Division Components
“Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”
The 5th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps ground combat division which was activated on 11 November 1943 (officially activated on 21 January 1944) at Camp Pendleton, California during World War II.
The 5th Division saw its first combat action during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945 where it sustained the highest number of casualties of the three Marine divisions of the V Amphibious Corps (invasion force).
The 5th Division was to be part of the planned invasion of the Japan homeland before Japan surrendered. Assault troops of the 5th Division were included in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the V Amphibious Corps for extraordinary heroism on Iwo Jima from 19 to 28 February 1945. The 5th Division was deactivated on 5 February 1946.
Who made up the WWII 5th Marine Division?
26th Marine Regiment
27th Marine Regiment
28th Marine Regiment
13th Marine Regiment (Artillery)
5th Engineer Battalion
5th Pioneer Battalion
5th Tank Battalion
5th Service Battalion
5th Motor Transportation BTN
5th Medical Battalion
5th Amphibian Tractor BTN
5th Joint Assault Signal BTN
2nd Armored Amphibian Tractor BTN
3rd Amphibian Tractor Battalion
Headquarters Battalion
25th Headquarters Company
5th Signal Company (includes Navajo Code Talkers)
5th Reconnaissance Company
5th Military Police Company
5th Division Band (Assigned as Stretcher Bearers)
G-2 Section
11th Amphibian Tractor Battalion
5th Marine Observation Squadron
6th Marine War Dog Platoon
27th Replacement Battalion
31st Replacement Battalion
3rd Platoon, 2nd Laundry Company
3rd Provisional Rocket Detachment
Occupation of Japan
26th Marines: Deployed to Sasebo and Palau Islands
27th Marines: Deployed to Sasebo
28th Marines: Deployed to Sasebo
Additional Components on Iwo Jima
Attached U.S. Navy Units
31st Naval Construction Battalion
Navy Doctors and Corpsmen
Organic units in the Marine Regiments or assigned to the 5th Medic Battalion
Naval Officers Serving as Chaplains
Organic units in the Marine Regiments
Attached U.S. Army Units
471st Amphibian Truck Company
592nd Port Company
726th Signal Air Warning Company
386th Air Service Group, U.S. Army Air Corps
5th Division Marines in Vietnam
The 26th, 27th, and 13th Marine Regiments served with distinction in Vietnam, attached to other Marine Divisions.
26th Marine Regiment, 3rd Division; after Khe Sahn some Battalions/Companies were attached to the 1st Division
27th Marine Regiment, 1st Division
13th Marine Artillery Regiment; Some Battalions/ Batteries were attached to the 3rd Division, and some to 1st Division.