The division continued to wipe out resistance on the island, engaging in small unit actions, patrolling, probing, and wiping out pockets of Japanese. With no preparatory artillery barrage, the two companies of infantry jumped off from their positions before day break so as to achieve surprise. Okinawa military correspondencefor Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, Transport Division 47. %PDF-1.7 % Publication: Deadeyes, The Story of the 96th Rather than surrender, many of the remaining Japanese forces choose to sacrifice themselves in the name of the Emperor. I would like to know something about dad.. John C. Willems, Capt. The Deadeyes of the US Army 96th Infantry Division are known primarily for their successful combat operations in WWII in the Pacific Theatre; notably in the Leyte and Samar Islands in the Philippines, and the island of Okinawa, Japan. The rapid advance and relatively light American casualties sustained so far on Okinawa ended. The Japanese, knowing they had their enemy at their mercy, sprang from their caves hurling grenades and satchel charges at the pinned down American infantry. Elements began to leave Hawaii, 1 July 1944, for the amphibious assault on Guam. After resting in July, the Division left Reserve Corps; redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve), Reorganized 1 June 1959 as a parent regiment under the Combat entering combat in an assault landing in Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands, between Tanauan and Dulag, 20 October 1944. The 307th Infantry Regiment moved into the line on Okinawa on April 29, on the top of the Maeda Escarpment known asHacksaw Ridge. Orlando R. Davidson, and Tee. 1100 N. Glebe Road In September, the 259th transferred overseas for duty in Vietnam and served with distinction, being awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. Most of her crew is lost with the ship. The civilian population of Okinawa, which was made up of native Okinawans and Japanese, numbered somewhere in the neighborhood of 300,000 people. The ARCOM consists of 94 units and 9,320 reservists, augmented by 243 full-time soldiers and 288 civilian employees. The Americans were unable to dig in on the rough coral tops of Kakazu, and thus were exposed to well-aimed rifle fire and shrapnel from all angles. The 96th Infantry Division was basically organized the same as all other Army infantry divisions. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift in Memory of Sgt. Okinawa was selected, as it was located almost exactly in the center of the Ryukyu Islands chain. Two American soldiers sharing a foxhole with a war orphan on Okinawa, 1945. The 96th Division was ordered into active service on 15 August 1942, eight months after the Attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. assignment to the 96th Infantry Division, 381st Infantry withdrawn 1 October 1993 Okinawa: The Last Battle. He passed away September 30, 2009 after a battle with cancer. Chalk Ridge was taken 12 December 1944, and major organized resistance was at an end by Christmas Day. The aircraft find their mark and blast the Yamato. The island of Okinawa is the largest in the chain of islands known as the Ryukyus, which lie to the southwest of Japan. One of our important attached units included the 763rd Tank Battalion, which was assigned to us in July of 1944 and remained with us until after the end of the war. Thirty-four US Navy ships are hit by kamikazes off Okinawa in the first of 10 large-scale attacks which the Japanese called kikusuis meaning chrysanthemums floating on water as part of their operation Ten-Go. The main combat divisions assigned to make the landing were the 7th Infantry Division and the 96th Infantry Division. Check outfirst hand accounts of the Battle of Okinawa in the Oral Historiesfrom the Digital Collections of The National WWII Museum. info@AmericanVeteransCenter.org. Constituted 5 September 1918 in the National Army as the 381st Infantry and assigned to the 96th Division Demobilized 30 November 1918 Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as. Among the assaulting masses . Visitors to Remember the Deadeyes so far! hb```f``d`a`8 @QOp3( `a`Hs1X Y:,!LYRf20;v8"d`\et0 M %%EOF island, engaging in small unit actions, patrolling, probing, and wiping out pockets of Japanese. Its men, most draftees from the Pacific Northwest and the. As Mitchells company was fighting for its life atop the ridge, another two companies under the command of Captain Jack Royster and Lieutenant Dave Belman advanced opposite Mitchells position. The invasion was supported by naval, amphibious, and tactical air forces. The division patrolled an area from Chan to Ogusuku until 30 June. The campaign was fought savagely in the air, on the land and across the sea. Okinawa, it was realized, would become a bloody slugfest. Infantry and assigned to the 96th Division, Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as the Richard O. Christiansen was appointed as Commanding General. Beauford Anderson fought 75 enemies on Okinawa alone, heroics for which he received the Medal of Honor. Enemy Deadeye, Jason Autrey. The unit returned to reserve status after the war until being deactivated in 1952. In August 1948, Colonel LeRoy H. Anderson of Conrad, Montana was appointed as the Commander. The Japanese defenders, however, arrived at the same opinion, and they planned their defenses accordingly. The exhausted GIs of Royster's and Belmans companies began to withdraw, crawling under enemy fire and dragging their wounded behind them as they crawled away. Enemy resistance in the beachhead area was quickly broken and the division had advanced to and secured the Tanauan-Dagami-Tabontabon sector by 9 November after heavy fighting. After initial training at Camp White in southern Oregon, the 96th Infantry Division participation in the Oregon Maneuver combat exercise in the fall of 1943.[2][3]. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Chronicles Page. On Memorial Day this year, I received an e-mail. The rapid advance and relatively light American casualties sustained so far on Okinawa ended. On Okinawa 1595 Deadeyes were killed, or died of wounds as well as 27 from the attached troops for a total of 1622. This campaign illustrated the powerful synergy of American joint operations. Crawling back down the ridge, he again volunteered fire support, and moved towards another wounded member of his company. hP Eight days later they would find out how wrong their assumptions had been. The Division continued to wipe out resistance on the island, engaging in small unit actions, patrolling, probing, and wiping out pockets of Japanese. 0 TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. The land campaign was going incredibly wellin fact, almost too good to be true. Victory in the largest battle of the Pacific War came 82 days after it began, and the costs were high. As the American advance pushed further south, it ran headlong into fortified Japanese positions and heavily defended caves near Kakazu Ridge, the first defensive perimeter in what would be called the Shuri Line. The fight for Kakazu Ridge did not end with the withdrawal of the 383rds 1st Battalion. View this catalog record in WorldCat for other possible copy locations. as of October 1948, are reproduced from The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. 96th Infantry Division World War II Activated: 15 August 1942. In American hands, the island provided a vital airfield in the final drive on Japan, as the Allies finally brought about Japanese surrender less than three months later. Moskala again provided fire support as the wounded man escaped down the ridge. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift in Memory of Sgt. Notable in the Okinawa island group are the Kerama Islands, which I will talk about a little later, and Ie Shima. If you wish to help extend Remember The Deadeyes please use Paypal or send a check. Join the community of family history enthusiasts and FamilySearch employees to ask questions and discuss potential product enhancements. Wounded US Marine helped to medical aid station on Okinawa, 1945. by Donald Dencker, L Company, 382nd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division, I am webmaster for the 96th Infantry Divisions web page. The division was inactivated in December 1965. We add more each month. The 96th Infantry Division and attached units distinguished themselves during the period 1 April 1945 to 30 June 1945, by extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action against the enemy in the conquest of Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, Japan. A 37mm anti-tank gun prepares to fire point-blank at a Japanese pillbox on Conical Hill on Okinawa. Marines in the Victory on Okinawa by Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC (Ret) Daybreak on 29 May 1945 found the 1st Marine Division beginning its fifth consecutive week of frontal assault as part of the U.S. Tenth Army's grinding offensive against the Japanese defenses centered on Shuri Castle in southern Okinawa. Resistance The Division patrolled an area from Chan to Ogusuku until 30 June. fighting was fierce, 7-16 April. There were locations of stiff fighting, like the Motobu Peninsula and Cactus Ridge, but overall, Japanese defenders had been less than fanatical in holding their territory. The next 3 months were spent in mopping up, The Combat Infantryman Badge is a US Army military decoration. Please email us if you would like to honor your Deadeye this way on Remember the Deadeyes. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum,Gift of Ms. Paulette Stewart, 2001.078.005_4. Chalk Ridge was taken, 12 December 1944, and major organized resistance was at an end by Christmas Day. The offensive was resumed, 30 May, against weakening enemy resistance; Japanese north of Yonabaru-Shuri-Naha Road area were cleared out. And even then, the Japanese defenses had been reduced to a pocket of die-hard defenders who had to be rooted out to the last man. During this fight, Ernie Pyle is killed by a Japanese machinegun burst on Ie Shima. Lineage and Honors Information as of 6 February 2009, Constituted 5 September 1918 in the National Army as the 381st The flag of the United States is patch worn by all military branches. On the morning of April 1, 1945 an Allied fleet of over 260 warships swarmed the seas around Okinawa. The war in Europe was over, but fighting raged in the Pacific. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.208. Not until April 21 did American infantry succeed in capturing Kakazu Ridge. For his selfless acts of compassion and bravery, Edward Moskala was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April . From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley,2012.019.467. The 96th Infantry Division served for 200 days in Combat in The Asiatic Pacific Theater of operations; during this time they served in the campaigns of SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES, and RYUKYUS. It was released from active duty on 18 September 1969. pockets and then returned to the offensive, 10 May, attacking and capturing Conical-Sugar Hill Ridge, 21 May, thus breaking From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift in Memory of Sgt. American servicemen on a beach with military vehicles in the background, Okinawa,1945. Ill. and ports. at Great Falls, Montana, (Organized Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as the Organized Campaigns: Leyte, Ryukyus Days of Combat: 200 Entered Combat: 20 October 1944 (Leyte) HUN@}RwBKT" p!hNBs_TjO[0(L.4y"~3${$FP$A5Z-DY rH JCN$[KZ*]Av,gOwf-9;^G? The American Veterans Center The 96th assaulted and cracked the fanatically-defended enemy defense line, Tanabaru Nishibaru, 1723 April, and after advancing slightly against extremely determined resistance, was relieved on 30 April by the 77th Infantry Division. It was recorded that the 96th had 453 missing in . Taking Okinawa would provide Allied forces an airbase from which bombers could strike Japan and an advanced anchorage for Allied fleets. We have gathered and provided the official US digitalized volumes of the Battles of Leyte and Okinawa, Authentic Battle Statistics, Historical Documents, Biographies, Videos, Photos, and many WWII peripheral items for students of history. Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.407. Alton was a Deadeye from M co. 382nd regiment seeing combat on Okinawa. Of the 89 men in his company, 15 had been killed and only 3 were uninjured by enemy fire. Heavy rains the following week slowed down the advance. April 28, 1945 Landed on Okinawa, relieving the 96th Division . 96th Infantry Division Private First Class, Robert F. Bopp DVD Needs Research World War II, 1939-1945 - Army Veteran Leyte Island Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands); Pacific Theater 96th Infantry Division Private First Class Louis A. Bossini DVD Needs Research World War II, 1939-1945 - Army Veteran Okinawa (Ryukyu Islands); Pacific Theater A camera icon indicates items that are digitally available online. Generally, catalog entries are written in the same language as the original record they describe. We have gathered and provided the official US digitalized volumes of the Battles of Leyte and Okinawa, Authentic Battle Statistics, Historical Documents, Biographies, Videos, Photos, and many WWII peripheral items for students of history. Men in the Division in WWII earned five Congressional Medals of Honor, twenty-three Distinguished Service Crosses, and more than 200 Silver Stars. Infantry Division, 96th, United States - Military history - World War, 1939-1945 - Regimental histories, United States - Military history - World War, 1939-1945 - Biography, FamilySearch Terms of Use (Updated 2021-09-27), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.800. We have designed several personalized Deadeye webpages, gathered and posted here over twenty Tributes and twenty Personal Stories of our 96th Division Deadeyes. The island would also house hospital units to treat the massive amount of American wounded that were anticipated for the invasion of Japan. While the campaign marked the first offensive victory for the Americans, it provided more than just a morale boost and a checking of Japanese aggression. This screen shows the complete catalog entry of the title you selected. The 96th was one of the last divisions activated and the war ended before it could be sent overseas. Resistance stiffened again, 3 June, and Laura Hill was taken, 14 June 1945, only after a bloody fight; the last important Japanese defense position, the Yuza-Dake, Yaeju-Dake Hill mass, was secured by 17 June, and on 22 June all resistance was declared at an end.Many of the landmark names and other locations of the massive engagement have been changed by modern Japanese. He was right. and 3d Battalions, elements of the 75th Division (Exercise), Reorganized 17 October 1999 to consist of the 1st, 2d, and hbbd``b`Z$K$4"o D0@-#b +o 6 for Okinawa, making an assault landing on the island, 1 April 1945. Beauford Anderson fought 75 enemies on Okinawa alone, heroics for which he received the Medal of Honor. . Four divisions of the U.S. 10th Army (the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th) and two Marine Divisions (the 1st and 6th) fought on the island while the 2nd Marine Division remained as an amphibious reserve and was never brought ashore. In his memory the family of Bill Hill will continue to honor him and his passion to Remember the Deadeyes. Attention: This site does not support the current version of your web browser. The offensive was resumed, The Division trained and rested, 1-9 May, while elements mopped up bypassed enemy pockets and then returned to the offensive, 10 May, attacking and capturing Conical-Sugar Hill Ridge, 21 May, thus breaking the right flank of the Shuri defenses. is site is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the 96th Infantry Division of WWII, Our website works in collaboration with the official, This project is vested until the year 2030 -. The headquarters moved to Helena, Montana, and then transferred to Fort Douglas, Utah in 1962. John C. Willems, Capt. There were 884 men listed and included as combat fatigue. Conscientious objector, Army Medic Desmond Doss, selflessly attends to wounded menwhile unarmed. American strategists saw Okinawa as both a staging point for the eventual invasion of Japan, and a dress rehearsal for that event. endstream endobj 24 0 obj <>stream Find 96th Infantry Division unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. He hailed from Bruceville, Indiana. This article is part of an ongoing series commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II made possible byBank of America. The division commenced its Army Reserve role in December 1946, commanded by Colonel Ross J. Wilson of Kalispell, Montana. Resistance stiffened considerably as the Division advanced to gakazu Ridge, where fighting was fierce, 7-16 April. active military service 25 January 2005 and reverted to reserve status, Additional elements ordered into active military service in support of the War on Terrorism, Relieved 1 May 2007 from assignment to the 75th Division (Training Support), World War II: Leyte; Ryukyus (with arrowhead), Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered OKINAWA, Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945, Army Superior Unit Award, Streamer embroidered 2003. 96th Infantry Division rosters from the membership index cards 96th Infantry Division Newspaper Deadeye Dispatch The landing was unopposed and a beachhead was He was ordered to hold the ridge at all costs. For the most part, Japanese resistance had been weak. Resistance stiffened considerably as the Division advanced to gakazu Ridge, where 1946, for the United States. The division was reconstituted in the Organized Reserves on 24 June 1921 at Portland, Oregon. After resting in July, the Division left Okinawa for Mindoro, in the Philippines, and engaged in a training program. Suite 910 It is awarded to infantrymen and Special Forces soldiers in the rank of colonel and below, who fought in active ground combat. Please be assured your personal information, your email address if SAFE with us. The 96th Division acquired their nickname, "The Deadeyes," from Brigadier General Claudius Easley. He began his career conducting oral histories and research for HBOs miniseries The Pacific and holds the distinction of being the first historian hired by the Museums Research Department. In 1973 the command was again reorganized, gaining the state of New Mexico and losing North and South Dakota. Over 300 men were casualties in the initial fight for Kakazu Ridge, with the regiments 1st Battalion officially at half strength and unable to continue offensive operations. Code named Operation Iceberg, the invasion of Okinawa and other islands in the Ryukyus began on April 1, 1945. Find 96th Infantry Division unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.295. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. The 96th Infantry Division was basically organized the same as all other Army infantry divisions. 1878th Aviation Engineers Use Bulldozers to Build Road on Okinawa June 1945. info@nationalww2museum.org The division left the Philippines, 17 January 1946, for the United States. [5] In 1993, MG Richard F. Reeder assumed command of the 96th ARCOM. Why you survived and somebody else didnt. With no preparatory artillery barrage, the two companies of infantry jumped off from their positions before day break so as to achieve surprise. Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.408. Furious enemy fire poured in on the withdrawing Americans, forcing them to take cover in previously occupied Japanese caves. It was decided to bypass Formosa and instead directly take up a position in the Ryukyu Islands. The next three months were spent in mopping up, security duty, training, and loading for the coming invasion of Okinawa. But thats the way it was. on lining papers. stiffened again, 3 June, and Laura Hill was taken, 14 June 1945, only after a bloody fight; the last important Japanese Kakazu had nearly bled three Army divisions white and had stalled American offensive plans in the area for three weeks, and while Kakazu Ridge had been a nightmare, the worst was yet to come. Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.238. USMarine planting the American flag at Shuri Castle, Okinawa, June 1945. The "preferred plan" for Okinawa landings withmaps of theEastern Island beaches. Smoke billowing from the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) with USS The Sullivans (DD-537) underway in the foreground. LSM(R)-197 firing rockets at Okinawa beach, Japan, 1945. Causeway was to be the landing on Formosa, from where they would plan to take a position in the Ryukyu Islands. US Marines manning communication devices, Okinawa, 1945. "This is our Labor of Love: There is never a charge for anything we do for Deadeyes and their families.". He last saw me when I was one year old. Casualty figures for the 96th Readiness Command have not been confirmed at this time. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, 2013.495.476. The 382nd Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the United States Army. The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War Two. Expecting fierce resistance, American forces landed on the western coast of Okinawa virtually unopposed. The landing was unopposed and a beachhead was established near Sunabe, 1-3 April. Born in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1913, William Fournier was raised in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The division was first organized in October 1918, during the U.S. mobilization for World War I. Twenty-four American military personnel we awarded the Medal of Honor for going above and beyond the call of duty. Resistance stiffened considerably as the division advanced to Kakazu Ridge, where fighting was fierce, from 7 to 16 April 1945. On 1 April 1945 the 96th Infantry Division made an assault landing on the Hagushi beaches of Okinawa and . All donations will be used soley for internet costs to host this site into the future. Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.782. The 96th Infantry Division trained in Hawaiian Islands, July to September 1944, before entering combat in an assault landing in Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands, between Tanauan and Dulag, 20 October 1944. The 77th Infantry Division begins a five-day offensive on Ie Shima on April 16 and American forces are successful by April 21. There were four artillery battalions: three light ones with 105 mm howitzers to support each infantry regiment, and a heavier one, the 363rd. One of the best fighters of World War II, the F4U Corsair tormented the Japanese from Guadalcanal until the end of the war. Shoulder patch: A white diamond and a blue diamond which The division left the Philippines 27 March 1945 for Okinawa, making an assault landing on the island on 1 April. entire life in World War II. The components omitted are the Island Command, which had a nontactical mission; the 81st Infantry Division, which did not participate in the battle; and the ad Marine Division, of which only the 8th Marine Regiment landed on Okinawa, late in the campaign. [1] The division was organized in the First World War "National Army" on 20 October 1918 at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina. In 1971 with the consolidation of Fourth and Fifth Army areas, the 96th ARCOM's span of command was increased to include North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado. Sterling R. Ryser succeeded Major General Free as ARCOM commander in early 1969. . The Army's 96th Infantry Division lay before Kakazu Ridge on the morning of April 8, 1945 and prepared to make an assault on the positions that had halted their initial advance. defense position, the Yuza-Dake, Yaeju-Dake Hill mass, was secured by 17 June, and on 22 June all resistance was declared The largest of the Ryukyu Islands, and part of Japans Kyushu region, it was known that the island held a large civilian population and a terrain similar to that of Japans southernmost main islands. The 382nd Infantry Regiment was first constituted on . The unassuming little hill did not appear to be anything more than a bump in the road to the Marines who lay in their positions on the morning of May 12, 1945, just aquick objective to take in a day or less. For his actions, Doss becomes the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Deadeyes, The Story of the 96th Infantry Division; by Capt. Distinguished Unit Citations: 1. The warships were there to protect the fleet of over 100 assault transports and supply ships needed to put ashore over 200,000 American combat troops of the newly formed Tenth Army that would be needed to defeat Japanese General Mitsuru Ushijimas army of over 67,000 Japanese defenders. Up to this point, the only area of significant resistance lay in the operational area of the 6th Marine Division, who had cornered a sizeable force of Japanese near the Motobu Peninsula. The total compliment of men was 14,250 men. There were 884 men listed and included as combat fatigue. His position untenable, Royster again radioed for smoke and received the barrage, only to have the first barrage blow back in his own face due to wind. Ari Phoutrides talks about experiencing a massive kamikaze attack one day while posted to Radar Picket Station #1 off the coast of Okinawa during which his ship was hit by four bombs and six kamikazes. By 1600 hours Mitchell realized his position and that of his company was hopeless. Royster, half blinded by a mortar wound in the faceand knowing full well that his company was on the verge of being overrun and annihilated, called his battalion for further support. It had taken the island of Attu in the Aleutians and Kwajalein. The 192nd Infantry Brigade headquarters company was converted into the division's 96th Reconnaissance Troop, while the 191st Infantry Brigade headquarters formed the core of the division's headquarters company. The Division continued to wipe out resistance on the The 77th Infantry Division landed in Hawaii, 31 March 1944, and continued training in amphibious and jungle warfare. All Rights Reserved. The brigade returned to the United States in May, 2010. Based on the above figures the totals were: 2,136 Deadeyes were killed or died of wounds, and 14,484 were wounded, or suffered jungle diseases, all through June, 1945. Planning for the invasion of Okinawa was then immediately begun under the direction of Admiral Nimitz, and the operation was assigned to the newly formed 10th Army under Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. Studies were begun to select where the invading forces should land. : the last Battle in his Memory the family of Bill Hill will 96th infantry division okinawa roster. Norwich, Connecticut, in the foreground April 1945 confirmed at this time he volunteered..., 1945, Gift in Memory of Sgt email us if you wish to help extend Remember Deadeyes. 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