TO:
COMMANDING GENERAL
EIGHTH ARMY
SUBJECT:
REPORT OF THE ON THE
PANAY-NEGROS AND CEBU
OPERATIONS
The absence of hostile
forces on the north coast
confirmed the earlier
indications that the
Japanese were concentrating
their troops in the hills of
the interior.
As the two regimental combat
teams of the 40th Division
neared
the Japanese Main line,
where last-ditch resistance
was expected, the 503d
Parachute Regimental Combat
Team, which had travelled by
air to Panay and then to
NEGROS by water in order to
join the 40th Division, was
committed. (The paratroopers
had been alerted previously
for a drop on the Alicante
Airfield in northern Negros,
but the withdrawal of the
Japanese from that area
obviated the plan.)
By 9 April our forces were
situated -- three regimental
combat teams abreast -- on a
line running generally from
a point 3,000 yards east of
Pilar to a point 1,000 yards
north of Calaptan with the
503d covering the north
flank, the 160th on the
south flank, and the 185th
in the center. All elements
were subjected to occasional
machine gun and mortar fire
from the enemy located to
the east.
The Attack on the Main
Japanese Defensive Line.
From this formation, the
coordinated attack to crack
the Japanese main line was
launched on the morning of 9
April. Preceded by air
strikes and intensive
artillery preparations, the
division pushed forward over
cultivated foothills that
were under observation from
the enemy held ranges to the
east.
Resistance increased with
every yard of advance,
confirming the intelligence
estimate that we were now
battling against the
Japanese main defenses. The
enemy supplemented his
arsenal of automatic weapons
in this area with machine
guns salvaged from wrecked
aircraft and fired from
improvised ground mounts.
Anti-aircraft guns were
commonly used against our
personnel.
By 15 April the division
held a five-mile front one
mile west of Negritos. The
enemy positions in the range
ahead were subjected to
heavy air strikes, and on
17-18 April the division
began an advance against
strong opposition all along
the front.
Repeated air strikes were
made as our troops climbed
ahead. As each enemy strong
point was located by our
riflemen, it was subjected
to a heavy shelling by
mortars, tanks, and
artillery; then the infantry
wou1d close in for the kill.
At night our artillery�s
interdicting and harassing
fire prevented the Japanese
from reorganizing as they
were driven back.
The defenders fought
vigorously and with
determination, exploiting
advantageous positions to
the fullest. Because the
Japanese postponed their
withdrawal from each
successive strong point to
the last moment, they were
forced to pull back
hurriedly and were
consequently compelled to
abandon much heavy
equipment.
As the Japanese were driven
back from their
well-prepared strong points,
their defense deteriorated
rapidly. Resistance
decreased as the enemy
sought to reach a rendezvous
area to the southeast in
which to regroup his
remaining forces.
Results of Operations in
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL to 9 May.
In his letter to Lieutenant
General Eichelberger dated 9
May 1945, the Commanding
General of the 40th Division
described the progress of
operations on Negros
Occidental as follows:
The mission of the 40th
Division in the NEGROS
Operation as prescribed in
Field Order No. 27,
Headquarters Eighth Army, 24
March 1945, has been
accomplished to the
following extent: The
BACOLOD-SILAY towns and
airfields have been secured
and the entire coastal plain
on NEGROS OCCIDENTAL freed
of the enemy; civil
government has been restored
to the limit practicable..,
He further reported that the
enemy losses to 9 May were
2,558 counted dead, and
5,100 (estimated) sick and
wounded.
The Japanese defensive
positions extending in depth
from BACOLOD-TALISAY-SILAY
to the LANTAWAN and PATIG
area had been captured and
the occupants routed.
Hundreds of tons of rations,
ammunition, and fuel had
been captured, destroyed, or
found destroyed. Material
captured included more than
200 vehicles, largely
destroyed, considerable
medical supplies and radio
equipment, and the following
weapons:
252 light, heavy, and
aircraft type machine guns.
89 mortars, mostly knee
mortars.
44 20mm and 25mm guns.
23 artillery pieces, ranging
from 27mm to 3-inch naval
guns.
As the division reached its
objective at the and of
April, it became evident
that the Japanese were
withdrawing to the southeast
to reorganize in the Hill
3355 sector. To meet this
maneuver, the 503d
Regimental Combat Team
(leaving one battalion to
protect the northern flank)
was shifted southward to the
division's right flank. Here
it was given the mission of
driving northeast to cut the
Japanese supply and
evacuation route, while the
185th and 160th Regimental
Teams attacked from the
north and west respectively.
This phase of the operation,
which began 15 May, required
our troops to fight uphill
through heavy rain forest
and steep mountains.
Temperatures dropped as the
Americans penetrated higher
and higher into the ranges,
and it was necessary to
issue field jackets to the
troops because of the cold.
Enemy organization appeared
to be disintegrating, and
resistance was less
determined. But this
breakdown in organization
was offset to some extent by
the better defensive terrain
in which the Japanese were
now operating. Hiding in the
hills, they were able to set
up well-camouflaged ambushes
at the top of steep ridges,
or around sharp turns on the
trail. To dig the enemy out,
our troops were compelled to
assault over difficult
terrain, often involving
steep climbs.
The enemy evacuation route
was cut on 26 May by the
juncture of the 503d and
185th Regimental Combat
Teams in the area southeast
of Hill 4055, while elements
of the 503d cleared Hill
3355. The 160th Infantry
overran Hill 3155, and from
these positions extensive
combat patrolling by the
division broke up remaining
enemy groups. With
approximately 7,500 enemy
dead or accounted for during
the operation, considerable
numbers of Japanese remained
scattered in the hills. But
their disorganization,
combined with shortages of
food, munitions and other
supplies, made them
incapable of any sustained
offensive operations. On 4
June, the Philippine Army
Forces of the 7th Military
District, under the control
of American Forces, took
over the pursuit of the
remaining Japanese.
Casualties.
When the Victor-1 Operation
was officially closed on 20
June, 7,525 Japanese had
been killed and 263 had been
captured. American
casualties were 381 dead,
1,063 wounded. |