06:45

"Take off for Biak Is."

08:00

"Passed over Wadke Is. and Gelvink Bay."

0845

"Landed at Biak.  The Japs were 300 yds. from Strip.  P-40’s bombed and strafed their positions.  One P-40 was knocked down by a Jap Dual Purpose Gun while we awaited designation of bivouac area.  We are still attached to 24th Div."

0930 

"The bivouac is two miles from Mokmer Drome, where we landed.  Only two trucks are available and they will shuttle barracks bags while the personnel walk.”  "F" Company was lucky when they arrived the day before.  They rode to the bivouac area."

1400 

"Biak is 100% coral and the hammocks sure came in andy.  We are bivouacked along the final protective line of unit holding area above jetty."

1600 

"2nd Bn and attached units will spend the night on Biak and tomorrow take LCI’s to Noemfoor Is.  where the rest of the regiment is now stationed.

We are grateful for the manner in which the 24th Div. arranged our bivouac area, rations and water supply.  "

As a bastard regiment we usually had to fight for everything we ever received, and it is heartening to see a unit interested in our welfare.

"D" Co. History:

8 July 44

"Co. broke camp and moved via truck to airport."

"Enplaned 0600 hr at Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea.  Arrived at Biak Island 0830 hr.  Marched 2 miles to bivouac."

""E"  Company left Cyclops Drome (Hollandia) by air 0754hr and landed on Biak 0954 hr."

The "F" Company History is brief and inaccurate in that it states the company left Hollandia for Biak 4 July.

Eating field rations.  It rained early.  About 0930 everyone headed for the cliffs.  Ball, Marion Boone, Richard Lampman, Brown, and I climbed to the tops of the cliffs and went into the rain forest heading north following a well used trail. Climbing up the cliffs after we left the caves three back soldiers joined us.  They were members of a signal company.  The trees were of the 150 feet variety.  The mountain was coral.  The tree roots would be 3-4 feet above the ground where they joined the tree trunks.  The roots would radiate out in every direction putting out feeder roots in every pocket of soil in the coral.  Jagged coral was exposed in abundance.  The undergrowth was heavy.  it was cleared in a few places where trails led to a few trees.  Ladders had been attached to these trees leading up to platforms high up near the top of the trees.  The Japs had built these observation platforms to watch the sea.

The trail began a deep descent to the north.  After walking 400-500 yards we emerged into the open.  The descent of the trail leveled out and became a gradual descent.  This side of Biak was arid.  There was little grass, just scattered clumps, and scrubby trees 15-20 feet tall.  The trees resembled mesquite trees.  The trail was well worn, and there were signs that a lot of action had taken place along it.  Sound and power wire was still strung along the side of the trail.  Spent brass cartridges were everywhere.  The empties made it easy to spot the locations of the automatic weapons - or rather where they had been located. Bloody compress bandages were scattered and even some U.S. equipment such as helmets were abandoned.  We were sure that our front lines lay up ahead somewhere.

Brown picked up a good carbine.  These Jap carbines were rare.  When we left this morning I had my pistol.  None of the others carried a weapon.  The 3 black soldiers had a TSMG and two M1 carbines.  After we got started one of them told me that they had not fired these weapons and asked if it would not be better if some of us carried them.  Our group took the weapons offered and felt much more secure.

The trail intersected a well traveled two lane coral-surfaced road.  We turned left, west, and followed the road.  After traveling possibly a half mile we approached a low knoll covered with heavy bush.  The land was completely clear of brush for some distance around the knoll, but this was not particularly noticeable because of the scarcity of brush in this region.  As we neared the knoll we heard a click and immediately froze.  Peering closely into the bush we made out a brass round plate.  The truth suddenly dawned that we were looking at the business end of a water cooled 30 caliber machine gun. 

A voice came out of the brush demanding to know who we were and what we were doing there.  After we answered promptly and told them what they wanted to know they led us inside their fort.  The walls were built of rocks several feet high and quite thick.  What appeared to be a knoll was actually brush and small trees laid overhead forming an arbor.  The fort was defended by a rifle company reinforced by a heavy machine gun platoon.  They thought we had lost our minds.  There were many Japs in the area.  The captain commanding wanted us to spend the night and wait for two tanks coming in with supplies the next day.  We felt sure the rest of the battalion was in by now and knew that we were scheduled to leave Biak the next morning.  Colonel Britten would not take it too kindly if we were not there.  We thanked the captain and left,  anxious to get back to our home on the rocky knoll.  We retraced our steps very quietly and very rapidly. 

As we approached the forest again we began to breathe easier.  In fact we were actually breathing harder because of the gradual ascent toward the cliffs, our rapid pace, and the hot sun we were winded.  We noticed several P-40’s strafing and bombing the ridge a few miles east.  An L-5 liaison plane was flying around spotting for them.  He flew our way and then turned back.  We were almost to the rain forest when we saw a P-40 head our way.  Exhausted as we were we ran for the cover of the forest and upon reaching this cover dropped down to rest.  The P-40 zoomed over and a loud boom and concussion followed.  He had dropped a bomb about 40-50 yards in front of us of where we would have been had we not stopped. 

After being mistaken by our own troops for Japs we were really ready to get back, but we stayed in a crater until we were sure no planes were around.  We went over the ridge, down the cliffs, and back to our area.  As we neared our area one of the black soldiers asked Ball and me if we would come take “scarf” with them.  We politely declined saying their commander might not appreciate uninvited guests coming in for dinner. 

Soon he was back with an invitation from his company commander to eat with them.  We accepted and enjoyed a family style served meal at a table under a mess tent.  This was a signal company and they had an area walled off by canvas where they showed movies.  We saw the movie, “Stage Door Canteen.”

After we returned that night we learned that three "F" Company men who were unarmed ran into three Japs in a cave.  The Japs were armed.  Pvt. Robert Hobbs was hit in the leg and for his foolishness got a Purple Heart.  When foolish stunts are rated ours would top the list.

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07:00

“Four LCI’s will dock at jetty 300 yds from our bivouac area at 16:00 hr today.  There will be one company per LCI, plus 1/4 of ammo and rations, and a breakdown of 1st Bn Hq., 3rd Bn Hq and some Serv Co. personnel."

10:00 

"The 3 trucks supplied to the Bn. by the 24th Div. started shuttling the Bn. to the jetty, complete with barracks bags and extra impedimenta."

14:00

"Entire Bn at jetty awaiting LCI’s which are now off shore, to come in at 16:00 hr."

16:00

"Two LCI’s beached at jetty for Hq & "D" Co’s.  Each Co. lined up its men without barracks bags and had them load ammo on LCI’s up one gangway and down the other.  The Lt. Commander in charge of the 4 LCI’s said it was the quickest and most orderly manner in which his ships had ever been loaded."

17:00

""E" & "F" Co’s LCI’s beached and were loaded."

18:00

"Our 4 LCI’s pulled out into the harbor to join convoy for Noemfoor. It has Liberty Ships accompanying plus 8 destroyers."

19:00

"There is a bunk for every man on the LCI:  an average of 195 per craft."

“Co. boarded LCI 1700 hr. at Biak, Dutch New Guinea.  Sailed 1500 hr.  Destination Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea.” 

Must have sailed backwards.

 “2nd Bn departed Biak Island on four LCI’s."

 “Landed with strength of 9 Officers and 120 enlisted men.""

"10-in-1 rations for breakfast.  Moved to the beach about noon.   The entire Bn was massed there all afternoon.  What a target we would have made for Jap mortars and artillery sitting upon the ridge.  At 1600 the LCI’s moved in to load us.  We had to move everything across one LCI and to the outboard boat loading two at the time.  The big, slow job was loading the ammunition.  "F" Co’s LCI was the last one to load.  The convoy was scheduled to leave at 1700.  In order to meet the schedule we had to leave quiet a bit of mortar ammunition behind.  As events turned out this was the best type of ammunition to leave.  Those little craft were ships to us.  Even though they were small and crowded they were Navy clean.  Field rations had to be eaten, because there was no mess facility for anyone other than the crew."

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 07:30

"Sighted Noemfoor Island and entered harbor.  lt. Col. Jones, Regt’l. C.O., met the 2nd Bn in the harbor.  The LCI’s can’t come close to shore because of coral reefs.  All our ammo and rations will be shuttled down to shore by Higgins Boats."

11:00

"All ammo and rations unloaded onto Higgins Boats off Kamiri Drome."

14:00

"Convoy of 4 LCI’s sailed south from Kamiri in direction of Namber Drome."

15:00

"LCI’s beached at jetty in Roemboi Bay (78.5-53.5) on Provisional Map.  Map Appended Noemfoor Island 1/63, 360.  This map will be referred to in Noemfoor operations and is appended.  Because of coral shelves, the LCI’s could not come within 100 yds. of the jetty which extends 1/4 mile from shore.  The troops carried their barracks bags ashore on the first trip thru chest deep water and came back for personal equipment."

17:00

"After carrying all equipment 1/4 mile along the jetty, the Bn proceeded  to carry all equipment to bivouac area, 500 yards from shore, in revetment area of Namber Drome at (79.5-54.1) of Noemfoor Is., Provisional Map:  This section had been subjected to nightly bombing and strafing, so Bn. will dig in."

17:00

"Tomorrow 2nd Bn will move out of Namber Revetment Area on a combat mission.  Four tents will be pitched in this area and barracks bags, A-5 containers and heavy equipment stored.  Before moving out tomorrow, each man will be issued 2 days rations “K”.  Resupply is a bit uncertain. 

Resupply will be effected in the following manner:  Lt. Powell, Bn Supply Officer, will remain at this rear base and procure rations, ammo and all equipment needed by unit.  Requests will be phoned and radioed back from Bn. on combat mission, as needs arise.  Lt. Powell will be responsible for supplies being forwarded to village (83.2-54.3) from which point, assistant supply O, Lt. Jackimiak, will be responsible for getting supplies to combat echelon.  To accomplish this, supply officer will have as carrying personnel, the mess section of 2nd Bn, about 5 3rd Bn mess men, and Sgt. Mitchell of Regt’l Hq with 25 native carriers."

19:00

"Here is Bn mission: Proceed from present position at (79.5-54,1), to Mandori (96.0-56.4), and meet up with a Bn of 158th Inf. that is proceeding there along coastal track from this area.  The 2nd Bn. route will north along Namber Drome to Namber Village.  From there a trail leads east to Mandori, by way of Inasi and Doeai.  The 158th is going along coastal track from Namber Drome, south to Warsa, and continuing along coastal track to Mandori.

Intelligence for area to be covered from Inasi to Mandori and south to bottom of Noemfoor at Warsa.  There are an estimated 500 Japs.  The trails north on Namber-Mandori Trail have been cleared, but not below, or the trail itself.  The Japs are reported withdrawing north of Mandori, in the direction of Cape Insomeken.  After meeting up with 2nd Bn. of the 158th Inf. at Mandori, the two Bn’s will thoroughly patrol the area.

Each Co. has been given a Provisional map of Noemfoor Is., 1/63, 360 and seven sheets covering Is. in subsection of 1/20,000 scale.

The order of march will be "F", "D" Hq, and "E" Co’s.  Lt. Phelan’s 3d Bn men and himself are attached to "E" Company.  Breakfast will be at 07:00 hr.  Equipment to be carried by all personnel participating in mission:  full combat equipment including musette bag with poncho, 2 days rations and extra clothes, toilet articles, etc.  Mission is expected to take 7 to 10 days."

“Debarked at Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea 1600 hr.  Bivouacked for night.”

"2nd Bn disembarked at Namber Drome, Noemfoor Island.  Drome was captured intact and it appeared to be a good coral runway about five thousand feet long."

"At dawn we were lying outside the bay on the northwest corner of Noemfoor Island.  Everything was quiet lying at anchor.  The ship’s galley served coffee.  We had no rations.  Guess what?  All the rations were on Jim Meade’s "D" Company LCI.  Talk about deserving a swift kick in the pants." 

"Finally the LCI’s moved down the coast to the jetty at Namber Village.  The airfield was just inland here.  This was Japs’ Namber Drome."

(In normal parlance, GI's spoke of the Japanese as having  'dromes, whilst US facilities were described as strips). 

"About 1630 our LCI moved up to a jetty, and we struggled ashore with our barracks bags doing some wading in the process.  We moved to the strip and along the hills to the northeast digging in a defensive perimeter for the night.  This was a long walk.  We were carrying full field equipment, all our combat gear and ammunition, and our barracks bags.  The area was desolate.  It had been heavily shelled and there were many craters.  We dug slit trenches for protection mainly from air raids.  We could look down on the long coral strip.  Battalion Headquarters was set up along the strip in an area of airplane revetments.  Late in the afternoon 10-in-1 Rations were issued.  As stated before because of the snafu this was our first rations for the day."

"We sat on the beach all day at Biak waiting to load.  When the time came it was a very unorganized, hurried job.  It rained heavy during the night filling our slit trenches with water and causing us to spend a miserable night.  Lying on the ground wrapped up in a poncho did not keep us dry.  The water slipped in, and soon we were soaked.  There were no air raids."

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