31st Infantry Division (United States)
| 31st Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
31st Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia
|
|
| Active | 1917–45 1950–54 |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Branch |
 United States Army
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Nickname(s) | "Dixie Division" |
| Motto(s) | It shall be done |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Albert H. Blanding Clarence Martin |
The 31st Infantry Division was a unit of the Army National Guard in World War I and World War II. It was originally activated as the 10th, a division established in early 1917 consisting of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia national guardsmen. By the end of that same year, the 10th Division became the 31st. In World War II, national guardsmen from Mississippi were included in the division.
The division was activated in October 1917 (National Guard Division from Alabama, Florida and Georgia). It was activated for WW I at Camp Gordon, Georgia. It comprised the 61st Infantry Brigade and the 62nd Infantry Brigade, with four infantry regiments (121st, 122nd, 123rd, and 124th) between them.
It went overseas in September 1918. Upon arrival in France, the 31st was designated as a replacement division. The personnel of most of the units were withdrawn and sent to other organizations as replacements for combat casualties.
The 31st Infantry Division arrived in Oro Bay, New Guinea, 24 April 1944, and engaged in amphibious training prior to entering combat. During the war, at various times its units included the 124th Infantry Regiment, the 155th Infantry Regiment from Mississippi, the 156th Infantry Regiment, and the 167th Infantry Regiment.
The 156th Infantry Regiment of the Louisiana National Guard was separated from the 31st Division on 14 July 1942. The unit was sent to England and then to Oran, Algiers where they were redesignated the 202nd Infantry Battalion and assigned military police duties due to the large number of French speaking members in the unit. Portions of the unit participated in the D-Day landings with the entire unit being reunited on 24 June 1944. The unit was later used to guard the Allied Expeditionary HQs. The unit returned to the US on 11 March 1946.
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