General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

mom, generally, under srve1.e eneuy s;u!~il-arms and mortar fire. Bridge construction
and repair was carried on, soruelimes at night undcr sniper fire and
threats of infiltration. Usoally, no& crews defmded themsclvcs witiiont asking
aid from Lhe infantry. Work was performed cuntinuausly for periods as great
as 72 hours withuut relief, in order thai supply and tactical vehicles might Iireep
up with the rnpid advance of the infantry. Armored bnlldomrs, under direct
smsll-arms and mortar fire rmd despite the suicidal tltternpts by the enemy to
destroy them with hnnd-p1ncc.d ri::irges, assaulted fortsed positions in advance
of the infantry and assisted materially in the destruction of slriing enenly pockets.
Xine Gelds and booby trap9 wcre laid and removed in ntlmrictr of infantry ele
merits, with the working parties sxbjected to enemy sniper 61.e and, on one
occnsion, beating off a eounteratta-k, While still undcr lie, the town of Ormoc
was cleared of booby traps, dnds, nurl enemy- axploluaives, the streets cleared of
debris, dump areas prepared, and the watn system put in operation. The extraordinary
heroism altd outs land in^ skill of the oilicers and men of the 3OBd modneer
Cmbab Batta!ion contributed in large measure to thc successful completion
of this cxtremelv diMcult. ogeration xnd reflect the hishest tradit.ions of the
United States Army. (General Orders 474, Hwadqualters 77th Infantry Divislou,
I1 December 3015, as aDEroved . br the Commander in Chief. United States Army
Forces, mciiie.)
3. The 5026 Medicul Battalion, 17th Infantry Dbision, is cited for outstanding
performance of duty in aeiirm against tile enemy from 7 lo 17 llecember 1944 on
the Is1:t:id of Leytc, Philipgine Islands. After landing south of lpil on 7
Deecmbcr 1944, thc 302d MklcdicaJ Battalion, disl~l~ying rstrnordiriary courage,
brarery, aliil devotion to dxly, closely supported the opcrationu of the 77th
Infantry Division, eswcially on 11 and 17 December 1944. During Lhe batl,Ie
fat. the ctrptnrr cf O!'!n:lc, ccl!ccti~:g caniir.~?ies iicctionrd up to the front lines,
far in a!7ancc of ballnlio!i aiti siniiorle, evacuating wounded promgtly, despite
heavy euemy machinegun and small~arms fire. On 11 Decrrnlier 19.14, the clcnrirlg
company and battalion hearigunrlers moved npgrcrsirely into the town of
Ormoc while fierce hand~lo-hand fightiug was still in progress in ~riauy sections
and established the division dearing station in the ruins of nu old church located
within 60C yards af the front lines, which was still under enemy sniper anrl
mortnr fire. It remained in full oueratiou for admissions, surgery, and wa:d
care throustwut shelling by encmy mortars and continued to perform its mission
throughout the night, despite xn r~ltemptecl coullterlauding on the beach by
the Japanese not 200 yards from thc stnliori, some medical personnel occupying
emergency positions for the drfrnse of the *?lients. Again on 17 December 1!?44,
the 302d Medical Rattalion displayed exceptional hravery, stamina, etaciency, and
initiative in rendering mcdical ail1 to large numbers of wounded men under tlie
Wost trying contlitionv and almayy in close contact with the enemy. When two
r~giments of the 77th Infantry Division undertook a wide enveloping movement
throngh 10 milea of hostile teniLory barely passable only to foot troops
and rendered more dlfilcult by rice paddies, swamps. jungle streams, complete
lack of roads and trails, and constant strong enemy resistancc, collecting cornllnnies
hand carried litter cases arid all their uecPssary equipment and mpplies
and nl nil times were well uv forward with the assnnlt elements in the thick
of the heavy fighting. When evacuation of casualties became impossible, owing
to the isolated condition of Lhe regiments, collecting companies rstnhlished tenlwrnry
collecting points where wound& men were retained for periods up to !ZA
Ilours, without a single death resuiting from delay in evacuatlon. Personnel
-
AGO 5865B