33rd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
| 33rd Division | |
|---|---|
Soldiers of the 33rd division occupying the oilfields at Yenangyaung, 1942 | |
| Active | 1939–1944 |
| Country | Empire of Japan |
| Branch | Imperial Japanese Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Anti-tank warfare Artillery observer Banzai charge Close-quarters battle Combined arms Counter-battery fire Direct fire Fire support Indirect fire Jungle warfare Military communications Military engineering Military logistics Raiding Reconnaissance Screening Urban warfare |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Utsunomiya, Tochigi |
| Nickname | Bow Division |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Shozo Sakurai |
The 33rd Division (第33師団, Dai-sanjūsan Shidan) was an infantry division unit of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). Its call sign was the Bow Division (弓兵団, Yumi Heidan). The 33rd Division was raised in Utsunomiya, Tochigi prefecture, simultaneously with 32nd, 34th, 35th, 36th and 37th Divisions. Its headquarters were initially in Sendai. It was raised from conscripts largely from the northern Kantō prefectures of Tochigi, Ibaraki and Gunma.