The
164th Infantry Regiment of the Americal Division went into action on Guadalcanal on 13 October 1942 alongside the
1st Marine Division as the first United States Army unit to conduct an offensive operation against the enemy in either the
Pacific or
European Theater of Operations during
World War II. Eight other U.S. Army divisions began offensive combat operations in late 1942: the
32nd and the
41st Infantry Divisions in the Pacific on
New Guinea; and in
North Africa, the
1st,
3rd,
9th, and
34th Infantry Divisions, and the
1st and
2nd Armored Divisions.
Formation As the "
square"
divisions of the
National Guard were being transitioned to the
triangular division TO&E in 1942, they each "shed" an
infantry regiment, leaving several trained and operational "orphan" regiments available for independent service. The "
line" regiments selected to form the Americal Division were the
132nd Infantry Regiment from
Illinois, formerly part of the
33rd Infantry Division, the
164th Infantry Regiment from
North Dakota, formerly part of the
34th Infantry Division, and the
182nd Infantry Regiment from
Massachusetts, formerly part of the
26th Infantry Division.
New Caledonia New Caledonia, a likely target for the Japanese for its critical strategic position on the lines of communication with New Zealand and Australia and its nickel and chromium mines, was now under the control of the Free French with a poorly equipped and trained native force and a company of Australian commandos. The United States Army was already building airfields with Australian labor on the island which according to early agreements fell into the British sphere and delegated to the Australians for defense. The French objected to the arrangement and, increasingly worried about Japanese invasion being attracted by the airfield, demanded additional American forces. With pressing needs to build up defenses in Hawaii and Australia, Army planners decided to put together a force rather than commit an already organized division. The regiments available through the reorganization of divisions along with other elements made available a force of about 15,000 men. This force, designated Task Force 6814 and often mentioned as Poppy Force (New Caledonia was code named Poppy), under Brigadier General
Alexander M. Patch, Jr. had the elements of a division and more in its composition. For example, there was a brigade headquarters from the 26th Division, two infantry regiments and a field artillery regiment along with support elements augmented by a battalion of light tanks, antiaircraft and coast artillery regiments and a pursuit squadron. The force's mission was to hold New Caledonia. It was an independent command, directly under the War Department in Washington. Within two weeks, despite an urgent need of shipping elsewhere and at the cost of delaying and rearranging schedules elsewhere and consultations at the head of state level, Task Force 6814 along with some 4,000 troops destined for Australia were assembled in the largest single troop convoy up until that time, designated BT-200 and totaling over 20,000 troops aboard seven transports,. The convoy sailed from the
New York Port of Embarkation on 23 January 1942 and reached Melbourne on 26 February. This large and critical convoy was covered by a striking group and long range air between its intended position and Japanese forces arranged by Admiral King (COMINCH) with Admiral Nimitz (CINCPAC). Despite some desire locally to use the force to reinforce Australia or the Netherlands East Indies, under direct orders from Washington the force moved secretly, not even informing the French, to New Caledonia. Transshipment of troops and equipment was completed in Melbourne and the seven transports departed on 7 March (Australian time) for New Caledonia as convoy ZK-7, arriving six days later. General Patch, preceding the force by air, had arrived on 5 March with news for the French that American forces were underway. Despite having no early prospect of reinforcements, another infantry regiment arrived in April, along with the authority to organize an infantry division from elements of the overall force and, in May, the Americal Division was organized. On 14 March 1942, two days after the task force later to be known as the Americal Division landed in Nouméa, New Caledonia, the 182nd Infantry was detailed to provide a special unit to be called Force A for advance occupation and outposting of the New Hebrides, a group of islands lying directly astride the supply route to the United States. Assigned to this duty were Companies L and M and attached elements from Headquarters Company, Service Company, and the Medical Detachment, plus a platoon of the 101st Engineers. The total of around 480 men was under the command of Brigadier General Rose. That a brigadier general should be placed in command of two infantry rifle companies indicated the degree of importance and hazard that G.H.Q. placed upon the mission, but mainly it was so that Rose had authority to deal directly with the highest local French authorities. The men were assembled and told that Force A and 50 Australians held the most advanced outpost of the Allied Forces in the South Pacific along with Australian forces at Port Moresby, Papua. No retreat was possible, no reinforcements could be relied on. Supply was unreliable and limited. On 28 March 1942, a unit of Force A left an isolated coconut plantation called Euralia for Port Havanah with two 2nd lieutenants and 22 men on a small auxiliary sailboat with equipment and 10 days' rations to begin their 'guerrilla' action by gathering the native headhunters and plantation workers from the nearby islands as reinforcements.
Guadalcanal In contrast to several other US Army divisions in the
Pacific War, soldiers in the Americal Division received extensive weapons training as well as company- and battalion-level exercises in jungle terrain while at
New Caledonia. Under the command of General Patch, the Americal Division was the first US Army unit to be sent to
Guadalcanal. Largely because of transport constraints, the Americal arrived piecemeal and was fed into combat alongside the battle-hardened and exhausted
US 1st Marine Division, which it eventually relieved. Its soldiers were quick to assimilate from the Marines on Guadalcanal lessons on battle tactics against Japanese forces. Americal casualties were consequently less than what might be expected. The 164th Infantry Regiment landed on Guadalcanal on 13 October 1942 ahead of its brother regiments, as emergency reinforcement for the 1st Marine Division. The regiment was the first U.S. Army unit to engage in offensive action during World War II as part of the Battle of Guadalcanal. Between 24 and 27 October, elements of the regiment withstood repeated assaults from Japanese battalions and inflicted some two thousand enemy casualties; the 164th also supported and participated in Marine attacks. The First Marine Division's commander, Major General A. A. Vandegrift, was so impressed by the soldiers' stand that he issued a unit commendation to the regiment for having demonstrated "an overwhelming superiority over the enemy." In addition, General Vandegrift took the unusual step of awarding Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hall, commander of the 3rd Battalion, 164th, with the Navy Cross for his role in these battles. The 164th was then occasionally referred to as the '164th Marines' due to their special relationship with the Marines on Guadalcanal. In November the 164th took part in the offensive across the
Matanikau River. Other elements of the division arrived piecemeal in the last few weeks of 1942. In January 1943, the 132nd Infantry Regiment of the division took Hill 27 and 31 of the
Mount Austen complex. The division later participated in offensives to sweep Guadalcanal of remaining Japanese resistance. After the last Japanese defenders were killed, captured, or evacuated from the island, the division was relieved on 9 February 1943. Despite its ad hoc formation, the Americal Division fought well at Guadalcanal. The 164th Regiment took part in repulsing a major Japanese offensive in October 1942, while the 132nd Regiment, along with the 25th Infantry Division assaulted the highly fortified Japanese Gifu defensive complex at
Mount Austen in January 1943. Historians describe the Americal Division as the most effective of all the US Army divisions in that campaign. Following the withdrawal of the
1st Marine Division, the division continued operations on Guadalcanal as part of the
U.S. XIV Corps with the 25th Infantry Division (who later earned their 'Tropic Lightning' nickname here) and the 2nd Marine Division (Arrived earlier as reinforcements to the 1st MarDiv) until all of the Japanese resistance had ended.
Bougainville The division next moved to the
Fiji Islands, beginning 5 March 1943, to assume the defense of the main island of
Viti Levu and to engage in extensive training. During the period 25 December 1943 to 12 January 1944 the Americal Division landed on
Bougainville, relieving the
3rd Marine Division. They were given the task (alongside the
37th Infantry Division and a Marine defense battalion) of holding and extending the right half of a previously established perimeter. Warned by intelligence, they met a massive and sustained Japanese counter-attack, which began on 7 March 1944. Despite ample warning and thorough defensive preparations, the battle soon degenerated into a bitter, close-quarters infantry affair, with artillery restricted by the need to avoid friendly troops and tanks unable to reach the scene. The 37th and Americal Divisions stood firm, and by 25 March, the Japanese were forced to retreat. It was the last Japanese ground offensive in the South Pacific. The division went on the offensive in March 1944, driving the Japanese east of
Mananga River, 7–9 April 1944, and seizing numerous strategic hill bases during the remainder of the month. Training and long-range patrol activity continued until 30 November 1944 when the division was relieved.
Philippines On 8 January 1945, the division began movement to
Leyte and
Samar, to take part in cleaning out remaining Japanese forces on those islands, and to invade
Biri,
Capul,
Ticao, and
Burias. On Leyte, the division was relieved on 13 March 1945 and then landed on
Cebu on 26 March, and seized the city and airfield by 28 March. Divisional combat teams made landings on
Bohol,
Negros, and
Mindanao, where they cleared out pockets of resisting Japanese until 17 June when ordered to return to Cebu, arriving on 25 June. The Americal Division added by the newly local Filipino troops of the
Philippine Commonwealth Army and
Philippine Constabulary and the recognized guerrillas for the liberated in Visayas and Mindanao against the Japanese. Training continued on Cebu for the proposed invasion of Japan, but the Japanese surrendered on 14 August 1945. On 10 September 1945, the Americal Division landed in Japan and took part in the occupation of the
Yokohama–
Kawasaki–
Yokosuka area.
Casualties •
Total battle casualties: 4,050 •
Killed in action: 981 •
Wounded in action: 3,052 •
Missing in action: 16 •
Prisoner of war: 1 ==Postwar==