The 43d Infantry Division was inducted into federal service on Feb. 21,1941. The National Guard unit was primarily made up from infantry regiments of the 172nd Vermont, the 103rd Maine, and the 169th Connecticut units. Many other units from these states including the 118th Combat Engineers from Rhode Island, the 118th Medical, HQ Division, and the 103rd, the 152nd, the the 169th and 192nd Field Artillery belonged to the 43d Infantry Division.
The division first trained at Camp Blanding, Florida. It was supposed to have been a one-year stint, but Dec. 7, 1941 changed all that. The 43d, along with all the other divisions, were now in for the duration of the war.
After completing advanced training in Mississippi and the Carolinas, the 43d shipped out of Fort Ord, California in October of 1942. It took the transport ships nearly three weeks to reach New Zealand.
After a brief stay for training in New Zealand, the 43d island hopped its way up the Pacific chain. Operations were conducted on many islands, most that were never heard of before.
Places like Guadalcanal and the Russell Islands. New Georgia, Solomons, where the 43d took heavy casualties taking Munda airfield. The Drinimour River in New Guinea, Luzon and Manila in the Philippines. These were the campaigns of the 43d Infantry Division.
The 43d was slated to be one of the first Invasion Forces on Japan proper. It was thought by many that the division could well be decimated in that invasion, but Japan surrendered, and the 43d went to Japan as an occupation force instead.
For thier actions in the Philippines, the 43d was awarded a Presidentail Unit Citation. The 43d was nicknamed the "Winged Victory" Division after Gen. Leonard F. Wing who took over command in 1943. Gen. Wing was one of only two National Guard officers to command an active duty combat division in World War II.
