35^th Infantry Regiment

The 35th Infantry Regiment was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and became part of the 25th Infantry Division on August 26, 1941. After the Pearl Harbor attack it helped defend Oahu, then sailed for Guadalcanal in November 1942. Landing on December 17, it was the division's first infantry regiment ashore. In January 1943 the regiment attacked Mount Austen and Sea Horse Hill, moving through ravines and dense jungle against fortified Japanese positions. Its battalions helped encircle the Gifu strongpoint; after artillery, tank, and close infantry attacks opened the defenses, 2d Battalion cleared the position on January 23. The regiment's fighting on Mount Austen helped break the enemy's last organized inland defense before the American pursuit westward.

In the Central Solomons, the 35th Infantry formed the main infantry element for the Vella Lavella landing. It went ashore at Barakoma on August 15, 1943, established the beachhead, and pushed along the island's east coast toward Kokolope Bay and Horaniu. The operation helped bypass and isolate Japanese forces elsewhere in the central Solomons while the regiment secured another forward base for the Allied advance.

After training and staging in the South Pacific, the 35th landed at Lingayen Gulf on Luzon on January 11, 1945. It moved from army reserve into the 25th Division's drive across the central plain, captured Lupao on February 8, and then turned into the Caraballo Mountains. In the Balete Pass campaign it fought through Puncan, opened the road toward Digdig, and advanced along the Old Spanish Trail. The regiment fought at Fishhook Ridge and Kapintalan Ridge, where Japanese caves, ridges, and counterattacks slowed the 25th Division's progress. By mid-May, contact with the 27th Infantry on Kapintalan Ridge and the opening of Balete Pass ended the regiment's major mountain battle. It later moved to occupation duty in Japan.