The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-02-20

proof. The 31st regimental
roster is studded with the names
of dead, wounded and missing,
as we'll as those of living heroes.
Although, along with the rest
of MacArthur's army, the 31st
had had its share Of aerial
bombing daily from December
8 on. first actual contact with
the japanese came early in jan
uary near Layac junction, while
the Usaffe was still withdraw
ing into prepared positions on
Bataan.
After strong artillery pre-
paration, large forces of Jap
anese infantry drove against
Philippine units on the night OF
December 81.
BAYONET ATTACK
Lieut.. Col. Jasper Brady OF
Seattle. Wash, gave his third
battalion a crisp command: Fix
bayonets and attack with a
rush"
The battalion rose from posi-
tions behind an irrigation wall
in a rice paddy and charged
across the field. The japanese
scattered and fled.
After that first taste OF direct
conflict, the 31st regiment was
Withdrawn to reserve positions
on MacArthur's right flank
the very spot the enemy chose
for a terrific attack ten days
later.
Youthful Filipino troops ex-
periencing their first combat
were in the front lines of this
sector, along the south bank or
the Labangan River, when the
assault began.
They gave way before over
whelming numbers Of Japanese
strongly supported by artillery
and aircraft. The enemy sue
ceeded in crossing the river and
driving a wedge approximately
mile wide and a half mile deep
into the Usaffe lines. Some or
the defense units were turned to
positions at right angles to tho
front.
Then Col. Charles Steel Dav-
idson, commander of the 3lst'
received orders to counterat-
tack. push the japanese out OF
the salient and restore the posi-
ton which had been held by a
! full division.
PENETRATE BARRAGE
The regiment moved up under
bombing and Smelling and pre-
pared to 60 into action on a
mile-wide front while maintain
ing contact with the division on
its right and other Philippine
army units on it's left.
The attack was launched at
8:15 am, with the 31sts second
battalion on the right and its
first battalion on the left.
Major Lloyd G. Moffett OF
(12O East Eighth Ave.) Denver
led the first battalion through a
deep ravine and up its opposite
slope. A 50-yard advance then
was made into an uncut tangle
of sugarcane. where the Ameri-
cans ran headlong into wave OF
Japanese attacking the exposed
left flank of the division.
The entire field, one grizzled
veteran commented later, was
lousy with Japs.'
The second battalion also
pressed forward, slashing paths
through the sugarcane and adj
vancing single file in the face OF
heavy machine-gun fire.
Private Elmer p. Bushrig
crawled through, the rain OF
bullets in an attempt to rescue
wounded companion. For his
bravery, he gave his own life.
The seconds attack, moving
inch by inch, covered only $50
wards to the edge of a second
ravine by nightfall, bu. the first
battalion, after it, initial brush
with the enemy, encountered
less resistance.
CLOSE GAP IN LINES
With Lieut.. Et ward II
Bowcs, of San Francisco taking
direct command. it reached the
main Japanese positions on the
bank of the Lebangan by 4 p.m.,
closing half of the original gap
in the defense lines but leaving
a large pocket of enemy resist
ance on its right rear and FLANK
: Next morning the second bat
talon. aided by fire support
4 from the first, resumed the at
tack, driving into the second
ravine and up the farther side.
Five times the Americans
reached the top. but five times
they were driven off by wither-
4