Arapahoe in Cheyenne County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

157th Infantry Memorial Highway

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2025

1. 157th Infantry Memorial Highway Marker

Inscription.
Colorado’s National Guard regiment the 157th Infantry, served in World War II with the famed 45th (Thunderbird) Division. It saw 511 days of combat in Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. It made four amphibious landings, in Sicily, at Salerno and Anzio, Italy and in southern France.

It was the lead regiment in liberating the infamous Dachau concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Federal Highway 40 was designated the 157th Infantry Highway Jan. 4, 1947 by Executive Order of Governor John C. Vivian

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Patriots & Patriotism • Roads & Vehicles • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is January 4, 1947.

Location. 38° 51.447′ N, 102° 2.791′ W. Marker is in Arapahoe, Colorado, in Cheyenne County. It is on U.S. 40 0.3 miles east of County Road 60, on the right when traveling west. The marker is just inside the west (Colorado) side of the Colorado/Kansas state line. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Arapahoe CO 80802, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Eastern Plains.

It is also in the American

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Mountain West,

on the Great Plains,

and specifically on the High Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Comanchería,

the Dust Bowl,

and the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Butterfield Stage Line (approx. 4.2 miles away in Kansas); Mount Sunflower (approx. 11.4 miles away in Kansas).

Also see . . .
1. Colorado National Guard: 157th Infantry Regiment (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: With the outbreak of World War II, the 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment was attached to the 45th Infantry Division “Thunderbirds” and largely composed of Coloradans, Native Americans, and Mexican-Americans, but also included many troops from Mississippi and Oklahoma. It deployed to the European Theatre of WWII, first seeing combat on 10 July 1943 while landing as part of Invasion of Sicily, losing 27 men to drowning. The unit landed at Salerno on 10 September during the second day of Operation Avalanche. Landing again
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2025

2. 157th Infantry Memorial Highway Marker
as part of Operation Dragoon on 15 August 1944, now in southern France, the unit pushed eastward. On 29 April 1945, the 3rd Battalion was ordered to secure the Dachau concentration camp. Upon reaching the camp and witnessing the aftermath of the Holocaust crimes perpetrated there, enraged members of the unit killed upwards of 35 SS camp guards and workers as reprisal.

(Submitted on November 6, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. State's 'unsung heroes' of WWII (45thdivision.org).

(By Jim Sheeler, from "History of the 157th Infantry") Excerpt: Once inside the [Dachau] gates, the men saw what they called a new level of hell. "That was one of the worst days of my life," Retired Brig. Gen. Felix Sparks said. "It's like being in a bad dream. All those dead bodies. Maggots. The smell. To see those naked bodies stacked up like cordwood. It's hard to believe you're actually there." For some of the men, emotions boiled to fury. While Sparks was at another part of the camp, dozens of the SS soldiers were lined up and shot. Though many argued that the SS officers deserved a fate worse than the firing
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2025

3. 157th Infantry Memorial Highway Marker
Looking west along US Highway 40; the marker is on the north side of the highway.
squad, Sparks was later called into Gen. George Patton's office to answer for the actions of his men. He recounted the scene in a newsletter for the 157th Association, beginning with his request to Patton to give his side of the story. "The general paused for a moment and then said, ‘There is no point in an explanation, I have already had these charges investigated and they're a bunch of crap. I'm going to tear up these g------ papers on you and your men,’" Sparks recounted. "With a flourish, he tore up the papers lying in front of him and threw them in the wastebasket. He then said, ’You have been a damn fine soldier. Now go home.’"

(Submitted on November 6, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Cheyenne County Colorado sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2025

4. Cheyenne County Colorado sign

Looking west along US Highway 40; the marker is just inside the Cheyenne County, Colorado side of the Colorado/Kansas state line.

Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2025

5. Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker

Looking west along US Highway 40 at the Colorado/Kansas state line.

A tribute to the Nation’s Armed Forces who served in World War II.
Erected by Colorado Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. in Cooperation with Colorado State Highway Department.

Welcome to Colorful Colorado Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2025

6. Welcome to Colorful Colorado Sign

Looking west along US Highway 40 at the Colorado/Kansas state line.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 108 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 6, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.