33rd Infantry Division (United States)
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The 33rd Infantry Division was a formation of the
U.S. Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the Army Na ...
between 1917 and 1968. Originally formed for service during World War I, the division fought along the Western Front during the Battle of Amiens, the Battle of Hamel, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, at the
Second Battle of the Somme The Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought during the First World War on the Western Front from late August to early September, in the basin of the River Somme. It was part of a series of successful counter-offensives in response to th ...
, and at the
Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against ...
. It was re-formed during the
inter-war period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the First World War to the beginning of the Second World War. The interwar period was relative ...
, and then later activated for service during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, seeing action against the
Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
in the Pacific. In the post war era, the division was reconstituted as an all-Illinois National Guard division. In the late 1960s, the division was reduced to a brigade-sized formation, and its lineage is currently perpetuated by the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.


World War I

*Activated: July 1917 (National Guard Division from Illinois) at Camp Logan, Illinois *Overseas: May 1918. *Major operations: Le Hamel (four companies), Meuse-Argonne Offensive,
Somme offensive The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place be ...
, and
Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde and his wif ...
*Casualties: Total – 6,864 (KIA – 691, WIA − 6,173). *Commanders: Brig. Gen.
Henry D. Todd Jr. Henry Davis Todd Jr. (August 29, 1866 – January 22, 1964) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War and World War I he attained the rank of major general and was most prominent for his command of ...
(19 September 1917), Maj. Gen.
George Bell Jr. Major General George Bell Jr. (January 22, 1859 – October 29, 1926) was a United States Army officer who is most notable for commanding the 33rd Division, an Army National Guard formation, during the final year of World War I. Early life an ...
(7 December 1917). *Returned to U.S. and inactivated: May 1919 at Camp Grant, Illinois *
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
: ** Sergeant Willie Sandlin, ** Private Clayton K. Slack, ** Corporal Thomas A. Pope. ** Sergeant Sydney Gumpertz ** Corporal
Jake Allex Aleksa Mandušić (Serbian Cyrillic: Алекса Мандушић; July 13, 1887 – August 28, 1959) was a Serbian-American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his service in the U.S. Army during World War I. He was also known as Jake Al ...
** First Sergeant Johannes S. Anderson


Involvement

The 33rd Division served in World War I and beyond. The division was trained at Camp Logan in
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
as part of the National state guard in Illinois. The first unit went to France in 1918. The first unit to go into France was the 108th Engineers, under Colonel Henry A. Allen. During World War I, the 33rd Division's officers included
Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
John Allan Wyeth John Allan Wyeth (May 26, 1845 – May 22, 1922) was an American Confederate veteran and surgeon. Born and raised on a Southern plantation in Alabama, he served in the Confederate States Army and completed his medical studies in New York City a ...
, who has been called the only American poet of the Great War who can stand up to comparison with British
war poet A war poet is a poet who participates in a war and writes about their experiences, or a non-combatant who writes poems about war. While the term is applied especially to those who served during the First World War, the term can be applied to a p ...
s
Siegfried Sassoon Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (8 September 1886 – 1 September 1967) was an English war poet, writer, and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both describ ...
and
Wilfred Owen Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was an English poet and soldier. He was one of the leading poets of the First World War. His war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare was much influenced by ...
. Wyeth later immortalized his war experiences with the 33rd U.S. Division in the 1928
sonnet sequence A sonnet sequence is a group of sonnets thematically unified to create a long work, although generally, unlike the stanza, each sonnet so connected can also be read as a meaningful separate unit. The sonnet sequence was a very popular genre during ...
''This Man's Army: A War in Fifty-Odd Sonnets''. On 20 and 21 June the division went to the Amiens sector, where there was expected to be a major German attack. The division was trained by
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
and Commonwealth soldiers – in particular the
Australian Corps The Australian Corps was a World War I army corps that contained all five Australian infantry divisions serving on the Western Front. It was the largest corps fielded by the British Empire in France. At its peak the Australian Corps numbered 10 ...
– and was part of some of their operations. The first major battle in which elements of the 33rd Division took part was the Battle of Hamel on 4 July. Individual platoons from four companies from the 131st Infantry and 132nd Infantry were distributed among Australian battalions, to gain combat experience. This, however, occurred without official approval as there was controversy regarding the battlefield command of US troops by junior officers from other countries. Thus, while Hamel was a relatively minor battle by the standards of World War I, it was historically significant as the first occasion on which US Army personnel had fought alongside
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
forces, and demonstrated that the previously inexperienced American troops could play an effective role in the war. The battle was also historically significant for the use of innovative assault tactics, devised by the
Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal A ...
General
John Monash General Sir John Monash, (; 27 June 1865 – 8 October 1931) was an Australian civil engineer and military commander of the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the war and then, shortly after its outbreak, became co ...
, were demonstrated. The 33rd Division was in reserve behind the
British Fourth Army The Fourth Army was a field army that formed part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. The Fourth Army was formed on 5 February 1916 under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson to carry out the main British contribu ...
at the opening of the August offensive for emergencies only. With the British III Corps attack stalling at Chipilly Ridge during the Battle of Amiens, the 131st Regiment of the 33rd Division was sent to assist on 9 August, which it did with distinction. The following day the Regiment was attached to the 4th Australian Division and remained there until 12 August. From 12 August until 20 August it was combined with the 13th Australian Brigade in what was called the Liaison Force commanded by Brigadier General E. A. Wisdom. This was designed to hold the front from the Somme to the
Bray-Sur-Somme Bray-sur-Somme (, literally ''Bray on Somme'') is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Twin towns It is twinned with Inkberrow. Geography The communes is situated on the D1 and D329 road junction, some ...
to Corbie road to relieve the 4th Australian Division from the operation. After this it returned to the 33rd US Division. On 23 August, the division was moved to the Toul sector. The 33rd Division fought in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign from 26 September 1918 to the end of the battle on 10 November 1918. The last mission in which the 33rd Division took part was on 27 December 1918. In total, from the 33rd arriving in France to the German armistice on 11 November 1918, the division captured 13 units of heavy artillery and 87 pieces of light artillery. Also, they captured 460 machine guns and 430 light guns. In total, the entire division gained 40,300 meters of land in World War I. The 33rd Division was the only unit in the war to have machine gun barrage enemy nests while infantry turned the position. In total, the 33rd Division received 215 American decorations, 56 British decorations, and various others. As result of its World War I service, the division remains the only US Army division that has fought as part of
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
and
French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
corps.


Order of battle

In 1918, the 33rd Division was organized as follows: * Headquarters, 33rd Division * 65th Infantry Brigade ** 129th Infantry Regiment ** 130th Infantry Regiment ** 123rd Machine Gun Battalion * 66th Infantry Brigade ** 131st Infantry Regiment ** 132nd Infantry Regiment ** 124th Machine Gun Battalion * 58th Field Artillery Brigade ** 122nd Field Artillery Regiment (75mm) ** 123rd Field Artillery Regiment (155mm) ** 124th Field Artillery Regiment (75mm) ** 108th Trench Mortar Battery *122nd Machine Gun Battalion * 108th Engineer Regiment * 108th Field Signal Battalion * Headquarters Troop, 33rd Division * 108th Train Headquarters & Military Police ** 108th Ammunition Train ** 108th Supply Train ** 108th Engineer Train ** 108th Sanitary Train *** 129th, 130th, 131st, and 132nd Ambulance Companies and Field Hospitals


Inter-War Years

Three years after the end of the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
passed the
National Defense Act of 1920 The National Defense Act of 1920 (or Kahn Act) was sponsored by United States Representative Julius Kahn, Republican of California. This legislation updated the National Defense Act of 1916 to reorganize the United States Army and decentralize ...
providing for the reorganization of civilian components of the Army. Reserve forces were created, consisting of the National Guard and the Organized Reserve. This reorganization allowed for the reconstitution of the 33rd Infantry Division in Illinois, with most elements concentrated in the northern part of the state in and around
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
. Regular Army officers were detailed to act as instructors for the 33rd, supervising National Guard officers who conducted the usual training. One of these officers was Colonel
George C. Marshall George Catlett Marshall Jr. (December 31, 1880 – October 16, 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the US Army under Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry ...
, who supervised the 33rd from 1933 to 1936. It contained: * Headquarters, 33rd Division (Chicago) * Headquarters, Special Troops, 33rd Division (Chicago) ** Headquarters Company, 33rd Division (Chicago) ** 33rd Military Police Company (Chicago) ** 33rd Signal Company (Chicago) ** 108th Ordnance Company (Medium) (Chicago) ** 33rd Tank Company (Light) ( Maywood) * 65th Infantry Brigade (
Pontiac Pontiac may refer to: *Pontiac (automobile), a car brand *Pontiac (Ottawa leader) ( – 1769), a Native American war chief Places and jurisdictions Canada *Pontiac, Quebec, a municipality ** Apostolic Vicariate of Pontiac, now the Roman Catholic D ...
) ** 129th Infantry Regiment (
Sycamore Sycamore is a name which has been applied to several types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. The name derives from the ancient Greek ' (''sūkomoros'') meaning "fig-mulberry". Species of trees known as sycamore: * ''Acer pseudoplata ...
) ** 130th Infantry Regiment ( Delavan) * 66th Infantry Brigade (Chicago) ** 131st Infantry Regiment (Chicago) ** 132nd Infantry Regiment (Chicago) * 58th Field Artillery Brigade (Chicago) ** ''108th Ammunition Train (Illinois National Guard)'' ** 122nd Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm) (Chicago) ** 124th Field Artillery Regiment (75 mm) (
Monmouth Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...
) ** 123rd Field Artillery Regiment (155 mm) (Chicago) * 108th Engineer Regiment (Chicago) * 108th Medical Regiment (Chicago) * 108th Quartermaster Regiment (Chicago) Italics indicates state of headquarters allocation; headquarters not organized or inactive.


World War II

*Called into federal service: 5 March 1941 (National Guard Division from Illinois). * Trained at
Camp Essex Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
in California in 1943. *Overseas: 7 July 1943. *Campaigns:
New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...
,
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. * Presidential Unit Citation: 6. *Awards:
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
– 3 ;
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
– 31 ;
Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...
– 2;
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
– 470 ;
Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
– 34;
Soldier's Medal The Soldier's Medal is an individual decoration of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926., Appendix 5, p. 126. The Army' Soldier's Medal is equiv ...
– 49;
Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...
– 2,251 ;
Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...
– 36. *Commanders: Maj. Gen. Samuel T. Lawton (March 1941 – May 1942), Maj. Gen.
Frank Mahin Major General Frank Cadle Mahin (May 27, 1887 – July 24, 1942) was an American Major General during the period of World War II. He died in an airplane crash while on active duty commanding the 33rd Division. Mahin was one of the highest-ra ...
(May–July 1942), Maj. Gen.
John Millikin Major General John Millikin (January 7, 1888 – November 6, 1970) was a senior United States Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II. During the latter, Millikin commanded III Corps in General George S. Patton's U.S. Third ...
(August 1942 – September 1943), Maj. Gen. Percy W. Clarkson (October 1943 – November 1945); Brig. Gen. W. G. Skelton (November 1945 to inactivation). *Inactivated: 3 February 1946 in Japan.


Organization

The division, along with the other National Guard divisions with the exception of the 27th, was ordered to convert from the square to the triangular formation between January and February 1942. The 108th Engineers (Combat) Regiment was broken up on 12 February 1942 and the HQ, HQ and Service Company, and Companies A, B, and C became the 108th Engineer Combat Battalion, which remained with the division. The HQ, 1st Battalion was inactivated on 21 February 1942 and the 2nd Battalion became the 181st Battalion (Heavy Pontoon), an engineering unit. The 132nd Infantry Regiment was detached on 14 January 1942 for service in
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with the
Americal Division The Americal Division was an infantry division of the United States Army during World War II and the Vietnam War. The division was activated 27 May 1942 on the island of New Caledonia. In the immediate emergency following Pearl Harbor, the U ...
task force. On 21 February 1942 the division was re-designated the 33rd Infantry Division. That same day the 131st Infantry Regiment was detached for non-divisional service in the continental United States. The 129th Infantry Regiment was detached on 31 July 1943, and was later assigned to the 37th Infantry Division. The 136th Infantry Regiment, originally a
Minnesota National Guard The Minnesota National Guard is a state-based military force of more than 13,000 soldiers and airmen, serving in 61 communities across the state. Operated in the U.S. state of Minnesota, it is reserve component of the National Guard. The Cons ...
unit inactive during the interwar period, was reconstituted in the
Army of the United States The Army of the United States is one of the four major service components of the United States Army (the others being the Regular Army, the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard of the United States), but it has been inactive si ...
, activated with personnel transferred from elsewhere in the 33rd Infantry Division, and assigned to the division on 1 April 1942. The 123rd Infantry Regiment (unrelated in lineage to an earlier
Alabama National Guard The Alabama National Guard is the National Guard of the U.S State of Alabama, and consists of the Alabama Army National Guard and the Alabama Air National Guard. (The Alabama State Defense Force is the third military unit of the Alabama Milita ...
formation of the same designation that saw service in World War I as a part of the 31st Division) was constituted in the Army of the United States on 24 August 1942 and assigned to the division on 28 September 1942. The division served in the south Pacific, fighting in New Guinea and in the Philippines. In 1944-1945 the division contained:


Order of Battle

* Headquarters, 33rd Infantry Division * 123rd Infantry Regiment * 130th Infantry Regiment * 136th Infantry Regiment * Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 33rd Infantry Division Artillery ** 122nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) ** 123rd Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm) ** 124th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) ** 210th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) * 108th Engineer Combat Battalion * 108th Medical Battalion * 33rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) * Headquarters, Special Troops, 33rd Infantry Division ** Headquarters Company, 33rd Division ** 733rd Ordnance Light Maintenance Company ** 33rd Quartermaster Company ** 33rd Signal Company ** Military Police Platoon ** Band * 33rd Counterintelligence Corps Detachment During its combat operations, divisions usually had various units attached in support of it and other organic units detached. Where those attachments and detachments are well-documented for the divisions that fought in the European Theater of Operations, documentation is poorer for those divisions which fought in the Pacific.


Reorganized

When the US Army reorganized from the "square" (4 regiments to a division) to "triangular" (3) concept, the 132nd Infantry Regiment was separated and was sent to
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as part of Task Force 6814 where it became part of the
Americal Division The Americal Division was an infantry division of the United States Army during World War II and the Vietnam War. The division was activated 27 May 1942 on the island of New Caledonia. In the immediate emergency following Pearl Harbor, the U ...
. The division was left with the 123rd, 130th, and 136th Infantry Regiments. The 33rd Tank Company was sent to the Philippines as Company B of the
192nd Tank Battalion The 192nd Tank Battalion of the United States Army was a federalized Army National Guard unit activated in November 1940. Deployed to the Philippines, the battalion was engaged in combat during the Philippines campaign (1941–1942), Japanese invas ...
prior to Pearl Harbor and it was captured at
Bataan Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the enti ...
.


Action in the Pacific Theater

The 33rd Infantry Division arrived in Hawaii on 12 July 1943. While guarding installations, it received training in
jungle warfare Jungle warfare is a term used to cover the special techniques needed for military units to survive and fight in jungle terrain. It has been the topic of extensive study by military strategists, and was an important part of the planning for bo ...
. On 11 May 1944, it arrived in
New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...
where it received additional training. The 123rd Infantry Regiment arrived at Maffin Bay on 1 September, to provide perimeter defense around the Wakde Airdrome and in the Toem–Sarmi sector. The 123rd was relieved on 26 January 1945. Elements of the 33rd arrived at Morotai, on 18 December 1944 and landings were made on the west coast of the island on 22 December, without opposition and defensive perimeters were established. Aggressive patrols were sent out which encountered scattered resistance. The 33rd then landed at Lingayen Gulf, on Luzon, on 10 February 1945, and relieved the 43rd Infantry Division in the Damortis–Rosario Pozorrubio area, over the period 13–15 February. The division drove into the Caraballo Mountains on 19 February, toward its objective,
Baguio Baguio ( , ), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
, the summer capital of the Philippines and the headquarters of General Tomoyuki Yamashita. Fighting against a fanatical enemy entrenched in the hills, the 33rd took Aringay on 7 March, Mount Calugong on 8 April, and Mount Mirador on 25 April. Baguio and
Camp John Hay Camp John Hay is a mixed-used development which serves as a tourist destination and forest watershed reservation in Baguio, Philippines which was formerly a military base of the United States Armed Forces. History The United States 48th Infa ...
fell on 26 April, under the concerted attack of the 33rd and the 37th Infantry Divisions.
Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas (born Manuel Roxas y Acuña; ; January 1, 1892 – April 15, 1948) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fifth president of the Philippines, who served from 1946 until his death due to heart attacks in 194 ...
, later President of the Philippines, was freed during the capture of Baguio, which was liberated by the 33rd and Filipino soldiers of the 66th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL on 27 April. After mopping up isolated pockets of Japanese troops, the division captured the San Nicholas–Tebbo–Itogon route on 12 May. All elements went to rest and rehabilitation areas on 30 June 1945. The division landed on
Honshū , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...
Island, Japan, on 25 September, and then performed occupation duties until it was deactivated in early 1946.


Casualties

*Total battle casualties: 2,426Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953) *Killed in action: 396 *Wounded in action: 2,024 *Missing in action: 5 *Prisoner of war: 1


Post World War II

The 33rd Infantry Division was reformed as an all-Illinois National Guard division on 7 November 1946. However, some of its former units were assigned to the 44th Infantry Division, which was also reorganized in the postwar Guard structure as an Illinois-based division. By 1954, the division's infantry and artillery units included the 129th, 130th, and 131st Infantry Regiments, and the 122nd, 123rd, 124th, and 210th Field Artillery Battalions. A number of National Guard divisions were deactivated in 1968, including the 33rd Infantry Division on 1 February 1968. However, in its place the 33rd Infantry Brigade was organised. On 1 February 1968, the 178th Infantry Regiment was reorganized to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 33rd Infantry Brigade. The 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team carries on the division's heritage, and circa 2010 was assigned to the 35th Infantry Division.


Notable members

* Abel Davis, commanded the 132nd Infantry Regiment of the 33rd Division during World War I * Clayton K. Slack, served in 124th Machine Gun Battalion during World War I *
Joseph B. Sanborn Joseph Brown Sanborn (1855–1934) was Commander of the 131st Infantry Regiment of the 33rd Division during World War I. Early life Joseph B. Sanborn was born on December 8, 1855, in Chester, New Hampshire, to Rachel and Josiah Sanborn. San ...
, commanded the 131st Infantry Regiment of the 33rd Division during World War I *
Milton J. Foreman Milton J. Foreman (1863–1935) was a Lieutenant General, who served as Commander in Chief of the Illinois National Guard. Prior to that, he led the 33rd Division, Illinois National Guard. Foreman attended the Paris Caucuses in 1919 of the Amer ...
, Lieutenant General * Robert V. Connolly, Major served in the 123rd Infantry Regiment and commanded famed "Connolly Task Force" on Luzo *
William Hood Simpson General William Hood Simpson (May 18, 1888 – August 15, 1980) was a senior United States Army officer who served with distinction in both World War I and World War II. He is best known for being the Commanding General of the Ninth United Stat ...
, General who commanded the
Ninth United States Army The Ninth Army is a field army of the United States Army, garrisoned at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy. It is the United States Army Service Component Command of United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM or AFRICOM). Activated just eight weeks bef ...
in Europe from 1944−1945, served in numerous staff positions in the 33rd Division during World War I * Charles R. Forbes *
John P. Lucas Major General John Porter Lucas (January 14, 1890 – December 24, 1949) was a senior officer of the United States Army who saw service in World War I and World War II. He is most remembered for being the commander of VI Corps during the Battle of ...


References


Citations


Bibliography

*Cioper, Nicole M. ''Prairie Division The Thirty-Third in the Great War, 1917–1919.'' Springfield, IL: Illinois State Military Museum, 1997. *Daily, Edward L. ''33rd Infantry Division: The Golden Cross Division.'' Paducah, Ky: Turner Pub, 1996. . *Harris, Barnett W. and Dudley J. Nelson. ''33rd Division Across No-Man's Land.'' Chicago, Ill.: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., 1919. *Huidekoper, Frederic Louis. ''The History of the 33rd Division, A.E.F.'' Springfield, Ill: Illinois State Historical Library, 1921. *Johnson, F.B. ''Phantom Warrior: The Heroic True Story of Pvt. John McKinney's One-Man Stand against the Japanese in World War II.'' New York : Berkeley Caliber, 2007. *Montgomery, A.A. (Major General), ''The Story of the Fourth Army in the Battles of the Hundred Days, August 8th to November 11th, 1918'', Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1919 *Payan, Jack Louis. ''World War 1, 1918: Kankakee (Illinois) Doughboys, Company L, 129th Infantry, 33rd (Prairie) Division.'' alos Heights, Ill. J.L. Payan, 2008. *Phipps, John R. ''A Short History of the 130th Infantry Regiment, 33d Infantry Division, Illinois National Guard.'' 1959. *United States. ''The Golden Cross: A History of the 33rd Infantry Division in World War II.'' Nashville: Battery Press, 2000. *Wilson, John B. (1997). ''Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades.'' Washington, DC: Center of Military History. *Winston, Sanford H. ''The Golden Cross: A History of the 33rd Infantry Division in World War II.'' Washington .C. Infantry Journal Press, 1948. *
The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States
' U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950.


External links


33rd Infantry Division "The Prairie Division"

33rd Infantry Division, "Golden Cross"

Summary histories – 33rd Infantry Division

33rd Infantry Division in Luxembourg
{{DEFAULTSORT:033 033d Infantry Division, U.S. Infantry Division, U.S. 033d Divisions of the United States Army National Guard United States Army divisions of World War I Infantry divisions of the United States Army in World War II Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations disestablished in 1968 1917 establishments in Illinois 1968 disestablishments in Illinois