#166          1600

All Bn continued patrolling assigned areas against light enemy sniper fire. Caballo being pounded by air & Navy very heavy. Two prisoners picked up trying to swim away. One stated explosion of the 26 Feb was a mass suicide of about 150 Japs. Our casualties were also heavy due to this.

#167

1437

Msg from XI Corp asking release of Lt. Evans to his unit.

#168

1825

S-3 Periodic report by radio.

#169

2000

Notifying XI Corp Lt Evans departed 281800I to join his unit.

#170

2400

Period quiet - all wounded and dead evacuated from the island. Nite very quiet except for mortar fire on draws around perimeter.

"28 Feb. The rest of the day of the 26th was spent in evacuating dead and wounded from Monkey Point. Yesterday we got a partial count of the casualties at the explosion. There were known to be over 200 casualties- of which over 50 were dead- an accurate report is not yet available. We had patrols out yesterday but they didn't run into much. 10 Nips accounted for. A C-47 flew over yesterday spraying the island with fly repellant and, lo and behold, the flies were repelled- an extremely successful mission. This same pilot spotting a patrol of "D" Co. and mistaking them for Japs, opened up with a Tommy gun, wounding one. I understand he was hauled up before a general for that feat. Our 81mm's were given credit for 6 Japs during the barrage on the night of the 26th.

Our perimeter was pulled in a little tighter last night due to the fact that the movement of the 1st Bn came here on Topside and took over part of our perimeter. Each Company has picked 12 men for a guard of honor for Gen MacArthur. who's supposed to come Friday.

RSO called for equipment shortages today- wonder what that could be for. There is a rumor around that the unit will get a Presidential citation for this mission. Everyone is anxiously awaiting the announcement of a surprise to be made by Col. Jones after Gen. MacArthur's visit. Who knows - maybe its another mission. The count on dead Nips is over four thousand - for the 2nd Bn. over 900."

"Co. sent out a patrol to burn and bury Jap bodies. No enemy contacted."

"The platoons made short local patrols."

We were still doing a little patrolling, but activity was lessening every day. We found a large supply of men's clothing. There were cotton slacks and various colors of cotton slacks and shirts. I remember many bright yellow shirts and many blue colors. Someone, I believe General Marquat, said the Japs had emptied the merchandise out of the stores in Manila and brought it out here and stored it. This was, also, the reason for the large amounts of alcoholic beverages out here. We put on some of the clothes to lounge around in. It was so nice to get out of the board-like, hot fatigues. Then some-one wore a yellow, cotton shirt on patrol. The patrol moved across the Parade Ground and was seen by some in regimental headquarters. Orders came out immediately threatening the most dire consequences for anyone caught wearing any civilian attire. I guess they were right. Parachutist really did not look dressed for the part attired in jump boots, blue trousers, yellow shirt, steel helmet and wearing a rifle belt and web suspenders with the pouches filled with 8-round clips and frag and WP grenades hanging from the suspenders.

Sitting on top of the light house and tanks was a good viewing stand for observing the aerial naval bombardment of Caballo Island. P-47's worked it over daily. Soon some P-38's joined the attacks. The really spectacular attacks were made by two P-51's. We had heard about this new fighter being used in Europe. We really did not expect to see any over here. The most modern equipment went to Europe. Some Army Air Force people had said that the planes would never be able to operate off the dusty strips in the Pacific because of the big air scoop in front of the engine: none the less, two P-51's had shown up at Mindoro and were being given a thorough workout. Their bombing attacks were beautiful to behold. They would come flying over Caballo Island as though they were going on to Manila. Suddenly they would fall off on one wing and go into an apparent vertical dive towards the island. At a low altitude they would drop their bomb, pull out of the dive and gracefully climb for altitude.

Also, during the day two or three destroyers were usually steaming slowly around the island and firing at a slow, deliberate rate with their five inch guns.

È