Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 25th Infantry Division

My niece's boyfriend is being sent to join the 25th ID in Hawaii after he completes his basic training.

She has inundated me with questions about the unit and I told her I would see what I could find out.

Has anyone served with the 25th or have any pertinent information about it?

My dad was in the 25th Infantry Division (Tropic Lighting) during Vietnam. He was in country 3/67 to 3/68.

They got the nick name "Tropic Lighting" from the Marines in the Pacific during WWII because they took Islands back at a tremendous pace. After 44 years my dad still wears the "lighting Bolt" patch today with honor!

Please thanks your niece's boyfriend thank you for his service to this great country.

NYH1!

There are no bad Infantry Divisions these days. It will be a high speed unit.

Have her read this:

http://www.25idl.army.mil/

I was 25th Infantry in the mid eighties, stationed at Schofield Barracks. Hawaii is expensive but there is much to do there that won't bankrupt a young soldier. Most of the bases have rental cars at reduced rates (or at least they used to) and there is no shortage of spectacular scenery. A few of the must sees are the Arizona Memorial, the Polynesian Cultural Center and Diamondhead. The night clubs of Honolulu are a money trap. I watched a lot of soldiers waste small fortunes there. I spent enough money there but wised up pretty quickly and stuck to the barracks or other parts of the island that didn't leave me hung over and broke. I'm sure the post has changed considerably in 25 years, but there were many activities available on post for a single soldier. I would like to echo NYH1 in thanking your nieces boyfriend for his service. Tell him to enjoy Hawaii and take lots of pictures.

Mart

Thanks for all the info. I will pass it along.

Don't let her watch Oliver Stone's portrayal of the 25th in his movie "Platoon".

I had forgotten about Stone's movie.

I'm pretty sure they were on Guadalcanal too. I once knew a guy who was with the 25th in early WW2. He was in Hawaii at time of Pearl Harbor. Later on Guadalcanal. Hope my recollection is accurate. Proud history.

I'm in the 25th now, currently deployed in Afghanistan. I'm in the 4th Airborne brigade out of Fort Richardson, Alaska. I'm proud of the unit and it's storied history.

I believe all but the 4th BDE is in Hawaii.

Most of the good beaches in Hawaii belong to the armed forces.
There's plenty of rec areas on the other islands, for the uniformed guys and guests.
Suggest she view the movie "Tora Tora" then she can vist all the places she sees in the movie. You can see the bullet pock marks on the hangers at Hicham. He/she will have a years worth of visiting at no cost other then transportation.

Jim

+1

I turned HI down as an assignment when I was in the USArmy
and stayed in TX. I really wish I would have went.

My cousin was with them about the same time. Got wounded in 1968. He was with the wolfhounds.

My niece's BF is wanting go Airborne.


Stay safe and Thank You for your service.

Can he sing??

Long ago and faraway it used to be called the "Electric Strawberries"

Haha! That was our cadence while we were marching to the graduation ceremony at airborne school. That was six years and a lot of jumps ago. I still love putting my feet and knees in the breeze though....

The boy's dad is Airborne so he was weaned on that song.

Matt
Doesn't the Stryker BCT at Fairbanks wear a Tropic Lightning patch?

Expat