The 43rd Infantry Division was a

formation Formation may refer to: Linguistics * Back-formation, the process of creating a new lexeme by removing or affixes * Word formation, the creation of a new word by adding affixes Mathematics and science * Cave formation or speleothem, a secondar ...

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 ...

from 1920 to 1963, serving in the Pacific during

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 ...

. It was activated in 1920 as a

National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...

Division in

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

, and

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

. The 143rd Regional Support Group of the Connecticut National Guard now carries on the heritage.

Creation and interwar period

The 1920 amendments to the National Defense Act of 1916 provided for eighteen National Guard divisions. Seventeen National Guard divisions had served in the First World War; the 42nd "Rainbow" Division was not reconstituted after the war, and the 39th "Delta" Division was eliminated from the force structure in 1923 by being renamed the 31st Division. The 43rd, 44th, and 45th Divisions were constituted as new units. The 43rd Division was allotted as the National Guard division for New England, replacing the 26th Division which became an all-Massachusetts outfit. The 43rd Infantry Division was constituted on 19 October 1920, with the division headquarters being organized and federally recognized in Hartford, Connecticut, on 21 March 1925. The 43rd Division consisted of two infantry brigades, the 85th in Connecticut, and the 86th in Vermont. The 85th Brigade included the 102nd and 169th Infantry Regiment, both based in Connecticut. The 86th Brigade was made up of the 172nd Infantry Regiment in Vermont and the 103rd Infantry in Maine. In addition, the 68th Field Artillery Brigade was based in Providence, Rhode Island.

Order of battle, 1924 and 1939

An asterisk indicates the state of headquarters allocation; the headquarters was not yet organized or was inactive. The 170th Infantry was redesignated as the 102nd Infantry on 28 February 1924.

World War II

The 43rd Division was mobilized for federal service on 24 February 1941. It was reorganized as a "triangular" division meaning that it had three infantry regiments, rather than four infantry regiments organized into two brigades. The 43rd was originally sent to Camp Blanding, Florida where it was based prior to participating in the

Louisiana Maneuvers The Louisiana Maneuvers were a series of major U.S. Army exercises held in 1941 in northern and west-central Louisiana, an area bounded by the Sabine River to the west, the Calcasieu River to the east, and by the city of Shreveport to the nort ...

of 1941 and the Carolina Maneuvers later that same year. The division relocated to

Camp Shelby Camp Shelby is a military post whose North Gate is located at the southern boundary of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on United States Highway 49. It is the largest state-owned training site in the nation. During wartime, the camp's mission is to se ...

, Mississippi on 14 February 1942 and was officially re-designated as the 43rd Infantry Division on 19 February 1942. The division staged for shipment overseas at

Fort Ord Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay of the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, m ...

, California on 6 September 1942 and departed San Francisco on 1 October. The division arrived in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

on 23 October 1942, prior to being committed to combat in the

South West Pacific Theater The South West Pacific theatre, during World War II, was a major theatre of the war between the Allies and the Axis. It included the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies (except for Sumatra), Borneo, Australia and its mandate Territory of ...

under the command of General

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 ...

. *Ordered into federal service: 24 February 1941. *Overseas: 1 October 1942. *Campaigns: New Guinea, Northern Solomons, Luzon. * Presidential Unit Citations: 4 Infantry Battalions (Luzon). *Personal Awards: MH-2 ; DSC-40 ; DSM-2 ; SS-736 ; LM-53; SM-51 ; BSM-2,496 ; AM-27. *Commanders: Maj. Gen. Morris B. Payne (February–August 1941), Maj. Gen.

John H. Hester John Hutchison Hester (11 September 1886 – 11 February 1976) was a major general in the United States Army who commanded the 43rd Infantry Division during World War II. Early career Hester was born on 11 September 1886 in Albany, Georgia. He ...

(8 October 1941-July 1943), Maj. Gen.

John R. Hodge General John Reed Hodge (June 12, 1893 – November 12, 1963) was a highly decorated senior officer of the United States Army. His final assignment before retiring was as Chief of Army Field Forces from 1952 to 1953. Early life and career Born ...

(July 1943 to August 1943), Maj. Gen.

Leonard F. Wing Leonard Fish Wing Sr. (November 12, 1893 – December 19, 1945), nicknamed "Red", was a Vermont political figure and a division commander in the United States Army during World War II. Early life Leonard Wing was born in Ira, Vermont on November ...

(August 1943 to inactivation). *Returned to U.S.: 19 October 1945. *Inactivated: 26 October 1945. United_States_World_War_II_Infantry_Division_1942_Structure

United_States_World_War_II_Infantry_Division_1942_Structure

Order of battle

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

Combat chronicle

American forces landing at Rendova Island

The 43rd Infantry Division landed in

on 23 October 1942. The 172nd Infantry Regiment arrived at

Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. Geography The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...

, 26 October. The division moved to Noumea,

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

, in November and to

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the seco ...

, 17 February 1943. The

Russell Islands :''See also Russell Island (disambiguation).'' The Russell Islands are two small islands (Pavuvu and Mbanika), as well as several islets, of volcanic origin, in the Central Province of Solomon Islands. They are located approximately northwest of ...

were occupied without opposition, 21 February, and training continued. Elements landed on

Vangunu Vangunu is an island, part of the New Georgia Islands in the Solomon Islands. It is located between New Georgia and Nggatokae Island. To the north and east of the island is Marovo Lagoon. The island has an area of . There are a small number of ...

and

Rendova Rendova is an island in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, east of Papua New Guinea. Geography Rendova Island is a roughly rectangularly-shaped island, located in the South Pacific in the New Georgia Islands. The ...

Islands against minor resistance, 30 June.

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

Arundel Island Arundel Island is an island of the New Georgia Islands archipelago in the Western Province of Solomon Islands. Its indigenous names are ''Kohinggo'' and ''Ndokulu''. Geography Arundel Island is located between Kolombangara and New Georgia islands, ...

before withdrawing, 22 September. After training at Munda, the 43rd moved to Guadalcanal and thence to New Zealand for rest and rehabilitation. On 19 July 1944, the division was deployed to the Aitape-Wewak campaign, assuming defensive positions at

Aitape Aitape is a small town of about 18,000 people on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is a coastal settlement that is almost equidistant from the provincial capitals of Wewak and Vanimo, and marks the midpoint of the ...

. It engaged in patrols and reconnaissance at Tadji and along the Drinumor River, 25 July, and took the offensive, 8 August 1944, ending organized resistance on the 25th. On 9 January 1945, the 43rd made an assault landing in the San Fabian area,

Lingayen Gulf The Lingayen Gulf is a large gulf on northwestern Luzon in the Philippines, stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central. The Agno River and the Balili ...

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...

. Under enemy fire, the Division secured the beachhead and fought into the Lingayen Plain by 12 February. The offensive was resumed against the enemy north and west of

Fort Stotsenburg Fort Stotsenburg, during the World War II era, was the location of the Philippine Department's 26th Cavalry Regiment, 86th Field Artillery Battalion, and 88th Field Artillery Regiment; along with the Philippine Division's 23rd and 24th Fiel ...

, 27 February. After ending Japanese resistance in the

Zambales Mountains The Zambales Mountains is a mountain range on western Luzon island in the Philippines. The mountains separate Luzon's central plain from the South China Sea. Its most prominent section is known as the Cabusilan Mountain Range composed of Mount ...

with help from the

Philippine Commonwealth Army The Philippine Army was established on December 21, 1935, as the Army of the Philippines, with a general headquarters in Manila, and units and formations based throughout the provinces of the Philippines. The Philippine Army was initially org ...

and

Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; tl, Hukbóng Pamayapà ng Pilipinas, ''HPP''; es, Policía de Filipinas, ''PF'') was a gendarmerie-type police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Po ...

, the 43rd swung south against the Shimbu Line. On 6 May 1945, the attack continued in the

Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...

area. Ipo Dam was secured and enemy opposition smashed in the Ipo area, 19 May. Mopping-up activities continued until 30 June 1945. The Division left

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

, 7 September 1945, and arrived in Yokohama, Japan on 13 September for occupation duty. The division began preparations for departure for home on 27 September 1945, and officially began their departure on 29 September. The first ship arrived in San Francisco on 8 October 1945, three years and seven days after the first ship had left on 1 October 1942. The division troops were then moved to Camp Stoneman near Pittsburg, California, and arrangements were made to send each man to the Army separation center nearest his home.

Casualties

*Total battle casualties: 6,026Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953) *Killed in action: 1,128 *Wounded in action: 4,887 *Missing in action: 9 *Prisoner of war: 2

Post World War II (1946-1963)

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

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

, the 43d Division was again ordered into active Federal Service on 5 September 1950 and was moved to

Seventh United States Army The Seventh Army was a United States army created during World War II that evolved into the United States Army Europe (USAREUR) during the 1950s and 1960s. It served in North Africa and Italy in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and Fran ...

VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to: * VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * VII ...

in West Germany in 1951. On 15 June 1954, the 43d Infantry Division was released and returned to state control. Its elements, stationed in the

Augsburg Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ' ...

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

area, were reflagged as the units of the 5th Infantry Division. Division elements in the Nuernberg Area such as the 169th Infantry Regiment became units of the 9th Infantry Division. The 169th Infantry reflagged as the 39th Infantry Regiment. The 43d Infantry Division was inactivated on 1 May 1963 as a result of National Guard restructuring. Its headquarters was reorganized as Headquarters Company, 43d Brigade, 26th Infantry Division aka the YANKEE Division. The 43d Brigade was relieved from assignment to the 26th Division on 1 September 1993, when the 26th Division was inactivated. It was then reorganized as Headquarters Company, 43d Infantry Brigade and now organized as the Headquarters Company, 143d Regional Support Group.

Commanding officers

* Morris B. Payne, July 1927 to August 1941 *

, August 1941 to July 1943 *

, July 1943 to August 1943 *

, August 1943 to November 1945

Recognition

U.S. Route 7 U.S. Route 7 (US 7) is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for through the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 (I-95) exit 15 ...

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

Notes

References

*''The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States'' U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced a
CMH
* *"The History of the 43rd Infantry Division" by Colonel Joseph E. Zimmer (Retired). Published by: The Army and Navy Publishing Co., Baton Rouge, La. {{Army Divisions (United States) 043d Infantry Division, U.S. Infantry Division, U.S. 043d Military units and formations established in 1925 Military units and formations disestablished in 1963 Military in Connecticut Connecticut National Guard Infantry divisions of the United States Army in World War II