7-13 January 1945

JANUARY 1945
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
31	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31	1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10

7 - 13 JANUARY 1945

7 January 1945


	"Company remained on perimeter. No enemy activity was encountered."

8 January 1945


2000 hr	"Nothing of importance since Jan 4th." A P-47 pilot, just returned from flying top cover over the Sulu Sea reports two giganic convoys not far from San Jose, with an escort of innumerable carriers, cruise destroyers, mine sweepers and every other protection the United States Navy can affor troops entrusted to its care. The invasion of Luzon can only be a couple of days awa the conflict that will determine the entire war in the Pacific. It has been a long w from Port Moresby and Northern Australia, the first combat areas entered by the 503d, the culmination of the grueling south Pacific drive seems to loom ahead.
0800	Only 3 planes invaded the sanctity of our perimeter last night, inflicting slight damage. The bulk of Jap attackers must have been after the approaching convoy

	"Company remained on perimeter. No enemy activity was encountered."

9 January 1945


0800	Nothing of any importance occurred since yesterday, within the San Jose area. Two short raids were the only offensive action against our perimeter. The large scale invasion of Luzon will come soon after dawn this morning, and will equal the invasion of France in intensity and scope. Every combat plane on our San Jose and Hill Strips are up on Luzon to support the landing. The 503d RCT parachutes are due here shortly, and would make us readily available for any support mission on Luzon. In an emergency our chutes could be flown from Leyte, our rear base. The Jap invasion threat of our beachhead seem definitely nullified by the large scale action starting this morning on Luzon. However, San Jose being the main source of air support for the M-1 operation, the Nips may resort to attack, as they have down on Moratoi, much to our chagrin and discomfort. The 2nd Bn daily sends patrols up into the Lumintap River area, and environs, but no contact has been established with enemy purportedly landed in that direction the day after Christmas, when Jap Task Force shelled our area.
1000	The platoon of F Company (third platoon) guarding San Jose strip against parachutist attack has been relieved by C Company, and it will revert to Bn reserve. The disposition of the 2nd Bn has Hq, D and E in defense perimeter along the Bugsanga bank, 2 platoons of F Company as Task Force local protection (as said before this force was the 1st, 2nd, and 4th platoons making a total of three platoons- two rifle and one mortar platoon), and remainder of F Company at (84.8-05.7) as Bn reserve. Bn C.P. is at (86.35-07.13), about 500 yards northwest of Regimental C.P.


	"Company remained on perimeter. No enemy activity was encountered."

10 January 1945

0800

Maj. Caskey designated company areas to company commanders, of our new camp site, that will be erected approximately 2 miles northwest of San Jose. Work will start immediately, burning the grass, and staking off company streets.

Because of our many RCT and Task Force details, plus perimeter maintenance, the work must progress slowly..

A very welcome innovation for the Regiment is company kitchens.

"Company remained on perimeter. No enemy activity was encountered."

12 January 1945

1000 hr

"1000 hr 12 Jan Our Mindoro perimeter has not had a Jap plane over it during the past four days. The invasion of Luzon has claimed the attention of the rapidly dwindling Nip Air Force in the Philippines.

An example of the Konge suicide group organized in Jap Air Force units, was encountered at Lingayen Gulf yesterday! A Jap pilot, shot down while attempting a suicide run, was found to be garbed in a black ceremonial robe, with good luck charms around his neck, and his feet manacled to the control pedals. The gas tank was practically empty, indicating all precautions had been taken to insure the pilot would not reconsider his intentions.

Jap prisoners say the majority of suicide pilots are just designated by a superior and the airmen look on the practice with disfavor. I wonder why?

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