On 2 July, the regimental combat team went ashore as part of the Battle of Noemfoor on Noemfoor Island, Netherlands New Guinea, to capture the airfields and to provide security for the engineers upgrading the airfields to operational use. As part of General Douglas MacArthur's return to the Philippines, the regimental combat team under the command of the much respected and admired General Hanford MacNider landed at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon as part of the invasion of Lingayen Gulf on 11 January 1945 and suffered heavy casualties from well dug in Japanese forces along the Damortis-Rosario road. In heavy fighting on 1–2 February Company G, captured two 30 cm Japanese Howitzers which were directing heavy fire on American ground forces and killed 164 enemy soldiers. For this action Company G was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. The entire regiment would be awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its fighting in the Philippines.