The Regiment then went into a rest period in New Zealand for a period of rebuilding depleted ranks and supplies. This necessitated retraining. From 15 November to 24 February, 1944, they remained there, then hey went to New Calondonia for further training. Here they built their own camp naming it Camp Ritchie after Cpt. Ritchie who was killed at New Georgia.

On the 11th of January, 1945, the Regiment with the rest of the 25th Division clambered down scramble nets, poured into landing craft, and for the 2nd time in its history, started for the beaches of an island name Luzon. They landed in the San Fabian area on the west shore of the island, and were to drive across the central plain of Luzon. They crashed into the enemy six days later at Binalonan. It was here that T4 Parrish earned his Medal of Honor. On the 26th of January, they smashed thru San Manul by a sheer force of arms. here the last 13 officers of the original 114 officers who were inducted with the 161st had an unofficial reunion. They called themselves the Dirty Dozen. After that came Bryan Hill, Dig Dig, Dunken and Dalton Pass. Dalton Pass was named for the former Regimental commander of the 161st who was killed there. Dalton Pass was the new name given to Balete Pass where one of the toughest battles of the Pacific took place. The terrain was comparable to Cassino and more forbidding than that of Burma, its fall was the key to the Luzon campaign. The Luzon campaign lasted 165 days. The 161st had been in combat 225 days, this is a record equaled by few Regiments in the war. not one man surrendered to the enemy and not one foot of ground was given up due to enemy pressure.

In the spring of 1945, the war had come to an end in Europe, Japan surrendered in August of 1945. The 161st marched ashore in the Wakayma area in Japan on the 2nd of October, 1945. After a short period the 161st was relived from assignment to the 25th Division and on 1 November, 1945, the Regiment was deactivated at Nagoya, Japan. LTC Bankston returned the colors to the State of Washington.

George Franklin O'Neal