41st Infantry Division Unit History (LoneSentry.com)

[Webmaster Note: The following division information is reproduced from the public domain publication, The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950. Portions of the information may be out of date. Only minor formatting changes and typographical corrections have been made.]

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.

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; SM-60; BSM-1,572; AM-73.
Commanders: Maj. Gen. George A. White (September 1940-November 1941), Brig. Gen. Carlos A. Rennington (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.

Combat Chronicle

The 41st Infantry Division arrived in Australia, 7 April 1942, and underwent intensive training. The 163rd Regiment entered the struggle for the defense of Port Moresby, New Guinea, at Dobadura, 2 January 1943, and fought continuously along the Sanananda track until 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.

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.
Association: 41st infantry Division Association.
Publication: History of the 41st Infantry Division; by Lt. W. F. McCartney, unit historian; The Infantry Journal, Washington, D.C.; 1947.