23rd Infantry Division (Americal Division)
PriorService is proud to offer a large selection of items for the 23rd Infantry Division. The famed Americal Division was formed in 1942 on the island of New Caledonia to defend against a possible Japanese attack. The division first saw combat in World War II when it was sent to Guadalcanal to support the 1st Marine Division. The Americal Division was engaged in combat with Japanese forces on Guadalcanal for over 5 months.
Although newly formed, the division fought alongside the 1st Marine Division before it fully relieved it. The Americal Division quickly learned the important lesions from the battle hardened Marines and fought well on Guadalcanal. After several months of rest and training, the Americal Division was again sent into combat on the island of Bougainville. The division relieved the exhausted 3rd Marine Division and fought against fierce Japanese resistance until late 1944 when they themselves were relieved. The Americal Division was next sent to the Philippines where it saw combat on many different islands and in several key battles. The division participated in the cleaning up of Japanese forces on Leyte and conducted several amphibious landings in the Philippines. The division was deactivated twice over the next 20 years, but reactivated again in 1967 in Vietnam. It was formed from several units already in Vietnam as well as several arriving from the States. The division served for 4 years in Vietnam and participated in several key battles. The division was deactivated again in 1971. Our selection of items for the 23rd Infantry Division includes tee shirts, golf shirts, baseball caps, decals, patches, lapel pins, challenge coins and more.