Chapter I: Part 1

The Sixth Marine Division

THE SIXTH MARINE DIVISION

_Prepared By_

James R. Stockman
Captain, U. S. Marine Corps

HISTORICAL DIVISION
HEADQUARTERS, U. S. MARINE CORPS

1. ORIGIN

Last of the famous Marine divisions of World War II, the Sixth was activated on 7 September 1944 on Guadalcanal, the same island that the First Marine Division had landed on exactly twenty five months before. Although the Sixth Marine Division was new in name, the elements that composed it were, for the most part, as old as the war itself. From the First Provisional Brigade that had fought so notably on Guam came two regiments: the Fourth Marines and the Twenty Second Marines. The other regiment of the new division came from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where it was organized, with the exception of its First Battalion, by Colonel Victor F. Bleasdale from handpicked officers and men.

In command of the new division was Major General Lemuel C. Shepherd, USMC, who had had a varied and colorful career in this war. He had trained the Ninth Marines, afterwards a part of the Third Marine Division, and was later Assistant Division Commander of the First Marine Division during the Gloucester operation in New Britain. When the landings on Guam were made in July of 1944, General Shepherd (then a Brigadier) was in command of the First Provisional Marine Brigade. His Brigade, consisting of the Fourth and Twenty Second Marines plus reinforcing elements, fought notably on Guam and received the Navy Unit Commendation for its excellent record.

The Assistant Division Commander was Brigadier General William T. Clement, USMC, another colorful figure. On the staff of Admiral Thomas Hart in the Philippines at the outbreak of the war, General Clement (then a Colonel) left Corregidor on a submarine. Later he served in London, and for a while was Commandant of the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico before returning to the Pacific.

Of the three regiments the Twenty Second Marines was the oldest. It was formed at San Diego in June, 1942, and the following month left for Samoa where it remained as a part of the defense force until the fall of 1943. After an extensive training period the regiment left Samoa and sailed to the island of Hawaii to prepare for the Marshalls Campaign. During the Kwajalein phase it acted as a reserve and after the rapid capture of Roi and Namur by the Fourth Marine Division, the Twenty Second Marines, in accordance with the resulting speed-up in the Central Pacific timetable, went on to assault Eniwetok in the Western Marshalls. After a brief but bloody fight for Eniwetok, the regiment seized and occupied numerous adjoining islands. From Eniwetok the Twenty Second Marines went to Guadalcanal and trained there for the Guam Campaign. On 21 July 1944, the regiment landed on Guam on W-Day as a part of the First Provisional Brigade. It drove inland against heavy resistance and then turned to seal off Orote Peninsula. In conjunction with the Fourth Marines, the Twenty Second drove the length of the peninsula and destroyed the enemy emplaced there.

Activated on 8 January 1944, the Fourth Marines was formed from veteran units—the four Marine Raider Battalions. It took its name from the famous Marine regiment that had been lost on Bataan. Its officers and men had seen action at Tulagi, Guadalcanal, Makin, New Georgia, Bougainville; later at Guam, and abreast of the Twenty Second Marines the new regiment received as such, its baptism of fire, when it landed on 21 July 1944. After fighting its way inland and seizing Mt. Alifan, the regiment joined the Twenty Second to reduce heavily defended Orote Peninsula. The Fourth Marines had been on one operation previous to Guam; it had seized the island of Emirau in the St. Matthias Group, and although the operation was bloodless, it was a triumph in planning and execution.

On 1 May 1944, the major part of the Twenty Ninth Marines was activated at Camp Lejeune, New River, North Carolina. Two battalions were formed from the pick of officers and men in the eastern part of the United States at that time. These battalions were composed of some veterans but the greater part had no previous combat experience. With reinforcing elements, the regiment (less its First Battalion) crossed the United States by rail and sailed to Guadalcanal in August. The First Battalion joined the regiment on Guadalcanal in early October. It had been activated from Second Marine Division troops on Hawaii in February, 1944. First called the Second Separate Infantry Battalion, it trained for a brief time on Hawaii and then went to Saipan for that operation, attached to the Second Division. Landing on D-Day the battalion, now called the First Battalion, Twenty Ninth Marines, was attached to the Eighth Marines and to it fell the task of capturing Mt. Tapotchau, the commanding terrain on Saipan. Its losses were heavy—over 60%—and the battalion therefore was not used in the Tinian operation, which followed.

From the reinforcing elements of the First Provisional Brigade were formed, in large part, the Sixth Tank Battalion, Sixth Pioneer Battalion, the Sixth Engineer Battalion, and the division’s artillery regiment, the Fifteenth Marines.

2. TRAINING AND PREPARATIONS

When the Sixth Marine Division began its training program for its first—and only—operation, it had several initial advantages: Over two thirds of its officers and men were veterans, well schooled in the ways of the wily Japanese; it started off with the experience gained from nearly four years of war; the structure of the entire division was organized to benefit from this experience. Through October, 1944, and on into February, 1945, the division trained vigorously. Special emphasis was placed on individual marksmanship, combat firing exercises employing all weapons and arms, night problems, flame-thrower-demolition teams, tank-infantry problems, and air-ground problems. Training was concluded with an eight day division problem illustrating tactical principles for large unit employment. All through the training period General Shepherd strove to indoctrinate his division with the spirit of attack; that it was cheaper to drive ahead in unrelenting assault than to hesitate trying to find easier ways of achieving the objective while troops remained in contact with the enemy. This indoctrination was to pay dividends on Okinawa when forward progress seemed impossible.

3. MOVEMENT TO TARGET

During the period 1-6 March 1945, the Sixth Marine Division was aboard ship engaged in amphibious landing rehearsals for the Okinawa operation. On the first day troops practiced debarkation and deployment of landing craft; on the next two days the two assault regiments, the Fourth and Twenty Second, landed on the beaches of Guadalcanal and practiced limited maneuvers ashore. Then followed a critique and on the next day there was a full-scale dress rehearsal. Although limited in their extent, the rehearsals were quite satisfactory.

After breaking camp ashore, the division re-embarked to sail for the staging area, Ulithi, on 15 March. At Ulithi, a little atoll in the Caroline Islands, the division joined the enormous task force assembling there for the invasion of Okinawa. Training was carried out aboard ship and final preparations made for the target. By now the troops were aware of their destination and the force designated to land there. They were told that the Sixth Marine Division would land simultaneously with, and on the left of, the First Marine Division, as a part of the III Amphibious Corps. South of the Marines a corps of Army, the XXIV, would land. Both of the corps were components of a larger force—the new Tenth Army.

On the way to Ulithi, while there, and on the way to the target the men were given a thorough briefing. General Shepherd made it plain that every man should know not only his assigned task, but that of his own unit, and of adjacent units, as well as the general scheme of maneuver. In the briefing aboard ship the men learned that Okinawa had a population of some 450,000 civilians; that there were roughly 70,000 Japanese soldiers on the island. They also learned something about its geography, its towns, roads, rivers and terrain.

While at Ulithi the troops were taken ashore on the little island of Mog Mog for rest and rehabilitation. During the staging period assault troops were transferred to LST’s for the last part of the journey. On 27 March the Sixth Marine Division left Ulithi, loaded in 13 APA’s, 24 LST’s and one LSD, and encountered heavy rains and cooler weather as the convoy moved north.

4. OKINAWA

Easter Sunday, 1 April 1945, was Love-Day for the Okinawa operation. With the bright clear dawn came enemy planes but the invading armada—over 1400 ships—drove off or destroyed the attacking planes. From the transports the troops could only see small portions of the island; the preliminary bombardment from the naval task force and the bombs from our planes, diving through the clouds, raised a haze of smoke and dust that covered most of the area behind the landing beaches.

Forming into long waves, the Fourth and Twenty Second Marines, loaded in amphibious tractors, churned toward the beaches, over the coral reef, and landed at 0837. Every man went in with the expectation that this beachhead, like Tarawa, Saipan, and Iwo, would be a bloody one; they were surprised but not entirely relieved to find virtually no enemy opposition to the landing. Rapidly, units organized and moved inland and up across the terraced fields that led to Yontan Airfield. By noon the Fourth Marines had seized Yontan and the Twenty Second Marines were advancing as rapidly on the left. By late afternoon the two regiments had reached a line tentatively set to be reached on the second day and as yet had not found the enemy. To the left of the Twenty Second Marines lay a little peninsula jutting out to the northwest, named Zampa Misaki. It seemed likely that an enemy force might be there; General Shepherd requested III Amphibious Corps to release from its reserve one battalion of the Twenty Ninth Marines. The First Battalion was released to division and placed to protect the division’s left flank. Troops dug in for the night with mixed emotions. Everyone was extremely grateful that the landing had not been a bloody one; still there was a certain apprehension felt: Where was the enemy? When would he attack?

Love-Day had been successful beyond the wildest hopes; the division was ashore safely, in a good position, and had already secured its first objective. Yontan Airfield was firmly in our hands and had not been badly damaged. The enemy defensive positions constructed to guard the field were strangely empty. Casualties were negligible; the landing had been easy.

Now the Sixth Marine Division moved rapidly to cut the island in two. In conjunction with the First Marine Division which was making the main effort, the Fourth and Twenty Second Marines drove quickly to the east and, despite some opposition from small isolated enemy pockets, reached the east coast on 4 April. Turning to the north, the division began to seize the Ishikawa Isthmus. Averaging nearly 7000 yards each day the troops pushed up the isthmus and by 7 April had reached Nago at the base of Motobu Peninsula.

5. BATTLE FOR MOTOBU

It was General Shepherd’s plan to have the Twenty Second and Fourth continue the drive up the mainland of Okinawa until Hedo Misaki was seized. To destroy the enemy known to be on Motobu, the General committed the Twenty Ninth Marines, which had been in Corps reserve during the first four days of the operation. For the time being, the Fourth Marines was held as a reserve near the base of the peninsula. Patrolling continued.

Many captured enemy soldiers and civilians had stated that the main Japanese defensive force was in southern Okinawa but that a force of about 3000 men, commanded by a Colonel Udo, was somewhere up north, probably on Motobu. Aerial observation and photo terrain studies confirmed indications that there was a sizeable enemy force on the peninsula. On 8 April the Twenty Ninth Marines moved out in three columns, one along the south coast, one along the north coast and one up the center toward the town of Itomi. At first progress was rapid and there were few contacts made; it was noted, however, that all inland trails were mined or blocked. The coast roads had numerous roadblocks and tank traps. By 10 April the Third Battalion, Twenty Ninth, was at Toguchi and had been hit by enemy artillery fire near Awa. Near Toguchi, on the Manna road, it had contacted Udo’s force. West of Itomi the First Battalion was also in contact with what was apparently the same force. Meanwhile the Second Battalion had captured the enemy midget submarine base at Unten Ko but had encountered no appreciable resistance.

During the next three days the battalions were in almost constant contact with Udo’s forces. Ambushes were frequent but the enemy could not be engaged in any decisive action. It was clear that he was engaged in guerrilla-type warfare and wanted to harass our troops but was trying to avoid a meeting engagement. By 13 April the enemy position was definitely fixed as being in the Mt. Yaetake area; it was known that he had considerable artillery, mortars, and a few naval guns emplaced in hidden positions in the wild and rugged mountain mass.

Mt. Yaetake provided Colonel Udo with ideal ground for defensive positions. Here he had unlimited observation in every direction; it was impossible to attack him without warning. The rugged character of the terrain prohibited the use of mechanized support in the reduction of his positions.

While the Twenty Ninth Marines were fixing the enemy position and determining its character and strength, General Shepherd saw that he would need additional troops to destroy Udo’s force. His tactical decision was to move the Fourth Marines, less the Third Battalion, to Sakimotobu on the western side of the peninsula and attach to it the Third Battalion, Twenty Ninth Marines which was near by. Then he ordered a coordinated attack for 14 April with the Fourth Marines driving into Yaetake in an easterly direction while the Twenty Ninth Marines, with two battalions, near Itomi, attacked to the west and southwest. Udo would be hit from front and rear.

On 14 April the Fourth Marines, commanded by Colonel Alan Shapley with the Third Battalion, Twenty Ninth, attached, moved rapidly inland to seize the first high ground from which to launch the attack on Mt. Yaetake. The Twenty Ninth Marines found enemy dispositions to its front in such strength and on such unfavorable ground, that it was virtually impossible to attack in a southwesterly direction.

Resuming the attack on 15 April the Fourth Marines drove up the approaches to Mt. Yaetake; fighting was bitter with one battalion commander killed and several company commanders casualties. The First Battalion, Fourth Marines, seized a key hill mass southwest of the Yaetake peak against heavy resistance. Over rugged terrain the Twenty Ninth Marines continued to advance into the rear of Udo’s position against intermittent resistance.

Next day, 16 April, the Sixth Marine Division prepared to attack the enemy from three sides. The First Battalion, Twenty Second Marines, which had been in immediate reserve near Awa, was ordered to advance to the north to close the gap between the two attacking regiments. After a day of extremely hard fighting the Fourth Marines seized Mt. Yaetake and held it despite an all-out Banzai charge. Meanwhile, the Twenty Ninth Marines, now under Colonel William J. Whaling, USMC, had swung its front to the west and north, destroying fixed emplacements and enemy groups as it moved.

With Udo’s force caught in the jaws of a giant nutcracker, and driven from the commanding ground in its position, the Fourth Marines changed its tactics. Colonel Shapley ordered his two left battalions, facing east, to initiate a holding attack on 17 April, while the two right battalions drove down from Mt. Yaetake to the north with the mission of seizing the Manna Road. The situation on this day then, was for the two battalions to sweep down a corridor formed by the First and Second Battalions, Twenty Ninth, on the east and the Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, and Third Battalion, Twenty Ninth, on the west. Down from Yaetake and through the corridor swept the First and Third Battalions, Fourth Marines, mopping up enemy remnants as they went. Nightfall saw both regiments on the first hills south of the Toguchi-Itomi road, the road that ran through Manna.

On 19 April the Sixth Marine Division began a coordinated drive to secure the high ground remaining between the Toguchi-Itomi road and the north coast of the peninsula. On the left was the Fourth Marines; next to it, the First and Second Battalions, Twenty Ninth Marines. From Toguchi, the Third Battalion, Twenty Ninth moved by truck to Itomi and struck out through the hills toward the highest hill mass in the northern part of Motobu, which was seized next morning. On 20 April, the drive continued and both regiments reached the north coast without difficulty. Little opposition had been found in this last sweep, but it was known that several hundred enemy troops had escaped from Motobu and were somewhere in northern Okinawa.

The battle for Motobu had challenged the Sixth Division with mountain warfare of the most rugged sort. It was costly: the Sixth Marine Division lost 207 men killed, 757 wounded and 6 missing in action. In contrast, the enemy lost 2,014 men killed. Captured enemy material included 11 field pieces of 75 and 150-mm. calibre, two six-inch naval cannon and large numbers of mortars, machine guns and 20-mm. dual purpose guns.

While the other two regiments were fighting on Motobu, the Twenty Second Marines, commanded by Colonel Merlin F. Schneider, USMC, continued its march up the northern part of the mainland. On 13 April the Second Battalion moved by forced march to seize Hedo Misaki, the northern tip of the island. Scattered resistance was encountered during the march. Upon occupying Hedo Misaki, the regiment sent patrols down the east coast and on 19 April, patrols from the north and south met on the east coast at Aha. By 20 April all of Okinawa north of the original landing beaches had been secured by the Sixth Marine Division; it was known, however, that several small enemy groups still remained at large.

The first of these isolated enemy groups to be located was one consisting of about 200 men. It was contacted by the First Battalion, Twenty Second Marines, near Taniyo-take, a hill mass southeast of Motobu Peninsula. After two days of heavy fighting most of the enemy band was destroyed although a few escaped to join another remnant of the Motobu action. By 27 April this group had been located and from Hentona two battalions of the Twenty Second Marines advanced toward the suspected area in a forced night march. Meanwhile from Kawada the Third Battalion, Fourth Marines hurried inland and made contact by noon. After considerable maneuvering, the battalion outflanked the enemy and forced him to fight on unfavorable ground. Most of the group was destroyed; a handful escaped.

6. BATTLE FOR NAHA

During the latter part of April the Tenth Army had found its XXIV Corps heavily engaged in southern Okinawa. It was decided that the III Amphibious Corps would be assigned the western half of the southern line on about 7 May. It was further decided that on 1 May the First Marine Division would be attached to the XXIV Corps and committed in the vicinity of Machinato Airfield. Its mission was clear out the Jichaku plateau area and then strike toward Shuri, the core of the Japanese defensive position. The Sixth Marine Division would then be committed on the right of the First Division.

All through the last week in April, the Sixth Division patrolled and garrisoned northern Okinawa. Preparations were made for the move to the south. The regiments rested, re-equipped themselves and received replacements. During the month of April the division had traveled over 84 miles, seized 436 square miles of enemy territory, captured 46 prisoners and killed nearly 2,500 of the enemy. In the same period the division had lost 236 men killed and 1,061 wounded in action.

On 2 May the division began to move southward to assembly areas near Chibana, east of the original landing beaches. The responsibility for the defense of northern Okinawa passed from the Sixth Marine Division to the Twenty Seventh Infantry Division on 4 May.

According to Tenth Army order, the III Amphibious Corps was to assume responsibility for the western portion of the southern front on 7 May. The First Marine Division was already committed and was fighting to secure the high ground north and northeast of the Asa River. The Sixth Marine Division was ordered to commit one regimental combat team on the right of the First Division on 8 May. General Shepherd chose the Twenty Second Marines to be committed first. Its mission was to cross the Asa and seize the first high ground to the south. From here, the division could attack to carry out its mission, which was: To seize Naha and the line of the Kokuba River in its zone of action, to assist the First Marine Division by fire and maneuver, and to protect the Corps’ right (west) flank.

All during the fighting on Motobu, the men of the Sixth Marine Division had heard stories of the fighting down south. They knew that the Tenth Army had uncovered the main Japanese defensive positions; that the enemy had chosen rough hilly ground across a narrow part of the island. The enemy was well dug in on a high and broken hill mass which took its name from its geographical center—Shuri. The line, or series of lines really, ran from north of Naha through Shuri to Yonabaru on the east coast. They had heard that the XXIV Corps had run into a virtual stalemate; that some sixty thousand of the enemy were offering fierce resistance from concealed positions; that the enemy was using mortars and artillery on an unprecedented scale; and that the enemy troops in southern Okinawa were excellent soldiers, well disciplined, and well prepared to fight a long and costly campaign. Before the second week in May had passed the men were certain that none of the stories were exaggerated.

In the new zone of action, the Sixth Marine Division launched its first attack when it sent the Twenty Second Marines across the Asa River in the early morning hours of 10 May. Patrols had crossed the river on the previous day and reconnoitered the ground to its immediate south. The only bridge across the river in this sector had been totally destroyed. Through the night of 9-10 May, the Sixth Engineer Battalion worked to construct a footbridge. Although the little bridge was finally completed in time for the pre-dawn attack, a group of the enemy carrying demolitions packs succeeded in destroying themselves and a section of the bridge before many of the Marines got across.

At 0330, 10 May, the First and Third Battalions of the Twenty Second Marines crossed the Asa; the First waded across upstream on the regiment’s left, while the Third started to use the footbridge. When it was destroyed, the battalion was forced to go upstream and wade across. At first enemy resistance was light, but as the Japanese became aware of this threat to their left flank, opposition became fierce. Despite heavy artillery, mortar, and small arms fire, the troops moved on up the first ridges. By nightfall, and after a day of heavy casualties, a bridgehead 1400 yards wide and about 400 yards deep had been established.

Next morning the reserve battalion of the Twenty Second Marines, the Second, was committed to cover the left flank of the First which was fighting to reduce an enemy stronghold on a formidable coral hill southeast of Asa village. When flanking action failed to secure the hill, the troops withdrew so that naval gunfire from the USS Indianapolis could be utilized. In the meantime the engineers labored under sporadic enemy fire to construct a Bailey Bridge across the Asa, where the footbridge had been. About noon the structure was completed and tanks roared across to support the troops. With the added fire power of the tanks, the First Battalion attacked the hill again, this time successfully. Over on the right, the Third Battalion fought for three hours before capturing the precipitous cliff area in its zone of action.

On 12 May the Twenty Second Marines, with all three battalions in the line, continued to advance despite increasing enemy resistance. Not only was the regiment receiving fire from its front, but also from the left flank, where the enemy in his positions on Wana Ridge and the Shuri heights could observe troop movements and bring fire to bear at an instant’s notice. As it became apparent that the division’s left was becoming open, General Shepherd ordered the Third Battalion, Twenty Ninth Marines into the line to protect the east flank. It was quite plain that another regiment would have to be committed if the momentum of advance were to be maintained.

Next day, the Sixth Marine Division continued the attack with the Second Battalion, Twenty Second Marines and the Third Battalion, Twenty Ninth, in assault. About three hundred yards was all that could be gained due to heavy enemy resistance. In the late afternoon the other two battalions of the Twenty Ninth Marines moved up behind the Third, and prepared to go into the assault on 14 May.

By this time General Shepherd had discovered the following: (1) In attempting to outflank the Shuri line, the Sixth Marine Division had uncovered the western anchor of the enemy’s main defensive position; (2) Three terrain features, heavily fortified and manned, and mutually supporting formed this anchor; (3) Unprotected but heavily guarded corridors led into each of these terrain features. (4) There was no ground offering covered routes of approach, from which these terrain features could be assaulted; (5) the three terrain features (later called Horseshoe Ridge, Sugar Loaf Hill, and Half Moon Hill) would be held by the enemy at all costs; if they were lost, the enemy’s main position at Shuri would be outflanked; (6) The battle efficiency of the Twenty Second Marines was seriously impaired; It had lost over 800 men killed or wounded since crossing the Asa; (7) Naha, the capital city of Okinawa, lay open in front of the Twenty Second Marines, but it could not be seized until the Sugar Loaf defensive position, Horseshoe Ridge, and the Half Moon were reduced and cleared of enemy.

Commanding the surrounding countryside, Sugar Loaf Hill was the apex of a triangle. All three elements of the triangle were mutually supporting: Horseshoe Ridge and the Half Moon covered Sugar Loaf; from Sugar Loaf the enemy could cover the other two with fire; all three terrain features were, in turn, under observation and fire from Shuri. Troops attacking any one of the three hills would be subjected immediately to fire from the other two. There was no room for extended maneuver; on the right of the division was the sea; on the left the zone of the First Marine Division, which offered no protection or cover.

Late in the afternoon of 14 May the Second Battalion, Twenty Second, attempted a tank-infantry assault, and despite heavy 47-mm. fire that drove the tanks back, succeeded in getting a few men from “G” Company up on the top of Sugar Loaf. The attack caught the Japanese by surprise, but only momentarily; during the night, they reorganized to launch an attack next morning that drove the Second Battalion back from the ground immediately to the north of Sugar Loaf, and finally spread over into the zone of the Twenty Ninth Marines. This counterattack, in approximately battalion strength, started a day of the bitterest fighting yet seen by the Twenty Second Marines. The desperate character that the fight now assumed was indicative of the enemy’s resolve to hold the Sugar Loaf system regardless of the cost. Two battalions of the Twenty Ninth, the First and Third, encountered the same bitter fighting that was experienced by the First and Second Battalions, Twenty Second. In the corridor leading to the Half Moon, the Third Battalion, Twenty Ninth, finally reduced an enemy pocket that had been bypassed but had become so troublesome as to prevent further advance. To the left, the First Battalion was fighting in the low ground north of the Half Moon. During the afternoon of this day, 15 May, the Third Battalion, Twenty Second Marines, moved up to relieve the Second Battalion which had lost over 400 men in the last three days. Over on the division’s right, the First Battalion of the Twenty Second drove down the long ridge overlooking the Asato, but could advance no further due to heavy fire from the Horseshoe and Sugar Loaf.

All during the night of 15-16 May the enemy used his mortars and artillery to interdict the front lines, causing light casualties. Early next morning the Sixth Marine Division, with the Twenty Second and Twenty Ninth regiments in assault, again attacked to seize the Sugar Loaf—Half Moon positions. Heavy enemy fire greeted the attack; from near the town of Takamotoji the enemy commenced to fire, although that area had been quiet previously. It was apparent that the enemy was moving in replacements and additional troops to bolster the Sugar Loaf system. Working its way into position on the left of the regimental front, the Third Battalion, Twenty Second Marines prepared to assault Sugar Loaf Hill. Behind tanks, and after an intense artillery barrage, the battalion advanced rapidly up the pitted north slope of the hill in the face of extremely heavy fire from enemy mortars, grenades, and automatic weapons. Several times the battalion reached the top of the hill and closed with the enemy in hand-to-hand fighting only to be driven back. Finally, with losses steadily mounting, the battalion was forced to withdraw.

Hope was held for a while on this day that the Twenty Ninth Marines might seize Half Moon Hill. Closely supported by tanks, troops moved forward slowly and reached the edge of the ridge by late afternoon. Before they could organize defensive positions, or dig in, the enemy poured so much fire in from Shuri, Sugar Loaf, and the reverse slopes of the Half Moon, that the troops had to withdraw under the cover of smoke. Casualties were extremely heavy.

This day, 16 May, was perhaps the bitterest day of the entire Okinawa Campaign for the Sixth Marine Division. With all the strength at their command, two regiments had attacked without apparent success. A week of steady fighting had reduced the offensive capabilities of the Twenty Second Marines so General Shepherd now shifted the burden of attack to the Twenty Ninth, leaving the Twenty Second to hold where it was.

Before the Twenty Ninth Marines began the attack of 17 May, the enemy in the Sugar Loaf area was subjected to a terrific bombardment which included 16-inch shells from the main batteries of battleships, 8-inch howitzer shells, and 1000-pound aerial bombs. With tanks in close support and immediately behind a heavy and continuing artillery barrage, the First and Third Battalions, Twenty Ninth Marines edged their way to the northern edge of Half Moon Hill. Finally the Third Battalion seized a slim foothold on the north-western edge of the hill but intense enemy fire made the position untenable and the troops were forced to withdraw. Meanwhile “E” Company of the Second Battalion was attempting a flanking attack around the east side of Sugar Loaf Hill. Despite heavy enemy mortar barrages and grenade fire, the company drove to the top of the hill three times; each time the enemy counterattacked and drove the men off. Finally at 1830 in the last vestige of light, the company mustered strength enough to assault the hill again. This time when it reached the top it beat off an enemy counterattack, but had so few men left, and so many wounded to be evacuated, that it had to pull back to better ground for the night.

At dusk, but while there was still enough light to be seen, the enemy attempted to reinforce Sugar Loaf and began to move his troops in the open. Almost immediately twelve battalions of our artillery took the enemy troops under time-on-target fire and inflicted such heavy losses that the reinforcement threat was broken up. While the Half Moon and Sugar Loaf still remained in enemy hands, the division had made gains that were not yet perceptible. There was no way of knowing as yet the extent of the enemy’s losses. So far, he had been able to move in enough reinforcements to counter our attacks, but his losses had reached the point where he could no longer readily replace them. Meanwhile, the Twenty Ninth Marines had got into position for the final attack, which was to be launched next day.

At 0830, 18 May, the First and Third Battalions, Twenty Ninth again assaulted the enemy on the Half Moon. After a foothold was established the fighting resolved itself into a slugging match, and this enabled the Second Battalion to make its move. It first attempted to encircle Sugar Loaf with tanks but enemy mines, 47-mm. fire, and artillery fire disabled six tanks and drove the rest back.

Next, the Second Battalion launched a combined tank-infantry assault on Sugar Loaf, working the tanks, closely supported by troops, around each flank of the hill simultaneously. One tank accompanied by troops, edged its way around the west side of the hill and commenced firing into the enemy’s reverse slope defenses. Then, as the enemy moved to repel this threat, another tank worked its way around the east side of the hill and emptied its machine guns into the backs of the defenders of Sugar Loaf. In the ensuing pandemonium troops swarmed all over the hill and, after an hour of heavy fighting, the hill was firmly held by Marines. “F” Company was sent to seize the Horseshoe and reduce the mortar positions there that were firing on Sugar Loaf. The company moved rapidly across the intervening ground, climbed up on the Horseshoe, and engaged the enemy in a hand grenade battle. During the night the enemy counterattacked and drove “F” Company back to Sugar Loaf but could not regain the lost hill. Over on the left of the zone of action of the Twenty Ninth Marines, the First and Third Battalions held their positions at the base of the Half Moon, despite heavy enemy fire. For the action during the period 14-19 May, the Twenty Ninth Marines, and attached units, were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

In order to exploit the recently won gains General Shepherd ordered the Fourth Marines fresh after a two weeks’ rest, to relieve the Twenty Ninth on 19 May. On the right of the division’s front, the Twenty Second Marines remained in position, but were in no condition to continue the attack. After relieving the Twenty Ninth Marines, the Fourth prepared to attack next day to seize the upper reaches of the Asato River. The night of 19 May saw the enemy making full use of his mortars and artillery but casualties were light. Next morning the Fourth Marines attacked Horseshoe Ridge and managed to seize a part of it. While the fighting raged, the enemy on the Shuri Hill mass turned his weapons and hit the flank of the Fourth with heavy fire. At 2130, following a terrific 90-mm. mortar barrage, the enemy commenced to counterattack with Sugar Loaf as the objective. Centering on the Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, the counterattack continued until midnight. During this time naval star shells kept the critical area illuminated and six battalions of artillery fired to break up the counterattack. Before the enemy was driven back, it was necessary to commit part of the regimental reserve. In this unsuccessful counterattack, the enemy lost nearly 300 killed while the Fourth Marines only lost 1 man killed and 19 wounded.

On 21 May the Fourth Marines made slight gains in the interior of Horseshoe Ridge but the foothold on the Half Moon could not be expanded. Until Shuri fell it would be virtually impossible to take the Half Moon in its entirety. It was futile to attack on the left. Now the emphasis was shifted to the regiment’s right and on the morning of 22 May the front lines advanced slowly to the Asato.

Employing a holding attack on the extreme left of the division front, General Shepherd was ready to exploit his gains. After a thorough reconnaissance of the ground just across the Asato, the Fourth Marines moved two battalions across the river during the afternoon of 23 May and ran into determined enemy resistance. The position of the Fourth Marines, while not precarious, was extremely difficult. Two attempts to bridge the Asato had failed; all food, water and ammunition had to be carried across by hand. The past three days had brought unusually heavy rains and the entire division zone of action was a sea of mud. Wading through mud ankle deep, stretcher bearers had a hard time getting the wounded back to evacuation points north of the rear. Few vehicles could negotiate the morass of mud that characterized the area. These rains were to continue until the last of May.

On 25 May the Fourth Marines resumed the attack and seized most of the north-south ridge line west of Machishi. About a company of the enemy counterattacked during the night and spent its force in the sector of the Third Battalion. While the Fourth Marines were moving into the eastern outskirts of Naha, the Division Reconnaissance Company crossed the Asato near its mouth and penetrated the urban portion of Naha west of the north-south canal. Enemy resistance was very light; only a few snipers harassed the company. Next day, with the heavy rain still falling, the Fourth Marines confined its efforts to vigorous patrolling. The reconnaissance company moved 300 yards further into Naha.

Unmistakable signs on 26 May pointed toward a Japanese withdrawal from the Shuri position. In order to determine the extent of the withdrawal to the front of the Sixth Marine Division, all units commenced patrolling. Part of the Second Battalion, Twenty Second Marines, crossed the Asato and passed through the Reconnaissance Company while pushing farther into Naha. The city was almost a total wreck. Only a few buildings around the outskirts remained standing and these were badly damaged. During the day the Fourth Marines sent patrols over 300 yards forward of the lines and found only light opposition.

Again General Shepherd reoriented his attack; he ordered the Twenty Second Marines to complete the capture of Naha and be prepared to advance through the hills that overlook the Kokuba River from the north. At the same time, he ordered the Twenty Ninth Marines to relieve the Fourth, and to be prepared to continue the attack to the southeast toward the Shichina hills. On 28 May the Twenty Ninth Marines commenced to relieve the Fourth Marines; at the same time, the Twenty Second Marines completed the capture of urban Naha, the part that lies to the west of the north-south canal.

Initially, the Twenty Ninth Marines were to carry out a holding attack while supporting the Twenty Second Marines by fire. On 29 May, with the Twenty Ninth Marines holding on its left, the Twenty Second Marines crossed the north-south canal and commenced to fight through the low hills that lead to Shichina, and parallel the Kokuba River. The attack moved rapidly at first on the right but the enemy rear guard, stationed in the hills to the front of the two regiments, began to resist more fiercely, and it wasn’t until 1 June that the two regiments were able to clean out the enemy in the Shichina area; now the division could look down from its position above the Kokuba and see the Naha-Yonabaru cross-island highway. Across the river, troops could see destroyed materiel abandoned by the enemy in his hasty withdrawal to the south.

The Twenty Second Marines rested now for the first time since crossing the Asa River on 10 May. For this period the regiment, and its attached units, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. In the drive from the Asa to the Kokuba casualties had been heavy.

7. BATTLE FOR OROKU

After the seizure of Naha and the area to its east the Sixth Marine Division prepared to continue its drive to the south by making an amphibious landing on Oroku. General Shepherd ordered his Division Reconnaissance Company, a flexible group that worked under G-2 or G-3 as the situation demanded, to cross the estuary during the night of 1-2 June and reconnoiter possible landing beaches as well as explore the area inland where the beachhead would be established. Using plastic boats, the company made its reconnaissance and returned to Naha at 0300, 2 June, to report that the northern part of Oroku Peninsula was occupied by the enemy but not in great strength.

The plan for the reduction of enemy forces on Oroku was simple and complete; it left the Japanese no alternatives except to surrender or die. The Fourth Marines were to make a dawn landing on 4 June and as the beachhead expanded, the Twenty Ninth Marines were to go in on the left of the Fourth. With two regiments attacking abreast, the plan called for the other regiment, the Twenty Second Marines, to throw a cordon-like line across the base of the peninsula in conjunction with the First Marine Division as it crossed both forks of the Kokuba river and drove south. Then with the Twenty Second facing northwest and preventing the enemy from escaping, the two assault regiments would drive east and southeast to exterminate the enemy defenders of Oroku.

After the rainy weather of the last week in May and the first few days in June, the Sixth Marine Division faced a tremendous logistical problem. Initially the assault regiments would have to be supplied by amphibious craft over the same route used for the landing. As the attack moved to the southeast, there was a chance that the Naha Estuary could be bridged by using little Ona Yama island, which lay in the center of the estuary, almost equidistant from Naha and Oroku. There were a few of the enemy on Ono Yama; these would have to be killed before the engineers could commence their bridging efforts. Simultaneously then, with the landing of the Fourth Marines on Oroku, the Sixth Reconnaissance Company was ordered to land on, and secure, Ono Yama. All through 2-3 June amphibious trucks (DUKWS) and tractors carried supplies and equipment over impassable roads to the beach at Naha where the landing was to be launched.

Before dawn, 4 June, the preliminary bombardment commenced on Oroku and Ono Yama. At 0551, the Fourth Marines landed two battalions without any great difficulty. Early enemy resistance was light and the troops moved rapidly inland. At 1000 the Twenty Ninth Marines commenced to load a battalion to send across to join the Fourth. In the meantime, the Division Reconnaissance Company had landed on Ono Yama and killed a handful of Japanese.

Defending Oroku were mixed troops. There were some regular units, some Okinawa Home Guardsmen, and some were naval and air personnel from units stationed at Naha Port, and Naha Airfield. The rough character of the terrain on Oroku, with the exception of the flat ground around the airfield, lent itself to the defenders. From carefully prepared cave positions they could use the machine guns, 40 and 20-mm. antiaircraft guns that had been stripped from the defenses of the airfield. This enemy group on Oroku, some 5000 strong, had resigned themselves to making a last ditch stand on the peninsula. Initially, however, the amphibious landing of the Fourth Marines caught them by surprise. With the advance of the First Division across the Kokuba toward Itoman, the enemy apparently decided that Oroku would be attacked from its base, not its northwest tip, and was originally deployed to fight off any thrust from the base.

It was indeed unfortunate then, that because of two factors beyond its control, the Sixth Marine Division was not afforded the opportunity of really capitalizing on its tactical surprise to the enemy. The rainy weather through the latter part of May and early June had made Oroku extremely muddy. What few roads there were that led inland from the landing beaches were either mined or had sections blown out so that our tanks could not use them. The rice paddies, fields and hills, ankle to knee deep with mud, were heavily mined, precluding the possibility of tank movement and causing the infantry to move with utmost caution. At a time when speed could have meant rapid gains, the division found itself forced to let the rifle companies fight as best they could and without many of their supporting arms. The brief respite gained by the enemy allowed him to redeploy his forces to resist the attack of the Fourth and Twenty Ninth Marines.

It wasn’t until 13 June that the enemy forces on Oroku were destroyed. The Fourth Marines, after landing on 4 June, had seized the first hills inland and then as the Twenty Ninth came in on the left, the Fourth secured Naha Airfield and drove to the southeast in an encircling maneuver. Facing the enemy from the east, the Twenty Second Marines kept him bottled up and harassed his rear. On the left, driving down the long ridge that parallels the estuary, the Twenty Ninth moved slowly. In the extreme broken terrain that characterized Oroku, the enemy resisted fiercely using all the weapons at his command to prevent the advancing Marines from crossing the numerous compartments, and denying them the use of the corridors.

The advance was slow and the action costly. In addition to his automatic weapons, small arms, grenade discharges and mortars, the enemy had 320-mm. spigot mortars and artillery. Cut off, surrounded, and assaulted from all sides, the enemy was exacting a final price for the peninsula. It was not until 12 June that the first real break in his carefully coordinated defense became apparent. On this day, converging forces of the Fourth Marines and the Twenty Ninth had the enemy completely encircled. From his positions, the enemy could look to the northwest and see the Twenty Ninth; turning to the south, he could see the Fourth Marines driving in on his flank; behind him was the Twenty Second Marines, moving in slowly to complete his doom.

During the afternoon of 12 June, some enemy groups came out waving white surrender flags. Others refused to surrender and pressed grenades to their stomachs. Still others allowed themselves to be killed while offering only feeble resistance. In most, the will to live was gone; they were resigned to their fate. Next day, 861 Japanese were killed and 73 taken prisoner.

Before the capture of Oroku could be called complete, there remained to be taken the small island of Senaga Shima. After a heavy preliminary bombardment, the Sixth Division’s Reconnaissance Company, with a company from the Twenty Ninth Marines attached, landed on the island and quickly seized it. Only two of the enemy were found and killed but many fine coastal guns were captured. Now the battle for Oroku was over. The enemy had resisted bitterly, 1,608 Marines were killed or wounded in the capture of the peninsula, and thirty of our tanks were lost. During the ten days of fighting the Sixth Marine Division had killed almost 5,000 Japanese and had captured nearly 200. For its excellent work in landing on the peninsula, seizing the airdrome and then driving around the enemy’s position to overwhelm him from the flank, the Fourth Marines was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

8. END OF CAMPAIGN

On 15 June the III Amphibious Corps instructed the Sixth Marine Division to be prepared to pass through the right of the First Marine Division on Mezado Ridge on 17 June. The mission assigned the Sixth Marine Division was to seize Kuwanga Ridge, part of Ibaru Ridge, and the Kiyamu Gusuku hill mass. Although their plight was hopeless, the enemy still held out in the southernmost part of Okinawa, evidently intent upon exacting as stiff a price, in terms of lives, as possible before being destroyed. Like a trapped animal, the Japanese were resisting bitterly and from their positions on the hills and ridges, were delaying the attackers as long as possible.

With its zone of action limited in width, the Sixth Division committed the Twenty Second Marines at 0300, 17 June. To reach Mezado Ridge, the regiment had to advance past Kunishi through open ground swept by enemy fire. During the hours of daylight, the First Division, fighting on Kunishi and Mezado Ridge, was forced to use tanks to supply the front lines and evacuate the wounded. By moving before daylight the Twenty Second Marines had little difficulty in reaching positions from which to launch an attack to secure Mezado Ridge. After an intense preliminary artillery, naval gunfire, and aerial bombardment on Mezado Ridge, Hill 69 and Kuwanga Ridge, the First and Third Battalions attacked at 0730. The advance was slow and difficult due to increasing enemy resistance. With every weapon at his command the enemy brought fire to bear on the assault battalions. By late afternoon the attack had moved up on the western part of Mezado Ridge; the Third Battalion had captured the key high ground around Hill 69, and could see Kuwanga Ridge to the south.

Next morning, 18 June, the Twenty Second Marines continued the attack, passing the Second Battalion through the Third, which was left to mop up in its immediate area. Against heavy resistance the Second Battalion advanced to Kuwanga Ridge and by late afternoon had a firm hold on the ridge. While moving through the Mezado Area to inspect his regiment’s attack, Colonel H. C. Roberts, USMC, the Commanding Officer of the Twenty Second Marines, was shot through the heart by a sniper.

Although the Second Battalion had a foothold on Kuwanga Ridge, it could not hold the entire length of the ridge, some 1800 yards, and General Shepherd decided to move up a battalion of the Fourth Marines on the left in order to hold the ridge through the night. On the next day he could continue the attack to the south with a fresh regiment.

Early in the morning of 19 June, the Fourth Marines with the First and Third Battalions abreast, assaulted Ibaru Ridge and, after a brisk fight, had seized the ridge by noon. After a hasty reorganization on the ridge, the regiment attacked again, this time to capture the Kiyamu-Gusuku hill mass. Immediately upon leaving Ibaru the Fourth Marines ran into heavy enemy fire from mortars emplaced behind the hill mass and machine guns firing from concealed positions on it. Just before dark the regiment succeeded in gaining a small foot hold on the high plateau of the hill mass. During the afternoon the little island just offshore from Nagasuku was seized by a quickly assembled task force consisting of three amphibious tractors, two 37-mm. platoons and a War Dog platoon. In the brief action 20 Japanese soldiers were killed and 8 taken prisoner.

On 19 June the Sixth Marine Division committed two battalions of the Twenty Ninth Marines on the right of the Fourth Marines in preparation for a final assault to seize the 5000 square yards of ground remaining. Next day at 0700 both regiments attacked, the Twenty Ninth to drive to the coast, and the Fourth to complete the seizure of the Kiyamu-Gusuku Ridge. Against light opposition, the Twenty Ninth Marines advanced rapidly and reached the southern coast. Harassing long range fire from the regiment’s left caused few casualties. The enemy in this sector began to surrender. An LCI, equipped with a loud-speaker, moved along the coast calling to the remaining Japanese to give themselves up. Over 700 Japanese officers and men surrendered during the day.

Meanwhile over on the division’s left, the Fourth Marines were engaged in a bloody fight to secure Kiyamu-Gusuku Ridge. From their positions in the hill mass the Japanese resisted desperately with intense mortar and small arms fire. After a day of bitter fighting the Second Battalion captured Hill 80, the peak of the hill mass, but the remainder of the ground was still held by the enemy.

Resuming its attack on 21 June the Fourth Marines turned from frontal assaults and flanking attacks to a double envelopment from the rear. Early in the morning the two flank battalions sent companies around either extremity of the ridge and at 0800 struck the enemy’s rear in a coordinated attack. For two hours the enemy fought back bitterly but could not halt the assaulting Marines. With the fall of the Kiyamu-Gusuku Ridge all organized resistance in the Sixth Marine Division’s zone of action ceased.

During all but thirteen of the eighty two days that the Okinawa Campaign lasted, the Sixth Marine Division was committed and actively engaged. Credited to the division were 23,000 Japanese killed and over 3,500 captured. The division had captured over two thirds of Okinawa and had repeatedly fought the enemy on his own terms, and his own ground. During this operation the Sixth Marine Division had taken heavy losses; 400 officers and 7,822 enlisted men were either killed or wounded. In the drive from the Asa River to the Kokuba, the division had lost the equivalent of a regiment of men. Not included in the above figures are men lost due to non-battle casualties, sickness, or combat fatigue.