SECRET 28 FEB 45
FROM: 5TH MAR DIV
TO : VAC INFO: 3D AND 4TH MAR DIVS X EXTROPAC
DISPATCH SUMMARY FOR THE PERIOD 271700 TO 281700 FOLLOWS X THE NIGHT WAS
QUIET WITH VERY MINOR INFILTRATION ATTEMPTS AND SHELLING OF REAR AREAS X
CT 27 WITH LT 1/26 ATTACHED JUMPED OFF IN AN ATTACK TO SEIZE O-2 X PROGRESS
WAS VERY SLOW BUT STEADY AGAINST MORTAR ARTILLERY AND SMALL ARMS FIRE
X
DURING THE ENTIRE ADVANCE IT WAS NECESSARY TO MOPPED UP THE ENEMY IN
CAVES AND EMPLACEMENTS BEFORE the ADVANCE COULD BE CONTINUED X ABOUT
NOON THE
ASSAULT ON HILL 362 COMMENCED X IT WAS AN ATTACK ON A HIGH HILL
HONEYCOMBED WITH CAVES AND STUDDED WITH EMPLACEMENTS X THE CAVES AND
EMPLACEMENTS COV-
ERED AN ARC OF 360 DEGREES X STEADY PRESSURE WAS MAINTAINED ON THE HILL
AGAINST THE FANATICAL DEFENSE OF THE ENEMY X AT ABOUT 1545 A COUNTER-
ATTACK
BY AN ESTIMATED 100 JAPS WHO HAD BEEN DRIVEN FROM THE CAVES AND
EMPLACEMENTS IN THE VICINITY OF HILL 362 WAS MADE TO RECOVER THE HILL X
THIS
COUNTER-ATTACK WAS BROKEN UP BUT OUR TROOPS SUFFERED HEAVY CASUALTIES
X AT 1700 OUR TROOPS HAVE OCCUPIED HILL 362 BUT IT IS NOT ENTIRELY SECURE X
OUR FRONT LINES AT 1700 ARE 215T(NW)T(SE) 216P(S)Q(S)R(S)S(S)Y(N) X THE TERRAIN
WAS SUCH THAT A COMPANY OF TANKS WERE ABLE
TO SUPPORT THE ADVANCE OF THE CENTER BATTALION OF CT 27 X 32 TANKS ARE
OPERATIONAL INCLUDING FOUR FLAME THROWER TANKS X
AGAIN THE 13TH MARINES RENDERED EFFECTIVE AND CLOSE SUPPORTING ARMS TO
THE FRONT LINE MARINES X AND AGAIN THE MASSING OF FIRES OF AN ENTIRE
REGIMENT WAS FEATURED X OBSERVATION PLANES INCLUDING VMO-5 PLANES WERE
SPOTTING THROUGHOUT THE DAY X PRECISION ADJUSTMENTS FOR DESTRUCTION
WERE
FIRED BY AERIAL OBSERVERS AS WELL AS FIE MISSIONS TO SUPPORT THE ADVANCE
X THE FOLLOWING ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF PRECISION ADJUSTMENTS BY AERIAL
OBSERVERS X AT 0800 TWO DIRECT HITS ON A FIELD PIECE IN THE OPENING OF A
CAVE IN TA 216L NORTHWEST X AT 1035 ONE TRUCK ORE TANK WAS DESTROYED BY
A DIRECT HIT IN 234 U X AT 0910 NINE DIRECT HITS WERE OBSERVED ON A ROCKET
LAUNCHER IN TA 216 N NORTHEAST X AT 1035 A SMALL HUT AT TA 234 D RECEIVED
A TARGET HIT X APPARENTLY IT WAS AN AMMUNITION DUMP AS THE AMMUNITION
EXPLODED AND BURNED FOR A FEW MINUTES IN THAT AREA X AT 1110 ONE MORTAR
WAS
DESTROYED IN TA 215 J NORTHEAST X AT 1340 THREE DIRECT HITS ON AN ARTILLERY
PIECE AT 217 B SOUTHWEST X A DIRECT HIT ON A PILLBOX AT 233 X
THERE WERE TWO DIRECT HITS AND THE PILLBOX SMOKED FOR BETWEEN 5 AND TEN
MINUTES X ALL THE ABOVE TARGETS WERE DEFINITE AERIAL PRECISION
ADJUSTMENTS X THIS WAS IN ADDITION TO OUR USUAL MISSIONS X OUR CASUALTIES
TO DATE AS OF 1200 X KIA 32 OFF X 578 ENL X WIA 133 OFF X 3335 ENL X
GRAVES REGISTRATION X 540 INTERRED (IDENTIFIED) X 6 INTERRED (UNIDENTIFIED) X
70 TO BE INTERRED X ENEMY DEAD X 3038 X POW X 6 IT WAS GENERALLY
A QUIET NIGHT WITH MINOR INFILTRATION ACTIVITIES ON FRONT OF CT 27 IN WHICH
THE ENEMY USED HAND GRENADES EXCLUSIVELY IN HIS UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS
TO
PASS THROUGH THE LINES OF LT 1/27 X SPORADIC MORTAR AND ARTILLERY FIRE
FELL THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE NIGHT X KING HOUR ATTACK WAS MADE AGAINST
THE BACKBONE OF THE WESTERN FLANK OF THE ENEMY CROSS ISLAND DEFENSIVE
POSITION IN TA 215 AND 216 X THIS POSITION CONSISTS OF CAVES REINFORCED CON-
CRETE PILLBOXES AND BLOCKHOUSES EMPLACED IN VERTICAL CLIFFS AND AROUND
BASE OF JAGGED X ROCKY OUTCROPS WHERE EXCELLENT FIELDS OF FIRE COMMAND
ALL
OUR APPROACHES X THE ENEMY PUT UP A BITTER DEFENSE MAKING NO
WITHDRAWAL BUT LEAVING EACH MAN TO BE EXTERMINATED IN HIS POSITION OR
TO BE BY-PASSED
AND CONVERTED INTO A SNIPER X SMALL ARMS WEAPONS WERE USED BY THE JAPS
IN MUCH GRATER PROFUSION THAN N ANY OTHER DAY OF THE CAMPAIGN X
SUPPLIES
LANDED X SMALL ARMS NEGLIGIBLE X MORTAR 60MM X 1/4 UNIT OF FIRE X 81MM 2
UNITS OF FIRE X ARTILLERY AMMO 75MM NEGLIGIBLE X 105MM X 3600 ROUNDS
OF HE X RATIONS X 1 1/2 DAYS X FUEL OIL 41240 GALLONS X 80 OCTANE GAS X 9350
GALLONS X LUBE OIL X 1700 GALLONS X WATER 4840 GALLONS X DIVISION
HOSPITAL IS IN OPERATION WITH 200 BED CAPACITY AND CAN BE EXPANDED TO 250
BEDS X LVT(A)'S SERVICEABLE X ARE 27 8 ARE LOST OR DESTROYED X THERE
ARE 126 SERVICEABLE LVT'S X 28 UNDER REPAIR X 14 INOPERABLE X 48 LOST OR
DESTROYED X THERE ARE 38 SERVICEABLE DUKWS X 3 UNDER REPAIR X 1
INOPERATIVE
58 LOST OR DESTROYED X THERE ARE 9 SERVICEABLE WEASELS X 2 UNDER REPAIR X
3 INOPERATIVE X 4 LOST OR DESTROYED X
RAY A. ROBINSON
COLONEL, USMC
CHIEF OF STAFF