The Apache sentinel., 1945-03-02

we been lacking several fast think
ing men,"
Excellent Night Figters
Everyone knows by now that the
Jap is master of infiltration, par
ticularly at night. Here's some more
corroborative evidence, cleaned from
the battle experiences of U. S. fight
ing men in the Kwa jalein and Palau
invaSions:
Sgt. R. w. Kerber, so nm mortar
squad leader: "It was about 900 the
second evening of the battle. My
mortar squad and 1 had just fin
ished digging in for the night. Be-
fore we knew what was happening,
American hand grenades were fall
ing all around us. We soon discov-
cred that they were not being
thrown by mistake but were coming
from a Jap hidden in a fallen palm
tree close by.
"After a few minutes a water
cooled machine gun squad saw him
and realized what was happening.
They opened up and did away with
the Jap. This would not have oc-
Cured if some of the boys hadn't
gotten careless and lazy. BY that, I
mean they had thrown away live
ammunition. The Japs are good at
infiltration at night and will gather
all of the live ammunition lying
around and send it back to you the
next day"
More on Jap night tactics from
Col. Mark j. Logic, regimental COM
mander:
"One night the enemy attempted
to overrun the positions of the front
line battalion in the following man
ner. First, he made special effort
to locate and destroy the automatic
weapons by use of patrol. The, ap-'
proach of the enemy patrol was
preluded by a diversionary noise
caused by rolling heavy oil drums
on the enemy airport and by the
enemy exposing himself in that area.
"Then, as soon as the guns dis
closed their position by firing on the
targets, the enemy charged the po-
sition from another direction, at
tempting to destroy the guns by use
of hand grenades and bayonets.
Cali men must be constantly alert
for such diversionary tactics secur-
ity groups must not let their interest
be drawn by flareups of action in
other sections and automatic weap-
ons must always have all-around
protection.
S/Sgt. Edward L. Harper, bat
talon operations sergeant, broad
casting:
st saw one strand of wire, placed
under cover of darkness, one foot
above the ground and around our
perimeter defense, actually stop the
Japs from infiltrating. When the
Japs contacted the wire, they turned
and ran, assuming the wire was
covered by automatic fire.
OF the danger of spreading ru-
mors, 1t. Richard H. Anderson, pla-
toon leader, says: "Rumors spread
like wildfire even on the battlefield
and while under fire. All rumorS are
dangerous under battle conditions,
so check those rumors Keep watch
on those men you regard as gullible."
To which Sgt. H. B. Swegle, so nm
mortar squad leader, adds: Troops
should be made to realize how effec-
lively a careless pharse, such as The
JapS have broken through and are
all around us or even something
much less serious can demoraiize
their buddies."
Lack of aggressiveness is what
worries Sgt. George Kanold, assist
ant squad leader: "You can't stress
the Importance of constantly moving
forward too much when your outfit
is the attacking element. Let terrain,
opposition confronted and the num-
bery of enemy emplacements present
regulate your rate of advance. Take
of all cover and conceal
ment, but don't remain in one spot
too long Most of our casualties were
hit while motionless on the ground.
Let T/Sgt. Thomas H. Bentlye,
rifle platoon sergeant, have the final
say: "The day went fine, the night
was hell. I'll never forget again that
it's their back yard. They know it
like book they have read hun
dred times"