SECRET 4 MAR 45 FROM: 5TH MAR DIV TO : VAC INFO: 3D AND 4TH MAR DIVS X EXTROPAC DISPATCH SUMMARY FOR TH PERIOD 031700 TO 041700 FOLLOWS X THE NIGHT PRODUCED CONSIDERABLE LOCAL ACTIVITY PARTICULARLY ON THE FRONT OF CT 26 WHERE A TOTAL OF 97 JAPS WERE REPORTED KILLED X THE CONTACT WAS OF THE VERY CLOSE VARIETY WITH GRENADES BEING FREELY EXCHANGED X INSTANCES OF JAPS TRYING TO JUMP INTO MARINE FOXHOLES WERE REPORTED BY LT 1/26 X MORTAR BARRAGES FELL INTERMITTENTLY ALONG FRONT OF ENTIRE COMBAT TEAM X JAPS ATTEMPTING TO PLANT LAND MINES AND BOOBY TRAPS ON THE FRONT OF LT 2/26 WERE ENGAGED BY FIRE X CT 28 SILENCED ENEMY MORTAR FIRE BY MEANS OF A ROCKET BARRAGE AT 0430 X 15 JAPS WERE KILLED ATTEMPTING TO INFILTRATE TO THE NORTH THROUGH CT 28 LINES X THESE JAPS HAD COME OUT OF BY-PASSED CAVES X DIVISION REAR AREAS WERE QUIET EXCEPT FOR 1 SNIPER KILLED IN CT 27'S CP AND THE KILLING OF 2 WOUNDED JAP PW'S DURING AN ESCAPE ATTEMPT FROM A WARD IN THE DIV HOSPITAL X THE DIV JUMPED OFF AT KING HOUR ON A FRONT OF 2800 YARDS WITH 2 REGTS ABREAST X THE ADVANCE ON THE ENTIRE FRONT WAS NEGLIGIBLE WITH VERY MINOR GAINS BEING MADE TO SEIZE MORE COMMANDING GROUND X MOPPING UP OF HILL 362 ON THE RIGHT FLANK CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE DAY X RESISTANCE ALONG THE FRONT WAS LIGHTEST ON THE EXTREME WESTERN FLANK ALONG THE COAST X THE REST OF THE FRONT WAS SWEPT BY MACHINE GUN AND RIFLE FIRE IN HEAVY VOLUMES FROM CAVES AND UNDERBRUSH X MORE INTENSIVE SMALL CALIBER MORTAR FIRE WAS RECEIVED THAN ON PREVIOUS DAYS SNIPERS WERE EXTREMELY ACTIVE X AN ESTIMATED 150 TO 200 JAPS FORMED FOR COUNTER-ATTACK ON THE FRONT OF LT 1/26 AT 1045 BUT WERE DISPERSED BY A REGT'L ARTY CONCENTRATION BEFORE THEY REACHED OUR LINES X TANKS SUPPORTED THE ATK X THERE ARE 39 TANKS OPERATIONAL OF WHICH 4 ARE FLAME THROWERS X PRIOR TO DARKNESS ON 3 MAR 13TH MAR FIRE DIRECTION CENTER RECEIVED A PRIORITY CALL FROM THE 5TH TK BN REQUESTING TIME FIRE BE PLACED OVER THE TANKS TO COVER THEIR WITHDRAWAL X THIS REQUEST WAS GRANTED AND ONE BN PLACED TIME FIRE OVER THE TANKS TO COVER THEIR WITHDRAWAL X AT APPROXIMATELY 100 A SMALL SCALE JAP COUNTER-ATTACK WAS BROKEN UP BY ONE BN OF ARTY FIRE ON THE VICINITY OF TA 234R X LTCOL POLLOCK INFANTRY BN COMDR CREDITED THE ARTY WITH STOPPING THAT SMALL SCALE ATTACK AT APPROXIMATELY 1115 A COUNTER-ATTACK CONSISTING OF 200 TO 250 JAPS WAS BROKEN UP IN THE VICINITY OF TA 234A B F G AND K X AT 1700 OUR FRONT LINES WERE AT 233V NORTHWEST TO 233W SOUTH CENTER TO 233Y SOUTH CENTER TO 234V CENTER TO 234S CENTER TO 235P SOUTH TO 235K SOUTH X OWN CASUALTIES AS OF 1500 KIA 49 OFF 836 ENL X WIA 179 OFF 3577 ENL X MIA 2 OFF 197 ENL X TOTAL 230 OFF 4720 ENL X TOTAL INTERRED IN DIV CEMETERY 880 X TO BE INTERRRED 25 X ENEMY DEAD 4790 X POW 19 X 150 TO 200 PREVIOUSLY UNCOUNTED JAP DEAD WERE FOUND IN A CAVE AT 132K WHICH WAS OPENED AND RECONNOITERED TODAY X SOME OFFICERS WERE FOUND AT THE CAVE ENTRANCE PRESUM- ABLY GUARDING IT TO PROHIBIT SOLDIERS FROM LEAVING X SUPPLY X 1038 RDS 75MM AND 4716 RDS 105MM AMMO LANDED DURING THE LAST 24 HOURS X AT 1500 1.4 UNITS ARTY AMMO ON POSITION X ARTY HE AMMO ON HAND AT BN'S AS FOLLOWS X 1ST BN 5850 RDS X 2D BN 1500 RDS 3D BN 1043 RDS X 4TH BN 1507 RDS X FOLLOWING INFANTRY AMMO RECEIVED DURING LAST 24 HOURS X ON TENTH UNIT OF FIRE LOOSE 30CAL X ONE TENTH UNIT OF FIRE BELTED 30 CAL X 1100 RDS 75 GUN HE X 173000 RDS 50 CAL X THIS DIVISION IS VERY LOW ON 81MM HE X 29 DUKWS ARE OPERATIVE 8 UNDER REPAIR 5 INOPERATIVE 58 LOST ORE DESTROYED X 27 LVTA'S ARE OPERATIVE 8 LOST OR DESTROYED X 109 LVT'S ARE OPERATIVE 25 UNDER REPAIR 17 INOPERATIVE X 42 LOST OR DESTROYED X 11 WEASELS ARE OPERATIVE 7 LOST OR DESTROYED X LOCATION OF CP'S X 5TH MAR DIV 181R X 26TH MAR 199E X 27TH MAR 215Y 28TH MAR 199L X RAY A. ROBINSON COLONEL, USMC CHIEF OF STAFF