The 42nd Infantry Division (42ID) ("Rainbow") is a

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

of the United States

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...

. The 42nd Infantry Division has served in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and the

Global War on Terrorism The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...

(GWOT). The division is currently headquartered at the Glenmore Road Armory in

Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in prese ...

, New York. The division headquarters is a unit of the

New York Army National Guard The New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the United States Army's available combat forces and approximat ...

. The division currently includes Army National Guard units from fourteen different states, including Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. , 67 percent of 42ID soldiers are located in New York and New Jersey.

Rainbow Division

When the United States declared war on Germany in 1917, it federalized the National Guard and formed their units into divisions to quickly build up an Army. In addition,

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...

, then a

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

, suggested to

William A. Mann William is a male given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norm ...

, the head of the

Militia Bureau The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was cre ...

, that he form another division from the units of several states that were not assigned to divisions. Secretary of War

Newton D. Baker Newton Diehl Baker Jr. (December 3, 1871 – December 25, 1937) was an American lawyer, Georgist,Noble, Ransom E. "Henry George and the Progressive Movement." The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, vol. 8, no. 3, 1949, pp. 259–269. w ...

approved the proposal, and recalled

saying that such an organization would "stretch over the whole country like a rainbow." On 1 August 1917, the War Department directed the formation of a composite National Guard division, using units from 26 states and the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

. As a result, the 42nd Division came to be known as the "Rainbow Division". The name stuck, and MacArthur was promoted to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

as the division chief of staff.

Rainbow unit insignia

The 42nd Division adopted a

shoulder patch A shoulder sleeve insignia (often abbreviated SSI) is an embroidered patch worn on some uniforms of the United States Army. It is used by major formations of the U.S. Army; each formation has a unique formation patch. The U.S. Army is unique amon ...

and distinctive unit insignia acknowledging the nickname. The original version of the patch symbolized a half arc rainbow and contained thin bands in multiple colors. During the latter part of World War I and post war occupation duty in Germany, the patch was changed to a quarter arc. According to the division's official history, Colonel William N. Hughes Jr., who had succeeded MacArthur as chief of staff, was credited with modifying the design to a quarter arc in an attempt to standardize it. Division lore includes the story that division commander

Charles T. Menoher Major General Charles Thomas Menoher (March 20, 1862 – August 11, 1930) was a U.S. Army general, first Chief of the United States Army Air Service from 1918 to 1921, and commanded the U.S. Army Hawaiian Department from 1924 to 1925. Early life ...

approved the patch after observing a rainbow shortly before a battle, deciding this was a favorable omen. According to World War I veterans of the 42nd Division, soldiers removed half the original symbol to memorialize the half of the division's soldiers who had been killed or wounded during the war. They also reduced the number of colors to just red, gold and blue bordered in green, to standardize the design and make the patch easier to reproduce. Description: The 4th quadrant of a rainbow with three bands of color: red, gold and blue, each 3/8-inch (.95 cm) in width, outer radius 2 inches (5.08 cm); all within a 1/8-inch (.32 cm) Army green border. Background: The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally authorized by telegram on 29 October 1918. It was officially authorized for wear on 27 May 1922. It was reauthorized for wear when the division was reactivated for World War II. On 8 September 1947, it was authorized for the post-World War II 42nd Infantry Division when it was reactivated as a National Guard unit.

World War I

The 42nd Division was assembled in August 1917 at

Camp Mills Camp Albert L. Mills (Camp Mills) was a military installation on Long Island, New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains within what is now the village of Garden City. In September 1 ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, four months after the American entry into

. The 42nd arrived overseas to the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

and France in November 1917, one of the first divisions of the

American Expeditionary Force The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought alon ...

(AEF) to do so, under the command of

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

although he was soon to be replaced by Major General

, who remained in this position for the rest of the war.

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

was the division's chief of staff until he later went on to command the 84th Brigade of the division. The AEF was commanded by

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

John Joseph Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the We ...

. After initially landing at

St. Nazaire Saint-Nazaire (; ; Gallo: ''Saint-Nazère/Saint-Nazaer'') is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany. The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. T ...

(France), the 42nd was temporarily located at

Vaucouleurs Vaucouleurs () is a commune in the Meuse department, northeastern France. It is situated on the river Meuse, approximately from Toul and Commercy. History Geoffrey de Geneville, 1st Baron Geneville (1225/33 – 21 October 1314) also known as G ...

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...

(France), from 7 November – 7 December 1917, to preliminarily train before transferring to another

training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or Physical fitness, fitness that relate to specific practicality, useful Competence (human resources), competencies. Training has specific goals of improving on ...

area between

Lafauche Lafauche () is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France. See also *Communes of the Haute-Marne department The following is a list of the 426 communes in the French department of Haute-Marne. The communes cooperate in th ...

and

Rimaucourt Rimaucourt () is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France. See also *Communes of the Haute-Marne department The following is a list of the 426 communes in the French department of Haute-Marne. The communes cooperate in ...

. The day after Christmas, the 42nd, along with other divisions it had now linked up with, departed for another

area near

Rolampont Rolampont () is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France. See also *Communes of the Haute-Marne department The following is a list of the 426 communes in the French department of Haute-Marne. The communes cooperate in t ...

Langres Langres () is a commune in France, commune in northeastern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Departments of France, department of Haute-Marne, in the Regions of France, region of Grand Est. History As the capital o ...

(France). French

officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

had been attached to the 42nd at

, and

as instructors in

trench warfare Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which troops are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery. Trench warfare became a ...

who "...seemed, from Menoher and MacArthur's view, to think more highly of the Rainbow's performance than did Pershing and his

Chaumont Chaumont can refer to: Places Belgium * Chaumont-Gistoux, a municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant France * Chaumont-Porcien, in the Ardennes ''département'' * Chaumont, Cher, in the Cher ''département'' * Chaumont-le-Bois, in the C� ...

staff". "On February 13, 1918, the day that the -day

inspection An inspection is, most generally, an organized examination or formal evaluation exercise. In engineering activities inspection involves the measurements, tests, and gauges applied to certain characteristics in regard to an object or activity. ...

headquarter's staff from

] was completed, John J. Pershing, Pershing Military_order_(instruction), ordered the 42nd division to move to the

Lunéville Lunéville ( ; German, obsolete: ''Lünstadt'' ) is a commune in the northeastern French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle. It is a subprefecture of the department and lies on the river Meurthe at its confluence with the Vezouze. History Lun ...

sector of southern

for a month's

at the

front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * ''The Front'', 1976 film Music * The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...

with the French VII Corps". "Rainbow division entrained for the

sector on February 16, 1918, and it was joined by the 67th Field Artillery Brigade shortly thereafter. Rainbow's soldiers were distributed over the entire sixteen-mile

of the sector, from

past St. Clément to

Baccarat Baccarat or baccara (; ) is a card game played at casinos. It is a comparing card game played between two hands, the "player" and the "banker". Each baccarat coup (round of play) has three possible outcomes: "player" (player has the higher score ...

. As far as administration, supply, and discipline were concerned, the

was part of MG

Hunter Liggett Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett (March 21, 1857 − December 30, 1935) was a senior United States Army officer. His 42 years of military service spanned the period from the Indian campaigns to the trench warfare of World War I. Additionally, h ...

I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to: France * 1st Army Corps (France) * I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...

, A.E.F., but for

combat Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

and

purposes it was under

Georges de Bazelaire Georges de Bazelaire (January 30, 1858 – March 29, 1954) was a Major General in the French Army. During World War I, Bazelaire commanded the 135th Infantry Regiment, the 27th and 38th Infantry Divisions and the 7th Army Corps. World War I In 1 ...

, of the French VII Army Corps, with each of the 42nd's Regiments assigned to one of the French Divisions holding the sector. Each

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

served one week at a time on the

line, then spent the next week on the second line of defense, and the third week in

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...

Acute

Shortage In economics, a shortage or excess demand is a situation in which the demand for a product or service exceeds its supply in a market. It is the opposite of an excess supply ( surplus). Definitions In a perfect market (one that matches a sim ...

s of some types of equipment still existed, as evidenced, for example, by Menoher's

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

that

troops A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troop Ro ...

of a

leaving the

front line A front line (alternatively front-line or frontline) in military terminology is the position(s) closest to the area of conflict of an armed force's personnel and equipment, usually referring to land forces. When a front (an intentional or uninte ...

were to yield their

Pistol A pistol is a handgun, more specifically one with the chamber integral to its gun barrel, though in common usage the two terms are often used interchangeably. The English word was introduced in , when early handguns were produced in Europe, an ...

s to the men of the relieving

". On 16 June 1918, General Pershing ordered the 42nd to entrain to "the

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...

region east of

Rheims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...

(a sector comparatively more active than

) to be assigned to

Henri Gouraud's Fourth Army"; relinquishing the current

sector "to the relieving

77th and French 61st divisions". During 1918, Rainbow

, specifically with the 67th Field Artillery's "1650 projectiles" in the Bois des Chiens, engaged German forces with and experienced bombardment by German forces with deadly, poison-gas

Bombardment A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or towns and buildings. Prior to World War I, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended objects, ...

s, specifically with German 75-mm. and 105-mm. shells filled with palite and

yperite Mustard gas or sulfur mustard is a chemical compound belonging to a family of cytotoxic and blister agents known as mustard agents. The name ''mustard gas'' is technically incorrect: the substance, when dispersed, is often not actually a gas, b ...

(also known as Mustard gas). The 42nd took part in four major operations: the

Champagne-Marne The Second Battle of the Marne (french: Seconde Bataille de la Marne) (15 July – 18 July 1918) was the last major German offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The attack failed when an Allied counterattack, supported by ...

, the

Aisne-Marne The Third Battle of the Aisne (french: 3e Bataille de l'Aisne) was a battle of the German spring offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Forces arrived completely in ...

, the

Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against ...

, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. In total, it saw 264 days of combat. 167th Infantry, Alabama, 4th Alabama Infantry, WWI

*Casualties: total 14,683 (KIA – 2,058; WIA – 12,625). *Commanders: MG W. A. Mann (5 September 1917), Brig. Gen.

(19 December 1917), Maj. Gen. Charles D. Rhodes, (7 November 1918), Brig. Gen.

(10 November 1918), Maj. Gen. C. A. F. Flagler (22 November 1918), Brig. Gen.

George G. Gatley George Grant Gatley (September 10, 1868—January 8, 1931) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of brigadier general, and his World War I commands included the 30th and 42nd Infantry Divisions. Early life Georg ...

(28 March 1919), Maj. Gen.

George Windle Read Major General George Windle Read (November 19, 1860 – November 6, 1934) was a senior United States Army officer who was prominent as a corps and division commander in World War I. Read also oversaw the departure of US forces from Europe at the ...

(10 April 1919 to Division's deactivation on 9 May 1919). The 42nd

Division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

was demobilized in May 1919 at

Camp Upton Camp Upton was a port of embarkation of the United States Army during World War I. During World War II it was used to intern enemy aliens. It was located in Yaphank, New York in Suffolk County on Long Island, on the present-day location of Brook ...

, New York, Camp Grant,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

Camp Dix Fort Dix, the common name for the Army Support Activity (ASA) located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Army post. It is located south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Fort Dix is under the jurisdiction of the Air Force ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, and

Camp Dodge Camp Dodge is a military installation in the city of Johnston, Iowa, Johnston, Iowa. Centrally located near the capital of Iowa, it currently serves as the headquarters of the Iowa National Guard. History Original construction of the post began i ...

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

Order of battle

* Headquarters, 42nd

(future General of the Army, then Colonel Douglas MacArthur, served as the chief of staff of the 42nd Division) * 83rd Infantry Brigade ** 165th Infantry Regiment (formerly 69th Infantry, New York National Guard) ***''Notable members:''

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

William "Wild Bill" Donovan,

Chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...

Francis P. Duffy Francis Patrick Duffy (May 2, 1871 – June 27, 1932) was a Canadian American soldier, Catholic priest and military chaplain. Duffy served as chaplain for the 69th Infantry Regiment (known as the "Fighting 69th"), a unit of the New York Army Na ...

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

Joyce Kilmer Alfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6, 1886 – July 30, 1918) was an American writer and poet mainly remembered for a short poem titled "Trees" (1913), which was published in the collection ''Trees and Other Poems'' in 1914. Though a prolific poet who ...

***''Significant events:''

Rouge Bouquet Rouge Bouquet is a part of the Forêt de Parroy near the village of Baccarat, France. It was the site of a German artillery bombardment of American trench positions on 7 March 1918 at 15:20 on the Chausailles sector of the Western Front during ...

** 166th Infantry Regiment (formerly 4th Infantry, Ohio National Guard) ** 150th Machine Gun Battalion (formerly Companies E, F, and G, 2nd Infantry, Wisconsin National Guard) * 84th Infantry Brigade (this was the brigade that Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur commanded from July 1918 to November 1918) ** 167th Infantry Regiment (formerly 4th Infantry, Alabama National Guard) ** 168th Infantry Regiment (formerly 3rd Infantry, Iowa National Guard) ** 151st Machine Gun Battalion (formerly Companies B, C, and F, 2nd Infantry, Georgia National Guard) * 67th Field Artillery Brigade ** 149th Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm) (formerly 1st Field Artillery, Illinois National Guard) **

150th Field Artillery Regiment The 150th Field Artillery Regiment ("The Raiders") is a field artillery unit in the Indiana Army National Guard. History The 150th Field Artillery was formed from the 1st Indiana Field Artillery, which served during the Spanish–American War. ...

(155 mm) (formerly 1st Field Artillery, Indiana National Guard) ** 151st Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm) (formerly 1st Field Artillery, Minnesota National Guard) ** 117th Trench Mortar Battery (formerly 3rd and 4th Companies, Coast Artillery, Maryland National Guard) * 149th Machine Gun Battalion (formerly 3rd Battalion, 4th Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard) * 117th Engineer Regiment (formerly Separate Battalions, Engineers, California and South Carolina National Guards) * 117th Field Signal Battalion (formerly 1st Battalion, Signal Corps, Missouri National Guard) * Headquarters Troop, 42nd Division (formerly 1st Separate Troop, Cavalry, Louisiana National Guard) * 117th Train Headquarters and Military Police (formerly 1st and 2nd Companies, Coast Artillery, Virginia National Guard) ** 117th Ammunition Train (formerly 1st Ammunition Train, Kansas National Guard) ** 117th Supply Train (formerly Supply Train, Texas National Guard) ** 117th Engineer Train (formerly Engineer Train, North Carolina National Guard) ** 117th Sanitary Train (165th–168th Ambulance Companies and Field Hospitals) *** 165th Ambulance Company (formerly 1st Ambulance Company, Michigan National Guard) *** 165th Field Hospital (formerly 1st Field Hospital, Washington, D.C. National Guard) *** 166th Ambulance Company (formerly 1st Ambulance Company, New Jersey National Guard) *** 166th Field Hospital (formerly 1st Field Hospital, Nebraska National Guard) *** 167th Ambulance Company (formerly 1st Ambulance Company, Tennessee National Guard) *** 167th Field Hospital (formerly 1st Field Hospital, Oregon National Guard) *** 168th Ambulance Company (formerly 1st Ambulance Company, Oklahoma National Guard) *** 168th Field Hospital (formerly 1st Field Hospital, Colorado National Guard

Interwar period

As the 42nd was a composite division, it was not contemplated for reorganization after World War I, and all of its former elements were assigned to other National Guard divisions or remained demobilized.

World War II

*Activated: 14 July 1943 *Overseas: November 1944. *Campaigns: Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland, Central Europe. *Days of combat: 106. *Prisoners of war taken: 59,128. * Presidential Unit Citation: 2. *Awards: MH- 1 ; DSC-4 ; DSM-1 ; SS-622; LM-9; SM-32; ; BSM-5,325 ; AM-104. *Commanders: Maj. Gen.

Harry J. Collins Major general (United States), Major General Harry John Collins (December 7, 1895 – March 8, 1963) was a decorated senior United States Army Officer (armed forces), officer who commanded the 42nd Infantry Division (United States), 42nd "Rainbow ...

commanded the 42ID during its entire period of federal service in World War II. *Deactivated: 29 June 1946 in Europe.

Order of battle

* Headquarters, 42nd Infantry Division ** 222nd Infantry Regiment ** 232nd Infantry Regiment ** 242nd Infantry Regiment * Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 42nd Infantry Division Artillery ** 232nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) ** 392nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) ** 402nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) ** 542nd Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm) * 142nd Engineer Combat Battalion * 122nd Medical Battalion * 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) * Headquarters, Special Troops, 42nd Infantry Division ** Headquarters Company, 42nd Infantry Division ** 742nd Ordnance Light Maintenance Company ** 42nd Quartermaster Company ** 132nd Signal Company ** Military Police Platoon ** Band * 42nd Counterintelligence Corps Detachment United_States_World_War_II_Infantry_Division_1942_Structure

United_States_World_War_II_Infantry_Division_1942_Structure

Combat chronicle

When activated for World War II, the 42ID was a unique unit, as it was a reconstitution of the Rainbow Division from World War I. Army Ground Forces filled the division with personnel from every state, and from the division’s standup at Camp Gruber until the division stood down in Austria, at every formal assembly, the division displayed not only the national and divisional colors, but all 48 state colors (state flags). To emphasize the 42ID’s continued lineage from the 42ID of World War I, Maj. Gen. Harry J. Collins activated the unit on 14 July, the eve of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Champagne-Marne campaign in France. Following training at

Camp Gruber Camp Gruber is an Oklahoma Army National Guard (OKARNG) training facility. It covers a total of . The base is named after Brigadier General Edmund L. Gruber, a noted artillery officer and the original composer of the U.S. Field Artillery March, ...

, Oklahoma and the journey to Europe, the three infantry regiments (222nd, 232nd, & 242nd) and a detachment of the 42ID Headquarters arrived in France at

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...

, 8–9 December 1944, and were formed into Task Force (TF) Linden, under

Henning Linden Brigadier General Henning Linden (September 3, 1892 – March 15, 1984) was a United States Army officer who served in World War II. He was notable for his role in the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp while serving as assistant division ...

, the Assistant Division Commander (ADC). As part of the Seventh Army's

VI Corps 6 Corps, 6th Corps, Sixth Corps, or VI Corps may refer to: France * VI Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry formation of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VI Corps (Grande Armée), a formation of the Imperial French army du ...

, TF Linden entered combat in the vicinity of

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...

, relieving elements of the 36ID on 24 December 1944. While defending on a 31-mile sector along the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...

north and south of

in January 1945, TF Linden repulsed a number of enemy counterattacks at Hatten and other locations during the German "

Operation Northwind Operation Northwind (german: Unternehmen Nordwind) was the last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front. Northwind was launched to support the German Ardennes offensive campaign in the Battle of the Bulge, which by December ...

" offensive. At the headquarters of 1st Battalion, 242nd Infantry, Private First Class

Vito R. Bertoldo Vito Rocco Bertoldo (December 1, 1916 – July 23, 1966) was a United States Army soldier. A veteran of World War II, he was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions near Hatten, France, in January 1945. Bertoldo was born and raised i ...

waged a 48-hour defense of the battalion command post, for which he received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

. When the command post was attacked by a German tank with its 88-mm. gun and machine gun fire, Bertoldo remained at his post, and with his own machine gun killed the occupants of the tank when they tried to remove mines which were blocking their advance. On 24 and 25 January 1945, in the Bois D’Ohlungen, and the vicinity of

Schweighouse-sur-Moder Schweighouse-sur-Moder (, literally ''Schweighouse on Moder''; german: Schweighausen) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. Prior to 8 September 1949, the commune was known as Schweighausen. Twin towns ...

and Neubourg, the 222nd Infantry Regiment held a position covering a front of 7,500 yards, three times the normal frontage for a regiment in defense. After a two-hour artillery bombardment, the 222nd Infantry Regiment was repeatedly attacked by elements of the German 7th Parachute, 47th Volks Grenadier Division, and the 25th Panzer Grenadier Division. During the ensuing struggle, one company of the 222nd Infantry was surrounded, but withdrew from their position and infiltrated back through the Germans to the regimental lines after exhausting all but 35 rounds of ammunition. For 24 hours, the battle raged, but the Germans were never able to break through the 222nd lines. For this action the 222nd Infantry Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (2001). After these enemy attacks, TF Linden returned to reserve of the 7th Army and trained with the remainder of the 42ID which had arrived in the meantime. On 14 February 1945, the 42ID as a whole entered combat, taking up defensive positions near

Haguenau Haguenau (; Alsatian: or ; and historically in English: ''Hagenaw'') is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department of France, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It is second in size in the Bas-Rhin only to Strasbourg, some to the south. To the ...

in the Hardt Forest. After a month of extensive patrolling and active defense, the 42ID went on the offensive. On the night of 27 February the Germans laid down a heavy concentration of artillery and mortar fire and under this the elements of the 6th Mountain Division were withdrawn and replaced by the 221st Volksgrenadier Regiment. In the brief period this unit had been in the line, German soldiers had come to respect the Rainbow and fear its patrols and raids. "Is your Division a part of Roosevelt's SS?" asked one German when captured. The remark was passed along and men kidded each other about being in the Rainbow SS. The 42ID attacked through the Hardt Forest, broke through the

Siegfried Line The Siegfried Line, known in German as the ''Westwall'', was a German defensive line built during the 1930s (started 1936) opposite the French Maginot Line. It stretched more than ; from Kleve on the border with the Netherlands, along the west ...

, 15–21 March 1945, cleared

Dahn Dahn is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate Forest, approximately 15 km southeast of Pirmasens, and 25 km west of Landau. It is part of the ''Verbandsgemeind ...

and

Busenberg Busenberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany. References

Municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate Palatinate Forest South Palatinate Südwestpfalz {{Südwestpfalz-geo-stub ...

, and mopped up in that general area, while the 3rd Army created and expanded bridgeheads across the Rhine. Moving across the Rhine, 31 March 1945, the 42ID captured

Wertheim am Main Wertheim (East Franconian: ''Wärde'') is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg with a population of around 23,400. It is located on the confluence of the rivers Tauber and Main. Wertheim is best known for its land ...

, 1 April 1945, and

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg is ...

, 2–6 April 1945, after a fierce battle.

Schweinfurt Schweinfurt ( , ; ) is a city in the district of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the surrounding district (''Landkreis'') of Schweinfurt and a major industrial, cultural and educational hub. The urban agg ...

fell next after hand-to-hand engagements, 9–12 April 1945.

Fürth Fürth (; East Franconian: ; yi, פיורדא, Fiurda) is a city in northern Bavaria, Germany, in the administrative division (''Regierungsbezirk'') of Middle Franconia. It is now contiguous with the larger city of Nuremberg, the centres of the t ...

, near

Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...

, put up fanatical resistance, but was taken, 18–19 April 1945, by the 42ID. 42ID's patrol arrested German war criminal

Arthur Greiser Arthur Karl Greiser (22 January 1897 – 21 July 1946) was a Nazi German politician, SS-''Obergruppenführer'', ''Gauleiter'' and ''Reichsstatthalter'' (Reich Governor) of the German-occupied territory of ''Wartheland''. He was one of the perso ...

. Greiser surrendered with Waffen-SS officer

Heinz Reinefarth Heinz Reinefarth (26 December 1903 – 7 May 1979) was a German SS commander during World War II and government official in West Germany after the war. During the Warsaw Uprising of August 1944 his troops committed numerous atrocities. After t ...

. On 25 April, the 42ID captured

Donauwörth Donauwörth () is a town and the capital of the Donau-Ries district in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is said to have been founded by two fishermen where the rivers Danube (Donau) and Wörnitz meet. The city is part of the scenic route called "Roman ...

on the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

, and, on 29 April 1945, liberated some 30,000 inmates at

Dachau concentration camp , , commandant = List of commandants , known for = , location = Upper Bavaria, Southern Germany , built by = Germany , operated by = ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) , original use = Political prison , construction ...

Casualties

*Total battle casualties: 3,971Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953) *Killed in action: 553 *Wounded in action: 2,212 *Missing in action: 31 *Prisoner of war: 1,175

Assignments in ETO

*10 December 1944: Seventh Army,

6th Army Group The 6th United States Army Group was an Allied Army Group that fought in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Made up of field armies from both the United States Army and the French Army, it fought in France, Germany, Au ...

*15 December 1944: Third Army,

12th Army Group The Twelfth United States Army Group was the largest and most powerful United States Army formation ever to take to the field, commanding four field armies at its peak in 1945: First United States Army, Third United States Army, Ninth United Stat ...

*24 December 1944:

, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group *25 March 1945: XXI Corps, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group *19 April 1945:

XV Corps 15th Corps, Fifteenth Corps, or XV Corps may refer to: *XV Corps (British India) * XV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * 15th Army Corps (Russian Empire), a unit in World War I *XV Royal Bav ...

, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group The 42nd Division ended World War II on occupation duty in Austria and was inactivated by the end of January 1947.

Cold War

On 13 October 1945, the War Department published a postwar policy statement for the entire Army. After the policy statement was published, the Army Staff prepared a postwar National Guard troop basis, which included twenty-four divisions, including the 42nd Infantry Division. Most soldiers considered the 42nd, initially organized with state troops in 1917, as a Guard formation. During the process, New York successfully petitioned the War Department for the 42nd Infantry Division. After the state governors formally notified the

National Guard Bureau The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was cre ...

that they accepted the new troop allotments, the bureau authorized reorganization of the units with 100 percent of their officers and 80 percent of their enlisted personnel. By September 1947, the 42nd Division headquarters, along with all the other new Guard divisional headquarters, had received federal recognition. In April 1963, the 42nd Division was reorganized under the

Reorganization Objective Army Division The history of the United States Army began in 1775. From its formation, the United States Army has been the primary land based part of the United States Armed Forces. The Army's main responsibility has been in fighting land battles and military ...

structure. From 1967 to 1969, the division was briefly part of the Selected Reserve Force, designed to reinforce the active army in

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

. In a 1968 reorganization, the division was split between the New York Army National Guard and the

Pennsylvania Army National Guard The Pennsylvania Army National Guard, abbreviated PAARNG, is part of the United States Army National Guard and is based in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Together with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, it is directed by the Pennsylva ...

. In 1973–74, the division was converted back into an all-New York organization. The 42nd Infantry Division absorbed the units of the 26th Infantry Division and the

50th Armored Division The 50th Armored Division was a division of the Army National Guard from July 1946 until 1993. History On 13 October 1945 the War Department published a postwar policy statement for the entire Army, calling for a 27-division Army National Guard ...

of the Massachusetts and New Jersey Army National Guard, respectively, in post-Cold War restructuring. All three divisions were severely understrength, so the assets of the three were combined into one. The 50th Brigade, created from the assets of the disbanding

, was initially assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division as an armored brigade, but was transformed to an infantry brigade combat team (BCT) in the very first years of the 21st century as part of Army modularity. In the 1970s, the division headquarters was located at the armory at 125 West 14th Street in Manhattan. It was relocated in December 1989 to the Glenmore Armory in Troy, New York and remains there to this day.

Global War on Terrorism

Since the

11 September attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated Suicide attack, suicide List of terrorist incidents, terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, ...

, the 42ID has been extensively involved in the war on terrorism, in both homeland security (HLS) and expeditionary operations. The 42ID's 1–101st Cavalry led the

's efforts and provided security at Ground Zero during the rescue and then recovery efforts there. 42ID units from the

New Jersey Army National Guard The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of more than 6,000 Citizen-Soldiers. The New Jersey Army National Guard is currently engaged in multiple worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germ ...

provided security at all the major river crossings into New York City and

Newark International Airport Newark Liberty International Airport , originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport straddling the boundary between the cities of Newark, New Jersey, Newark in Essex County, New Jerse ...

in the months following 11 September 2001. The first major overseas effort of the 42ID was the deployment of elements of the 50th BCT/42ID to

Guantanamo Bay Naval Base Guantanamo Bay Naval Base ( es, Base Naval de la Bahía de Guantánamo), officially known as Naval Station Guantanamo Bay or NSGB, (also called GTMO, pronounced Gitmo as jargon by members of the U.S. military) is a United States military base ...

, Cuba. The 2–102nd Armor Battalion deployed as ILO MP's and served with the Joint Detention Operation Group in the detention facility. The 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry deployed to Guantanamo Bay as well and provided security for the Joint Task Force at

Camp Delta Camp Delta is a permanent American detainment camp at Guantanamo Bay that replaced the temporary facilities of Camp X-Ray. Its first facilities were built between 27 February and mid-April 2002 by Navy Seabees, Marine Engineers, and workers f ...

. While there elements of the 2nd Battalion, 102nd Armor supported the first military tribunals held at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility. Elements have also deployed to the

Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...

and

Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...

. New Jersey's 3/112th Field Artillery and 5/117th Cavalry deployed as an ILO Military Police Company with 89th MP Brigade/

759th Military Police Battalion The 759th Military Police Battalion is a military police battalion in the United States Army. It is currently stationed at Fort Carson, CO – "The Mountain Post". It is administratively controlled by the 43rd Sustainment Brigade at Fort Carso ...

; served in

Sadr City Sadr City ( ar, مدينة الصدر, translit=Madīnat aṣ-Ṣadr), formerly known as Al-Thawra ( ar, الثورة, aṯ-Ṯawra) and Saddam City ( ar, مدينة صدام, Madīnat Ṣaddām), is a suburb district of the city of Baghdad, Iraq. ...

, and worked alongside the First Cavalry Division. Stationed out of Camp Cuervo (Al Rustimayah) in

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...

, platoons also worked with U.S. Marines in

Fallujah Fallujah ( ar, ٱلْفَلُّوجَة, al-Fallūjah, Iraqi pronunciation: ) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jew ...

. On 4 June 2004, SSG Carvill and SGT Duffy were killed and the following day the unit lost SPC Doltz and SSG Timoteo. UH60doorgunner2005

The 2/108th Infantry deployed to Iraq in 2004. In 2004–05, the 1/69 Infantry served in Iraq, eventually providing security on the

Baghdad International Airport Baghdad International Airport , previously Saddam International Airport ( ar, مطار بغداد الدولي, Maṭār Baġdād ad-Dawaliyy) is Iraq's largest international airport, located in a suburb about west of downtown Baghdad in the ...

(BIAP) Road. The 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade also deployed to Iraq during this period. In 2004, the division headquarters and division troops of the 42nd Infantry Division deployed as part of

Operation Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

(OIF) III, relieving the 1st Infantry Division (1ID). The division controlled the north-central Iraq area of operations. Serving as the command and control (C2) of Task Force Liberty, the 42ID took over responsibility for the area known as Multi-National Division North Central (MND-NC) including the provinces of

Saladin Yusuf ibn Ayyub ibn Shadi () ( – 4 March 1193), commonly known by the epithet Saladin,, ; ku, سه‌لاحه‌دین, ; was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Hailing from an ethnic Kurdish family, he was the first of both Egypt and ...

, Diyala, At Ta'amim (

Kirkuk Kirkuk ( ar, كركوك, ku, کەرکووک, translit=Kerkûk, , tr, Kerkük) is a city in Iraq, serving as the capital of the Kirkuk Governorate, located north of Baghdad. The city is home to a diverse population of Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds, ...

) and As Sulymaniah from the 1st Infantry Division on 14 February 2005. The 42ID directed the operations of: 1st BCT, 3ID; 3rd BCT, 3ID; the 278th RCT; 3rd- 313rd Field Artillery, 56th BCT (Texas Army National Guard); and the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

, Oregon, and

Montana Army National Guard The Montana Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one t ...

). Soldiers conducted combat actions and raids, seized weapons caches, destroyed improvised explosive devices (IEDs), trained Iraqi army forces, and worked on reconstruction to ensure free elections. 1–69th Infantry of the 42ID manned the checkpoint where Italian

SISMI Servizio per le Informazioni e la Sicurezza Militare (abbreviated SISMI, ''Military Intelligence and Security Service'') was the military intelligence agency of Italy from 1977–2007. With the reform of the Italian Intelligence Services app ...

officer

Nicola Calipari Nicola Calipari (June 23, 1953March 4, 2005) was an Italian major general and SISMI military intelligence officer. Calipari was accidentally killed by American soldiers while escorting a recently released Italian hostage, journalist Giuliana Sg ...

was shot and killed. Maj. Gen. Joseph J. Taluto, commanding general of the division during its deployment, commended the many contributions of the 42ID led Task Force Liberty. Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (VCSA), Gen. Richard Cody, saluted members of the 42ID at the unit's homecoming ceremony. The division's Headquarters and Headquarters Company was awarded the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation for its service in Iraq. In 2008, 26 company-sized elements of the

50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team The 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Jersey Blues") was an infantry brigade combat team of the United States Army National Guard of New Jersey. It was headquartered at the Lawrenceville Armory. Background The 50th Brigade Combat Team was the m ...

(IBCT), headquartered at

Fort Dix Fort Dix, the common name for the Army Support Activity (ASA) located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Army post. It is located south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Fort Dix is under the jurisdiction of the Air Force A ...

, New Jersey, deployed to Iraq bringing the total number of NJ National Guard soldiers sent to Iraq and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

to over 3,200. These elements of the 50th IBCT were mobilized for one year, including stateside training and "boots on the ground" in theater. Premobilization training began in 2007 and took place in New Jersey, with further OIF specific preparation conducted at other Army installations out-of-state. Originally slated to deploy to Iraq in 2010, these elements deployed earlier as a result of changes needed to comply with new Department of Defense (DoD) policies. Earlier, in 2007, the DoD had reduced the amount of time units spend overseas in a combat theater, which in turn shifted mobilization schedules and required earlier deployments than anticipated. Elements of the 50th IBCT had deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) previously in 2004. In 2008, the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), headquartered in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...

, was mobilized and deployed to Afghanistan to train

Afghan National Army Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia * Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity **Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...

(ANA) and police forces. Initial personnel from the 27th IBCT deployed in late 2007, with the majority of the approximately 1,700 service members deployed by mid-2008. In conjunction around February 2008, soldiers of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were beginning to receive notification of their upcoming deployment. The Brigade Commander at the time was Colonel William F. Roy. In 2009, the brigade did a rotation at JRTC in Fort Polk, LA. In December 2009, the brigade was officially mobilized and to report to

Camp Atterbury Camp Atterbury-Muscatatuck is a federally-owned military post, licensed to and operated by the Indiana National Guard, located in south-central Indiana, west of Edinburgh, Indiana and U.S. Route 31. The camp's mission is to provide full logis ...

, IN. While in Indiana, the brigade trained and prepped for their future deployment to Afghanistan. After receiving numerous replacements and volunteer soldiers, the brigade was sent back to JRTC for one more rotation before they left the country. The majority of the brigade landed in Afghanistan in early March. The brigade headquarters was on

Bagram Airfield Bagram Airfield-BAF, also known as Bagram Air Base , is located southeast of Charikar in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan. It is under the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Sitting on the site of the ancient Bagram at an elevation of above sea leve ...

in RC-East. The brigade was tasked with numerous missions across eastern Afghanistan. The missions included partnering with the

Afghan National Security Forces The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), also known as the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), were the military and internal security forces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Structure The Afghan National Security Forc ...

(ANSF), assisting in the Government of the

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was a presidential republic that ruled Afghanistan from 2004 to 2021. The state was established to replace the Afghan interim (2001–2002) and transitional (2002–2004) administrations, which were formed ...

, and securing over 30,000 soldiers on Bagram Airfield while ensuring the base was continuing its daily operations. The brigade left Afghanistan in early December returning to Camp Atterbury, IN. The brigade was released from federal service and returned to the northeast to continue their respective state missions. Several component units of the brigade were awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for their service from 8 March 2010 – 4 December 2010 while deployed in support of

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...

Deaths of Esposito and Allen

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Phillip Esposito and

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

Louis Allen were killed on 7 June 2005, at

Forward Operating Base Danger Forward Operating Base Danger was a forward operating base operated by the United States Army in Tikrit, Iraq from the time of the occupation of Iraq in 2003 until November 2005 when it was handed over to the government of Iraq. History The bas ...

Tikrit Tikrit ( ar, تِكْرِيت ''Tikrīt'' , Syriac language, Syriac: ܬܲܓܪܝܼܬܼ ''Tagrīṯ'') is a city in Iraq, located northwest of Baghdad and southeast of Mosul on the Tigris River. It is the administrative center of the Saladin Gover ...

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

by a

M18A1 Claymore mine The Claymore mine is a directional anti-personnel mine developed for the United States Armed Forces. Its inventor, Norman MacLeod, named the mine after a large medieval Scottish sword. Unlike a conventional land mine, the Claymore is command-de ...

placed in the window of Esposito's office. Esposito was commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 42ID. Allen had recently arrived in Iraq to serve as Esposito's executive officer, or second in command. Military investigators determined that the mine was deliberately placed and detonated with the intention of killing Esposito and Allen.

Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

Alberto B. Martinez from the officers' unit was charged in the killing but was acquitted in a court-martial trial at

Fort Bragg Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, on 4 December 2008. The case was one of only two publicly announced alleged

fragging Fragging is the deliberate or attempted killing by a soldier of a fellow soldier, usually a superior. U.S. military personnel coined the word during the Vietnam War, when such killings were most often attempted with a fragmentation grenade, some ...

incidents among U.S. forces during the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

. Subsequently, Siobhan Esposito and Barbara Allen, the widows of the officers, continued to pursue justice for their husbands' deaths, pushing for the military to strictly enforce regulations that prohibit threats against superiors and require soldiers to report violations of "good order and discipline."David Zucchino, "Widows pursue justice in soldiers' slayings"
''Los Angeles Times'', 8 April 2010, 15 March 2013

Homeland security

During the Cold War and through the present, the 42ID and its soldiers have been regularly called upon for homeland security missions including disaster relief (such as

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

Hurricane Floyd Hurricane Floyd was a very powerful Cape Verde hurricane which struck the Bahamas and the East Coast of the United States. It was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd tr ...

), emergency preparedness (such as Y2K missions), airport security,

critical infrastructure protection Critical infrastructure protection (CIP) is a concept that relates to the preparedness and response to serious incidents that involve the critical infrastructure of a region or nation. The American Presidential directive PDD-63 of May 1998 set up ...

, border security, bridge and tunnel security, as well as rail/train station security. Several first responders to the 11 September 2001 attacks were members of the 42ID, and led much of the military support to the relief and recovery efforts. The 42ID was part of the relief team for the duration of the effort at Ground Zero in New York City. The 42ID has also been actively engaged in missions supporting

Operation Noble Eagle Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) is the United States and Canadian military operation related to homeland security and support to federal, state, and local agencies. The operation began 11 September 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks.. ...

. In October 2005, elements of the 50th Armored Brigade/42 ID were activated for Operation Hurricane Katrina relief in the city of New Orleans. The 2–102nd Armor and the 1–114th Infantry were called to active duty and the combined unit was dispatched to Louisiana to provide security for FEMA. The 50th Brigade arrived at Belle Chase Naval Air Station and from there went to the

New Orleans Convention Center The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is located in Downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The lower end of building one is located upriver from Canal Street on the banks of the Mississippi River. It is named after former Mayor of Ne ...

. From there, the elements of the 42nd ID sent teams to various parts of the city on various missions of security ranging from roving patrol to security escort for the New Orleans Fire Department and other relief agencies

Current structure

42nd US Infantry Division - Organization 2021

42nd Infantry Division exercises training and readiness oversight of the following units, but they are not organic: There is a division level special troops battalion, three infantry brigade combat teams, a combat aviation brigade and an attached maneuver enhancement brigade as well as a field artillery brigade along with a sustainment brigade. * 42_STB

Special Troops Battalion, 42nd Infantry Division * 27th Infantry Division SSI

27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team The 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Empire") is an infantry brigade combat team of the New York Army National Guard, one of the brigades that make up the 42nd Infantry Division. The state mission of the 27th Infantry Brigade is to maintai ...

(IBCT) ( NY NG) **Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) ** 101CavRegtDUI

2nd Squadron,

101st Cavalry Regiment ''This page is about the 101st Cavalry Regiment. The 101st Cavalry Group was its headquarters unit.'' The 101st Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the New York National Guard that has existed in various forms since 1838 and which saw service in the A ...

( Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA)) **

1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment ** 108th Infantry DUI

2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment ** 182 Inf Rgt DUI

1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment ( MA NG) ** 258FARegtDUI

1st Battalion,

258th Field Artillery Regiment The 258th Field Artillery Regiment or "Washington Greys" is a Field Artillery Branch (United States), field artillery unit of the New York Army National Guard that traces its lineage from 1809 to present. Circa 1957–1966 it consisted of four bat ...

(FAR) ** 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB) ** 427th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) * US Army 44th Infantry Division SSI

44th IBCT ( NJ NG) **HHC ** 102CavRegtDUI

1st Squadron,

102nd Cavalry Regiment The 102nd Cavalry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army first established in 1913 and which saw service in World War II. History The regiment was designated as the 102nd Cavalry on 17 August 1921 from the 1st New Jersey Cavalry Re ...

(RSTA) **

2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry Regiment ** 114_dui

1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment ** 181st Infantry Regiment DUI

1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment ( MA NG) ** 112FARegtDUI

3rd Battalion, 112th FAR ** 104th BEB ** 250th BSB * 86th BCT (MTN)

86th IBCT (Mountain) ( VT NG) ** 86 Inf Bde DUI

HHC **

1st Squadron, 172nd Cavalry Regiment (RSTA) ** 102nd Infantry Regiment DUI

1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) ( CT NG) ** US ARNG 1-157 Inf Reg DUI

1st Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment (Mountain) ( CO NG) ** 172 Inf Rgt DUI

3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) ( VT NG & NH NG & ME NG) ** 101st Distinctive Unit Insignia

1st Battalion, 101st FAR ( MA NG & VT NG) ** US Army 572nd Brigade Engineer Battalion DUI

572nd BEB ** US Army 186th Bde Support Bn DUI

186th BSB * Combat Aviation Brigade, 42d Infantry Division (CAB) ( NY NG) ** HHC ** 126 Avn Rgt DUI

3rd Battalion (General Support), 126th Aviation Regiment ( MA NG & VT NG & MD NG) ** 151_Avn_Rgt_DUI

1st Battalion (Attack/Recon),

151st Aviation Regiment The 151st Aviation Regiment is an aviation regiment of the U.S. Army, primarily provided by the South Carolina Army National Guard. Structure * 1st Battalion (Attack Reconnaissance) "Ghostriders" at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, Eastover ** ...

3rd Battalion (Assault), 142nd Aviation Regiment ** 642nd Aviation Support Battalion

Attached units

26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade The 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade ("Yankee") is a combat support brigade of the United States Army. Its headquarters is maintained by the Massachusetts Army National Guard. It draws its lineage from the Headquarters Company 26th Infantry D ...

( MA ARNG) ** 26 meb dui

HHC **

Network Signal Company * 197th_FA_Brigade_patch

197th Field Artillery Brigade The 197th Field Artillery Brigade ("Concord Volunteers") is a Field Artillery Brigade, field artillery brigade of the New Hampshire Army National Guard. Current structure * 197th Field Artillery Brigade (197th FAB), New Hampshire Army Nationa ...

(NH ARNG) ** 197 Fires Bde DUI

Headquarters and Headquarters Battery ** 197 FA Rgt DUI

3rd Battalion, 197th FAR (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (

HIMARS The M142 HIMARS (M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a light multiple rocket launcher developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army and mounted on a standard United States Army Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) truc ...

)) (NH NG) ** 103rd Field ARtillery Regiment

1st Battalion, 103rd FAR ( M777A2 Howitzer) (RI NG) (aligned with

(FAB)) **

1st Battalion, 109th FAR (

M109A6 Paladin M1, M01 or M-1 may refer to: Arts, entertainment & media * WD-M01 Turn A Gundam, a mecha from the anime ''Turn A Gundam'' * M-1 (rapper), one half of hip hop duo Dead Prez * Korg M1, a keyboard synthesizer * Leica M1, a 1959 35 mm camera mo ...

) (PA NG) (aligned with 197th FAB) ** 119FARegtDUI

1st Battalion, 119th FAR (M777A2 Howitzer) (MI NG) (aligned with 197th FAB) ** 182_FA_Rgt_DUI

1st Battalion, 182nd FAR (HIMARS) (MI NG) (aligned with 197th FAB) ** 201FARegtDUI

1st Battalion, 201st FAR (M109A6 Paladin) (WV NG) (aligned with 197th FAB) ** 3643_Spt_Bn_DUI

3643rd BSB (NH NG) ** 197 FA Rgt DUI

Battery E, 197th FAR (NH NG) ** 372nd Signal Company (NH NG) * 369SustainBdeSSI

369th Sustainment Brigade The 369th Sustainment Brigade is a United States Army sustainment brigade of the 53rd Troop Command of the New York Army National Guard headquartered out of the 369th Regiment Armory in Harlem, New York. This unit is descended from the 369th I ...

Note: Security and support (S&S) battalions are used in homeland security and drug interdiction roles. These units are currently not to be deployed outside the United States. S&S battalions are placed under a

combat aviation brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikor ...

for organizational purposes.

Commanders of the 42nd Infantry Division

Notable former members

Robert Galbraith Allison The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

, World War I, director of the budget, state of Tennessee * Vito Bertoldo, World War II,

Boris Bittker Boris Irving Bittker (November 28, 1916 – September 8, 2005) was an American legal scholar. A professor at Yale Law School, Bittker was a prolific author, writing many textbooks and over one hundred articles on tax law. Born in Rochester, N ...

, World War II, law professor *

George Emerson Brewer George Emerson Brewer (July 28, 1861 – December 24, 1939) was an American surgeon and urologist known for his contributions to the eponymous Brewer infarcts. Biography George Brewer was born on 28 July 1861 in Westfield, New York, the son ...

, World War I, surgeon * Joseph W. Brooks, World War I, college football coach *

Wilber M. Brucker Wilber Marion Brucker (June 23, 1894 – October 28, 1968) was an American Republican politician. Born in Saginaw, Michigan, he served as the 32nd governor of Michigan from 1931 to 1933 and as the United States Secretary of the Army betwee ...

, World War I,

United States Secretary of the Army The secretary of the Army (SA or SECARMY) is a senior civilian official within the United States Department of Defense, with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, insta ...

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

, World War II, member of the

Iowa Senate The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly, United States. There are 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state of Iowa with populations of approximately 60,927 per constituency, . ...

Frank Merrill Caldwell Frank Merrill Caldwell (November 8, 1866 – March 8, 1937) was an American Brigadier general active during World War I.Marquis Who's Who, Inc. ''Who Was Who in American History, the Military''. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1975.P.49 Early life ...

, World War I, 83rd Infantry Brigade commander *

Kenneth John Conant Kenneth John Conant (June 28, 1894 – March 3, 1984) was an American architectural historian and educator, who specialized in medieval architecture. Conant is known for his studies of Cluny Abbey. Career Born in Neenah, Conant received a Bac ...

, World War I, architectural historian *

Hamilton Corbett Hamilton Forbush "Ham" Corbett (December 13, 1888 – May 7, 1966) was a prominent Portland, Oregon businessman and in his younger years was a leading amateur American football player. He played college football for Harvard University and was a co ...

, World War I, college football player and businessman *

Scott Corbett W. Scott Corbett (July 27, 1913 – March 6, 2006) was an American novelist and educator. Beginning 1950 he wrote five adult novels, then began writing books for children. He retired from teaching in 1965 to write full-time. His best known book ...

, World War II, journalist and author . John Monaghan. ''The Providence Journal''. March 9, 2006. Archived 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2013-06-28. *

W. Arthur Cunningham W. Arthur Cunningham (1894 – May 5, 1934) was an American lawyer who served in the United States Army during World War I and rose to the rank of major. He received the ''Croix de Guerre'' and became a banking executive before taking office as N ...

, World War I,

New York City Comptroller The Office of Comptroller of New York City, a position established in 1801, is the chief financial officer and chief auditor of the city agencies and their performance and spending. The comptroller also reviews all city contracts, handles the s ...

* Roger W. Cutler Jr., World War II, athlete, attorney and banker * Reginald B. DeLacour, World War I, adjutant general of Connecticut *

John L. DeWitt John Lesesne DeWitt (January 9, 1880 – June 20, 1962) was a 4-star general officer in the United States Army, best known for leading the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Em ...

, World War I, U.S. Army

four-star general A four-star rank is the rank of any four-star officer described by the Ranks and insignia of NATO, NATO OF-9 code. Four-star officers are often the most senior commanders in the armed services, having ranks such as (full) admiral, (full) general ...

Michael A. Donaldson Michael Aloysius Donaldson (January 16, 1884 – April 12, 1970) was a United States Army sergeant and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in France during World War I. He was a ...

, World War I, Medal of Honor *

William J. Donovan William Joseph "Wild Bill" Donovan (January 1, 1883 – February 8, 1959) was an American soldier, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat, best known for serving as the head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the Bur ...

, World War I, Medal of Honor *

, World War I, Catholic priest and army chaplain *

Francis J. Evon, Jr. Major General Francis J. Evon Jr. is the Adjutant General of the Connecticut National Guard. He is responsible to the Governor and the Chief, National Guard Bureau, for providing operationally trained, equipped and mission-ready forces to suppo ...

, Operation Enduring Freedom,

Connecticut Adjutant General The Adjutant General of Connecticut is the highest-ranking military officer in the Armed Forces of the State of Connecticut which includes the Connecticut National Guard, the four units of the Governor's Guards, the Connecticut State Guard, the ...

Samuel Warren Hamilton Samuel Warren Hamilton, M.D. (1878-1951) was an American physician and psychiatrist who was an expert in the organization of mental hospitals. Early life Hamilton was born in Brandon, Vermont to Warren Henry Hamilton and Mary Salome Turrill, ...

, World War I, psychiatrist *

Thomas S. Hammond Thomas Stevens Hammond (October 29, 1883 – June 15, 1950) was an American business and political leader, soldier, and college football player and coach. He played football for Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1903, 1904 and 1905 "Point-a-Minute" foot ...

, World War I, business executive *

Thomas T. Handy Thomas Troy Handy (March 11, 1892 – April 12, 1982) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army from 1944 to 1947; Commanding General, Fourth United States Army from 1947 to 1949; Commande ...

, World War I, U.S. Army four-star general * Thomas Francis Hickey, World War II, U.S. Army lieutenant general * Lisa J. Hou, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Adjutant general of the

New Jersey National Guard The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of more than 6,000 Citizen-Soldiers. The New Jersey Army National Guard is currently engaged in multiple worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germ ...

* Benson W. Hough, World War I, judge of the

United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio (in case citations, S.D. Ohio) is one of two United States district courts in Ohio and includes forty-eight of the state's eighty-eight counties–everything from the Columbus are ...

Kevin Interdonato Kevin Interdonato (b. April 5, 1979) is an American actor. He began his career on the East Coast, an Actor known for his work on the rising Indie film scene in NYC, Philadelphia and NJ. From 2001, his Television roles on The Sopranos, Law And Order, ...

, Operation Iraqi Freedom, actor * Olin D. Johnston, World War I, U.S. senator *

Louis Jordan Louis Thomas Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as " the King of the Jukebox", he earned his high ...

, World War I, college football player *

, World War I, journalist and poet *

Rory Lancman Rory Lancman (born March 4, 1969) is an American politician and former member of the New York City Council, representing the 24th district from 2014 until 2020. He is a Democrat. The district includes Briarwood, Cunningham Park, Flushing, F ...

, Cold War, member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

and

New York City Council The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of New York City. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five Borough (New York City), boroughs. The council serves as a check against the Mayor of New York City, mayor in a may ...

Bruce M. Lawlor Major General (Retired) Bruce M. Lawlor (born January 24, 1948) is a retired United States Army officer. He is prominent as the first commander of Joint Task Force-Civil Support. In addition, he was one of five White House staff members who w ...

, U.S. Army major general *

George E. Leach George Emerson Leach (July 14, 1876 – July 17, 1955) was an American politician who served as a major general in the United States Army and two-time Republican Mayor of Minneapolis. Early life George Emerson Leach was born in Cedar Rapids ...

, World War I,

mayor of Minneapolis This is a list of mayors of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The current mayor is Jacob Frey (DFL). Minneapolis From 1867 to 1878 mayors were elected for a 1-year term. Beginning in 1878 the term was extended to 2 years. As the city became larger and mor ...

Michael Joseph Lenihan Brigadier General Michael Joseph Lenihan (May 2, 1865 – August 13, 1958) was a senior officer of the United States Army. He was involved in conflicts in the American Western Frontier, the Philippines, and World War I, where he commanded the 83r ...

, World War I, 83rd Brigade commander *

Ralph Linton Ralph Linton (27 February 1893 – 24 December 1953) was an American anthropologist of the mid-20th century, particularly remembered for his texts ''The Study of Man'' (1936) and ''The Tree of Culture'' (1955). One of Linton's major contributio ...

, World War I, anthropologist *

Charles MacArthur Charles Gordon MacArthur (November 5, 1895 – April 21, 1956) was an American playwright, screenwriter and 1935 winner of the Academy Award for Best Story. Life and career MacArthur was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the sixth of seven chil ...

, World War I, author *

Sidney E. Manning Sidney Earnest Manning (July 17, 1892 – December 15, 1960) was a soldier in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I. Early life Manning was born in Butler County, Alabama on July 17, 1892, th ...

, World War I, Medal of Honor *

Jeff W. Mathis III Jeff W. Mathis III (December 5, 1955 – June 3, 2016) was a career officer in the United States Army. A longtime member of the Army National Guard, Mathis attained the rank of major general before retiring in 2014. A veteran of overseas deploymen ...

, Cold War, U.S. Army major general *

Moose McCormick Harry Elwood "Moose" McCormick (February 28, 1881 – July 9, 1962) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball between 1904 and 1913 for the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pira ...

, World War I, professional baseball player, director of the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

during World War II *

Thomas C. Neibaur Thomas Croft Neibaur (May 17, 1898 – December 23, 1942) was the first Latter-day Saint (Mormon) to receive the Medal of Honor. He was also the first soldier from Idaho to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Neibaur was an automatic rifleman who se ...

, World War I, Medal of Honor *

Donald A. Quarles Donald Aubrey Quarles (July 30, 1894 – May 8, 1959) was a Telecommunications engineering, communications engineer, senior level executive with Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric, and a top official in the United States Department ...

, World War I,

United States Deputy Secretary of Defense The deputy secretary of defense (acronym: DepSecDef) is a statutory office () and the second-highest-ranking official in the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The deputy secretary is the principal civilian deputy to the se ...

* Richard W. O'Neill, World War I, Medal of Honor *

Todd Pillion Todd Edward Pillion (born November 1, 1973) is an American dentist, business owner, and politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia. A member of the Republican Party, Pillion represents the 40th district in the Virginia Senate in Southwest V ...

, Operation Iraqi Freedom, member of the

Senate of Virginia The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Virg ...

B. Carroll Reece Brazilla Carroll Reece (December 22, 1889 – March 19, 1961) was an American Republican Party politician from Tennessee. He represented eastern Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives for all but six years from 1921 to 1961 ...

, World War I, U.S. congressman * Henry J. Reilly, World War I, author and journalist * Louis W. Ross, World War I, architect *

Richard J. Tallman Richard J. Tallman (March 28, 1925 – July 9, 1972) was a United States Army brigadier general who was killed by North Vietnamese artillery fire in 1972 during the Battle of An Lộc. He was the last U.S. Army general to die in the Vietnam W ...

, World War II, U.S. Army brigadier general * John C. F. Tillson, World War II, U.S. Army major general *

Robert Tyndall Robert Henry Tyndall (2 May 1877 – 9 July 1947) was a United States artillery officer in World War I, a major general, and mayor of Indianapolis during World War II. Early career Robert Tyndall was born in Indianapolis, the son of William Edd ...

, World War I,

mayor of Indianapolis In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

James Ronald Warren James Ronald Warren (May 25, 1925 – September 13, 2012) was a Seattle historian instrumental in rediscovering the source of the Seattle fire of 1889. He also fought as a member of the 242nd Infantry Regiment of the 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Di ...

, World War II, Historian *

Emmett Watson Emmett Watson (November 22, 1918 – May 11, 2001) was an American newspaper columnist from Seattle, Washington, whose columns ran in a variety of Seattle newspapers over a span of more than fifty years. Initially a sportswriter, he is primari ...

, World War I, illustrator * Arthur Whittemore, World War I, associate justice of the

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) is the court of last resort, highest court in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Although the claim is disputed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the SJC claims the di ...

In popular culture

The 42nd Infantry Division was featured in the 2008 monster film ''

Cloverfield ''Cloverfield'' is a 2008 American found footage monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams, and written by Drew Goddard. It stars Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel and Odette Yustman ...

''.

External links

42nd Division homepage

Rainbow Memories; Character Sketches of the 1st Battalion 166th Infantry Regiment

* {{DEFAULTSORT:042 042nd Infantry Division, U.S. Infantry Division, U.S. 042 Divisions of the United States Army National Guard United States Army divisions of World War I Infantry divisions of the United States Army in World War II Military units and formations in New York (state) Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations in Massachusetts