127^th Infantry Regiment

The 127th Infantry Regiment, a Michigan National Guard unit assigned to the 32nd Infantry Division, entered federal service on October 15, 1940, and reached Australia in May 1942. It arrived at Port Moresby on November 27, 1942, after the Papuan campaign had already begun, and moved quickly into the Buna beachhead. The regiment entered Dobodura on December 4, helped force the Buna Village area on December 14, and then fought in the December-January reduction of Buna Mission, where its companies attacked through swamp, coastal track, and mission approaches alongside elements of the 126th and 128th Infantry.

After Buna, the regiment pushed along the coast, overran Tarakena on January 8, 1943, and joined the final Sanananda-Giruwa operations. Its companies advanced through swamp and beach defenses in mid-January and entered Giruwa on January 21 as organized Japanese resistance collapsed. The 127th later returned to New Guinea combat at Aitape. Its combat team entered Blue Beach on April 23, 1944, while Companies F and G secured Tumleo and Seleo Islands. The regiment then held the East Sector, patrolled to the Driniumor and Dandriwad areas, and tested the Japanese movement west from Wewak before the larger Driniumor fighting developed.

On Leyte the 127th landed on November 14, 1944 and fought south of Limon along Highway 2. In December it advanced with the 126th Infantry through entrenched positions, destroyed two enemy tanks on December 14, and reached Lonoy on December 22, linking the division's drive with the 1st Cavalry Division. It then moved west toward Antipolo Point. On Luzon the 127th carried the early fight up the Villa Verde Trail, taking heavy losses around Hill 502, Hill 504, and the Salacsac Pass No. 2 approaches before the 128th relieved it in late March. Rebuilt, it returned in April to clear the Hill 507-Hill 509 area and help open the way toward Imugan.