CHS questions, comments & feedback

[akdreemer]

Okay everyone, a quick question. What does Americal stand for?

Answer:

The constitution and organization of the Americal Division, without numerical designation, was authorized May 27 (G.O. #10, 5/24/42). The name AMERICAL, was proposed by Pfc David Fonseca of the 26th Signal Company. He explained his suggestion by saying the first part of the name would suggest AMERICA and the last part CALEDONIA, the division's birthplace.

(The division was activated under provisions of War Department Letter, TAG 320.2, 4-1-43, OB-1-GNGCT-M, dated April 3, 1943,. General Orders #91, Headquarters, USAFISPA, dated April 18, 1943, and General Orders -#15, Headquarters Americal Division, April 3, 1943.)

The Americal Division came into being in New Caledonia, from a Task Force that shipped out of New York harbor in January 23, 1942 (http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/OOB ... story.html):

"Forty six days after the Japanese crashed down on Pearl Harbor, eight grey ships moved out of the Brooklyn Port of Embarkation, picked up escorting Naval vessels and were gone. Few persons knew that Task Force 6814, blood mother of the Americal Division, was sailing into history through the harbor murk that night of January 23, 1942.

In recording the history of this hastily gathered force (first major U. S. Army operation in the Southwest Pacific), its organization, elements, difficulties and accomplishments, no attempt has been made to cover technical details of operation which are to be found in formal reports on record. This history aims to give background and meaning to the whole picture, parts of which even now are becoming blurred. It was a democracy just rolling up its sleeves, and in the future the marvel may well be not that it functioned so well, but that it functioned at all.

The force was not in any sense a division. Its parts had never operated together. Its equipment was scanty; its staff were strangers. But speed was of the essence. There was important holding work to be done, and quickly, on the other side of the world.

Assembled from all over the United States, the elements which went into 6814 were: Task Force Headquarters and Detachment, two Infantry regiments, two battalions of medium artillery, two Engineer regiments plus a battalion, two Ordnance companies and parts of two others, a Signal Company and MP Platoon, an evacuation and two station hospitals, plus a Medical regiment; Post Office, Finance and Chemical units. There were other units which sailed from Brooklyn and which remained in Australia. These will not be discussed because their duty with the Task Force which became the Americal Division, was mainly that of travel.

The vessels in the original convoy were: SS Argentina, SS Barry, SS Cristobal, SS Erickson, SS McAndrew, SS Santa Elena, SS Santa Rosa and the SS Island Mail. Several of these ships had been converted from luxury liners in record time by the simple process of removing nearly all appurtenances and installing pipe bunks. Such actual conversion had to be improvised on the trip.

From New York to Panama, the convoy was heavily screened by destroyers and planes and even occasional blimps. There was one submarine scare while in Southern waters, which brought the cool fact of war home to most of the personnel for the first time. Depth charges were dropped, destroyers raced about and the usual rumor went round that the sub was sunk."

"For 27 days this first U.S. thrust into the Southwest Pacific zigzagged its way toward Australia. One day the Jap radio reported the entire Task Force had been sunk in mid-Pacific. All concerned were glad of the exaggeration. Arriving at Melbourne Feb. 27, 1942, the command was met on board ship by Australian Liaison Officers. The disembarkation order was received from Southern Command, Australian military Forces. Debarkation was completed Feb. 28. The troops were dispersed in five major areas: Ballarat, Bendigo, Darley, Royal Park and Melbourne. Formation of plans for reloading and departure for New Caledonia was started."

My point is this, why does the Americal start in San Francisco? For the expanded map I would have the convoy and deplested Americal Division show up in Panama on Feb. 1st 1942. For the Standard Map I would have the Americal, again depleted, arrive at Melbourne on Feb. 27th. Well get back with a better list of units involved in this.

[Buck Beach]

Pretty interesting information, thank you.

Buck