2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines.

DOG PLUS FIFTEEN DAY, 6 MARCH, 1945.

The night was quiet.

The basic substance of the RCT 23 order was: King Hour 0800. 4th Marine Division jumps off at King plus 60. Preparation by nine battalions of artillery massed in front of the zones of RCT 23 and 24. BLT 2/23 relieves BLT 3/24 prior to King Hour and continues the attack in that zone. Formation, BLT's 2/23 and 3/23 attacking in column of BLTs "L" Company (3/23) in RCT reserve. Objective O-3.

The actions and orders of BLT 2/23 were as follows: BLT 2/23 with "G" and "F" companies in the attack, "G" Company on the left and "E" Company in reserve, relieved BLT 3/24 prior to daylight over previously reconnoitered routes. BLT 2/23 CP moved at daylight to TA 201 K west center.

The BLT occupied a line from four hundred yards on the left to two hundred yards on the right behind lines previously reported and jumped off on time. (King plus 60 - 0900). Both companies advanced initially with "G" Company moving about three hundred yards and "F" Company, about one hundred yards. Company "E" followed as ordered at three hundred yards. The initial resistance was from enemy small arms and mortars.

This resistance intensified in the area of "F" Company and pinned it down. At 1130, Company "E" was moved to pass through the gap in between "G" and "F" Companies, moving in a column of platoons in conjunction with the "G" Company advance. Company "F" was given the mission of containing the resistance. In the process of the execution "E" Company was hit by an extremely heavy mortar barrage. The "E" Company Commander was WE. Many other casualties resulted. The Company Executive Officer assumed command, reorganized quickly and pushed to accomplish the maneuver, but was met once again by the same resistance augmented by much rifle fire. "E" Company continued to push and by 1530 had two platoons abreast of "G" and "F" Companies.

The nature of the terrain minimized the use of tanks, but three tanks and one flamethrower tank were used in the left zone to engage pillboxes and caves located in "G" Company area. Meanwhile Company "G" was receiving heavy automatic small arms fire from the left adjacent zone and was unable to move.

The BLT forward observers called fires within one hundred yards of the front lines in a n attempt to neutralize some of the positions in front of "E" and "F" Companies, but this fire, though accurate had little effect.

Company "F" was disorganized due to casualties and prolonged mortar fire. At 1345, "K" Company (3/23) was attached and at 1600, jumped of and passed through Company "F" in an attempt to bring up the BLT right. Company "K" made but fifty yards beyond "F" Company positions and was held up by the same intense small arms and mortar fire. Company "F" passed to BLT Reserve.

The formation at 1800 was: "G", "E" and "K" Companies. Company "G" was on the left. "F" Company was in BLT Reserve. Contact on the left was with the 3rd Marine Division and on the right over difficult terrain, with RCT 24.

At 1900, a mortar barrage hit "E" Company CP. The Company Commander and twenty-two enlisted were WE. The Company Executive Officer was KIA. The BLT Intelligence Officer left the BLT CP to take over duties as "E" Company Commander. This made a total of six company commanders and the seventh change in company commanders for Company "E" during the operation.

Company "E" was badly disorganized, but its positions were reorganized in spite of darkness.