SECRET 16 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 151700 161700 FOLLOWS X THE MAJOR EVENT OF THE NIGHT OCCURRED IN THE CENTER OF THE LINE AT 2010 WHEN 75-100 JAPS WERE OBSERVED FORMING INTO A SKIRMISH LINE IN FRONT OF LT 3/26 IN TA 235A X HEAVY MORTAR FIRE WAS PLACED ON THIS CONCENTRATION OF PERSONNEL AND BY 20052 IT HAD BEEN DISPERSED X THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE OTHER ACTIVITY ON THE FRONT OF LT 3/26 DURING THE REST OF THE NIGHT AND JAPS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN INFILTRATING INTO COMPANY COMMAND POST AREAS X THESE JAPS WERE ARMED ONLY WITH HAND GRENADES X LT 1/26 KILLED 10 JAPS DURING THE NIGHT MOSTLY IN CLOSE IN FIGHTING WITH JAPS IN SPIDER TRAP TYPE FOX HOLES X THE RIGHT OF THE LINE OCCUPIED BY CT 27 PRODUCED LOCAL ACTIVITY IN 251W WHERE LT 3/27 WAS IN THE LINE X INFILTRATION ATTEMPTS AND GRENADE EXCHANGES OCCURRED IN WHICH 7 JAPS WERE KILLED X CT 28 ON THE LEFT FLANK OF THE DIV Z OF A HAD A QUIET NIGHT X THE POSITION ON THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE ROCKY GORGE PREVENTED THE JAPS FROM APPROACHING OUR LINES DURING THE NIGHT X ALL BATTALIONS REPORTED A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CAVE BUT AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SPIDER TRAP TYPE FOX HOLES AND IN ROCK REVETTED POSITIONS X THE JAPS ARE STAYING IN THEIR POSITIONS WAITING TO BE DUG OUT X RIFLEMEN FROM THE PRINCIPAL OPPOSITION WITH A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN THE VOLUME OF MACHINE GUN FIRE X LT 1/26 REPORTED THAT WHEN MARINES APPROACHED THE JAPS WOULD CLOSE IN AND ATTEMPT TO DESTROY THEMSELVES AS WELL AS THE MARINES X FLAME TANKS CONTINUE TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE IN FLUSHING JAPS X OUR DAYLIGHT ATTACK FROM THE EAST AGAINST THE STRONGEST POINT LEFT IN JAP HANDS MET WITH LIMITED SUCCESS X THE ADVANCE WAS OVER ROCKY RIDGES WHICH MADE MOVEMENT OF ANY TYPE DIFFICULT AND MOVEMENT OF TANKS DEPENDENT ON THE SPEED WITH WHICH ROADS COULD BE BULLDOZED IN X THE TANKS AND ARTY SUPPORTED THE ATTACK X THERE ARE 35 TANKS OPERATIONAL OF WHICH 4 ARE FLAMETHROWERS OF THESE 4 REGULAR TANKS AND 2 FLAME THROWERS ARE FROM THE 4TH MAR DIV X OWN CASUALTIES AS OF 1500 X KIA 84 OFFICERS 1605 ENL X WIA 242 OFFICERS 5723 ENL X MIA 4 OFFICERS 210 ENL X SK 17 OFFICERS 754 ENL X INTERRED IN THE DIV CEMETERY 63 OFFICERS 1592 ENL X 34 UNIDENTIFIED X 59 TO BE INTERRRED X TOTAL ENEMY CASUALTIES 9512 X POW 42 X SUPPLY X THERE WERE 59 EXCAVATIONS BY AIR DURING THE LAST 24 HOURS X THERE ARE 24 DISTILLATION UNITS IN OPERATION WITH 24200 GALLONS OF WATER BEING PRODUCED DURING THE LAST 24 HOURS X THERE ARE 60000 GALLONS OF WATER IN DIV DUMP X FLOWING NUMBER RDS INFANTRY AMMUNITION RECEIVED DURING THE LAST 24 HOURS X 75MM GUN SC 2000 75MM GUN NORMAL 500 X 81 MM MORTAR HEAVY 1000 X 60 MM HE 3000 X FRAGMENTATION HAND GRENADES 4000 X ILLUMINATING HAND GRENADES 2000 X LVT(A)'S SERVICEABLE 18 LOST OR DESTROYED 98 LVT'S SERVICEABLE 35 UNDER REPAIR 6 LOST OR DESTROYED 31 X DUKW'S SERVICEABLE 14 UNDER REPAIR 4 LOST OR DESTROYED 32 X WEASELS SERVICEABLE 8 UNDER REPAIR 2 LOST OR DESTROYED 8 X AMPHIBIOUS TRAILERS SERVICEABLE 10 UNDER REPAIR 14 X NO CHANGE IN LOCATION OF COMMAND POSTS X FRONT LINES WILL BE REPORTED LATER RAY A. ROBINSON COLONEL, USMC CHIEF OF STAFF