25th Infantry Division (United States)

The 25th Infantry Division (nicknamed "Tropic Lightning") is a United States Army division based at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. The division, which was activated on 1 October 1941 in Hawaii, conducts military operations primarily in the Asia-Pacific region. Its present deployment is composed of light infantry and aviation units. Tropic Lightning soldiers regularly train with other U.S. military branches to practice and maintain joint operations capabilities. The climate and terrain of the Pacific region demands Tropic Lightning soldiers be able to operate in physically demanding and harsh environments. In 2014, the division opened the Jungle Operations Training Center—the first such school in the Army since the closing of the old Jungle Warfare School at Fort Sherman, Panama Canal Zone. Joint operations and training with partner states herald a new chapter in the history of Tropic Lightning—America's Pacific Division.

The division was originally activated from Hawaii garrison units during World War II, slightly more than a month before the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor began the Pacific War. After spending almost a year training, it fought in the Allied counteroffensive during the Guadalcanal Campaign from December 1942, helping to end organized Japanese resistance on that island by early February 1943. The 25th spent a period garrisoning the island, then moved on to fight in the New Georgia Campaign in July. After the Japanese defeat in the latter, it was sent to New Zealand later that year for rest and training, before moving to New Caledonia for further training. The division returned to combat in the January 1945 invasion of Luzon, reducing Japanese resistance on the island until late June, after which it was pulled out of the line for training. The division then served in the occupation of Japan after the surrender of the latter from September 1945.

When the Korean War began in June 1950, the division was deployed to South Korea, where it fought in the defense of and the breakout from the Pusan Perimeter in mid-1950, with elements advancing as far as the Amnok River in November. After being thrown back by the Chinese Communist intervention in the war, the division eventually took up positions south of Osan. It participated in a series of United Nations counteroffensives in early 1951, then fought in a stalemate close to the 38th parallel from the middle of the year. The division defended Seoul against Chinese Communist attack from May 1953 to the July armistice, returning to Hawaii in late 1954.

After undergoing major reorganizations in 1957 and 1963 to adapt to changing tactics, the division deployed to South Vietnam to fight in the Vietnam War between late 1965 and early 1966. The 25th served in Vietnam until its withdrawal back to Hawaii in 1970–1971, participating in Operation Attleboro, Operation Cedar Falls, Operation Junction City, the Battle of Saigon during the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive, and the Cambodian Incursion. It was reorganized as a light infantry division in 1985, and elements have participated in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan.

History

Lineage

Sources:

* Constituted 26 August 1941 in the Army of the United States as Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division, based on a cadre Force from the former Hawaiian Division.
* Activated 1 October 1941 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
* Allotted 27 June 1949 to the Regular Army
* Division headquarters reorganized and redesignated 1 April 1960 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 25th Infantry Division
* Reorganized and redesignated 16 November 2005 as Headquarters and Tactical Command Posts, 25th Infantry Division
* Reorganized and redesignated 16 January 2010 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 25th Infantry Division

The 25th Division was originally formed in the Army of the United States from the 27th and 35th Infantry Regiments of the Regular Army Hawaiian Division− a pre–World War II "square" division composed of two brigades each with two infantry regiments, and the 298th Infantry Regiment of the Hawaii National Guard. The remaining units of the Hawaiian Division were reorganized in the Regular Army as the 24th Infantry Division. These steps, part of the "triangular" division reorganization, were undertaken to provide more flexibility, with direct divisional control of the three infantry regiments. On 23 July 1942, the 24th Infantry Division's 299th Infantry Regiment was inactivated after the transfer of many ''Nisei'' (second-generation Japanese-American) soldiers to form the 100th Infantry Battalion left its ranks depleted. The Washington National Guard's 161st Infantry Regiment, detached from the 41st Infantry Division and on duty in the Hawaiian Department, was at first attached, and then formally assigned as the 25th Infantry Division's third regiment on 3 August 1942.

Pacific War

After the Japanese air attack on Schofield Barracks on 7 December 1941, the 25th Infantry Division moved to beach positions for the defense of Honolulu and Ewa Point.
Following intensive training, the 25th began moving to Guadalcanal, 25 November 1942, to relieve Marines near Henderson Field. First elements landed near the Tenaru River, 17 December 1942, and entered combat, 10 January 1943, participating in the seizure of Kokumbona and the reduction of the Mount Austen Pocket in some of the bitterest fighting of the Pacific campaign. The threat of large enemy attacks caused a temporary withdrawal, but division elements under XIV Corps control relieved the 147th Infantry and took over the advance on Cape Esperance. The junction of these elements with Americal Division forces near the cape, 5 February 1943, ended organized enemy resistance.

A period of garrison duty followed, ending 21 July: On that date, advance elements debarked on Munda, New Georgia. The 25th Infantry, under the Northern Landing Force, took part in the capture of Vella Lavella, 15 August to 15 September 1943. Meanwhile, other elements landed on New Georgia, took Zieta, marched through jungle mud for 19 days, and captured Bairoko Harbor, winning the island. Elements cleared Arundel Island, 24 September 1943, and Kolombangara island with its important Vila Airport, 6 October. Organized resistance on New Georgia ended, 25 August, and the division moved to New Zealand for rest and training, last elements arriving on 5 December. The 25th was transferred to New Caledonia, 3 February-14 March 1944, for continued training.

The division landed in the San Fabian area of Luzon on 11 January 1945 to enter the struggle for the liberation of the Philippines. It drove across the Luzon Central Plain, meeting the enemy at Binalonan, 17 January. Moving through the rice paddies, the 25th occupied Umingan, Lupao, and San Jose and destroyed a great part of the Japanese armor on Luzon. On 21 February, the division began operations in the Caraballo Mountains in tandem with the 32nd Infantry Division which fought the Battle of Villa Verde Trail. The 25th fought its way along Highway No. 5, taking Digdig, Putlan, and Kapintalan against fierce Japanese counterattacks and captured Balete Pass, 13 May, and opened the gateway to the Cagayan Valley, 27 May, with the capture of Santa Fe. Until 30 June, when the division was relieved, it carried out mopping-up activities. On 1 July, the division moved to Tarlac for training, leaving for Japan, 20 September.

Casualties

*Total battle casualties: 5,432Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch
Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953)

*Killed in action: 1,236
*Wounded in action: 4,190
*Missing in action: 4
*Prisoner of war: 2
The division's rapid movements during its campaigns led to the adoption of the nickname "Tropic Lightning". It remained on occupation duty in Japan for the next five years.

Korean War

The Korean War began on 25 June 1950 when the North Korean Korean People's Army (KPA) crossed the 38th Parallel to invade South Korea. Acting under United Nations (UN) orders, the division moved from its base in Japan to Korea between 5–18 July 1950 to join the Eighth United States Army

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