27th Infantry Division (United States)

27th Infantry Division (1917–1954) 27th Armored Division (1954–67)
27th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia. The red circle stars depict Orion, punning on "O'Ryan", the name of the division's World War I commander John F. O'Ryan.
Active	1917–1919 1940–1945 c.1946–54 1954–67 (27th Armored Division)
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	Army National Guard
Nickname	New York "O'Ryan's Roughnecks"
Engagements	World War I World War II Iraq Campaign {as 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team}
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major General John F. O'Ryan

US infantry divisions (1939–present)
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26th Infantry Division	28th Infantry Division

The 27th Infantry Division was a unit of the Army National Guard in World War I and World War II. The Division traces its history from the 6th Division, made up of New York units and formed in May 1917. The 6th Division designation was changed to the 27th Division in July 1917.

World War I

The New York 27th Division was one of only three Divisions formed up entirely from a single state National Guard, the other two being Illinois and Pennsylvania. As a result all the National Guard members of the 27th joined from New York, however, not all New Yorkers served in the 27th.

• Designated: 20 July 1917 as the 27th Division of the New York National Guard.
  • Deployed Designation: 27th Division, American Expeditionary Force
• Activated: July 1917 (National Guard Division from New York).
• Initial Strength: 991 officers and 27,114 enlisted men.
• Shipped Out: 20 April 1918.
• Casualties: Total 8,334 (KIA: 1,442; WIA: 6,892).
• Inactivated: April 1919.

Commanders

• Maj. Gen. John F. O'Ryan (16 July 1917);
• Brig. Gen. C. L. Phillips (19 September 1917);
• Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (6 December 1917);
• Brig. Gen. C. L. Phillips (23 December 1917);
• Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (29 December 1917);
• Brig. Gen. C. L. Phillips (22 February 1918);
• Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (1 March 1918);
• Brig. Gen. Palmer E. Pierce (16 June 1918);
• Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (18 June 1918);
• Brig. Gen. Palmer E. Pierce (14 November 1918);
• Maj. Gen. J. F. O'Ryan (23 November 1918)

Chain of Command Deployed

• Fourth Army, British Expeditionary Force
  • II Corps, American Expeditionary Force

Initial Organization carried over from 6th Division

• Three Brigades
  • Three Infantry Regiments each

Organization Jul – Nov 1917

• Headquarters Division
  • 1st Brigade
    • 7th Infantry
    • 12th Infantry
    • 14th Infantry
  • 2nd Brigade
    • 1st Infantry
    • 23rd Infantry
    • 71st Infantry
  • 3rd Brigade
    • 2nd Infantry
    • 3rd Infantry
    • 74th Infantry
  • Brigade Field Artillery
    • 1st Field Artillery
    • 2nd Field Artillery
    • 3rd Field Artillery
    • 1st Cavalry
    • Squadron A and Machine Gun Troop
    • 22nd Engineers
    • 1st Battalion, Signal Corps
  • Trains
    • Military Police
    • Ammunition Train
    • Supply Train
    • Engineer Train
  • Sanitary Train
    • Headquarters Ambulance Companies
      • 1st Ambulance Company
      • 2nd Ambulance Company
      • 3rd Ambulance Company
      • 4th Ambulance Company
    • Headquarters Field Hospital
      • 1st Field Hospital
      • 2nd Field Hospital
      • 3rd Field Hospital
      • 4th Field Hospital

Organization from Nov 1917

• Initially 3 Brigades consisting of 3 infantry regiments each, for a total of nine regiments
• Reorganized into 2 Brigades of 2 infantry regiments each
• Final Organization before deployment
  • 53rd Infantry Brigade (now 53rd Troop Command)
    • 105th Infantry Regiment
    • 106th Infantry Regiment
  • 54th Infantry Brigade
    • 107th Infantry Regiment
    • 108th Infantry Regiment
  • 52nd Field Artillery Brigade
    • 104th Field Artillery (75mm) Regiment
    • 105th Field Artillery (75mm) Regiment
    • 106th Field Artillery (155mm Howitzer) Regiment
    • 102nd Trench Mortar Battery (assigned to Division)
  • Divisional Machine Gun Brigade
    • 104th Machine Gun Battalion (assigned to Division)
    • 105th Machine Gun Battalion (assigned to 53rd Infantry Brigade)
    • 106th Machine Gun Battalion (assigned to 54th Infantry Brigade)
  • 102nd Divisional Trains Headquarters
    • 102nd Ammunition Train
    • 102nd Supply Train
    • 102nd Regt, Engineers
    • 102nd Engineer Train
    • 102nd Sanitary Train
    • 105th Ambulance Company
    • 106th Ambulance Company
    • 107th Ambulance Company
    • 108th Ambulance Company
    • 102nd Field Signal Battalion
    • 27th Military Police Company

Note: The Artillery elements were reassigned upon arrival in France, and those elements did not see service with the 27th Division during combat.

Training

Prior to departing to training, the Division participated in a large send off parade in New York City along 5th Avenue on 30 August 1917. The 7th Infantry Regiment was the first to leave for training on Sept 11, 1917 by train. The training was conducted at a purpose built temporary facility at Camp Wadsworth, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Nearby hotels such as the Cleveland Hotel became centers for social life. The camp also house seven YMCA Huts and a Knights of Columbus Hall. While the 27th did have African American service-men they were not permitted to enter the service organization clubs on base which were segregated, until a black soldier's club was built in early 1918 (Spartanburg County Historical Association, http://www.schistory.net/campwadsworth/chapter7.html).

Camp Schedule

6:15 A.M.-Reveille and assembly. 6:35 – Mess. 6:55 – Sick call. 7:00-Fatigue. 7:05-Stables. 7:25-First Call. 7:30-Assembly for Drill. 11:30-Recall from Drill. 11:35-First Sergeant's call. 12 Noon-Mess. 12:55 P.M-First Call for Drill. 1:00-Drill. 5:30-Recall. 5:40-First Call for Retreat. 5:45-Assembly. 5:55-Retreat. 6:00-Mess Call. 9:00-Tattoo. 10:45-Call to Quarters. 11:00 Taps.2

Combat Record

• Major Operations: Meuse-Argonne (only the artillery), Ypres-Lys, Somme offensive.
• Saw service with several British and the 30th Infantry Division, U.S. Army.
• Initially stationed in the East Poperinghe Line.
  • Battle of Dickebusche Lake, Summer 1918
  • Battle of Vierstratt Ridge, Summer 1918
  • Struggled to break the German defensive Hindenburg Line, September 1918.
  • Somme Offensive, 25 September 1918
  • Selle River, Winter 1918
• The 27th did break the Hindenburg line during the Battle of the Somme and forced a German retreat from their defensive line and forced the Germans to a final confrontation. After a final confrontation with the retreating Germans at the Selle River the Armistice ended the fighting and the division was sent home in February 1919, to be mustered out several months later.

World War II

• Activated: 15 October 1940 sent to Fort McClellan for training.
• First division to be deployed in continental US, December 14, 1941 sent to southern California.
• Overseas: 10 March 1942.
• Campaigns: Various elements participated in several campaigns in the Pacific but not the entire division.
• Distinguished Unit Citations: 2.
• Awards: MH: 3; DSC: 21; DSM: 2 ; Silver Star: 412; LM: 15; SM: 13; BSM: 986; AM: 9.
• Commanders:
  • Maj. Gen. William N. Haskell (October 1940 – October 1941)
  • Brig. Gen. Ralph McT. Pennell (November 1941 – October 1942)
  • Maj. Gen. Ralph C. Smith (November 1942 – May 1944)
  • Maj. Gen. George W. Griner, Jr. (June 1944 – December 1945)
• Returned to U.S.: 15 December 1945
• Inactivated: 31 December 1945

Organization

• 105th, 106th, 165th Infantry Regiments ("The Fighting 69th")
• 104th, 105th, 106th and 249th Field Artillery Battalions
• 102nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 152nd Engineer Combat Battalion.
• 27th Quartermaster Co. (originally the 102nd Quartermaster Bn.)

Combat chronicle

The 27th Infantry Division arrived in Hawaii, 21 May 1942, to defend the outer islands from amphibious attack. Elements of the division were among one of five divisions (among the 3rd, 9th, Americal and the 2nd Armored Divisions) to engage in offensive combat operations during the last months of 1942. They first saw action in the attack and capture of Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, 21–24 November 1943. Two battalions of the 106th Regiment participated in the attack on Eniwetok Atoll, 19–26 February 1944, returning to Oahu in March. During this mission, one battalion landed unopposed on Majuro Island, 1 February, and completed its seizure, 3 February. The division began preparations for the Marianas operations, 15 March. On D-day plus 1, 16 June 1944, elements landed at night on Saipan to support the Second and Fourth Marine Divisions. A beachhead was established and Aslito Airfield captured, 18 June. Fighting continued throughout June. During a pitched battle, 7 July, Japanese overran elements of the division in a banzai attack, but organized resistance was crushed the next day. During the months of July and August, the 27th cleaned out isolated pockets in the mountains and cliffs of Saipan.

Beginning in the middle of August, the division moved to the New Hebrides for rest and rehabilitation. On 25 March 1945, the 27th sailed from Espiritu Santo, arriving at Okinawa, 9 April 1945. The Division participated in the XXIV Corps general attack, 19 April 1945, securing a dominating ridge line south of Machinato and Kakazu. Machinato Airfield was captured, 28 April, after a severe struggle. On 1 May, the division was relieved by the 1st Marine Division and attached to the Island Command for garrison duty. Tori Shima was seized, 12 May, without opposition. The 27th attacked from the south end of Ishikawa Isthmus to sweep the northern sector of Okinawa. The enemy fought bitterly on Onnatake Hill from 23 May until 2 June, before losing the strong point. After a mopping-up period, the division left Okinawa, 7 September 1945, moved to Japan and occupied Niigata and Fukushima Prefectures.

Postwar

The Division was reformed as a National Guard formation after the war, and from 1954 to 1967 was designated the 27th Armored Division. The division was reorganized as a brigade of the 50th Armored Division in 1967–68. The 27th Brigade of the New York ARNG carries on the lineage and history of the Division. In 1986, the SSI of the unit was amended for use by the 27th Infantry Brigade (later, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team).

References

• The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at United States Army Center of Military History.
• Goldberg, Harold J. (2007). D-day in the Pacific: The Battle of Saipan. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-34869-2. 

External links

• O'Ryan's Roughnecks
• Digger History