Title: 164th Infantry Association Records, 1877-

Predominant Dates:1941-1945

ID: OGLMC1278-164

Primary Creator: 164th Infantry

Other Creators: North Dakota National Guard

Extent: 47.5 Linear Feet

Arrangement:

Series I:  Pre-World War II

Series II:  Orders

Series III:  Regimental S1 (Administration) Materials

Series IV:  Regimental S2 (Intelligence) Materials

Series V:  Regimental S3 (Operations) Materials

Series VI:  Campaigns

Sub-Series 1:  Guadalcanal (October 1942-February 1943)

Sub-Series 2:  Fiji (March-November 1943)

Sub-Series 3:  Bougainville (December 1943-November 1944)

Sub-Series 4:  Philippines (January-August 1945)

Sub-Series 5:  Occupation of Japan (September 1945-June 1946)

Sub-Series 6:  Pacific Theater Operations (December 1941-September 1945)

Series VII:  Press and Publications

Sub-Series 1:  General Articles and Publications

Sub-Series 2:  They Were Ready Materials

Series VIII:  Personnel

Sub-Series 1:  Regimental Personnel Records

Sub-Series 2:  Theodore Frost

Sub-Series 3:  Robert Kjonaas

Sub-Series 4:  Oliver M. Settingsgard

Sub-Series 5:  Vern Gray

Sub-Series 6: John Fischbach

Sub-Series 7: Walter Abbott

Sub-Series 8: Samuel Baglien

Sub-Series 9: Homer Bjornson

Sub-Series 10: Herman A. Brocopp

Sub-Series 11: Douglas Burtell

Sub-Series 12: Rudy Edwardson

Sub-Series 13: Phillip Engstrom

Sub-Series 14: Jim Fenelon

Sub-Series 15: Robert Hall

Sub-Series 16: Eugene Hill

Sub-Series 17: Karl Klemetsrud

Sub-Series 18: Riley Morgan

Sub-Series 19: Thurston Nelson

Sub-Series 20: Vince Powers

Sub-Series 21: John Stannard

Sub-Series 22: Ben Thornberg

Sub-Series 23: Arthur C. Timboe

Sub-Series 24: Alvin Tollefsrud

Sub-Series 25: John Tuff

Sub-Series 26: Bernard Wagner

Series IX:  Association Materials

Series X:  Artifacts

Series XI:  Oral History

Sub-Series 1:  Interview Documents and Transcripts

Sub-Series 2:  Audio Recordings

Sub-Series 3:  Video Recordings

Series XII:  Photographs

Series XIII:  Obituaries and Funeral Programs

Date Acquired: 00/00/1996

Subjects: Military History - 164th Infantry (North Dakota National Guard), Military History - World War II (WW2)

Languages: English

The 164th Infantry was operational from 1885 to 1955. During that time it's title changed several times. It began in 1885 as the First Regiment, Dakota National Guard. It was redesignated the First Infantry Regiment, North Dakota National Guard on November 2, 1889, when North Dakota became a state. On May 20, 1898, it entered federal service as the First North Dakota Volunteer Infantry for the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection. After being dismissed from federal service on September 25, 1899, it reverted to state control.

It was called into federal service on June 18, 1916, for the Mexican Border Conflict. On Saint Valentine's day, 1917, the regiment returned to state control. Later that year, the regiment entered federal service for World War I. It was redesignated on October 4, 1917, as the 164th Infantry Regiment and was assigned to the 41st Division. The regiment was demobilized on February 28, 1919.

The regiment entered federal service on February 10, 1941, for World War II. It was sent to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, for training, where it took part in the "Louisiana Maneuvers", a major series of training exercises in August and September 1941 that evaluated the readiness of the Army for the coming war. The regiment was assigned to the Americal Division on May 24, 1942. It was returned to state control June 10, 1946.  The regiment was called into service January 16, 1951, for the Korean War. The 164th Infantry Regiment was disbanded April 15, 1955, and converted into engineering battalions.

The 164th is most remembered for its service in World War II. At Guadalcanal in October 1942, it became the first U.S. Army unit to engage in offensive action against the enemy. It was involved in the heaviest fighting of this campaign and was congratulated by the Marine unit it reinforced. For its efforts, the Americal Division was awarded the Navy's Presidential Unit Citation.

After Guadalcanal, the Regiment participated in the Bougainville Campaign (December 1943-November 1944), the liberation of the Philippines (January-August 1945), and assisted with occupation duty in Japan (September 1945-June 1946).  During its existence the unit and its members saw almost 600 days of combat, earned 199 Bronze Stars, 89 Silver Stars, six Legions of Merit, ten Soldiers Medals, six Distinguished Service Crosses, one Navy Cross and about 2,000 Purple Hearts.

Military History - 164th Infantry (North Dakota National Guard)
Military History - World War II (WW2)

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Method:

Donation; The collection has been added to on numerous occasions by various donors:

96-2090, Jim Fenelon

97-2131, Jim Fenelon

97-2145, Jim Fenelon

97-2164, Walter Ensminger

98-2187, Jim Fenelon

98-2189, Jim Fenelon

98-2207, Mark Durley

98-2239, Douglas Burtell

98-2240, Jim Fenelon

98-2244, Jim Fenelon

98-2245, Jim Fenelon

98-2247, Jim Fenelon

98-2248, James Fenelon

99-2279, Donna Kjonaas

99-2280, Jim Fenelon

99-2281, James Fenelon, Walker Johnson, 164th Infantry Association

99-2282, Hetty Walker

99-2323, Marie Seas

99-2334, Gladys Bjornson

99-2340, Doris Radke

99-2341, Raymond Conlin

99-2342, Jim Fenelon

99-2343, Alvin Tollefsrud

99-2355, Alvin Tollefsrud

99-2396, Jim Fenelon

2001-2513, Jim Fenelon

2002-2574, North Dakota Humanities Council

2003-2603, Jim Fenelon

2004-2665, Jim Fenelon

2004-2669, Anthony Hannel

2006-2862, Ann Marie Settingsgard

2007-2908, Jim Fenelon

2010-3017, Edward Milligan

2011-3087, Unknown donor

2011-3095, Jim Fenelon

2012-3152, Evelyn Hill (via Dr. Kim Porter)

2012-3192, James Fenelon

2012-3197, Terry Shoptaugh

2013-3206, Neil Tollefsrud

2013-3207, The Company of Military Historians

2013-3208, Shirley J. Olgeirson

2013-3209, Terry Shoptaugh

2013-3216, Daniel Sauerwein

Related Materials: OGLMC 917, North Dakota National Guard Records

Related Publications:

The Battle of Coffin Corner and Other Comments Concerning the Guadalcanal Campaign by John E. Stannard.  Gallatin, TN, 1992.

Citizens as soldiers: a history of the North Dakota National Guard by Jerry Cooper with Glenn Smith.  Fargo: North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies, 1986.

Combat Officer:  A Memoir of War in the South Pacific by Charles H. Walker.  New York:  Ballantine Books, 2004.

Guadalcanal:  The U.S. Army Campaigns in World War II.  Center for Military History.  Onile at http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/72-8/72-8.htm

I Am Ready: 164th Infantry Regiment, North Dakota National Guard.  164th Infantry Association of the United States, 1994.

Service and Sacrifice: Remembering the 164th Infantry Regiment in World War II by Daniel Sauerwein.  Grand Forks, ND:  Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, 2013.

They were ready: the 164th Infantry in the Pacific war, 1942-1945  by Terry Shoptaugh.  Valley City, ND:  164th Infantry Association of the United States, 2010.

This is Guadalcanal:  The Original Combat Photography by L. Douglas Keeney and William S. Butler.  New York:  W. Morrow, 1998.

164th Infantry News.  Three to four issues yearly, 1963-

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). 164th Infantry Association Records. OGLMC 1278-164. Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. Chester Fritz Library. University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: The finding aid was significantly reorganized and added to Archon by Daniel Sauerwein, Special Collections Student Assistant, in January 2013.