The civilian population of Okinawa, which was made up of native Okinawans and Japanese, numbered somewhere in the neighborhood of 300,000 people. Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.782. The division was reconstituted in the Organized Reserves on 24 June 1921 at Portland, Oregon. Chalk Ridge was taken 12 December 1944, and major organized resistance was at an end by Christmas Day. defense position, the Yuza-Dake, Yaeju-Dake Hill mass, was secured by 17 June, and on 22 June all resistance was declared Find 96th Infantry Division unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. Heavy rains the following week slowed down the advance. As the American 96th Infantry Division advanced south along Okinawa's Highway 1 on 4 April, it came under increasing fire from the south and from the ridges on their left (east). Two American soldiers sharing a foxhole with a war orphan on Okinawa, 1945. In his memory the family of Bill Hill will continue to honor him and his passion to Remember the Deadeyes. Okinawa itself, with its natural harbor, would also provide naval port facilities for Allied ships that would be needed to support the land invasion of Japan. Infantry support pushed forward only to be stopped in its tracks by heavy Japanese mortar and machine gun fire. Furious enemy fire poured in on the withdrawing Americans, forcing them to take cover in previously occupied Japanese caves. He was, as it turns out, in my outfit96th Division, 382nd Regiment, Company L. On Memorial Day, I was with my four daughters, and we went to visit the grave of their mother. Cannon, M. Hamlin. %%EOF 3d Battalions, elements of the 75th Division (Training Support); 1st Battalion Overseas: 23 July 1944. Japanese soldiers wading out to surrender to a United States boat, Okinawa, 1945. hbbd``b`Z$K$4"o D0@-#b +o 6 The 382nd Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the United States Army. The campaign was fought savagely in the air, on the land and across the sea. The 383rd Infantry Regiment, of which Mitchell, Royster and Belhams companies were a part, suffered terribly. This site is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the 96th Infantry Division of WWII, Our website works in collaboration with the official 96TH INFANTRY ASSOCIATION HERITAGE FUND which shares our goal to. The Division left the Philippines, 27 March 1945, Although the joint Army-Marine Corps landings on Okinawa were initially unopposed, the well dug-in Japanese defenders soon put-up fierce resistance. fighting was fierce, 7-16 April. The first American effort to capture and hold Kakazu Ridge had failed. Chalk Ridge was taken, 12 December 1944, and major organized resistance was at an end by Christmas Day. July, 1945 Moved to Cebu, Philippines, and prepared for the invasion of Japan . Okinawa military correspondencefor Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, Transport Division 47. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum,Gift of Ms. Paulette Stewart, 2001.078.004_10. The 96th Division acquired their nickname, "The Deadeyes," from Brigadier General Claudius Easley. My mother remarried, and she wouldnt ever talk about him. . From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift in memory of Sgt. They were terrific tankers. The island would also house hospital units to treat the massive amount of American wounded that were anticipated for the invasion of Japan. The Division continued to wipe out resistance on the 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. I said to myself, This poor manmy buddydied. The hill in question was code named Sugar Loaf by the Marines. In 1985, the 96th ARCOM was geographically the largest Army Reserve Command in the United States. Looking at the WWII records from the Armed Ground Forces report of April 1946 it was reported from the official Army list of casualties of all Divisions, either in European or the Pacific Theatres of Operation, that Deadeyes were 10th from the top of all 83 Army Divisions. We had three infantry regiments, the 381st, the 382nd (the one I was in), and the 383rd. We add more each month. Expecting fierce resistance, American forces landed on the western coast of Okinawa virtually unopposed. 40 0 obj <>stream After resting in July, the Division left By the time Okinawa was secured by American forces on June 22, 1945, the United States had sustained over 49,000 casualties including more than 12,500 men killed or missing. 510-592. Back to Search Results Veterans History Project Service Summary: War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945 Branch of Service: Army Unit of Service: 382nd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division Location of Service: Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands); Northern Mariana Islands; Pacific Theater Highest Rank: Technician Five View full service history They,too, became pinned down. PFC Moskala, who had earlier eliminated two enemy machine gun positions, again volunteered to act as rear guard as his company pulled away from the fight. All contributions are tax-deductible. Okinawans caught in the fighting suffered greatly, with an estimate as high as 150,000 civilians killed. security duty, training, and loading for the coming invasion of Okinawa. This article is part of an ongoing series commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II made possible byBank of America. 703-302-1012 All donations will be used soley for internet costs to host this site into the future. US Marines manning communication devices, Okinawa, 1945. Tanauan-Dagami-Tabontabon sector by 9 November after heavy fighting. The Film/Digital Notes contain a description of the microfilm or microfiche numbers. We created this site to preserve soldier's combat stories, tributes, photos and to provide many links to items for Deadeyes research. The next 3 months were spent in mopping up, Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.238. 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. Stripping what ammunition could be found from the dead and utilizing captured Japanese weapons, Mitchell planned a retreat. In a period of just 24 hours, American casualties ashore nearly doubled. Campaigns: Ryukyus, Southern Philippines. Marines of the 22nd Regiment forced the enemy through the peninsula and isolated them near a series of craggy ridges, called Yae-Dake, where the Marines eliminated the Japanese there by the 18th of April. Website costs have gone way up to protect the site from Malware. the right flank of the Shuri defenses. Two Japanese machine guns, well emplaced near the entrance of two separate caves, pinned Royster and Belmans companies down. 96th Infantry Division), Organized in December 1921 with Headquarters at Portland, Oregon, Ordered into active military service 15 August 1942 and reorganized 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. This screen shows the complete catalog entry of the title you selected. at Camp Adair, Oregon, Inactivated 3 February 1946 at Camp Anza, California, Activated 12 June 1947 in the Organized Reserves with Headquarters US Marines and amphibious vehicles gathering on a narrow beach on Eastern morning, Okinawa, 1945. Like Royster before him, Mitchell called for a smoke barrage. With the extraordinary assistance of Filipino guerrillas, four daring raids were launched behind Japanese lines to liberate those camps. Eight days later they would find out how wrong their assumptions had been. 96th Infantry Division rosters from the membership index cards 96th Infantry Division Newspaper Deadeye Dispatch The Division patrolled an area from Chan to Ogusuku until 30 June. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum,Gift of Ms. Paulette Stewart, 2001.078.005_4. Twenty-four American military personnel we awarded the Medal of Honor for going above and beyond the call of duty. In 1984, the ARCOM was again reorganized, losing New Mexico and regaining North and South Dakota. It was released from active duty on 18 September 1969. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.796. With no preparatory artillery barrage, the two companies of infantry jumped off from their positions before day break so as to achieve surprise. Converted and redesignated (less 3d Platoon) 5 November 1962 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 191st Infantry Brigade, and relieved from assignment to the 96th Infantry Division (3d Platoon, 96th Reconnaissance Company, concurrently redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 192d Infantry Brigade - hereafter separate lineage) The Combat Infantryman Badge is a US Army military decoration. 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. E Company, 382d Infantry, rolls forwards through heavy enemy fire on the southern front on Okinawa Island. A Japanese counterattack against the American positions resulted in heavy losses for the Japanese and forced the Japanese to take a permanent defensive position around Kakazu. Of the 89 men in his company, 15 had been killed and only 3 were uninjured by enemy fire. 1100 N. Glebe Road The next three months were spent in mopping up, security duty, training, and loading for the coming invasion of Okinawa. 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. To get the best possible experience using our website we recommend that you upgrade to a newer version or install another browser. Seeing an opportunity to place fire on the Japanese machine gun crews, PFC. Welcome Deadeyes, Families, and Friends of Deadeyes! 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