The 7th Infantry Division was activated on Jul 1 1940 at Fort Ord California as 7th Division and was moved to Longview Washington on Aug 19 1941 for the Fourth Army Maneuvers. It then moved back to Fort Ord California on Aug 31 1941; arrived in San Jose California on Dec 11 1941, where the unit was re-designated 7th Motorized Div on Apr 9 1942 and was ordered to Camp San Luis Obispo, California, on Apr 24 1942. It moved then to Desert Training Center II Armored Corps Maneuvers on Aug 14 1942 and returned Camp San Luis Obispo California on Oct 20 1942 where it was redesignated 7th Infantry Division on Jan 1 1943. Sent to Fort Ord, California on Jan 15 1943 the 7th Infantry Division departed San Francisco POE on Apr 24 1943.
The unit assaulted Attu Island Aleutians on May 11 1943 and remained in Aleutians until arrived Hawaii Sep 15 1943. Invaded Kwajalein Atoll on Jan 31 1944 and arrived back in Hawaii Feb 15 1944; assaulted Leyte
Philippines Oct 20 1944 and left Mar 27 1945; assaulted Okinawa Apr 1 1945; moved to Korea Sep 8 1945 and remained there active thru 1946.
7th Infantry Division – Casualties
Killed in Action : 1948
Wounded in Action : 7258
Died of Wounds : 386
7th Infantry Division – Commanders
- Brig Gen Joseph W. Stilwell : Jul 1940 – Aug 1941
- Maj Gen Charles H. White : Aug 1941 – Oct 1942
- Maj Gen Albert E. Brown : Oct 1942 – Deactivation
7th Infantry Division – Order of Battle 1944-1945
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company 7th Infantry Division
- Headquarters & Headquarters Battery Division Artillery
- Military Police Platoon
- 7th Medical Battalion
- 7th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
- 7th Quartermaster Company
- 7th Signal Corps
- 7th Reconnaissance Troop Mecz
- 13th Engineer Combat Battalion
- 17th Infantry Regiment
- 31st Field Artillery Battalion (155-MM)
- 32nd Infantry Regiment
- 48th Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM)
- 49th Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM)
- 57th Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM)
- 184th Infantry Regiment
- 707th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
7th Infantry Division Combat Narrative
The 7th Infantry Division elements departed San Francisco on April 24 1943 to seize Attu Island in the Aleutians, and after several delays
due to weather the 17th Infantry Regiment landed in dense fog on May 11 and attacked toward the Jarmin Pass. The 32nd Infantry Regiment joined the assault on May 12 and the Japanese abandoned their positions on May 17.
The division took the strongly defended Clevesy Pass on May 21 in attacks across frozen tundra and cleared Fish Hook Ridge on May 27 1943. Resistance collapsed on Attu at month’s end, and the division trained on Adak Island.
The 17th Infantry Regiment and 184th Infantry Regiment landed on Kiska, which the Japanese had evacuated, August 15 1943. The division arrived in Hawaii on September 15 and engaged in intense jungle and amphibious training, after which it left on January 20 to January 22 1944 to assault the Marshall Islands.
The 17th Infantry Regiment landed on Ennylabegan and Enubuj Islands on January 31 1944. The 32nd Infantry Regiment and 184th Infantry Regiment assaulted heavily defended Kwajalein Atoll on February 1 1944. The 184-IR was engaged in heavy combat against the blockhouse sector on February 3 1944, and by February 5 1944 the divivion was mopping up the island. The 17-IR took Ebeye Island on February 3 1944 and other small islets until February 6 1944.
On February 8, the division left Kwajalein Atoll and engaged in rest and rehabilitation on Hawaii where it planned for the capture of Yap and the Palau Islands.
It left Hawaii on September 15 1944 and was concurrently given the mission of invading the Philippine Islands instead.
On October 20 1944 the division landed on Leyte Island’s east coast and drove west from Dulag. The 32-IR seized contested Buri airstrip on October 27 and the 17-IR battled for Dagami which fell on October 30.
The division eliminated Japanese forces south of the Marabang River and captured Bambay, the 32-IR attacking toward Ormoc on November 14.
The Battle of Shoestring Ridge began on November 23 1944 as the Japanese counterattacked the thinly spread 32-IR along the Palanas
River. Reinforced by the 184-IR, numerous Japanese attacks were repulsed in the bamboo thickets.
The division was relieved in this sector November 28 by the 11th Airborne Division, which retained the 17-IR temporarily. The division
moved from San Pablo to Baybay on December 4 1944. The 184-ID attacked north from Damulaan December 5 1944 toward Ormoc and
advanced division soldiers overtook the 7-ID seizing Ipilll on December 1944 and dividing the Japanese forces on the island.
The 32-IR attacked northeast on December 13 and joined forces with the 11-ABD moving west on December 15 1944. The division moved to Ormoc on December 24 and landed on undefended Ponson Island on January 15 1945, Poro Island on January 19, and Pacijan Island on January 20. It left the Camotes Islands on February 2 1945 and returned to Tarragona on Leyte where it staged for the Ryukyus operations, its zone being turned over to the Americal Division on February 10 1945.
After much training and preparation the division departed Leyte on March 27 1945 and assaulted Okinawa on April 1 1945. The 17-IR reached the east coast, severing the island and reaching the northern end of the Yonabaru airfield the following day. With the assistance of massed fires the 184-IR took Tomb Hill on April 9, and after hard fighting the 17-IR seized the military crest of Skyline Ridge and sealed the caves there by April 23 1945.
The regiment took the Rocky Crags area but failed to force Kochi Ridge. The 184-IR relieved the 32-IR in line on May 1 1945 despite Japanese infiltrators and attacked Gaja Ridge which it gained but lost to counterattack. The only major Japanese counteroffensive of the Ryukyus campaign hit the division May 4 to May 5 May 1945 and brought the 17-IR’s efforts to take Kochi Ridge to another halt.
By May 9 1945, as the 96th Infantry Division relieved the 17-IR most of the Japanese had been cleared from their Kochi positions. The division rehabilitated May 12 to May 21, patrolled rear areas, and trained replacements.
On May 22 1945 it returned to the front, driving unopposed through the Yonabaru ruins to the hills beyond. On May 26, the 32-IR ran into
enemy strong points covering Shuri. The division had seized key positions by the end of the month in spite of this opposition and reached the southeast coast of Okinawa on June 3. The battle for Hill 95 began June 5 as the 17-IR and 32-IR used naval gunfire, corps artillery, and flamethrowing tanks. The 32-IR stormed and took it on June 11, and next captured Hill 89 near Mabuni, where the Japanese underground headquarters was located, on June 21.
The division mopped up rear areas and engaged in rehabilitation and training on June 21 to June 30 1945.
On August 5 it was given responsibility for the ground defense and internal security of the southern portion of Okinawa and continued this
mission until the end of the war.
Quick note from Gunter to Veterans and Veterans Relatives
It is very difficult from Belgium to get memorabilias from World War Two Veterans that fought in the Pacific Theater.
I am willing to turn the History Website in every aspect from the war and not only Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge.
It is why I am asking veterans and veterans relatives to send me (donations) material to make this Pacific side war a little more nice.
I need photos and some military souvenirs (not expensive one) just little things like Dog Tags, Medal Helmet Jacket Knife and anything in this area as well as war experiences in written form.
Lot of people are interested in the Pacific War but without connection on this area and without millions of dollars it’s not easy to make short stories available for historians.
Please sent to :
European Center of Military History
Gunter G. Gillot Jr
Route de la Gileppe 43
4845 Jalhay Belgium
Something to Add ?
Photos; Combat Experiences Stories
Documents : use form bellow.
Several photos ? Go to the Upload page (top bar of the site).
Thank you
Allowed jpg, gif, jepg, png, txt, tif, bmp, pdf.
