72nd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

72nd Division
第72師団
Active	1944 - 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Allegiance	Japanese Eleventh Area Army
Branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Coastal defense

The 72nd Division was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. It was created 4 April 1944 in Sendai to replace 43rd division and disbanded in September 1945 in Fukushima. It was a triangular division. The men of the division were drafted through 2nd military district, located in Sendai.

Action

After completing the training with the Eastern District Army, the 72nd division was attached to Japanese Eleventh Area Army from 1 February 1945 and sent to Fukushima. By the time of surrender of Japan in August 1945, the division was sent again to reinforce positions in Aomori in anticipation of the Allied invasion which never came.

Order of Battle (1945)

134. Infantry regiment
152. Infantry regiment
155. Infantry regiment
72. Artillery regiment
72. Engineer regiment
72. Logistics battalion
72. Machine cannon battalion
72. Signals battalion

References and further reading

List of Japanese Infantry Divisions
Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981

This article incorporates material from the article 第72師団_(日本軍) in the Japanese Wikipedia, retrieved on 14 January 2015.

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