127th Infantry Regiment (United States) - World War II

World War II

The 127th Infantry was reconstituted and was reorganized on 1 April 1921 in the eastern portion of Wisconsin and assigned to 32nd Division. It was inducted into Federal service on 15 October 1940 at Crandon. (The 32nd Division was redesignated on 1 August 1942 as 32nd Infantry Division).

On 26 November 1942, the 127th disembarked at Port Moresby after a period of training in Australia. The 3rd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment now took over on the Urbana front at Buna during the battle of Buna–Gona. Not able to be supported by tanks due to the terrain and swampy land, the fighting was a desperate tree-by-tree, bunker-by-bunker struggle. On 24 December 1942, First Sergeant, Elmer J. Burr was posthumously awarded first Medal of Honor of the campaign by throwing himself onto a grenade and absorbing the explosion protecting his commanding officer. Later the same day Sergeant, Kenneth E. Gruennert was awarded the Medal of Honor for knocking out two enemy bunkers single-handedly, and after being severely wounded in his attack against the first bunker, attacked the second bunker before being killed by a sniper.

It inactivated on 28 February 1946 at Fukuoka, Japan.

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