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HEADQUARTERS
503D REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM
Office of the 8-3
APO 715
28 June 1945.
SUBJECT: Historical Report (Operations).
Operation lA - NEGROS (Occidental).
TO

: Commanding General, Eighth Army, APO 545.

MAPS

: Negros 1:50,000, Negros 1:25 0 000, Negros 1:250,000.

MISSION: To seize and occupy Norther A NEGROS (Occidental); to

destroy hostile forces and reestablish civial
government.
The 503d Regimental Combat Team was alerted on
25 March 1945 for a probable jump mission vicinity Alicante
Airfield, Negros Island, advance to the West and seize and
secure Saravia (town), then advance rapidly to the South to
effect a junction with the 185th Regimental Combat Team in
the vicinity Imbang River Bridge (17.2-10.2)
Preparations began immediately, which included
checking, replacing combat equipment and detailed planning for
the movement and mission. Plans for the operation were completed and Field Order #10 was distributed to the lower units
5 April 1945. Later in the day orders were received from Headquarters, Eighth Army, cancelling the jump mission on the
recommendation of the Commanding General, 40th Division to the
effect that the target area was clear of enemy. Instead, orders
were issued for an airborne movement to Panay Island with subsequent waterborne movement to Negros Island for a mission to be
designated by the Commanding General, 40th Division. Applying
that portion of Field Order #10 as pertained to an airborne
movement, the move of the Regimental Combat Team (less one battalion, reenforced) began on 6 April and was completed on 8
April with a landing at Pulupandan, Negros Island. The First
Battalion, 503d Parachute Infantry, C Battery and elements of
D Battery, 462d Parachute Field Artillery remained on Mindoro
Island as Eighth Army reserve. The Regimental Combat Team then
entrucked for motorized movement to assembly area as assigned
to by Commanding General, 40th Infantry Division. Primary
mission and zone of action was assigned to the Regimental Combat
Team and issued on 8 April. (Operations overlay to accompany
Field Order #17 1 dated 8 April 1945, Headquarters, 40th Infantry
Division). The mission assigned to the Regimental Combat Team
was to seize Division Objective within its zone, destroy all
hostile forces encountered and protect the left (N) flank of the

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Historical Report (Operations) (Contid)

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 antiaircraft guns, the enemy made his usual fanatical defense from
innumerable mutually supporting caves, bunkers, and intercommunicatinz 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 harrassing 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 devestating 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 North. 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
patrol laterally. The first battalion met some
resistance in the TYAP area; however, the concentration of airstrikes, 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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Xistorical Report (Operationp) (Contld)

the enemy to be withdrawing the bulk of his forces to the South
away from the regimental combat team zone of action. Consequently, on 11 May the 40th division issued orders relocating the
regimental combat team (less one battalion), on the division
right flank. The third battalion was attached to the 185th
Regimental Combat Team and continued its advance on the division
left flank. The new regimental combat team mission was to
advance to the North and cut the enemy supply and evacuation
route to the Southeast; thus containing the balance of the enemy
forces in the PATOG HILL 4055 area which the 160th Regimental
Combat Team and 185th Regimental Combat Team closed in from
the North. Fighting up-hill through heavy rain forest,
ravines and steep mountainous areas our forces, supported by
aerial and artillery action, succeeded in their mission by
emIlacing strong forces across the en's evacuation route
on 26 May. Extensive combat patrolling from this position
effectively broke up all organized resistance and forced the
remainder to flee deep into the mountains. (On 4 June all
infantry elements of the 40th Division, inclUdink the 503d
Regimental Combat Team, were relieved from the objective area
by the 7th Philippine Military District Forces. The mission
of the latter was to pursue and destroy the enemy that could
be found and contain the remainder in the mountains, denying
it access to food or supplies.
,

At 2400 hour, 9 June, operational control on Negros

Island passed to the 503d Regimental Combat Team. Its mission
being to garrison the island maintaining its security, and
completing the destruction of the large number of enemy remaining. At the official close of the operation on 20 June, the
503d Regimental Combat Team with attached service troops, and
forces of the 7th Philippine Military District consisting
roughly of four thousand troops having two combat regiments
and one combat battalion, were busy in the accomplishment of
the assigned mission.

ERNEST C. CLARK JR,

Major, 503d Prcht Inf.,
S-3

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