25th Infanrty Division
"Tropic Lightning"
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On Oct. 1, 1941, the 25th Infantry Division was born. On Dec. 7, 1941, the 25th Infantry Division was mature. It had to be. For the 25th was called to defend the shores of Hawaii after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Within a year of that day of infamy, Tropic Lighting troops were on the offensive in the Pacific. From Guadalcanal through the northern chain of Solomon Islands to Arundel Island and Kolombangara, the 25th penetrated Japanese strongholds. After World War II, the Tropic Lightning Division helped occupy Japan, remaining until 1950 when they were again called into combat in Korea. It was the unit's heroics at Pusan that earned for the division its first Korean Presidential Unit Citation. For three years Tropic Lightning battled seasoned North Korean and Chinese Communist soldiers. In 1954, the 25th was back in Hawaii. By 1963, the division was providing men for Vietnam and in late 1965, the 3rd Brigade moved. By April 1966, the division was totally in combat. The present chapter of the 25th's history is still being written.
