23rd Infantry Division (United States)

23rd Infantry Division (United States). The 23rd Infantry Division, more famously known as the Americal Division, was a unique formation in the history of the United States Army. It was the only division of the U.S. Army to be formed outside of the United States, activated on New Caledonia in the South Pacific during World War II. The division saw extensive combat in the Pacific Theater of Operations, most notably on Guadalcanal and in the Philippines Campaign (1944–1945), and was later reactivated to serve during the Vietnam War.

History

The division was hastily organized in May 1942 from separate United States Army units already deployed to defend the strategic island of New Caledonia. Its name, "Americal," was a portmanteau of "America" and "New Caledonia." Under the command of Major General Alexander M. Patch, it first entered combat relieving the 1st Marine Division during the critical Guadalcanal Campaign. Following the Solomon Islands campaign, the division participated in the Bougainville campaign and later played a significant role in the Leyte and Luzon campaigns under Douglas MacArthur's South West Pacific Area command. After World War II, the division was inactivated in 1945, briefly reactivated from 1954 to 1956 at Fort Benning, and then again for service in the Vietnam War.

Organization

As a "square" division early in World War II, its initial organization differed from the standard triangular structure. Its core infantry regiments were the 132nd, 164th, and 182nd Infantry Regiments, which were National Guard units from Illinois, North Dakota, and Massachusetts respectively. Supporting units included the 221st Field Artillery Battalion and the 245th Field Artillery Battalion. During its reactivation for the Vietnam War, it was organized as a standard infantry division, with brigades including the 11th, 196th, and 198th Infantry Brigades.

Commanders

Notable commanders of the division included Major General Alexander M. Patch, who led it during its formative combat on Guadalcanal before later commanding the U.S. Seventh Army. Major General John W. O'Daniel commanded the division during the later stages of the Luzon campaign. During the Vietnam War, the division was led by several officers, including Major General Samuel W. Koster, who was the commanding general during the My Lai Massacre and was later relieved of command and censured for his role in the subsequent cover-up.

Campaigns and battles

The division's battle honors span two major conflicts. In World War II, its campaigns included the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Northern Solomons Campaign, and the Philippines Campaign (1944–1945), participating in pivotal battles such as the Battle of Mount Austen and the Battle of Leyte. During the Vietnam War, the Americal Division was deployed to I Corps in northern South Vietnam, operating in provinces such as Quảng Ngãi and Quảng Tín. Its area of operations included the site of the My Lai Massacre in 1968 and it was heavily engaged during the Tet Offensive and the subsequent Battle of Huế.

Insignia and nicknames

The division's official nickname, "Americal," was derived from its place of activation. Its shoulder sleeve insignia, approved in 1943, is a blue four-pointed star with the white letters "A," "M," "E," "R," "I," "C," "A," and "L" on each point, surrounding a white circle containing a red block "A." This distinctive patch was worn throughout its service in World War II and the Vietnam War. The division was also sometimes informally referred to by its numerical designation, the 23rd Infantry Division.

Legacy and honors

The legacy of the 23rd Infantry Division is complex, marked by both notable combat service and the infamy of the My Lai Massacre. Several of its units, including the 132nd Infantry Regiment, were awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for actions during the Liberation of the Philippines. Individual soldiers, such as Robert L. Howard who served with the division's 17th Cavalry in Vietnam, received the Medal of Honor. The division was inactivated in 1971 following its withdrawal from Vietnam, and its lineage and honors are currently maintained by the Army Reserve's 38th Sustainment Brigade.