43rd Division (Japanese Empire)

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43rd Division

active June 10, 1943 to July 1944
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 1943: 20,000
1944: 13,000
Insinuation Regional Army Central District
31st Army
Location Nagoya
Nickname Homare-heidan ( 誉 兵 団 , "honor division")
Butcher Pacific War

The 43rd Division ( Japanese 第 43 師 団 , Dai-yonjū-san Shidan ) was a division of the Imperial Japanese Army , which was set up in 1943 and destroyed in the 1944 Battle of Saipan . Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Ehre-Division ( 誉 兵 団 , Homare-heidan ) or Homare 11930 or Homare 11931 .

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 . The 63rd Independent Infantry Group and parts of the 3rd Depot Division served as the main unit for the 43rd Division. Under the command of Prince Lieutenant General Tsunenori Kaya , the division was officially on 10 June 1943 as Type B "Standard" Division as Triangular Division set up and consisted mainly of the 43rd  Infantry - Brigade (118th, 135th and 136th Infantry Regiment ), the 43rd  Reconnaissance Regiment , the 43rd  Field Artillery Regiment, and the 43rd  Engineer and Transport Regiment. The headquarters of the approximately 20,000-strong division was in Nagoya , Japan.

In April 1944 the division was converted into a regimental battle group division (roughly equivalent to a battle group ). The artillery and reconnaissance regiment was surrendered. Lieutenant General Saitō Yoshitsugu took command .

As early as May 1944, the staggered relocation from Japan to Saipan , where the division was subordinate to the 31st Army . While the first convoy of ships arrived in Saipan unmolested, the second convoy ( convoy 3530 ) was repeatedly attacked by Allied submarines . Of seven ships transporting the 118th Regiment, five were sunk. 1400 men drowned, including several officers and NCOs, and a large part of the equipment and most of the remaining guns were lost. On arrival at Saipan on May 19 and June 9, the division had only 12,900 men and four Type 41 75 mm guns , six Type 94 37 mm anti-tank guns and some Type 1 47 mm anti-tank guns available . They immediately began to build further defensive positions in anticipation of the Allied invasion.

Battle for Saipan

The Japanese had divided Saipan into four defense sectors. The northern sector, almost a third of the island, was assigned to the 135th Infantry Regiment. In the area below ( marine sector ) the 1st Battalion of the 136th Infantry Regiment was stationed next to the 5th Special Base Unit . The central sector was defended by the remainder of the 136th Infantry Regiment.

From June 13, 1944, the Allies began to bombard Saipan with battleships and fired 165,000 shells at the Japanese defensive positions, supported by 200 bombers and fighter pilots. The landing began on June 15 at 7:00 a.m. and involved 71,000 American soldiers and 200 tanks. On the very first day the Americans were able to occupy a stretch of beach 10 km wide and 1 km deep, and just six days later the 43rd Division had lost half of its soldiers. In the further course of the following weeks of fighting, the 43rd Division was pushed back further and further to the north of the island with heavy losses. Shortly before the integrity of the units completely collapsed, General Saitō disbanded the 43rd Infantry Division on July 7th. The remnants of the division and other units were concentrated (approx. 4000 men) and on the evening of the same day undertook a frontal attack (Gyokusai) against the Americans, in which 3900 men were killed. The next day, General Saitō and other officers committed suicide through Seppuku . Two days later, all organized Japanese resistance collapsed and the battle was over.

structure

1943

On June 10, 1943, it was set up as a Type B "Standard" division as a Triangular Division as follows:

  • 43rd Infantry Division staff (approx. 410 men)
    • 43rd Infantry Brigade Staff (approx. 150 men)
      • 118th Infantry Regiment (approx. 3845 men)
      • 135th Infantry Regiment (approx. 3845 men)
      • 136th Infantry Regiment (approx. 3845 men)
    • 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment (approx. 600 men)
    • 43rd Field Artillery Regiment (2,100 men; 36 75 mm field guns)
    • 43rd Engineer Regiment (approx. 900 men)
    • 43rd Telecommunication and Signaling Company (approx. 220)
    • 43rd Transport Regiment (approx. 2820 men)
    • 43rd Supply Company (approx. 185 men)
    • 43rd Medical Unit (approx. 1000 men)
    • 43rd Field Hospital (three field hospitals with approx. 250 men each)
    • 43rd water supply and treatment unit (approx. 160 men)
    • 43rd Veterinary Hospital (approx. 100 men)

Total strength: approx. 20,686 men

1944

In April 1944 it was converted into a regimental combat group division. After arriving on Saipan, the division consisted of the following units:

  • 43rd Infantry Division Staff
    • 43rd Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 118th Infantry Regiment
      • 135th Infantry Regiment
      • 136th Infantry Regiment
    • 43rd Engineer Regiment
    • 43rd Communication and Signal Company
    • 43rd Transport Regiment
    • 43rd Supply Company
    • 43. Medical unit
    • 43rd Field Hospital
    • 43. Water supply and treatment unit
    • 43rd Veterinary Hospital

Total strength: approx. 13,000 men

guide

Division commanders

  • Prince Tsunenori Kaya, Lieutenant General: June 10, 1943 - April 6, 1943
  • Saitō Yoshitsugu, Lieutenant General: April 6, 1943 - July 8, 1944 †

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: Saipan & Tinian 1944 Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84176-804-5
  • 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 c Madej, p. 69
  2. ^ Rottman, p. 38
  3. ↑ a b Underwood, p. 26
  4. ↑ a b Underwood, p. 27
  5. ^ Rottman, p. 30
  6. ↑ Rottmann, p. 40
  7. ^ Rottman, p. 22
  8. ^ Rottman, p. 23
  9. ^ Rottman, p. 60