28th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

The 28th Division (第28師団, Dai-nijuhachi Shidan) was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Abundant Division (豊兵団, Toyo Heidan).

History

The 28th Division of the Kwantung Army was formed on 1 August 1940, in Shinkyō, Manchukuo. It was tasked with the defense of the Manchukuo capital, and the neighboring areas of Harbin and Chahar. Although intended to protect the government of Manchukuo, as the situation deteriorated for Japan in the Pacific War, units were detached and sent south. Its 36th Infantry Regiment was sent to Saipan, where it perished almost to the last man in the Battle of Saipan. The remainder of the 28th Division was reassigned to the Japanese 32nd Army in June, 1945 and reassigned to the Ryukyu Islands, specifically to Miyakojima (where it based its headquarters), Ishigaki and the Okinawa main island. In the Battle of Okinawa, the 28th Division played a leading role in the defense against the Americans, and sustained massive casualties. It ceased to exist as a unit after the fall of Okinawa in June 1945.

Organization

The order of battle for the 28th Division included:

IJA 28th Division

• 28th Infantry Brigade
  • 3rd Infantry Regiment (Tokyo)
  • 30th Infantry Regiment (Takeda, Niigata)
  • 36th Infantry Regiment (Sabae, Fukui)
• 28th Mountain Artillery Regiment
• 28th Cavalry Regiment
• 28th Engineering Regiment
• 28th Transportation Regiment

See also

• List of Japanese Infantry Divisions

Reference and further reading

• Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols]

Allentown, PA: 1981