History 25th Infantry Division (United States)

1 history

1.1 lineage
1.2 pacific war

1.2.1 casualties


1.3 korean war
1.4 vietnam war
1.5 reorganization , light infantry status
1.6 desert storm , post-cold war era
1.7 wars in iraq , afghanistan

history
lineage

sources:

constituted 26 august 1941 in army of united states headquarters, 25th infantry division, based on cadre force former hawaiian division.
activated 1 october 1941 @ schofield barracks, hawaii
allotted 27 june 1949 regular army
division headquarters reorganized , redesignated 1 april 1960 headquarters , headquarters company, 25th infantry division
reorganized , redesignated 16 november 2005 headquarters , tactical command posts, 25th infantry division
reorganized , redesignated 16 january 2010 headquarters , headquarters battalion, 25th infantry division

pacific war

u.s. army soldiers push supplies matanikau river support 25th infantry division s offensive on guadalcanal in january 1943.

after japanese air attack on schofield barracks, 7 december 1941, 25th infantry division moved beach positions defense of honolulu , ewa point. following intensive training, 25th began moving guadalcanal, 25 november 1942, relieve marines near henderson field. first elements landed near tenaru river, 17 december 1942, , entered combat, 10 january 1943, participating in seizure of kokumbona , reduction of mount austen pocket in of bitterest fighting of pacific campaign. threat of large enemy attacks caused temporary withdrawal, division elements under xiv corps control relieved 147th infantry , took on advance on cape esperance. junction of these elements americal division forces near cape, 5 february 1943, ended organized enemy resistance.

a period of garrison duty followed, ending 21 july: on date, advance elements debarked on munda, new georgia. 25th infantry, under northern landing force, took part in capture of vella lavella, 15 august 15 september 1943. meanwhile, other elements landed on new georgia, took zieta, marched through jungle mud 19 days, , captured bairoko harbor, winning island. elements cleared arundel island, 24 september 1943, , kolombangara island important vila airport, 6 october. organized resistance on new georgia ended, 25 august, , division moved new zealand rest , training, last elements arriving on 5 december. 25th transferred new caledonia, 3 february-14 march 1944, continued training.

the division landed in san fabian area of luzon on 11 january 1945 enter struggle liberation of philippines. drove across luzon central plain, meeting enemy @ binalonan, 17 january. moving through rice paddies, 25th occupied umingan, lupao, , san jose , destroyed great part of japanese armor on luzon. on 21 february, division began operations in caraballo mountains. fought way along highway no. 5, taking digdig, putlan, , kapintalan against fierce enemy counterattacks , took balete pass, 13 may, , opened gateway cagayan valley, 27 may, capture of santa fe. until 30 june, when division relieved, carried out mopping-up activities. on 1 july, division moved tarlac training, leaving japan, 20 september.

casualties

total battle casualties: 5,432


killed in action: 1,235


wounded in action: 4,190


missing in action: 5


prisoner of war: 2

the division s rapid movements during campaigns led adoption of nickname tropic lightning . remained on occupation duty in japan next 5 years.

korean war

gun crew of 64th field artillery battalion, 25th infantry division, fire 105mm howitzer on north korean positions near uirson, south korea, 27 august 1950.

open warfare once again flared in asia, division s primary area of concern, on 25 june 1950. north korean military crossed 38th parallel on day in attack on south korea. acting under united nations orders, tropic lightning division moved base in japan korea between 5–18 july 1950. division, under command of major general william b. kean, completed first mission blocking approaches port city pusan. action, tropic lightning received first republic of korea presidential unit citation. other battles later in conflict further enhanced division s reputation exceptional combat effectiveness. division participated in break-out pusan perimeter , successful drive north korea in october 1950. task force dolvin, 89th tank battalion under ltc dolvin on 24 november , these units drove enemy yalu river. in sudden , unexpected reversal, however, overwhelming number of chinese communist troops crossed yalu , pushed united nations forces along front. division forced carry out systematic withdrawal , ordered take defensive positions on south bank of chongchon river 30 november 1950. eventually, these lines failed. however, after series of short withdrawals permanent battle line established south of osan.

after month , half of planning , reorganization, new offensive launched 15 january 1951, , completed 10 february recapture of inchon , kimpo air base. first of several successful assaults on chinese/north korean force, helped turn tide in united nations favor. division next participated in operation ripper, during drove enemy across han river. success continued operation dauntless, detonate , piledriver in spring of 1951. these offensives secured part of famous iron triangle enhanced united nations bargaining platform. leaders of 4 nations @ negotiating tables in summer of 1951, division activity slowed patrol , defensive actions maintain line of resistance. type of action continued winter of 1952. when negotiations stalled, division assumed responsibility of guarding approaches of seoul on 5 may 1953. 23 days later, heavy chinese assault hurled @ it. division held ground , assault repulsed; brunt of attack absorbed 14th infantry regiment ( golden dragons ). defending seoul continued attack may july 1953, division earned second republic of korea presidential unit citation. again negotiators moved toward peace. in july, division again moved reserve status @ camp casey remained through signing of armistice 27 july 1953. fourteen division soldiers awarded medals of honor during korean war, making division 1 of decorated army divisions of war.

the division s 14th infantry regiment had 3 recipients of medal of honor, donn f. porter, ernest e. west , bryant e. womack. 24th infantry regiment had 2 recipients, cornelius h. charlton , william thompson. 35th infantry regiment had 3 recipients, william r. jecelin, billie g. kanell , donald r. moyer. finally, 27th infantry regiment had 5 recipients, john w. collier, reginald b. desiderio, benito martinez, lewis l. millett , jerome a. sudut. divisions patch referred electric strawberry .

the division remained in korea until 1954 , returned hawaii september through october of year. after 12-year absence, 25th infantry division had returned home.

on 1 february 1957, division reorganized pentomic division. division’s 3 infantry regiments (the 14th, 27th , 35th) inactivated, elements reorganized 5 infantry battle groups (the 1-14 in, 1-27 in, 1-35 in, 2-19 in , 2-21 in).

in august 1963, division reorganized reorganization objective army division (road). 3 brigade headquarters activated , infantry units reorganized battalions.

vietnam war

tank 1st battalion, 69th armor, 25th infantry division, moves through saigon shortly after disembarking lst @ saigon harbor, 12 march 1966

in response request u.s. military assistance command in vietnam, division sent 100 helicopter door-gunners south vietnam in 1963. august 1965, further division involvement in coming vietnam war included deployment of company c, 65th engineer battalion, south vietnam assist in construction of port facilities @ cam ranh bay. mid-1965, 2,200 men of tropic lightning division involved in vietnam. division again ordered contribute combat forces in december of year. resupply regiment, 467th, commanded lieutenant colonel george s dotson through end of war.

in response macv request, division deployed 3rd brigade, reinforced task force, 5,150 infantrymen , 9,000 tons of equipment hawaii in 25 days northwest sector of south vietnam firmly establish fortified enclave division operate. operation blue light largest , longest airlift of personnel , cargo combat zone in military history before operation desert shield. brigade deployed first soldiers hickam air force base, honolulu, central highlands @ pleiku. these men arrived in vietnam 24 december 1965. mid-january, deployment operation complete — giving combat planners in vietnam favorable balance of power. division heavily engaged april 1966 until 1972 throughout area of operations in southeast asia. during period, tropic lightning soldiers fought in of toughest battles of war including operation junction city.

during tet offensives of 1968 , 1969, tropic lightning soldiers instrumental in defending besieged city of saigon. may through june 1970, division soldiers participated in allied thrusts deep enemy sanctuaries located in cambodia. in these incursion operations, division units confiscated thousands of tons of supplies , hundreds of weapons. operation crippled cambodian-based efforts against american units. following return cambodia south vietnam, division resumed place in vietnamization program. war winding down. late december 1970, elements of 25th infantry division able begin redeployment schofield barracks. second brigade last element of division depart vietnam. arrived @ ft lewis, washington in days of may 1971. elements in 2nd brigade assigned 4th infantry division when arrived in vietnam. during war in vietnam, 22 medals of honor awarded tropic lightning soldiers.

reorganization , light infantry status

after return schofield barracks, 25th infantry division remained army division have never been on mainland. in time of overall military downsizing, reduced single brigade numbering 4,000 men. division reactivated in march 1972. reorganized include roundout brigade 29th infantry brigade of hawaii army national guard included: 2nd battalion, 299th infantry, hawaii army national guard; 100th battalion, 442d infantry, army reserve; , 1st battalion, 184th infantry california army national guard. reorganized, 25th infantry division trained next 8 years throughout pacific theater , continued improve combat capabilities troop deployment varying in size squads, participated in training missions fijian forces, exercises large team spirit, more 5,000 divisional troops , 1,700 pieces of equipment airlifted south korea annual exercise.

25th infantry division 1989

in 1985, division began reorganization conventional infantry division light infantry division. 4 primary characteristics of new light infantry division be: mission flexibility, rapid deployment , combat readiness @ 100 percent strength pacific basin orientation. major configuration changes included addition of third infantry brigade, additional direct-support artillery battalion , expansion of combat aviation battalion brigade-sized unit. transfer of large quantities of heavy equipment, 25th infantry division earned designation light  — reorganization completed 1 october 1986. training became more sophisticated , more intense. in 1988, division s first battalions participated in rotations @ joint readiness training center, fort chaffee, arkansas. training center provides realistic training available light forces in army. coupled joint/combined training exercises cobra gold in thailand, kangaroo in australia , orient shield in japan, division s demanding exercise schedule increased division s fighting capabilities. until 1993 operation team spirit in korea remained division s largest annual maneuver exercise, involving more half of division s strength.

desert storm , post-cold war era

not many of division s units participated in operation desert storm, due division being earmarked pacific contingencies, such renewal of hostilities in korea. however, during gulf war, 1 platoon each companies a, b , c, 4th battalion, 27th infantry (), deployed saudi arabia in january 1991. these tropic lightning soldiers scheduled replacement squads in ground campaign; however, after observing performance in desert warfare training, assistant commander of third u.s. army asked them become security force army s forward headquarters. in role, wolfhound platoons alerted , attached third army (forward) kuwait city 26 february, secured headquarters area , conducted mop-up operations in city , adjacent mine fields. company s platoon separated other wolfhounds following battle accompany general h. norman schwarzkopf iraq 1 march 1991 provide security @ truce signing. 3 platoons returned schofield barracks without casualties on 20 march 1991.

in 1995, division underwent reorganization , reduction part of army s downsizing. first brigade , direct support units inactivated , moved fort lewis, washington, again reactivated detached brigade of 25th infantry division (light). in 2005, airborne brigade created @ fort richardson, alaska , added 25th. today division composed of 1st , 2nd stryker brigade combat teams (based in fort wainwright, alaska , schofield barracks, hawaii, respectively), 3rd infantry brigade combat team (schofield barracks) , 4th airborne brigade combat team (based @ fort richardson, alaska), in addition combat aviation brigade, division support command , complement of separate battalions. major ground reserve force u.s. pacific command, tropic lightning division routinely deploys schofield barracks participate in exercises in japan, korea, thailand, philippines, australia , big island of hawaii.

wars in iraq , afghanistan

a sniper 25th infantry division on patrol in mosul, iraq.

the division did not take part in fighting in afghanistan , iraq 2001–2003. however, in 2004, units division deployed iraq take part in combat operations of country. 2d brigade deployed in january 2004 iraq , returned schofield barracks in february of following year. 3d brigade, 25th infantry division began deploying afghanistan in march 2004. first element deploy 2d battalion, 27th infantry regiment ( wolfhounds ). accompanied battery b, 3d battalion, 7th field artillery regiment. wolfhounds operated in volatile paktika province on border pakistan in waziristan region. 25th infantry division redeployed schofield barracks hawaii in april 2005.

army spc. richard burton, crew chief 25th infantry division, provides security in black hawk helicopter during flight mission on afghanistan s kandahar province, 26 nov. 2012.

the 25th infantry division recognized first successful free democratic elections in afghanistan on 9 october 2004. 1 of missions of 25th infantry division track down insurgent taliban , al-qaeda members in mountainous terrain of afghanistan. in july 2005, 4th brigade added 25th infantry division airborne brigade stationed in fort richardson, alaska. deployed in october 2006 in support of operation iraqi freedom. 2d brigade began transformation stryker brigade combat team while 3d brigade began transformation unit of action (ua) in same year. (light) status dropped division name in january 2006. on 15 december 2006 172d infantry brigade reflagged 1st bct, 25th infantry division; concurrently, former 1st bct (stryker) @ fort lewis, washington reflagged 2d cavalry regiment (stryker) , moved vilseck, germany. 2007 through 2009 elements of 25th, including 1/21 gimlets schofield served in iraq in vicinity of baghdad, serving proudly @ great cost.

as of march 2009, 1st bct, 2d bct, , 3d bct deployed iraq in support of operation iraqi freedom while 4th bct deployed afghanistan in support of operation enduring freedom.

in june–august 2009, elements of 25th division participated in operation champion sword.

december 2010 saw division headquarters , headquarters battalion (hhbn) deploy baghdad iraq become last division headquarters in iraq. task force lightning simultaneously advised , assisted iraqi security forces, pursued insurgents, , prepared bases , equipment transfer iraqi authorities. on 18 december 2011 division headquarters completed retrograde, training , security mission , redeployed schofield barracks hawaii.

in april 2011, 25th s 3d brigade combat team assumed control of hostile area of afghanistan, regional command east. few months later 1st brigade deployed rc-south. 4abct followed, deploying in late 2011 12-month deployment. 4th brigade s second deployment afghanistan.

the combat aviation brigade, 25th infantry division in afghanistan, 1 january 2012 1 january 2013. cab operated in several key regions of afghanistan, executing missions ranging air assault air movement, resupply , counterinsurgency operations. cab s company f (pathfinder), 2d battalion, 25th aviation regiment, on ground conducting missions alongside afghan forces. pathfinders conducted air assault missions 2nd afghan national civil order patrol swat cut off export of drugs area , keep weapons coming province. cab flew last mission on 7 january 2013. cab, 3d infantry division took on 25th s mission.

the 3rd bronco brigade began redeployment in january 2012, last main body arriving in hawaii in april. during deployment, soldiers conducted counterinsurgency operations in of deadly provinces in afghanistan, include kunar province, home pech river valley. 4th abct returned october 2012 jber-richardson, concluding 10-month deployment.

on april 7 2017, military.com reported u.s. army announced deployment of approximately 1,500 soldiers 4th brigade combat team afghanistan part of operation freedom s sentinel later in year.