Headquarters
503d Parachute Infantry
4 Sept. 1943

 BRIEFING NOTES

Prelim: All officers and men restricted no localities mentioned by name.  Mission:  Take and secure by air an airport. 

Info:  Very little activity a few enemy known to be in area.  Patrol by 100-200 Japs daily to town (Bn CP).  29 Aug 43  6 Japs seen at town S of Bn CP town.  Armed 30 cal LMG’s and rifles, large number of enemy troops can be brought in from big town is miles up coast.  Est str Nip gar there:  6000 w/ aircraft, 

Approaches: Half on road only passable except jeep.  3½ hrs to NE of Bn CP village. 

River:  one mile wide 20 ft. deep mire of trees, grass 4 to 6 ft.  Now is dry season wind SE to noon.  Reverses then velocity 6 to 8 miles time of Sunrise 0612, sunset 1812, except village uninhabited take natives and sent to regt, shOot hostile ones, one Co of native troop friends to NE of Bn CP, make every effort to take prisoners, dead, require both hands fingers laced behind head shhot at any move, destroy carbons of all messages, captured documents and material to regtl S-2, no looting of dead or souveniring, passwords give slowly and distinctly.

 

 (This in effect until new one ordered bu no.)

   Bn rept hourly plus thirty to regt, no rept during dark unless chg situation other extensive operations will be taking place at samt time, our aerial base is 15 minutes up this river, support by 5th AF, end of info.

   Mission:  503rd Prcht Inf jump 2 day H hour capture airdrome and village establish regtl line of res on road to big town.  Prepare airstrip at once, 2nd Australian Pioneer  Bn 5 miles down river and will move in when this regt jumps. 

   Troops engaged:  This regt 2/4 Aust FA jump 2/2 Aust Co and attachments Aust Div w/ 600 natives 2/4 ambulance, mission 1st Bn and Demo less rifle platoon jump as shown commence preparation of landing strip till held by 2/2 Eng, one Co protect native workers also unload planes, 1st Bn CP near Regtl CP, 2nd Bn plus demo jump as shown and capture CP village and defend area N and NW.  3rd Bn less platoon, capture village on shore of big river deny infiltration from big town, drop 22 dummies 10 miles down road, one platoon will jump to cover hump of remainder of Bn, specific duties of certain officers, Capt. Caskey mark out drone, Lt. Horner combat S-4, Lt. Buchanan captured transportation, RHQ and Service will jump w/ 1st Bn, upon landing  Aust ambulance aid station to be brought to regt, Aust field artillery will jump w/ 1st Bn.  Prepare to fire mission on call, road to big town and RJ’s all around, Bn will call for by No. Air support 54 TR CR wing will T this regt and attached 3500.  B-25 straff CP town 3 flights A-20 smoke as shown (around edges of jump field) B-17 will bomb T 4 & 5, B-17 will be available for 4 1/2  hrs, Kelly, Rambo, Cates will be liaison officers w/ aircraft (will not jump).  One sq P-39’s available on call, 3 B-17’s for resupply 3 to 10 gliders loaded 2 supplies may be used if necessary.  C-47’s will be loaded at forward serial base.  Aerial diversion:  22 dummies 10 or 20 miles big town, camouflage discipline to be strictly maintained, land mines and concertinas on call, report location to regt after planting units will cause false front to be established.

    To Co E your no. one plane man Col. Kinsler, 2 lottery winner, 3 radio operator, 4 Col’s orderly, No. two plane Lt. Col. Jones w/ bundle, nothing larger than location of platoon will be shown on any map, recommendations for Honors will be made till called for.  Will be issued 24 trucks and 24 planes T spotted in front of Bn area, 7th Div will convoy T to Wards Drome each truck to individual plane, issue maps to EM then, not before.  Planes take off approx flying time 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hrs.  Stand up on big river, jump master ask pilot to give red stand up light at big river peel off and approach from SSW, trail beyond woods Go!  Entire Bn assemble in woods to SW E Co east F HQ D.  Jump field is high Kunai grass, maybe two to four feet, compass 225 degrees to assembly area, not under fire:  Roll up chutes bring to assembly area, also resupply bundles initial drop, 2 Co’s will have orange, two yellow take off on leaving assembly area.  Reason for helmet markers assist in assembly, avoid straffing by own aircraft prep ops:  H minus one minute jump areas and surrounding villages will be bombed, straffed and smoked H plus five to H plus twenty bomb shore and CP village 4 B-25’s will fly around for one and one half hours to bomb on call CO’s:  Check personnel and rept on CP that you are moving out, Co E w/ 1st section LMG’s Hq Co move out 1st take south trail to CP village contact 1st Bn at shore, village, move to designated area, Co F w/ 2nd sec LMg move E on coconut road take CP village and move to designated defense area, Hq Com Mortars follow along coconut road, mortars move to area (clearing) 1500 yds down coconut and to right E Bn Demo will accompany mortars (81’s).  Co D responsible for security of rear and tracks to north of coconut road and then move to D area to NW of CP village in wood, aid station, close to CP, resupply dropped in grass NW of CP village.village.village.

   Ex staff follow Co F, Co F move out fast as possibly Lt. Col. Jones w/ Co F Col. Kinsler w/ Co E; caution:  Possibility of own troops shooting each other, use orange flags for identification of patrols, in defense at night, booby trap trails, 81 mm’s move to area NE of Bn CP for defence movement of forces in the dark a point of doubt.

   Priority of fortifications, road blocks at obs and mines, fox holes, auto, weapons, fields of fire, op’s camouflage, medical annex, Bn surgeon rept location med. bundle Bn RSP casu’s evacuation by covered route w/ each litter cases one medic casu repts each 6 hr period until H plus 48 Bn casu repts each hr, no rept, no casu, jump casu evac assembly area, name, rank, and ASN’s Co’s.  Mosquito repellent before derm, 1 atabrine per day, chlorine all water, cemetery will be established, more air support 4 1/2 hrs. of 4 B-25 over Bn area request to regt thereafter four hours time required for aerial aid Bn furn plan for air support, call by radio green blinking B-25, 450 rds 50 cal per gun, 12 fragmentation bombs per 8 straffing mission 3, bombing friendly troops 300 yds no nearer indicate front lines with orange and white panels.  Plane 6 will carry Courtney-London Times, plane 7 Mr Driver did which is dept of info (Aust).  Mr. Marian Aust B’casting Co none will jump.

   Signal annex Co radio calls Hq is H at; D, Hello; E, Henry; F, Hall; platoons add one two or three LMG Hat one and two Mortars Hat.  Dist of radios; 511-1 each rifle Co, 2 Bn CP, 536-5 each rifle Co.

   Details on net.  Certain signals three blasts, shot, and call out air, mechanized, or Prcht attack.  Mass sections will be ready to move forward on call leave 2 behind.  Each Bn prepare bundles, 12 blankets, 12 shelter halves w/ ropes and pins.  2nd Bn prepare 39 reserves will be worn, new morning report will taken w/o unit designation, minus one day.

S-1  periodic daily rept due 0700 and 1700
S-2      “      “     “    “     hourly
S-3      “      “     “    “     0700
s-4      “      “     “    “     1700

   Journal will be maintained to and include Co misc.  Ball and Chain chutes. 

           

End of meeting.