Author Description

"The history of the United States Army's 34th Infantry Regiment, from March 1st, 1940 through September 2nd, 1945. The regiment's history is described in a journalistic format, with an emphasis on the 1st Battalion and 'B' Company. Within the 758 pages (Volume I and 710 pages in Volume II), is the compilation of thousands of pages of company clerk's "record of events" narratives for the twenty companies of the regiment. These narratives are the day by day and sometimes minute by minute action of the regiment, from initial training starting in July 1940 through Japan's surrender on September 2nd, 1945. In addition to these narratives, personal memoirs of those that served with the regiment were also used. The regiment was reactivated in Camp Jackson, South Carolina, transferred to the Territory of Hawaii, and transferred again to Queensland, Australia, and then battles in Dutch New Guinea and the Philippine islands. During the five-year period, narratives describe how one was drafted, basic training, unit training, new stations, fighting, killing, being killed/wounded, and finally returning home. All of the valor citations (Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star with Valor) narratives are woven into the day by day and minute by minute narratives. And also sprinkled throughout the pages are other event narratives that directly or indirectly affected the regiment. In addition to all of the regimental narratives, history of the regiment before and after World War II can be found in the Prologue and Epilogue sections. Volume II of the two-volume set, contains the eight appendices of Volume I. The first appendix contains over 580 pages of documentation (photographs, newspaper articles, maps, 34th Infantry Regiment documents, book excerpts, War Department documents, Naval deck logs, 24th Infantry Division documents). Appendices two through eight contain the following: (2) United States Army Organization Units, (3) Army Table of Organization a