Third Day at Walawbum
It is well to examine the Japanese situation on the morning of Mar 5. Walawbum was virtually surrounded. The enemy’s main supply route was blocked in two places, to the west by the 2/5307 and to the south by the fire of the 3/5307. To the east, another element of the 3/5307 stood guard. The possible escape routes toward the north were sealed off by roadblocks of the 1/5307 and the area in between was under patrol.
Although quiet during the night of Mar 4-5, the enemy was far from silent or inactive on the morning of the 5th. In the early hours of the day the 1/5307 area was alive with small enemy parties making their way south toward Walawbum. The majority of these groups never reached the forward areas due to the alert Marauder patrols screening the jungles, the cleverly concealed ambushes, and the fires covering the roadblocks at Nichet Ga and Sana Ga. In an effort to clear the southern exit from Walawbum the Japanese made several attempts to assault the positions of the 3/5307. These assaults were thrown back by heavy machine-gun and mortar fire. About noon, the enemy commenced a relatively heavy mortar fire on the positions overlooking the Numpyek River.
The Orange Combat Team replied to this fire with a continuous stream of mortar fire directed at the road to prevent the arrival of enemy reinforcements. The 3/5307 was greatly aided by radio contact with planes that were able to bomb and strafe known enemy installations. It was the 2/5307, however, that bore the brunt of the enemy’s wrath. At dawn, heavy rain of artillery poured down on the Battalion positions. It was evident that the enemy regarded the roadblock as a major obstacle and was determined to blast the 2/5307 out of control of this main avenue of approach to Walawbum. This murderous shelling increased with the passing of each hour and by noon had doubled in intensity. The enemy, close on the heels of each preparation, assaulted the Battalion’s positions but were repulsed with great losses each time. While subjected to this heavy shelling, messages intercepted by Sgt Matsumoto’s wiretap were being rapidly forwarded to Gen Merrill. These messages gave an indication of the reason for the violence of the attack on the Battalion’s position. One message provided information that the enemy was frantically screaming for reinforcements and another ordered a general withdrawal.
In spite of its fighting spirit and proven ability to withstand the shelling and repeated assaults or the enemy, the 2/5307 was in poor shape by early evening. It was cut off from all sources of supply. Planes were unable to drop supplies because of the artillery fire. The unit was short of food, water and ammunition were practically exhausted. At 1700, a message intercepted by the 2/5307 revealed that the Japanese intended to attack the unit’s position at 2300. Unable to supply the Battalion with the ammunition necessary to withstand the attack Gen Merrill ordered it to withdraw at once toward Wesu Ga and join the 3/5307 in the vicinity of Lagang Ga.
Upon receipt of this order from Gen Merrill the 2/5307 withdrew. By 2300 it was cautiously making its way over the trail to the rear of their position. Progress was doubly slow because of the booby traps they had placed for the Japanese, along the route, the previous day.
On Mar 5, the 1/5307 continued to stand guard over its roadblocks on the trails leading to Walawbum. The patrols of this organization screened the rear area and prevented any large scale infiltration of enemy troops from the north. The Marauders were alert throughout the night of Mar 5-6. The rumble of trucks steadily flowing into Walawbum gave indication that the enemy would make a violent effort in the morning to clear the village of the Galahad Forces and make the route of withdrawal safe for the troops being pushed by the 22nd and 38th Chinese Divisions. The noise and clatter were ominous evidence of preparations of an impending attack. To meet this anticipated all-out attack believed due in the morning, the Marauders’ roofed their fox holes to withstand shelling and mentally braced themselves for the worst.
Fourth Day at Walawbum
At about 0700, on the morning of Mar 6, the 1/5307 moved to the rear of Gen Merrill’s Command Post which had moved to the vicinity of Lagang Ga. The Japanese, now aware of the air strip’s location, apparently realizing this was the lifeblood of the 5307, started shelling the airstrip early in the day. Their fire was accurate and shells plowed into the airstrip all day. Due primarily to their training and the airdrop standard operating procedure the men of the 3/5307 acted without hesitation and filled the shell holes almost as rapidly as they were made. This enabled planes to bring in much-needed supplies and evacuate the wounded without a single loss.
By 1200, the 2/5307, after a night of slow, torturous marching, had reached Wesu Ga, and were resupplied with one unit of greatly needed ammunition. The men were fed and the Battalion moved rapidly toward Lagang Ga, where they were to reinforce the 3/5307. In this zone, action had started simultaneously with the first light of morning. The Khaki Combat Team was ordered to pull out of positions at the Lagang Ga airstrip and move through the jungle to reinforce the south flank of the Orange Combat Team. This was to ensure that the exit from Walawbum would be securely blocked. While beads of moisture were still on the lush green foliage, artillery shells started falling on the position held by the Orange Combat Team. The artillery screamed overhead and beat upon the log-roofed fox holes. The air was filled with the weird cry of the shells in flight and the earth shook with the impact of each shell.
The Orange Combat Team Commander, Maj Lew, ordered his men to hold all fire, except that of the mortars. No other weapons were to open up until the enemy was within 25 to 40 yards of the team’s positions. In view of what happened later, it is well to look behind this order and examine Maj Lew’s reasoning. He obviously knew that after many unsuccessful attempts to pinpoint the positions by patrols on the day prior the enemy still was unaware of the exact location of the Orange Combat Team. The enemy was anxious to know the location of the heavy machine guns and would use any ruse to make the team disclose its position by opening the fire. The continuous and nerve-shattering rain of artillery was returned by the mortars alone since it was difficult for the enemy to determine whether the shells falling on the road were from the vicinity of the Orange Combat Team or some distant support element.
In the Orange Combat Team’s Mortar Section, observation presented a difficult problem. This was solved by Sgt Pung, who climbed a tall tree where he could observe the actions of the enemy and from this observation post, directed fire by means of his SCR-536. When the enemy attempted to assault the southern flank of the Combat Team, Pung’s fire direction was so accurate the attack was virtually stillborn. Some of the shells landed in the midst of reinforcements brought up to aid in the assault and hit them as they detrucked. So effective was this fire direction and consequent fire that the enemy was forced ultimately to launch his attack from another direction. Mortar fire was the one relief for the taunt nerved men of Combat Team. The kunai grass and the leafy vegetation lay battered on their positions. They could see nothing to their front and could hear nothing except the steady explosion of artillery. The anticipated attack was long in coming and even the bravest were anxious and fretful, but they held their fire. And then at last – almost with a sigh of relief, they saw the Japanese approaching. Under the cover of the artillery, the mortar, and small arms fire the enemy was moving from the west in the direction of the river. At 1715 the Japs closed in on the position. Two companies, one reinforced, were approaching in a line of skirmishes. Orders were shouted, and the enemy seemed whipped to a frenzy for this attack. They moved 100 yards from the Combat Team’s position but received no fire.
The men of the Orange Combat Team watched them move step by step. They saw them near the banks of the river, watched them move to within 60 yards, and then slowly cover another 10 yards. The atmosphere was tense.
The Japanese commenced shouting. They screamed as though half-crazed by a fanatical desire to take the position. Slowly they moved forward until they reached the water’s edge. Suddenly, the Orange Combat Team opened fire. The air was thick with flying lead. The fire of heavy machine-guns swept machete-like across the river bank. All the weapons, so long silent, filled the area with their deafening and deadly fires. The enemy continued advancing but fell almost as fast as he moved forward. Bodies tumbled into the river until the water was scarlet. The main attack started to falter. The enemy attempted to strike at each flank but was repulsed by the same accurate fires. For one hour the enemy tried again and again to reach the positions of the Combat Team. Time after time they threw troops into the attack, only to have them fall back.
At about 1815, the Marauders fire forced the numbed, confused enemy to retreat under cover of artillery, leaving 400 of his original force dead. At 2200 the artillery fire ceased and all was quiet. The crushed Kunai grass gleamed crimson in the moonlight and the river gurgled impatiently over the dam of bodies blocking its passage south.
The 3/5307 had succeeded in breaking the last serious enemy resistance in Walawbum. This was the signal for a general withdrawal of the enemy southward. At 1615, Gen Merrill received word that the 38th Chinese Division was on its way to relieve the 5307. For a time it had seemed that the Japanese would reinforce and make a determined stand at Walawbum. The success of the 3/5307 had reversed this situation and heralded the withdrawal of the enemy. Word was received that the main Japanese body was being pursued south of Walawbum by the 22nd Chinese Division and the 38th Chinese Division was to arrive in the morning to relieve the Marauders.
This combination of circumstances enabled Gen Merrill to withdraw the 3/5307 from its forward position leaving the 2/5307 in the vicinity of Lagang Ga. By 2400 the 3/5307 had withdrawn from its positions and was on its way to Wesu Ga.
Fifth Day at Walawbum
Throughout the early hours of Mar 7, the area was full of Japanese struggling, on the trail and through the jungle, to reach their retreating units. The Marauders were doubly alert. There was some Jap artillery fire in the early hours, but this was of short duration. At 0700, elements of the 38th Chinese Division entered Wesu Ga meeting only slight, discontinuous resistance and by evening were in control of Walawbum. By late afternoon a joint perimeter defense was established and Marauders with Chinese were celebrating their combined victory. At 1530, all three battalions of the 5307 were in Wesu Ga where the organization was resupplied. Gen Merrill, at a staff meeting at 1845 on the evening of Mar 7, 1944, said: the first phase of our operation is over. Between us and the Chinese, we have forced the Japs to withdraw further in the last three days than they have in three months of fighting. Our new mission will be made known to us soon. Please convey to your men Gen Stilwell’s and my congratulations for a fine piece of work. Get rested and reequipped as soon as possible and be ready to move on our next operation in three days3
To summarize the results of this actions, the Marauders succeeded, through their attack on Walawbum, in preventing the enemy from moving supplies and reinforcements to Maingkwan and held up the Japanese withdrawal in the area long enough to permit the 22nd and 38th Chinese Divisions to maintain close contact with the enemy. This combination made possible the accomplishment of the mission.
Viewed from any angle, the operation was a complete success. The 5307 had, by engaging the enemy at Walawbum, prevented the enemy from successfully reinforcing his troops at Maingkwan as well as those in Walawbum. The action surprised and confused the enemy. Enemy battle losses totaled 800 dead, which compared to the Marauders total of 8 dead and 37 wounded, is an indication that the enemy defense of Walawbum was costly. It is well to note, however, that the jungle caused the evacuation of about 250 Americans with malaria, fevers, psychoneuroses, and other illnesses. The action presented evidence that this type of operation was especially well suited to jungle terrain and the conditions imposed by a seasoned enemy. This is best expressed by Gen Sun Li-Jen, CG, 38th Division (Chinese) who said of the Marauders: A frontal attack is no way to defeat the Japs. In this case, the long way around is a short cut.