Best National Guard Land Units

[madmickey]

Based on historical performance which National Guard Unit was the best the question could be for either pacific or total WWII operations?

[doktorblood]

The one from Hawaii that served in Italy? I think it was 424 RCT maybe?

[PeteG662]

442nd RCT comprised of Nissei (Japanese Americans) served in Italy mainly. This outfit had a high number of medals awarded for gallantry. The movie "Go For Broke" was one where this unit was highlighted.

[doktorblood]

Ya that's the one!

[madmickey]

Mark Clark made many mistakes but his using the 424 was not one of them.

[madmickey]

Anybody going to choose a Pacific Operation unit.

[Don Bowen]

The 442nd Regiement (Nisei) was NOT a National Guard Unit. It was a regular army formation recruited in the United States. The unit you-all are thinking of is the 100th Independent Infantry Battalion. This also was a Regular Army Unit but it was formed from Hawaii National Guardsmen from the 298th and 299 Infantry (both Hawaii National Guard). The 100th was later merged into the 442nd.

[Capt Cliff]

Best Guard Unit was the question .... the 29th ID! Went into Omaha on D-Day!

http://29thinfantrydivision.com/

For the Pacific it would be the 164th RCT that was put into the Canal to help the 1st Marine Div. Chester Puller said they fought like Marines, no great compliment could be given!

http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/solo ... lcanal.asp

[madmickey]

My old marine raider buddy was impressed by these farm boys from Dakota. He also had nasty comments about insurance broker from Connecticut.

[Central Blue]

the 164th Rgt. were very well thought of by the Marines at Guadalcanal and were popularly adopted as the 164th Marines.

I would look at the 32nd Division fighting from the Kokoda Trail through to Leyte and Luzon, or the 34th fighting from Tunisia to the Po. At least they probably saw the most action. But the 34th skipped Sicily. 45th saw pretty much constant action from Sicily to Munich

[ZonkerHarris]

ORIGINAL: Capt Cliff

Best Guard Unit was the question .... the 29th ID! Went into Omaha on D-Day!

http://29thinfantrydivision.com/

I agree completely, and will add that the 115th Infantry was the best of the best! (And no, I'm not entirely objective on either count, and I make no apology for that whatever [;)].)

[timtom]

I believe Ike held the 30th ID to be the premier US infantry division in the ETO at war's end.

[bradfordkay]

I agree completely, and will add that the 115th Infantry was the best of the best! (And no, I'm not entirely objective on either count, and I make no apology for that whatever .)

I gather that your family is from Maryland? If you had relatives in that unit, you have good reason to be proud.

[Capt Cliff]

Ike liked the 30th ID becaused they stopped the SS at Mortaine. Also they ended up in front of Peiper during the Bulge. Stopped him too! Too bad they were the most heavy bombed ID by the U.S. Air Corp, or the American Luffewaffe as the 30th ID called them.

[byron13]

My heart is with the 28th ID - the Bloody Bucket. Awful losses in the Huertgen Forest campaign and, as far as I'm concerned, performed well in the Ardennes - what was left of them.