77th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

77th Division
第77師団
Active	1944 - 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Allegiance	5th area army
Branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Coastal defense
Nickname(s)	Ripe Division
Engagements	none
Commanders
Notable commanders	Nonoyama Hidemi (野々山秀美)

The 77th Division was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Ripe Division (稔兵団, Nen Heidan).It was created in March 1944 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido to replace 7th division and disbanded in September 1945 in Kajiki, Kagoshima. It was a triangular division. The men of the division were drafted through 7th military district, located in Hokkaido.

Action

From 8 October 1945, the 77th division was subordinated to 5th area army and set in charge of the fortifications from west of Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group to Yūfutsu District, Hokkaido on the southern coast of Hokkaido. 11 February 1945, if was moved to reserve in Asahikawa, with newly formed 147th division taking over the Tomakomai fortifications. In May 1945, the division was subordinated to the 16th area army and sent to Satsumasendai, Kagoshima as part of the general buildup of Japanese forces on Kyushu in the wake of defeat in battle of Okinawa. Later the division was transferred to Kajiki, Kagoshima, where it meet the surrender of Japan 15 August 1945.

References and further reading

• List of Japanese Infantry Divisions
• Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981
• 秦郁彦編『日本陸海軍総合事典』第2版、東京大学出版会、2005年。
• 外山操・森松俊夫編著『帝国陸軍編制総覧』芙蓉書房出版、1987年。
• 『別冊歴史読本 戦記シリーズNo.32 太平洋戦争師団戦史』、新人物往来社、1996年。

This article incorporates material from the article 第77師団_(日本軍) in the Japanese Wikipedia, retrieved on 14 January 2015.