Fourth Marine Division Memorial Park - Haiku, HI
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 20° 53.462 W 156° 18.983
4Q E 779183 N 2312420
The Fourth Marine Division which led the amphibious assaults in the battles of Kwajalein (Roi-Namur), Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima, was encamped at this site on the island of Maui. This park and memorials have been preserved in their honor.
Waymark Code: WM5Z2M
Location: Hawaii, United States
Date Posted: 03/04/2009
Views: 4
From the Wikipedia
Fourth Marine Division
This division was formed by the organization and redesignation of several other units. The 23rd Marine Regiment began as infantry detached from the 3rd Marine Division in February 1943, the same month that an artillery battalion of the 12th Marines became the genesis of the 14th Marines and engineer elements of the 19th Marines formed the nucleus of the 20th Marines. In March the 24th Marine Regiment was organized, and then in May it was split in two to supply the men for the 25th Marines.
This war-time shuffling provided the major building blocks for a new division. The units were originally separated, however, with the 24th Marines and a variety of reinforcing units (engineer, artillery, medical, motor transport, special weapons, tanks, etc.) at Camp Pendleton in California. The rest of the units were at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This East Coast echelon moved to Pendleton by train and transit of the Panama Canal in July and August. When all the units were finally together, the 4th Marine Division was formally activated on August 14, 1943, with Major General Harry Schmidt in command.
After intensive training, it shipped out on 13 January 1944, and in 13 months made four major amphibious assaults, in the battles of Kwajalein (Roi-Namur), Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima, suffering more than 17,000 casualties. It was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and a Navy Unit Commendation, and then deactivated 28 November 1945.
