SECRET 9 MAR 45 FROM: 5TH MAR DIV TO : VAC INFO: EXTROPAC X 3D AND 4TH MAR DIVS THIS IS SECRET X DISPATCH SUMMARY FOR THE PERIOD 081700 TO 081700 FOLLOWS X THE NIGHT WAS REASONABLY QUIET ALONG THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PORTION OF THE FRONT X THE USUAL MORTAR X SNIPER X AND GRENADE EXCHANGES OCCURRED X THE RIGHT OF THE LINE OCCUPIED BY CT 27 WAS THE SCENE OF LIVELY SKIRMISH IN WHICH 25 JAPS WERE KILLED ON AN INFILTRATION ATTEMPT X THE DIVISION AREAS WERE SUBJECTED TO ROCKET FIRE FROM 2235 TO 0215 X JAP AIRCRAFT WERE IN THE VICINITY ABOUT 0426 BUT NO BOMBS WERE REPORTED AS FALLING IN THE DIV AREA X ONE OF A PARTY OF 5 JAPS MOVING SOUTH ALONG THE ROAD IN 147E IN THE VICINITY OF THE DIVISION HOSPITAL WAS KILLED AT 0435 X TOTAL JAPS KILLED DURING THE NIGHT WAS 29 X OUR KING HOUR ATTACK WAS OPPOSED BY A DEFENSE BASED ON LIGHT INFANTRY WEAPONS AND EXCELLENT NATURAL DEFENSIVE POSITIONS FOUNDED ON CAVE POSITIONS X THE ATTACK BY LT 2/27 AGAINST ONE OF THE STRONGEST POINTS ON THE ISLAND IN 235R RESULTED IN A FURIOUS BATTLE AT MINIMUM RANGES X AT THE CLOSE OF THE PERIOD THIS STRONGPOINT WAS BEING MOPED UP X ALONG THE WEST COAST THE ALL BUT IMPASSABLE TERRAIN COUPLED WITH ACTIVE ENEMY OPPO- SITION LIMITED THE ADVANCE OF CT 28 X ARTY SUPPORTED THE ATTACK BY FIRING PINPOINT ADJUSTMENT ON CAVES AND INSTALLATIONS AS CALLED FOR BY AERIAL OBSERVERS AND FORWARD OBSERVERS X ONE 75MM PACK HOWITZER IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT LINES CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE ATTACK OF CT 27 BY FIRING DIRECT FIRE MISSIONS X TANKS SUPPORTED THE ATTACK OF CT 27 AND CT 28 BUT WERE DEFINITELY LIMITED BY TERRAIN X THERE ARE 34 TANKS OPERATIONAL OF WHICH TWO ARE FLAME THROWERS X FRONT LINES AS OF 1700 ARE 234B NORTHWEST TO 234H CENTER TO 234N SOUTH CENTER X TO 234 T NORTH OF 235P NORTH TO 235Q NORTH CENTER X TO 235Q EAST TO 235R SOUTHWEST TO 235W NORTHEAST TO 235N SOUTHWEST TO 235T SOUTHWEST X OWN CASUALTIES AS OR 1500 KIA 65 OFF 1101 ENL X WIA 189 OFF 4165 ENL X MIA 1 OFF 219 ENL X SK 13 OFF 463 ENL X TOTAL 268 OFF 5950 ENLISTED X 38 OFF 1219 ENL 13 UN- IDENTIFIED HAVE BEEN INTERRRED IN DIVISION CEMETERY X 22 TO BE INTERRED X A POW REPORTS THE JAPS ARE PULLING ALL AVAILABLE FORCES INTO A POSITION AROUND HILL 165 IN 250O FOR A FINAL STAND X ENEMY DEAD 7605 X POW 34 X SUPPLY 20 AIR EVACUATIONS DURING LAST 24 HOURS X 24 DISTILLATIONS UNITS IN OPERATION X 22435 GALLONS WATER PRODUCED DURING LAST 24 HOURS X 45000 GALLONS IN DIV DUMP X IN ACCORDANCE WITH VAC GENERAL ORDER NUM- BER 4-45 X 529D PORT COMPANY AND 31ST NCBN WERE DETACHED FROM DIV AT 090800 X NOW UNDER CONTROL OF GARRISON FORCE COMMANDER X IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAME ORDER 5TH MAR DIV SHORE PARTY DISBANDED AT THE SAME TIME X 5TH PIONEER BN MOVED TO 198S X NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN FORWARD AREAS AND IMPROVEMENT OF REAR AREA ROADS CONTINUES X 1386 RDS 105MM HE AMMO RECEIVED DURING THE LAST 24 HOURS X FOLLOWING NUMBER OF RDS OF HE WERE ON POSITION AT 1500 X 1ST BN 5450 RDS 75MM X 2D BN 2570 RDS 105MM X 3D BN 2754 RDS 105MM X LVT(A)'S SERVICEABLE 27 X LOST OR DESTROYED 8 X LVT'S SERVICEABLE 116 X UNDER REPAIR 16 LOST OR DESTROYED 61 X DUKW'S SERVICEABLE 30 X UNDER REPAIR 6 X LOST OR DE- STROYED 64 X WEASELS SERVICEABLE 9 X UNDER REPAIR 1 X LOST OR DESTROYED 8 X LOCATION OF CP'S X 5TH MAR DIV 181R X 13TH MARINES 147O X CT 26 199E X CT 27 215Y X CT 28 233X X RAY A. ROBINSON COLONEL, USMC CHIEF OF STAFF