7th Infantry Division
Nickname: Hourglass Division. Shoulder Patch: Red circular patch bearing black hourglass which is formed by a “7” resting on an inverted “7.” . Type: Regular Army. . History: Organization directed Dec. 6, 1917, assigned Camp Wheeler. Overseas: July to Sept., 1918. Action : Villers-en-Haye. . Training: Reactivated: July, 1940, assigned Ft. Ord, Calif. Moved to San Luis Obispo, Apr., 1942. Maneuvers: Desert Training Center, Aug. – Oct., 1942 and Camp Young (prior to overseas). Special amphibious training, Feb., 1943. Overseas: Apr., 1943 (Alaska). . Commanding Generals: Brig. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell, July 1. 1940, to Aug., 1941; Maj. Gen. C. H. White, Aug., 1941, to Oct., 1942: Maj. Gen. A. E. Brown, Oct., 1942, to Apr., 1943; Maj. Gen. C. H. Corlett, Apr., 1943. to Feb., 1944; Maj. Gen. A. V. Arnold, Mar., 1944, to present. . Component Units: (As of Apr.. 1943): 17th, 32nd and 184th Infantry Regiments; 48th, 49th, 57th (L) and 31st (M) FA Battalions. Higher Command: Tenth Army. . Awards: Distinguished Unit Citation for following organizations: 17th Inf. Regt’s. Co. B, action May 16, 1943; Co. P., May 16, 1943; Service Co., May 29, 1943: 32nd Inf. Regt’s Co. E. May 20-21, 1943; Co. I, May 26. 1943; Co. K. May 26, 1943; Recon. Troop and Medical Battalion, May, 1943. . Combat Highlights: The 7th Division was among the forces sent to guard the Aleutian approaches and the first commitment to combat of Hourglass Division elements involved the erasure of Jap threats represented by their occupation of Attu and Kiska Islands. From May 11 to June 2, 1943, combat teams of the 7th participated in the bitter and violent struggle on Attu. Battling atrocious weather and a firmly entrenched and fanatical foe, the 7th Division troops fought so successfully and heroically that at least eight Distinguished Unit Citations were awarded to the various units. Out of the cold Aleutians after the campaign came the Division to team up with the 4th Marine Division early in 1944 as spearhead of the combined force ordered to secure control of Kwajalein Atoll. Both the weather and the action was hot in that bit of duty. The Mandated Islands campaign and the subjugation of the Marianas was about complete when on Oct. 20, 1944, the 7th participated in the landing on Leyte as part of General MacArthur’s forces. It was here that intensive training paid big dividends. The 7th was fighting a foe who was being constantly reinforced. Pill boxes, dense jungle growth, and stubborn Japs made for vicious battles. After the Philippines campaign, the Division moved on to Okinawa
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