Final Defense-Line Shattered
Following an artillery preparation, the 382-IR with the 3/383 attached, resumed the attack with four battalions in the assault, utilizing medium and flamethrower tanks to great advantage. During the day, the reinforced regiment advanced over 600 yards in the middle of its zone and 200-300 yards on both flanks. Heavy machine gun and rifle fire from well-concealed positions, camouflaged caves, and rock pillboxes on the south and west slopes of the Hill 167 were encountered throughout the day. The 3/382, on the regimental right, worked forward slowly, advancing about 200 yards and cleaning out numerous enemy caves and pillboxes. The 1/382 advanced over 600 yards. Employing Tank-Infantry and demolition teams, the battalion broke up all organized enemy resistance in the Yuza-Ozato-Hill 167 area. The 2/382 moved two reinforced companies up on the high ground southwest of the Hill 167 during the morning and pushed its attack to the west in an effort to maintain contact with the advancing left flank of the 1/382. The 3/383, from positions previously gained on the Hill 167, worked down the south slopes of the hill, gaining approximately 200 yards.
The 381-IR was unable to make any appreciable gains during the day except on the extreme right. Here, the right flank of the 2/381 moved forward some 200 yards to maintain physical contact with the 3/383. The left flank of the 2/381 and front lines of the 1/381 were pinned down during the day by grazing flanking machine gun fire from the west slopes of the Hill 153. Enemy resistance to the front of this regiment was not strong and it was evident that as soon as the 7-ID had completely cleaned out the Hill 153 area, the regiment would be able to continue its advance. The 3/381, in regimental reserve, located at (7860-CDHI) on on the Laura Hill continued to mop up and seal caves in rear areas.
As a result of the advances made on June 17 in the 382-IR zone of action, organized enemy resistance in the Yuza-Ozato-Hill 167 area was overcome. The division gained complete control of the Yuza-Dake and the Yaezu Dake hill mass.
June 18-22, Large-Scale Mop Up Underway
With the seizure of the Yuza-Dake and the Yaezu Dake hill mass on June 17, the division had completely broken the last actual enemy defensive position within its zone. From June 18 to June 22, the action within the division zone consisted mainly of wiping out scattered strongpoints of enemy resistance. This action, however, was more than a more mopping-up operation. The isolated enemy groups continued to fight desperately, aided by the jumbled coral rock and hilly terrain of the area. The enemy continued to employ machine gun, rifle and mortar fire during the day. The division was forced to attack and destroy each enemy strongpoint individually. Medium, light and flamethrower tanks were employed extensively; artillery preparations were fired prior to each major advance. During this five-day period, the division killed 6153 Japs. On June 21 alone, the division killed 1823 Japs. Each night the enemy attempted extensive infiltration. For example, on the night of June 20/21, a total of 414 infiltrators were killed and 12 captured.
June 20, 382-IR Cleans Out Aragachi
On June 18 and 19, the 352-IR with the 3/383 attached, completed the mopping up of enemy forces north of the town of Aragachi – (7659). On June 18, the 3/382, on the regimental right, advanced approximately 600 yards, reducing an enemy cave and pillbox defense along the base of a rocky ridge at (7660-GHLM). By 1800 on June 19, the 2/302 and the 3/383 on the left had pushed from the Hill 167 to the high ground north of Aragachi to come abreast of the 3/382. During this advance, the two battalions encountered numerous caves and pillboxes, each of which had to be destroyed or flushed out with flamethrowers. The 1/302 remained in position at (7660-FG) and mopped up behind the other battalions. On June 20, the 3/382, the 2/382 and the 3/383, from right to left, pushed forward in the face of stiffening enemy resistance in the form of machine gun and rifle fire coming from coral emplacements in the ridge just north of Aragachi. By 1800, the regiment had seized the ridge and passed through the town, with front lines located generally along the road just south of the town. For the balance of the period, the regiment carried out large scale mopping-up activities within its zone. On June 21, the 3/383 moved back to (7660-KLM). The 2/382 and the 3/382 established a defensive perimeter just south of Aragachi.
June 21, the 381-IR Cleans Out Hedeera
The 381-IR, with the 2/381 on the right and the 1/381 on the left, advanced rapidly on June 18, gaining some 1000 yards with final front lines located on the high ground approximately 1100 yards north of Mereeda – (7759). During this advance, enemy resistance encountered was in the form of small delaying forces and camouflaged snipers concealed throughout the rocky terrain. At the end of the day, the 1/381 was receiving rifle, machine gun and mortar fire. On June 19, advances were slow as both battalions worked through the rocky terrain on the high ground north of Mereeda, cleaning out riflemen and machine gunners concealed in the rocky draws and crags. The 2/381 received an intense barrage of 50-MM mortar fire during the afternoon of June 19.
On June 20, the regiment again encountered strong enemy machine gun and rifle fire from numerous Japs scattered throughout the rocky crags in the area. Both battalions made extensive use of medium and flamethrower tanks in the destruction of enemy caves and machine gun positions. During the afternoon, the 1/381, on the left, advanced to the north edge of Mereeda after engaging in heavy fighting, including several hand-grenade battles. An enemy strongpoint at (7759-W), on the northeast edge of the town, held up the advance of the battalion and remained active despite an attempt to flank the positions to the east. On June 21, the 3/381 was committed on the regimental left, and cleaned out this remaining enemy pocket in a flanking movement. 1500 civilians and 141 PW’s collected as a result of surrender appeals broadcasted during the morning. At the close of tho day, all three battalions established a defensive perimeter just north of the town.
On June 22, the 3/381 cleaned out the remaining enemy pockets along the south edge of the town. A large portion of the enemy killed during the day were officers, probably remnants of the Jap 24-ID Headquarters which was later determined to be located in this area. On June 21 and 22, the 2/381 continued to patrol the area west of Mereeda and the 1/381 patrolled rear areas back to Hill 167 and Hill 153. During the period June 18-22, the 383-IR less the 3/383, patrolled rear areas (7961-7962-7963-7861-7862-8163), killing isolated Jap groups and sealing numerous caves.
June 22, 305-IR (77-ID) Makes Final Attack
The 305-IR (77-ID), under operational control of the 96-ID, continued to mop up rear areas from June 18 to June 20. The 2/305, attached to the 382-IR, moved to (7761-HT) just south of Yuza, on June 18, and June 19, mopped up in the Yuza-Dake area east of Ozato, cleaning out two by-passed enemy pockets at (7661-SXY) and (7660-BC). The balance of the regiment patrolled the area in the vicinity of Kamizato – (8066). On June 20, the regiment less the -2/305, moved to new assembly areas in the vicinity of Tonui. On June 21, the 305-IR was committed to seize the Hill 79 – (7658-I) and the Hill 85 – (7658-H). The last remaining enemy strongpoint within the division zone was located on these two hills, which, together with the Hill 81 – (7559-Y) in the US Marine zone, formed the Makabe Ridge. The 1st Marine had secured the HILL 31 the previous day.
The regiment passed through the 7-ID zone and moved to an assembly position at (7758-N), encountering numerous scattered pockets of enemy riflemen during the approach march. At 1200, the 1/305 jumped off for the Hill 79, supported by medium and flamethrower tanks. Moderate resistance was encountered. By 1200, front lines were consolidated just short of the crest of the Hill 79. On June 22, the 3/305 passed through the 1/305, and against scattered enemy rifle and machine gun fire secured the Hill 85 by 1400, at which time the island was declared secure.
During the period of June 10-17, the 96-ID assaulted its third escarpment and broke the enemy’s final defense system based on the formidable Yuza-Dake and
| Okinawa 1945 – 96th Infantry Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Casualties 96th Infantry Division | KIA | WIA | MIA |
| 381st Infantry Regiment | 60 | 389 | 10 |
| 382nd Infantry Regiment | 36 | 258 | 10 |
| 383rd Infantry Regiment | 35 | 195 | 14 |
| Total Casualties 96-ID | – | – | 1007 | Japanese Casualties | – | – | 9838 |
We lost 9 tanks to mines and satchel charges, while the damage to the enemy was 9839 KIA, 206 PW’s, Field Pieces, 23, Machine Guns, 104, Mortars, 37, Caves, 114, Tanks 2.
June 20-30, Mop-Up Operations
Field Order #26, (Hq 96th Infantry Division) dated June 22, 1945, was to become effective when D-Day was announced, this day to mark the termination of organized Jap resistance. The 96-ID was to start on 0/1 Day, mop up Jap units and personnel south of Phase Line 1 in its’ zone of action’ (map above), bury all dead Japs and salvage all US and Jap equipment. Starting on 0/2 Day at 0730, the division was to sweep from Phase Line 1, in the vicinity of Komesu and within its zone of action, to Phase Line 3 north of Highway 44 and 
be prepared to assemble by 0/10 Day in assigned areas of rehabilitation. The 96-ID with three regiments abreast was to be the guiding unit for the 7th Infantry Division on its east flank and the III Amphibious Corps on its west flank during the sweep north. On June 24, daily phase lines and limiting points were incorporated in this plan to facilitate the coordination of all units.
0-Day was announced by Tenth Army as June 22 and Field Order #26 went into effect immediately. On June 23, the mopping up operations were officially begun although the division had been continually mopping up enemy pockets in the Aragachi-Medeera area since June 20. Resistance in the town of Medeera was cleaned out at 1000, June 23, by the 381-IR and during the afternoon
assault operations were continued with the use of flamethrower tanks against small enemy pockets south of Medeera. The 1/381 relieved the 1/305 on the Hill 75 during the morning and patrolled south to Komesu during the afternoon. The 2/381 moved to the Hill 85 and relieved the 3/305 at 1430. During the day the 381-IR killed 492 Japs plus an additional 160 estimated sealed in caves. The 382-IR and the 383-IR conducted extensive patrolling, ferreting out individual Japs and sealing many caves. As a result of the day’s activities, the division killed 1408 Japs and captured 83 POW.
During June 24, patrol activities were again concentrated around the Medeera-Aragachi area. Bulldozers were used to bury Japs and seal caves. 795 Japs were killed during this period and 52 taken prisoner. On June 25, the division jumped off from Phase Line 1 at 0730 in its sweeping and mopping up action within assigned zone with the 382-IR on the left (west) and the 381-IR on the right (east). By the end of the day, all three regiments were in position on an anti-infiltration defense line in the Agarachi-Medeera area in preparation for a further sweep to the north.
