U.S. 6th Marine Division
Encyclopedia
The 6th Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps
was a division, primarily infantry, created during World War II
for the Battle of Okinawa
and the planned invasion of Japan
. The division was in existence for only 19 months and was the only Marine division to be formed and disbanded overseas, never to see service in the United States
.
was formed in May 1944, comprising the new 4th and the 22nd Marine Regiments
, under the command of BGen
Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.
The unit's commanding officer was 2nd Lieutenant Wilbur Gerhke of Santa Rosa California. He was awarded the Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Medal for heroism in battle. The unit also included the famous Native American
Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.
It fought in the Battle of Guam in July and August.
The division was formed on 7 September 1944 on Guadalcanal
, by expanding the brigade
. The new 29th Marine Regiment was added to the division, and the artillery
components of the three regiments were reorganized as the 15th Marine Regiment.
After training on Guadalcanal, the division fought in the Battle of Okinawa
, landing on April 1, 1945 as part of III Amphibious Corps
. They initially swept through the northern Ishikawa Isthmus where they met sporadic resistance. Following heavy fighting in the south the division replaced the 27th Infantry Division on the western side of the island. They made steady progress south until May 12, 1945 when on the outskirts of Naha, Okinawa they ran into a low, loaf shaped hill which was soon to be named Sugar Loaf Hill. The hill was part of a complex of three hills that formed the western anchor of General Mitsuru Ushijima's
Shuri Line defense. Originally the objective of the 22nd Marines, the 29th would join the fight on May 16. Sugar Loaf would eventually be taken on May 18 at the cost of 2,662 men killed or wounded and another 1,289 men evacuated because of either exhaustion or battle fatigue.
In July, the division was withdrawn to Guam
to prepare for Operation Coronet, the invasion of Honshū
planned for April 1946. After the Japan
ese surrendered in August, the 6th Division was sent to Tsingtao
, China
to accept the surrender of the Japanese forces in that area—less the 4th Marines, which was detached and sent to Tokyo
to participate in the formal surrender there. The division remained in China until it was disbanded in Tsingtao on March 31, 1946.
:
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
was a division, primarily infantry, created during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
and the planned invasion of Japan
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
. The division was in existence for only 19 months and was the only Marine division to be formed and disbanded overseas, never to see service in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Subordinate units
- Headquarters Battalion
- 6th Tank Battalion
- 6th Engineer Battalion
- 6th Pioneer Battalion
- Service Troops
- 6th Service Battalion
- 6th Medical Battalion
- 6th Motor Transport Battalion6th Motor Transport BattalionThe 6th Motor Transport Battalion headquartered in Red Bank, New Jersey, consists of seven reserve companies in seven cities:*Red Bank, New Jersey*Providence, Rhode Island*Orlando,Florida*Las Vegas, Nevada*Lubbock, Texas*Texarkana, Texas and...
- Scout and Sniper CompanyScout and Sniper Company (6th Marine Division)The Scout and Sniper Company of 6th Marine Division was the division reconnaissance asset for the regimental commanders. It was created from former Marine Raider Major Anthony "Cold Steel" Walker to form a scout company from Company H from of one of the regiments of 6th Marine Division...
- 4th Marine Regiment
- 15th Marine Regiment
- 22nd Marine Regiment22nd Marine Regiment (United States)The 22nd Marine Regiment is an inactive infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. Activated for service in World War II, they fought in the battles of Eniwetok, Guam and Okinawa. The regiment was under the command of the 6th Marine Division; took part in the occupation of Northern...
- 29th Marine Regiment.
History
The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade1st Provisional Marine Brigade
The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was a Marine infantry brigade of the United States Marine Corps that existed periodically from 1912 to 1950. It was an ad hoc unit formed for specific operations and therefore not considered a "permanent" USMC unit....
was formed in May 1944, comprising the new 4th and the 22nd Marine Regiments
22nd Marine Regiment (United States)
The 22nd Marine Regiment is an inactive infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. Activated for service in World War II, they fought in the battles of Eniwetok, Guam and Okinawa. The regiment was under the command of the 6th Marine Division; took part in the occupation of Northern...
, under the command of BGen
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.
Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.
Lemuel Cornick Shepherd, Jr. was a four-star general of the United States Marine Corps. A veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, he was the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps...
The unit's commanding officer was 2nd Lieutenant Wilbur Gerhke of Santa Rosa California. He was awarded the Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Medal for heroism in battle. The unit also included the famous Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.
Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.
Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War...
It fought in the Battle of Guam in July and August.
The division was formed on 7 September 1944 on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
, by expanding the brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
. The new 29th Marine Regiment was added to the division, and the artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
components of the three regiments were reorganized as the 15th Marine Regiment.
After training on Guadalcanal, the division fought in the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
, landing on April 1, 1945 as part of III Amphibious Corps
III Marine Expeditionary Force
The III Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps that is forward-deployed and able to deploy rapidly and conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault and high intensity combat. III...
. They initially swept through the northern Ishikawa Isthmus where they met sporadic resistance. Following heavy fighting in the south the division replaced the 27th Infantry Division on the western side of the island. They made steady progress south until May 12, 1945 when on the outskirts of Naha, Okinawa they ran into a low, loaf shaped hill which was soon to be named Sugar Loaf Hill. The hill was part of a complex of three hills that formed the western anchor of General Mitsuru Ushijima's
Mitsuru Ushijima
- Notes :...
Shuri Line defense. Originally the objective of the 22nd Marines, the 29th would join the fight on May 16. Sugar Loaf would eventually be taken on May 18 at the cost of 2,662 men killed or wounded and another 1,289 men evacuated because of either exhaustion or battle fatigue.
In July, the division was withdrawn to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
to prepare for Operation Coronet, the invasion of Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
planned for April 1946. After the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese surrendered in August, the 6th Division was sent to Tsingtao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to accept the surrender of the Japanese forces in that area—less the 4th Marines, which was detached and sent to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to participate in the formal surrender there. The division remained in China until it was disbanded in Tsingtao on March 31, 1946.
Medal of Honor recipients
Six Marines from the division have been awarded the Medal of HonorMedal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
:
- Richard E. BushRichard E. Bush-See also:*List of Medal of Honor recipients*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II-External links:...
- Henry A. Courtney, Jr.Henry A. Courtney, Jr.Henry Alexius Courtney, Jr. was an officer of the United States Marine Corps Reserve during World War II, and a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor.-Biography:...
- James L. DayJames L. DayMajor General James Lewis Day was a United States Marine, who as a Corporal, during World War II in the Battle of Okinawa, displayed "extraordinary heroism, repeated acts of valor, and quintessential battlefield leadership, ...inspired the efforts of his outnumbered Marines to defeat a much...
- Harold GonsalvesHarold GonsalvesPrivate First Class Harold Gonsalves was a United States Marine who sacrificed his life to save fellow Marines in the Battle of Okinawa during World War II...
- Robert M. McTureous
- Fred F. Lester
Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. The 6th Marine Division has been presented with the following awards:| Presidential Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation (US) The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941... |
|
| Navy Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944... |
|
| American Defense Service Medal American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing service before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict.-Criteria:... |
|
| Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was... |
|
 |
World War II Victory Medal World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of... |
 |
Navy Occupation Service Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal The Navy Occupation Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy which was issued to Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel who participated in the European and Asian occupation forces following the close of the World War II. The decoration was also bestowed to personnel who... with Asia clasp |
 |
China Service Medal China Service Medal The China Service Medal was a military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted on August 23, 1940 and featured a yellow ribbon with narrow red edge stripes... |
See also
- 6th Marine Division on Okinawa6th Marine Division on OkinawaThe 6th Marine Division on Okinawa is a 1945 Kodachrome color documentary film produced about the action of its 6th Division during the Battle of Okinawa...
- List of United States Marine Corps divisions
- Organization of the United States Marine CorpsOrganization of the United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy . The most senior Marine officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for...