General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

and bravery demonstrated by the officers and men of the l8t Battalion, 15Sd finfantry
Regiment, against some of the best troups of the encmy, exemplified the
highest traditions of the armed forces of the CnILed States. (General Orders
253, Headquarters Mediterranean Theater of Operalions, 5 October 1946.)
2. The Sd Battalion, 1st Ilzfantry Regiment, is cited for outstanding gallantry
and extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy at Mnffin Bay, Duteh New
Guinea, during the period 25 to 29 June 1944. On 23 June 1044, while the hulk Of
the Sd Battalion, 1st Infantry Reyiment, was preparing for an ampl~ibious enrelopmant
ot Lone Tree Hill, a large carrying party from Company L scaled the
sheer cliffs on the northeast side and scrambled orer the houlder-strewn ledges
to open a supply line to 20th Infantry troops holding the crest of tbe hill.
Accomplishing its initial mission, despite high casualties caused by intense mortar
and maehine~gun fire that followed it up the hill, thc carrying party turned to
find the supply, line cloned by large groups of bypassed Jnps. Assisted by heavy
machine guns of Company 1\L assault teams from the rcmaiuder of Company L
and Battalion Headquarters Company blasted a path through the strong enemy
positions to reopen the supply trail. Throughout the remainder of the action,
ComDnn7 . . L secured the wools .. . line to the too of the hill. Hs destrwina strongly
entrenched encmy positions locatcd in almost inacuessiblc eaves and rock crevices,
knocking out 75-mm mountain mns, - heavy mortars, and machine guns, by use of
flame throwers, rocket launchers, gasoline, greuades, and demolitions, this wmpany
also cleared the encmy from the entire Rocky Point area. On 24 June
1944, the balance of the Jd Battalion was landed on the narrow beach west of the
hill under intense artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire from enemy povitions
carved out of the rocky hillside. Assault troops dashed across the bench to scale
the clay bank that led to marshy &%t land from which rose tile sheer cliffs of
Lane Tree Hill. but mazinc - - fire from rnxhine-gun - uositions - due - in at the base of
the ehffs, plus accurate mortar and artlilery Are, forced them back to the shelter
of the ledae. Crowded on the shallow beach nnd ivinc - under the ProtertinK clay
bank, the troops were subjected to constant mortar and artillery fire. One
enemy shell k~loclred out an entire mortar section, others sank or damaged
several landing craft, including two which were cvneuating wounded. Bid mcn
and members of the beach party constantly exposed themselves to enemy fire in
order to save thc wounded. During 24 and 25 June lC44, the assault platoons
made several attempts to ndmnce beyond the bank, only to be driven buck after
Small "ins by withering fire. Mortar observers of both the rifle and the heavy
weapons companies braved the constant enemy lire to take up positions on
the exposed ledge and directed hcavy and accurate firc an the enemy emplacrments.
On 26 June 1944, Companies I and K again went wer the clay bank
in an all-out assault on the enemy pillboxes, emplacements, and cnve positions
that rimmed the hill. Momentarily bnited by the intense artillery, mortar, and
maehine~gun Are, the asvault platoons surged forward in a two-pronged attack
that carried them across the marshes to the base of the cliffs and up the steep
slopes of Rocky Paint, where contact was established with Company L After
scaling caves, destroying eml~lncernents, and killing snipers in the by-pnssed
areas, the 3d Battalion continued the assault on 28 and 2Ll June 1944, destroying
scattered pockets of resistance and overrunning stron"ointe until the entire
Lone Tree Hill area was secure. In the dri5.e to secure Lone Tree Hill, the
Jd Batfalion, 1st I%fantrU Regiment accounted for 297 counted enemy dead,
plus an estimated 280 killed and buried in 36 demolished caves. Three 57-mm
and five 75-mm mouniain guns, 2 machine guns, 6 mortars, and numerous other
dGO 1238