Bushmaster history

The 158th Regimental Combat Team
(Bushmasters)

The 158th Regimental Combat Team (an Arizona National Guard Unit) was organized originally as the 1st Arizona Volunteer Infantry in late 1865. Some of its first companies were comprised of Maricopa and Pima Indians who participated in several campaigns against the Apache. It was during this period that the unit adopted as their motto "Cuidado" a Spanish word meaning "take care". During World War II, the unit was called into Federal service on September 16, 1940 and sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for training. In February 1941, the 158th was moved to Camp Barkley, TX for more training and then to maneuvers in Louisiana. When war became a reality on December 7, the 158th found itself enroute to Panama for jungle training and to guard the Panama Canal Zone. It was there that they adopted the deadly Bushmaster snake for their insignia. In January 1943, the unit was on the move again - to Brisbane, Australia where it became part of the U S Sixth Army. It then participated in the war in New Guinea, Philippine Islands and went to Japan at the end of the war.

September 16, 1940 Inducted into Federal Service
December 8, 1941 First elements sail from New Orleans to Panama
January 6, 1943 Shipment from Panama to Australia
January 30, 1943 Arrival in Brisbane
March 15, 1943 Unit sails for Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea
April-June 1943 Assignment to Milne Bay; Regiment divided,
assigned to Kiriwina, Woodlark, Goodenough Islands
January 6, 1944 First combat, Arawe, New Britain
March 1944 158th Regimental Combat Team formed at Finschafen
May 17-June 12, 1944 Wadke-Sarmi engagement
July 2, 1944 Noemfoor Island
January 11-27, 1945 Damortis-Rosario engagement, Luzon
March 6-24, 1945 Batangas engagements
April 1, 1945 Legaspi, Sorsogon, Camalig, Mt Isarog engagements
June 30, 1945 Luzon campaign officially ended
October 13, 1945 Landing at Yokohama
January 17, 1946 Unit deactivated, sent home

On 16 September 1940, in response to the declaration of a National Emergency, the 158th National Guard Regiment from Arizona was called to active duty and joined the 45th Division at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. They trained for 15 months until 7 December 1941 (Pearl Harbor Day) when they were removed from the 45th Division and sent to the Panama Canal Zone to protect the canal. It was in Panama where they trained in jungle warfare, becoming famous for their newly acquired jungle-fighting skills. The Regiment took the name of the "Bushmasters" after the deadly bushmaster snake, which appears in the distinctive shoulder patch of the 158th Regimental Combat Team (RCT). General MacArthur, himself, personally selected and requested that the Bushmasters be assigned to his command in the Southwest Pacific Theater. They were on their way to Australia by the 2nd of January 1943, landing four weeks later at Brisbane, Queensland.

When General Walter Krueger's headquarters moved to Goodenough Island, the 2nd Battalion of the 158th Infantry Regiment became the security force for his headquarters. On Christmas Day 1943, Company G embarked for Arawe, New Britain and was soon joined by the remainder of the 2nd Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. Frederick R. Stofft of Tucson, Arizona. It was in New Britain that the 158 RCT had its "baptism of fire". Their second battle was in the Wadke-Sarmi area in Dutch New Guinea. The RCT fought the Japanese 6th Tiger Marine Division from 17 May to 12 June 1944. They were relieved by the 6th Army Division (which spoke well for the RCT, as an entire division replaced them). In their third battle, the RCT went ashore at Noemfoor Island on 2 July with the mission to destroy the enemy and protect Air Force Engineers who were upgrading 3 airstrips to operational use. These airstrips were used by fighter planes and light bombers in support of Allied forces in the area.

On 11 January, 1945, the 158 RCT was part of a large invasion force landing at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. The RCT ran into heavy fire and suffered large losses from well-entrenched enemy forces along the Damortis-Rosario road. After 11 days of intense fighting, the enemy withdrew when the 2nd Battalion destroyed their 14 inch coast gun which was bringing heavy fire on the Allied ships in the harbor. For their achievement, Company G of Safford, Arizona was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. After a brief rest, the RCT was sent to Batangas, Luzon where they, along with other units, were assigned to clear the Balayan and Batangas Bays in southern Luzon. The fighting in this area continued for three weeks. On 1st April, (Easter Sunday) 1945, the 158 RCT invaded the Bicol Peninsula in southern Luzon. They hit the Legaspi port in an assault landing with Naval and Air support. Fighting continued, sporadically, in the hills for over six weeks.

After being relieved by divisions in campaign after campaign across the Pacific, the 158 RCT was selected to spearhead the invasion of Japan. The Bushmasters were under orders to attack the island of Tanega Shima to silence Japanese air warning stations two days ahead of a mighty Allied assault on Kyushu. The surrender of Japan saved the 158 RCT from what many believed would have been a certain suicide mission. On 13 October 1945, the 158 RCT landed in Yokohama, Japan to be part of the Army of Occupation. The great odyssey was over. FROM ARIZONA TO JAPAN - IN FIVE YEARS! High-point soldiers were then sent home and the 158 RCT was deactivated at Utsunomiya, Japan on the 17th of January 1946.

Some of the units that were part of the 158 RCT: 158th Infantry Regiment, 147th Field Artillery Bn., 3295 Signal Service Platoon, 71st Evacuation Hosp., 637th Medical Clearing Co., 3rd Portable Surg. Hosp., 505th and 506th Medical Collecting Co., & many other small service units.

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