32d Infantry Division

Shoulder insignia, of Second World War origin, of the 32nd Infantry Division.

The 32nd Infantry Division was an American division composed of Army National Guard units from Wisconsin and Michigan, which fought in World War I and World War II. Its roots lie in the Iron Brigade of the American Civil War, which explains the division's nickname (Iron Jaw Division). During the hard fighting in France during World War I, it quickly acquired the nickname Les Terribles (in French), which refers to its tenacity and its ability to advance on terrain where other units could not. Thus, it was the first Allied division to break through the Hindenburg Line and it adopted its shoulder insignia, a line pierced by a red arrow, symbolizing its ability to break through enemy lines. It was later known as the Red Arrow Division.

During World War II, the division had several unique accomplishments. It was the first American division to deploy entirely outside of the United States and participated in the Pacific War, and it was one of the first seven U.S. Army and Marine Corps units to see combat in 1942. In addition, it continued to fight pockets of resistance after the Japanese surrender.

In total, the division saw 654 days of combat during World War II, more than any other U.S. Army division. It was deactivated in 1946, after participating in the occupation of Japan.