General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

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artillery, which lmnnded the position incessantlv, causinn Evere losses. At OaOO
on 3 M& 1945, the enemy launched the first o;a seriesbf major night attacks.
Rollowing an intense preparation of artillery, mortar, and machinegun lire, the
fanaticalenemy assaulted the front Bud flanks of the battalion. Bitter grenade
and bayonet lighting raged until dawn, when the last of the attackers were
annihilated. The enemy renewed his artillery and mortar fire with unprecedented
fury. At 2400, 4 May 1945, a fresh battalion of enemy infantry launched a three
pronged attack againet the sorely depleted Sd Battulioa. The prsonnel of the
battalion mct the foe at point-blank range with fixed bayonets and hand grenades,
killing Iapanese coming at them from the front, flanks, and rear. Outnumbered.
the gallant troops held their ground tenaciously and, in the face of bitler omasition,
denied this highly important tactical locality to the enemy. At dan'n,
hundreds of Japanese were found dead nerosa the entire hnltalion front. The
few remaining were forced to withdraw in confusion, pursued by artilwry, mortar,
and small-arms fire. The stubborn enemy eontinnec3 to harms the position with
heavy fire. No resemes were avnilxble and the situation became deswmte. On
5 May, combat patrols went forward to mop up enemy troops entrenched on the
forward slope of a ridge on the left fiank. Over 100 Japanese were killed and
many machine guns and mortars captured and dcstroycd. Throughout the day
and night, the enemy continued to direct heavy fire on the battalion position.
At 0230, 6 May, the desperate Japanesc launched another vicious attack against
the right Uank and front of the battalion. At 0400, tank-infantry teams assaulted
the gosition. In the face of intense fire, machine mnners - and riflemcn stood
their ground heroically. Rocket-launcher teams, antitank gnuners, and artillery
fue destroyed three Japanese mcdium tanks within 250 yards of the front lines.
Again the dwindling battnlion repnlscd the enemy in furious close-in combat.
When the command post was overrun by infiltrating enemy, the command group
personally fought its way out. In the early morning hours, three aridiiional
Japanese tanks were destroyed by antitank and artillery fire. The attack wns
repulsed with severe losses to the enemy. By this Lime, the hattalion had lost
onethird of its men and had killed over 1,000 Japanese. During the entire
period, the fighting men of the Sd Battalion, 506th Infm~try Regiment, exhibited
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nnwaverinn fortitude and an indomitable flchtine snirit, renulsinn some of the
most severe and determined counterattacks launched by the Japanese on Okinawa.
By its heroic stand, it prevented the enems from recanturinn an imaortant Dosition
and paved the way for the ultimate destruction of the famed Shuri dcffosive
position. The unflinching devotion to duty and superb courage displayed by me
members of the Sd Battalion, JOGth Infantry Regiment, reflect the highest traditions
of the United States Army. (General Orders 71, Headquarters 77th Infantry
Dp@on. 1 March 19-16, as approved by the Commanding General, Vnited
~tate:,+ay Borces, Middle Pacific.)
3,.%tipan1~ A, 30Gth Infantry Reg~ent, WtX InfantryDivision, is cited for
oyfst&nding performnnce of duty in action against the cnemy, dming the period
?.to 11 May 1045, near Urasor Mura, Okinawa, Kyukyus Islands. On 7 May 1945,
domganv A, 806th I%fnfantfv Regiment was assigned the mission of assaulting
"Rocky Ridge," a rocky, cave-infestcd enemy strong point located approximately
1,WO yards south Of Urasoe Xura, Okinawa. Capture of the ridge was of the
Utmost tactical iml3ortanee, because it dominated the defcnse of Shuri, the main
Japanese stronghold on the island. The ridge was protected by a strong enemy
force firmly entrenched in the manc of tunnels and eaves dug into the solid rock.
On the left fiank, it was reinforced by long-rangc rifle, machine-gun, and mortar
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