Formation at Camp Pendleton
The 5th Marine Division was activated on Armistice Day, November 11, 1943. On December 1, the Division Headquarters Battalion officially began operating at Camp Pendleton, California. Ten days later, the 26th and 27th Marines (infantry) and the 13th Marines (artillery) were organized. Trainloads of men and materials began arriving at Camp Pendleton from all across the United States. Marines from Parris Island, Camp Elliott, Camp Lejeune, Quantico Barracks and Marines from ship detachments of the fleet all poured into the Division. And hundreds of veterans of earlier Marine campaigns and other Marine divisions arrived for active duty with the 5th Marine Division. These officers and men brought with them a wealth of combat experience and knowledge which would greatly serve the Division.
The official activation date of the 5th Marine Division was January 21, 1944. For two weeks, Brigadier General Thomas A. Bourke was the acting Division Commander. Then on February 4, Major General Keller E. Rockey joined the Division to assume command. By February 8, the Division's regimental and battalion commanders had received their training schedules and were ordered to complete their activation and begin training at once. The rest of the main combat units of the 5th were activated by February 8, the 28th Marines (infantry) and the Division service troops. The 28th completed the Division's complement of infantry. Into the 28th went most of the Marines of the 1st Marine Parachute Regiment which had seen action in the Solomons.
The Division began its training quickly and efficiently. The 5th, in contrast to the other four Marine divisions, was beginning from scratch. The Division was built from the top down with General Rockey picking his key men. The capable young officers and new NCOs of the 5th all came from specialist schools. When they joined the Division they brought with them a thorough knowledge of the latest training ideas at Marine Corps schools.
The first home of the 5th Marine Division was Camp Joseph H. Pendleton, named for the late Major General "Uncle Joe" Pendleton, who had been the father of the Marine Corps activities on the West Coast. Camp Pendleton was ideal for combat training. It had rolling hills, high mountains, broad valleys, steep-sided canyons, wooded areas and swampy stream beds with undergrowth as thick as any jungle. The area stretched for 18 miles from Oceanside north to San Onofre. The main camp lay within a saucer-shaped plateau ten miles from the ocean. The camp was divided into self-contained areas, each with its own barracks, administration buildings, storerooms, sick bay, theater, post exchange, and athletic facilities. To the north were tent camps for regiments and battalions and units of smaller strength. In area and population, Camp Pendleton was the largest of all Marine Corps training centers.
As training progressed and the Division became more closely knit, a contest was held to decide on the Division's shoulder insignia. The 5th had adopted "Spearhead" as its nickname to symbolize its role in future battles. The insignia that was chosen out of 588 entries was indeed symbolic of that name. The winning design was submitted by Lt. Fergus Young and featured a scarlet shield and gold V, pierced by a spearhead of blue. In addition, motor vehicles, tanks and even artillery pieces were given names by the men of the Division. Most jeeps were named for wives and sweethearts. But the best known jeep at Camp Pendleton was named "O'Malley" for General Rockey's favorite comic character.
Soon Camp Pendleton was echoing with the crack of rifles, carbines, pistols, BARs and machine guns with the thumping impact of exploding mortar shells being heard all around. Infantrymen began operating in fire teams and drilling in assault tactics of squads and platoons. By April, company commanders were taking their units into the field for unit training. The most realistic part of the training was a nighttime infiltration course where machine gun bullets flew just inches above the Leathernecks' heads as they bellied across the course. The experience was as close to combat as possible, giving the men a certain amount of confidence in their abilities to move under fire. There was no doubt in the Marines' minds that war was a business in which a man could get hurt or killed.
All of the other units of the Division began training in their specialized fields – engineer and pioneer units, motor transport, medical, tank, signal and service units. The 13th Marines worked out extensive field exercises on the artillery ranges at both Camp Pendleton and Camp Dunlap at Niland, California. The Division Signal Company and communication sections all became experts with their equipment. They fed out so many networks of wires that at times it seemed like a telephone hung from every tree at Pendleton.
By early summer, every infantryman of the 5th knew that he would have a front line combat assignment. The men of the Division were being welded into streamlined combat organizations and soon a high morale was fused with full fighting skill. A program was specifically designed to bring every Marine to the height of physical fitness, combining calisthenics with combat conditioning courses as well as swimming instruction. And despite their rigorous training schedule, the men of the 5th had energy left for baseball, softball and basketball.
The latter phases of combat training were kept under close observation by the higher command. High-ranking visitors from Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France and the Netherlands all came to watch the Division train. During this period – April and May – the regiments received their official colors. As their new flags were unfurled in proper ceremony, every man knew that the Division had come of age.
The Division now entered its advanced training phase. A Troop Training Unit brought its staff to Camp Pendleton to help the Division train its men in amphibious warfare. The first step in individual training was extensive practice in climbing up and down net-covered mock-ups. The men soon became experts at getting themselves and their equipment over the side of a ship. Soon the Division's nine landing teams were ready to practice amphibious assaults as units. The Division entered this final stage of training in early July running two mock landings against barren San Clemente Island, sixty miles off the coast of California, then taking part in a third assault on "Pendleton Island". As General Rockey watched his Marine combat teams leave their landing craft, reorganize on the beaches and begin their push inland, he knew that the six hard months of training were paying off. The Spearhead Division would soon be ready for battle. The Commander in Chief of all United States forces also observed the landings, President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
On July 12, the 26th Marines returned to Camp Pendleton and prepared to move overseas. The rest of the 5th continued training and maneuvers delivering three-day-long assaults on "Pendleton Island". The Division had reached a state of high esprit and there was no question that it would get into the Pacific fighting. The 26th Marines sailed from San Diego on July 22 headed for the island of Hawaii. General Rockey and the rest of the 5th sailed for Hawaii on August 12. The Division was off to war, but months would pass before it made an opposed landing.
The official activation date of the 5th Marine Division was January 21, 1944. For two weeks, Brigadier General Thomas A. Bourke was the acting Division Commander. Then on February 4, Major General Keller E. Rockey joined the Division to assume command. By February 8, the Division's regimental and battalion commanders had received their training schedules and were ordered to complete their activation and begin training at once. The rest of the main combat units of the 5th were activated by February 8, the 28th Marines (infantry) and the Division service troops. The 28th completed the Division's complement of infantry. Into the 28th went most of the Marines of the 1st Marine Parachute Regiment which had seen action in the Solomons.
The Division began its training quickly and efficiently. The 5th, in contrast to the other four Marine divisions, was beginning from scratch. The Division was built from the top down with General Rockey picking his key men. The capable young officers and new NCOs of the 5th all came from specialist schools. When they joined the Division they brought with them a thorough knowledge of the latest training ideas at Marine Corps schools.
The first home of the 5th Marine Division was Camp Joseph H. Pendleton, named for the late Major General "Uncle Joe" Pendleton, who had been the father of the Marine Corps activities on the West Coast. Camp Pendleton was ideal for combat training. It had rolling hills, high mountains, broad valleys, steep-sided canyons, wooded areas and swampy stream beds with undergrowth as thick as any jungle. The area stretched for 18 miles from Oceanside north to San Onofre. The main camp lay within a saucer-shaped plateau ten miles from the ocean. The camp was divided into self-contained areas, each with its own barracks, administration buildings, storerooms, sick bay, theater, post exchange, and athletic facilities. To the north were tent camps for regiments and battalions and units of smaller strength. In area and population, Camp Pendleton was the largest of all Marine Corps training centers.
As training progressed and the Division became more closely knit, a contest was held to decide on the Division's shoulder insignia. The 5th had adopted "Spearhead" as its nickname to symbolize its role in future battles. The insignia that was chosen out of 588 entries was indeed symbolic of that name. The winning design was submitted by Lt. Fergus Young and featured a scarlet shield and gold V, pierced by a spearhead of blue. In addition, motor vehicles, tanks and even artillery pieces were given names by the men of the Division. Most jeeps were named for wives and sweethearts. But the best known jeep at Camp Pendleton was named "O'Malley" for General Rockey's favorite comic character.
Soon Camp Pendleton was echoing with the crack of rifles, carbines, pistols, BARs and machine guns with the thumping impact of exploding mortar shells being heard all around. Infantrymen began operating in fire teams and drilling in assault tactics of squads and platoons. By April, company commanders were taking their units into the field for unit training. The most realistic part of the training was a nighttime infiltration course where machine gun bullets flew just inches above the Leathernecks' heads as they bellied across the course. The experience was as close to combat as possible, giving the men a certain amount of confidence in their abilities to move under fire. There was no doubt in the Marines' minds that war was a business in which a man could get hurt or killed.
All of the other units of the Division began training in their specialized fields – engineer and pioneer units, motor transport, medical, tank, signal and service units. The 13th Marines worked out extensive field exercises on the artillery ranges at both Camp Pendleton and Camp Dunlap at Niland, California. The Division Signal Company and communication sections all became experts with their equipment. They fed out so many networks of wires that at times it seemed like a telephone hung from every tree at Pendleton.
By early summer, every infantryman of the 5th knew that he would have a front line combat assignment. The men of the Division were being welded into streamlined combat organizations and soon a high morale was fused with full fighting skill. A program was specifically designed to bring every Marine to the height of physical fitness, combining calisthenics with combat conditioning courses as well as swimming instruction. And despite their rigorous training schedule, the men of the 5th had energy left for baseball, softball and basketball.
The latter phases of combat training were kept under close observation by the higher command. High-ranking visitors from Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France and the Netherlands all came to watch the Division train. During this period – April and May – the regiments received their official colors. As their new flags were unfurled in proper ceremony, every man knew that the Division had come of age.
The Division now entered its advanced training phase. A Troop Training Unit brought its staff to Camp Pendleton to help the Division train its men in amphibious warfare. The first step in individual training was extensive practice in climbing up and down net-covered mock-ups. The men soon became experts at getting themselves and their equipment over the side of a ship. Soon the Division's nine landing teams were ready to practice amphibious assaults as units. The Division entered this final stage of training in early July running two mock landings against barren San Clemente Island, sixty miles off the coast of California, then taking part in a third assault on "Pendleton Island". As General Rockey watched his Marine combat teams leave their landing craft, reorganize on the beaches and begin their push inland, he knew that the six hard months of training were paying off. The Spearhead Division would soon be ready for battle. The Commander in Chief of all United States forces also observed the landings, President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
On July 12, the 26th Marines returned to Camp Pendleton and prepared to move overseas. The rest of the 5th continued training and maneuvers delivering three-day-long assaults on "Pendleton Island". The Division had reached a state of high esprit and there was no question that it would get into the Pacific fighting. The 26th Marines sailed from San Diego on July 22 headed for the island of Hawaii. General Rockey and the rest of the 5th sailed for Hawaii on August 12. The Division was off to war, but months would pass before it made an opposed landing.