The 6th Infantry Division was activated on Oct 10 1939 at Ft Lewis Washington as 6th Division and moved to Fort Jackson South Carolina Nov 9 1939. It was then relocated to Fort Benning Georgia on Apr 12 1940 and in Alexandria Louisiana on May 8 1940. A little later, the 6th Inf Div was relocated to Fort Snelling Minnesota – Jun 1 1940 and sent to Lincoln Minnesota on Jul 17 1940 before it returned to Fort Snelling Minnesota Aug 19 1940; participated in Arkansas Maneuvers of Aug 1941 and Louisiana Maneuvers of Sep 1941. On Oct 10 1941, the 6-ID moved to Fort Leonard Wood 10 where it was re-designated 6th Motorized Division on Apr 9 1942 and moved to the I Corps Tennessee Maneuvers on Sep 11 1942. Sent back to Fort Leonard Wood on Nov 10 1942 the division moved to Camp Young California on Nov 29 1942 where it participated in the Desert Training Center #1 IV Armored Corps Maneuvers until Feb 22 1943. On Mar 28 1943, the 6-ID arrived at Camp San Luis Obispo, California, where it was re-designated 6th Infantry Division on Mar 21 1943 and departed the San Francisco POE on Jul 21 1943 and arrived in Hawaii on Jul 29. The 6-ID left Hawaii on Jan 26 1944 and arrived in the Milne Bay New Guinea on Jan 31 1944, assaulted Sansapor New Guinea on Jul 30 1944, assaulted Lingayen Gulf Philippines on Jan 9 1945 and arrived in Korea on Oct 18 1945 where it remained active thru 1946.
6th Infantry Division – Casualties
Killed in Action : 410
Wounded in Action : 1957
Died of Wounds : 104
6th Infantry Division – Commanders
- Brig Gen Clement A. Trott : October 1939 – October 1940
- Brig Gen Frederick E. Uhl : October 1940 – January 1941
- Maj Gen Clarence S. Ridley : January 1941 – September 1942
- Maj Gen Durward S. Wilson : September 1942 – October 1942
- Maj Gen Franklin C. Sibert : October 1942 – August 1944
- Maj Gen Edwin D. Patrick : August 1944 – March 1945
- Maj Gen Charles E. Hurdis : March 1945 – Deactivation
6th Infantry Division – Order of Battle 1944
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company 6th Infantry Division
- Headquarters & Headquarters Battery Division Artillery
- Headquarters Special troops
- Military Police Platoon
- 1st Infantry Regiment
- 1st Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM)
- 6th Reconnaissance Troop Mecz
- 6th Engineer Combat Battalion
- 6th Medical Battalion
- 6th Quartermaster Battalion
- 6th Signal Company
- 6th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
- 20th Infantry Regiment
- 51st Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM)
- 53rd Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM)
- 63rd Infantry Regiment
- 80th Field Artillery Battalion (155-MM)
- 706th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
6th Infantry Division Combat Narrative
The 6th Infantry Division arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea, on Jan 31 1944 and on Jun 5 1944 initial elements arrived at Toem in the
Hollandia – Aitape area, followed by the 20-IR on Jun 11 1944 and the 63-IR with rest of division on Jun 14 1944.
On Jun 20, the 20-IR began its attack toward Lone Tree Hill from Tirfoam River, but was slowed by heavy fire from a defile between it and Mount Saksin and was unable to gain the crest until Jan 22, after which it was subjected to fierce Japanese counterattacks. The 1-IR landed via sea just west of the hill to outflank the Japanese and forced a small beachhead which it was initially unable to expand.
By Jan 27 1944 the 63-ID was able to mop up the Japanese forces in the Lone Tree Hill vicinity, and the division secured the Maffin Bay area on Jul 12.
After a brief rest the 1-IR assaulted Sansapor on Jul 30 and in the Vogelkop Peninsula against no resistance, the preparatory bombardment being omitted to attain surprise. The 63-ID landed on undefended Middleburg and Amsterdam Islands. A battalion of the 1-IR took the undefended plantation village at Cape Sansapor on Jul 31 1944. The division secured the coast from Cape Waimak to the Mega River and garrisoned it until Dec 1944.
On Jan 9 1945 the division landed at Lingayen Gulf onto Luzon in the Philippines and pursued the Japanese into the Cabaruan Hills and began holding actions on the Malisqui-Catablan-Torres line. Attacking in the 43-ID sector, the 63-IR gained Hill 363 on Jan 14. The division attacked Jan 17 as the 20-IR pushed on the Cabaruan Hills and the
1-IR drove toward Urdaneta.
The 63-ID took Blue Ridge near Amlang after heavy fighting on Jan 21. The 1-IR, assisted by air support, seized San Jose on Feb 4 which was the Highway 5 gate to the Cagayan Valley. The 20-IR took Munoz after a battle lasting several days, wiping out escaping Japanese columns there on Feb 7 1945.
The division then occupied positions along Luzon’s eastern coast, bisecting Japanese forces on the island, and drove to Dinglan and Baler Bays to isolate Japanese on southern Luzon by Feb 13. The 1-IR operated on Bataan Feb 14 to Feb 21 and cut the peninsula from Abucay to Bagac.
The division shifted to confront the Shimbu Line northeast of Manila on Feb 24. On that day the 63-IR seized Montalban and the 20-IR reached the heights near Mataba. As Japanese resistance increased the 1-ID was committed in the center toward Wawa Dam. After reaching the crest of Mount Pacawagan on Feb 26, the 63-IR was thrown off by the Japanese.
Efforts by the 1-IR to take Mount Mataba were defeated and it withdrew on Feb 27 as the 63-IR held the slope of Mount Pacawagan against assault.
The division regrouped and renewed attacks by the 1-IR on Mar 8 met unexpectedly light resistance. The 63-IR continued to hold its precarious positions in the Mount Pacawagan – Mataba sector. After hard fighting the 1-IR seized Benchmark Hill on Mar 11 and the 20-IR was committed into the Shimbu Line assault. It shifted toward Mount Baytangan and reinforced by the 1-IR, shifted its attack onto Mount Mataba under intense fire on Mar 28 1945.
The entire division regrouped and renewed the offensive on Apr 2. The 20-IR and the 63-IR switched sectors and the latter began the attack on Mount Mataba behind artillery fire on Apr 6. This attack was suspended until XI Corps artillery could saturate the Japanese positions, and then the 63-IR forced its way to the summit on Apr 10, but the hill was not cleared until Apr 17.
On Apr 16 1945 the 1-IR initiated its attack up Woodpecker Ridge near the junction of the Bosoboso and Mariquina Rivers. On Apr 19 the division switched sectors with the 38-ID and on Apr 25 the 152-IR relieved the 1-IR at the ridge.
By Apr 27 the attached 145-IR finally gained the crest of Mount Pacawagen. The division then moved to the Kembu sector on May 3 and took responsibility for Highway 5 south of Bayombong from the 37-ID on Jun 12 1945.
On Jun 21, the 63-IR pushed to Kiangan and the 20-IR took Bolog on the 29. Though the Luzon campaign was officially declared over on Jun 30 1945, the division conducted mopping up operations in the
Cagayan Valley and Cordilleras Mountains until the end of the war.
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