368th Infantry Regiment
93rd Infantry Division (Colored) "The Blue Helmets"
United States Army (USA)

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

Wartime History
On January 24, 1944 departs San Francisco bound for the South Pacific (SoPAC). On February 7, 1944 the first echelon arrives on Banikka Island and engage in labor, training and build defenses.

During February 1944, the 2d Battalion moved to Vella Lavella and were tasked with security. While patrolling, they made several contacts with Japanese on the island and remained until June 1944.

Meanwhile, officers flew to Bougainville to observed jungle operations there, and returned to Munda and established a jungle school that continued until all company officers and noncommissioned officers completed the course. In addition, about fifty officers and petty officers of the 73rd Naval Construction Battalion (73rd NCB) "Seabees" attended the course. Captured Japanese weapons were fired over troops to familiarize them with the weapons and their characteristic sounds, were used in training exercises. Battalion exercises in jungle attacks with close artillery support the artillery barrages brought down within 200 yards of troops on the line of departure just prior to the jump off were staged. During June 1944 the regiment moves to Emirau Island. By the end of the year, the 368th had suffered no casualties.

In late January 1945 and early February 1945, the 368th landed at 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, the force moved to Wakde Island but continued to operate in the Toem area with patrols occasionally engaging Japanese stragglers. Company K, 368th, remained at Wakde until October 2, 1945.

Meanwhile, the rest of the regiment moved 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 from Hapo two miles inland. On a small outcropping, the patrol spotted seven Japanese and opened fire at close range, killing six while the seventh was wounded but escaped.

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

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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