During the morning, heavy fighting took place around the ice house, MORRISON POINT, and BREAKWATER POINT. (See Map F) Air strikes supported the BREAKWATER POINT attack and hit the Japs for the 34th north of MALINTA HILL. The Navy supported the seraps around MORRISON POINT, ROCK POINT, and BREAKWATER POINT during the morning and afternoon. This support did not preclude the use of artillery, which supported the action at SEARCHLIGHT POINT. The results of the fighting on the 17th widened the perimeter slightly. (See Map F)

On the morning of the 18th, the 1st Battalion fought its way to topside. A hasty conference was called and new Battalion sectors of responsibility assigned. (See Map G) Each patrol, platoon, or company had attached to it elements from the Engineer Company or from the Demolition Platoon of Regimental Headquarters Company. The method of attack throughout the campaign ran generally as described below. The Infantry would assault a position, kill all of the Japs if they could. When the enemy would hole up in the numerous caves and bunkers, the Infantry would cover the entrances with fire while an Engineer or Demolition Team would either seal the cave with TNT or burn them out with their flamethrowers. It was during this period, that our people used a little trick which was effective and became popular throughout the rest of the fighting. The high wind on the Island caused a heavy draft in some of the caves which caused the flamethrowers to blow back into the face of the operator. To solve this problem they just gave the enemy position a squirt of napalm and gasoline unignited. A WP grenade was then thrown into the position which ignited the napalm. Out came the Japs, sometimes on fire, and was cut down by our weapons. On many occasions when the resistance was light, our Infantry would drive the Nips underground and move on. The Engineers following close behind would seal the position with explosives, and then push on behind the Infantry. By the 23 of February our troops had attacked and sealed 164 caves and bunkers on Topside. (61)

The assault on the larger fortifications such as Batteries GEARY, HEARN, SMITH, WHEELER, etc. (See Map G) proved to be more of a problem. These big gun positions were usually heavily defended. They were honeycombed with underground storage rooms, powder bends and passages. To capture one of these positions, platoons or companies were employed. The attack on one of the larger positions would go something like the descriptions below. The troops would cover the emplacement with fire. A 75 howitzer would be wheeled up and fire direct fire at the opening, or at the steel door if it was closed. Sometime the Infantrymen would be called on to help man the howitzer. The Demolitions people would already have a 5-gallon GI can filled with gasoline and napalm. To this can they would have taped six or eight WP grenades and two blocks of TNT on each side. The whole contraption was tied to one of the many ventilator shafts on top of the position. A 3 second fuse was set which would go off and drop the can into the position. Fifteen minutes later, another fuse would go off. This system proved helpful in capturing all of the large concrete emplacements. Battery Wheeler was captured three times before if finally stayed in our hands. (62)

The water problem was alleviated somewhat by the 1300 hour supply drop on the 17th. 1250 Gallons were dropped and most of it was recovered. These supply planes flying in from MINDORO also brought rations, ammunition, and medical supplies. A number of the parachutes did not open and some of the precious supplies were splattered over the Island. On the afternoon of the 18th, the road from Bottomside to Topside was open, but was still under scattered small arms fire. Some supplies from San Jose beach did arrive on Topside, and the wounded and dead were evacuated to San Jose beach. Transportation was now available for Topside. Up until the 18th, the only transportation on Topside was one of two jeeps which had made the dash from Bottomside to Topside on the afternoon of the 17th. One of these jeeps was badly damaged by enemy fire and was unserviceable. The Portable Surgical Hospital moved to Topside and began to function. All in all the operations of the 16th were highly successful. Our wounded who had been lying on concrete floors since the 16th were evacuated. The supply situation had improved, the enemy was rapidly being destroyed on Topside. Our casualties for the day with 35 KIA, 75 WIA. Among casualties being evacuated on the 16th, were the two chaplains of the combat team, both having been injured on the jump on the 16th.

On the 19th beginning at 0300 hours, the enemy launched his old familiar BANZAI. About four hundred Japs stormed our positions from the vicinity of Batteries Wheeler and Smith. (See Map F) Heavy hand-to-hand fighting took place, with the enemy enjoying local successes. This attack carried the Japs all the way to the 2nd Battalion CP. With the coming of daylight, the small groups which were successful in penetrating our perimeter, were eliminated. At 0830 the Nips exploded a large ammunition dump down near BREAKWATER POINT. This explosion caused casualties on both sides. After the blast, approximately twenty Japs formed a circle nearby, while our troops looked on, they committed mass hari-cari by holding grenades to their stomach. (63) During the day our troops continued to assault caves and bunkers in the BREAKWATER POINT area. Nine caves were attacked and sealed in the vicinity of the Ice house, and nine more around MORRISON POINT. (See Map G) Bombing and strafing runs were made against CAPE CORREGIDOR. The Navy was still making light at night with their star shells, and giving fire support on call during the day. The fighting today resulted in 495 Japs KIA, and three prisoners were taken. Regimental Headquarters notified that we would have to furnish graves registration personnel. This means pulling a man away from his T/O job at regiment. The Red Cross comfort station was working, serving hot coffee to all who came in. The Red Cross Field Director had jumped with the combat team and had set up on the first day in vicinity of the aid station. (64)

All during the 20th and 21st of February, the destruction of the enemy on Topside went on. On the evening of the 20th during the Staff meeting, it was learned that CAPE CORREGIDOR was free of the enemy, and that there were no Japs to oppose our forces from WHEELER POINT to SEARCHLIGHT POINT. (See Map G) Forty-eight caves and tunnels were sealed during the twenty four hour period.

The water situation of CORREGIDOR was solved, a twelve hundred and fifty gallon Navy cube was set up on San Jose beach for the storage of water. Two bull dozers and a road scraper were brought up from the beach to work on the MSR, and to begin the construction of a cub strip on �A� field. The Rock Force Commander requested that surrender leaflets be dropped on the island. XI Corps took care of this request by drawing up leaflets especially designed for the Japs on the Rock.

Finally, at 2130 on the evening of the 21st, the enemy blew MALINTA TUNNEL. Every soldier on the island had been sweating it out, especially the men of the 34th who knew they were literally sitting on a powder keg. The explosion rocked the whole island, and was felt as far away as Bataan and Manila. The blasts caused landslides on Malinta Hill which buried some of the doughboys from the 34th. It was later learned from prisoners that the explosion caused a great number of casualties inside the tunnel. They stated the purpose of blowing the tunnel was to destroy the troops blocking the island, and to launch an attack which would take them to Topside. Their plans went haywire as the explosion was greater than they had expected. It not only killed a great number of their troops, by the ensuing landslide blocked the road along which they were to launch their attack. On 22nd and 23rd of February, mopping up continued all over Topside. Our patrols were killing Japs in areas reported clear of the enemy. The first three phases of the CORREGIDOR show were drawing to a close. The softening up if the eastern end of the Island began on the 22nd of February when P-47�s dropped 4,000 gallons of Napalm. 38 500-pound demolition bombs, and fired 31 thousand rounds of .50 caliber ammunition.

The supply situation was excellent. The first cub planes landed on the Island and the Engineers continued to work on the roads. Mail was dropped by supply planes from MINDORO along with 2700 pair of coveralls. Water ration was now four quarts per man per day. The troops were eating 10 in I rations, a welcome change from �K�.

On the afternoon of the 23rd of February, the Combat Team commander and the Battalion Commanders of the 1st and 3rd Battalions went to the CP on Malinta Hill. Here they studied the eastern end of the Island, and made plans for Phase IV. The plan for the attack down the narrow three thousand yard stretch of the east end of the island called for the 1st Battalion in the assault, followed closely by the 3rd. The 3rd Battalion was to mop-up small islands of resistance which would leave the 1st Battalion free to exploit any or all breaks in the fighting. The pattern would follow the already proven system. Before attacking an objective, either an Air, Naval, or artillery concentration would be placed upon it. The Battalion would then jump off, and assault the objective as soon as the friendly fire was lifted. In this way they often caught the Nip still groggy and before he could re-man his positions. The plan for Topside during Phase IV was to have the 2nd Battalion remain and to continue the mopping up of isolated pockets of enemy. (65)

Late in the afternoon of the 23rd of February, the 1st and 3rd Battalions moved to assembly areas on Bottomside in preparation for the destruction of the enemy on the tail of the Island.

PHASE IV, DESTRUCTION OF THE ENEMY EAST OF MALINTA HILL

On the 24th of February after an intensive aerial bombardment and an artillery concentration, the 1st Battalion passed through the 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry on MALINTA HILL. They immediately met stiff resistance in the form of mortar, sniper and machine gun fire. The 3rd Battalion, 503d was following close on the tail of the 1st Battalion, mopping up and sealing caves. By late afternoon, the 1st Battalion had reached a line running from INFANTRY POINT to CAMP POINT. (See Map H) The troops stopped and prepared positions for the night under mortar and machine gun fire. During the early part of the night, at a Battalion conference in a bomb crater, a mortar shell killed or wounded almost every key officer in the 1st Battalion. Among the dead was the very fine Battalion Commander, Major Robert H. Woods. The Battalion executive officer who was among those not wounded assumed command. (66)

Around 0500 hours, the enemy assembled a force of about six hundred just east of INFANTRY POINT, and prepared to launch a counter-attack. Three hundred of the six hundred were killed when massed artillery fire fell on his assembly area. The enemy still launched his counter-attack but was unsuccessful. At 0400 the enemy withdrew toward CAVALRY POINT carrying his wounded with him. Here the enemy began to show even greater desperation, as many attempted to evacuate the Island by swimming. Some of these were taken prisoner, some were destroyed by strafing planes.

On 25th of February Rock Force lost the 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry who departed from the Island for another operation. They were relieved by the 2nd Battalion, 151st Infantry of the 38th Division. The 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry had killed over 900 Japs, holding Malinta Hill for ten days.

The 1st Battalion supported by two tanks continued to advance down the tail of the Island. Since this was the first occasion that troops of the 503rd had employed the tank Infantry team, they experienced considerable difficulty in tank Infantry coordination. Advances on the 26th were preceded by air strikes and artillery concentrations. Destroyers of the Navy were sitting in the bay on a �Let us fire� basis. By the end of the day, our troops were at a line running from CAVALRY POINT to MONKEY POINT. (See Map H)

During the day, a C-47 dusted the Island with DDT to kill some of the millions of flies which swarmed over everything. The surrender leaflets dropped earlier were taking effect as ten PWs were captured, and many of the 538 killed during the day, had copies of leaflets on their body. (67)

On the morning of the 26th, the enemy again resorted to mass hari-cari. As the 1st Battalion was waiting for an artillery concentration to lift, the Japs blew an underground ammunition dump at MONKEY POINT. (See Map H) It was a terrific explosion, killing some 150 of his own troops and killing or wounding 195 from the 1st and 3rd Battalions. So great was the explosion, that stones fell on the destroyer 2,000 yards out in the bay. The 3rd Battalion immediately pushed through the 1st Battalion and got set for the expected counter-attack which didn�t materialize. Every aid man and doctor on the Island was needed to care for the injured and dying in the 1st Battalion. More transportation was called up as the ambulance which was supporting the attack was crushed by a huge boulder. In � hour after the explosion, medical corpsmen and doctors from the destroyers were ashore and helping with the injured. (68)

The 3rd Battalion pushed on down the island under scattered resistance and reached the extreme east end at 1600 hours on 27 February. (69) CORREGIDOR had now returned to its own. It was estimated that 300-500 Japs were left on the island. The destruction of the remainder of these pest was left to the 3rd Battalion on the east and the 2nd Battalion on Topside. The 1st Battalion was reorganizing on Topside.

American troops were now swarming all over the Island. For the first day since 25 January bombs did not fall on the Island. Naval gunfire was used along the waterline caves as mopping up continued. More caves and tunnels were sealed as the last remaining Japs were ferreted out of their mole-like existence.

On 2nd March, the 3rd anniversary of the activation of the 503d as the first Parachute Regiment in the U.S. Army, General MacArthur returned to CORREGIDOR. He recommended the Rock Force for the Presidential Unit Citation, which was a fitting birthday present for the 503d.

The RCT remained on CORREGIDOR until 8 March, during which time they continued to mop up and get equipment in shape.

In summary: the Rock Force had recaptured this heavily fortified Island from approximately 6,000 Japs. Our forces had suffered 210 KIA and 789 WIA. The enemy had suffered 4,775 counted dead, 976 believed dead or escaped by swimming, and 24 PWs. (70)

Our Engineers and Demolition teams sealed over 400 caves, tunnels, and fortifications, expending some 17 tons of explosives. (71)

During the landing and the fighting that followed, the Navy fired 2000 rounds of 3-inch, 2500 rounds of 5-inch, and 1500 rounds of 6-inch ammunition at targets on the Island. They also fired 1,200 rockets to support the amphibious landing. These figures do not count the extensive fire from PT boats patrolling the fortress. (72)

The air arm also rendered great services. Between the landing on 16 February, and the close of the campaign, 407 sorties were flown. During this time 456 500-pound demolition bombs were dropped. 55,500 gallons of napalm was dropped and 320,000 rounds of caliber .50 expended. (73)