"The Victory Division"

            Short stories and history about the 24th Inf. Div. and its men and women
             over its 55 years of service to our country.* ( reactivating of division )
             Nick named the "victory division" and the " pineapple army" because
             it was formed in Hawaii in early 1941. It also carried other nick names and
             mottos; "First to Fight" and " Taro Leaf ", which is now the name of its
             association's news letter.

            NOTE: This is not an official site of the 24thIDA

Who's ribbons are these ? of WWII fame.

If you name him all I'll sell you my book for 50% off.
( if you tell me what they are exactly you'll get another 25 % off )

       24th Inf. Div. in Honor

     24th Inf. Div. Association email

 

    24th Inf. Div. Home Page (at last) web site for Division.

    24th Inf. Div. Association Home Page

      The year to year and era history about the Division will
be printed here from time to time. It is hoped that any
members that wish to add to this column with little known facts and personal stories do so.
It will start in 1941 and continue to the present day with events and news about the 24thIDA.

The Division was activated in early 1941 before the
United States entered World War II. Based in Hawaii in
and around Schofield Barracks it became the first division
to fight back by firing at the Japanese airplanes during the attack on the US 7th Fleet at Pearl Harbor on 7th Dec. 1941.

It was made up of three infantry regiments:

 The oldest being the 21st whose history dates
 back to the War of 1812.

Next is the 19th one of its nick names;" Rock of the Chickamauga" got hung on it during the Civil War 1861.
 

The youngest of the three infantry regiments was the
34th. 3rd June 1917, known as "The Dragons" with the
motto " Always in Front".
( landed in Korea, June of 1950 with some 1,900 men
and by Aug. 1950 there was 183 left standing.)

The 5th RCT( Regimental Combat Team) became part
of the division in 1941. A RCT is a infantry regiment that
contains special support and operational units that a
standard regiment does not have. 5th RCT was  attached
to the 24th Inf. Div. and fought along side the 34th IR
during the Korean War.

Parts of the Division's personnel came from the 442 Inf.
Regt. and the 100th Inf. Regt. of World War II fame.
At the out break of the Korean War a good many
troops came over from the 1st Cav. Div. too.
  The 24thID, 1st CD and the 3rdID have changed colors
many times over the 55 years the division was in active
service. *
 

In the early part of the Korea War there was almost no Tank support. A small Company of M-24 (light) some 20 tanks in all, were part of the Division and landed with
the 34th Inf. Reg.. Within the first few days of action
all 20 tanks were lost. As replacements came in for the
units so did tanks. And over time each regiment had its
own Tank Company. The 34thTkCo was reformed from
the remaining men of the first 20 tanks. These units had
M-4's and M-26 and later M-46. By this time, Aug. 1950,
The 6th Tank Bn. had arrived in Korea and was assigned to the 24th ID. It however was also over taxed and under manned and equipped. It was the only Tank Bn. for the entire 8th Army. When the Pusan Perimeter action took place the shortage of tank companies was very clear.**

      Tank Retriever from HQ & HQ Co M-4 converted
                (from webmster's/author's collection)

On the 5th of June 1999 the 24th Inf. Division again
became active; it was Reactivated on this date with
three National Guard units; the 30th Inf. BDE, the
48th Inf. BDE and the 218th Inf. BDE. With the HQ
at Fort Riley, Kansas, and Fort Jackson, S.Carolina.
In doing so the 24th became part of today's Army.
 

   30th Inf. Brigade  ( separate ) which was the
         30th Inf. Division in WWII. This Division had
         an outstanding record throughout the war.
 
 

      48th Inf. Brigade (separate )
 
 
 
 

    218th Inf. Brigade ( separate).
 

 Once again the 24th Inf. Div. lives after a short role as
 an inactive division. It's back again and ready as always
 to be "The First to Fight " with victory its goal.
 

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