77th Infantry Division

77th Infantry Division Patch. original, WW2.

During the Second World War, it was reactivated on March 25, 1942 and landed in Hawaii on March 31, 1944 to complete its training in the jungle and in amphibious operations. On July 21, 1944, she participated in the landing on Guam within the III Marine Expeditionary Force. It manages to advance north and seize Mount Tenjo before making its junction with the 3rd Marine Division from the north. It then took the town of Barrigada on August 4 and all Japanese resistance ceased on August 8. The unit must then be put to rest in New Caledonia but it is finally diverted to the island of Leyte in the Philippines to participate in its reconquest, from November 23, 1944. It is then sent to the island of Mindanao , disembarking at Ipil. It progresses along the east coast until it takes Ormoc on December 10, then continues north and helps eliminate pockets of Japanese resistance throughout January and February 1945. At the end of March , she is mobilized to take part in the Battle of Okinawa. During her journey, she suffers losses from suicide bombers. On April 16, 1945, it landed at Ie-jima, a secondary island in the Okinawa archipelago, and conquered its airfield. On April 25, she was sent to the main island of Okinawa to relieve the 96th Infantry Division. It progresses slowly across the island in the face of fierce Japanese resistance that lasts until the month of June. She then returns to the Philippines and prepares for Operation Downfall to invade Japan. Finally, it capitulates on September 2 making this plan unnecessary. The unit finally took part in the occupation of Japan until March 15, 1946, when it was demobilized.