54th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

The 54th Division was an infantry division of the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Wood Division (木兵団, Ki-heidan).

Formed on July 10, 1941, in Kumamoto, as part of the second wave of division creations aimed at preparing for potential conflicts in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the 54th Division was initially placed under the command of the Western Army District. Its manpower was drawn primarily from the Kumamoto Prefecture.

The division’s initial organization included the 111th, 112th, and 135th Infantry Regiments, as well as the 54th Field Artillery Regiment, and supporting engineer, transport, and signal units.

In November 1941, the 54th Division was assigned to the 16th Army and participated in the invasion of the Philippines. Following the conquest of the Philippines, the division was redeployed to reinforce Japanese garrisons in the South Pacific.

The 54th Division saw significant combat during the New Guinea campaign. It was initially stationed in the northern part of New Guinea before being transferred to the Buna-Gona area. It suffered heavy losses during the Allied offensives in Papua New Guinea, particularly during the Battle of Buna-Gona and later engagements. The division endured severe attrition from combat, disease, and starvation due to disrupted supply lines.

The remnants of the 54th Division continued to fight in New Guinea until the end of the war in August 1945, by which time its strength was severely depleted.