Stationed at Ft McKinley, Philippine Islands, and surrendered to Japanese forces at Bataan, Philippines, on 9 April 1942.
Philippine Islands
The division was stationed at Fort McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, as part of U.S. Army Forces in e Far East (USAFFE) Reserve on 8 Dec 41 and instructed to prepare defensive positions at Bamban-Arayat. It moved to Clark Field 10 Dec 41 in response to a false report that Japanese paratroopers had landed there, and then was moved to the Subic Bay area. It organized defensive positions there and then the division command post was relocated to Abucay (Bataan) on 14 Dec 41, and on 24 Dec 41 became a subordinate command of the Bataan Defense Force. The 31st Infantry moved to the vicinity of Zig-Zag to cover forces withdrawing from central and southern Luzon, and the 57th Infantry was moved to cover the Calumpit Bridges over the Pampanga River on the Gueagera-Porac Line. The division then organized the main and reserve positions on Bataan Peninsula, the division headquarters being located at KP 137.5 on the Pilar-Bagac Road, 25 Dec 41. The 31st Infantry moved to the west side of the Olongapo Road near Layac Junction 3-5 Jan 42 and held the position until 7 Jan 42, losing Company E and most guns of the 23d FA during the engagement.
The division headquarters moved to Damalog Trail, 2 miles west of the East Road on 5 Jan 42. The 57th Infantry on the main battle line near Abucay had its outpost line driven in on 9 Jan 42, and on 12 Jan 42 was subjected to a main Japanese attack which breached its lines. The positions were restored by counterattack, and the next day another main attack pierced the lines and again a counterattack restored them. The division was reverted to USAFFE Reserve on 6 Jan 42 and established its advance command post near KP 144 on the Pilar-Bagac Road 14 Jan 42. A Japanese breakthrough of the 51st Division (PA) sector was counterattacked by the 31st and 45th Infantry on 16 Jan 42, the counterattacking forces suffering a series of mishaps and after five days of continual combat were defeated with heavy losses. The division withdrew to the Reserve Battle Line in the Pilar-Bagac area on 26 Jan 42 as a result.
The division was assigned to II Philippine Corps on 26 Jan 42 and placed in command of Sub-Sector D of the corps area and its infantry regiments detached. The division headquarters was located at the south end of Trail 44-A, southeast of Mt. Samat. The division units countered Japanese patrol activities and limited objective attacks from 27 Jan-27 Mar 42, participating in the Battle of the Points and the reduction of the Tuol Pocket. The major Japanese attack of 28 Mar 42 struck the division which was no longer able to coordinate counterattacks. The 31st and 45th Infantry both counterattacked on 6 Apr 42 but were unsuccessful, sustained very heavy losses, and were forced back to the Mamala River. The remnants of the 57th Infantry were unable to link up with the 45th Infantry, and the 31st Infantry was destroyed as a combat entity. The division was assigned to I Philippine Corps on 7 Apr 42, and on 8 Apr 42 the 57th Infantry was lost on the Alangan River. The rest of the division, including the 45th Infantry, surrendered on 9 Apr 42.
The 1st Battalion of the 43d Infantry had been detached to guard the B-17 staging field at Zamboanga on Mindanao...