by Dr. Robert Young
Purchase
If one were to think of famous U.S. Army divisions of World War II, the 32nd Infantry Division would most likely not even be mentioned. They did not fight in Europe. They fought in the Pacific where history seems to believe only the Marines battled the Japanese. Yet, it was the 32nd Infantry Division that spent 654 total days in combat, more than ANY American unit of the war. From Buna to Aitape, from Leyte to Luzon, the 32nd not only fought the Japanese but weather, terrain, and at times their own higher headquarters. The 32nd was the first formation deployed in combat in the Pacific at Buna. They spent five months in 1945 fighting on Luzon’s Villa Verde Trail a yard at a time against a fanatical, determined enemy. After doing more than any single unit to bring the war to Japan’s doorstep they stood ready to participate in what would have been history’s biggest military operation, the invasion of Japan.
Dr. Robert Young received a B.A. from St. John’s University, an M.A. from Brooklyn College, and a Ph.D. in Military History from the C.U.N.Y. Graduate Center. He is currently a Professor of History and Military history at American Military University. He has authored several books on World War II in the Pacific as well as over a dozen journal articles on military history. A New York City native and U.S. Army veteran, he currently lives in Long Island with his wife, two children, and amazing dog.
Westphalia Press 