SECRET                                     23  FEB 45 (PARAPHRASED)

FROM:       5TH MAR DIV
TO  :       VAC                     INFO:  HQ EXPED TRS

AT 221700 ON THE NORTH 5TH MAR DIV FRONT LINES WERE 197Y TO 198X TO 199PQ X
AGAINST THIS FRONT AT ABOUT 1700 A COUNTERATTACK IN STRENGTH

WAS MADE WITH VERY HEAVY MORTAR AND ARTILLERY SUPPORT AND FLANKING
FIRE FROM THE CLIFFS ON THE EAST X LINE WAS REPULSED TO THE LINE 180E TO

181C TO 181E X ONLY AFTER THE ENEMY HAD RECEIVED HEAVY CASUALTIES WAS
THE COUNTERATTACK STOPPED X THIS POSITION WAS OCCUPIED DURING THE NIGHT

 AS CONSOLIDATED X RCT 28 ON THE SOUTH HAD ENCIRCLED THE BASE OF
SURIBACHI EXCEPT FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR HUNDRED YARDS ON THE WEST
COAST X

THIS LINE LIKEWISE WAS OCCUPIED FOR THE NIGHT X SEE SUMMARY OF ACTIVITY
FOR NIGHT OF 22-23 FEBRUARY FOR THE ACTIVITY OF THE NIGHT X TO SEIZE

0-2 AND THE SOUTHERN END OF THE ISLAND 5TH MAR DIV JUMPED OFF IN A ATTACK
AT 0730 X THE UNITS ON THE NORTH FELL BACK TO THE LINE OCCUPIED DUR-

ING THE NIGHT AND REMAINED THERE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY AFTER ADVANCING
ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YARDS TO THE NORTH AGAINST VERY HEAVY FIRE FROM THE

FRONT AND RIGHT FLANK X RCT 28 CONTINUED TO ATTACK SURIBACHI ON THE
SOUTH X AT 1035 A PATROL SCALED THE SLOPES AND REACHED THE HIGHEST POINT

ON THE LIP OF THE CRATER X ON MT SURIBACHI OUR COLORS WERE HOISTED AT 1037
X AT 1200 THE ENCIRCLEMENT OF SURIBACHI WAS COMPLETED X A GREAT

MANY OF THE ENEMY HAVE TO BE DUG OUT OF THE EXTENSIVE CAVE SYSTEM AND A
GREAT DEAL OF MOPPING UP IS STILL TO BE DONE X 115 EMPLACEMENTS WERE DES-

TROYED IN THE TAKING OF SURIBACHI ACCORDING TO INCOMPLETE REPORTS AND
MANY MORE ARE EXPECTED TO BE REPORTED X TWENTY-SIX EFFECTIVE TANKS ARE

AT THE PRESENT TIME POSSESSED BY THE 5TH MAR DIV X AS OF 1200 OUR
CASUALTIES TO DATE X 25 OFFICERS 289 ENLISTED KIA X 86 OFFICERS 1781 ENLISTED

WIA X 1 OFFICER 299 ENLISTED MIA X TOTAL 112 OFFICERS 2369 EN LISTED X CO OF
BLT 2/26 LT COL JOSEPH P SAYERS WAS WOUNDED X 1628 ENEMY DEAD AND

4 POW X FROM MEDICAL RECORD X NEW IDENTIFICATION X 2D MEDIUM MORTAR
BATTALION WITH TYPE 97 MORTARS X 90MM CALIBER X FROM DOCUMENT 59TH

ANCHORAGE BRANCH HEADQUARTERS X SUPPLY FIGURES NOT NOW AVAILABLE WILL
BE SENT LATER X NO CHANGE IN COMMAND POSTS X THIS IS DISPATCH SUMMARY


THE PERIOD 221700 TO 231700 X

                                   RAY A. ROBINSON
                                   COLONEL, USMC
                                   CHIEF OF STAFF