43rd Infantry Division (United States)

The 43rd Infantry Division was a formation of the United States Army from 1920 to 1963, serving in the Pacific during World War II. It was activated in 1920 as a National Guard Division in Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The 143rd Regional Support Group of the Connecticut National Guard now carries on the heritage.

43rd Infantry Division
43rd Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia
Active1925–1945
1946–1963
Country United States
Branch United States Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Nickname(s)"Winged Victory Division"
EngagementsWorld War II
DecorationsPresidential Unit Citation (4 Battalions)
Commanders
Notable
commanders		John R. Hodge
Leonard F. Wing
Kenneth F. Cramer

Creation

The 43rd Infantry Division was constituted on 19 October 1920, with the division headquarters being organized and federally recognized in Hartford, Connecticut, on 21 March 1925. The 43rd Division consisted of two infantry brigades, the 85th in Connecticut, and the 86th in Vermont. The 85th Brigade included the 102nd and 169th Infantry Regiment, both based in Connecticut. The 86th Brigade was made up of the 172nd Infantry Regiment in Vermont and the 103rd Infantry in Maine. In addition, the 68th Field Artillery Brigade was based in Providence, Rhode Island.

Square Division example: 1940 US Infantry Division. On the far left can be seen two Brigades of two Regiments each

World War II

The 43rd Division was mobilized for federal service on 24 February 1941. It was reorganized as a "triangular" division meaning that it had three infantry regiments, rather than four infantry regiments organized into two brigades.

The 43rd was originally sent to Camp Blanding, Florida where it was based prior to participating in the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941 and the Carolina Maneuvers later than same year. The division relocated to Camp Shelby, Mississippi on 14 February 1942 and was officially re-designated as the 43rd Infantry Division on 19 February 1942.

The division staged for shipment overseas at Fort Ord, California on 6 September 1942 and departed San Francisco on 1 October. The division arrived in New Zealand on October 23, 1942, prior to being committed to combat in the South West Pacific Theater under the command of General Douglas MacArthur.

  • Ordered into federal service: 24 February 1941.
  • Overseas: 1 October 1942.
  • Campaigns: New Guinea, Northern Solomons, Luzon.
  • Presidential Unit Citations: 4 Infantry Battalions (Luzon).
  • Personal Awards: MH-2 ; DSC-40 ; DSM-2 ; SS-736 ; LM-53; SM-51 ; BSM-2,496 ; AM-27.
  • Commanders: Maj. Gen. Morris B. Payne (February–August 1941), Maj. Gen. John H. Hester (8 October 1941[1]-July 1943), Maj. Gen. John R. Hodge (July 1943 to August 1943), Maj. Gen. Leonard F. Wing (August 1943 to inactivation).
  • Returned to U.S.: 19 October 1945.
  • Inactivated: 26 October 1945.
Triangular Division example: 1942 U.S. infantry division. The brigades of the Square division have been removed, and there are three regiments directly under divisional control.

Order of battle
  • Headquarters, 43rd Infantry Division
  • 103rd Infantry Regiment
  • 169th Infantry Regiment
  • 172nd Infantry Regiment
  • Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 43rd Infantry Division Artillery
    • 103rd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
    • 152nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
    • 169th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
    • 192nd Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm)
  • 118th Engineer Combat Battalion
  • 118th Medical Battalion
  • 43rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
  • Headquarters, Special Troops, 43rd Infantry Division
    • Headquarters Company, 43rd Infantry Division
    • 743rd Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
    • 43rd Quartermaster Company
    • 43rd Signal Company
    • Military Police Platoon
    • Band
  • 43rd Counterintelligence Detachment

Combat Chronicle
43rd ID soldiers landing on Rendova Island in the Solomon Islands, 30 June 1943.

The 43rd Infantry Division landed in New Zealand on 23 October 1942. The 172nd Infantry Regiment arrived at Espiritu Santo, 26 October.

The division moved to Noumea, New Caledonia, in November and to Guadalcanal, 17 February 1943. The Russell Islands were occupied without opposition, 21 February, and training continued. Elements landed on Vangunu and Rendova Islands against minor resistance, 30 June.

Rendova served as the major staging point for the assault on the island of New Georgia. The assault on New Georgia was met with determined enemy resistance. The Japanese fought fiercely before relinquishing Munda and its airfield, 5 August. Vela Cela and Baanga were taken easily, but the Japanese resisted stubbornly on Arundel Island before withdrawing, 22 September.

After training at Munda, the 43rd moved to Guadalcanal and thence to New Zealand for rest and rehabilitation. On 19 July 1944, the division was deployed to the Aitape-Wewak campaign, assuming defensive positions at Aitape. It engaged in patrols and reconnaissance at Tadji and along the Drinumor River, 25 July, and took the offensive, 8 August 1944, ending organized resistance on the 25th. On 9 January 1945, the 43rd made an assault landing in the San Fabian area, Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. Under enemy fire, the Division secured the beachhead and fought into the Lingayen Plain by 12 February. The offensive was resumed against the enemy north and west of Fort Stotsenburg, 27 February. After ending Japanese resistance in the Zambales Mountains with help from the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary, the 43rd swung south against the Shimbu Line. On 6 May 1945, the attack continued in the Bulacan area. Ipo Dam was secured and enemy opposition smashed in the Ipo area, 19 May. Mopping-up activities continued until 30 June 1945. The Division left Manila, 7 September 1945, and arrived in Yokohama, Japan on 13 September for occupation duty. The division began preparations for departure for home on 27 September 1945, and officially began their departure on the 29 September. The first ship arrived in San Francisco on 8 October 1945, three years and seven days after the first ship had left on 1 October 1942. The division troops were then moved to Camp Stoneman near Pittsburg, California, and arrangements were made to send each man to the Army separation center nearest his home.

Casualties
  • Total battle casualties: 6,026[2]
  • Killed in action: 1,128[2]
  • Wounded in action: 4,887[2]
  • Missing in action: 9[2]
  • Prisoner of war: 2[2]

Post World War II (1946-1963)

In 1946 the Division was reorganized again, and was now made up of units from Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island. The 172nd Infantry with the 206th Field Artillery Battalion were based in Vermont. The division headquarters, 102nd and 169th Infantry Regiments, and 963rd Field Artillery and 192nd Field Artillery were organized in Connecticut. In addition, Connecticut was also home to the 143rd Tank Battalion. Rhode Island was home to the 43rd Division Artillery Headquarters, the 103rd Field Artillery Battalion, the 118th Engineer Battalion and the 43rd Signal Company. Combat Support units were based throughout all three states.

During the Korean War, the 43rd Division was again ordered into active Federal Service on 5 September 1950, and was moved to Seventh United States Army, VII Corps in West Germany in 1951. On 15 June 1954, the 43rd Infantry Division was released and returned to state control. Its elements, stationed in the Augsburg/Munich area, were redesignated 5th Infantry Division.

The 43rd Infantry Division was inactivated on 1 May 1963 as a result of National Guard restructuring.[3] Its headquarters was reorganized as Headquarters Company, 43rd Brigade, 26th Infantry Division aka the YANKEE Division. The 43rd Brigade was relieved from assignment to the 26th Division on 1 September 1993, when the 26th Division was inactivated. It was then reorganized as Headquarters Company, 43rd Infantry Brigade and now organized as the Headquarters Company, 143rd Regional Support Group.

Commanding officers

Recognition

U.S. Route 7 is signed as the 43rd Infantry Division Memorial Highway between Norwalk and Danbury, CT. Vermont Route 100 is signed as the 43 Infantry Division Highway.

Notes
  1. Hilkert, David E. (2004). Chiefs of the Army Reserve: Biographical Sketches of the United States Army Reserve’s Senior Officers. Fort McPherson, GA: Office of Army Reserve History, U.S. Army Reserve Command. "Link" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 July 2011. (23 MB)
  2. Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953)
  3. Listman, John. "43rd Infantry Division". National Guard Educational Foundation. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
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References
  • The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at CMH.
  • Force Structure and Unit History Branch (29 May 2008). "43rd Infantry Division". Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States. United States Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
  • "The History of the 43rd Infantry Division" by Colonel Joseph E. Zimmer (Retired). Published by: The Army and Navy Publishing Co., Baton Rouge, La.
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