185^th Infantry Regiment

The 185th Infantry Regiment was a California National Guard regiment federalized at Fresno on March 3, 1941 and assigned to the 40th Infantry Division. After training in California, Washington, and Hawaii, it moved to Guadalcanal in January 1944 and then to Cape Gloucester, New Britain, on April 23. There it joined the division's relief of Marine forces and performed security and patrol duties until the division shifted toward the Philippines. The regiment landed at Lingayen Gulf on January 9, 1945 and helped seize Lingayen Airfield with little opposition.

On Luzon the 185th entered the Clark Field-Bamban campaign after the 160th and 108th had struck the first Japanese positions in the Bamban Hills. The regiment attacked the northern part of the Kembu Group defenses, advancing through steep, rough ground toward Snake Hill North. It then pushed through Hill 810, Hill 1000, and Hill 1500, turning the Japanese left while the 108th pressed the opposite flank and the 160th fought through the center. In the renewed late-February offensive, the 185th helped clear Sacobia Ridge and captured Hill 1700 on February 25, completing its immediate mission in the Zambales Mountains and helping remove the threat to Clark Field and XIV Corps' rear.

The regiment then became the assault force for Panay and northern Negros. On March 18 it landed unopposed west of Iloilo, advanced rapidly, and secured the city on March 20 after the Japanese withdrew inland. On March 29 a reinforced platoon from Company F landed near Pulupandan on Negros and seized the Bago River bridge before Japanese guards could demolish it. The main body followed, secured Bacolod, and pushed inland with the 160th Infantry and the attached 503rd Parachute Infantry. In the mountain campaign the 185th fought through prepared Japanese defenses, stormed Virgine Ridge on May 2, and advanced toward Hill 4055 before organized resistance in Negros Occidental collapsed at the end of May.