|
a. SUMMARY OF ENEMY ACTION:
The estimated
enemy strength on “D” day was nineteen hundred and thirty three (1933)
officers and enlisted men, commanded by Colonel SHIMUZU. The garrison
of Noemfoor was divided into two separate forces. The MORI force
commanded by Major MORI and the SHIMUZU force commanded directly by the
Garrison Commander, COLONEL SHIMUZU. The enemies tactics throughout the
operation seemed to be a delaying action and to prolong their resistance
as long as possible. The enemy had only a very feeble air support
carried on by light bombers in night time operation. The enemy had no
naval or artillery support during the operation. There was no use of
chemicals attempted.
b. ENEMY CASUALTIES :
Enemy casualties
for the period by this unit were one thousand and eighty seven (1087)
killed in action, eighty two prisoners of war, three hundred and twelve
(312) FORMOSANS captured and nine (9) JAVANESE liberated.
c. MORALE OF ENEMY:
The morale of
the enemy was high during the first half of the operation but
translation of captured documents and interrogation of prisoners of war
indicated a sharp decline to a very poor morale during the last half of
the operation.
d. ENEMY SUPPLY AND
EQUIPMENT :
The enemy’s equipment
remained in fair condition during the operation but supplies were only
what could be carried by the individuals and what could be stolen from
the natives. All transportation was abandoned by the enemy at the
beginning of the operation. A total of two hundred and eighty five
(285) rifles, thirty three (33) carbines, nine (9) light machine guns,
five (5) heavy machine guns, eleven mortars, nineteen(19) pistols, and
fifty (50) sabers were captured. Six hundred and forty one (641)
rifles, three light machine guns, four (4) pistols and one heavy machine
gun were destroyed.
e. ENEMY’S KNOWLEDGE OF OUR
SITUATION:
The enemy
Commander demonstrated from the first that he realizes defeat was
inevitable due to superior numbers and fire power of our troops. A
503rd Parachute Infantry “Prearranged Message Code” was lost on the 19th
July by runner. The situation was immediately remedied by the
publication of a new message code.
f. WEATHER :
The weather was
generally clear with frequent tropical showers. Visibility remained
good during the whole operation.
g. MAPS :
Maps used were
Special Map NOEMFOOR, scale 1/20,000, Special Map NOEMFOOR ISLAND, scale
1/63,000. Overlays; see enclosure.”
The writer
states “frequent tropical showers” does not use the same terminology as
some of us who called these torrential tropical rains. During such
periods visibility was poor.
|
