[Webmaster Note: The following division information is reproduced
from the public domain publication, The Army Almanac: A Book of
Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. Government Printing Office,
1950. Portions of the information may be out of date. Only minor formatting changes and
typographical corrections have been made.]
World War I
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Activated: July 1917 (National Guard Division, troops from Michigan and Wisconsin).
Major Operations: Meuse-Argonne, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne.
Casualties: Total - 13,261 (KIA - 2,250; WIA - 11,011).
Commanders: Maj. Gen. James Parker (26 August 1917),
Brig. Gen. W. G. Haan (19 September 1917),
Maj. Gen. James Parker (7 December 1917),
Brig. Gen. W. G. Haan (8 December 1917),
Maj. Gen. W. G. Haan (7 February 1918),
Maj. Gen. William Lassiter (20 November 1918).
Inactivated: 5 April 1919.
World War II
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Activated: 15 October 1940 (National Guard Division from Michigan and Wisconsin).
Campaigns: New Guinea, Southern Philippines, Luzon.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 14.
Awards: MH-11; DSC-37; DSM-1; SS-657; LM-28; SM-77; BSM-2,403; AM-95.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. Irving A. Fish (October 1940-March 1942),
Maj. Gen. Edwin F. Harding (March 1942-January 1943),
Maj. Gen. William H. Gill (February 1943 to inactivation).
Inactivated: 28 February 1946 in Japan.
Combat Chronicle
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The 32nd Infantry Division arrived in Australia 14 May 1942. The first element of the
division to enter the combat zone by air for Port Moresby 16 September to be joined
by other elements arriving by sea 28 September and by air 2 October. Units of
the 32nd were deployed defensively along the Goldie River on the left flank of the
Australian garrison force for the Port Moresby area. Fighting along the Goldie River to
protect the Australian left flank, the 32nd drove the enemy back along the Kokoda Trail and
stopped the enemy threat to Port Moresby. Elements were flown to the Buna area
where they were joined, 15 November 1942, by the 2nd Bn. of the 126th Infantry which
had trekked over the Owen Stanley Mountains. The difficult struggle
for Buna-Sanananda was completed, 22 January 1943, and the 32nd returned to
Australia for rest and training. On 2 January 1944, elements landed at Saidor, and
helped to end enemy resistance, 14 April 1944. On 23 April, elements took
part in the landing at Aitape, the Division arriving on 3 May. After meeting
slight initial resistance, the 32nd had to withstand savage counterattacks in the
Drinumor River area. By 31 August Aitape was secured and the Division rested. Elements
landed on Morotai on 15 September. The 32nd CP opened at Hollandia, 1 October to
stage for the Philippines. It landed on Leyte, 14 November, and went into action
along the Pinamopoan-Ormoc highway, taking Limon and smashing the Yamashita line
by bitter hand-to-hand combat. Union with elements of 1st Cavalry Division in the
vicinity of Lonoy, 22 December, marked the collapse of enemy resistance in the
upper Ormoc Valley. From Leyte the Division moved to Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, 27 January 1945. It
pushed up the Villa Verde Trail, 30 January, and after more than 100 days of
fighting took Imugan and met the 25th Infantry Division near
Santa Fe, 28 May, securing Balete Pass, the gateway to the Cagayan Valley. While
elements continued mopping-up activities near Imugan, other units moved to rest and
rehabilitation centers. Active elements secured the Baguio area, wiped out enemy
groups in the Agno River Valley area, and opened Highway 11 as a supply route. Operations
ceased on 15 August 1945 and the Division moved to Japan for occupation duty 20 October.
General
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Nickname: Red Arrow Division; called "Les Terribles" during World War I.
Shoulder patch: A line shot through with a red arrow; entire insignia in red.
Association: 32nd Division Veterans' Association.
Publications: History of the 32d Infantry Division; by unit members; The
Infantry Journal, Washington, D.C.; 1947. Red Arrow Men, Stories
About the 32d Division on the Villa Verde; by John M. Carlisle, Detroit,
Arnold-Powers, 1945.
See Also:
6th Infantry Division,
7th Infantry Division,
24th Infantry Division,
25th Infantry Division,
27th Infantry Division,
31st Infantry Division,
33rd Infantry Division,
37th Infantry Division,
38th Infantry Division,
40th Infantry Division,
41st Infantry Division,
43rd Infantry Division,
77th Infantry Division,
81st Infantry Division,
93rd Infantry Division,
96th Infantry Division,
98th Infantry Division,
11th Airborne Division,
1st Cavalry Division,
Americal Division,
Philippine Division
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