Evening star., 1947-09-28
By the Associoied Press

today what 1t termed evidence
clearing" the division of serious
imputations" cast by a published
report on the infantry units action
in the battle of Saipan in 1914
The association, at the first post
war reunion of World War I and II
members of the 9th New York;
Division, made public report of
committee headed by Brig. Gen.
Ogden j. Ross, honorary association
chairman and assistant division
commander in the battle of Saipan.
The committee report dealt with a
September, 1914, Time Magazine
article on the Saipan invasion and
battlefield relief of 9th Division
commander, Maj Gen. Ralph c.
Smith by Marine 1t. Gen. Holland
M. tHoWlin' Mad Smith, overall
assault troop commander.
In New York spokesman for
Time Magazine said the publication
would have no comment regarding
the committee report.
The committee said it had plan
ned TO release data collected earlier
but after a conference in Washing
ton in September, 1916, with then
Secretary of War Patterson, "it was
deemed inadvisable to release the
data until after passage of the serv-
ice merger bill"
Three Controversial Incidents.
The committee report said in part:
The official accounts of the
Saipan battle show that the Army
Marine controversy centered around
three incidents:
First was the alleged failure of
units of the 9th to clear up Jap
resistance on Nafutan Peninsula, in
Southern Salpan, as fast as 1t. Gen.
Holland Smith thought it should be
done; second was the failure, lead
ing to the removal of Maj Gen.
up the center of the island as fast
as the End and 4th Marine Divi-
sions had moved on either flank;
the third involved the penetration
of forward positions of the 9th by
Jap force in an early morning
banzai charge.
Report to Gen. Richardson.
ITO the first, a report to Gen,
Richardson CIT. Gen. Robert c.
Richardson, jr., in command of
Army forces in the Central Pacific
by Col. Geoffrey M. O'Connell, chief
of staff of the Saipan Island COM
mand, dated July 18th, 1914, shows
that Marine headquarters had es-
timated the Jap strength on Nafu-
tan Peninsula at not more than
200 disorganized Japanese and
three days after the action, at a
corps headquarters conference, Gen.
Holland Smith made sarcastic and
cauStic' comments about 1000
Americans held up by handful of
Japs.' Col. O'Conneu stated, I am
convinced neither general referring
to Gen. Holland M. Smith and his
chief staff, Brig. Gen. Graves B.
Erskine) had any conception of the
nature of the terrain, the degree
that the battalion was extended to
cover its area, the streng of he.
battalion or any details concerning
EIhe operation ~u , spa
E The Army troops involved were
the End Battalion of the 105th IN
fantry of the 9th, with an effective
strength Of 556. Gen. Ralph C.
Smith had asked for a larger force,
but was turned down. More than
200 Japanese were accounted for
at the conclusion of this phase of
the operation as against 200 esti-
mated by Marine headquarters.
Says Maps Were Wrong.
B "As to the rapidity-ef the advance
up the center of the island, an ad-
vance characterized as begged down
by the Time article, the reports
show that part of the delay was due
to the fact that Marine units being
relieved by the 106th and 165th regi-
ments of the 9th were not where
the map information showed them
to have been. Later, after the relief.
narrow gulches, high ridges and for
titled Jap positions made rapid
advance 'foolhardy.'
"AS to the break through by the
Jap banzai attack at dawn on July
7, the Time article picture the army
as frozen in their foxholes,' and
group of Marine artillerymen break
ing up the Jap attack Admiral
raymond Spruance, in overall
command at Saipan, directed that
an investigation be made.
The report of the investigators.
Marine colonel and an Army
lieutenant colonel, confirmed in gen.
eral the Army reports on the subject
and vindicated the 9th. 1t COM
mends the 1st and End battalions
and headquarters company of the
105th infantry, as well as the 3rd
battalion of the 10th marines, whose
positions had also been overrun, and
states in conclusion that the front
line units of the 9th were prepared
! for the Japanese attack at dawn on
July 7, and that, although its posi-
ton had been penetrated from 1000
to 1900 yards by force of more
than 5000 Japs, the penetration had
always been firmly contained"
Protest Made to Nimitz.
| That committee report said that
after publication of the Time article
"off1cial and unofficial reDorts of its
inaccuracy were made
The report said Gen. Richardson
sent strong letter to Admiral
Chester w. Nimitz In October, 1914,
protesting the Time article.
The committee report said Gen
Richardson also sent Admiral Nim-
itz a letter of vigorous protest"
Gen. Richardson received from Maj.