6th Infantry Division

6-IDThe 6th Division (Red Star) was activated first during the month of November 1917 with the following Order of Battle: 11th Infantry Brigade (51-IR, 52-IR, and 17th Machine Gun Battalion), 12th Infantry Brigade (53-IR, 54-IR, and 18th Machine Gun Battalion), 16th Machine-Gun Battalion (Divisional Troops) and the 3rd Field Artillery Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Battalion and the 78th Field Artillery Battalion. The division went overseas in Jun 1918, and 43 days of combat resulted in 38 KIA and 348 WIA casualties.

The 6th Division saw combat in the Géradmer Sector, Vosges, France, September 3, 1918 – October 18, 1918, and during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive November 1, 1918 – November 11, 1918. Separately, the 11-FAB became engaged earlier in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and fought from October 19, 1918, to the Armistice on November 11, 1918. The division returned to the United States in June 1919 and was deactivated on September 30, 1921, at Camp Grant, Illinois.

The 6th Division was re-activated on October 10, 1939, at Fort Lewis, Washington, as the 6th Division, and moved to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, on November 9, 1939. It was then relocated to Fort Benning, Georgia, on Apr 12, 1940, until it moved to Alexandria in Louisiana on May 8, 1940. A little later, on June 1, the 6th Division was relocated to Fort Snelling, Minnesota and, on July 17, sent to Lincoln, Minnesota, before it returned to Fort Snelling on August 19. The Red Star Division participated in the Arkansas Maneuvers (August 1941) and the Louisiana Maneuvers (September 1941).

On October 10, 1941, the division moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where it was re-designated 6th Motorized Division on April 9, 1942, and moved again for the I Corps Tennessee Maneuvers on September 11, 1942. Sent back to Fort Leonard Wood on November 10, 1942, the division moved to Camp Young, California, on November 29, 1942, where it participated in the Desert Training Center #1 IV Armored Corps Maneuvers until February 22, 1943. On March 28, the division arrived at Camp San Luis Obispo, California, where it was finally re-designated 6th Infantry Division on March 21. The 6-ID departed the San Francisco POE on July 21, 1943, and arrived in Hawaii on July 29, 1943. The 6-ID left Hawaii on January 26, 1944, and arrived in Milne Bay New Guinea on January 31, 1944.

Casualties
Killed in Action, 410; Wounded in Action, 1957; Died of Wounds, 104.

Men of the 6-ID in the Cabaruan Hills

Commanding Generals

Brig Gen Clement Augustus Trott, Oct 8, 1939;
Brig Gen Frederick E. Uhl, Oct 21, 1940;
Maj Gen Clarence S. Ridley, Dec 7, 1941;
Brig Gen Gustav H Franke, Dec 23, 1941;
Maj Gen Clarence S Ridley, Dec 27, 1941;
Brig Gen Julius Ochs Adler, Jun 1, 1942;
Maj Gen Clarence S Ridley, Jun 2, 1942;
Brig Gen Julius Ochs Adler, Sept 7, 1942;
Maj Gen Durward S. Wilson, Sept 25, 1942;
Maj Gen Franklin C. Sibert, Nov 8, 1942;
Brig Gen Charles E Hurdis, Aug 24, 1944;
Maj Gen Edwin Davies Patrick, Sept 7, 1944;
Brig Gen Charles E. Hurdis, Mar 14, 1945;
Maj Gen Charles E Hurdis (promotion), May 1, 1945.

1st FA shells Jap position prior to 6th Div attack 1945

Ordre of Battle 1944-1945

Hqs & Hqs Company
1st Infantry Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
63rd Infantry Regiment
6th Reconnaissance Troop (Mecz)
6th Engineer Combat Battalion
6th Medical Battalion
Hqs & Hqs Battery
1st Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM How)
51st Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM How)
53rd Field Artillery Battalion (105-MM How)
80th Field Artillery Battalion (155-MM How)
Headquarters Company
Military Police Platoon
6th Signal Company
6th Quartermaster Company
706th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company

Illustration

Assignments

Second Army – Dec 7, 1941.
XI Corps, Jun 23, 1942.
Desert Training Center, Nov 29, 1942.
II Armored Corps, Mar 21, 1943.
Hawaiian Department, Jul 29, 1943.
USAFICPA (Central Pacific Areas), Aug 14, 1943.
Sixth Army, Jan 31, 1944.
I Corps, Feb 25, 1944.
Sixth Army, May 26, 1944.
Eighth Army, Oct 12, 1944.
I Corps, Nov 20, 1944.
Sixth Army, Feb 14, 1945.
XI Corps, Mar 15, 1945.
I Corps, Jun 11, 1945.
Eighth Army, Jul 1, 1945.

Attachments

Alamo Force, Jan 31, 1944 – Sept 24, 1944.
I Corps, Feb 14, 1945 – Feb 17, 1945.
XIV Corps, Feb 17, 1945 – Mar 15, 1945.
XIV Corps, Jul 1, 1945 – Aug 15, 1945.

The 6th Infantry Division arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea, on January 31, 1944. On June 5, initial elements arrived at Toem in the Hollandia – Aitape Area, followed by the 20-IR on June 11 and the 63-IR with the rest of the division on Jun 14. On June 20, the 20-IR began its attack toward the Lone Tree Hill from the Tirfoam River, but was slowed by heavy fire from a defile between it and Mount Saksin and was unable to gain the crest until on January 22, after which it was subjected to fierce Japanese counter-attacks. The 1-IR landed via sea just west of the Hill to outflank the Japanese and forced a small beachhead which was initially unable to expand. By January 27, the 63-IR was able to mop up the Japanese forces in the Lone Tree Hill vicinity and the division secured the Maffin Bay area on July 12.

After a brief rest, the 1-IR assaulted Sansapor on July 30, and in the Vogelkop Peninsula against no resistance, the preparatory bombardment being omitted to attain surprise. The 63-IR landed on the undefended Middleburg and Amsterdam Islands. A battalion of the 1-IR took the undefended plantation village at Cape Sansapor on July 31. The division secured the coast from Cape Waimak to the Mega River and garrisoned it until December 1944. On January 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 the 43-ID sector, the 63-IR gained Hill 363 on January 14. The division attacked on January 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 January 21.

Illustration

The 1-IR, assisted by air support, seized San Jose on February 4, the Highway 5 gate to the Cagayan Valley. The 20-IR took Munoz after a several-day battle, wiping out escaping Japanese columns there on February 7. 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 the Japanese on southern Luzon by February 13.

Illustration

The 1-IR operated on Bataan from February 14 to February 21 and cut the peninsula from Abucay to Bagac. The division shifted to confront the Shimbu Line northeast of Manila on February 24. On that day the 63-IR seized Montalban and the 20-IR reached the heights near Mount Mataba. As Japanese resistance increased the 1-IR was committed in the center toward Wawa Dam. After reaching the crest of Mount Pacawagan on February 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 February 27 as the 63-IR held the slope of Mount Pacawagan against assault.

The division regrouped and renewed attacks by the 1-IR on March 8 met unexpectedly light resistance. The 63-IR continued to hold its precarious position in the Mount Pacawagan in the Mataba sector. After hard fighting, the 1-IR seized Benchmark Hill on March 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 March 28. The entire division regrouped and renewed the offensive on April 2. The 20-IR and the 63-IR switched sectors and the latter began the attack on Mount Mataba behind artillery fire on April 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 April 10, but the hill was not cleared until April 17.

38-ID37-IDOn April 16, the 1-IR initiated its attack up Woodpecker Ridge near the junction of the Bosoboso and Mariquina Rivers. On April 19, the division switched sectors with the 38-ID and on April 25, the 152-IR relieved the 1-IR at the ridge. By April 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 June 12, 1945. On June 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 June 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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