27TH INFANTRY DIVISION (UNITED STATES)

(Redirected from U.S. 27th Division)

The '27th Infantry Division' was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II.

Contents

World War I

World War II

Organization

Combat Chronicle

General

References

External links

World War I

★ Activated: July 1917 (National Guard Division from New York).

★ Overseas: Early summer 1918.

★ Major Operations: Meuse-Argonne, Ypres-Lys, Somme offensive.

★ Casualties: Total 8,334 (KIA-1,442; WIA-6,892).

★ Commanders:

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★ Maj. Gen. John F. O'Ryan (16 July 1917),

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★ Brig. Gen. C. L. Phillips (19 September 1917),

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★ Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (6 December 1917),

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★ Brig. Gen. C. L. Phillips (23 December 1917),

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★ Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (29 December 1917),

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★ Brig. Gen. C. L. Phillips (22 February 1918),

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★ Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (1 March 1918),

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★ Brig. Gen. Palmer E. Pierce (16 June 1918),

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★ Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (18 June 1918),

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★ Brig. Gen. Palmer E. Pierce (14 November 1918),

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★ Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (23 November 1918).

★ Inactivated: April 1919.

World War II

★ Activated: 15 October 1940.

★ Overseas: 10 March 1942.

★ Campaigns: Various elements participated in several campaigns in the Pacific but not the entire division.

★ Distinguished Unit Citations: 2.

★ Awards: MH-3 ; DSC-21 ; DSM-2 ; SS-412 ; LM-15; SM-13 ; BSM-986 ; AM-9.

★ Commanders:

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★ Maj. Gen. William N. Haskell (October 1940–October 1941)

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★ Brig. Gen. Ralph McT. Pennell (November 1941–October 1942)

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★ Maj. Gen. Ralph C. Smith (November 1942–May 1944)

★
★ Maj. Gen. George W. Griner, Jr. (June 1944–December 1945)

★ Returned to U.S.: 15 December 1945

★ Inactivated: 31 December 1945

Organization

★ 105th, 106th, 165th Infantry Regiments ("The Fighting 69th")

★ 104th, 105th, 106th and 249th Field Artillery Battalions

★ 102nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 152nd Engineer Combat Battalion.

★ 27th quartermaster CO. ("The Fighting QM's" were originally the 102nd Quartermaster Bn.)

Combat Chronicle

The 27th Infantry Division arrived in Hawaii, 21 May 1942, to defend the outer islands from amphibious attack. Elements of the division first saw action in the attack and capture of Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, 21–24 November 1943. One battalion of the 106th Regiment participated in the attack on Eniwetok Atoll, 19–26 February 1944, returning to Oahu in March. During this mission, one battalion landed unopposed on Majuro Island, 1 February, and completed its seizure, 3 February. The division began preparations for the Marianas operations, 15 March. On D-day plus 1, 16 June 1944, elements landed at night on Saipan to support the Second and Fourth Marine Divisions. A bridgehead was established and Aslito Airfield captured, 18 June. Fighting continued throughout June. During a pitched battle, 7 July, Japanese overran elements of the division in a banzai attack, but organized resistance was crushed the next day. During the months of July and August, the 27th cleaned out isolated pockets in the mountains and cliffs of Saipan. during the large banzi attack on saipan the 27th Qm's took heavy losses while helping the 105th infantry fight back the charge.
Beginning in the middle of August, the division moved to the New Hebrides for rest and rehabilitation. On 25 March 1945, the 27th sailed from Espiritu Santo, arriving at Okinawa, 9 April 1945. The Division participated in the XXIV Corps general attack, 19 April 1945, securing a dominating ridge line south of Machinato and Kakazu. Machinato Airfield was captured, 28 April, after a severe struggle. On 1 May, the division was relieved by the 1st Marine Division and attached to the Island Command for garrison duty. Tori Shima was seized, 12 May, without opposition. The 27th attacked from the south end of Ishikawa Isthmus to sweep the northern sector of Okinawa. The enemy fought bitterly on Onnatake Hill from 23 May until 2 June, before losing the strong point. After a mopping-up period, the division left Okinawa, 7 September 1945, moved to Japan and occupied Niigata and Fukushima Prefectures. A while into the okinwawa campaigin the 27th Qm was sent to tinian to help the air force units by deliving bombs from the beach to the airfeild. It ended up helping to deliving the atomic bomb to the Enola Gay.

General

★ Nickname: New York.

★ Shoulder patch: Khaki-bordered circle with black background and within a red circle the letters "NY" worked into a monogram; with the red circle stars depicting Orion, from "O'Ryan", the name of the division's WWI commander.

★ The 27th Brigade of the NYARNG carries on the lineage and history of the 27ID. It is one of the four brigade combat teams that make up the maneuver elements of the 42nd Infantry Division. Elements of the 27th Brigade have fought in Iraq, though it has not yet deployed as a complete unit.

★ The 27th Brigade has been alerted to prepare for movement to Afghanistan in early 2008 to train ANA troops and conduct combat operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda elements.

References

★ ''The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States'' U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at CMH.

External links

★ Oryan Roughnecks

★ Digger History