General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

fire Numerous artilleq pieces and slat trajectory weapons located in defiladed
positions in the hllls to the left front could bring accurate and heavy fire on
the hill. To the right front and right finnk, covered and concealed positions
uffered excellent ohservaiian for battcrics of mortars and automatic meapons of
the enemy. At 0503, after a brief artillery preparation, Com~anu A pushed forward
in the assault. The company's ranks were already thinned by casualties
sustained in its three assault landings in the Ryukyus chain and the ferocious
fighting on Okinawa. The spirit of the o5eers and men was high and the
attack moved rapitlly. After an hour and a half of bitter fighting, thc company
reached its intermediate objective, a hill pergeodiculxr to "Rocky Riage." Hcre,
the enemy was in position on the revcrse slope and only by rolling hand grenades
down the hill mas Company A able to clear tt~e way for the main assault on
"Roclin Riclgc." Again the company moved forvard with three plntoons abreast.
The forward elements struck the defcnscs of the ridge almost immediately.
Ditter khtinp ensued acainst - a numerienllp . suDerior force. Men jumped into
-
cares with the enem? and destroyed thcm in desperate hand-to-hand fighting.
At 1030, the initial battle for the hill was won. The rocky terrain offered little
protcclion, but defenses were orgnnize(1 immediately and shelters vere made
of the loose rocks. At 1035, after a terrific mortar and artillery preparation, the
cnemy launchnl his first despernte counterattack. In furious battling, the company
clung tenncioualy to its newly won podlions and drove the enemy hack.
FOP the remainder of the day, dcfensive positions were prepared under eonstant,
heavy mortar and artillery fire. Suppl,< and evacuation were extremely
diffieuIt. So deadly was the enemy rific and mechine-gun fire thnt a man darcd
not expose himself, even for a moment. At the end of the day's Bghting, over
130 of the enemy had been kiile& and 3 hcwy machine guns, 19 LhlG's, 4 knce
morlnrs, a 47-mm, and a 20-mm gun had been captured or destroyed on the position.
That night, repeated conntcrattacks were driven off wilh fighting at pointblank
range. Enemy in tunnels below the company's dcfensive positions
attempted to dislodge the defenders by ex~lloding puwerful charges bcncath
thcm. For 7 days and nights. Company d clung tenneiously to the ridge and
accounted for an additional 250 of the enemy. This, despite the loss of six of
the semi officers in the initial assault and with but four noncommissioned officers
remaining. The regiment, using this ridge as a pivot, was able to a'lvance on
both flank and penetrate the outer defenses of Shuri. The courage, devotion
to duty, and indomitable spirit displayed by the 05cei-s and men of Company A,
806t76 Znfantru Regiment reflect great credit on it and are in kceping with the
highest traditiuns of the military service. (General Orders 70, Headquarters
77th Infantry Division, 1 Xarch 1946, as approved by the Commanding General,
Unitea States Army Forces, Middle Pacific.)
ny OI~DE~
OW TEE S~IET'BY 01: WU:
O~ICIAL: DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
EDWARD F. WITSELL Oh4ef of Staff
Major General
The Adjwtant GmaI
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