NAME:
Forty-First Infantry Division / 41st Division
NICKNAME:
"Sunset Division" and "Jungleers"
BATTLE HONORS:
World War II
New Guinea
Southern Philippines
Papuan
ACTIVATED:
July 1917
Sept 16, 1940
DEACTIVATED:
June 1919
Dec 31, 1945
HISTORY:
The 41st Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. A National Guard unit, it was reorgnized in 1965 as a separate infantry brigade; the 41st Brigade Combat Team is headquartered in Tigard, Oregon and is currently assigned to the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado.
World War I
The history of the 41st Infantry Brigade can be traced back to 1887 when the Summers Law established the Oregon National Guard. In 1917, the 41st Infantry Division was formed (Named the Sunset Division). Oregon National Guard infantry, field artillery and cavalry units were sent to Camp Green, North Carolina, where, together with other National Guard units from the northwestern states, they were formed into the 41st Division. Some units changes were made as they processed into the 41st Division. The Third Oregon Infantry became the 162nd Infantry Regiment. The Oregon Field Artillery helped form the 147th Field Artillery Regiment which later was armed with the lethalFrench 75" cannon. Since no real role existed for cavalry units in World War I, Oregon's cavalry troops were disbanded. Many of the men and officers went to the 148th Field Artillery Regiment which did have horse-drawn 155mm GPF cannons. The two artillery regiments, along with the 146th Field Artillery, made up the 66th Field Artillery Brigade -- the organic artillery of the 41st Division.
After months of hard work, training, reorganizing and re-equipping for war, the Division moved to Camp Mills, New Jersey, for shipment overseas. The first divisional units departed the United States on November 26, 1917. Within sight of the French coast, tragedy struck. Two torpedoes from a German U-boat ripped in the "TUSCANIA" which was carrying, among the others, men of the 66th Field Artillery Brigade. Fortunately, French fishing boats were in the area and pulled survivors from the freezing waters thus avoiding a great loss of life.
In France, the 41st Division received a major disappointment. It was designated a replacement division and did not go to combat as a unit. The majority of its infantry personnel went to the 1st, 2nd, 32nd and 42nd Divisions where they served throughout the war. The 147th Field Artillery was attached to the 32nd Division and saw action at Aisne-Marne, Meuse-Argonne and other areas. The 146th and 148th of the 66th Field Artillery Brigade were attached as corps artillery units and participated in the battles of Chateau Thierry, Aisne-Marne, St Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne.
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
After World War I, as after the Spanish-American War, further changes came to the Oregon National Guard. In 1921, the designation of the 41st Division was allocated to Pacific Northwest states, and each state was instructed to form certain divisional units. Oregon received the 162nd and the 186th Infantry Regiments, comprising the 82nd Brigade of the Division, as well as the 218th Field Artillery Regiment. Other divisional units were to be furnished by Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
As the international situation worsened in the 1930's, the intensity and urgency of training in the 41st Division increased. In 1937, the Division paired with the US 3rd Division for Corps Maneuvers at Fort Lewis. The 1940 summer camp at Fort Lewis witnessed the Division training with maneuvers at regimental level. One month after annual training in 1940, the 41st Division, along with the 249th Coast Artillery and State Headquarters, was called to active service.
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; SM60 ; 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 Battle of Buna-Gona, at Dobadura on 2 January 1943, and fought continuously in the Sanananda area until it fell 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.
1887 - Summers Law established Oregon National Guard
1917 - 41 Infantry Division formed (Named the Sunset Division)
1940 - 41 Infantry Division inducted into Federal service WW II
1945 - 41 Infantry Division deactivated in Kure, Japan
Post World War II
1946 - 41 Infantry Division reformed in Oregon
1965 - 41 Infantry Division reorganized as the 41st Infantry Brigade
1968 - Redesignated the 41 Separate Infantry Brigade
1975 - 41 Separate Infantry Brigade became "Roundout" to the 7th Infantry Division
1994: - 41 Separate Infantry Brigade designated as "Enhanced"
1998 - Selected as one of the eSB’s to form the Integrated Division
Divisional history from:
http://www.41stdivision.com/division/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_41st_Infantry_Division
