96th Infantry Division (United States)

96th Infantry Division (United States)
source
Unit name	96th Infantry Division
Caption	Shoulder sleeve insignia of the 96th Infantry Division
Dates	1918–1919; 1942–1946; 1948–1963; 2004–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Garrison	Fort Cavazos, Texas
Nickname	"Deadeye Division"
Battles	World War II, Battle of Leyte, Battle of Okinawa
Notable commanders	James L. Bradley, Clarence R. Huebner
Identification symbol label	Distinctive unit insignia

96th Infantry Division (United States) is a United States Army Infantry division with a distinguished combat record in the Pacific War during World War II. First constituted in 1918, it saw its most significant service after being reactivated in 1942, earning the nickname "Deadeye Division" for its marksmanship. The division played crucial roles in the Philippines campaign and the Battle of Okinawa, facing some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Today, it exists as the 96th Sustainment Brigade within the Army Reserve.

History

The division was initially constituted in the National Army on 20 September 1918, during the final months of World War I, but did not deploy overseas before the Armistice of 11 November 1918. It was demobilized in 1919 at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina. The unit was reconstituted in the Organized Reserve Corps on 24 June 1921, with its headquarters in Portland, Oregon. With the outbreak of World War II, the division was ordered into active military service on 15 August 1942, and reorganized at Camp Adair, Oregon, under the command of Major General James L. Bradley. Following the war, it was inactivated in 1946, briefly reactivated in the Army Reserve from 1948 to 1963, and was ultimately redesignated as a sustainment brigade in 2004.

Organization

As a standard triangular infantry division during World War II, the 96th consisted of three infantry regiments: the 381st Infantry Regiment, 382nd Infantry Regiment, and 383rd Infantry Regiment. Its organic field artillery units were the 361st, 362nd, and 363rd Field Artillery Battalions, along with the 921st Field Artillery Battalion. Supporting units included the 321st Engineer Combat Battalion, the 321st Medical Battalion, and the 96th Reconnaissance Troop.

Combat chronicle

The 96th Infantry Division deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations in the summer of 1944. Its first major combat action was the Battle of Leyte in the Philippines, landing on 20 October 1944. The division fought a difficult campaign against the Imperial Japanese Army, securing key objectives around Dagami and Tabontabon. In April 1945, the division participated in the Battle of Okinawa, the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War. The 96th faced fierce resistance from the Japanese Thirty-Second Army in the heavily fortified Shuri defensive line, engaging in brutal battles for positions like Conical Hill and Sugar Loaf Hill. Its actions were critical in breaking the main Japanese defenses.

Casualties and decorations

The division suffered heavy casualties during its combat service, particularly on Okinawa. Total battle casualties amounted to over 8,200, including more than 1,500 killed in action. For its extraordinary heroism, the division was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations (later the Presidential Unit Citation): one for actions at Dagami on Leyte and another for the assault on Conical Hill during the Battle of Okinawa. Individual soldiers earned numerous awards for valor, including the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Crosses, and Silver Stars.

Commanders

* Major General James L. Bradley (August 1942 – February 1945) * Major General Clarence R. Huebner (February 1945 – January 1946) * Brigadier General J. Milnor Roberts (January 1946 – February 1946)

Legacy

The division was inactivated after World War II but its lineage and honors were perpetuated by other units. In 2004, its designation was revived for the 96th Sustainment Brigade, an Army Reserve unit headquartered at Fort Cavazos, Texas. The brigade continues to wear the division's distinctive "Deadeye" shoulder sleeve insignia. The division's history is commemorated at the National Museum of the United States Army and by veterans' associations, preserving the legacy of its service in the Pacific War.

Category:Infantry divisions of the United States Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1918