41st Infantry Division (United States)

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41st Infantry Division
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	July 1917 - June 1919; September 16, 1940 - December 31, 1945; 1946- {later changed to a Brigade}
Country	USA
Branch	U.S. Army
Type	Division
Role	Infantry
Nickname	Jungleers
Battles/wars	Battle of Buna-Gona

The 41st Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. A National Guard unit, it was reorgnized in 1965 as a separate infantry brigade; the 41st Brigade Combat Team is headquartered in Tigard, Oregon and is currently assigned to the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado.

1 World War I
2 World War II
- 2.1 Combat Chronicle
3 General
4 References

[edit] World War I

Activated: July 1917 (National Guard Division from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana).
Overseas: February 1918.
Major operations: The Division did not see action as a unit.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. Hunter Liggett (18 September 1917), Brig. Gen. Henry Jervey (20 September 1917), Brig. Gen. G. LeR. Irwin (12 December 1917), Maj. Gen. Hunter Liggett (20 December 1917), Brig. Gen. LeR. Irwin (18 January 1918), Brig. Gen. Richard Coulter, Jr. (23 January 1918), Brig. Gen. Robert Alexander (14 February 1918), Brig. Gen. Edward Vollrath (3 August 1918), Brig. Gen. W. S. Scott (19 August 1918), Maj. Gen. J. E. McMahon (21 October 1918), Brig. Gen. Edward Vollrath (24 October 1918), Brig. Gen. Eli g. Cole, USMC (29 October 1918), Brig. Gen. Edward Vollrath (27 December 1918), Maj. Gen. Peter E. Traub (29 December 1918).
Inactivated: June 1919.

[edit] World War II

Activated: 16 September 1940 (National Guard Division from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming).
Overseas: 4 March 1942.
Campaigns: New Guinea, Southern Philippines, Papuan.
Distinguished Unit Citations: 3.
Awards: DSC-2 ; DSM-3 ; SS-540; LM-14; SM60 ; BSM-1,572 ; AM-73.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. George A. White (September 1940-November 1941), Brig. Gen. Carlos A. Pennington (November-December 1941), Maj. Gen. Horace H. Fuller (December 1941-June 1944), Maj. Gen. Jens A. Doe (June 1944 to inactivation).
Inactivated: 31 December 1945 in Japan.

[edit] Combat Chronicle

The 41st Infantry Division arrived in Australia, 7 April 1942, and underwent intensive training. The 163rd Regiment entered the Battle of Buna-Gona, at Dobadura on 2 January 1943, and fought continuously in the Sanananda area until it fell the 22nd. A period of patrolling and training followed while elements of the Regiment advanced against stiff resistance to the Kumisi River in February.

The 163rd left for Australia, 15 July 1943. The 162nd Regiment relieved the 163rd in the Sanananda-Killerton-Gona area and the outpost area at the mouth of the Kumisi River, February 1943, leapfrogged along the coast in the Morobe area, and fought the long Salamaua campaign, 29 June 1943 to 12 September 1943. On 22 April 1944, the 163rd Regiment landed at Aitape while the remainder of the Division came ashore at Humboldt Bay near Hollandia. Hollandia and the Cyclops and Sentani Airdromes fell after ineffectual resistance, and the Division patrolled and mopped-up until relieved on 4 May. The 163rd landed against slight opposition at Arara, 17 May, and consolidated the Arara and Toem area. Wakde Island was taken, 1820 May. Biak Island was invaded, 27 May, and a period of harsh jungle fighting followed. Elements landed at Korim Bay and Wardo, 17 August, to prevent an enemy escape, and the Division was occupied with patrols and training until 8 February 1945.

On that date, it arrived at Mindoro, Philippine Islands. On 28 February, the 186th landed on Palawan Island, completing the occupation by 8 March. The rest of the 41st landed at Zamboanga, Mindanao, 10 March, against light initial resistance. The enemy fought fiercely until opposition was dissipated early in April. Elements took Basilan Island unopposed, 16 to 30 March, Sanga-Sanga, 2 April, and Jolo, 9 April. While elements fought northwest of Davao, the rest of the Division continued patrolling and mopping up activities in the Southern Philippines until VJ Day. Occupational duty followed in Japan until inactivation.

1887 - Summers Law established Oregon National Guard

1917 - 41 Infantry Division formed (Named the Sunset Division)

1940 - 41 Infantry Division inducted into Federal service WW II

1945 - 41 Infantry Division deactivated in Kure, Japan

1946 - 41 Infantry Division reformed in Oregon

1965 - 41 Infantry Division reorganized as the 41st Infantry Brigade

1968 - Redesignated the 41 Separate Infantry Brigade

1975 - 41 Separate Infantry Brigade became "Roundout" to the 7th Infantry Division

1994 - 41 Separate Infantry Brigade designated as "Enhanced"

1998 - Selected as one of the eSB’s to form the Integrated Division

2006 - Deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix

[edit] General

Nickname: Jungleers ; previously called Sunset Division.
Shoulder Patch: A semicircle of red with 12 orange rays and an orange sun, with a blue base.
Local Humor/Lore: 1/2 a patch = 1/2 a Brigade (in Oregon there is also the 82 Brigade; 41+41=82) Otherwise a great group of soldiers.