Chapter XXVIII: Book 21: , OPD Exec 9 (2)

[706] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 50; 44th Tank Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 2.

[707] Msg, 308th Bombardment Wing to Sixth Army, 11 Nov 44, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 11 Nov 44.

[708] X Corps Arty S-3 Periodic Rpt 22, 12 Nov 44.

[709] 24th Div G-3 Jnl, 12 Nov 44; 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 50.

[710] 24th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 24, 12 Nov 44; 35th Army Opns, p. 62.

[711] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 51.

[712] GHQ FEC, MI Sec, Hist Div, Statements of Japanese Officials of World War II, Vol. II, p. 687, Statement of Maj Gen Toshio Nishimura [Asst CofS 14th Area Army], copy in OCMH.

[713] Ibid., I, 541.

[714] G-1 Rpt, Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 152.

[715] Ltr, CG Sixth Army to CINC SWPA, 29 Aug 44, sub: Replacements for Forthcoming Opn, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 29 Aug 44.

[716] Ltr, Gen Krueger to Gen Ward, 12 Sep 51, OCMH.

[717] This unit was a separate regimental combat team.

[718] Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 62.

[719] Ibid.

[720] Ibid.

[721] Sixth Army FO 32, 14 Nov 44.

[722] X Corps FO's 12-15, 12-16 Nov 44.

[723] 128th Inf FO 4, 15 Nov 44.

[724] 3d Bn, 128th Inf, Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 1.

[725] 128th Inf Unit Rpt 1, 16 Nov 44.

[726] Capt Julius A. Sakas, The Operations of the 3d Battalion, 128th Infantry ... at Limon...., p. 29, Advanced Infantry Officers Course, 1949-50, The Infantry School, Ft. Benning, Ga.

[727] 128th Inf Unit Rpt 2, 17 Nov 44.

[728] 35th Army Opns, p. 66; 128th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 2.

[729] 128th Inf Unit Rpt 6, 21 Nov 44; 128th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 3.

[730] 32d Div Arty Unit Rpt 2, 20 Nov 44.

[731] X Corps G-2 Jnl, 23 Nov 44.

[732] X Corps G-3 Periodic Rpt 34, 22 Nov 44; X Corps G-2 and G-3 Jnls, 22 Nov 44.

[733] 32d Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 7.

[734] X Corps Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 29.

[735] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 59.

[736] X Corps Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 27.

[737] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 10 Nov 44.

[738] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 61. Unless otherwise stated this subsection is based on the above report, pages 61-68.

[739] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 11 Nov 44.

[740] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 13 Nov 44.

[741] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 14 Nov 44.

[742] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 15 Nov 44.

[743] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 16 Nov 44.

[744] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 17 Nov 44.

[745] Curiously enough, while on leave in the United States, he had been caught without his dog tags and arrested for "impersonating an officer." 24th Div Opns Dpt Leyte, p. 78.

[746] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 17 Nov 44.

[747] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 18 Nov 44. Jan Valtin in Children of Yesterday, page 247, states that Henry Kilay was the owner of the ridge. Properly the ridge bears his name.

[748] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 19 Nov 44.

[749] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 63.

[750] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 20 Nov 44.

[751] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 21 Nov 44.

[752] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 22 Nov 44.

[753] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 25 Nov 44.

[754] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 26 Nov 44.

[755] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 28 Nov 44.

[756] 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 29 Nov 44.

[757] The message to Colonel Clifford, a former all-American football player from West Point, concluded: "You and your men have not been forgotten. You are the talk of the island, and perhaps the United States. Army beat Notre Dame 59 to 0, the worst defeat on record." 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 67; 1st Bn, 34th Inf, Unit Jnl, 1 Dec 44.

[758] 35th Army Opns, pp. 47-48.

[759] 1st Cav Div FO 9, 10 Nov 44.

[760] 1st Cav Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 43-45.

[761] 112th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 1.

[762] Sixth Army G-3 Periodic Rpt 514, 14 Nov 44.

[763] Sixth Army FO 32, 14 Nov 44.

[764] X Corps FO 14, 15 Nov 44.

[765] 1st Cav Div FO 11, 14 Nov 44.

[766] X Corps G-3 Periodic Rpt 47, 5 Dec 44.

[767] 7th Cav Opns Rpt, Leyte, Part IV, S-2 Rpt, Tactical and Technical Characteristics of the Enemy, pp. 2, 5.

[768] 1st Cavalry Division G-3 Periodic Rpt. 42, 1 Dec 44.

[769] 112th Cav S-2 and S-3 Jnls, 2 Dec 44.

[770] 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 45, 4 Dec 44; 112th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6; 112th Cav S-2 and S-3 Jnl, 3, 4 Dec 44.

[771] 112th Cav S-2 and S-3 Jnl, 3, 4 Dec 44; 112th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6.

[772] 112th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 6-8; 112th Cav S-2 and S-3 Jnl, 4-10 Dec 44; 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpts 46-51, 5-10 Dec 44; 1st Cav Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 46-50.

[773] 112th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 6-8; 1st Cav Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 47-50; 112th Cav S-2 and S-3 Jnl, 4 Dec 44, 6-9 Dec 44; 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpts 46-51, 10 Dec 44.

[774] 112th Cav S-2 and S-3 Jnl, 10 Dec 44.

[775] 112th Cav S-2 and S-3 Jnl, 9-14 Dec 44; 7th Cav Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 11-12; 112th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 7-9; 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpts 53-56, 12-15 Dec 44.

[776] XXIV Corps Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 9.

[777] XXIV Corps FO 22, 8 Nov 44. This order confirmed previously issued oral orders.

[778] 96th Div FO 3, 2 Nov 44.

[779] 14th Area Army Opns Leyte, p. 8.

[780] 382d Inf Unit Rpt 14, 2 Nov 44.

[781] Orlando Davidson, J. Carl Willems, and Joseph A. Kahl, The Deadeyes: The Story of the 96th Infantry Division (Washington, Infantry Journal Press [now Combat Forces Press], 1947), p. 49.

[782] Sergeant Thompson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

[783] 96th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 54; 96th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 14, 3 Nov 44; 382d Inf Unit Rpt 15, 3 Nov 44; Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, p. 49.

[784] Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, p. 51; 96th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 54; 382d Inf Unit Rpt 16, 4 Nov 44; 96th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 15, 4 Nov 44.

[785] Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, p. 51; 382d Inf Unit Rpt 17, 5 Nov 44; 96th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 55; 96th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 16, 5 Nov 44; 763d Tank Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5.

[786] 96th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 55; 382d Inf Unit Rpt 18, 6 Nov 44.

[787] 35th Army Opns, pp. 57-58.

[788] 382d Inf Unit Rpt 19, 7 Nov 44.

[789] 382d Inf Unit Rpt 22, 10 Nov 44.

[790] XXIV Corps Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 11.

[791] Ltr, CG Sixth Army to CG X Corps et al., sub: Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned in K-2 Operation, 25 Nov 44, Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 204-212. Unless otherwise stated this chapter is based upon General Krueger's critique.

[792] 10th I&HS Eighth Army, Stf Study of Japanese 35th Army on Leyte, Interrog Col Okabayashi, pp. 5-6.

[793] 7th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex, Tactics, n. p.

[794] Krueger's Critique, Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 205.

[795] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, Incl 1 to Annex 3, n. p.

[796] Ibid.

[797] Krueger's Critique, Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 205. Italics are Krueger's.

[798] Ibid., p. 206.

[799] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 113-14.

[800] 7th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex, Effectiveness of Weapons, n. p.

[801] 96th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 85.

[802] Ibid., p. 83. Presumably the .45-caliber submachine gun M3 is intended by the term "M3 machine gun."

[803] 7th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex, Effectiveness of Weapons, n. p.

[804] Krueger's Critique, Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 208.

[805] 96th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 82.

[806] Ibid., p. 95.

[807] 7th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex, Deficiencies in Equipment, n. p.

[808] 10th I&HS Eighth Army, Stf Study of Japanese 35th Army on Leyte, Interrog Gen Tomochika, pp. 2-3.

[809] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 86.

[810] 96th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 88.

[811] 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex, Enemy Tactics on Breakneck Ridge, n. p.

[812] 7th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex, Japanese Opns, n. p.

[813] 10th I&HS, Eighth Army, Stf Study of Opns of Japanese 35th Army on Leyte, Interrog Gen Tomochika, p. 26.

[814] XXIV Corps FO 12, 30 Oct 44. The operations of the 7th Division on the western coast of Leyte were more adequately covered than any other action in the Leyte campaign. Capt. Tucker Dean and 1st Lt. Russell A. Gugeler, two combat historians, prepared very complete manuscripts on the battle of Shoestring Ridge. Gugeler's Battle of the Ridgelines and Dean's King II: the Liberation of Leyte, on file in the Office of the Chief of Military History, have much information that is not given in the official reports. In addition Col. John M. Finn, who commanded the 32d Infantry which bore the brunt of the Shoestring Ridge battle, wrote an account of the engagement that appeared in the September and October 1945 issues of the Infantry Journal. (Unless otherwise stated, this chapter is based upon these accounts and the 32d Infantry Operations Report Leyte, pp. 10-26.)

[815] The Japanese historians make the following ambiguous statement: "The Army had doubts as to the authenticity of this broadcast, but from past experience with U. S. broadcasts, the Army estimated it to be a small unit of U. S. and Philippine troops which had landed there." 35th Army Opns, p. 51. Unless otherwise stated the part of this section dealing with Japanese plans is based upon this study, pp. 51-84.

[816] Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 24.

[817] Ibid., pp. 51-52.

[818] XXIV Corps Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 11-12.

[819] Fragmentary Order, CG 7th Div to CO 32d Inf, 14 Nov 44, 7th Div G-3 Jnl, 14 Nov 44.

[820] Col. John M. Finn, "Shoestring Ridge," Infantry Journal, LVII, 3 (September, 1945), 47.

[821] 7th Inf Div G-3 Periodic Rpt, 21 Nov 44.

[822] 7th Inf Div G-3 Jnl, 20 Nov 44.

[823] 7th Inf Div G-3 Periodic Rpt, 21 Nov 44.

[824] 7th Inf Div G-3 Jnl, 23 Nov 44. The 11th 155-mm. Gun Battalion and the 5th 155-mm. Howitzer Battalion were Marine artillery units and part of the V Amphibious Corps artillery which had been designated for Yap. With the cancellation of that operation, these two battalions had been assigned to the XXIV Corps as part of the corps artillery for Leyte.

[825] Msg, XXIV Corps to 7th Inf Div, 21 Nov 44.

[826] 32d Inf Regt S-3 Periodic Rpt, 23-24 Nov 44.

[827] 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 22.

[828] Ibid., p. 17.

[829] That evening General Arnold, acting on instructions from the Sixth Army that "guerrillas not be given missions beyond their capabilities," ordered Colonel Finn to use guerrillas only as outposts and not as part of the main line of resistance. 7th Inf Div G-3 Jnl, 23 Nov 44.

[830] 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 17.

[831] 35th Army Opns, p. 74.

[832] 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 18.

[833] 49th FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 10.

[834] Msg, CO 32d Inf to CG 7th Div, 25 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 25 Nov 44.

[835] "The platoon leader, a technical sergeant, insisted that the Marine gunner either transfer to the Army or he would have to transfer to the Marines, as he couldn't get along without him." (Finn, op. cit., p. 52.) A check of Marine Corps records, and interviews with Marine Corps historians and Colonel Finn failed to disclose the name and rank of the Marine gunner.

[836] Msg, 32d Inf to 7th Div, 1520, 26 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 26 Nov 44.

[837] Msg, 32d Inf to 7th Div, 2213, 26 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 26 Nov 44.

[838] The Japanese give the number of enemy troops as two and a half battalions while the 32d Infantry estimated it as three battalions. 35th Army Opns, p. 78; 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 22.

[839] 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 22.

[840] Ibid., p. 23.

[841] Ibid.

[842] Ibid.

[843] Msg, CO 32d Inf to CG 7th Div, 0220, 27 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 27 Nov 44.

[844] Msg, CO 32d Inf to S-3 2d Bn, 0305, 27 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 27 Nov 44.

[845] Msg, 32d Inf to 7th Div, 1443, 27 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 27 Nov 44.

[846] 35th Army Opns, p. 84.

[847] 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 24; Msg, 2d Bn to 32d Inf, 27 Nov 44, and Msgs, Exec Off 32d Inf to CO 32d Inf, 1005, 1120, and 1210, 27 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 27 Nov 44.

[848] 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 24.

[849] XXIV Corps FO 28, 22 Nov 44.

[850] XXIV Corps FO 30, 27 Nov 44.

[851] 7th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 40, 28 Nov 44.

[852] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 1200, 28 Nov 44.

[853] 184th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6. Unless otherwise stated the material on the 184th Infantry is based on this operations report of the regiment.

[854] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 2005, 28 Nov 44.

[855] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 2045, 28 Nov 44.

[856] Msg, S-3 2d Bn to 184th Inf, 2010, 28 Nov 44, 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 28 Nov 44.

[857] Msg, CO 184th Inf to CG 7th Div, 2045, 28 Nov 44, 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 28 Nov 44.

[858] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 0125, 29 Nov 44.

[859] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 2020, 29 Nov 44.

[860] 184th Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt 42, 30 Nov 44.

[861] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 30 Nov 44.

[862] Ibid.

[863] Cainto is also known as Caintic. The Army spelling, Cainto, will be followed here.

[864] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 3 Dec 44.

[865] 35th Army Opns, p. 91.

[866] 17th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex B, The Battle of the Ridgelines, p. 1. Unless otherwise stated, the part played by the 17th Infantry during this engagement is based upon the above report, pp. 1-9.

[867] Armor on Leyte, a research rpt prepared by Committee 16, Officers Advanced Course, The Armored School, 1948-49, Ft. Knox, Ky., May 1949, pp. 89-91, copy in OCMH.

[868] 184th Inf. Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 7.

[869] 35th Army Opns, p. 93.

[870] Armor on Leyte, p. 89.

[871] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 5 Dec 44.

[872] Ibid.

[873] Ibid.

[874] Ibid.

[875] 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 5 Dec 44.

[876] Ibid.

[877] 49th FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 13.

[878] 35th Army Opns, p. 93.

[879] 184th Inf FO B, 5 Dec 44.

[880] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[881] 184th Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt 48, 6 Dec 44; 7th Div G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[882] 17th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex B, The Battle of the Ridgelines, p. 4.

[883] 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[884] 49th FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 13.

[885] 32d Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt, no number, 6 Dec 44; 7th Div G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[886] 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[887] Ibid.

[888] 184th Inf FO C, 6 Dec 44.

[889] 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[890] Ibid.

[891] 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[892] 49th FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 13.

[893] 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[894] Ibid.

[895] Japanese Studies in World War II, 7, 14th Area Army Opns Leyte, pp. 10-13, OCMH.

[896] Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 62.

[897] Rad, CINCSWPA to AGWAR, CM-IN 2966, 30 Nov 44.

[898] Sixth Army Opns Rpt, pp. 69-70.

[899] Sixth Army FO 36, 4 Dec 44.

[900] Rad, MacArthur to Halsey, Nimitz, and Krueger, CM-IN 29353, 29 Oct 44. General Krueger later wrote: "The 77th Division was actually taken away from me without my knowledge and I complained about it." Ltr, Gen Krueger to Gen Ward, 13 Aug 51, OCMH.

[901] Rad, MacArthur to Nimitz, CM-IN 10478, 10 Nov 44.

[902] Rad, Nimitz to MacArthur, CM-IN 10683, 10 Nov 44.

[903] Rad, GHQ to Comdr Allied Naval Forces, CX 52239, 16 Nov 44, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 17 Nov 44.

[904] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 2.

[905] Memo, CofS XXIV Corps for G-3 XXIV Corps, 19 Nov 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 23 Nov 44.

[906] XXIV Corps FO 33, 4 Dec 44. In a lecture delivered before the Command and General Staff College on 19 January 1951, General Bruce indicated that his previous study of the Civil War was helpful in planning for the 77th Division's part in the operation: "May I suggest that you do not sell short the study of history. One does not parallel history, but the previous study of Jackson's Valley Campaign in friendly territory influenced the mind OCMH."

[907] Ltr, Gen Krueger to Gen Ward, 13 Aug 51, of the Division Commander in this campaign.

[908] 77th Div FO 13, App. 4 to Annex Baker; Allied Geographical Sec, GHQ SWPA, Terrain Study 84, Leyte Province, 17 Aug 44; Allied Geographical Sec, GHQ SWPA, Special Rpt 55, Airfields, Landing Beaches and Roads--Samar, Leyte, and Dinagat Group, 10 Jul 44.

[909] Opn Plan Comdr Task Group 78.3, Attack Order Comphib Grp NINE, 5-44, 1 Dec 44.

[910] Fifth Air Force Fighter Cover Plan for Ormoc Bay Opn, 731.326, AAF Hist Archives.

[911] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[912] Opns Rpt, CTU 78.3.6 to COMINCH, Ser 0017, 22 Dec 44, Off Nav Rcds and Library.

[913] Opns Rpt, CTU 78.3.5 to COMINCH, 056-60/A163, Ser 0016, 22 Dec 44, Off Nav Rcds and Library.

[914] Ibid.

[915] The Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee, Japanese Naval and Merchants Shipping Losses During World War II by all Causes (Washington, 1947), p. 77.

[916] Hist of V Fighter Command, Ch. 4, pp. 62-63, AAF Hist Archives.

[917] 77th Div FO 13, 4 Dec 44, Annexes 5 and 6. In each small landing craft there were thirty-six men--a platoon leader or sergeant, messenger, aid man, flame thrower and bazooka operators, a rifle squad, and a machine gun or mortar crew. The composition of the second wave was about the same. The third wave, consisting of LCI's, included engineer and heavy weapons personnel, artillery units, and other troops and vehicles. The fourth wave consisted of LCI's and the fifth wave of LSM's.

[918] Opns Rpt, CTU 78.3.7 to COMINCH, no serial, 17 Dec 44, Off Nav Rcds and Library.

[919] Opns Rpt, CTU 78.3.5 to COMINCH, Ser 0016, Off Nav Rcds and Library.

[920] Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[921] "By a coincidence, Commander W. W. Outerbridge, USN, the commanding officer of the O'Brien, which sank the Ward by gunfire, had been the commanding officer of the Ward at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, when that vessel fired the first shot of the war in sinking a Japanese submarine attempting to enter Pearl Harbor, just three years previously to the day." CINCPAC-CINCPOA Opns in the Pacific Ocean Areas During the Month of December 1944, Ser 002910, 25 Jun 45, p. 41, Off Nav Rcds and Library.

[922] Opns Rpts, CTU 78.3.5, Ser 0016, 22 Dec 44; CTU 78.3.3, Ser 082, 22 Dec 44. Both in Off Nav Rcds and Library.

[923] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 11.

[924] Study, Hq Army Ground Forces, 319.1/3 (POA), 16 May 45, in OPD 319.1 Sec. XII.

[925] The material in this subsection on Japanese planning is based on Japanese Studies in World War II, No. 11, 35th Army Opns, 1944-45, pp. 94-98, OCMH.

[926] 305th Inf FO 1, 5 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 8 Dec 44.

[927] 77th Div S-2 Recon Rpt for Leyte, p. 1.

[928] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 12; 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 1; 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 3.

[929] Msg, 307th Inf to CG 77th Div, 7 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[930] Msg, Lt Col Douglas C. Davis, Div Arty, to CG 77th Div, 7 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[931] 35th Army Opns, p. 97.

[932] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 3; Msg, S-2 307th Inf to 77th Div, 7 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[933] Msgs, 307th Inf to G-3 77th Div, 1055, 1215, 1445, 7 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[934] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 3; Msg, 307th Inf to G-2 77th Div, 7 Dec 44, 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[935] 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 1.

[936] 77th Div Arty Opns Rpt, pp. 2-3.

[937] Observers Rpt, 20 Dec 44, Col Paul L. Freeman, Operation in the Ormoc area, OPD 319.1 SWPA (20 Dec 44) Sec X.

[938] 308th Bombardment Wing Fragmentary FO 341-C, 6 Dec 44, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44.

[939] Msg, XXIV Corps to Sixth Army, 8 Dec 44, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 8 Dec 44.

[940] 77th Div FO 14, 8 Dec 44.

[941] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, G-2 Sum 3, App. 2; Allied Geographical Sec, GHQ SWPA, Terrain Study 84, Leyte Province, 17 Aug 44, pp. 57, 60, 65.

[942] 35th Army Opns, p. 98.

[943] Msg, G-2 Observer to G-2 77th Div, 8 Dec 44, 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 8 Dec 44.

[944] Msg, 307th Inf to 77th Div, 8 Dec 44, 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 8 Dec 44.

[945] 77th Div FO 15, 8 Dec 44.

[946] 776th Amphib Tank Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 18.

[947] 77th Div Arty Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 3.

[948] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 3-4.

[949] Company A, 88th Chemical Bn, Jnl, 8 Dec 44.

[950] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 3-4.

[951] 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 1-2.

[952] 35th Army Opns, p. 98.

[953] Ibid., p. 106.

[954] 902d FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 3.

[955] 307th Inf Unit Jnl, 8 Dec 44.

[956] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 4.

[957] Msg, CG 77th Div to CG XXIV Corps, 9 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44.

[958] 77th Div Arty Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 3.

[959] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 4.

[960] Msg, G-3 77th Div to S-3 305th Inf, 9 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44.

[961] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 14-15.

[962] 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6.

[963] 77th Div Plan of Action for 10 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 15-16.

[964] Allied Geographical Sec, GHQ SWPA, Terrain Study 84, Leyte Province, 17 Aug 44, pp. 10, 22, 60, 69.

[965] Observers Rpt, 20 Dec 44, Col Freeman, Operation in the Ormoc Area, OPD 319.1, SWPA (20 Dec 44) Sec X.

[966] 35th Army Opns, p. 97.

[967] 902d FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 4.

[968] Rad, CG Sixth Army to CTF 77, 9 Dec 44, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44.

[969] 776th Amphib Tank Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 19.

[970] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 16; Msgs, 307th Inf to 77th Div, 1110, 1130, 10 Dec 44, 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 10 Dec 44.

[971] 306th Inf Unit Jnl, 10 Dec 44.

[972] 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6.

[973] 307th Inf Opns Rpt, p. 4.

[974] 35th Army Opns, p. 107.

[975] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 16.

[976] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 4.

[977] Msg, CG 77th Div to CG XXIV Corps, 1400, 10 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 10 Dec 44.

[978] Msg, CG 77th Div to CG XXIV Corps, 1645, 10 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 10 Dec 44.

[979] 77th Div G-2 Summary Leyte Opns.

[980] 77th Div G-1 Daily Strength Rpts, 7-10 Dec 44.

[981] 77th Div G-2 Summary Leyte, No. 3.

[982] USSBS, The War Against Japanese Transportation, 1941-1942 (Washington, 1947), p. 48.

[983] Japanese Studies, 11, 35th Army Operations 1944-45, p. 74, OCMH.

[984] Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 23.

[985] Japanese Studies in World War II, 7, 14th Area Army Operations on Leyte, p. 11; 10th I&HS, Eighth Army, Stf Study of Japanese 35th Army on Leyte, Part III, The Part Played by the Japanese Air Force ... p. 5.

[986] 35th Army Opns, pp. 80-84.

[987] Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 62.

[988] XXIV Corps FO 28, 22 Nov 44.

[989] 149th Para-Glider Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 1.

[990] XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 39, 27 Nov 44.

[991] 11th Airborne Div After Action Rpt, 18 Nov-11 Dec 44.

[992] Msg, CG XXIV Corps to CG 7th Div et al., 27 Nov 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 27 Nov 44.

[993] Msg, G-3 XXIV Corps to CG 11th AB Div, 28 Nov 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 28 Nov 44, and Sixth Army G-3 Periodic Rpt 528, 28 Nov 44.

[994] 11th Airborne Div FO 3, 29 Nov 44.

[995] 728th Amph Tractor Bn Unit Rpt 30, 27 Nov 44, and 20th Armored Gp Unit Rpt 5, in 20th Armored Gp Opns Rpt Leyte.

[996] The history of the 11th Airborne Division tells the following story about the landing of the third plane. "An antiaircraft machine gun crew, which outfit is forgotten now, was in position on the alert for enemy aircraft. When the plane landed and came to a halt, they called across the small river: 'Need any help?' 'No, everything OK,' someone yelled back, and the machine gun crew went back to watching the skies for enemy aircraft." Maj. Edward M. Flanagan, Jr., The Angels, a History of the 11th Airborne Division, 1943-1946 (Washington, 1948), p. 34.

[997] XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 43, 1 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 2 Dec 44; XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 45, 3 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 4 Dec 44.

[998] XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 47, 5 Dec 44.

[999] XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 50, 8 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44.

[1000] Msg, Corps Arty to G-2 XXIV Corps, 0710, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[1001] Msg, 96th Div to CG XXIV Corps, 1350, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[1002] Msg, 287th FA Obsn Bn to XXIV Corps, 1350, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[1003] This man was later caught and turned over to the Filipino guerrillas.

[1004] Combat History, 5th Bomber Command, 8 June 44-May 45, pp. 5-6, AAF Archives.

[1005] Msg, 11th Airborne Div to XXIV Corps, 1220, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[1006] Msg, CG XXIV Corps to CG 96th Div, 1400, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44.

[1007] 96th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 47, 6 Dec 44.

[1008] XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 48, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[1009] Flanagan, The Angels, p. 49.

[1010] Air Evaluation Board, SWPA, Leyte Campaign, p. 174, AAF Archives.

[1011] Msg, CG XXIV Corps to CG Sixth Army, 1440, 9 Dec 44, XXIV G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44; XXIV Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 50, Incl 1, 8 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 9 Dec 44. Both are translations of Japanese documents giving plans for the airborne attack.

[1012] Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, pp. 67-68; Flanagan, The Angels, pp. 40-50; 408th Airborne QM Co, Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 10-11; CG 11th AB Div to CG XXIV Corps, 2205, 6 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 7 Dec 44.

[1013] Rpt, Capt Charles Bellows to G-3 XXIV Corps, 8 Dec 44, Investigation of Enemy Paratroopers, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 8 Dec 44.

[1014] 127th AB Engr Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 1-2; Flanagan, The Angels, p. 51.

[1015] Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 72.

[1016] Maj Martin C. Grigg, The Operations of the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry ... in the Battle for the Buri Airstrip..., pp. 6-7, OCMH.

[1017] Ibid.

[1018] Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, p. 67.

[1019] Rpt, Capt Charles Bellows to G-2 XXIV Corps, 8 Dec 44, Investigation of Enemy Paratroopers, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 8 Dec 44.

[1020] Private Kelley was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

[1021] 149th Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt, 9 Dec 44, 149th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte.

[1022] Davidson et al., The Deadeyes, p. 69.

[1023] 149th Infantry S-3 Periodic Rpt, 1800, 10 Dec 44, 149th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte.

[1024] Maj Herbert O. Johansen, "Banzai at Burauen," Air Force, Vol. 28, No. 3, March 1945, p. 7.

[1025] Ibid.

[1026] Japanese Studies, 11, p. 86, OCMH.

[1027] Air Evaluation Board, SWPA, Leyte Campaign, p. 174, AAF Archives.

[1028] Ibid.

[1029] Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 233.

[1030] Ibid., pp. 69, 233.

[1031] Ibid., p. 233

[1032] Ltr, CG Sixth Army to CINCSWPA, sub: Construction Program, 21 Dec 44, Sixth Army G-4 Jnl, 24 Dec 41.

[1033] Ibid.

[1034] Rpt of Transportation Off, Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 270.

[1035] Ibid.

[1036] G-4 Rpt, Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 218.

[1037] Msg, G-3 XXIV Corps to G-4 XXIV Corps, n. d. (probably 4 Dec 44), XXIV Corps G-4 Jnl, Annex, Vol. III.

[1038] Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 79.

[1039] Msg, CG XXIV Corps to CG 77th Div, 8 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-4 Jnl, Annex, Vol. III.

[1040] Msg, CG XXIV Corps to Col Gillette, 9 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-4 Jnl, Annex, Vol. III.

[1041] Msg, CG XXIV Corps to CG 77th Div, 10 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-4 Jnl, Annex, Vol. III.

[1042] Memo, G-4 XXIV Corps to CofS XXIV Corps, n.d. (probably 15 Dec 44), XXIV Corps G-4 Jnl, Annex, Vol. IV.

[1043] Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 80.

[1044] XXIV Corps G-4 Jnl, 25 Dec 44.

[1045] Maj Charles V. McLaughlin, Operations of the XXIV Corps in the Invasion of Leyte Island, pp. 29-30. Advanced Infantry Officers' Course, 1947-48, Infantry School, Ft. Benning, Ga.

[1046] 35th Army Opns, p. 86.

[1047] Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 25; 14th Area Army Opns Leyte, p. 13.

[1048] Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 25.

[1049] General Tomochika was unqualified in his praise of the commander of the Imahori Detachment. He said, "Colonel Imahori had good personality and was a good leader. His subordinates were willing to join the suicide squads when the American forces increased in number. We did not have any worries about the attacking Americans on this detachment's front because the suicide squads brought good results ..." Ibid., pp. 19-20.

[1050] 35th Army Opns, pp. 87-89.

[1051] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1052] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 11 Dec 44.

[1053] 77th Div G-2 Periodic Rpt 15, 11 Dec 44; Company A, 88th Chemical Bn, Jnl, 10 Dec 44; 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 8; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 18; 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 11 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 17, 12 Dec 44.

[1054] 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 2; 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 8; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 18; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 17, 12 Dec 44.

[1055] XXIV Corps FO 33, 4 Dec 44.

[1056] Ltr, CG 77th Div to CG XXIV Corps, sub: Future Plans, 11 Dec 44, 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 12 Dec 44.

[1057] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 18-19; 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5; 35th Army Opns, p. 8.

[1058] 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 13 Dec 44.

[1059] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 20.

[1060] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 3-4; Company A, 88th Chem Bn, Jnl, 0900, 13 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 20-21; 77th Div Arty Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5; 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 13 Dec 44.

[1061] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 21; 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 0850, 13 Dec 44.

[1062] 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 8; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 21.

[1063] Company A, 88th Chem Bn, Jnl, 0930, 1000, 13 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 21.

[1064] 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5.

[1065] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1066] 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 20, 15 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 22; 77th Div G-2 Summary Leyte Opn, p. 2; 77th Div Arty Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5.

[1067] "This force succeeded in destroying 6 amphibious tanks, 7 landing barges, 1 eighty-foot two-masted schooner, 50 tons of ammunition, approximately twenty-five tons of miscellaneous supplies, 4 40-mm. AA guns, 4 20-mm. AA guns, 1 77-mm. dual purpose gun [probably a 75-mm. gun], several machine guns, a radio transmitter and generator, 1 seacoast range finder and had burnt about half the town of Linao in order to destroy Japanese positions dug in that vicinity....

"Although the force was unable to carry back much of the equipment it captured owing to its small size and the necessity of mobility, it managed to return 1 seacoast range finder, 1 large radio transmitter and 2 20-mm. AA guns." 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 23.

[1068] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 22.

[1069] Ibid., pp. 22-23; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 20, 15 Dec 44; 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 9; 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 9.

[1070] 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpts Nos. 17-21, 13-16 Dec 44.

[1071] 77th Div G-1 Daily Strength Rpts, 11-15 Dec 44.

[1072] 188th Prcht Regt Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 1.

[1073] 511th Prcht Inf Regt Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6; 11th Airborne Div Special Study Leyte, p. 5.

[1074] During the movement Pvt. Elmer E. Fryar of Company E was killed on 7 December when he voluntarily got in the way of enemy fire in order to shield his platoon leader. Private Fryar posthumously received the Medal of Honor.

[1075] 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 15 Dec 44.

[1076] 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 29-30; 32d Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt, no number, 15 Dec 44; 32d Inf S-2 Periodic Rpt, no number, 15 Dec 44; 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 15 Dec 44.

[1077] 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 30-31; 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 16 to 22 Dec 44; 11th Airborne Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 10.

[1078] The part of this section dealing with Japanese plans and maneuvers is based upon the following documents: Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn; 35th Army Opns; 10th I&HS, Eighth Army Stf Study, Opns of Japanese 35th Army on Leyte.

[1079] 35th Army Opns, p. 91.

[1080] The 1st Reconnaissance Regiment could not carry out this assignment, since it had been attacked by a larger American force.

[1081] General Tomochika made the following comments on the 1st Division:

The personnel were brave but the officers lacked sufficient training in modern warfare and it finally did not live up to the expectations of its leaders. The division commander, Lt. Gen. Kataoka worried about the loss of his troops, lacked brave command ability and did not establish any set battle policy. [He refused to commit one of his important units to the defense of Highway 2.] ... therefore the Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff and senior staff officers were dispatched from Army to Division on three different occasions to urge General Kataoka to submit to these orders.... Regardless of how much we urged General Kataoka to change his views he would not budge. Colonel Ikeda, the Chief of Staff of the 1st Division [until 13 December] was partially deaf and further because of a former lung ailment, he was unsuited to hold his important position. (Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 18.)

General Tomochika was less than fair to the 1st Division. From its positions in the mountains of northern Leyte, the division contested every foot of advance of the X Corps. General Krueger said of the 1st Division: "This unit more than any other hostile unit on Leyte was responsible for the extension of the Leyte Operation." (Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 41.)

[1082] Sixth Army FO 36, 4 Dec 44.

[1083] During the action of 5 December, Pfc. William A. McWhorter sacrificed his life that a companion might live. He deliberately held next to his body and away from his comrade a Japanese grenade which had been thrown into his position. The charge exploded and killed him instantly but did not harm his companion. He was awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor.

[1084] "However for a patrol from Company I [127th Infantry] it was a red letter day in that the patrol found a bottle of U.S. Golden Wedding Wiskey [sic] at an evacuated Jap hospital. It was consumed." 127th Inf Unit Jnl, 12 Dec 44. See also 127th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 9; 126th Inf Unit Jnl, 12 Dec 44; 32d Div G-3 Jnl, 12 Dec 44; 32d Div Leyte Opn Diary, pp. 21-22.

[1085] 32d Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 27, 13 Dec 44; 32d Div Opns Diary Leyte, pp. 23-24; 126th Inf Unit Jnl, 13 Dec 44.

[1086] 32d Div Arty Daily Rpt, 14 Dec 44.

[1087] 126th Inf Unit Jnl, 14 Dec 44.

[1088] 32d Div Arty Daily Rpt, 14 Dec 44.

[1089] 32d Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 12; X Corps G-3 Jnl, 14 Dec 44; X Corps G-3 Periodic Rpt, X Corps G-3 Jnl, 14 Dec 44; 32d Div G-2 Jnl, 14 Dec 44; 126th Inf Unit Jnl, 14 Dec 44; 127th Inf Unit Jnl, 14 Dec 44; 32d Div Opns Diary Leyte, p. 24; 127th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 9.

[1090] XXIV Corps FO 37, 18 Dec 44.

[1091] Sixth Army G-2 Wkly Rpt 68, 13 Dec 44, p. 14.

[1092] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1093] Msg, CG XXIV Corps to CG 77th Div, 13 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 13 Dec 44.

[1094] Msg, CG XXIV Corps to G-3 Sixth Army, 14 Dec 44, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 14 Dec 44.

[1095] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 24-25; 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 5; 305th Inf Unit Rpt 11, 16 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 22, 16 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 16 Dec 44.

[1096] XXIV Corps FO 37 (Confirmatory of Oral and Fragmentary Orders), 18 Dec 44; 77th Div FO 17, 15 Dec 44.

[1097] 77th Div FO 17, 15 Dec 44.

[1098] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1099] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 16 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 22, 16 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 25; 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6.

[1100] 306th Inf Unit Jnl, 16 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 22, 16 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 24-25; 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 9.

[1101] MI Div, War Dept, "Leyte Field Fortifications," Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 57 (April, 1945), pp. 108-10.

[1102] 35th Army Opns, pp. 99-101.

[1103] Ibid., p. 101.

[1104] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 26, 27.

[1105] 77th Div FO 18, 17 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 25-26.

[1106] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 17 Dec 44; 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 17 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 27; 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 23, 17 Dec 44.

[1107] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 17 Dec 44; 306th Inf Unit Jnl, 17 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 23, 17 Dec 44; 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 9; 35th Army Opns, pp. 101-103.

[1108] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1109] 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 7; 77th Div Arty Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 5-6; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 17 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 27; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 23, 17 Dec 44.

[1110] 35th Army Opns, p. 101.

[1111] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1112] 305th Inf Unit Rpt 15, 18 Dec 44; 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 18 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 18 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 24, 18 Dec 44; 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 28.

[1113] 306th Inf Unit Jnl, 18 Dec 44; 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 18 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 18 Dec 44; 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 9-10; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 28; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 24, 18 Dec 44.

[1114] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 18 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 24, 18 Dec 44; 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 7; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 28.

[1115] Sixth Army FO 39, 19 Dec 44.

[1116] XXIV Corps FO 38 (Confirmatory of Oral and Fragmentary orders), 21 Dec 44.

[1117] 77th Div FO 19, 19 Dec 44.

[1118] 35th Army Opns, p. 103.

[1119] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 19 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 25, 19 Dec 44; 307th Inf Unit Jnl, 19 Dec 44; 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 7.

[1120] 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 10; 306th Inf Unit Jnl, 19 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 19 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 29; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 25, 19 Dec 44.

[1121] 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 26, 20 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 31; 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 20 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 20 Dec 44; 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 7-8; 307th Inf Unit Jnl, 20 Dec 44.

[1122] 306th Inf FO 11, 19 Dec 44.

[1123] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 30-31; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 20 Dec 44; 77th Div G-2 Jnl, 20 Dec 44; 306th Inf Unit Jnl, 20 Dec 44; 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 10-11; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 26, 20 Dec 44.

[1124] 35th Army Opns, pp. 103-104.

[1125] 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 11-12; 306th Inf Unit Jnl, 21 Dec 44. During this action Pfc. George Benjamin, Jr., a radio operator from Company A, killed the crew of a machine gun nest at the cost of his life. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

[1126] 32d Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 30, 16 Dec 44.

[1127] 32d Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 31, 17 Dec 44; 32d Div G-3 Jnl, 17 Dec 44; 126th Inf Unit Jnl, 17 Dec 44; 32d Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 31, 17 Dec 44.

[1128] 32d Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 32, 18 Dec 44; 32d Div G-3 Jnl, 18 Dec 44; 126th Inf Unit Jnl, 18 Dec 44.

[1129] 32d Div Arty Daily Rpt, 18 Dec 44.

[1130] 32d Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 33, 19 Dec 44; 32d Div G-3 Jnl, 19 Dec 44; 126th Inf Unit Jnl, 20 Dec 44; 32d Div G-3 Jnl, 20 Dec 44.

[1131] X Corps FO 22, 20 Dec 44.

[1132] 10th I&HS, Eighth Army Stf Study of Opns of Japanese 102d Division on Leyte and Cebu, Interrog of Maj Chuji Kaneko, p. 3.

[1133] Unless otherwise stated the part of this subsection dealing with the 12th Cavalry is based on: 12th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 20-30, 76-85; 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpts 51-63, 10-22 Dec 44; and 12th Cav Unit Rpts 54-65, 11-22 Dec 44.

[1134] 1st Cav Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 52; 1st Cav Div FO 17, 10 Dec 44.

[1135] 12th Cav Unit Rpt 53, 10 Dec 44; 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 52, 11 Dec 44. The spelling of Mt. Cabungaan used here follows that of the maps employed by the combat troops. The Board of Geographic Names gives the spelling as Mt. Cabungangan.

[1136] 12th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 24.

[1137] 12th Cav Unit Rpt 54, 11 Dec 44; 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 53, 12 Dec 44.

[1138] 1st Cav FO 18, 14 Dec 44.

[1139] 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 60, 19 Dec 44.

[1140] 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 61, 20 Dec 44; X Corps G-2 Periodic Rpt 59, 19 Dec 44; 1st Cav Div G-3 Jnl, 19 Dec 44.

[1141] 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 62, 21 Dec 44.

[1142] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 21 Dec 44; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 27, 21 Dec 44; 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 31-32; 307th Inf Unit Jnl, 21 Dec 44; 307th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 8; 306th Inf Unit Jnl, 21 Dec 44; 306th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 11-12.

[1143] 10th I&HS, Eighth Army Stf Study of 35th Army on Leyte, Part 1, p. 24, Interrog of Maj Gen Yoshiharu Tomochika.

[1144] Sixth Army G-2 Wkly Rpt 69, 20 Dec 44, pp. 14-18.

[1145] Unless otherwise indicated, this subsection dealing with the 77th Division is based upon the following: 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 32-35; 77th Div Supp Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 1-8, 28-29; 77th Div G-3 Periodic Rpts 33-37, 27-31 Dec 44; 77th Div G-2 Summary Leyte Campaign; 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 7-8; 305th Inf Hist Rpt 1944, pp. 5-7; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 23-30 Dec 44; 77th Div Admin O 7, 24 Dec 44; 77th Div FO 20, 19 Dec 44; 77th Div FO 22, 24 Dec 44; 1st Bn, 305th Inf, FO 3, 23 Dec 44; 305th Inf Unit Jnl, 25 Dec 44-2 Jan 45.

[1146] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1147] XXIV Corps FO 38, 21 Dec 44.

[1148] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1149] Rad, CG Sixth Army to CTF 77, 22 Dec 44, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 22 Dec 44.

[1150] Msg, CTF 77 to CG Sixth Army, 23 Dec 44, Sixth Army G-3 Jnl, 23 Dec 44.

[1151] Memo for Col Guerard, unsigned, 23 Dec 44, XXIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 23 Dec 44.

[1152] Ltr, Gen Bruce to Gen Ward, 16 Aug 51, OCMH.

[1153] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 25 Dec 44.

[1154] 77th Div FO's 20 and 21, 19 Dec 44; 1st Bn, 305th Inf, FO 3, 23 Dec 44.

[1155] Rad, 9th Air Liaison Party to Fifth Air Force, X Corp G-3 Jnl, 24 Dec 44.

[1156] In addition to the 1st Battalion, 305th Infantry, the Special Task Force included: the Amphibian Tractor Company; Company A, 776th Amphibian Tank Battalion; one platoon of Company D, 706th Tank Battalion; three guns from the regimental Cannon Company; the 2d Platoon of Company A, 302d Engineer Battalion; a detachment from Company A, 302d Medical Battalion; the 292d JASCO detachment; the 305th Field Artillery Battalion; a detachment of the 306th Field Artillery Battalion; a detachment from Battery A, 531st Field Artillery Battalion. 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 33.

[1157] Maj Gen A. D. Bruce, The Operations of the 77th Division in Leyte, 19 January 1951, pp. 27, 28, MS in OCMH.

[1158] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 25 Dec 44.

[1159] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 26 Dec 44. It is possible that the weary soldiers were more interested in the following administrative order of General Bruce:

1. Supply
a. Rations
(1) Turkey ration--distribution from Valencia ration
dump at 0900, 25 Dec 1944. Ration and mess personnel
will exercise great care and speed in handling turkey
and keep covered at all times.
(2) Organization commanders will serve turkey to every
man in this command on 26 Dec 1944. The Division
commander has made arrangements for air drop to troops
located in areas not accessible by road.

General Brace wished the troops to have turkey on the same day that Christmas is observed in the States. 77th Div Admin Order 7, 24 Dec 44.

[1160] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 32-35 and Supplemental Opns Rpt, pp. 1-8, 305th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 26-30 Dec 44.

[1161] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 35.

[1162] 77th Div and 305th Inf Opns Rpts Leyte; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 22 Dec 44.

[1163] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 35; 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 23 Dec 44; 305th Inf Opns Rpt, p. 7.

[1164] 77th Div G-3 Jnl, 24 Dec 44.

[1165] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 36.

[1166] 77th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 37; 77th G-3 Jnl, 25 Dec 44; 305th Inf Unit Rpt No. 19, 25 Dec 44.

[1167] 77th Div Supplemental Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 2.

[1168] Ibid., p. 4; 305th Inf Supplemental Opns Rpt, p. 2.

[1169] Ibid., p. 5.

[1170] Ibid., p. 6.

[1171] 77th Div G-1 Casualty Rpts; 77th Div Supplemental Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 2-7.

[1172] The subsection dealing with the elements of the 1st Cavalry Division is based upon the following: 1st Cav Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 59-69; 1st Cav Div Supplementary Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 1-7; 1 Cav Div FO No. 21, 24 Dec 44; 1st Cav Div G-3 Periodic Rpts Nos. 65-84, 23 Dec 44-11 Jan 45; 1st Cav Div G-2 Periodic Rpts Nos. 64-75, 23 Dec 44-3 Jan 45; 5th Cav Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 28-29; 1st Cav Div Arty Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 21-22; 1st Cav Div Brig Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 6-7; 12th Cav Unit Rpts Nos. 66-68, 23-25 Dec 44; 5th Cav S-3 Periodic Rpt 72, 2 Jan 45; 1st Cav Div G-3 Jnl, 26-31 Dec 44. Sixth Army Opns Rpt Leyte and 8th Army Opns Rpt Leyte.

[1173] 127th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 13.

[1174] 128th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 11.

[1175] 127th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 13.

[1176] 32d Div Supplementary Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 1-5; 127th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 12-14; 32d Div Leyte Opn Diary, pp. 31-43; 128th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 10-12.

[1177] The material in this subsection is based upon 24th Div Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 73-76; 34th Inf Unit Jnl, 9-30 Dec 44; 34th Inf Unit Rpts Nos. 51-71, 9-29 Dec 44; 2d Bn, 34th Inf, FO No. 8, 26 Dec 44; 34th Inf FO No. 17, 18 Dec 44; 34th Inf FO No. 18, 26 Dec 44; 24th Div G-3 Periodic Rpts Nos. 45-67, 2-25 Dec 44; 24th Div FO No. 12, 8 Dec 44 and FO No. 13, 17 Dec 44.

[1178] Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 28.

[1179] Ibid., p. 29.

[1180] 10th I&HS, Eighth Army Stf Study of the Japanese 35th Army on Leyte, Interrog of Col Junkichi Okabayashi [CofS 1st Div] pp. 10-11.

[1181] Ibid.

[1182] Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 28.

[1183] 35th Army Opns, p. 114.

[1184] Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 27.

[1185] 35th Army Opns, p. 115.

[1186] 10th I&HS, Eighth Army Stf Study of Japanese 102d Division on Leyte and Cebu, Interrog of Maj Chuji Kaneki [G-2 102d Division], p. 5.

[1187] 10th I&HS, Eighth Army Stf Study of Japanese 35th Army on Leyte,