SECRET                                    19 MAR 45

FROM:      5TH MAR DIV
TO  :      VAC                      INFO: EXTROPAC  X  3D AND 4TH MAR DIVS

THIS IS SECRET X DISPATCH SUMMARY FOR PERIOD 181700 TO 191700 FOLLOWS X
DURING THE NIGHT CT 28 KILLED A TOTAL OF 48 JAPS MOVING

ABOUT IN FRONT OF THEIR LINES X 2 OF THESE JAPS WERE WEARING MARINE
UNIFORMS X ALL BATTALIONS OF CT 26 HAD ACTIVITY ON THEIR FRONT X

INFILTRATORS WERE ABLE TO REACH THE VICINITY OF SEVERAL COMPANY
COMMAND POSTS AND IN HAND GRENADE EXCHANGES A TOTAL OF 16 JAPS WERE
KILLED AND

2 TAKEN PRISONER X ALL OPPOSITION TO OUR ATTACK TODAY WAS CENTERED
INSIDE THE ROCKY GORGE FORMING THE LAST POCKET OF RESISTANCE X PROGRESS

IN THIS ATTACK WAS SLOWED BY THE PRESENCE OF A HUGE CONCRETE STRUCTURE
DUG INTO THE SIDE OF A KNOLL IN 234E(SW) X FIRE WAS NOT RECEIVED FROM

THIS STRUCTURE BUT HEAVY RIFLE FIRE COVERED THE APPROACHES TO IT X SHAPE
CHARGES AND TANKS HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN  REDUCING THIS

FORTRESS X IT HAS BEEN BYPASSED X OUR ATTACK WAS SLOWED BY THE RATE AT
WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO SEAL THE CAVES ON EACH SIDE OF THE GORGE  X JAP

RESISTANCE WAS BASED MAINLY ON  RIFLE FIRE AND HAND GRENADES FROM CAVE
POSITIONS X TANKS SUPPORTED THE ATTACK X THERE ARE 34 TANKS OPERATIONAL

OF WHICH 5 ARE FLAME THROWERS OF THESE 5 2 ARE FROM THE  4TH MARDIV X
OWN CASUALTIES AS OF 1500 X KIA 85 OFFICERS 1704 ENL X WIA 246 OFFICERS

5850 ENL X MIA 5 OFFICERS 190 ENL X SK 18 OFFICERS 834 ENL X TOTAL CASUALTIES
354 OFFICERS 8578 ENL X INTERRED IN DIV CEMETERY 71 OFFICERS

1766 ENL 43 UNIDENTIFIED X AWAITING INTERMENT 7 X ENEMY CASUALTIES 10303 X
POW 53 X SUPPLY X THERE WERE 58 EVACUATIONS BY AIR DURING THE

LAS T 24 HOURS X THERE ARE 23 DISTILLATION UNITS IN OPERATION WITH 25865
GALLONS OF WATER BEING PRODUCED DURING LAST 24 HOURS X THERE ARE

80000 GALLONS IN DIV DUMP X THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT OFF WHITE BEACH
DURING DAY DUE TO HIGH SURF AND NON-AVAILABILITY OF LANDING SHIPS X
APPROXIMATELY

ONE-HALF OF THE PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT OF THE 13TH MARINES NOW ON
WHITE BEACH READY TO LOAD X THE 60MM MORTAR ILLUMINATING AMMUNITION

SUPPLY REACHED CRITICAL STAGE X OTHERWISE SUPPLY SITUATION SATISFACTORY
X NO CHANGE IN LOCATION OF COMMAND POSTS EXCEPT 13TH MARINES WHICH IS

AT 180J X FRONT LINES AS OF 1700 250X CENTER TO 234E WEST CENTER TO 234J
NORTHWEST TO 234I EAST CENTER TO 234D WEST CENTER TO 250W CENTER X


                              RAY A. ROBINSON
                              COLONEL, USMC
                              CHIEF OF STAFF