32nd Infantry Division (United States)

32nd Infantry Division (United States). The 32nd Infantry Division was an infantry formation of the United States Army National Guard, primarily composed of units from Wisconsin and Michigan. It earned the nickname "Red Arrow Division" for its piercing of enemy lines and the French sobriquet "Les Terribles" for its tenacity in combat during World War I. The division saw extensive service in both World Wars, most notably in the South West Pacific Area during World War II, before its final inactivation in the Cold War era.

History

The division was constituted from National Guard units in 1917 following the American entry into World War I. Its initial core was drawn from the Wisconsin National Guard and the Michigan National Guard, with its first commander being Major General Edwin B. Winans. The division trained at Camp MacArthur in Texas before deploying to the Western Front. Throughout its existence, its identity was closely tied to the Midwest, with its distinctive red arrow shoulder sleeve insignia symbolizing its combat record.

World War I

Activated for service in World War I, the 32nd Division arrived in France in early 1918 under the command of Major General William G. Haan. It was assigned to the American Expeditionary Forces and fought in several critical campaigns. The division participated in the Second Battle of the Marne, the Battle of Soissons, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, often serving under French command like the French Sixth Army. Its relentless assaults at Juvigny and during the Oise-Aisne Offensive earned it the praise of French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau and the enduring nickname "Les Terribles." The division suffered significant casualties before returning to the United States in 1919 for demobilization.

World War II

Reactivated in 1940, the 32nd Infantry Division was one of the first American formations deployed after the attack on Pearl Harbor, sent to the South West Pacific Area under General Douglas MacArthur. It endured a grueling campaign along the Kokoda Track in New Guinea, engaging in brutal jungle warfare against the Imperial Japanese Army. The division played pivotal roles in the Battle of Buna-Gona, the Battle of Saidor, and later campaigns in the Philippines, including the Battle of Leyte and the Battle of Luzon. Commanded by officers like Major General William H. Gill and later Major General Clovis E. Byers, it spent over 600 days in combat, one of the longest of any American division during the war, and was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Postwar and inactivation

Following occupation duty in Japan after Victory over Japan Day, the division returned to the United States and was inactivated in 1946. It was briefly reorganized in the Wisconsin National Guard but as a training division. The division was called up during the Berlin Crisis of 1961 but saw no overseas deployment. The 32nd Infantry Division was finally inactivated in 1967 as part of a reorganization of the Army National Guard, with its lineage and honors perpetuated by the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and other successor units within the United States Army Reserve and National Guard structures.

Legacy

The division's legacy is preserved by its successor unit, the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, which continues to display the Red Arrow insignia. The division is memorialized in museums such as the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison. Its history of endurance in the Pacific War and its World War I accolades remain a significant part of the military heritage of Michigan and Wisconsin. The motto "Les Terribles" and the red arrow symbol endure as emblems of its formidable combat record.

Category:Infantry divisions of the United States Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1917