24th Infantry Division (United States)

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Association badge
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The 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) ( German  24th US Infantry Division , nickname: Victory Division ) is a currently inactive division of the United States Army that fought in World War II , the Korean War and the Gulf War.

history

Lineup and World War II

The division was set up in October 1941 together with the 25th US infantry division from the former "Hawaii Division" with headquarters in the Schofield Barracks , Oahu . Because of its badge, it is also known as the Taro Leaf Division (" Taro Leaf Division") and its relatives as Taromen ("Taro Men"). As a result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the division was one of the first American units involved in combat operations during World War II. The motto of the association First to fight is derived from this. The division was then used to defend Hawaii until 1943.

In September 1943 the division was transferred to Australia and in January 1944 to Goodenough Island , New Guinea, where it was being prepared for Operation Reckless . She landed on April 22, 1944 at Hollandia on the north coast of New Guinea and took the airfield there. In October and November 1944, she took part in the landing as part of the X Corps and took part in the subsequent Battle of Leyte . Parts of the division landed on Mindoro and Marinduque (Philippines) in December 1944 . Another regiment supported the landing of the 11th US Airborne Division on Luzon in January 1945 and the retaking of Corregidor in February. In April 1945 the division landed on Mindanao and took Davao in early May . In the course of the fighting in the Philippines, the division was nicknamed Victory Division (" Victory Division ").

After the war ended, the division was shipped to Japan for occupation tasks in October 1945. The Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously to four members of the division for achievements in World War II .

Composition in World War II:

  • 19th Infantry Regiment
  • 21st Infantry Regiment
  • 34th Infantry Regiment (from July 1943)
  • 298th Infantry Regiment, Hawaii National Guard (July 1942)
  • 299th Infantry Regiment, Hawaii National Guard (July 1942 to July 1943)
  • 13th Field Artillery Battalion
  • 52nd Field Artillery Battalion
  • 63rd Field Artillery Battalion
  • 11th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm)
  • 24th Signal Company
  • 724th Ordnance Company
  • 24th Quartermaster Company
  • 24th Reconnaissance Troop
  • 3rd Engineer Battalion
  • 24th Medical Battalion
  • 24th Counter Intelligence Detachment

Korean War

After the North Korean attack on South Korea in June 1950, elements of the division were part of the "Task Force Smith" in July 1950 as the first US units involved in the fighting in the Korean War . The division was immediately involved in heavy fighting and suffered high losses. (see: Battle of Daejeon ) The 34th Infantry Regiment had to be disbanded in August 1950 and was replaced by the 5th Infantry Regiment. The then commanding general of the division, Major General William F. Dean , was taken prisoner in North Korea in July 1950 and, like nine other members of the division, received the Medal of Honor during the war.

After high failures during the UN's summer / autumn offensive in 1951, the division was relocated to Japan in early 1952 and assigned to the Far East Reserve. After the armistice of July 1953, the division was used in alternation with other units to secure the demilitarized zone until 1957 and deactivated in Japan in 1958.

Germany

On July 1, 1958, the division was reactivated as a replacement for the 11th US Airborne Division in the Augsburg anti-aircraft barracks and took over from this two airborne battalions ( 1st and 2nd Airborne Battle Group ). A short time later, the 1st Airborne Battle Group took part in the US intervention in Lebanon . As a result of the Berlin crisis , parts of the division were assigned to the Berlin Brigade in alternation with other units from 1961 .

In 1963 the division stationed in Augsburg and Munich was transformed into a mechanized division consisting of three brigades as part of ROAD ( Reorganization Objective Army Division ) . In 1968/69 two brigades took part in the first REFORGER operation. In April 1970, the division was deactivated in the course of reducing the force of the US forces in Fort Riley , Kansas.

Since 1975

In 1975 the division was reactivated at Fort Stewart , Georgia. A brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard was subordinated to her.

In 1990 the division was assigned to the XVIII. Assigned to U.S. Airborne Corps and relocated to Saudi Arabia to participate in UN operation to liberate Iraqi-occupied Kuwait. After the victory of the coalition forces, the division returned to the United States in the spring of 1991. In 1993/94 a 24th ID task force was involved in securing the withdrawal of US troops from Somalia. After an Iraqi troop build-up on the Kuwaiti border in autumn 1994, two brigades were relocated to the Gulf region again as part of "Operation Vigilant Warrior". On February 15, 1996, the division in Fort Stewart was deactivated and the 3rd US Infantry Division was reorganized from its components .

In 1999, the 24th Infantry Division with headquarters in Fort Riley was reactivated and took control of three National Guard brigades (one each from North and South Carolina and Georgia) as the Active Component / Reserve Component Division , until it was deactivated again on August 1, 2006 has been.

Commanders (selection)

Major General Durward S. Wilson October 1941 to August 1942
Major General Frederick A. Irving August 1942 to November 1944
Major General Roscoe B. Woodruff November 1944 to November 1945
Brigadier General Kenneth F. Cramer November 1945 to December 1945
Maj. Gen. James A. Lester December 1945 to January 1948

See also

Web links

Commons : 24th Infantry Division (United States)  - Collection of pictures, videos, and audio files