93rd Infantry Division (United States)

The regiments fought in several battles alongside French troops, who were already used to colonial North and Sub-Saharan African "colored" soldiers (noirs). All regiments acquitted themselves well and received unit citations from the French. Numerous individual soldiers exhibited extraordinary heroism and were highly decorated by the French. One of these was Cpl. Freddie Stowers, who decades after his death would be awarded the American Medal of Honor. The division's shoulder patch, with its blue French Adrian helmet, commemorated this period.

Total casualties from all regiments were 3,167, with 523 killed in action and 2,644 wounded. The 93rd Division had two Medal of Honor recipients—Lt. George S. Robb and Cpl. Freddie Stowers—75 Distinguished Service Crosses and 527 Croix de Guerre medals.

In May 1918, French General Mariano Goybet was ordered to command the French 157th Infantry Division, which had been devastated after the Third Battle of the Aisne. On 4 July 1918, it was reconstituted by putting together the 333rd Infantry Regiment (French) with two of the U.S. 93rd's regiments—the 371st and 372nd.

General Goybet took special notice of the fact this was the first 4 July to be celebrated by his now Franco-American Division.

It is striking demonstration of the long standing and blood-cemented friendship which binds together our two great nations. The sons of the soldiers of Lafayette greet the sons of the soldiers of George Washington who have come over to fight as in 1776, in a new and greater way of independence. The same success which followed the glorious fights for the cause of liberty is sure to crown our common effort now and bring about the final victory of right and justice over barbarity and oppression.

— General Goybet, 157th Infantry Division

The rebuilt 157th Division participated in the Second Battle of the Marne. With violent attacks, General Goybet broke the enemy front at Monthois, capturing many prisoners and a considerable amount of materiel in the process. Afterward, he occupied the Vosges, re-capturing Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines.

General Order No. 234 (8 October 1918):

I am proud to forward you herewith the thanks and congratulations of General Garnier-Duplessix and I want at the same time, dear friends of all ranks Americans and French, to tell you as your leader and as soldier, from the bottom of my heart how grateful, I am to you all for the glory you have acquired for our splendid 157th Division. In these nine hard days of battle you have pushed ahead for eight kilometers, fought powerful enemy organization, captured close to 600 prisoners, taken 15 guns light and heavy, 20 infantry Mortars and artillery ammunition and brought down by rifle 3 aeroplanes. The red hand of this division is now in truth a blood-reeking hand. I grappled the Boche at the throat and made him yell for mercy. Our glorious comrades who died are well avenged.

— General Goybet, commander of the 157th Division

Despite African American troops being conscripted to fight in WWI this did not mean that they were on equal terms to their white American comrades. Early twentieth century American segregation followed these soldiers overseas and they were discriminated against in the same ways that their fellow African Americans were in the United States. For example, the army implemented segregated barbershops and bathrooms, whilst also giving African Americans their own living stations to limit the interactions they had with French locals.

Sergeant Ely Green is a prime example of one of these African American soldiers who experienced discrimination not only from his racist white superiors, but also from the army as a racist institution on the whole. Firstly Green was refused a transfer to the infantry and instead had to work as an officer directing labourers in the camps surrounding St. Nazaire. He and his fellow African American comrades worked as stevedores, pulling excessively long hours at the docks. Even Green, who went to France patriotic and ready to serve, felt that he and his men were being underappreciated for their work. One event in particular affected Green so profoundly and left him ‘‘cursing the day’’[10] he had decided to go to fight in France. This event saw the savage attack of one of his men by a marine guard for daring to take a bit of food from a broken crate. Green’s men retaliated by attacking the guard, only to surrender once they were almost shot. Subsequently Green was arrested, and despite not actually being involved in the incident he was brutally beaten while in custody. This complete injustice as well as the lack of effective response by the legal system left Green and his men thoroughly disheartened and fearing for their lives. This is one of countless examples of clear racism and discrimination against African American troops, who no doubt constantly felt the threat of Jim Crow laws and the racist institution of the army pressing down on their necks.[11]

In August 1944, Major General Harry H. Johnson, the former commander of the 2nd Cavalry Division, assumed command of the Division, relieving Major General Lehman, who had returned to the United States for medical reasons. He would lead the division through the remainder of the war, including the New Guinea-Philippines campaign.

An advance party of the 93rd Infantry Division arrived at Guadalcanal on 29 January 1944. The rest of the division landed between 6 February and 5 March, one regiment disembarking at the Russell Islands on 7 February. The bulk of the division engaged in training, labor and security duties on Guadalcanal and the Treasury Islands from 7 June and both Hollandia Dutch New Guinea from 30 October. Component units performed similar duties on Finschhafen from 12 October 1944 to 31 March 1945, on Los Negros from 29 September 1944 to 16 March 1945, and on Biak from 10 October 1944 to 1 October 1945. The division's combat elements moved to Bougainville Island on 28 March 1944, and were attached to the Americal Division on the 30th. On that date they entered combat, assisting in attacks on the enemy perimeter. These elements, including the 25th RCT, reconnoitered across the Laruma River on 2 April, and in the Torokina River Valley from 7–12 April 1944. The 25th RCT operated against the Japanese along the Kuma and East-West Trails during May 1944. The combat team left for the Green Islands during May and June. The 93d Rcn. Troop, attached to the XIV Corps, remained to raid, patrol, and maintain perimeter positions. The troop began training 12 September 1944, and moved to Finschhafen on 1 November. Security patrols had scattered contacts with the enemy at Urapas from 3 to 15 January 1945, at Wardo on Biak from 6 November-22 December, and at Wari on Biak on 31 December. The security detachments at Wardo and Wari were withdrawn on 9–10 February 1945.

En route to Hill 165, members of 93rd Div. struggle through some clinging mud along the East-West trail on an island in the South Pacific. April 15, 1944.

Almost all of the Division occupied Morotai, Dutch New Guinea, from 4 April to 21 October 1945. Scattered skirmishes occurred along the northwestern sector of the island. The 93rd continued its labor and security missions. It occupied Sansapor from 5 April to 10 July 1945, Middleburg Island from 5 April to 7 October 1945, and Noemfoor Island from 13 April to 7 June 1945. The Division then moved to Zamboanga, Philippine Islands, where it remained from 1 July 1945 to 7 January 1946. Patrols encountered light resistance until the end of hostilities, 15 August 1945. Palawan was occupied from 2 July to 5 December 1945, Jolo from 1 July to 2 October 1945, and Sanga-Sanga from 3 July 1945 to 6 January 1946. The Division arrived at Mindanao on 9 October 1945, moved to Tacloban, Leyte on 13 January 1946, and left for home on 17 January 1946.

While on Jolo on 17 July 1945, a patrol from the 368th was ambushed by a Japanese force three times its size. When the firefight began, Staff Sergeant Leonard E. Dowden moved his squad to within 30 yards of the enemy. He then crawled forward alone to assault a machine-gun position with grenades, despite being gravely wounded. He would be killed by a burst of fire as he was about to throw a grenade. The patrol was able to fight off the enemy attack with only 18 casualties. For the extraordinary heroism that cost him his life, Staff Sergeant Dowden received the Distinguished Service Cross. Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Staff Sergeant Dowden was the only member of the 93rd Infantry Division to earn the DSC during the war.[12]

The Japanese commanding officers at Halmahera land at Morotai to surrender to the 93rd Infantry Division

For the remainder of the war, the division would find itself fighting on Morotai. In April 1945, the division conducted intensive patrols with the aim of destroying the remaining Japanese forces on the island. At this time most of the Japanese on Morotai were located along the island's west coast, and generally stayed close to native gardens. The 93rd Division landed patrols along Morotai's west and north coasts from late April onwards, and these fought scattered skirmishes with small Japanese forces. One of the division's main goals was to capture Colonel Ouchi, commander of the 211th Regiment, 32nd Division,[13] and this was achieved by a patrol from the 25th Infantry Regiment on 2 August 1945. Ouchi was the highest ranking Japanese officer to be captured before the end of the war.[13]

After the Japanese capitulation in August 1945, the division secured the surrender of 41,000 Japanese troops and civilians on Morotai and the nearby Halmahera islands of the Dutch East Indies. Included were 37,000 troops, of whom 5,000 were in a naval force and 4,000 were civilians. The surrender was accepted on Morotai by Major General Johnson. Lt. General Ishii, the commander of the IJA 32nd Division and the senior surviving officer in the area, surrendered the Japanese Army forces to the 93rd after he was brought to Morotai on a U.S. Navy PT boat.[14]

After the signing Ishii asked Maj. General Johnson if he and his officers would be allowed to retain their samurai swords. Johnson refused and afterwards commented: "Never again will the Japanese have the means, the Army or the inclination to be an aggressor nation. We cannot allow these people to keep any semblance of military might."[15]

• Total battle casualties: 133[16]
• Killed in action: 12[16]
• Wounded in action: 121[16]

• Headquarters, 93rd Infantry Division
• 25th Infantry Regiment[17]
• 368th Infantry Regiment
• 369th Infantry Regiment
• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 93rd Infantry Division Artillery
  • 593rd Field Artillery Battalion
  • 594th Field Artillery Battalion
  • 595th Field Artillery Battalion
  • 596th Field Artillery Battalion
• 318th Engineer Combat Battalion
• 318th Medical Battalion
• 93rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
• Headquarters, Special Troops, 93rd Infantry Division
  • Headquarters Company, 93rd Infantry Division
  • 793rd Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
  • 93rd Quartermaster Company
  • 93rd Signal Company
  • Military Police Platoon
  • Band
• 93rd Counterintelligence Corps Detachment