SECRET 6 MAR 45 FROM: 5TH MAR DIV TO : VAC INFO: 3D AND 4TH MAR DIVS X EXTROPAC DISPATCH SUMMARY FOR THE PERIOD 051700 TO 051700 FOLLOWS X THE NIGHT WAS UNUSUALLY QUIET ALONG ALL PARTS OF THE FRONT X SMALL GROUPS OF JAPS MADE UN- SUCCESSFUL INFILTRATION ATTEMPTS ON THE FRONT OF CT 28 ABOUT 0230 X LIGHT MORTAR FIRE WAS RECEIVED SHORTLY AFTER DARK AND JUST PRIOR TO DAWN IN CT 26 Z OF A X 2 JAPS WERE KILLED DURING THE NIGHT AND 1 WOUNDED JAP WAS TAKEN PRISONER X OUR KING HOUR ASSAULT BY CT 26 AND CT 27 WAS BITTERLY RESISTED BY THE JAPS FROM PREPARED POSITIONS IN BUNKERS PILLBOXES AND CAVES X VOLUMES OF RIFLE MACHINE GUN KNEE MORTAR FIRE AND PHOSPHOROUS SHELLS POURED ONTO OUR LINES ATTEMPTING TO ADVANCE FROM HILL 362 X THE JAGGED ROCKS ABOVE AND BROKEN COUNTRY MADE TANK SUPPORT IMPOSSIBLE AND REDUCED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ARTY SUPPORT X IT IS A BATTLE OF MARINE AGAINST JAP ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS WITH ALL ADVANTAGES OF COVER AND CONCEALMENT AND PREPARED FIELDS OF FIRE FAVORING THE JAP X THE TERRAIN MAKES IMPOSSIBLE THE EFFECTIVE USE OF THE MASS OF FIRE POWER WHICH WE HAVE AVAILABLE X HEAVY CALIBER WEAPONS TO OUR FRONT HAVE LARGELY BEEN ELIMINATED BUT FIRE FROM HEAVY MORTARS AND ARTY HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE AREAS TO OUR EAST AND SOUTHEAST X TERRAIN DID NOT FAVOR THE USE OF TANKS AND IN ADDITION TO THIS THE ROUTES OF TANK APPROACH WERE COVERED BY ANTI-TANK WEAPONS FIRING FROM THE RIGHT FLANK X THERE ARE 38 TANKS OPERATIONAL OF WHICH 3 ARE FLAME THROWERS X THE 13TH MARINES PARTICIPATED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS MORNING'S ATK X APPROXIMATELY 6200 RDS WERE FIRED BY THIS REGT IN PREPARATION X ONE DUAL PURPOSE GUN WAS DESTROYED BY THE 2D BN 13TH MAR IN TA 233O AT 1118 USING GROUND OBSERVATION POST X ONE BLOCKHOUSE WAS DESTROYED BY CORP ARTY IN TA 234T ARTY FIRE WAS ADJUSTED BY A FORWARD OBSERVER OF THIS REGT X IN THE MOP-UP BY CT 28 IN THE LEFT OF THE DIV Z OF A IN THE PAST 2 DAYS A TOTAL OF 181 CAVES HAVE BEEN SEALED BY ENGINEER DEMOLITION PARTIES X FRONT LINES AS OF 1700 X 233V NORTHWEST TO 233V SOUTHEAST TO 233W SOUTH CENTER TO 233Y CENTER TO 234U NORTHEAST TO 234W NORTH CENTER TO 234X NORTHEAST TO 234T SOUTH CENTER TO 235P SOUTH CENTER TO 235Q WEST TO 235Q SOUTH TO 235 X CENTER X OWN CASUALTIES TO DATE AS OF 1500 KIA 56 OFF 957 ENL X WIA 177 OFF 3678 ENL X MIA 5 OFF 272 ENL X SK EVAC 9 OFF 361 ENL X TOTAL 247 OFF 5268 ENL X INTERRED IN DIV CEMETERY 27 OFF 922 ENL 12 UNIDENTIFIED X TO BE INTERRED 43 X ENEMY CASUALTIES X DEAD 6401 POW 23 X SUPPLY X EVAC- UATION NORMAL X 17 EVACUATED BY AIR X BEGAN MOVEMENT OF AMMO INTO NEW DIV DUMP IN 181D & E X MOVEMENT OF MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES INTO NEW DIV DUMP IN 198Y AND 181D X 10 81MM MORTARS X 25 BAZOOKAS X AND 8 60MM MORTARS RECEIVED BY AIR DROP X 23 DISTILLATION UNITS IN OPERATION X 27265 GALS WATER PRODUCED DURING LAST 24 HOURS X FOLLOWING NUMBER RDS ARTY HE AMMO RECEIVED DURING LAST 24 HOURS X 75MM 390 X 105MM 3238 X AT 1500 FOLLOWING NUMBER OF RDS OF ARTY HE AMMO WERE ON POSITION X 1ST BN 4000 75MM X 2D BN 1553 105MM X 3RD BN 1077 105MM X 5TH BN 853 105MM X FOLLOWING INFANTRY AMMO IN ADDITION TO OTHER SMALL AMOUNTS RECEIVED DURING LAST 24 HOURS X 1/3 UNIT 30 CALIBER BELTED X 3875 RDS 75MM GUN X 4260 RDS 81MM MORTAR X 26 LVTA'S SERVICEABLE 8 LOST OR DESTROYED X 120 LVT'S SERVICEABLE 10 UNDER REPAIR 63 LOST OR DESTROYED X 26 DUKWS SERVICEABLE 10 UNDER REPAIR 64 LOST OR DESTROYED X NO CHANGE COMMAND POST LOCATIONS X RAY A. ROBINSON COLONEL, USMC CHIEF OF STAFF