th ▁army ▁in ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁Taiwan ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 5 ). ▁Due ▁to ▁re organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁coast al ▁defense , ▁the ▁inf antry ▁reg iments ▁were ▁dis band ed ▁and ▁used ▁to ▁rein force ▁other ▁units . ▁The ▁Al lies ▁never ▁inv aded ▁Taiwan , ▁but ▁the ▁division ▁suffered ▁heavy ▁cas ual ties ▁due ▁to ▁mal aria , ▁with ▁an ▁ 8 0 % ▁cas ual ty ▁rate ▁in ▁the ▁worst - aff ected ▁ 8 8 th ▁Infantry ▁regiment . ▁Following ▁the ▁S urr ender ▁of ▁Japan , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁personnel ▁were ▁returned ▁from ▁Taiwan ▁to ▁main land ▁Japan ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁G arrison ▁of ▁P agan ▁Island ▁The ▁five ▁det ach ments ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁division ▁become ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Independent ▁M ixed ▁Regiment ▁in ▁late ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁landing ▁on ▁P agan ▁Island ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁after ▁sail ing ▁from ▁H unch un . ▁ ▁Re organ ized ▁later ▁as ▁g arrison ▁group ▁ 1 7 5 8 3 , ▁it ▁continued ▁to ▁defend ▁P agan ▁until ▁the ▁surrender ▁of ▁Japan . ▁Although ▁never ▁inv aded , ▁the ▁g arrison ▁suffered ▁from ▁severe ▁food ▁short ages ▁and ▁daily ▁air ▁ra ids . ▁Several ▁hundred ▁soldiers ▁died ▁because ▁of ▁mal nut r ition ▁before ▁the ▁g arrison ▁was ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁main land ▁Japan ▁in ▁late ▁October