25th Infantry Division (United States)
The 25th Infantry Division (nicknamed "Tropic Lightning")[1] is a United States Army division based at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. The division, which was activated on 1 October 1941 in Hawaii, conducts military operations primarily in the Asia-Pacific region. Its present deployment is composed of light infantry and aviation units. Tropic Lightning soldiers regularly train with other U.S. military branches to practice and maintain joint operations capabilities. The climate and terrain of the Pacific region demands Tropic Lightning soldiers be able to operate in physically demanding and harsh environments. In 2014, the division opened the Jungle Operations Training Center—the first such school in the Army since the closing of the old Jungle Warfare School at Fort Sherman, Panama Canal Zone. Joint operations and training with partner states herald a new chapter in the history of Tropic Lightning—America's Pacific Division.
25th Infantry Division
1941
United States
Schofield Barracks, Wahiawa, Hawaii
"Tropic Lightning" (Special Designation)
"America’s Pacific Division"
Scarlet and yellow (the traditional colors of Hawaiian royalty)
CSM Robert Haynie
General J. Lawton Collins, 1942–1943
Lieutenant General William B. Kean, 1948–1951
Lieutenant General Samuel Tankersley Williams, 1952–1953
Lieutenant General Jonathan O. Seaman, 1960
General Frederick C. Weyand, 1964–1967
General James T. Hill, 1997–1999
Lieutenant General William E. Ward, 1999–2000
Lieutenant General Robert L. Caslen, 2008–2009
The division was originally activated from Hawaii garrison units during World War II, slightly more than a month before the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor began the Pacific War. After spending almost a year training, it fought in the Allied counteroffensive during the Guadalcanal Campaign from December 1942, helping to end organized Japanese resistance on that island by early February 1943. The 25th spent a period garrisoning the island, then moved on to fight in the New Georgia Campaign in July. After the Japanese defeat in the latter, it was sent to New Zealand later that year for rest and training, before moving to New Caledonia for further training. The division returned to combat in the January 1945 invasion of Luzon, reducing Japanese resistance on the island until late June, after which it was pulled out of the line for training. The division then served in the occupation of Japan after the surrender of the latter from September 1945.
When the Korean War began in June 1950, the division was deployed to South Korea, where it fought in the defense of and the breakout from the Pusan Perimeter in mid-1950, with elements advancing as far as the Amnok River in November. After being thrown back by the Chinese Communist intervention in the war, the division eventually took up positions south of Osan. It participated in a series of United Nations counteroffensives in early 1951, then fought in a stalemate close to the 38th parallel from the middle of the year. The division defended Seoul against Chinese Communist attack from May 1953 to the July armistice, returning to Hawaii in late 1954.
After undergoing major reorganizations in 1957 and 1963 to adapt to changing tactics, the division deployed to South Vietnam to fight in the Vietnam War between late 1965 and early 1966. The 25th served in Vietnam until its withdrawal back to Hawaii in 1970–1971, participating in Operation Attleboro, Operation Cedar Falls, Operation Junction City, the Battle of Saigon during the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive, and the Cambodian Incursion. It was reorganized as a light infantry division in 1985, and elements have participated in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan.
The 25th Infantry Division consists of two infantry brigade combat teams, a division artillery, a combat aviation brigade, and a division sustainment brigade.
Valorous Unit Award (Army) for 1/25th (SBCT) OIF III 2005
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for OIF 2007
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) (1st Brigade) for OIF 2008-9 (This unit citation was not presented until 30 September 2013 by General Orders no. 2013–63.)
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for 3rd Battalion 25th Aviation Regiment OIF 2010 Order number 225-09 13, August 2010
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) (HHBN) for OND 2010-2011
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for:
Division memorial[edit]
The 25th Infantry Division Memorial, which is located at Schofield Barracks, consists of four statues. The first statue was unveiled in June 2005. Cast in bronze, it depicts a War on Terrorism infantry soldier, representing the more than 4,000 soldiers of the division who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq since the war began in 2001.[55] The other three statues represent the division's soldiers who served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.[55]
The War on Terrorism statue was sculpted by local artist Lynn Liverton. An active-duty soldier, wounded in Iraq, was selected by the Army in 2005 as the model for the statue. He is shown in full infantry uniform (bearing his surname), looking at a deceased comrade's boots, weapon, and helmet, set up as a field cross.[55]
• In the CBS military action-drama series, The Unit, Colonel Tom Ryan and Sergeant First Class Hector Williams are identified as former members of the 25th Infantry Division by the unit badges displayed on their class-A dress uniforms.