6th Marine Division (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=6th Marine Division


caption=6th Marine Division insignia
dates= September 7, 1944 - March 31, 1946
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=USMC
type= Infantry division
role= Locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver.
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= The Striking Sixth
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= World War II
* Battle of Okinawa
notable_commanders=Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.
anniversaries=

The 6th Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps was a short-lived infantry division created during World War II for the Battle of Okinawa and the planned invasion of Japan. The Division was in existence for only 19 months and was the only Marine division to be formed and disbanded overseas, never to see service in the United States.

ubordinate Units

* Headquarters Battalion
* 6th Tank Battalion
* 6th Engineer Battalion
* 6th Pioneer Battalion
* Service Troops: 6th Service Battalion: 6th Medical Battalion: 6th Motor Transport Battalion
* 4th Marine Regiment
* 15th Marine Regiment
* 22nd Marine Regiment
* 29th Marine Regiment [Rottman (2002) p.140.] .

History

The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was formed in May 1944, comprising the new 4th Marines and the 22nd Marines, under the command of BGen Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.. It fought in the Battle of Guam in July and August.

The division was formed on 7 September 1944 on Guadalcanal, by expanding the brigade. The new 29th Marines was added to the division, and the artillery components of the three regiments were reorganized as the 15th Marines.

After training on Guadalcanal, the division fought in the Battle of Okinawa, landing on April 1, 1945 as part of III Amphibious Corps.

In July, the division was withdrawn to Guam to prepare for Operation Coronet, the invasion of Honshū planned for April, 1946. After the Japanese surrendered in August, the 6th Division was sent to Tsingtao, China to accept the surrender of the Japanese forces in that area—less the 4th Marines, which was detached and sent to Tokyo to participate in the formal surrender there. The division remained in China until it was disbanded in Tsingtao on March 31, 1946.

Medal of Honor recipients

6 Marines from the division have been awarded the Medal of Honor:
* Richard E. Bush
* Henry A. Courtney, Jr.
* James L. Day
* Harold Gonsalves
* Robert M. McTureous
* Fred F. Lester

Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. The 6th Marine Division has been presented with the following awards:

See also

* 6th Marine Division on Okinawa
* List of United States Marine Corps divisions
* Organization of the United States Marine Corps

Notes

References

;Bibliography
*cite book
last = Rottman
first = Gordon L.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle – Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War.
publisher = Greenwood Press
date = 2002
location = Westport, Connecticut
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0-313-31906-5

;Web
* [http://www.sixthmarinedivision.com/ Sixth Marine Division Association's Web Site]
* [http://www.colorslost.org/ Japanese flag captured by the 6th Marines on Okinawa and signed by 30+ Marines at surrender in China]