Skip to main content
close
font 1 font 2 font 3
Reset to standard size
Font size options
Increase or decrease the font size for this website by clicking on the 'A's.
Yellow on Black White on Black Soft Greys Black on Linen Black on White
Reset to default contrast
Contrast options
Choose a color combination to give the most comfortable contrast.

Company K of the 164th Infantry Regiment

Shipping Out For The South Pacific

Company K of the 164th Infantry Regiment

From Dickinson, North Dakota

Camp Claiborne, Louisiana

1942

USO dance in Hermanston, Oregon in Febuary 1942, just befor Company K departed for the South Pacific.

Company K of the 164th Infantry Regiment ordered

to duty in the Pacific Theater

On March 18, 1942 the mebers of the 164th Infantry Regiment boarded

the USS President Coolidge bound for Australia.  At Melbourne, Australia,

the regiment changed ships and sailed for New Caledonia.

On May 24, 1942 the 164th Infantry Regiment (North Dakota National Guard),

the 132nd Infantry Regiment (Illinois National Guard)

and the 182nd Infantry Regiment (Massachusetts National Guard)

were organized as the Americal Division.  

The Americal Division was the only unnumbered division in World War II

and the only division to be organized on foreign soil.

The Island of New Caledonia lies
1200 miles off the east coast  of Australia. 
This is where the Americal Division
was first formed.
Bud Boisen provided this meal ticket that he had saved from his trip
on the USS President Coolidge that HAD TAKEN him and the rest of
Company K to Australia.
Tents on New Caledonia - Pacific Theater.

PVT JACK WOLF

In the Pacific Theater, perhaps on
the Island of New Caledonia.
Hurriedly built sleeping quarters on New Caledonia.
APO post office on one of the islands, possibly on New Caledonia.
This piece of paper money from New Caledonia is from the collection of Edward Wagner.  Faintly in Ink at the top of the bill,
it reads, "A.J.Z. Aug. 3-42 New Caledonia".  It probably was cut in half with the top part being retained by 
ANTON "TONY" J. ZASTOUPIL (pictured) until after the war when the halves of the bill were reunited.

FOLKY JOHNSON, BUD BOISEN, BILL SULLIVAN TIM SULLIVAN & RALPH GAUGLER

New Caledonia

Back Row: DURWOOD GOODALE

& JOHN REMILLONG

Front Row: JOHN GUNDERSON

& JACK AGNEW

Company K soldiers on New Caledonia, 1942.

RALPH GAUGLER

& JACK AGNEW

This picture was taken on
New Caledonia before Co. K
was ordered to Guadalcanal.

RALPH GAUGLER

Ralph never did explain what
he was doing with half a dozen
liqour bottles on New Caledonia. 
Nearly sixty years later,
he was still smiling.

LESTER VANVIG, PAUL FISCHER,

KERMET SCHOEN, BUD BOISEN

& HARRY DOLYNIUK

Seen here in a photo taken
on New Caledonia.