6th Infantry Division (United States)
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| U.S. 6th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
 6th ID Shoulder Sleeve insignia |
|
| Active | November, 1917 - September 30, 1921 October 12, 1939 - January 10, 1949 April 16, 1986 - July, 1994 |
| Country | USA |
| Branch | Regular Army (inactive) |
| Type | Division |
| Role | Light Infantry (1986-1994) |
| Garrison/HQ | inactive |
| Nickname | Red Star |
| Battles/wars | Meuse-Argonne |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
N/A |
| U.S. Infantry Units | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 5th Infantry Division | 7th Infantry Division (Inactive) |
The 6th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I, World War II, and the last years of the Cold War. Known as "Red Star", and formerly called the "Sight Seein' Sixth".
Contents |
[edit] World War I
Activated: November 1917
- Segments:
- Infantry Regiments: 51st, 52d, 53d & 54th Infantry Regiments
- Machine-Gun Battalions: 16th, 17th & 18th
- Field Artillery Battalions: 3d, 11th & 78th
- Overseas: June 1918
- Days of combat: 43
- Casualties: Total 386 (KIA-38; WIA-348)
- Returned to U.S.: June 1919
Deactivated: 30 September 1921 at Camp Grant, Illinois
[edit] Commanders
| COMMANDING OFFICERS: | ||
|---|---|---|
| (26 November 1917 – 1 June 1919) | ||
| Col. Charles E. Tayman | 26 November 1917 - 28 December 1917 | |
| Brig. Gen. James B. Erwin | 29 December 1917 - 27 August 1918 | |
| Maj. Gen. Walter H. Gordon | 28 August 1918 - 1 June 1919 | |
[edit] World War II
Activated: 12 October 1939
- Overseas: 21 July 1943
- Campaigns: Luzon, New Guinea
- Days of combat: 306
- Distinguished Unit Citations: 7
- Awards: MH-2, DSC-10, DSM-3, SS-697, LM-18, DFC-3, SM-94, BSM-3, 797, AM-45.
- Segments:
- Infantry Regiments: 1st, 20th, & 63d Infantry Regiment
- Field Artillery Battalions: 1st, 51st, 53d & 80th
- 6th Engineer Combat Battalion
- Nickname: "Sightseeing Sixth"
Inactivated: 10 January 1949 in Korea
[edit] World War II Combat Chronicle
The division moved to Hawaii in July and August 1943 to assume defensive positions on Oahu, training meanwhile in jungle warfare. It moved to Milne Bay, New Guinea, 31 January 1944, and trained until early June 1944. The division first saw combat in the Toem-Wakde area of Dutch New Guinea, engaging in active patrolling 14-18 June, after taking up positions 6-14 June. Moving west of Toem, it fought a bloody battle with the enemy at Lone Tree Hill, 21-30 June, and secured the Maffin Bay area by 12 July.
After a brief rest, the division made an assault landing at Sansapor, 30 July, on the Vogelkop Peninsula. The 6th secured the coast from Cape Waimak to the Mega River and garrisoned the area until December 1944. The division landed at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, on D-day, 9 January 1945, and pursued the Japanese into the Cabanatuan Hills, 17-21 January, capturing Munoz, 7 February. It then drove notrheast to Digalan Bay and Baler Bay, 13 February, isolating enemy forces in southern Luzon. The U.S. 1st Infantry Regiment operated on Bataan, 14-21 February, cutting the peninsula from Abucay to Bagac. The division shifted to the Shimbu Line northeast of Manila, 24 February, took Mount Mataba, 17 April, Mount Pacawagan, 29 April, Bolog, 29 June, Lane's Ridge of Mount Santo Domingo, 10 July, and Kiangan, 12 July. The 6th remained in the Cagayan Valley and the Cordilleras Mountains until VJ-day, then moved to occupy Korea. The division occupied the southern half of the United States zone of occupation until inactivated.
[edit] Medal of Honor recipients
Medal of Honor recipients for the 6th Infantry Division during WWII:
- Corporal Melvin Mayfield - Company D, 20th Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division - Cordillera Mountains, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 29 July 1945
- Second Lieutenant (then T/Sgt.) Donald E. Rudolph - Company E, 20th Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division - Munoz, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 5 February 1945
[edit] Commanders
| COMMANDING OFFICERS: | ||
|---|---|---|
| (October 1939 – January 1949) | ||
| Brig. Gen. Clement A. Trott | October 1939 - October 1940 | |
| Brig. Gen. Frederick E. Uhl | October 1940 - December 1940 | |
| Maj. Gen. Clarence S. Ridley | January 1941 - August 1942 | |
| Maj. Gen. Durward S. Wilson | September 1942 - October 1942 | |
| Maj. Gen. Franklin C. Sibert | October 1942 - August 1944 | |
| Maj. Gen. Edwin D. Patrick | August 1944 - March 1945 | |
| Maj. Gen. Charles E. Hurdis | March 1945 - April 1946 | |
| Col. George M. Williamson, Jr. | April 1946 - June 1946 | |
| Maj. Gen. Albert E. Brown | June 1946 - September 1946 | |
| Brig. Gen. John T. Pierce | September 1946 - October 1946 | |
| Maj. Gen. Orlando Ward | October 1946 - 1 January 1949 | |
[edit] Post World War
[edit] Cold War Era
The 6th Division was reactivated October 4, 1950 at Fort Ord, California. There the division remained throughout the Korean War, training troops and providing personnel for combat, but was never deployed overseas as an entity itself and was again deactivated on April 3, 1956. In the build up during the Vietnam War the division was activated at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in November 1967 budgetary limitations once more ended the 6th Infantry Division's existence less than nine months later on July 25, 1968.
The last incarnation of the division came on April 16, 1986 at Fort Richardson, Alaska when the 172nd Infantry Brigade was redesignated 6th Infantry Division (Light). Over the next seven years the 6th was the U.S. Army’s primary arctic warfare division. The division headquarters was moved from Fort Richardson to Fort Wainwright (near Fairbanks) in 1990 [1]. Commanders during the arctic activation included Maj. Gen. David Bramlett and Maj. Gen. Johnnie H. Corns.[2]. The Army Reserve's 205th Infantry Brigade (Light) was assigned as the Division's roundout force.
[edit] Gulf War
Elements of the 6th ID (L) participated in the Defense of Saudi Arabia (Desert Shield) and Liberation and Defense of Kuwait (Gulf War) operations[3].
[edit] Deactivation
The division was deactivated for the last time on July 6, 1994, by being redesignated the 1st Brigade, 6th Infantry Division.
[edit] References
- The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at CMH.
- The Army in Alaska [4].
- Northern Edge [5].
- 6th Infantry (The Regulars): Lineage and Honors Information as of 7 May 1997 [6].
