During the period of 1521 January 1945, all three infantry battalions of the 169th Regiment earned the Distinguished Unit Citation award for their gallantry in action amid the rugged hills of Luzon. On 1 November 1945, the regiment was inactivated. These recon patrols were costly, but they managed to contain the enemy in the area. They trace their ancestry back to when militia units in the Connecticut colony organized for drill in 1672, but their official organization as the 1st Connecticut occurred on 11 October 1739. The 51,000-acre camp adjoined Kingsley Lake but was far from being a vacation resort. [32] The division was formally reactivated as the 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized) on 25 August 1984 from the 67th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) of Nebraska, the 69th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) of Kansas, and the 149th Armored Brigade from Kentucky. We raced volkswagens on our time off and we'd go to the range and shoot all day. [1], It was reactivated on 23 October 1946 to serve the Connecticut National Guard in Hartford, CT. During the Korean War, the 169th was called up for service to train in the event the war escalated. On 15 September 1776, they were attacked by the British Army and retreated in the face of superior firepower. Since then, the 169th and its predecessor units have fought in numerous American wars until its deactivation in 1992. 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division | American Battle Monuments Commission 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division Home 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division Legacy ID 18542 Legacy Alias /db-abmc-burial-unit/169th-infantry-regiment-43rd-infantry-division Legacy Source db_abmc_burial_unit Robert F. Carlson Read more The 169th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, Connecticut National Guard. The 1st Regiment of the Connecticut militia responded, and they reported for duty on 11 August 1776. Contact Us. in Germany from 1945 to 1989. Seventeen National Guard divisions had served in the First World War; the 42nd "Rainbow" Division was not reconstituted after the war, and the 39th "Delta" Division was eliminated from the force structure in 1923 by being renamed the 31st Division. Elements landed on Vangunu and Rendova Islands against minor resistance, 30 June. The 86th Brigade was made up of the 172nd Infantry Regiment in Vermont and the 103rd Infantry Regiment in Maine. Another 900 raw recruits were received on 22 May 1942. 2,944,044, MILITARY UNITS - 169TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 43RD DIVISION. Since then, the 169th and its predecessor units have fought in numerous American wars until its deactivation in 1992. On 11 December 1941, 22 officers and 700 enlisted men of the 169th were transferred to the 102nd Regiment, who were detached from the 43rd Infantry Division. E, F, G, and H Companies were all recruited from Hartford. A Company was designated as a "Rifle Company," and B and C Companies were designated as "Infantry Companies. If you have any As a part of the 43rd Infantry Division operation, the Regiment seized Rendova Island against minimal opposition on 30 June. The 169th attacked numerous enemy positions, including the deadly Hill 355, and suffered many casualties, but eventually managed to take ground from the stalwart defenders. (The 192nd was originally stationed at Flint Kaserne, Bad Tlz, but later (late 1952 or early 1953) moved to O'Brien Kaserne, Schwabach.). Contents One of the many distinctions achieved by the 43rd it was the only Division to serve in four theaters of the Pacific campaign South Pacific, Southwest Pacific, Philippines, and Japan. On 3 February 1942, it was ordered by the War Department that the 35th Division be "triangularized," losing its infantry and field artillery brigade headquarters. A detachment of the 35th Infantry Division was the headquarters element for Task Force Falcon of Multi-National Task Force East (MNTF-E) for the NATO Kosovo Force 9 (KFOR 9) mission. John has compiled a very detailed unit history of Tank Company, 102nd Infantry Regiment, that covers the period from 1946 to 1952. It's been nearly 40 years since we parted. The division provided headquarters control for National Guard units deployed to Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. 1-169 and 3-169 followed shortly after and pressed the attack. 2-169 landed near San Fabian on 9 January 1945 in Lingayen Gulf and advanced quickly inland. The 169th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, Connecticut National Guard. 11, 1946), 3rd Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment, for outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy in France, 1821 November 1944 (War Department General Orders No. On 12 January, SSG Robert E. Laws (G Company, 2-169) earned the Medal of Honor for his actions while attacking an enemy controlled ridge. They had managed to inflict (by actual count) 2,786 Japanese dead. We were stationed in Germany in 1975 through 1978. Under the command of COL Kenneth F. Cramer, the 169th trained hard for 13 weeks, and from 17 to 28 June, the regiment received 950 draftees to fill their ranks. He was a colonel and commander of the 169th Infantry Regiment when he mobilized for World War II with New England's 43rd "Winged Victory" Division. however, for in October 1945, the 43rd Infantry Division was deactivated at Camp Stoneman, California. The regiment trained at Camp Pickett and Camp A. P. Hill, Virginia from October 1950 to October 1951 filling to full establishment before deployment by ship to Germany to prevent possible Soviet attack. It took part in Operation Fall Gelb and stayed in France until being transferred to Finnish Lapland in 1941. They set sail for San Francisco separately, and the last men to return home passed under the Golden Gate Bridge on 29 October 1945 to a cheering crowd. In addition, the 143rd Tank Battalion joined the Division from that state. [1], On 28 April 1812, Governor Roger Griswold ordered the mobilization of 3,000 militiamen to repel any British invasion during the War of 1812. After crossing the Blies River on 12 December, the division moved to Metz for rest and rehabilitation on 19 December. [2] The drive resumed on 11 July, but was completely stalled by combat casualties, fatigue, jungle diseases, and continuous rain. Join Our Newsletter. Email * Lo on 18 July. 43rd Infantry Division The Story of the 35th Infantry Division), Presenting the 35th Infantry Division in World War II 1941 - 1945 (unit history), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=35th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)&oldid=1133851579, 110th Train Headquarters and Military Police. [1] On 7 July, the Connecticuters began patrolling near Nogales, Arizona. Two battalions of the 135th joined the division's aviation component. [1] Patrolling and encountering the enemy was commonplace in the Aitape region, and the men experienced hard fighting along the Drinuimor River and nearby ridges on 31 July. In September of 1950 the Division once again answered the call of the President when North Korea invaded South Korea. After heavy fighting along the line, the airfield was finally captured after heavy loss on 5 August 1943. Rendova served as the major staging point for the assault on the island of New Georgia. This successful campaign evolved into preparation for the invasion of the Philippine Islands. The 169th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, Connecticut National Guard. The regiment was ordered to attack Hill 1750, but were thwarted by strong Japanese resistance until 6 March. [1] Aboard the USSPresident Hayes, CPL John E. A. Gagnon, of H Company, 169th Infantry, managed to shoot down an enemy plane with a .50 caliber machine-gun. The 169th attacked numerous enemy positions, including the deadly Hill 355, and suffered many casualties, but eventually managed to take ground from the stalwart defenders. The 169th disembarked on the 23rd at Auckland. Each major unit of the 35th Division (the division headquarters and headquarters troop and the 128th Machine Gun Battalion, the 110th Field Signal Battalion, 110th Ammunition, 110th Sanitary, and 110th Supply Trains, the 110th Engineer Regiment and Train, the 69th Infantry Brigade, the 70th Infantry Brigade, and the 60th Field Artillery Brigade) was respectively identified by one of six border colors: blue, green, white, yellow, black, or red. Under the command of COL Kenneth F. Cramer, the 169th trained hard for 13 weeks, and from 1728 June, the regiment received 950 draftees to fill their ranks. U.S. A and D Companies were recruited from Meriden, B Company was recruited from Middletown, and C Company was recruited from Bristol. During the Korean War, the 43d Division was again ordered into active Federal Service on 5 September 1950 and was moved to Seventh United States Army, VII Corps in West Germany in 1951. During this period, the 169th Infantry Regiment was under the command of the 38th Infantry Division, and were returned to 43rd Divisional control on 24 March. The realization of war caught up to the men of the 169th on the following night. This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 20:51. Within a blue circle 2 inches in diameter, 1/2-inch in width quadrated at 45 degrees to the lines of disk, a blue quadrated disk 1 1/8 inches in diameter, the inner ends of the quadrants rounded by arcs of 1/8-inch radius, all white lines 1/8-inch in width. SpanishAmerican WarPancho Villa ExpeditionWorld War II, The 169th Infantry Regiment traces its heritage back to when militia units in Hartford County, Connecticut organized into the Regiment of Hartford County in 1672. After intensive training at Camp Pickett, Virginia, the 43rd deployed to Germany to join the NATO forces containing the Warsaw Pact nations in Western Europe. Thanks for making it possible!" As early as 1922, the Nebraska National Guard found it impossible to organize the VII Corps' 127th Field Artillery Regiment because a lack of funding and armory space. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! On 15 June 1954, the 43d Division was released and returned to state control. [2]" The main attack was scheduled to begin on 9 July 1943, but the 169th (unaccustomed to combat) was exhausted after spending a sleepless night shooting at real and imagined enemy patrols. It became a separate regiment deploying to the Pacific. The only military casualty was Captain Elwood Euart, 103nd Field Artillery, who died while rescuing some of his troops. World War, 1939-1945 Branch of Service: Army Unit of Service: Company G, 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division Location of Service: Pacific Theater Highest Rank: Private First Class Dates of Service: 1943-1946 Entrance into Service: Drafted Military Status: Veteran Materials An asterisk indicates the state of headquarters allocation; the headquarters was not yet organized or was inactive. The 169th trained in the states of Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina until 4 December. Under enemy fire, the Division secured the beachhead and fought into the Lingayen Plain by 12 February. The marking was later stenciled onto signs identifying the whereabouts of division units, soldiers' helmets, and finally was made into a shoulder sleeve insignia when that usage was authorized. Cannon Co. Search for: Follow Us. [1] The 1st Connecticut remained in Washington until 27 July, and were mustered out in New Haven, Connecticut on 31 July 1861 when their period of enlistment expired. The 169th Infantry Regiment distinctive unit insignia adorns the left side of the present hat. On 18 February, the convoy docked at Guadalcanal and bivouacked on the island. The 85th Brigade included the 102nd and 169th Infantry Regiments, both based in Connecticut. [1], The 169th Infantry Regiment was ordered to mobilize on 24 February 1941 and join the 43rd Infantry Division, the "Winged Victory" Division. In addition, the 68th Field Artillery Brigade was based in Providence, Rhode Island. The regiment arrived at Washington D.C. on 13 May, and camped at Glenwood, 2 miles to the north of the capitol. Email. Nearby hills and ridges were secured against heavy enemy resistance, and the 169th continued to slog on through the island against determined defenders until 28 June 1945, when the 43rd Division was relieved by the 38th Division. Infantry Division "Winged Victory" Veterans Association [6] The 35th Division had as an officer Captain Harry Truman, 33rd President of the United States, who commanded Battery D of the 129th Field Artillery Regiment. For the next few months, the 169th conducted jungle warfare training on the island and honed their battle skills before their next assignment. The 43rd Division was allotted as the National Guard division for New England, replacing the 26th Division which became an all-Massachusetts outfit. Units of the 35th Infantry Division from March 1942 included: On 7 December 1945, the division was inactivated at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky. Great genuine WWII US Army Other Ranks Garrison Cap, featuring the light blue piping of the Infantry. The regiment conducted continuous training after being relieved by the Australian 6th Division until 10 December 1944, when the regiment loaded up and headed for Luzon.[1]. find my friend." The 102nd Infantry Regiment was detached from the Division. The Division left Manila, 7 September 1945, and arrived in Yokohama, Japan on 13 September for occupation duty. The 172d Infantry Regiment arrived at Espiritu Santo, 26 October. The airfield would not be secured until well into August. Did you proudly serve in 169TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 43RD DIVISION? They were destined to invade the island of Puerto Rico, but they never saw active service and were mustered out on 31 October 1898. Son of Richard and Aldea (Pimpare) Gutzmer. Elements of the 169th soon landed on the southern coast of New Georgia on 2 July and began to march alongside the 172nd Infantry Regiment toward Munda Point to capture the Munda Airfield there. The 169th Infantry reflagged as the 39th Infantry Regiment. The 68th Field Artillery Brigade located in Providence, Rhode Island consisted of the 103rd Field Artillery Regiment in Providence, the 192nd Field Artillery Regiment in Connecticut, and the 152nd Field Artillery Regiment in Maine. Walter Thiede, served in the Hartford-based 169th Infantry Regiment. Leading a charge, he was wounded again and killed three Japanese soldiers in close combat. In addition, the 68th Field Artillery Brigade was based in Providence, Rhode Island. [1], The 169th soon found themselves as part of the US Occupation of Japan, garrisoning Kumagaya Airdrome from 14 September 12 October. The Russell Islands were occupied without opposition, 21 February, and training continued. Brigadier General James Mason was the commander. The 43rd, 44th, and 45th Divisions were constituted as new units. The present battalion commander is Maj Arvel C. Stafford. Marines and soldiers were seizing the last island objective, Okinawa, before the invasion of mainland Japan began. The men of the regiment "were soon introduced to the harsh realities of jungle warfare. On 30 September 1942, the 169th Infantry Regiment left San Francisco, California and sailed to New Zealand with a total strength of 139 officers, 5 warrant officers, and 3,138 enlisted men.[1]. The 85th Brigade included the 102nd and 169th Infantry Regiment, both based in Connecticut. The Japanese fought fiercely before relinquishing Munda and its airfield, 5 August. The 43rd Infantry Division landed in New Zealand on 23 October 1942. They had managed to inflict (by actual count) 2,786 Japanese dead. 5 August 1944: Third Army, 12th Army Group. 43rd Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia. The division also concentrated at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, in 1940.[11]. By 17 July, the main line of Japanese resistance had not been reached, but the regiment had already suffered 90 men killed and 600 men wounded along with many psychoneurotic casualties. The regiment arrived at Washington D.C. on 13 May, and camped at Glenwood, 2 miles to the north of the capitol. [1][2] It was inactivated in 1919, but the division headquarters was reconstituted in 1935 and it served with a brief interruption until it was inactivated again in 1963. [1] On 1 May, they were returned to the 43rd Infantry Division. The Russells proved to be unoccupied by Japs. The long-planned landing on Japan would never come, thanks only to the surrender of Japan after the two atomic bombs were dropped in August. The 143rd Regional Support Group of the Connecticut National Guard now carries on the heritage. worldwartwoveterans@gmail.com. The 1st Connecticut Infantry was recalled to federal service on 26 April 1898 for duty in the SpanishAmerican War. In this reorganization, only the states of Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island were included in the makeup of the Division. They trace their ancestry back to when militia units in the Connecticut colony organized for drill in 1672, but their official organization as the 1st Connecticut occurred on 11 October 1739. In the 1920s and 1930s, constituent units of the division performed various activities policing labor troubles and effecting disaster relief. Hard fighting in the hills, jungles, and villages near Aitape continued until long after the area was officially declared secure on 25 August 1944. Japanese patrols constantly harassed the men, and they launched a counterattack on 22 July. Silver Star: 987, Legion of Merit:90, Bronze Star: 2947, Purple Heart: 7610, Soldiers Medal:63, Air Medal: 31. The 35th Division was organized August 25, 1917, at Camp Doniphan, Oklahoma, as a unit of the National Guard, with troops from Missouri and Kansas. The division's next move started at Noumea Harbor on 16 Feb 1943. The 1st Regiment of the Connecticut militia responded, and they reported for duty on 11 August 1776. The regiment fought in the First Battle of Bull Run on 21 July, where they engaged in constant activity against the enemy, and repelled infantry and cavalry attacks from 1,0001,600. The reorganization was completed on 1 March 1942, and the division was redesignated as the 35th Infantry Division. While the 1st Cavalry lead the assault on Manila, the 43rd began its move on the Wawa Damand then the Ipo Dam. Blanding was hot, sandy and miserable. Winged Victory Division Gutzmer, Walter Frederick Walt (20129133). Lo. The 35th Infantry Division arrived in England on 25 May 1944 and received further training. The convoy received prior radio warning of the enemys approach and all-hands were at general quarters when the attacks began. The division began preparations for departure for home on 27 September 1945, and officially began their departure on 29 September. 66, 1945), Company F, 137th Infantry Regiment, for outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy at Sarreguemines, France, on 10 December 1944 (War Department General Orders No. Ipo Dam was secured and enemy opposition smashed in the Ipo area, 19 May. The regiment arrived in New Zealand on 22 October, and engaged in intensive training on the island until 22 November 1942. Stories by the Connecticut soldiers who were with the 43rd from the beginning of the war through occupation duties in Japan. After training at Munda, the 43rd moved to Guadalcanal and thence to New Zealand for rest and rehabilitation. [1] The 43rd Division consisted of two infantry brigades, the 85th in Connecticut, and the 86th in Vermont. Victor J. Braden served as the Commander, 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation, 35th Infantry Division in Tuzla, Bosnia. Photo: State Library and Archives of Florida. On 2324 February, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 169th made an amphibious assault on the island of Pavuvu in the Russell Islands against no resistance. The 1st contributed 522 officers and men for the task, and were relieved on 27 October 1814.[1]. [1] The 172nd Infantry with the 206th Field Artillery Battalion were based in Vermont. The 1st Regiment consisted of 121 officers and men and began their service on 7 June 1813 when they marched to New London. The 143rd Area Support Group of the Connecticut National Guard now carries on the heritage. They arrived 22 Oct in Auckland NZ. It returned to Connecticut in 1954 continuing to serve the state of Connecticut until 1992, when the last remnants of the 169th Infantry Regiment were deactivated.[1]. The CT Guard retained its former unit designation as the 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division. The hills and rugged countryside of Luzon proved to be very difficult ground, and tenacious Japanese defenders made the drive painful. On 15 April 1861, President Abraham Lincoln issued a call for volunteers after the fall of Fort Sumter, and the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment was mustered in on 2223 April. Ordered into federal service: 24 February 1941. The 35th Division was organized August 25, 1917, at Camp Doniphan, Oklahoma, as a unit of the National Guard, with troops from Missouri and Kansas. He married Elena Helen Accornero and raised a family, never moving far from his childhood home. From Ft. Ord the Division embarked on ships for the South Pacific. On 12 January, SSG Robert E. Laws (G Company, 2169) earned the Medal of Honor for his actions while attacking an enemy controlled ridge. 1-169 and 3-169 followed shortly after and pressed the attack. The militia troops were hastily assembled, poorly armed, meagerly paid, thus discipline and morale was low. The 169th redesignated as the 39th Infantry Regiment. The hills and rugged countryside of Luzon proved to be very difficult ground, and tenacious Japanese defenders made the drive painful. Division liaison officers served in the towns of Mostar, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Zenica and Doboj. Against heavy resistance 1st Battalion finally secured Hill 470 on 10 Jan. The division's units were ordered to report to Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas, and had arrived by the end of January, 1941. 172nd Infantry Regiment. 51-52, Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953). [1], When the United States began their involvement in First World War, the 1st Connecticut donated many men to the newly formed 102nd Infantry Regiment, but the new US infantry regiment claimed its heritage from the 2nd Connecticut Infantry Regiment. The 1st Regiment consisted of 121 officers and men and began their service on 7 June 1813 when they marched to New London. ". He later went on to command the division. The 86th Brigade was made up of the 172nd Infantry Regiment in Vermont, and the 103rd Infantry Regiment in Maine. The 35th Division's engineer, field artillery, quartermaster, and medical regiments were reorganized as battalions. [1] The Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 marked the entry of the United States in the Second World War. The first three days on Luzon were only the start of a bloody fight for the island that would take its toll on the 169th for months. Veteran L. Prickett, "Dear VetFriends, Thanks so much for your help! The Division Headquarters, the 102nd and 169th Infantry Regiments with the 963rd Field Artillery (105th) and the 192nd Field Artillery (105th) with detachments of combat support were organized in Connecticut. At Bemis Heights, they lost more men than any other regiment engaged, and General Gates referred to them as the "excellent militia regiment from Connecticut. In December 1943 / January 1944, the Division returned to New Zealand. Thanks VetFriends, It was a wonderful moment that we will both remember for the rest of our lives, and we owe it to VetFriends. Are you looking for someone who is or was in 169TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 43RD DIVISION? It landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy 57 July 1944 and entered combat on 11 July, fighting in the Normandy hedgerows north of St. As a part of the 43rd Infantry Division operation, the Regiment seized Rendova Island against minimal opposition on 30 June. After training at Munda, the 43d moved to Guadalcanal and thence to New Zealand for rest and rehabilitation. For 13 weeks, the regiment patrolled the border and encountered slight enemy resistance during their time there but suffered no casualties. In 1946 the Division was reorganized again, and was now made up of units from Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island. By that time, the war unbeknown to the men of the 169th, was drawing to a close. They then attacked the enemy in the vicinity of the Ipo Dam, which controlled roughly 30% of Manila's water supply. 43rd Infantry Division - "Winged Victory Division" Back to all Infantry Divisions The 43rd Infantry Division served for 370 days in Combat in The Asiatic Pacific Theater of operations; during this time they served in the campaigns of NEW GUINEA , NORTHERN SOLOMONS, and LUZON. Men of the 169th Infantry Regiment WWII: Sergeant Leo Paul Ramsey, US Army and Army Air Corps Morning Reports WWII, Vietnam War: France 1946-1954 and U.S. 1955-1975, Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA), Click Here: War Diaries USS President Hayes & Crescent City, Click Here: War Diaries USS President Adams, Click Here: Winged Victory on Foot: The 43rd Infantry Division, Click Here: Link to 169th Morning Reports, Click Here: Connecticut Men 43rd-Winged Division. [1], American Civil War and SpanishAmerican War, Last edited on 17 February 2022, at 16:14, 1st Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation, "The Harsh Realities of Warfare | Article | The United States Army", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=169th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)&oldid=1072414205, This page was last edited on 17 February 2022, at 16:14. On 3 April, they were attached to the 112th Cavalry Regiment to conduct reconnaissance against the formidable Shimbu Line. French and Indian WarAmerican Revolutionary War, SpanishAmerican WarPancho Villa ExpeditionWorld War II, previous [1], The 169th Infantry Regiment was ordered to mobilize on 24 February 1941 and join the 43rd Infantry Division, the "Winged Victory" Division. in 1963, in one of the many downsizings of the Armed Forces, the Division left active National Guard service.