368th Infantry Regiment (368th IR)
93rd Infantry Division (Colored) "The Blue Helmets"
U.S. Army (USA)

Background
During World War II, the 368th Infantry Regiment was part of the 93rd Infantry Division (Colored) in the U.S. Army and was racially segregated with white officers commanding African American enlisted men.

Wartime History
On January 24, 1944 departs San Francisco bound for the Solomon Islands. On February 7, 1944 the first echelon arrives on Banika Island and engage in labor, training and build defenses. During February 1944, the 2d Battalion moves to Vella Lavella and were tasked with security. While patrolling, they had several contacts with Japanese stragglers and remained until June 1944.

Meanwhile, officers flew to Bougainville to observed jungle operations then move to Munda and established a jungle training school for all company officers and non-commissioned officers plus fifty officers and petty officers from 73rd Naval Construction Battalion (73rd NCB) "Seabees". During the training, captured Japanese weapons were fired over the soldiers to familiarize them with enemy weapons and their sounds. They with close artillery support with barrages brought down within 200 yards of their line of departure. During June 1944 the regiment moves to Emirau Island and remained until the end of the year.

In late January 1945 and early February 1945, the 368th moves to Toem to perform security, remove supplies and disinterring bodies from the American cemetery. The attached Battery C of the 584th Field Artillery harassed the enemy in the area. On several occasions the enemy infiltrated camp areas but no casualties were suffered. Afterwards, they move to Wakde but continued to operate in the Toem area with patrols occasionally engaging Japanese stragglers. Company K, remained at Wakde until October 2, 1945.

Meanwhile, the rest of the regiment moves to Morotai. On May 24, 1945 a patrol from Company F, 368th Infantry led by Lt. Richard L. Crawford tracked a pair of footprints up a stream to miles inland from Hapo. On a small outcropping, the patrol spotted seven Japanese and opened fire at close range, killing six with the seventh wounded but managed to escape. On July 2, 1945 the 368 RCT takes responsibility for the Zamboanga sector on Mindanao plus Palawan, Jolo, and Sanga Sanga until the end of the Pacific War.

Postwar
After the surrender of Japan, the 368th Regimental Combat Team (368th RCT) moved to the Agusan Del Monte area on Mindanao in the Philippines. On January 13, 1946 moves to Tacloban on Leyte then departs for the United States. On February 1, 1946 arrives in California. On February 3, 1946 inactivated at Camp Stoneman.

References
U.S. Army "The Employment of Negro Troops" Chapter XVIII Ground, Air And The Asset Side pages 497-535
U.S. Army "The Employment of Negro Troops" Endnotes for Chapter XVIII endnotes 1-103

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