"GROWING UP OVERNIGHT -
THE NEGROS CAMPAIGN"
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Charles R. Stribling*
"D" Co., 2d Bn, 503 PRCT
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The Negros
campaign was one of the last major operations in the recapture of the Philippine
Islands. It had no real military or tactical value -- other than it was an
island where thousands of Japanese troops had been staged, airfields built, and
troops dispatched to the other islands from the excellent harbors that the
Island boasted. The Island was one of the last places where the Japanese held
out, and it was probably more a matter of principal that the Island be
recaptured -- rather than bypassed in favor of more important targets.
At any rate,
we were alerted of a possible jump into the center of the Island. We geared up
and boarded planes on April 7, 1945.
Enroute to the
drop zone, the jump was called off and we landed instead on a neighboring island
and boarded boats (Navy Landing Craft, Infantry, (LCI's), for the landing on
Negros. As it happened, the landing was unopposed for the Japanese had pulled
back to defensive positions in the mountains. The actual landing stays in my
mind quite clearly, mainly because we had pulled up to the beach expecting to be
met with Japanese fire and instead, we were met with a Filipino band playing
welcoming music for us. I particularly recall them playing a spirited rendition
of "Amapola" over and over, and I thought, "Now this is the way to hit a
beach!" I do recall one incident quite clearly though. An elderly Filipino
gentleman dressed in full military dress uniform - pinks and greens, was
standing at rigid attention as we landed. He was a Captain as I recall, and I
wondered at the time why one of our officers didn't go up to him and greets
him. In retrospect though, I suppose his day was made and his career complete
when the first trooper splashed ashore to regain his home Island. We bedded down
that night in the town square, and the townspeople held a dance in honor of the
occasion.
We moved
by motor convoy from the beach several miles and into the hills. We
pulled patrols for the first few days without making physical contact
with any enemy. We did receive several rounds of enemy artillery fire
that wounded one or more men slightly. We moved up and replaced another
company on the front line.
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