A Summary History of the 23rd Infantry Division (Americal)

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The Americal Division
(Original article written 5/3/2010 by Jim Broumley)

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 in 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 the 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 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 which 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, the 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, and 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 non-combatants. 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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A Summary History of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment

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"Toujours Pret"
(Original Article Written 5/30/08 by Jim Broumley)

The unit that most Cold War-era veterans knew as the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) has recently fielded the Stryker Armored Vehicle and is now designated as the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment (SCR). The 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment is a military unit within the United States Army that can trace its lineage back to the early part of the 19th century. 2SCR has the distinction of being the longest-continuously serving unit in the United States Army. The mission of the 2nd Cav is, upon receiving orders, to rapidly deploy and execute reconnaissance and security operations anywhere in the world and be prepared to fight upon arrival and win.

The 2nd Regiment of Dragoons was constituted on 23 May 1836 to fight in the Seminole Indian Campaigns in Florida. The Dragoon was basically a mounted infantryman. That type of unit was considered to be the most capable of defeating the agile and elusive Seminole. From these campaigns, the Regiment earned its first Battle Streamer. The Second Dragoons then served on the Texas frontier guarding the western expansion of the nation. The regiment fought in the Mexican-American War, the early frontier Indian Wars, Bleeding Kansas, and the Mormon War in Utah.

When the Civil War began in the spring of 1861, the 2nd Dragoons made the long trek across the United States to join Federal Forces around Washington D.C. Elements of the unit arrived in time to participate in the First Battle of Bull Run. The 2nd Dragoons, like all mounted units, was reorganized and became the 2nd U.S. Cavalry on August 3, 1861. The Second U.S. Cavalry served in almost every major battle and campaign that the Federal Army of the Potomac participated in. The Regiment earned 14 Battle Streamers during the Civil War and three 2nd Cavalry Troopers were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

After the Civil War, the 2nd Cavalry returned to the West. Through 1890 the Regiment participated in the Indian Wars. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment was scattered across the frontier, where they were called upon to keep the peace, explore the vast unknown lands of new territory, establish forts and develop road systems and telegraph lines. The 2nd U.S. Regiment of Cavalry added eleven additional Battle Streamers from the Indian Wars to their Colors. Fifteen more Troopers of the 2nd Cavalry were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor during this period.

In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, the 2nd Cavalry deployed to Cuba, joining Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders in the fighting at El Canay, San Juan Hill, Aquadores, and Santiago. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment stayed in Cuba on occupation duty until 1903. From 1903 to 1906 and again from 1910 to 1912, the Regiment served in the Philippine Islands. There they conducted operations against the Moro Natives and the insurrection against the established Philippine government. Upon returning from the Philippines, the 2nd Cavalry was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas to conduct border security during the turbulent years of the Mexican Revolution.

World War I was another era during which the 2nd Cavalry Regiment distinguished itself. By 1917 the Regiment, based at Forts Ethan Allan, VT, and Fort Myers, VA was training additional cavalry units for the coming war. Based on its reputation and history, General Pershing called on the Regiment to serve in the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) and in 1917 the Regiment deployed to Europe as the only American horse mounted Cavalry unit to fight in WWI. The Regiment served throughout the American sector conducting cavalry operations and was used as an exploitation force in several combat operations, working as Dragoons, dismounting to hold key terrain. Through these actions, the Regiment proved that horse-mounted cavalry units still had value on the modern battlefield. The Second Cavalry remained with the Army of Occupation in Germany at Koblenz until August 1919.

During the Inter-War years, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. There the Regiment performed peacetime duties as the Cavalry School Training Regiment from 1919 to 1939. At Fort Riley, the Regiment experimented with the first armored cars, and in 1936, as more money became available for maneuvers, it participated in the first armored and cavalry maneuvers.

When the United States entered World War II on December 7, 1941, the 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment was deeply involved in training cavalry troopers in mechanized operations at Fort Riley. Adjustments were made within all of the existing Cavalry Regiments to help create new armored units that were needed to fight in Europe. After the restructuring, in January 1943, the Regiment was re-designated as the 2nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized).

During World War II, the Regiment, under the new designation of "2nd Cavalry Group," landed in France on July 19, 1944, becoming part of General Patton's Third Army. During this period, the Regiment became known as the "Ghosts of Patton's Army" due to their ability to conduct reconnaissance, materializing seemingly at will behind German lines. The Regiment made the deepest penetration of the war, arriving in Czechoslovakia before finally linking up with Soviet forces heading west. The Regiment also conducted a famous raid behind Soviet lines to rescue the famous Lipizzaner Stallions.

At the end of the war, units that held the lineage of the Second Dragoons were re-designated as the 2nd U.S. Constabulary Regiment. Their mission was to first serve as occupation forces, then as surveillance and security along the Iron Curtain of East Germany and Czechoslovakia. The Regiment remained in Germany for the next 47 years. The 2nd Constabulary Regiment was reorganized and re-designated the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1948. The 2nd ACR served along the East German and Czechoslovakian geopolitical borders for the remainder of the Cold War, until 1992. Throughout this period the Dragoons fielded newer weapons, tanks, and equipment while serving on the forward edge of freedom's frontier.

When Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, the 2d ACR was a fully trained, combined arms combat unit, equipped with M1A1 Abrams Tanks and M-2 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicles. While the Regiment's peacetime mission had been defense and deterrence along the border, their wartime mission was to be the covering force for the U.S. VII Corps. In November 1990, the 2nd ACR deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield (later Operation Desert Storm) where they would spearhead the VII Corps' attack. On the 26th of February 1991, the Regiment was heavily involved in blocking the Iraqi counterattack into Kuwait by seven of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard Divisions. At a desolate spot deep in the eastern Iraqi desert, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment engaged the Tawakalna Division. This engagement became known as the "Battle of 73 Easting." The outcome of this battle was the destruction of the Iraqi armored force which earned the Regiment the Army's Valorous Unit Award. The actions against the Iraqi Divisions have become instructional examples of modern high-intensity armored warfare.

Returning from the Gulf, the Regiment was relocated from Germany to Fort Lewis, Washington after 49 years of continuous overseas service. The Regiment's ground squadrons were converted into a light cavalry unit consisting of Humvees (Scout HMMWV) mounted with TOW launchers, MK-19 grenade launchers, .50 caliber machine guns, and squad automatic weapons (SAW). The 2nd ACR (Light) was then sent to Ft Polk, LA in 1992. The 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light) became the "Corps Cavalry" or the eyes and ears of the XVIII Airborne Corps. At Fort Polk, the 4th Squadron (Regimental Aviation Squadron) was added to the new Regiment's organization. The addition of the 4/2 ACR (Air Cav), with their OH-58D Kiowa Warrior scout helicopters and UH-60 helicopters, completed the Regiment's re-organization into a Light Cavalry Regiment.

The Regiment next deployed in support of Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti from 1995 to 1996. In 1997, the 2nd ACR was deployed to Bosnia to serve as part of NATO's SFOR in support of Operation Joint Guard for peacekeeping operations in that country.

After returning from Bosnia, the Regiment returned to Fort Polk, Louisiana. In 2002, elements of the Regiment were deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan as part of the Global War On Terrorism. Soon the unit deployed again to the Gulf, this time for Operation Iraqi Freedom. With only 96 hours' notice, the Regiment deployed the Second Squadron and O Troop (Air Cavalry) to protect the V Corps lines of communication during major combat operations against the Iraqi Army. By May of 2003, the entire Regiment was deployed and served in the Baghdad Area of Operations. Upon the Sadr Uprising of April 2004, the Regiment's tour was extended in combat. The 2nd ACR fought urban battles in Sadr City, Diwaniya, Al Kut, Kufa, and An Najaf. The Regiment remained for a total of 16 months and earned the Presidential Unit Citation.

NARA Photo, 6677673, edited.
3/25/2006: Soldiers of Kilo Troop, 3rd Squadron,
2nd ACR offload a Stryker Command Vehicle
at Fort Lewis, Washington.

In March of 2005, the 2nd ACR was moved to Fort Lewis, Washington. In April 2005, the Regiment was re-designated the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and began reorganizing into the Army's newest Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT). The Regiment was returning to its original mission as Dragoons, or mounted infantry.

On June 1, 2006, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division conducted a joint re-flagging and casing ceremony. The 2nd CR was re-flagged as the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker). The 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division cased its brigade colors and was re-flagged as the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment (SCR). As of September 15, 2006, the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment has been home-based at Rose Barracks, Vilseck, Germany, near the Regiment's Cold War home of Nuremberg. With a foundation of infantry-based tactics and the mobility of the Stryker vehicle, the Stryker brigade has become more of a hybrid unit, filling the gap between pure light infantry and the mechanized, heavy infantry.

On August 3, 2007, a farewell ceremony was held in Vilseck as the 2nd SCR prepared to deploy to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom once again. They are scheduled for up to a 15-month tour. From the Swamps of Florida to the Deserts of Iraq, the 2nd Dragoons have lived up to their Motto of "Toujours Prêt," meaning "Always Ready," when our Nation calls.

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