S E C R E T

The amphibious landing was followed in two hours by another battalion of the parachute regiment dropping on the top of the Rock. These two battalions organized and formed a rough sort of perimeter but found themselves facing innumerable tunnels, caves and pillboxes all connected by a maze of tunnels and passage ways. One account states there were 45 such openings with 50 yds of the landing area. The Japs moving through their amazing network of tunnels began bobbing up from roles in the ground in small groups in, around and behind our forces so that fighting was continuous and without semblance of order. It became apparent to our forces that they were faced with an enemy superior in number and possessing the advantages of cover and familiarity with the ground. it was obvious that the Jap was attempting to organize a major counterattack and even more obvious that he must smashed before he could organize if our forces were to be victorious. Units and detachments of the paratroops were placed to cover each opening with fire, then groups worked up to the tunnel entrances throwing hard grenades and phosphorous grenades until flame throwers could be brought up.  In many cases arty pieces were moved up within a few yards of the entrances and blasted the tunnels with shells at point blank range. The demolition teams alongside the infantry and artillery worked feverishly to blast and seal the tunnel openings often working from above the entrances themselves. Several times our troops after hitting the tunnels with everything they had moved in close only to find the Japs had reoccupied the cave from adjoining caves by means of their network of passages. At BATTERY WHEELER Japs were detected coming out as late as eight days later.

Meanwhile the battalion of the 34th Inf found heavy going against resistance of the same character as was facing the troops on top of the Rock. However they accomplished their mission of securing MALINTA HILL and cutting the island forces in two. Constant vigilance was required by this outfit to detect and destroy several attempts by the enemy on the east end of the island from breaking through and making junction with the Japs on top of the Rock. Here too the ground was honeycombed with caves, tunnels and pillboxes and Japs came bouncing out of the ground like gophers.

Major General Charles P. Hall, Commanding General XL Corps, flying over the Rock during the initial air drops and visiting on the ground in the early stages of the fight ordered every facility of his command be placed at the disposal of the Rock Force Commander. The resulting close coordination between air-sea and ground forces is believed to be without parallel. '

At the end of the first day it was felt the SAN JOSE beachhead was secure enough to enable the 3rd Battalion of the 503rd to make an amphibious landing rather than the hazardous air drop as originally planned. * Accordingly the troops were flown to SAN MARCELENO drome, embarked in landing craft and placed on SAN JOSE beach B plus 1. The battalion on landing found itself under rifle and machine gun fire but quickly moved up the hill and joined the balance of the regiment.

S E C R E T

The 3rd Bn, 34th Inf was kept busy clearing the tunnels on MALINTA HILL and ambushing sizeable parties of Japs slipping out the entrances in an effort to escape to the east end of the island. On Topside, WHEELER POINT was cleaned out again and again only to find the Japs had reoccupied the caves and tunnels from underground. The Japs final effort in this area was on 23 Feb when an estimated 400 troops attacked in a desperate attempt to break out. In the bloody battle that followed most of the Japs met their end and the attack was destroyed.

On the 25th of Feb the 3rd Bn, 34th Inf were relieved bringing to them the end of some 5 months of continuous combat in LEYTE, the ZIGZAG PASS of BATAAN and CORREGIDOR. In their nine-days on the Rock they had accounted for 875 enemy dead, succeeded in splitting the Jap forces in two, and had held firmly to their uncomfortable positions atop an enemy powder magazine. The relieving force, 2nd Bn, 151st Inf fresh from their MARIVELES landing and the operations in the ZIGZAG PASS, were to prove equally as effective.

The parachute regiment in conjunction with the battalion of the 151st Inf began moving into positions on MALINTA HILL from which to launch an attack against the east end of the island. The Jap realizing our intentions made his last illfated attempt to destroy our forces in a BANZAI attack. 600 Japs were detected massing in the vicinity of INFANTRY POINT; intense arty and mortar fire was placed on the enemy but still he continued to advance. Heavy machine gun and rifle fire finally smashed the attack; the Japs retreated leaving 350 dead behind.

The attack toward the east end of the island progressed as planned with Japs being flushed from holes, caves, pillboxes, tunnels and trenches every inch of the way. The Japs seemed stunned by our continuous and coordinated air-naval and artillery bombardment and our infantry following closely on the preparations found no organized enemy resistance. On the morning of the 26th the Jap committed his final desperate action and set off the MONKEY POINT explosion. The blast, described as of the greatest intensity experienced, shook the entire island; a 30 ton tank was picked up bodily and hurled 50 yds completely demolishing it. 4 smaller explosions followed and a ravine was created where a hill had formerly existed. 196 American troops were killed or wounded in the blast and an unestimated number of Japs came to their end. Our forces, undeterred, continued their assault to the east.

Our troops quickly reached the east end of the island and by the afternoon of the 26th the entire island was secured and MANILA BAY was open. The enemy resisted to the very last, 6 Japs being killed on a rock at the extreme eastern point of the island.

The operation, not yet over, settled down to the search and destruction of bypassed enemy groups in holes and caves in the 200 foot cliffs along the shoreline of the island. Many Japs slipped into the water and tried to swim to BATAAN; they were strafed by our planes, picked up by PT boats, engineer supply boats or found American troops waiting for them on the shores of BATAAN peninsula.

S E C R E T

The 1st of March saw the entire Jap garrison of 4904 annihilated except for a few scattered enemy still cowering in unlocated caves.

Some uncertainty prevailed during entire operation on two phases of enemy activity: Why was there no apparent general coordinated defense plan? Why didn't the Japs blow the whole top off the Rock as PWs said they would?

The first can probably be answered by saying there was evidence of a general overall plan but the defenders were so security minded that only a very few knew of it. All others were assigned compartments and given fire plans for them only. PWs knew nothing of other stations than their own. An unknown paratroop landing in the midst of Japs in JAMES ravine performed a great act by exchanging his life for the life of Capt ITAGAKI, the Nip Defense Commander.* Perhaps too few others knew Capt ITAGAKI plan.

The second question can be answered by those on the Rock during the fight. They would undoubtedly say "The Nip certainly tried hard enough to blow the roof to kingdom come but it just didn't work out completely as he planned."

On 2 March the operation was officially closed when the Rock Force Commander, Colonel George M. Jones presented fortress CORREGIDOR to General Douglas MacArthur. The stars and stripes wore then raised to fly over the Rock.