SECRET                                                                                  22 MAR 45

FROM:         5TH MAR DIV
TO     :          VAC                                         TO:      HQ EXPED TRS   X    4TH MAR D
IV

THIS IS SECRET X DISPATCH SUMMARY FOR THE PERIOD 211700 TO 221700 FOLLOWS X
THE NIGHT PRODUCED INFILTRATION ACTIVITY ON THE FRONT OF

LT-328 ATTACHED TO CT-26 X THESE INFILTRATORS SUCCEEDED IN CUTTING
TELEPHONE WIRES BETWEEN PLATOONS AND COMPANIES X THERE

WAS CONSIDERABLE MOVEMENT OPPOSITE THE CENTER AND RIGHT FLANK OF LT-328
WHICH WAS BROKEN UP BY FIRE X ELSEWHERE ON CT-26 FRONT THE

NIGHT WAS QUIET X CT-26 KILLED A TOTAL OF 6 JAPS DURING THE NIGHT X ON THE
FRONT OF CT-28 THE MAJOR ACTIVITY WAS PRODUCED BY LT-128 WHERE

13 JAPS WERE KILLED BY A BAR AS THEY ATTEMPTED MOVING ALONG A TRAIL IN
THE BRIGHT MOONLIGHT X SEVERAL PILLBOXES WERE DESTROYED IN 234I

BY DEMOLITIONS AND ABOUT 60 ROUNDS OF BAZOOKA AMMUNITION WERE FIRED
INTO CAVES ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE GORGE CAUSING CONSIDERABLE

SCURING AROUND OF JAPS X SLIGHT ADVANCES WERE MADE DOWN the GORGE
DURING DAYLIGHT WITH INFANTRY FOLLOWING THE TANKS X THE MAIN OPPOSITION

APPEARS TO BE IN THE LEFT (SOUTHWEST) BANK OF THE GORGE X LT-128 OVERRAN 6
JAP MACHINE GUNS IN AN EARLY MORNING PATROL ACTION X MACHINE GUN

FIRE IS DECREASING BUT JAPS CONTINUE TO USE NARROW FIRE LANES AND SPIDER
TRAP POSITIONS FOR RIFLEMEN WITH CONSIDERABLE EFFECTIVENESS X THE JAP

IS TAKING MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE OF HIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONCENTRATE HIS
DEFENSIVE STRENGTH AGAINST THE HEAD OF OUR PENETRATION DOWN THE GORGE

WHILE REMAINING RELATIVELY INACTIVE ON THE REST OF THE PERIMETER X THERE
ARE 35 TANKS OPERATIONAL OF WHICH 5 ARE FLAME THROWERS X OF THESE

TANKS 1 REGULAR AND 2 FLAME THROWERS ARE FROM THE 4TH MARDIV X OWN
CASUALTIES AS OF 1500 X KIA 89 OFFICERS 1820 ENL C WIA 243 OFFICERS

6086 ENL X MIA 4 OFFICERS 175 ENL X SK 20 OFFICERS 885 ENL X TOTAL CASUALTIES
356 OFFICERS 8966 ENL X INTERRED IN DIV CEMETERY 74 OFFICERS

1802 ENL 44 UNIDENTIFIED X AWAITING INTERMENT 41 X ENEMY DEAD 10742 X POW 60
X SUPPLY X THERE ARE 20 DISTILLATION UNITS IN OPERATION WITH

15610 GALLONS OF WATER BEING PRODUCED DURING THE LAST 24 HOURS X THERE
ARE 90000 GALLONS IN DIV DUMP X THE 27TH MARINES AND UNITS ATTACHED FOR

EMBARKATION CONTINUE TO LOAD EQUIPMENT AND CARGO X SUPPLY OF 60MM
MORTAR ILLUMINATING AMMUNITION NEARLY EXHAUSTED X OTHERWISE SUPPLY

SITUATION SATISFACTORY X NO CHANGE LOCATIONS OF CP'S EXCEPT CT-27 WHICH
OPENED ON WHITE BEACH AT 1700 X FRONT LINES AS OF 1700 250S CENTER

TO 250Y WEST CENTER TO RJ IN 234E AND THEN GENERALLY ALONG THE ROAD TO
234I NORTH CENTER TO 250W CENTER X


                                   RAY A. ROBINSON
                                   COLONEL, USMC
                                   CHIEF OF STAFF