027 37th Infantry Division

Nickname: Buckeye Division. . Shoulder Patch: Brilliant red circle on a circular background of white; the patch was adopted from the Ohio State flag which was a red circle on white near the center of the red, white and blue banner. (Troops refer to their division insignia as the “fried egg” patch.) . Song: None officially, although “Rodger Young.” the Infantry song, was written about a Medal of Honor winner in the unit. . Source: Ohio National Guard. . History: Organized: Aug., 1917; overseas June, 1918. Actions: Baccarat Sector; Meuse-Argonne; Montfaucon; St. Mihiel; Ypres-Lys; crossing the Scheldt. . Training: Inducted Oct., 1940, and assigned to Camp Shelby, Mississippi Maneuvers: June and Aug., 1941, under V Corps. Camp Claiborne, La. Transferred to Indiantown Gap, Pa., Feb 1942, and overseas May, 1942. Overseas training Fiji Islands. . Commanding General: Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler, Oct., 1940, to present. . Component Units: (As of May, 1942): 129th, 145th and 148th Infantry Regiments; 6th, 135th, 140th (L) and 136th (M) FA Battalions. Higher Commands: (combat) Sixth and Eighth Armies Awards Distinguished Unit Citation to Cos. E and P, 148th Inf., for action on Hill 700, Mar. 11-12, 1944 (Bougainville) ; DUC to Co. P, 129th Inf. Regt., for action at Empress Augusta Bay, Mar. 15 26, 1944; DUC to Hq. Co., 129th Infantry, for action battalion perimeter. Mar. 12-26, 1944; (Bougainville); DUC Hq. Co., 148th Inf. Regt., for action Hill 700. Mar. 11-12, 1944; DUC to CO. P.. 145th Infantry Regiment, on Hill 700. Mar. 9-12, 1944. Combat Highlights Space permits only a sketchy account of the brilliant action by the 37th Buckeyes, called the Heroes of Hill 700, crucial hill of the second battle of Bougainville, when the infamous Jap 6th Div. attempted to push the Ohio men into the sea. They were masters of Clark Field and Ft Stotsenberg, and liberators of Bilibid prison internees during their later Philippines campaign. The 37th fought at Bairoka Harbor landing (New Georgia Island); Munda Airfield (New Georgia); Bougainville; Lingayen Gulf landing (Philippines); capture of Clark Field and Ft. Stotsenberg; seizure of San Fernando; penetration of Manila: crossing of the Pasig river; mopping up operations around Baguio, the Cagayen Valley and Baleta Pass, and liberation of 2000 internees at Bilibid Prison. The 37th slew 8000 Japs in two weeks at Bougainville; with the 1st Cavalry Division accounted for 10,000 more in Luzon; suffered 3800 casualties in the Manila operation. Among the heroes of the Buckeye Division, outstanding are Pvt. Rodger Young, of Clyde, Ohio and Pfc. Frank J. Etrarca, Cleveland, Ohio