General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

nnximt~m effect, tank destroyer crrns often agproached to within 60 to 7: yards
of their targets, though nfforded vwy little proteetion from heavy enemy fire and
flying fragments of our own shells. Concurrently, elements of the battalion
rendered rlistinguishd service in reducing strong enemy positiuns at Fort McICinley
and Nichols Field, and assisted in the advance of the overland moyement to
the Lus Banos Internment Camp. Throughm~t the period cited, prodigious feats
of transporting huge quantities of amnlunition from dumps more than 100 miles
away, and nlalntaining all equinment -. at ~eak eficienc-r- despite inteneive use,
were accomplished only lhrlwgh the tireless efforts nnd unflagging application
of every ntrmber of the supply and maintenance section. The courage, aggressiveness,
and tireless devotionto duty dis~lwed by all personnel of the 657th Tank
Destroyer Bcftalim, which itself necounted for more than 460 enemy dead and
60 mnciline guns and artillery pieces drstroyml, contributed greatly to the success
achieved by our comhnt divisions in annihilating the defenders of hlanila, and are
in keeping with the highest traditions of thc armed forces of the United States.
(General Orders 02, Hendqnarters XIV Corgs, 14 August 1M5, as approved by the
Commonder in Chief, United States Army Forces, Pacific.)
9. Cornnu+%' I), 35th Infantry Regiment, is cited for outstanding performance
of duty in action against the enemy. On 12 A~rll 1345, Company D, 86th Imfant~y
Eegtnzat, reinforced by one platoon of Company B, was assigned the mission
of blocklng the north and east allBronches . - to the Putlan River Valley . against .
an agressire and numerically sullerior enemy force vhich was threatening
Hixlrway No. 5 and the right flank of the 25th Infantm Divisiou. Characterized
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by hare ridges and a precipitous vegetation-choked ravine, the Putlan River
Valley area contains some of the most rugged terrain in t.he Caraballo Mountains
of northern Luzon. Fog and mist drastically limited visibility, and heavy rains
rendcred the road impassible. Sugplirs had to be manhandled for over a mile
up into the rough country near the hlock. Because of the size of the area to
be covered and its limited strength, even after reinlorcment, being only about
i45 men, Cumpaw D was disposed in three groups: the main body of the eom-
pnuy occupied a ridge in the center, with an outpost consistiug of a machine-gun
section and a terl-man rifle squad about 300 yards to the north, and an outpost
of similar strength on the summit of a small hill about a half mile to the south.
On the 12th and 13th April, the enemy mnde only light infiltration attacks, and
Balrolled to determine Company D's strength anrl disposition. Shortly after
dark on tile 14th, nftcr a 50-round mortar preparation, about a compnuy of the
enemy attacked. Cmnflany D'B main strongpoint and the northern outpost re-
ceived determined infiltration attacks, evidently designed to distract them while
the encmg coneentmted its forces in an effort to overwhelm the southeastern
outpo~t. Before the nttnek began the outpo8t's sound-gower telephone line was
cut, aud the only communicdtiun Nith the main body was by SCR radio, which
in order to transmit and receive had to be set up and operated in an exwed
position at the rrrr summit of tlir hill. Despite the fact that five enemy ma-
chine guns mere constantly sweeping the hilltop during attacks, and firing
intermittently between attacks, radio carnmunication was mairrtalnerl, and
81-rnrn mortar fire was called for and directed to within 15 ynrds of the
pel.ilIletir. Four all-out attaclm were mnde during the night. In true banzai
fashim, tlle attackers rushed the hill, advancing until they fell, showering hand
grenades on the perimCter 8S they approached. Between all-our attacks, the
position received spurndic mortnr and machine-gun five, while small infiltration
groups attempted to penetrate the gerirneter. Disregarding tlle heavy machine
gull flre, the outpost's perwnnel exposed themselves throughout the night in onler
AGO 2!481B