Historical Report (Operations) (Cont'd)

division. The Second Platoon, Company C, 716th Tank Battalion was attached to the Regimental Combat Team to assist in accomplishing this mission. Leading elements of our assault forces crossed the initial point at 090800 April. Included in these elements were demolition sections to disarm the many mines (converted 100 and 250 pound air corps bombs) planted along our approach route. Our approach route followed a series of narrow parallel ridges that sloped upward to our objective. Contact with enemy was made at 091000 April and was never lost during our approach to the objective. Employing rifles, knee mortars, machine guns of all the familiar calibres, including converted air corps types, and occasional dual—purpose anti-aircraft guns, the enemy made his usual fanatical defense from innumerable mutual1y supporting caves, bunkers, and intercommunicating trenches. The terrain was ideally suited to this type of defense. Formerly cultivated fields afforded little cover or concealment of our movements and our up—hill attack afforded enemy observation points to observe our progress minutely. The pattern of our attack was to locate enemy strong—points, concentrate supporting artillery, tank, and mortar fire on them and then close with the enemy. Night interdictory and harassing fire by the artillery and mortars effectively prevented concentration of sizeable enemy forces for night attacks and the relatively few small attacks were effectively disrupted. Initially, though steady progress was made, it was slowed for several reasons. Lacking the First Battalion Combat Team protecting our left flank demanded troops that would otherwise have been employed in the assault or as reserves. This coupled with a rather wide front thinned our assault forces. However, on the 25th of April the First Battalion Combat Team joined the Regimental Combat Team and our advance accelerated. Coupled with the impetus of fresh troops was the previously unobserved devastating effect the artillery was having on the enemy. Having nothing to combat this the enemy began retreating into the heavy rain forest and mountains to his rear, leaving only delaying forces. These were quickly overrun and the Regimental Combat Team reached its initial objective 29 April. As the advance to the initial objective had progressed, left flank patrols encountered increasing enemy activity to the Worth. On 30 April a division order included in its directive to continue along the original line of advance, and an order to send sufficient forces to the North to destroy any enemy encountered in the TYAP area. This latter mission was assigned to the First Battalion Combat Team and the Third Battalion Combat Team continued forward. The Second Battalion Combat Team remained in position to guard the rear and to patrol laterally. The first battalion met some resistance in the TYAP area; however, the concentration of air—strikes, artillery, 4.2 chemical mortar fire coordinated with the ground attack forced the enemy to abandon his positions and scatter into the mountains. Intelligence information indicated

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