From the WW2 US 132nd Infantry regimental history

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From "Orchids in the Mud", the 132nd Infantry Regiment's history of it activities in World War Two in the Pacific. Unfortunately the photos were reproduced literally the size of postage stamps, so forgive the lack of detail.

Below: 6A and 6B are of interest because they show the 132nd Infantry in early 1942 landing on the French island of New Caledonia still wearing WWI type helmets. I've seen photos of American rangers training in Northern Ireland at about this same time still wearing these, and of course the pre-Pearl Harbor garrison of the Philippines battled the Japanese wearing them, but this is the first time I've come across another wartime overseas use. The 132nd was an Illinois National Guard unit federalized about a year before shipping out of New York to sail through the Panama Canal to occupy New Caledonia (with a short stop in Australia first). The Japanese never did invade that island, so the 132nd's first combat was when they landed on Guadalcanal later in 1942. 6D shows New Zealand, Australian, and US officers on New Caledonia.

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Below: 6C - Still on New Caledonia. The Americans raised a couple of companies of local Kanak natives as part of a provisional jeep-mounted mobile force, but alas no pictures.

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Below: Bougainville in 1944. 10M is the 754th Tank Battalion. 10N are Fiji Infantry, once again apologies for no better photo. The Americans fought side by side with the jungle-wise Fijians for months before turning over operations to Australian militia forces.

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Below: American and Australians on Bougainville. The 132nd went on to heavy fighting in the Philippines in 1945, and occupation duty in Japan.

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Very nice, thank you. Also thanks for the amazing uploads on militaryzone.info and avaxhome. We seem to share many common books, and then you post some others that I am amazed to see. Many, many thanks...and don't stop!