42nd Division (Japanese Empire)

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42nd division

active June 1, 1943 to September 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Type division
Strength approx. 16,000-20,000
Insinuation Eastern Army
27th Army 5th Regional Army
Location Sendai
Nickname Isao-heidan ( 勲 兵 団 , "Merit Division")
Butcher Pacific War

The 42nd Division ( Japanese 第 42 師 団 , Dai-yonjū-ni Shidan ) was a division of the Imperial Japanese Army , which was established in 1943 and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Merit Division ( 勲 兵 団 , Isao-heidan ) or Isao 11900 or Isao 11901 .

History of unity

During the Pacific War , the Allies had already gone on the offensive at the end of 1942 when the Daihon'ei decided to set up 12 new divisions in 1943. In Korea the 30th Division , in China the 31st , 62nd , 63rd , 64th and 65th Divisions and in Japan the 1st Guard Division and the 42nd, 43rd , 46th , 47th and 61st Division set up. Most of the troops were units released through regrouping, and not just new recruits . Thus the 62nd Independent Infantry Group served as the main unit for the 42nd Division. Under the command of Lieutenant General Terakura Shozo the division officially on 1 June 1943 as Type B "Standard" Division as Triangular Division set up and consisted mainly of the 42nd  Infantry - Brigade (129th, 130th and 158th Infantry Regiment ) , the 42nd  Reconnaissance Regiment , the 42nd  Field Artillery Regiment and the 42nd  Engineer and Transport Regiment. The headquarters of the approx. 20,000 strong division was in Sendai , Japan.

At the beginning of 1944, the 42nd Division was transferred to the Kuril Islands , where it was under the 27th Army . When the 27th Army was disbanded on February 1, 1945, the division was directly subordinate to the 5th Regional Army . This had the 42nd Division transferred to Hokkaidō , where they held out until the end of the war without having been involved in combat. In July 1945 the division was reclassified and reduced in size by several thousand men who were assigned to other units.

The 42nd Division was disbanded in September 1945.

structure

1943

On June 1, 1943, it was set up as a Type B "Standard" Division as a Triangular Division as follows:

  • 42nd Infantry Division staff (approx. 410 men)
    • 42nd Infantry Brigade Staff (approx. 150 men)
      • 129th Infantry Regiment (approx. 3845 men)
      • 130th Infantry Regiment (approx. 3845 men)
      • 158th Infantry Regiment (approx. 3845 men)
    • 42nd Reconnaissance Regiment (approx. 600 men)
    • 42nd Field Artillery Regiment (2,100 men; 36 75 mm field guns)
    • 42nd Engineer Regiment (approx. 900 men)
    • 42nd Telecommunication and Signaling Company (approx. 220)
    • 42nd Transport Regiment (approx. 2820 men)
    • 42nd Supply Company (approx. 185 men)
    • 42nd Medical Unit (approx. 1000 men)
    • 42nd Field Hospital (three field hospitals with approx. 250 men each)
    • 42nd water supply and treatment unit (approx. 160 men)
    • 42nd Veterinary Hospital (approx. 100 men)

Total strength: approx. 20,686 men

1945

On July 16, 1945 the division was reclassified as follows:

  • 42nd Infantry Division staff (approx. 410 men)
    • 42nd Infantry Brigade Staff (approx. 150 men)
      • 128th Infantry Regiment (2881 men)
      • 129th Infantry Regiment (2881 men)
      • 130th Infantry Regiment (2881 men)
    • 42nd Independent Tank Company (124 men)
    • 42nd Field Artillery Regiment (1,800 men; 36 75 mm field guns)
    • 42nd Engineer Regiment (961 men)
    • 42nd Telecommunication and Signaling Company (approx. 220)
    • 42nd Transport Regiment (1840 men)
    • 42nd Supply Company (200 men)
    • 42nd Medical Unit (699 men)
    • 42nd Field Hospital (two field hospitals with approx. 250 men each)
    • 42nd water supply and treatment unit (approx. 160 men)
    • 42nd Veterinary Hospital (119 men)
    • 42nd Infantry Assault Training Companies (3 companies with 132 men each)

Total strength: approx. 16,222 men

See also

Web links

literature

  • John Underwood: The Japanese Order of Battle in World War II. Vol I, The Nafziger Collection, Inc., 1999, ISBN 978-1-58545-044-2
  • Victor Madej: Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle 1937–1945. Volume I + II, Game Marketing Company, 1981
  • Gordon Rottman: Japanese Army in World War II (The South Pacific and New Guinea, 1942–43). Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84176-870-0
  • Leland Ness: Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945. Helion & Company Ltd, 2014, ISBN 978-1-909982-00-0

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Madej, p. 69
  2. ^ Rottman, p. 6
  3. ^ Rottman, p. 7
  4. ↑ a b Underwood, p. 25
  5. ↑ Ness, p. 129