SECRET 14 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 131700 TO 141700 FOLLOWS X THE MOST ACTIVE PART OF THE FRONT DURING THE NIGHT WAS ON THE RIGHT FLANK OF THE Z OF A OF 327 X CONSIDERABLE VOLUMES OF KNEE MORTAR AND SNIPER FIRE WAS RECEIVED THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT X INFILTRATION ATTEMPTS WERE NUMEROUS X THE MOST FORCEFUL BEING MADE BY ABOUT 30 JAPS X ALL ATTEMPTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND 15 JAPS WERE KILLED X ACTIVITY ON FRONT OF LT 2/26 COULD BE HEARD BUT THIS WAS BROKEN UP BY MORTAR FIRE X the REST OF the LINE WAS RELATIVELY QUIET ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A LIVELY EXCHANGE OF HAND GRENADES ON THE EXTREME LEFT FLANK OF 2/28 ABOUT DAWN X THE JAPS' RESISTANCE TO OUR ATTACK CONTINUED TO BE A FANATICAL RESISTANCE TO THE END X THE 2 DAYS OF SOFTENING UP OF THEIR FINAL DEFENSIVE POSITION HAD ITS EFFECT AND AN ADVANCE WAS REGISTERED IN THE CENTER AND ON THE RIGHT BY CT 26 AND CT 27 X THE KEY TO THE DEFENSIVE POSITION CONTINUES TO BE THE ROCKY GORGE FACING CT 28 AND THE STRONG POINT IN THE LINE AT 234J AND 235F X THE OPPOSITION CAME MAINLY FROM SMALL ARMS WEAPONS AND KNEE MORTARS WITH OCCASIONAL PILLBOXES AND THE EVER PRESENT CAVES FURNISHING THE STRONG POINTS X the JAPS ARE STANDING FIRM AGAINST ALL OUR WEAPONS EXCEPT THE FLAME THROWING TANKS X THIS WEAPON HAS CAUSED THEM TO BREAK AND RUN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS X AT TEN THIRTY AN AIR STRIKE WAS PUT IN 251V X THIS STRIKE WAS A BOMBING RUN WITH WING TANKS FILLED WITH A MIXTURE OF DIESEL OIL AND GASOLINE X THE TARGET AREA WAS COVERED AND AN INTENSE FIRE WAS OBSERVED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE OR FOUR MINUTES X TANKS SUPPORTED THE ATTACK WITH GOOD EFFECT X THE FLAME THROWING TANKS PROVED TO BE INVALUABLE X THERE ARE 33 TANKS OPERATIONAL OF WHICH 3 ARE FLAME THROWERS X INCLUDED IN THIS FIGURE ARE 2 TANKS AND 2 FLAME THROWERS OF THE 4TH DIVISION X IN THE ZONE OF CT-27 THERE WAS AN ADVANCE TODAY OF 600 YARDS X AS OF 1700 THE FRONT LINES ARE 250W CENTER TO 234D SOUTH TO 234J SW TO 234O E TO 235K CENTER TO 235F SW TO 235F NE TO 235B SE TO 235D SC TO I CENTER X OUR CASUALTIES AS OF 1500 X KIA 79 OFF 1440 ENL WIA 233 OFF 5384 ENL X SK 15 OFF 672 ENL MIA 4 OFF 200 ENL X TOTAL 331 OF 7696 ENL X 58 OFF 1445 ENL 31 UNIDENTIFIED INTERRED IN DIVISION CEMETERY X 18 TO BE INTERRED X ENEMY DEAD 8789 X POW 35 X SUPPLY X 15 EVACUATIONS WERE MADE BY AIR DURING LAST 24 HOURS X THERE ARE 25 DISTILLATION UN ITS IN OPERATION WITH 28000 GALLONS OF WATER BEING DISTILLED DURING LAST 24 HOURS X THERE ARE 50000 GALLONS OF WATER IN DIV DUMP X NO ARTY AMMO RECEIVED FROM RESUPPLY SHIP DURING LAST 24 HOURS X AT 1500 FOLLOWING NUMBER OF RDS OF ARTY HE AMMO WERE IN POSITION AS LISTED X 1ST BN 3837 2D BN 1022 X 3D BN 2109 X 4TH BN 1272 X ALSO DURING LAST 24 HOURS RECEIVED FOLLOWING NUMBER RDS AMMO FROM RESUPPLY SHIPPING X 60MM HE 7574 X 60MM ILLUMINATING 1300 X 81MM LIGHT 2060 X 81MM HEAVY 1720 X SEVEN POINT TWO INCH ROCKETS 112 X FOUR POINT FIVE INCH ROCKETS 2000 X LVTA'S SERVICEABLE 27 X LOST OR DESTROYED 8 X LVT'S SERVICEABLE 75 X UNDER REPAIR 6 X LOST OR DESTROYED 63 X DUKW'S SERVICEABLE 18 X UNDER REPAIR 1 X LOST OR DESTROYED 31 X WEASELS SERVICEABLE 10 X LOST OR DESTROYED 8 X AMPHIBIOUS TRAILERS SERVICEABLE 13 X UNDER REPAIR 11 X NO CHANGE IN LOCATION OF COMMAND POSTS X RAY A. ROBINSON COLONEL, USMC CHIEF OF STAFF