142nd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

The 142nd Division (第142師団 Dai-hyakuyonjuni Shidan) was one of eighteen Coastal Defense divisions raised by the Japanese to defend the coast of their homeland from an anticipated Allied invasion, on 28 February 1945. Each division of between the 140th and 160th had four infantry regiments. The 142nd Division had the 405th to 408th Infantry Regiments with attached machine cannon companies, rocket artillery battalions, transport regiments, signal regiments, ordnance units (arsenal) and five field hospitals. Unusually (as opposed to the 143rd and 145th Divisions) one of regiments (407th) had only a fraction of normal sub-units.

References and further reading

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