106^th Infantry Regiment

The 106th Infantry Regiment was redesignated from the New York National Guard's 10th Infantry Regiment on December 11, 1940 and assigned to the 27th Infantry Division. After training in Alabama, Tennessee, and California, it departed San Francisco on March 10, 1942 and reached Hawaii on March 15. In late 1943 it was designated as a reserve for Marshall Islands operations and trained under V Amphibious Corps. The regiment departed Hawaii on January 23, 1944. Its 2d Battalion occupied Majuro Atoll from February 1 to March 5, while the rest assaulted Eniwetok Island on February 19. There the 1st and 3d Battalions pushed across difficult ground, overcame counterattacks and heavy brush, and completed the capture as mopping up continued.

After returning to Hawaii, the 106th sailed for the Marianas and landed on Saipan on June 20, 1944. Initially held in reserve, it entered the 27th Division's central front on June 23. The regiment attacked into Death Valley, a narrow corridor dominated by cave positions and fire from Purple Heart Ridge. Progress was slow and costly, but the 106th helped reduce Hell's Pocket, break the Death Valley position, and open the division's northward drive. During the July advance it moved toward Tanapag and reached the Flores Point seaplane base area before organized resistance collapsed.

The regiment staged at Espiritu Santo before departing for the Ryukyus. Attached briefly to the 96th Infantry Division, it landed on Okinawa on April 12, 1945 and soon rejoined the 27th Division. Company G crossed Machinato Inlet ahead of the April 19 general attack, enabling the regiment to move across before daylight. The 106th then fought on the western end of Urasoe-Mura Escarpment while the division struggled against Kakazu Ridge, the Pinnacles, and bypassed Japanese positions. Its 2d Battalion was detached for Ie Shima garrison duty on May 3. The regiment remained on Okinawa and reached Japan in September.