Home > U.S. 6th Infantry Division

a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II.

1 World War I

• Activated: November 1917.
• Overseas: June 1918.
• Major operations: Meuse-Argonne.
• Days of combat: 43.
• Casualties: Total 386 (KIA-38; WIA-348).
• Commanders: Col. Charles E. Tayman (26 November 1917), Brig. Gen. James B. Erwin (29 December 1917), Maj. Gen. Walter H. Gordon (28 August 1948).
• Returned to U.S.: June 1919.

2 World War II

• Activated: 12 October 1939.
• Overseas: 21 July 1943.
• Campaigns: Luzon, New Guinea.
• Days of combat: 306;
• Distinguished Unit Citations: 7.
• Awards: MH-2 ; DSC-10 ; DSM-3 ; SS-697; LM-18; DFC-3 ; SM-94 ; BSM-3,797 ; AM-45.
• Commanders: Brig. Gen. Clement A. Trott (October 1939-October 1940), Brig. Gen. Frederick E. Uhl (OctoberDecember 1940), Maj. Gen. Clarence S. Ridley (January 1941-August 1942), Maj. Gen. Durward S. Wilson (September-October 1942), Maj. Gen. Franklin C. Sibert (October 1942-August 1944), Maj. Gen. Edwin D. Patrick (August 1944-March 1945), Maj. Gen. Charles E. Hurdis (March 1945-April 1946), Col. George M. Williamson, Jr. (April-June 1946), Maj. Gen. Albert E. Brown (June-September 1946), Brig. Gen. John T. Pierce (SeptemberOctober 1946), Maj. Gen. Orlando Ward (October 1946-1 January 1949).
• Inactivated: 10 January 1949 in Korea.

2.1 Combat Chronicle

The Division moved to Hawaii in July and August 1943 to assume defensive positions on Oahu, training meanwhile in jungle warfare. It moved to Milne Bay, New Guinea, 31 January 1944, and trained until early June 1944. The Division first saw combat in the Toem-Wakde area of Dutch New Guinea, engaging in active patrolling 14-18 June, after taking up positions 6-14 June. Moving west of Toem, it fought a bloody battle with the enemy at Lone Tree Hill, 21-30 June, and secured the Maffin Bay area by 12 July.

After a brief rest, the Division made an assault landing at Sansapor, 30 July, on the Vogelkop Peninsula. The 6th secured the coast from Cape Waimak to the Mega River and garrisoned the area until December 1944. The Division landed at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, on D-day, 9 January 1945, and pursued the Japanese into the Cabanatuan Hills, 17-21 January, capturing Munoz, 7 February. It then drove notrheast to Digalan Bay and Baler Bay, 13 February, isolating enemy forces in southern Luzon. The 1st Infantry Regiment operated on Bataan, 14-21 February, cutting the peninsula from Abucay to Bagac. The Division shifted to the Shimbu Line northeast of Manila, 24 February, took Mount Mataba, 17 April, Mount Pacawagan, 29 April, Bolog, 29 June, Lane's Ridge of Mount Santo Domingo, 10 July, and Kiangan, 12 July. The 6th remained in the Cagayan Valley and the Cordilleras Mountains until VJ-day, then moved to occupy Korea. The division occupied the southern half of the United States zone of occupation until inactivated.

3 General

• Nicknames: Red Star; formerly called the Sight Seein' Sixth.
• Shoulder patch: Six pointed red star.

4 References

• The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at CMH.