144th Infantry Regiment (Imperial Japanese Army)

144th Infantry Regiment
The main landing by the 144th Infantry Regiment, South Seas Detachment, during the Battle of Guam (1941), painted by Kohei Ezaki
Active	1937 - 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Infantry
Engagements	World War II Second Sino-Japanese War Guam Rabaul

The 144th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Imperial Japanese Army. The regiment was attached to the 55th Division. The regiment participated in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II, fighting in the Pacific during a number of battles including those at Guam, Rabaul,^[1] and Salamaua. It also participated in the invasion of Buna-Gona, the Kokoda Track campaign and the battle of Buna–Gona.

After being withdrawn to Rabaul, the regiment was transported to Burma to rejoin the 55th Division.

Organization

• 1st Battalion
• 2nd Battalion
• 3rd Battalion

Commanders

• Lieutenant Colonel Masao Kusunose (????–1942; suicided in 1946)^[1]
• Colonel Yamamoto (1942–1943; killed in action)  †

References

Sources

• Brooks, Brenton (December 2013). "The Carnival of Blood in Australian Mandated Territory". Sabretache. Military Historical Society of Australia. LIV (4): 20–31. ISSN 0048-8933.
• Rottman, Gordon L. (2004). Guam 1941 & 1944: Loss and Reconquest. Osprey Campaign series #139. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-811-1.