SECRET                                    11 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 101700 TO 111700 FOLLOWS X
THE SCENE OF LIVELIEST ACTIVITY DURING THE NIGHT WAS ON THE

FRONT OF CT 26 X THE JAPS USED SMOKE AROUND 235F AT 1830 AND ARE BELIEVED
TO HAVE ATTEMPTED MOVING TROOPS AND AMMUNITION INTO THIS AREA X

IT IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR A DEFENSIVE POSITION AND BITTER FIGHTING HAS
ALREADY TAKEN PLACE ON THE APPROACHES TO IT X A GUN ESTIMATED AS A 75MM

OPENED FIRE FROM A POSITION IN THE VICINITY OF 235F AT 0020 AND SHELLED THE
FRONT LINES OF CT 27 AND DIVISION REAR AREAS X SOME OF THESE SHELLS

WERE SMOKE AND SOME GAVE AIR BURSTS X THE GUN HAS BEEN DESTROYED X
ELSEWHERE ON THE FRONT SMALL QUANTITIES OF LIGHT MORTAR AND SMALL ARMS

FIRE WERE RECEIVED X NO MAJOR INFILTRATION ATTEMPT DEVELOPED DURING THE
NIGHT X THE 13TH MARINES PARTICIPATED IN A PREPARATION FOR THE MORNING'S

ATTACK X TWELVE BATTALIONS OF ARTILLERY LOCATED ON THE ISLAND WAS
CONTROLLED BY THE 13TH MARINES REGIMENTAL FIRE DIRECTION CENTER DURING
THE

THIRTY MINUTE PREPARATION X APPROXIMATELY 10,000 ROUNDS OF ARTILLERY
AMMUNITION WAS FIRED IN THIS PREPARATION X TODAY'S ATTACK WAS OPPOSED

BY A COMBINATION OF JAP AND TERRAIN WITH EACH BEING EQUALLY EFFECTIVE X
ON THE FRONT OF CT 28 ALONG THE WEST COAST THE FRONT LINES HAVE BEEN

PUSHED UP TO THE EDGE OF A RAVINE SOME 400 YARDS LONG X A PRECIPITOUS CLIFF
85 TO 100 FEET HIGH BORDERS EACH SIDE OF THE RAVINE X ALL MEANS

OF ACCESS INTO THIS RAVINE ARE SUCEPT BY ACCURATE MACHINE GUN FIRE X AT
ABOUT 1330 THE DIVISION TACTICAL OBSERVER REPORTED THAT FRIENDLY

TANKS WERE MOVING UP THE ROAD FROM 235X TO 235S AND THAT TWO PILLBOXES
THAT COVERED THE ROAD WERE IN 235N SOUTHWEST X WHEN THE REPORT WAS

RECEIVED AT THE DIVISION CP THE TANK LIAISON OFFICER WARNED THE TANKS AND
STOPPED THEM X THE ARTILLERY ENGAGED THE TARGETS THE FIRE BEING

ADJUSTED BY THE ARTILLERY AERIAL OBSERVER X HITS WERE MADE ON BOTH
PILLBOXES AND BOTH PILLBOXES WERE DAMAGED X ALL OTHER PARTS OF THE

 FRONT FIND THE FIGHTING IN AND AMONG THE ROCKY OUTCROPS WERE INTENSELY
ACCURATE SMALL ARMS FIE IS DELIVERED FROM POINT BLANK RANGES X THE

FIGHTING IS AT TOO CLOSE RANGE TO PERMIT USE OF OUR ARTILLERY OR AIR
SUPPORT IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF THE FRONT LINE TROOPS X THE JAPS ARE UTILIZING

FULLY THE ADVANTAGES OF PREPARED POSITIONS WHILE WE MOVE IN THE OPEN
AND THE SHORT FIELDS OF FIRE WHICH PREVENT THE COMPLETE UTILIZATION OF
OUR

SUPERIORITY IN WEAPONS X TANKS SUPPORTED THE ATTACK BUT THEIR SUPPORT
WAS EXTREMELY LIMITED BY THE TERRAIN X THERE ARE 34 TANKS OPERATIONAL

OF WHICH 3 ARE FLAME THROWERS X THIS MORNING 20 TO 30 JAPS ATTACKED ONE
OR OUR FLAME THROWING TANKS IN  THE SAME MANNER THAT THEY HAD
ATTACKED

ONE OF OUR REGULAR TANKS YESTERDAY X THE FLAME THROWER WAS TURNED ON
THEM AND THEY WERE ALL DESTROYED X OUR FONT LINES AS OF 1700 WERE 250W

WEST CENTER TO 234D SOUTHWEST TO RJ IN I TO O WEST CENTER TO RJ IN 235 K TO Q
NORTHCENTER TO R SOUTH CENTER TO W EAST CENTER TO Y NORTH

EAST X OUR CASUALTIES AS OF 1500 THIS DATE X KIA 74 OFF 1227 ENL X WIA 210 OFF
4703 ENL X SK 13 OFF 558 ENL X MIA 2 OFF 216 ENL X TOTAL

299 OFF 6704 ENL X 43 OFF 1316 ENL AND 28 UNIDENTIFIED HAVE BEEN INTERRED IN
DIVISION CEMETERY X 1 TO BE INTERRRED X ENEMY KILLED 8278

X POW 35 X SUPPLY X 50 AIR EVACUATION DURING LAST 24 HOURS X 20360 GALLONS
OF WATER PRODUCED DURING LAST 24 HOURS X 52000 GALLONS IN DIV

DUMP X 1000 ROUNDS 105 HOW HE AMMO RECEIVED FROM 4TH DIVISION X 2000
ROUNDS YET TO BE RECEIVED AT 1500 FOLLOWING NUMBER OF ROUNDS OF ARTY HE

AMMO ON POSITION X 1ST BN 3432 X 2D BN 1173 X 3D BN 1398 X 4TH BN 1744 X SUPPLY
OF 81MM LIGHT AMMO CRITICAL X AT 1500 ONLY 1 UNIT OF

FIRE IN DIVISION X AT 1600 471ST AMPH TRUCK CO WENT UNDER GARRISON FORCE
CONTROL IN ACCORDANCE WITH VAC G.O. NO 5-45 X LVT(A'S) X 27 SERVICEABLE

8 LOST OF DESTROYED X DUKW'S 14 SERVICEABLE X 4 UNDER REPAIR X 32 LOST OR
DESTROYED

X WEASELS 10 SERVICEABLE 8 LOST OR DESTROYED X AMPH TRAILERS 13
SERVICEABLE X 11 UNDER REPAIR X 3 LOST OR DESTROYED X NO CHANGE IN
LOCATION OF COMMAND POSTS X


                              RAY. A ROBINSON
                              COLONEL, USMC
                              CHIEF OF STAFF