24^TH (VICTORY) INFANTRY DIVISION

Prior to the start of the Korean War, the 24^th Infantry Division had occupation duty on Japan’s southernmost main island of Kyushu. When President Harry S. Truman ordered U.S. ground forces to support the Republic of Korea, the 24^th Infantry Division was the closest so was tasked with providing the first ground forces. This took the form a scratch unit designated "Task Force Smith" which deployed from Itazuke Air Base on 2 July 1950. At the time, Task Force Smith consisted of the following units from the 1^st Battalion, 21^st Infantry Regiment: 2 under-strength rifle companies "A" & "B," one-half of Headquarters Company, one-half of the battalion’s communications platoon, a composite 75-mm Recoilless Rifle platoon with four guns, and four 4.2" mortars, for a total of 440 men but only 406 actually arrived in Korea. Task Force Smith was transported to Osan, South Korea where it dug in to wait the North Koreans, now supported by a battery of 105mm howitzers.

They did not have long to wait. At approximately 0730, 5 July 1950, North Korean tanks were observed advancing south. The, at 0816, Task Force Smith supporting artillery fired its first rounds. The lightly armed Task Force Smith was no match for Soviet-built T-34 tanks, backed by a North Korean division so by early afternoon, survivors from the task force were running for their lives. In the next three weeks the 24^th Infantry Division suffered defeat after defeat as it fought gallantly while slowly retreating southward, trading lives and ground for time so U.S. forces could build up in the country.

The 24^th Infantry Division was replaced in Korea by the 40^th Infantry Division, 23 January 1952, and redeployed to Japan, returning to Korea a second time on 16 July 1953, one week before the ceasefire was signed.

The division consisted of:

• Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• 19^th Infantry Regiment
• 21^st Infantry Regiment
• 34^th Infantry Regiment
• Division Artillery
  11^th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm)
  13^th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
  52^nd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
  63^rd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
  26^th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
• Division Troops
  Company A, 78^th Tank Battalion (Heavy) replaced by the
  6^th Tank Battalion (Medium) on 8 August 1950
  3^rd Engineer Battalion (Combat)
  24^th Reconnaissance Company
• Division Special Troops
  24^th Medical Battalion
  24^th Signal Company
  724^th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion
  24^th Quartermaster Company
  24^th Military Police Company
  24^th Replacement Company
• Attached units
  5^th Infantry Regiment (31 September 1950 - January 1952)
  555^th (Triple Nickel) Field Artillery Battalion
  8072^nd Tank Battalion (Provisional)
  Eighth Army Ranger Company (10 October 1950 - 28 March 1951)
  8^th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) (31 April 1951 - 1 August 1951)
  British 27^th Commonwealth Brigade

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