SECRET                                     13 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 121700 TO 131700 FOLLOWS X
IN CONTRAST TH THE PREVIOUS NIGHT LAST NIGHT WAS RELATIVELY

QUIET ALONG THE ENTIRE FRONT X SLIGHT MOVEMENT AND ACTIVITY WAS
OBSERVED ON THE FRONT OF CT 28 BUT CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED ONLY IN THE

CENTER OPPOSITE LT 3/28 WHERE 5 JAPS WERE KILLED TRYING TO PENETRATE OUR
LINES X LIGHT MORTAR FIRE AND OCCASIONAL SMALL ARMS FIRE WAS RECEIVED

ON THE FRONT OF CT 27 X TODAY'S OPPOSITION WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN ON
THE PREVIOUS DAY ON THE RIGHT X FEWER PILLBOXES WERE ENCOUNTER
ALTHOUGH

THE JAPS DID REOCCUPY SOME WHICH HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED X THE
BLASTING OF OUR ARTILLERY CONTINUED TO REVEAL MORE PREVIOUSLY
UNDETECTED

CONCRETE STRUCTURES X DESTRUCTION OF PREPARED POSITIONS HAS FORCED MORE
AND MORE JAPS INTO USING SPIDER TYPE FOX HOLES X THEIR FIRE

FROM THESE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN DEADLY FROM MINIMUM RANGES X RIFLE X MG
X AND MORTAR FIRE CONTINUES TO BE THE BACKBONE OF THE JAP DEFENSIVE FIRES
X

CROSSFIRES IN THE CANYON FACING CT 28 HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING
THEIR ADVANCE X DESPITE THE FRANTIC RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS OF

THE JAPS EACH NIGHT A VERY GRADUAL DETERIORATION OF THE QUALITY OF THE
DEFENSIVE POSITIONS IS BECOMING EVIDENT X TANKS SUPPORTED the ATTACK X

BEFORE TANKS COULD BE EMPLOYED TO SUPPORT THE ADVANCE IT WAS NECESSARY
TO CONSTRUCT A ROAD FOR THE TANKS TO MOVE INTO POSITION TO

ENGAGE BY FIRE THE INSTALLATIONS HOLDING UP THE INFANTRY X CONSTRUCTION
OF THESE ROADS WAS EXECUTED BY TANK DOZERS AND ARMORED TO 18'S X IN THE

RAVINE HOLDING UP the ADVANCE OF CT 28 SEVEN PINT TWO ROCKETS THE
LAUNCHERS BEING DRAWN BY TANKS WERE USED WITH GOOD EFFECT X THERE ARE

42 TANKS AVAILABLE OF WHICH 4 ARE FLAME THROWERS X OF THESE TANKS 6
TANKS AND 2 FLAME THROWERS ARE FROM THE 4TH TANK BATTALION X FRONT
LINES AS OF

1700 ARE 250W WEST CENTER TO 234I CENTER TO CR 291 TO 235K TO 235M SOUTH
CENTER TO 235T NORTH X OWN CASUALTIES AS OF 1500 X KIA 78 OFF 1390 ENL X

WIA 225 OF 3185 ENL X SK 14 OFF 634 ENL X MIA 4 OFF 197 ENL X TOTAL 321 OFF 7406

ENL X 46 OFF 1406 ENL 28 UNIDENTIFIED INTERRED IN DIVISION CEMETERY X 25 TO BE
INTERRED X ENEMY DEAD 8558 X POW 35 X SUPPLY X 22 EVACUATIONS MADE BY AIR
DURING LAST 24 HOURS X THERE ARE 24 DISTILLATION

UNITS IN OPERATION WITH 24770 GALLONS OF WATER BEING PRODUCED DURING LAST
24 HOURS X 50000 GALLONS IN DIV DUMP X AT 1500 HAD NUMBER OF RDS OF HE

ARTY AMMO ON POSITIONS AS LISTED X 1ST BN 4740 X 2D BN 1960 X 3D BN 2158 X 4TH
BN 1763 X 81MM HE AMMO AND 60MM ILLUMINATING AMMO LOW X AT 1200

HAD THE FOLLOWING NUMBER OF RDS IN DIV X 81MM HEAVY 2694 X 81MM LIGHT
2051 X 60MM ILLUMINATING 1045 X LVTA'S SERVICEABLE 27 X LOST OR DESTROYED

8 X LVT'S SERVICEABLE 84 X UNDER REPAIR 3 X LOST OR DESTROYED 63 X DUKW'S
SERVICEABLE 14 X UNDER REPAIR 4 X LOST OR DESTROYED 32 X AMPHIBIOUS

TRAILERS SERVICEABLE 13 X UNDER REPAIR 11 X LOST OR DESTROYED 3 X WEASELS
SERVICEABLE 10 X LOST OR DESTROYED 8 X NO CHANGE IN LOCATION OF CP'S X


                              RAY A. ROBINSON
                              COLONEL, USMC
                              CHIEF OF STAFF