The 77th Sustainment Brigade is a unit of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

that inherited the lineage of the 77th Infantry Division ("Statue of Liberty"), which 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 ...

and

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 ...

. Its headquarters has been at Fort Dix, New Jersey, since its predecessor command, the 77th Regional Readiness Command, was disestablished in 2008 from Fort Totten in Bayside, Queens, New York. Soldiers from the 77th have served in most major conflict and contingency operations since World War II. The division is nicknamed the "Statue of Liberty Division"; the shoulder patch bears the

Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a List of colossal sculpture in situ, colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the U ...

in gold on a blue isosceles-trapezoid shape. U.S. Marines on

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

nicknamed them the "77th Marine Division". The

Clearview Expressway Clearview or clear view may refer to: Entertainment * ''Clearview'' (album), the seventh studio album by the Finnish rock band Poets of the Fall Companies * Clearview AI, a facial recognition company * Clearview Cinemas, a chain of movie thea ...

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

, New York, is named the "U.S. Army 77th Infantry Division Expressway", honoring the division and its successor commands.

World War I

*Activated: 18 August 1917 Camp Upton in Yaphank, New York. *Operations: Meuse-Argonne, Oise-Aisne. The 77th Infantry Division consisted initially of draftees, mostly from

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. They trained at Camp Upton in

Yaphank, New York Yaphank () is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 5,945 at the time of the 2010 census. Yaphank is located in the south part of the Town of Brookhaven. It is served by the Lo ...

, in the central part of

Suffolk County, Long Island Suffolk County () is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. It is mainly located on the eastern end of Long Island, but also includes several smaller islands. According to the 2020 United States census, the county's population ...

; the camp is now Brookhaven National Laboratory. The US Army on the Western Front, 1917-1918 Q8986

It was the first American division composed of draftees to arrive in France in World War I, landing in April 1918; overall, it was the seventh of 42 divisions to reach 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 ...

. The division fought in the Battle of Château-Thierry on 18 July 1918 and later in the Meuse–Argonne offensive, the largest battle in the

history of the United States Army 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 ...

, from late September until the Armistice with Germany on November 11, 1918. During its service in France, the 77th Division sustained 10,194 casualties: 1,486 killed and 8,708 wounded. The division returned to the United States in April 1919 and was deactivated later that month. The 153rd Infantry Brigade consisted of the 305th Infantry Regiment, 306th Infantry Regiment, and 305th Machine Gun Battalion. The brigade was initially commanded by Brigadier General

Edmund Wittenmyer Edmund Wittenmyer (April 25, 1862 − July 5, 1937) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War and World War I, in addition to several other conflicts, he attained the rank of major general and was most ...

. The 154th Infantry Brigade was composed of the 307th and 308th Infantry Regiments and the 306th Machine Gun Battalion. The brigade's inaugural commander was Brigadier General Evan M. Johnson. The United States Army in France, 1918 Q70738

The United States Army in France, 1918 Q70738

While the division had been recruited as a National Army unit from the New York City area,

attrition Attrition may refer to *Attrition warfare, the military strategy of wearing down the enemy by continual losses in personnel and material **War of Attrition, fought between Egypt and Israel from 1968 to 1970 **War of attrition (game), a model of agg ...

and replacements had complicated the complexion of the unit. For example, the 40th Division had been converted into a "depot division" in August 1918 to equip, train, and forward replacements to other units, and in the process, Company L of the 160th Infantry, part of the California National Guard, had supplied many of its original men to Company K of the 307th Infantry as replacements. The " Lost Battalion" of World War I fame was composed of six companies of the 308th Infantry Regiment and one from the 307th Infantry Regiment. * 77th Division Commanders: ** Maj. Gen.

J. Franklin Bell James Franklin Bell (January 9, 1856 – January 8, 1919) was an officer in the United States Army who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1906 to 1910. Bell was a major general in the Regular United States Army, commanding ...

(18 August 1917) ** Brig. Gen. Evan M. Johnson (4 December 1917) ** Maj. Gen. G. B. Duncan (8 May 1918) ** Brig. Gen. Evan M. Johnson (20 July 1918) ** Brig. Gen. Evan M. Johnson (19 August 1918) ** Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander (27 August 1918)

Order of battle

* Headquarters, 77th Division * 153rd Infantry Brigade ** 305th Infantry Regiment ** 306th Infantry Regiment ** 305th Machine Gun Battalion * 154th Infantry Brigade ** 307th Infantry Regiment ** 308th Infantry Regiment ** 306th Machine Gun Battalion * 152nd Field Artillery Brigade ** 304th Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm) ** 305th Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm) ** 306th Field Artillery Regiment (155 mm) ** 302nd Trench Mortar Battery * 307th Machine Gun Battalion * 302nd Engineer Regiment * 302nd Field Signal Battalion * Headquarters Troop, 77th Division * 302nd Train Headquarters and Military Police ** 302nd Ammunition Train ** 302nd Supply Train ** 302nd Engineer Train ** 302nd Sanitary Train *** 305th, 306th, 307th, and 308th Ambulance Companies and Field Hospitals

Interwar period

The division was reconstituted in the

Organized Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. Since July 2020, ...

on 24 June 1921, allotted to the Second Corps Area, assigned to the

XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to: * 12th Army Corps (France) * XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army * XII (Ro ...

and allotted to the southeastern portion of the state of New York, particularly

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

and the

area. The headquarters was initiated on 1 July 1921.

World War II

Americans on Okinawa hear of victory in Europe

United_States_World_War_II_Infantry_Division_1942_Structure

* Ordered into active military service: 25 March 1942, Fort Jackson, South Carolina * Trained at

Camp Hyder The Camp Hyder was a sub camp of the US Army, Desert Training Center in Riverside County, California. The main headquarters for the Desert Training Center was Camp Young, this is where General Patton's 3rd Armored Division was stationed. C ...

, California in 1943 * Overseas: 24 March 1944 * Campaigns: Western Pacific,

Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has be ...

, Ryukyus * Distinguished Unit Citations: 16 * Awards:

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. ...

: 6;

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

: 19;

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...

: 2;

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

: 335;

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

: 22; Soldier's Medal: 25;

Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

: 4,433;

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

: 4 * Commanders: ** Maj. Gen.

Robert L. Eichelberger Robert Lawrence Eichelberger (9 March 1886 – 26 September 1961) was a general officer in the United States Army who commanded the Eighth United States Army in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, Southwest Pacific Area during Wo ...

(March–June 1942) ** Maj. Gen.

Roscoe B. Woodruff Major General Roscoe Barnett Woodruff (February 9, 1891 – April 24, 1975) was a career United States Army officer who fought in both World War I and World War II and served for 38 years. During World War II he commanded numerous divisions and c ...

(June 1942 – May 1943) ** Maj. Gen.

Andrew D. Bruce Lieutenant General Andrew Davis Bruce (September 14, 1894 – July 28, 1969) was an American academic and soldier who served as the third president of the University of Houston. He retired from the United States Army in 1954 as a lieutenant gener ...

(May 1943 – 27 February 1946) * Chaplain:

Fray Angélico Chávez Angelico Chavez, O.F.M. (April 10, 1910 – March 18, 1996), was an Hispanic American Friar Minor, priest, historian, author, poet and painter. "Angelico" was his pen name; he also dropped the accent marks from this name. Early life Born the fir ...

* Inactivated: 15 March 1946 in Japan

Order of battle

* Headquarters, 77th Infantry Division * 305th Infantry Regiment * 306th Infantry Regiment * 307th Infantry Regiment * Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 77th Infantry Division Artillery ** 304th Field Artillery Battalion ** 305th Field Artillery Battalion ** 306th Field Artillery Battalion ** 902nd Field Artillery Battalion * 302nd Engineer Combat Battalion * 302nd Medical Battalion * 77th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) * Headquarters, Special Troops, 77th Infantry Division ** Headquarters Company, 77th Infantry Division ** 777th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company ** 77th Quartermaster Company ** 77th Signal Company ** Military Police Platoon ** Band * 77th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment The 77th Infantry Division landed in Hawaii, 31 March 1944, and continued training in amphibious landings and jungle warfare. Elements began to leave Hawaii, 1 July 1944, for the amphibious assault on Guam. Attached to

III Amphibious Force III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * Ins ...

, the 77th made an assault landing on Guam, 21 July 1944. After taking over defense of the beachhead, the division drove north to seize Mount Tenjo and effected junction with the

3d Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry divisions in the Marine Corps and together with th ...

, linking the northern and southern bridgeheads, 23–29 July. It continued to drive north, and dislodged the enemy from positions at Barrigada town and mountain, 4 August, resistance ending on 8 August. With Guam recaptured, the 77th sailed for

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, but plans were changed en route and it was directed to proceed to

. The division landed on the east coast of Leyte, 23 November 1944, and was attached to XXIV Corps, Sixth Army. After a short period of training and combat patrolling in the Corps' rear, 23 November – 6 December, it landed at Ipil and fought up the east coast of Ormoc Bay to seize Ormoc on 10 December. Attacking north, astride Highway No. 2, the division secured Valencia and the Libungao-Palompon road junction. Mopping up operations continued through January 1945 to 5 February 1945. The next combat assignment was

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

. In late March (26–29), the division made 15 landings, securing

Kerama Retto The are a subtropical island group southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Geography Four islands are inhabited: Tokashiki Island, Zamami Island, Aka Island, and Geruma Island. The islands are administered as Tokashiki Village and Zamami Vill ...

and Keise Shima for the assault on Okinawa. Riding at sea, 1–15 April 1945, it suffered casualties from enemy suicide attacks, and prepared for the assault landing on

Ie Shima , previously romanized in English as Ie Shima, is an island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula on Okinawa Island. The island measures in circumference and covers . As of December 2012 the island had ...

. On 16 April 1945, the 77th landed on Ie Shima, captured the airfield, and engaged in a bitter fight for "Government House Hill" and "Bloody Ridge." It was in this operation that Ernie Pyle was killed. On April 25 it left Ie Shima for Okinawa, relieving the 96th Division on 1 May 1945. Fighting its way slowly against extremely heavy Japanese resistance, the division drove to Shuri in conjunction with the

1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). It is the ...

, occupying it 29–31 May. In June the division covered the right flank of XXIV Corps and "sealed" Japanese cave positions. In July the division moved to Cebu, Philippine Islands, and prepared for the anticipated invasion of Japan (

Operation Downfall Operation Downfall was the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of the Japanese home islands near the end of World War II. The planned operation was canceled when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, th ...

). On 6 and 9 August 1945, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...

and

Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hidden Christian Sites in the ...

, forcing the

surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...

and thereby cancelling Operation Downfall. The division landed in Japan in October 1945 for occupation duty, and was inactivated a few months later on 15 March 1946.

Casualties

*Total battle casualties: 7,461Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953) *Killed in action: 1,449 *Wounded in action: 5,935 *Missing in action: 76 *Prisoner of war: 27

21st century

Five soldiers from the 77th lost their lives at the World Trade Center in the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...

, while serving in their civilian duties. The lineage of the 77th Infantry Division is perpetuated today by the 77th Sustainment Brigade, a unit of the Army Reserve, with its headquarters at Fort Dix, N.J. In 2011, the brigade deployed to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn. The brigade headquarters was stationed in Balad, Iraq and held logistical responsibility for the re-posturing of forces in northern Iraq. The unit's motto is "Liberty Warriors".

References

; Notes ; Bibliography *

* Myers, Max. (ed.) ''Ours to Hold It High: The History of the 77th Infantry Division in World War II by Men Who Were There''. Washington, D.C.: Infantry Journal Press, 1947. https://archive.org/stream/OursToHoldItHigh#page/n1/mode/2up

External links

a publication of the

United States Army Center of Military History The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...

77th Memorial Grove, Fort Totten, Bayside, NY
ttps://archive.org/stream/OursToHoldItHigh#page/n1/mode/2up Ours To Hold It High: the history of the 77th Infantry Division in World War II {{DEFAULTSORT:077 077th Infantry Division, U.S. Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations of the United States Army Reserve 77th Sustainment Brigade Sustainment Brigades of the United States Army Infantry Division, U.S. 077 United States Army divisions of World War I 1917 establishments in New York (state)

World War I

Order of battle

Interwar period

World War II

Order of battle

Casualties

21st century

See also

References

Further reading

External links