02:00

"One Jap killed 50 yards outside "F" Company perimeter, at north end of drome.  Five Formosans captured near water hole outside "F" Company perimeter unarmed.  Documents were found in one footlockers in dug out by "F" Company patrol (78.3-55.8).  Position appears to have been a Co C.P.  Papers turned over to Regiment S-2."

17:00

"Rain has fallen heavily for a few hours daily, the past three days, and is retarding the burning of the heavy brush in the new area.  Jap 50 gal drums of gas are being used to expedite the burning.  Lt. Barry whip-lasher at new area says it will be ready in one day."

0900

"The boat has not arrived yet.  Improvement of new area will occupy the day.  E Co left Mandori yesterday, and will make the trip from Inasi to Namber today.  They are expected to arrive this P.M."

09:15

"Five Formosans surrendered at north end of strip."

13:00

"Captain Smith arrived with "E" Company.  Only two Japs contacted and killed.  "E" Company brought in one Formosan taken 11/2 mile out of Namber along Inasi track." 

17:00

"In compliance with a Reg’t order, all men not sleeping in foxholes tonight will have their Jungle Hammocks taken away and mosquito bar issued.  A hammock can be slept in if it is below surface of ground." 

Poor air-raid warning system necessitates this action.  Night before last the Jap plane was in on us before an alert was sounded.  Anti-personal Daisy-cutters were dropped by lone plane between 2nd Bn area and Reg’t Hq area.  No Casualties."

24:00

"P-G-I night fighters can be heard circling overhead, waiting to pounce on Midnight Cahrlie.  The weather is clear and moon comes up at 0100 hr.

Score:  Japs killed 247  Captured 54 mostly Formosans   Our losses 9 killed 15 wounded.”

"F" Company was located in the forest on the hill and was the forward element.  We took our jungle hammocks down at dawn and put them back up at dark.  Probably many others in the battalion did, too, but much of the battalion was in the open area along the east side of the strip and much more subject to air attack.

08:00

“Two of the prisoners who claimed to be Formosan, proved under questioning to be Japs.  No air raid last night. Moon is almost completely down and visibility is poor."

09:00

"Our boat with entire Regimental equipment has been delayed and is due to leave Hollandia today.  Lt. Meade with two platoons of D Company left Namber to attempt again the location of three killed 23 July.  Lt. Vandivor, Lt. Long, Sgt. Eubanks."

10:00

"E" Company is given another days rest while the remainder of able-bodied Bn personnel are working on new area.  The Bn is carrying a large sick call, occasioned by coral cuts becoming infected, Tropical Dermatitis and dysentery.” 

Our name for tropical dermatitis was jungle rot which was an appropriate name.

16:00

“G" Co has pinned down what is believed to be Colonel Shimusu and his main force in vicinity of hill 390 (84.5-52.5).  Tomorrow Co will send one LMG platoon to vicinity of Warsa to join and be attached to 1st Bn.  The 81 MM mortar platoon will also be attached to 1st Bn.  "F" Company will (move) out at 0800 hr. to relieve "I" Company at (83.5-54.5) and patrol area.  "I" Co will move S.E. to box Shimuzu from the north, with 1st Bn coming from South.  Shimuzu has always taken to the high ground in past encounters.  He is now attempting to withdraw to the S.E. and 1st Bn occupies or is patrolling all high ground in that area.  The 105’s of the 147 F.A. will put harassing fire on Shimuzu’s position all afternoon and night.  Tomorrow Heavy Artillery concentration will be fired followed by B-25 bombing and more artillery.  The units of the 3rd Bn will move in immediately after lifting of Artillery and mortar fire."

24:00

  "Marine Corps accounts of Japs caught in their chow line at Guadalcanal were taken with a grain of salt, but approximated that condition tonight.  Sgt. Hinehosa was filling his canteen at the kitchen when he noticed two men opening a box ration in the store room about twenty feet from the mess personal baking bread.  The men wore coveralls and jump-boots, and looked like a couple of hungry G.I.’s rumaging.  The men kept their faces turned away, but the Sgt was attracted by their caps.  Damned if you don’t look like Japs; he said.  Hinehosa saw their faces as the two started across the airstrip for the woods.  The night was pitch dark and Sgt. Hinehosa followed them with his flashlight, calling for a weapon.  When they reached the secondary growth across the strip a man brought up a carbine and Hinehosa killed them both.”

02:00

"Lt. Attmore, sleeping in "F" Company’s orderly room, woke up and noticed someone taking cigarettes, mess kit and other items.  Recognizing him as a Jap, Attmore added another to our score.  I believe a check of Co rosters and pay lines should be made.  The Japs have invaded all other precincts of our command.  Coming back to comparative peacefulness on Namber, after Inasi, the Bn has relaxed its vigilance but it will have to be renewed now.  The strip is 5000 ft. long, and is hard to outpost with the amount of men we have out on the latest pursuit of Shimuzu.  Japs in one or twos in our clothes are hard to spot.  One of the Japs filtering our kitchen, wore coveralls of Pvt. Yednick, Bn C.P. runner."
 

10:45

"A C-47 landed on strip, and nine men going to States on furlough.  All they had, were coveralls, jump-boots and musettes bag, but they would go in shorts if necessary.  Conflicting emotions assert themselves during the handshakes, goodbyes, etc.  The men left here wonder if they will ever leave for the States:  It has been 22 months since the 503d left Frisco, and none of the contingent has been rotated.  Men with Panama Service in 501st are being rotated, and there are quite a few left."
 

12:00

The artillery is still putting harassing fire on Jap positions.  Soon a  10 minute concentration will be laid down, following the 2 B-25’s bombing target area designated by 105 smoke shells, 5 minutes of Artillery and Mortar will follow bombing.  The B-25’s are heard overhead now.
 

16:30

"D" Co came in with bones of 4 men killed on 22 July.  Previous attempts to recover bodies had been unsuccessful.
 

16:45

3rd Bn killed a Jap N of Inasi, armed with one tommy-gun, of ours.  Serial No. proved it to be that of Pvt. Finsterwald, killed and missing for two weeks after heavy encounter with Japs.
 

17:00

This area has been cleared of enemy, and since it is within our perimeter, has not been patrolled lately.  More proof of Jap Cannibalism was found in a tin can in the dugout. Roasted fingers.  The extremely long fingernails indicated it was Japanese fingers.  There was also catsup, which our kitchen has missed, and prayer Book and toilet articles of Pvt. Webber, who is on "F" Co outpost.  Japs also had Aussie and Jap grenades.  The Nips sure believed to be close to their source of supply- our kitchen.  Midnight visitors to our latrines on that side of strip now carries weapons.

17:00

"F" Co dispositions were called in.  They are preparing to bivouac with Co C.P. at (84.3-52.5) with 2 Plat’s and 1 plat at (83.8-52.5).
 

19:00

"F" Co reports smoke 400 yds South of their position; believed to be enemy.  Darkness will be complete in 1/2 hour so will wait till morning to investigate.
 

20:00

Flash from Regiment:  "G" and "H" Companies moved in after Artillery barrage found numerous dead, over 30 rifles, in good shape abandoned.  One Jap bivouac had 66 helmets in it, and another place where over 100 had slept.  Discarded Jap equipment leaves a trail behind the unit.  3rs Bn point is at (88.4-52.1) moving on az. of 160 degrees.  Many of the Japs dead had flesh sliced from them.  Two "G" Co men lost in encounter yesterday, were found, arms and legs were gone and the upper parts of the body picked clean of flesh.  The Japs are really hungry.
 

In the vicinity of the company positions captured 11 Japanese and killed 5.

We had a show tonight, “They Got Me Covered.”  Two Japs were killed after they had been in our mess.  They evidently were living on the west side of the runway in the brush near the sea.  In a few instances Jap soldiers tried to pass themselves off as laborers.  I suppose they thought we would treat them kinder,  which was correct.

An "F" Co patrol found spot where 2 Japs had bivouaced at position of smoke last night.  They had already left.

"F" Co. will stay out in vicinity of present position til this particular operation is over.  They have rations to go thru breakfast tomorrow, and will be resupplied tomorrow morning.” 

At time we wondered if even the lower headquarters such as battalion knew a war was going on.  They certainly did not know the situation with the lines companies in the field.

"Score: Japs killed 250, Captured 54 mostly Formosans Our losses 9 killed 15 wounded."

"E" Co is assuming "F" Co’s perimeter.

Latest development indicating Namber Drome will base some Air Force units, and it (is) doubtful if (we) will occupy area cleared for the Bn.  First information had Namber being used as an emergency strip, with no permanent Air Force installations.

Regiment S-3 called for one 2nd Bn plat. to patrol trail leading East from Reg’t C.P.  There are possibilities of Shimuzu’s Force slipping thru ring encircling him.

F Co patrol killed 3 Japs, stragglers, 1000 yds S. of Co C.P.  Shimuzu force is in vicinity of (87.2-50.5).  The country is of roughest type, Coral caves, hills, heavy jungle.  An E Co platoon pinned down in similar terrain for 16 hrs, counted 20 dead Japs immediately surrounding their area after Jap force withdrew next morning, but could only see a few during actual engagement.  Many Japs recently killed had human flesh in their packs.

No change.  Due to many enemy capabilities extreme vigilance will be maintained by Bn perimeter till latest phase is cleared up.

 Lt. Charlie Attmore killed a Jap in his “tent”.  He had a pup tent, two shelter halves, strung up in the trees by his jungle hammock.  About 0330 he woke up and saw a Jap going through his musette bag looking for food.  He eased out of his hammock and got him.

We moved out at 0830 and got to Hill 390 at 1015 without incident.  "I" Company is occupying the hills, 390 and 395, now, but they were out on patrol.  The Japs have disappeared.  After all the encounters in the Ridge 200 area they left.  It is thought they have gone to the southern part of the island.  Patrols are out everywhere.  We hear the Japs have turned to cannibalism for food.  Cut up bodies have been found.  Jap billy can have been found which contain suspected human flesh.  “The Return to Corregidor” has a picture of two dead bodies which clearly were butchered.

We left Namber Drome without rations.  This was a supply foul up to go with the many, many of this campaign.  Our logistics personnel (S-4) never seemed to have any idea of what the operations (S-3) was doing.  They told is we would be stopped at Hill 390 for some time and rations would be sent by boon train.  Bear in mind we had left from our rear supply base in Namber.  Actually the boon train did arrive at the hill near noon—with "I" Company’s rations.  No one had mentioned extra rations to the train commander.  We received orders to move out on the south trail to locate another Hill 395.  The Japs were reportedly dug in here.  We took "I" Company’s rations and moved out.  Since they would not get more rations until the next day I expect they said some unkind things about us.  The few men from "I" Company who were at the position were sure not happy, but might is right.  We knew we would probably see no more rations for several days.  We were going into deep forest and would probably go all the way to the southern coast which would probably be several days in duration.  How true this intuition was.

Our company moved south on the north-south trail up and down steep coral hills on the well defined trail for probably a mile.  With all the ups and downs the distance seemed greater.  We set up a defensive perimeter for the night with no water supply.  From experience we knew there would be none.  The area abounded with wild pigs.  They really put on a show that night.  Add in the rats, lizards, and other animals and it was a bedlam of noise.  Richard Lampman and I were defensive partners.  He balked at staying with his former partner.  On one occasion this man had become excited during the night and slashed his poncho to ribbons with his bayonet.  I believe this may have happened back at Hollandia, but the men were uneasy with him, so I put him in the interior with platoon headquarters.  Such occasions were rare.  Our unit was very cool and steady.