Talk:Americal Division

Also said that Americal is the 23rd Infantry Division. ~ender 2003-04-13 03:38 MST

Hmm, interesting, it seems that you're right. Every site I've been to, including globalsecurity.org and americal.org (the first is reliable, and the second should know) has stated that they are the same. I will redirect 23rd Infantry here. ugen64 03:32, Dec 7, 2003 (UTC)

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Someone added this, only to have the entire edit reverted.

The 1968 My Lai Massacre of 500 villagers in Songmy village, also called My Lai 4, in South Vietnam by Charlie Company was the most shameful moment for the division. Lt. William Calley was convicted of premeditated murder of 22 villagers during the atrocity. Only one of his senior officers in the Americal Division was prosecuted for the mass killing and he was not convicted.

* Robert Mann. 2001. A Grand Delusion: America's Descent into Vietnam. Basic Books.

Is this untrue? Or has someone simply censored it? If true, then the information is certainly relevant, and must be included. It would make sense to also include other information about the division, as My Lai is surely not the only thing that it is notable for since 1945. Tannin 10:54, 27 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Origin of the name

for reasons not altogether clear to history A book I have says that the name "Americal Division" was suggested by one of Patch's soldiers, and approved by the Army on Patch's recommendation. I will put this into the article. I don't know if the claim is disputed, but if so I hope someone will come along later to correct me. Isomorphic 21:16, 8 Mar 2005 (UTC)

The book in question, should anyone need this, is The Great Commanders of World War II, Volume III:The Americans, by Charles Pfannes and Victor Salamone. Isomorphic 21:25, 8 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Why was this unit awarded Vietnam Gallantry Cross ? ? ? ?

If you know, please email to Glamunyon@aol.com

Thanks

The origin of the Americal name stems from World War 2, and has its roots in Americans In new Caledonia, which is where it was formed. The "original" name of the Vietnam version was Task Force Oregon, which took three brigades from a variety of sources. They were later combined into a division and given the name "Americal" because that name was historically associated with a division formed outside the United States. Within a year or so, and accelerated by My Lai, the name was officially changed to 23rd Infantry Division (Americal).Intothatdarkness (talk) 18:24, 12 August 2010 (UTC)

Force A

March 14, 1942 Two days after the task force later to be known as the Americal Division landed in Noumea, New Calidonia, the 182 Infantry was detailed to provide a special unit to be called Force A for advance occupation and outpost of the New Hebridies, a group of islands lying directly across the supply to U.S.

Assigned to this duty Co's L and M and attached units from Headquarters Co., Service Co., and Medical Det. plus a platoon of the 101st Engineers.

The total strength being in the vicinity of 480 men was in command of Brig. Gen Rose. That a B.G. should be placed in command of two infantry rifle companies indicated the degree of importance -- and hazard-- that G.H. G. placed upon the mission

comment from the source, a personal diary

It was sobering but then so was the entire situation and I think most of us felt it a distinction of sorts to be in the forefront

The men were assembled and told that Force A and 50 Aussies held the most advanced outpost of the Allied Forces in the Pacific. No retreat is possible, No reinforcements can be relied on. Supply is unreliable and limited. Japs are assembling a task force in the Truk area about 600 miles to the north, and their attack is expected. Our objective is to hamper their occupation of the New Hebridies in every way possible by destroying facilities, retreating to the interior and harassing them by guerilla action. Meanwhile we will set up observation outposts around the island and train ourselves in jungle survival, hit and run attack, Keeping radio contact with New Calidonia.

March 28, 1942 a unit of Force A left an isolated coconut plantation called Euralia for Port Havanah with (2) 2nd lt and 22 men on a small auxiliary sailboat with equipment and 10 days rations to begin their guerilla action by gathering the native headhunters and plantation workers from the nearby islands as force extenders.142.0.102.230 (talk) 12:05, 25 March 2015 (UTC)

FSB Mary Ann

24.68.226.166 21:21, 3 August 2007 (UTC) I've changed the empty link to Fire Base Mary Ann to link to the article surrounding the battle.

My Lai section is a little dismissive

the section states

"The My Lai Massacre has always overshadowed the accomplishments of the Americal. This massacre involved a small group of idiots led by an idiot. Aside from this tragedy, no atrocities were committed by the Americal, as noted."

this phrasing seems too dismissive since there were hundreds if not thousands of actions that resembled My Lai. the cause of My Lai wasn't idiocy it was the assumption on the part of the USA Military Command that all the villages in any of the many free-fire zones were rebel held or rebel supporting. this resulted in unit commanders being given very general orders for clearance operations with, as always, a focus on the body-count.

which in turn resulted in units commiting these kind of crimes

sorry for the essay but this sort of POV shouldn't be in wikipedia

user name is teknotiss (didn't sign in) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.43.19.231 (talk) 00:26, 6 September 2010 (UTC)

There are numerous sources of My Lai not being the only atrocity or massacre committed during the Vietnam war. For instance Richard Stacewicz; Winter Soldiers: An Oral History of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War; Twayne Publishers, 1997 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.215.97.201 (talk) 21:46, 1 December 2011 (UTC)

Never lost a battle?

That claim was proven to be nothing more than a silly myth; I have added the link to the Battle of Kham Duc as a point. The Americal Division was beaten in numerous battles.Canpark (talk) 12:13, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

Looking for materials to flesh out his article?

If you are working on this article, be sure to use the holdings of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. As a participating GLAM Institution, the staff at PMML is eager to help other editors in making improvements to this article. TeriEmbrey (talk) 20:10, 24 August 2014 (UTC)