New Georgia Campaign
The regiment was inducted into federal service on 24 February 1941 and was organized as a Regimental Combat Team for service in the Pacific. The new RCT comprised the 172d Infantry Regiment, the 103d Field Artillery Battalion and elements of Ordnance, Engineer, Medical and Signal units. The 172nd RCT almost saw disaster at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides on 26 October 1942, when its troop transport, the liner SS "President Coolidge", struck two U.S. mines in the harbor. The captain, realizing that the ship was lost, attempted to run it aground so that the troops could disembark. The ship sank, but the regiment got ashore with few casualties, to fight in the New Georgia Campaign, including during the Drive on Munda Point.