ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

CARLETON ELLIOTT SIMENSEN MILITARY HERITAGE COLLECTION, 164th INFANTRY ASSOCIATION RECORDS

COLLECTION: OGL#1278

DATES: 1906-1955 & undated [Bulk Dates 1941-1946]

SIZE: 2.0 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Carleton Elliott Simensen Military Heritage Collection, 164th Infantry Association Records were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by James Fenelon, Marshalltown, Iowa on May 27, 1998 (Acc.#98-2189).

ACCESSION: Open for inspection under the rules and regulationsof the Department of Special Collections.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

The 164th Infantry was operational from 1885-1955. During that time it's title was changed several times. It began in 1885 as the First Regiment, Dakota National Guard. It was redesignated the First Infantry Regiment, North Dakota National Guard on November 2, 1889 when North Dakota became a state. On May 20, 1898 it entered federal service as the First North Dakota Volunteer Infantry for the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection. After being dismissed from federal service on September 25, 1899, it was reorganized in the North Dakota National Guard as First Infantry Regiment in November 1899. It was called into federal service on June 18, 1916 for the Mexican Border Conflict. On Saint Valentine's day, 1917, the regiment reverted to state control. In 1917 the regiment entered federal service for World War I. It was redesignated on October 4, 1917 as the 164th Infantry Regiment assigned to the 41st division. The regiment was demobilized on February 28, 1919. On May 16, 1923 the 164th was reorganized and federally recognized and then assigned to the 34th division and returned to state control. The regiment entered federal service on February 10, 1941 for World War II. The regiment was assigned to the Americal Division on May 24, 1942. It was given back to state control on June 10, 1946 and assigned to the 47th division. The regiment was called into service on January 16, 1951 for the Korean War. On December 2, 1954 the regiment reverted to state control. The 164th Infantry Regiment was disbanded April 15, 1955 and converted into engineering battalions.

The Regiment's most notable time was when its service in World War II. At Guadalcanal in October 1942, it became the first U.S. Army unit to engage in offensive action against the enemy. It was involved in the heaviest fighting of this campaign and was congratulated by the Marine unit it reinforced. For its efforts, the Americal Division was awarded the Navy's Presidential Unit Citation. During its existence the unit and its members saw almost 600 days of combat, earned 199 Bronze Stars, 89 Silver Stars, six Legions of Merit, ten Soldiers Medals, six Distinguished Service Crosses, one Navy Cross and about 2,000 Purple Hearts.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The papers include daily journals, periodic reports, battle reports, killed in action reports, missing in action reports, military awards, orders and a information on the regiment before World War II. The bulk of the papers is from the time period of 1943 to 1945.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING

Box 1
Folder

  1. Dakota Territory Militia 1877-1889.
  2. History of the 1st North Dakota Infantry: Mexican Border Conflict, 1916-1917.
  3. History of the 1st North Dakota Infantry: Mexican Border Conflict, Alphabetical Roster 1916-1917.
  4. Dedication of the 1st ND Infantry plaque, Mercedes, Texas, 1960.
  5. Special Orders, April 1941.
  6. General Orders, February 12, 1944-April 26, 1944.
  7. General Orders, May 4, 1944-June 30, 1944.
  8. General Orders, July 1, 1944-August 31, 1944.
  9. General Orders, September 22, 1944-November 18,1944.
  10. S1 Journals, March 19, 1942-June 19, 1943.
  11. S2 Journals, October 15, 1942-November 1, 1942.
  12. S2 Journals, November 1, 1942-November 30, 1942.
  13. S2 Journals, December 1, 1942-December 16, 1942.
  14. S2 Journals, December 16, 1942-December 31, 1942.
  15. S2 Journals, January 1, 1943-January 31, 1943.
  16. S2 Journals, February 2, 1943-May 19, 1943.
  17. S2 Journals, December 27, 1943-December 31, 1943.
  18. S2 Journals, January 1, 1944-January 15, 1944.
  19. S2 Journals, January 16, 1944-January 31, 1944.
  20. S2 Journals, February 1, 1944- February 15, 1944.
  21. S2 Journals, February 16, 1944- February 29, 1944.
  22. S2 Journals, March 1, 1944-March 10, 1944.
  23. S2 Journals, March 11, 1944-March 20, 1944.
  24. S2 Journals, March 21, 1944-March 31, 1944.
  25. S2 Journals, April 1, 1944-April 29, 1944.
  26. S2 Journals, May 1, 1944-June 30, 1944.
  27. S2 Journals, July 1, 1944-July 31, 1944.
  28. S2 Journals, August 1, 1944-August 15, 1944.
  29. S2 Journals, August 16, 1944-August 31, 1944.
  30. S2 Journals, September 1, 1944-September 30, 1944.
  31. S2 Journals, October 1, 1944-October 15, 1944.
  32. S2 Journals, October 16, 1944-October 31, 1944.
  33. S2 Journals, November 1, 1944-November 30, 1944.
  34. S2 Journals, December 1, 1944-December 18. 1944.
  35. S2 Journals, January 28, 1945-February 14, 1945.
  36. S2 Journals, February 15, 1945-February 28, 1945.
  37. S2 Journals, March 1, 1945-March 10, 1945.
  38. S2 Journals, March 11, 1945-March 29, 1945.
  39. S2 Journals, April 1, 1945-April 22, 1945.
  40. S2 Journals, April 25, 1945-April 30, 1945.
  41. S2 Journals, May 1, 1945-May 31, 1945.
  42. S2 Journals, June 1, 1945-June 21, 1945.

Box 2
Folder

  1. Guadalcanal: Report of Engagements, June 1943.
  2. Guadalcanal: Report of Battle of Henderson Field, June 1943.
  3. Guadalcanal: Report of Battle of Koli Point, June 1943.
  4. Report of Operations in Leyte, 1945.
  5. Report of Operations in Leyte, March 1945.
  6. Situation report at Villaba, February 1945.
  7. Report of Operations: V-2 Operations, March 26, 1945-June 20, 1945.
  8. Report of Operations: V-2 Operations in Cebu and Negros, 1945.
  9. S3 Reports, June 21, 1945-November 9, 1945.
  10. Operations Report: Blacklist Operations, Occupation of Japan, 1945.
  11. Operations Report: Blacklist Operations, Occupation of Japan, 1945.
  12. Operations Report: Blacklist Operations, Occupation of Japan, 1945.
  13. Bougainville; A/A Report; Night Operations in the Pacific Oceans, February 1945.
  14. Field Orders, 1945.
  15. History of Headquarters and Headquarters Company Americal Division, December 31, 1943.
  16. War Department's Historical Records: 164th on Guadalcanal, 1943.
  17. War Department's Historical Records: 164th on Fiji, 1943.
  18. War Department's Historical Records: 164th on Bougainville, 1943-1944.
  19. War Department's Historical Records: 164th on Bougainville, 1944-1945.

Box 3
Folder

  1. War Department's Historical Records: 164th on Bougainville, 1944.
  2. War Department's Historical Records: 164th on Upper Laruma Valley, undated.
  3. War Department's Historical Records: 164th's Night Operations in the Pacific Ocean Area, 1945.
  4. War Department's Historical Records: 164th on Leyte, 1945.
  5. 294th Army Ground Forces Band, April 1, 1944-June 30, 1944.
  6. History of the 164th: KIA, MIA, and Award Reports, 1943-1944.
  7. History of the 164th: KIA, MIA, and Award Reports, 1944.
  8. 164th Infantry Roster: Undated.
  9. Americal Division Memorial Service: Guadalcanal Military Cemetery, 1943.
  10. Newspaper Clippings and Press Release, 1941 and Undated.
  11. Receipts, Undated.
Original Donation: 1906-1955 & undated [Bulk Dates 1941-1946]
Additions:
1st: 1943-1993 2nd: undated 3rd: undated 4th: 1930s-1997 5th: 1942, 1944
6th: 1942-1945, 1962 7th: 1944, 1951, 2004 8th: 1942-1996 9th: 1988 10th: 1994
11th: 1949 12th: 1942, undated 13th: 1943-1998 14th: 1942-1996 15th: 1942-1943

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