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A Summary History of the 23rd Infantry Division
— "Americal"
 (Updated 5-3-10)
The U.S. Army's 23rd Infantry Division, more commonly
known as the Americal Division, was "born in battle" in that the division was
formed in the Pacific Theater during World War II. On April 19, 1942, the 164th
Infantry Regiment and additional artillery assets arrived on the island of New
Caledonia to reinforce the 132nd and 182nd Infantry Regiments already there.
This task force was reorganized as an infantry division and given the name
"Americal" on May 24, 1942. The name was taken from the phrase "Americans in
New Caledonia" and at that time was the only American division without a
numerical designation.
The 164th Infantry Regiment of the Americal Division
fought on Guadalcanal beginning on October 13, 1942 alongside the 1st Marine
Division. This action made the 164th and thus the Americal, the first United
States Army unit to conduct an offensive operation against the enemy in either
the Pacific or European Theater of Operations. (Seven other U.S. Army divisions
began offensive combat operations in late 1942: the 32nd and the 41st Infantry
Divisions on New Guinea; the 9th and 3rd Infantry Divisions, and the 2nd
Armored Division in North Africa.) Elements of the Americal defended Henderson
Field against heavy enemy attacks, 23-25 October, took part in the offensive
across the Matanikau River in November, and attacked and took Mount Austen in
January 1943. Once organized resistance ended, the Americal was relieved on
February 9th.
The Division moved to the Fiji Islands beginning on
March 5, 1943. The Americal was given the mission of defending Viti Levu Island
in the Fiji group, a vital communications link between the United States and
the Pacific theater. The division used the time to train its replacements for
upcoming operations. The rest of 1943 was spent operating observation posts,
running continuous reconnaissance patrols, and training.
The Americal Division fought on Bougainville from
December 25, 1943 to January 12, 1944. They had relieved the 3rd Marine
Division and were given the task of holding and extending the right half of a
previously established perimeter. The Americal Division conducted an offensive
in March of 1944 that drove the Japanese east of the Mavavia River. By the end
of April they had seized numerous strategic hill bases. Training and long-range
patrol activity continued until November 30, 1944 when the Division was
relieved.
On January 8, 1945, the first units of the Americal
Division left Bougainville, heading for the Philippine Islands. Americans had
already established strong points in the Philippines in the campaign to
recapture the islands. The Americal was now being attached to X Corps on the
island of Leyte. Their mission on Leyte and Samar was to take part in cleaning
out remaining Japanese forces on those islands. Additionally, the Division was
to invade Biri, Capul, Ticao, and Burias. The Americal was relieved on Leyte on
March 13, 1945. The Division then landed on Cebu on March 26th and had seized
the city and airfield two days later. Divisional combat teams made landings on
Bohol, Negros, and Mindanao, where they cleared out pockets of resisting
Japanese until June 17th, when ordered to return to Cebu.
Training continued on Cebu for the proposed invasion
of Japan. However, the Japanese surrender on August 14, 1945 thankfully made
this operation unnecessary. On September 10, 1945, the Americal Division landed
in Japan and took part in the occupation of the Yokohama-Kawasaki-Yokosuka
area.
The Division returned to the United States on November
21, 1945, and was inactivated on December 12, 1945. The Americal was
reactivated on December 1, 1954 and finally given a numerical designation as
the 23rd Infantry Division. However, they retained the name "Americal" as part
of its official designation. The 23rd Infantry Division served in the Panama
Canal Zone until April 10, 1956, when it was again inactivated.
The 23rd Infantry Division, Americal, was reactivated
again in 1967 in the jungles of Vietnam. Now they traced their roots to Task
Force Oregon that operated in the I Corps area of operations that included Chu
Lai, Quang Ngai Province, and Duc Pho. Task Force Oregon originally consisted
of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne
Division, and the 3rd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division, which was later
redesignated as the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division. The task force
became operational on April 20, 1967. Their early Operations included Malheur I
and Malheur II, Hood River, Benton, Cook.
Operation Wheeler was launched on September 11th
against elements of the 2nd North Vietnamese Army Division in an area northwest
of Chu Lai. On September 25, 1967, Task Force Oregon was designated as the
Americal Division. The division was created from the 196th, 198th, and 11th
Light Infantry Brigades. Operation Wheeler continued until October 4th when the
Americal was joined by 3rd Brigade 1st Air Cavalry Division and Operation
Wallowa was launched into the northern sector of the Americal's area of
operations. Operations Wheeler and Wallowa were combined on November 11th.
The Americal, 23rd Infantry Division, continued to
serve with distinction for the remainder of American combat operations in
Vietnam. Twelve Americal soldiers were recipients of the Medal of Honor during
the Vietnam War. Several subordinate elements of the Americal Division were
awarded Presidential Unit Citations and Valorous Unit Citations in addition to
multiple awards for valor from the Vietnamese government. Noteworthy persons
who wore the Americal patch include General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, General
Colin Powell, and former Governor of Pennsylvania and Secretary of Homeland
Security Tom Ridge.
Unfortunately, the 23rd Infantry Division, Americal's
reputation has been permanently scarred by what is known as the My Lai
Massacre. On March 16, 1968, C Company, 1st Battalion 20th Infantry Regiment,
one of the companies of the 11th Light Infantry Brigade, with 2nd Lieutenant
William Calley as a platoon leader, was responsible for the murder of 347 to
504 unarmed Vietnamese citizens, all of whom were noncombatants. Lt. Calley and
his company commander, Captain Ernest Medina, were prosecuted by court martial
for the offenses at My Lai. While 26 U.S. soldiers were initially charged with
criminal offenses for their actions at My Lai, only Lt. Calley was convicted.
He served only three years of an original life sentence, while on house arrest.
When the incident became public knowledge in 1969, it prompted widespread
outrage around the world. The massacre also increased domestic opposition to
the US involvement in the Vietnam War.
The 198th and 11th Infantry Brigades were withdrawn
from Vietnam in November 1971. The Americal Division was inactivated at that
time. The 196th Light Infantry Brigade was reconstituted as a separate brigade
and remained in Vietnam until June 29, 1972. The 196th Infantry Brigade was the
last major combat unit to leave Vietnam. Its 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry
Regiment, was the last U.S. maneuver battalion to leave Vietnam, on August 23,
1972.
The shoulder sleeve insignia of the 23rd Infantry
Division was originally approved for the Americal on December 20, 1943. The
patch's four white stars on a blue field are symbolic of the Southern Cross
under which the organization has served. The blue color stands for infantry.
Many men have served "Under the Southern Cross" with pride, courage, and
professionalism, defeating the enemy in each encounter from New Caledonia to
Vietnam.
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