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23rd Marines

DOG_DAY, 19 FEBRUARY, 1945

All operations for Dog_day have been included in Section III, Paragraph 5, THE LANDING, this report.

THE LANDING

    Dog day had been tentatively set for 19 February, and How-hour for 0900.  Both were confirmed.  Throughout the day, the weather, sea conditions and visibility were excellent.

    At 0640, the transports arrived in the transport area.  The RCT Comdr and his command group were afloat immediately thereafter, and cleared for the Control Vessel at 0700, arriving thereat 0745.  By 0735 all LSTs were on station, and by 0805, all LVTs had been launched without mishap, and the waves were forming behind the LD, prepared to land.  Both Regimental Weapons Company (less 37mm platoons), and the remainder of the RCT Command echelon, which had been delayed in boating were inroad to their rendezvous areas at 0900.

    Inroad to the beach, the landing craft received no fire, and at 0902 the first wave (LVT(A)s) landed.  One minute later the 2d wave of BLT 1 landed, and at 0905 the 2d wave of BLT 2 landed.  The remaining scheduled waves followed at the prescribed intervals.

    Reports during the first half-hour after landing indicated that both BLTs were progressing inland under increasing mortar and machine-gun fire, and were beginning to encounter pillboxes within their zone.  No mines were reported on the beaches.  Reports on tank landing points were somewhat confused and misleading.  It appeared clear that tanks could successfully land and move inland in the center of Yellow 1, but reports as to the condition of Yellow 2 proved inaccurate.

    Shortly after 0900, the CO BLT 1 requested that his attached tanks be landed, and, as the need for tanks ashore was becoming increasingly apparent, it was decided to land LSM 211 on the center of Yellow 1.  Owing to the fact that the Control Vessel had no direct radio communications with the LSMs, some delay was encountered in getting the LSM to the LD.  During this interval CO BLT 2 requested the landing of his tanks, and at 0930, all three tank LSMs were dispatched from the LD, LSM 211 to land 50 yards to the north of the beached lugger on the boundary of Yellow 1 and Yellow 2, and LSM 216 to land 100 yards farther to the north, near the center of Yellow 2.