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Japanese
Weapons in the hands of the regt S-2 are released to Lt Cole for
instruction in their operation. Capt. Padgett with the aid of
silhouettes, give talk to bn instructing on friendly aircraft operating
in this area. They are: C-47, P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47, cubs, B-17, B-24,
B-25, A-20, A-26. All pers in the bn have had their teeth classed for
identification.* Lt. Col. Jones got in the jeep and took the driver off to
look for a flat area with 6 foot tall grass. There will be bn inspection
tomorrow and lecture by the CG 7th Australian Division. This
is the famed “we fought for you in
Greece and
Crete” outfit. To which our reply was “Fought hell, you ran for your
lives in
Greece and
Crete.” Which was not exactly true. For the operation, we will be
attached to the 7th Australian Division.
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*This is to assist the graves
registration people. |
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2
SEPTEMBER 1943
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The
503d Prcht Inf fell out on parade with full battle equipment, jump suits,
jump boots, helmets, covered with camouflage nets, special ammunition
pouches made especially for this outfit. We are inspected by Major
General Blamey. Gen. Blamey is tall, lean, lined faced, and speaks
more like an Englishman than an Australian. He said he was proud
to have us with him. He paused and appeared to be reading. The
503d will jump, take an airfield, clean the field and hold it for the
airborne landing of the 7th
Australian Div. Then the general waxes bitter against the Jap.
I have never seen a man in so high a position so bitter. “Kill them
all,” he said. Received a warning order that Gen McArthur might possibly
inspect tomorrow. |
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3
SEPTEMBER 1943
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At 1017 telephone call was received saying that General McArthur was in
the regimental area and that all men would put on coveralls. At 1019
General McArthur and party ambled alongside the CO S-3 tent wherein is the
famous sand table. And within were the Bn Cmdr, the Ex, S-3 and 4 Co
cmdrs. They smell him coming and came out as fast as possible for people
pretending to accidentally come out. Lt Richmond, the combination actg
S-4, asst S-3, and general duties officer had to edge all the way from the
CP tent, about 30 yds, but he made an admirable edge and arrived in time
to have his picture taken along with the aforementioned. General McArthur
is very publicity minded and always is accompanied by a corps of
photographers.
The regimental commander made it possible for each officer to have a
bottle of liquor. This caused much singing and heart to heart
conversations.
Shoe polish
was issued but none used. The jungle equipment was issued late today: 1
water proof clothes bag, 1 water proof match box, with compass, 1 jungle
flashlight extra bulb and battery, 1 tube of dermouflage (OD), 1 jungle
medical kit and two safety pins, water proof adhesive plaster 1” (5 yds),
1 iodine applicator, 5-1 inch adhes absorb compress (.7 yds), 8 tablets
Sulfadiazine, 5 gram sterile sulfanilamide powder, 1 can footpowder, 1
small plastic bottle of halazone tablets, 1 of atabrine, 2 of salt.
Ration K, D, are at Bn Hq awaiting distribution.
The Officers
of the Bn were taken to the sand table a company at a time. Co Cmdrs
gave parts of the field order. The Regtl order has not yet been issued.
Point of interests after LaVanchure had seen the table and heard the plan
he said, this is the identical plan I heard three weeks ago from Lt.
B-G-P*. Lt. C-U-T* 3rd Bn also knew and told a lot about
it. Some one trusted junior officers too far. Regtl moved in on B-G-P*
and the Regtl Surgeon layed the charge of insanity against him and Lt.
D-S-A* who were sent for observation last week only to be returned marked
“no disease”. The Regtl Surgeon Major Gall, known as the Iron Claw**
is known for rather questionable methods.
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*Name Omitted
**He proudly had that title painted on his ambulance at Gordonvale, Qld. |
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4
SEPTEMBER 1943
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Copy
of notes taken at Bn Cmdrs meeting of all officers 0900-1100. |
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1100 hr
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Regtl formation and Col. Kinsler announced that Cpl. Co D won the lottery
first jump after himself and about six hundred pounds Australian. Capt.
Mitchell won lottery, officers, and eighty pounds.
All day long a
platoon at a time was on the sand table and each soldier shown just what
was expected from him. About 1700 hr the Aust trucks began to roll up and
everybody said it must be trucks for the move down in the mule area except
that lot of soldiers turned up for chow in their jump suits and later in
the evening a jump master meeting in which the whole business was rehashed
and the newspapermen introduced all the way around and told we were
American Parachutist instead of allied parachutist like we were afraid the
papers would write us up.
Jumping with the 503d would
be a Section of 2/4th Artillery Battery under command of Lt Pearson,
members of the Australian 7th Division A.I.F. They would provide artillery
support with two "25 Pounders." The 33 men in the Section had two
days hasty Parachute Training prior to the big day, at which time 2 of the
originals were injured and ruled out. They were replaced on the day by two
that had not jumped at all. After hitting the Landing Zone, they had
one of their guns up and firing within 2 hours of the jump, a creditable
performance in the long kunai grass.
Those gunners
of the 7th Australian Division, A.I.F., didn't know then that they were
setting the pace for another Australian unit to join with the 503d, some
22 years later on another foreign airstrip when 1st R.A.R., whose lineal
history goes back to the 7th Australian Division, A.I.F., were to join
with the Sons of the 503d P.I.R. at Bien Hoa, Vietnam. |
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MISSION BRIEFING NOTES
BN COMMANDERS MEETING
0900-1100 4 SEPT 1943
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EXTRACT ONLY |
A.P.O.704 |
Headquarters, 2nd Bn
503d Parachute Infantry
4 September 1943
BRIEFING NOTES
Prelim: All officers and men restricted no localities mentioned by
name.
Mission: Take and secure by air an airport.
Info: Very little activity a few enemy known to be in area.
Patrol by 100-200 Japs daily to town (bn CP). 29 Aug 43 6 Japs
seen at town S of Bn CP town. Armed 30 cal LMG’s and rifles, large
number of enemy troops can be brought in from big town is miles up coast.
Est str Nip gar there: 6000 w/ aircraft,
Approaches: Half on road only passable except jeep.
3½ hrs to NE of Bn CP village.
River: one mile wide 20 ft. deep mire of trees,
grass 4 to 6 ft. Now is dry season wind SE to noon. Reverses
then velocity 6 to 8 miles time of Sunrise 0612, sunset 1812, except
village uninhabited take natives and sent to regt, shOot hostile ones, one
Co of native troop friends to NE of Bn CP, make every effort to take
prisoners, dead, require both hands fingers laced behind head shhot at any
move, destroy carbons of all messages, captured documents and material to
regtl S-2, no looting of dead or souveniring, passwords give slowly and
distinctly.
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No. |
Challenge |
Reply |
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1 |
Loger |
Label |
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2 |
Lively |
Filly |
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3 |
Railway |
Trolley |
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4 |
Lazy |
Lullaby |
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5 |
Lambs |
Wool |
(This in effect until new one ordered bu no.)
Bn rept hourly plus thirty to regt, no rept during
dark unless chg situation other extensive operations will be taking place
at samt time, our aerial base is 15 minutes up this river, support by 5th
AF, end of info.
Mission: 503rd Prcht Inf
jump 2 day H hour capture airdrome and village establish regtl line of res
on road to big town. Prepare airstrip at once, 2nd
Australian Pioneer Bn 5 miles down river and will move in when this
regt jumps.
Troops
engaged: This regt 2/4 Aust FA jump 2/2 Aust Co and attachments
Aust Div w/ 600 natives 2/4 ambulance, mission 1st Bn and Demo
less rifle platoon jump as shown commence preparation of landing strip
till held by 2/2 Eng, one Co protect native workers also unload planes,
1st Bn CP near Regtl CP, 2nd Bn plus demo jump as shown and capture CP
village and defend area N and NW. 3rd Bn less platoon, capture
village on shore of big river deny infiltration from big town, drop 22
dummies 10 miles down road, one platoon will jump to cover hump of
remainder of Bn, specific duties of certain officers, Capt. Caskey mark
out drone, Lt. Horner combat S-4, Lt. Buchanan captured transportation,
RHQ and Service will jump w/ 1st Bn, upon landing Aust ambulance aid
station to be brought to regt, Aust field artillery will jump w/ 1st Bn.
Prepare to fire mission on call, road to big town and RJ’s all around, Bn
will call for by No. Air support 54 TR CR wing will T this regt and
attached 3500. B-25 straff CP town 3 flights A-20 smoke as shown
(around edges of jump field) B-17 will bomb T 4 & 5, B-17 will be
available for 4 1/2 hrs, Kelly, Rambo, Cates will be liaison
officers w/ aircraft (will not jump). One sq P-39’s available on
call, 3 B-17’s for resupply 3 to 10 gliders loaded 2 supplies may be used
if necessary. C-47’s will be loaded at forward serial base.
Aerial diversion: 22 dummies 10 or 20 miles big town, camouflage
discipline to be strictly maintained, land mines and concertinas on call,
report location to regt after planting units will cause false front to be
established.
To Co E your no. one plane man Col. Kinsler, 2
lottery winner, 3 radio operator, 4 Col’s orderly, No. two plane Lt. Col.
Jones w/ bundle, nothing larger than location of platoon will be shown on
any map, recommendations for Honors will be made till called for.
Will be issued 24 trucks and 24 planes T spotted in front of Bn area, 7th
Div will convoy T to Wards Drome each truck to individual plane, issue
maps to EM then, not before. Planes take off approx flying time 1
1/2 - 2 1/2 hrs. Stand up on big river, jump master ask pilot to
give red stand up light at big river peel off and approach from SSW, trail
beyond woods Go! Entire Bn assemble in woods to SW E Co east F HQ D.
Jump field is high Kunai grass, maybe two to four feet, compass 225
degrees to assembly area, not under fire: Roll up chutes bring to
assembly area, also resupply bundles initial drop, 2 Co’s will have
orange, two yellow take off on leaving assembly area. Reason for
helmet markers assist in assembly, avoid straffing by own aircraft prep
ops: H minus one minute jump areas and surrounding villages will be
bombed, straffed and smoked H plus five to H plus twenty bomb shore and CP
village 4 B-25’s will fly around for one and one half hours to bomb on
call CO’s: Check personnel and rept on CP that you are moving out,
Co E w/ 1st section LMG’s Hq Co move out 1st take south trail to CP
village contact 1st Bn at shore, village, move to designated area, Co F w/
2nd sec LMg move E on coconut road take CP village and move to designated
defense area, Hq Com Mortars follow along coconut road, mortars move to
area (clearing) 1500 yds down coconut and to right E Bn Demo will
accompany mortars (81’s). Co D responsible for security of rear and
tracks to north of coconut road and then move to D area to NW of CP
village in wood, aid station, close to CP, resupply dropped in grass NW of
CP village.
Ex staff follow Co F, Co F move out fast as possibly
Lt. Col. Jones w/ Co F Col. Kinsler w/ Co E; caution: Possibility of
own troops shooting each other, use orange flags for identification of
patrols, in defense at night, booby trap trails, 81 mm’s move to area NE
of Bn CP for defence movement of forces in the dark a point of doubt.
Priority of fortifications, road blocks at obs and mines, fox
holes, auto, weapons, fields of fire, op’s camouflage, medical annex, Bn
surgeon rept location med. bundle Bn RSP casu’s evacuation by covered
route w/ each litter cases one medic casu repts each 6 hr period until H
plus 48 Bn casu repts each hr, no rept, no casu, jump casu evac assembly
area, name, rank, and ASN’s Co’s. Mosquito repellent before derm, 1
atabrine per day, chlorine all water, cemetery will be established, more
air support 4 1/2 hrs. of 4 B-25 over Bn area request to regt thereafter
four hours time required for aerial aid Bn furn plan for air support, call
by radio green blinking B-25, 450 rds 50 cal per gun, 12 fragmentation
bombs per 8 straffing mission 3, bombing friendly troops 300 yds no nearer
indicate front lines with orange and white panels. Plane 6 will
carry Courtney-London Times, plane 7 Mr Driver did which is dept of info
(Aust). Mr. Marian Aust B’casting Co none will jump.
Signal annex Co radio calls Hq is H at; D, Hello; E,
Henry; F, Hall; platoons add one two or three LMG Hat one and two Mortars
Hat. Dist of radios; 511-1 each rifle Co, 2 Bn CP, 536-5 each rifle
Co.
Details on net. Certain signals three blasts,
shot, and call out air, mechanized, or Prcht attack. Mass sections
will be ready to move forward on call leave 2 behind. Each Bn
prepare bundles, 12 blankets, 12 shelter halves w/ ropes and pins.
2nd Bn prepare 39 reserves will be worn, new morning report will taken w/o
unit designation, minus one day.
S-1 periodic daily rept due 0700 and 1700
S-2 “ “
“ “ hourly
S-3 “ “
“ “ 0700
s-4 “ “
“ “ 1700
Journal will be maintained to and include Co misc.
Ball and Chain chutes.
End of meeting.
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