战争中的一个师 — 第二部分
The Saber and Scroll
摘要
二战期间 , 美国陆军第 32 步兵师在西南太平洋地区进行了一 连串艰苦战斗 , 战斗集中在新几内亚岛和菲律宾 。 新几内亚 的战斗是令人沮丧和代价巨大的 。 菲律宾的战斗则上升到完 全的新高度 。 第 32 步兵师在战斗打响后进入莱特岛 , 尽管损 失巨大 , 但这场战役可能是最容易的一场战斗 。 莱特岛战役 结束后他们转向菲律宾主岛吕宋岛 , 并在那里艰难度过了 1945 年春季 。 吕宋岛上的维拉维德步道 ( Villa Verde Trail ) 成 为了二战时期第 32 步兵师的同义词 。 尽管取得的战果甚微 , 但第 32 步兵师的战斗是荣誉和卓越的 。 这便是 1945 年吕宋岛 战役的性质 。
关键词 : 美国陆军第 32 步兵师 , 莱特岛 - 吕宋岛 - 菲律宾 - 二 战 , 美国第六军团
Of the many infantry divisions that had the honor and at the same time misfortune to fight in the Southwest Pacific Area ( SWPA ) during World War II , the 32 nd Infantry Division ( ID ) stands at the top . The top , in this case , is not a place of distinction . The 32 nd deserves all the kudos possible for their record in New Guinea ( the subject of Part I in my series on this division ) and as will become obvious in the coming pages for their struggles in the Philippines . Here , the top is reserved for the unit given one impossible mission after the other in the worst possible terrain , understrength , and devoid of support from higher commands . It began on New Guinea with Buna in 1942 , and along the Driniumor River in 1944 . As the SWPA moved to the Philippines , the 32 nd ID once again played a prominent role . On Leyte , the first major operation of the Philippines campaign , the 32 nd entered the fray several weeks after its initiation . On Luzon , all the division had previously experienced paled in comparison . The Villa Verde Trail became the symbol of a heroic unit ’ s struggle in World War II .
When Leyte began , the 32 nd ID was in the vicinity of the island of Samar . They arrived on Leyte in mid-November 1944 . Initially , missions included relieving units recently victorious , such as the 21 st Infantry Regiment on Breakneck Ridge , mopping up isolated Japanese detachments , and attacking specific positions such as “ Corkscrew Ridge ,” a series of hills that took several weeks to clear . 1 They would then head south and spend most of the remaining campaign in the Ormoc Valley , along
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