Although I am sure there are a few other unit histories dealing with the 8th itself, I have yet to track them down.
The official history of the U.S. Army in WW2 (a.k.a. the Green Books) contains some mention of the 8th, but not a lot. These books are available through most public libraries, and available for sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office.
The main volumes concerned with the 8th are: Breakout and Pursuit, by Martin Blumenson (covers the 'Cobra' breakout from Normandy, thrust into Brittany, and capture of Brest. The Seigfreid Line Campaign by Charles MacDonald covers the later fighting in the Hurtgen Forest.
Forest in Hell, by Paul Boesch (originally published in HC as Road to Hurtgen: Forrest in Hell). A great book by an officer in Company G, 121st Inf Regt. Long out of print, Paul's widow may still have a few of the paperback editions left for sale to interested 8th Div parties.
Million Dollar Foxhole, by Leonard Bennett details the exploits of one man army S/Sgt Dolye Richey of Company E, 28th Inf Regt. While including some interesting stories on the Hurtgen, I have to point out that a large number of factual errors (wrong unit numbers or place names) leads one to conclude that this may not be a good book to base serious research up without corroborating evidence. Seems to have been done mainly from Doyle's memory
Grasshopper Fox C.P., by Frank Orville Gray. A quite scarce privately printed history of Company F, 28th Inf. Regt. Nicely done, and a goldmine of info on Company F, and the 2nd Battalion officers. Near impossible to find, but your local library can probably get it for you on inter-library loan. Written a few years after the war, so the material was fresh.
Mention should also be made of A Dark and Bloody Ground-the Hurtgen Forest and Roer River Dams 1944-45, by Edward Miller, published by Texas A&M Press in 1995. The best book on the subject so far.Order it by mail here
These books are the main source of info on the unit. Sadly, they were printed in very small numbers, and only turn up for sale when a vet has passed away. Expect to pay from $50-$100 for many of these if you can find them. I am working on trying to reprint the main info in them, but lack of time and money delay me.
The granddady of all WW2 histories is a very small, booklet printed in Paris in 1944 to boost morale of the troops. For once the Army showed some smarts by making the 8th Div the FIRST unit in the ETO to have one of these mini-histories printed. Due to being #1, it seems to be a bit tougher to find than some of the others.
Combat History of the 8th Infantry Division in WW2, by Marc Greisbach, 1945. A small softcover booklet which pales in comparison to the unit histories published by other divisions. Some photos and maps. This has been reprinted by the Battery Press in Nashville Tenn in a small hardcover edition which sells for around. $38..
In 1945 The Army/Navy Publishing Company printed a series of unit histories for the 8th. They were collectively titled A Combat History by Regiment and Special Units These are commonly known as the 'blue books, as they are yearbook sized in dark blue covers. These all have a short history of the unit in WW2, lost of photos, and generally photos of every man who came back home with the 8th. PLEASE NOTE: if a man was wounded, or transferred out of the unit before it was shipped back to the USA in 1945 he will not be in these. I am aware of the following titles in this series:
The 28th Infantry Regt history was re-printed in 1947 by the Infantry Journal in a small hardback reddish brown book with the unit crest on the cover. Be warned: this is poor transcription of the info in the blue book series- some of the info in this edition is incorrect (wrong company letters, etc) due to poor transcription. Maps but no photos
The 1956 'Gyroscope' Division history was published in yearbook format when the 8th was sent back to Europe.
Father, Soldier, Son by Nathaniel Tripp is the story of a platoon leader in the 28th Inf Regt in Viet Nam. Won a 'notable book' award for litterary merit. Order it by mail here
-CHARLIE COMPANY: WHAT VIETNAM DID TO US- By: Peter Goldman and Tony Fuller (New York: William Morrow & Co. 1983). focuses on the 2/28th Infantry (part of the 1st Infantry Division) operations in the "Iron Triangle" South Vietnam in 1968. Good stuff, including some photos of the black lions pocket patch being worn.