HEADQUARTERS
503d Regimental Combat Team

APO 73

6 March 1945

SUBJECT : Historical Report, Communications, 503d Prcht. RCT,
              Corregidor Island Operation (Opn. 48)

TO      : Commanding General, Sixth Army, APO 442.

1.      Communications during the Corregidor Island Operation (Opn. 481 were very satisfactory for reasons as detailed in the succeeding paragraphs.

2.      Radio: Radio personnel dropped at 0840 hr. 16 Feb. 1945 on Corregidor Island, The first half hour was s pent in assembling personnel and radio equipment at the Regimental CP. Personnel rived with radios at 0915 hour and opened nets. Radio SCR-694 and SCR-300 contact made with 38th Division Headquarters and 149th Inf. Regt. on mainland at 0920 hour. Reception good at both ends - traffic being transmitted. Radio SCR-300 net established with 3d Paro,,503 Prcht. RCT at 0940 hour. This n. at that time was the only tactical unit on the ground requiring radio or wire communication with Regt. B4. 462d FL Bn. Eq. was established near Regt'l CP. Radio SCR-694 communication established with rear base at Mindoro, 1000 hour. Perfect reception at both ends. Beach landing made by 3d Bn. 34th Inf, at 1030 hour. Radio SCR-300 communication established. XI Corps radio SCR-399, brought in to work back to Corps by Rock Force, contacted land mine upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. Established radio communication continued until 1415 hour when 2nd Bn. with remainder of Regt'l Communication section and Engineer Company jumped on Corregidor. Upon landing, 2d En. entered established SCR-300 radio net. Engineer Company assem�bled vicinity of Regt^�l CP., therefore no need for radio or wire communication. Remainder of Regt^�l Comm Section assembled at Regt^�l CP with Message Center and Wire equipment. Message Center established and plans made for wire communication. More radio bundles recovered and at 1500 hour radio SCR-284 voice communication established with naval support party afloat by JASCO officers attached to RCT for mission. Beach landing by 1st Bn. 503d Prcht. RCT at 1645 hour-17 Feb. Radio SCR-300 communication established. Es�tablished radio communication until 19 February when radio team from XI Corps arrived to re^place SCR-399 lost upon beach landing. Radio brought in was TW-12, but was damaged upon arrival and communication to Corps unsuccessful. SCR-694 radio communication to 38th Division HQ continued. 2d Bn. 151st Inf. arrived 1100 hour 24 February to replace 3d Bn. 34th Inf. Radio communication closed with 34th Inf. and established with 151st Inf. Need presented for radio communication to Mariveles so radio communication established with Mariveles 27 Feb. Established radio communication continued. Commander-in-chief General Douglas MacArthur arrived for flag raising ceremony 2 March and inspected installations. Radio TW-12 arrived from     XI Corps 3 March. Radio SCR-694 net with 33th Div. Hq. closed out. Established communication continued as outlined above for remainder of operation. For radio nets see Annex I.

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 3.       Wire: No wire laid initially because shortage of plane space did not permit wire teams and equipment to be dropped. Radio communication was very satisfactory and communication was not handicapped by lack of wire. Wire team with equipment dropped on Correg�idor Island 1415 hour 16 February. After dropping, wire team assembled at Regt'l CP to execute plans for wire communication. First wire line established 18 Feb. with 3d Bn. 34th Inf. Regt. Wire laid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Bns. 503d Prcht. RCT and switchboard installed 18th February. Wire installations of 3d Bn. 34th Inf. Regt. taken over by 2nd Bn. 151st Inf. Regt. 110C, hr. 24 February. Normal wire maintenance and operation for remainder of mission. For wire in�stallations see Annex 2. 

4.       Message Center: Message Center personnel dropped on Corregidor Island 1415 hour 16 February. Section then assembled Regimental CP and set up message center. Normal procedure for duration of mission.

 5.       Personnel responsible for successful communications on Corregidor.

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