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Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 5:42 pm
by madmickey
Based on historical performance which National Guard Unit was the best the question could be for either pacific or total WWII operations?

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:05 pm
by doktorblood
The one from Hawaii that served in Italy? I think it was 424 RCT maybe?

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:09 pm
by 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.

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:10 pm
by doktorblood
Ya that's the one!

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:21 pm
by madmickey
Mark Clark made many mistakes but his using the 424 was not one of them.

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:28 pm
by madmickey
Anybody going to choose a Pacific Operation unit.

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:35 pm
by 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.


RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:57 pm
by 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

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:19 pm
by madmickey
My old marine raider buddy was impressed by these farm boys from Dakota. He also had nasty comments about insurance broker from Connecticut.

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:23 pm
by 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

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:40 pm
by 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 [;)].)

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:19 am
by timtom
I believe Ike held the 30th ID to be the premier US infantry division in the ETO at war's end.

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:22 am
by 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.

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:07 pm
by 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.

RE: Best National Guard Land Units

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:09 pm
by 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.