148th Infantry On 1 August, the day on which the Americans completely occupied the ridge positions, the 148th Infantry returned eastward to the 37th Division's lines after an advance which had taken it almost to Bibilo Hill. The 148th Infantry was the only regiment not confronted by prepared enemy positions, and it had made comparatively rapid progress from the first. When Colonel Baxter moved his regiment forward on 25 July, it went around the north flank of the Japanese defense line and met no resistance. However, none of the Americans then knew that the major part of the enemy 13th Infantry lay to the north of Baxter's right flank. Patrols, accompanied by Fiji scouts, went out and reported the presence of a few Japanese to the west, none to the south. Generals Griswold and Beightler had emphasized the importance of maintaining lateral contact and Beightler had expressly directed that the 148th was to maintain contact with the 161st, and that all units were to inform their neighbors and the next higher unit of their locations. The 148th, however, was not able to make contact on its left with the 161st Infantry. Baxter's two-battalion regiment advanced regularly for the next three days. Colonel Radcliffe's 2d Battalion led on 26 and 27 July; on 28 July Colonel Hydaker's 1st Battalion bypassed the 2d and led the advance to a point somewhere east of Bibilo Hill. (The total of daily yardage reported in the journals, if correct, would have placed the 148th west of Bibilo Hill on 28 July, but the 148th soldiers, like almost everyone else in the jungle, overestimated the distances they had traveled.) Patrols went out regularly and at no time reported the presence of a sizable body of the enemy. On 27 July Baxter reported that he had established "contact with Whiskers." Colonel Dalton, the "guest artist" regimental commander of the attached 161st Infantry, sported a beard and was dubbed "Whiskeys" and "Goatbeard" in the 37th Division's telephone code. But the 148th's front was almost a thousand yards west of Whiskers' 1st Battalion, and the contact must have been tenuous. Next day G Company was, ordered to move to the left to close a gap between the two regiments, but the gap stayed open. During the move troops of the 117th Engineer Battalion labored to push a supply trail behind the advancing battalions. The rate of march was in part geared to the construction of the supply trail. As Baxter told Radcliffe over the telephone on 27 July, "I am advancing behind you as fast as bulldozer goes." (148th Inf Jul, 27 Jul 43.) Next day, however, there occurred a disturbing event. A platoon from A Company, 117th Engineer Battalion, was using a bulldozer to build the trail somewhere north of Horseshoe Hill when it was ambushed by the enemy. Three engineers were killed and two were wounded before elements of the Antitank Company and of the 1st Battalion rescued the platoon and extricated the bulldozer. Japanese movements during this period are obscure, but this and subsequent attacks were made by the 13th Infantry coming south at last in accordance with Sasaki's orders. The situation became more serious on 28 July, the day on which Baxter's aggressive movement took him almost to Bibilo Hill. At this time the regiment was spread thinly about fifteen hundred yards beyond the 161st; its front lay some twelve hundred yards west of the regimental ration dump and eighteen hundred yards from the point on the supply line "which could be said to be adequately secured by other division units." (37th Div Opn Rpt, p. 6.) There was still no contact with the 161st, and in the afternoon a group of the 13th Infantry fell upon the ration dump. From high ground commanding it the enemy fired with machine guns, rifles, and grenade discharges at men of the regimental Service Company. The Service Company soldiers took cover among ration and ammunition boxes and returned the fire. The dump, under command of Maj. Frank Hipp, 148th S-4, held out until relieved by two squads of the Antitank Company and one platoon from F Company. East of the dump, troops of the 13th Infantry also forced the 148th's supply trucks to turn back. Baxter, stating "I now find my CP in the front line," asked Beightler to use divisional units to guard the trail up to the dump. ( 37th Div G-3 Jul, 28 Jul 43.) All the 148th's troubles with the Japanese were in the rear areas. The westward push, which took the leading battalion as far as one of the MundaBairoko trails, had been practically unopposed. But early on the morning of 29 July General Beightler, unaware of the 13th's position, telephoned Baxter to say that as the Japanese seemed to be moving, from the southwest through the gap between the 148th and 161st Regiments, and around the 148th's right, Baxter was to close up his battalions and consolidate his positions. At 0710 Beightler told Baxter to withdraw his battalions to the east, to establish contact with the 161st, and to protect his supply route. Baxter, who had sent patrols out in all directions early in the morning, at 0800 ordered one company of the 2d Battalion to clear out the supply trail to the east. At 0941, with Japanese machine guns still dominating the supply trail, Beightler sent Baxter more orders similar to those Of 0710, and also ordered forward a detachment of the 37th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop to help clear the cast end of the supply trail. The telephone, so busy with conversations between Beightler and Baxter on 29 July, was then quiet for an hour. Meanwhile Beightler had been conferring with Dalton, Holland, and members of the divisional general staff. As a result he had decided that the 161st should continue reducing Bartley Ridge, that the 145th should stay in place, and that the 148th would have to withdraw. So at 1055 Baxter ordered his regiment to turn around and pull back to the east. The 2d Battalion, 148th, was to use at least one company to establish contact with the 161st while the rest of the battalion withdrew toward the ration dump. The 1st Battalion would move back to the 2d Battalion's positions. At 1150 Baxter reported the 2d Battalion in contact with the 161st, and shortly afterward Beightler ordered Baxter to move the 1st Battalion farther east, putting it in position to deliver an attack the next morning against the rear of the Japanese holding up Dalton's regiment. The division commander again emphasized the necessity for maintaining firm contact with the 161st. (As the Americans still did not know the 13th Infantry's location, they thought the attack had originated from the southwest rather than from the north.) At 1305, with the 148th moving east, Colonel Katsarsky reported that his 1st Battalion, 161st, had as yet no contact with the 148th. Beightler at once told Baxter that, as Japanese machine gunners were operating between the two regiments, the gap must be closed before dark. An hour later Baxter called Beightler to say that he was too far west to close with the 161st before dark. When Beightler ordered him to close up anyway, Baxter demurred. Asking his general to reconsider the order, he stated that he could almost, but not quite, close the gap. Beightler thereupon told Baxter to comply with his orders as far as was physically possible. The 2d Battalion had meanwhile been pushing east, except for F Company's main body, which was advancing west toward the ration dump. Both bodies were encountering enemy resistance, and the day ended before the Japanese were cleared out. The Reconnaissance Troop cleared some Japanese from the eastern part of the supply trail, but at 1758 Baxter reported that the trail had been closed by raiding Japanese. The 148th Infantry, in examining the personal effects of some of the dead Japanese, found that the men belonged to the 13th Infantry. Some of them had been carrying booty taken in the raids east of the Barike several days earlier. Colonel Baxter later estimated that the enemy harrying his regiment numbered no more than 250, operating "in multiple small light machine gun and mortar detachments and . . . [moving] from position to position utilizing the jungle to its maximum advantage. You can well imagine what we could do with our M-1's, BAR'S and Machine Guns if all we had to do was dig in and wait for the Jap to come at US." (Opns of the 148th Inf in New Georgia, 18 Jul 5 Aug 43, P. 21) General Beightler, a National Guardsman most of his life, was an affable man, but he was far from satisfied with the outcome of the day's action. (General Beightler's record as a division commander was somewhat unusual in that he was in command of the 37th at the outbreak of war, led it overseas in 1942, and retained command of it through the Solomons and Philippines campaigns until the end of the war.) At 1832 he radioed Baxter that General Griswold had ordered the 148th to establish contact with the 161st early the next morning and to protect the supply route. "Use an entire battalion to accomplish latter if necessary. At no time have you been in contact on your left although you have repeatedly assured me that this was accomplished . . . Confirmation of thorough understanding of this order desired." Baxter thereupon telephoned division headquarters and put his case before a staff officer. General Beightler's criticism, he felt, was not justified. "Please attempt to explain to the General that I have had patrols in contact with the 161 and have documentary evidence to substantiate this. I have not, however, been able to maintain contact and close the gap by actual physical contact due to the fact that the 161st had been echeloned 600 to 800 yards to my left rear. I have been trying and will continue tomorrow morning to establish this contact. It is a difficult problem as I have had Japs between my left flank and the 161st." (The version of the radiogram quoted is taken from the 37th Div G-3 Jnl File, 29 Jul 43; the telephone message is from the 37th Div G-3 Jnl, 29 Jul 43.) Rain and Mud Rain and mud added to Baxter's troubles on 30 July. Still harried by enemy machine guns and mortars, the 2d Battalion pushed east and south toward the 161st as the 1st Battalion covered the left (north) flank. Elements of the 37th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, C Company, 117th Engineer Battalion, and the 3d Battalion, 161st Infantry, pushed north to give additional protection to the division's right (north) flank and to protect the east end of Baxter's supply route. Baxter attempted to cut a new trail directly into the 161st's lines, but Japanese rifle fire forced the bulldozer back. Some of the 148th's advance elements sideslipped to the south and got through to the 161st that day, but the main body was still cut off. (F and H Companies, part of E Company, and the 2d Battalion Headquarters Company were the elements that got through to the 161st.) Some of the Japanese who were following the 148th attacked the 1st Battalion, 161st, but were halted. This action then settled down into a nocturnal fire fight. The plight of the rest of the regiment was still serious. Water was running low. Part of the Reconnaissance Troop tried to take water forward to the 148th on 30 July. It was stopped by Japanese fire. But rain fell throughout the night of 30-31 July and the thirsty men were able to catch it in helmets and fill their canteens. On 31 July Beightler suggested that Baxter destroy heavy equipment and break his regiment into small groups to slip northward through the jungle around the enemy. The 148th blew up all the supplies it could not carry but it had to fight its way along the trail. It had over a hundred wounded men and could not infiltrate through the jungle without abandoning them. Toward the end of the day B Company, which had been trying to clear the Japanese north of the supply trail, was ordered to disengage and withdraw slightly for the night. One of B Company's platoons, however, had come under fire from a Japanese machine gun about seventy-five yards to its front and found that it could not safely move. Pvt. Rodger Young, who had been wounded in the shoulder at the first attempt to withdraw, told his platoon leader that he could see the enemy gun and started forward. Although a burst from the gun wounded him again and damaged his rifle, he kept crawling forward until he was within a few yards of the enemy weapon. As a grenade left his hand he was killed by a burst that struck him in the head. But he had gotten his grenade away, and it killed the Japanese gun crew. His platoon was able to withdraw in safety. For his gallantry and self-sacrifice Young was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. (Stanley A. Frankel, The 37th Infantry Division in World War II (Washington: Infantry journal Press, 1948), p. 101; WD GO 3, 6 Jan 44. Mr. Frank Loesser commemorated this exploit in a popular song, "Rodger Young," copyright 1945.) Time is Precious Colonel Baxter's radio fairly crackled the next morning, 1 August, with orders from General Beightler: "Time is precious, you must move." "Get going." "Haste essential." (37th Div G-3 Jnl, 1 Aug 43.) Thus urged on, Baxter ordered an assault by every man who could carry a rifle. He formed all his command--A, E, B, and G Companies--in a skirmish line with bayonets fixed, and assaulted by fire and movement at 0850. The attack succeeded. By 0930 the leading elements, ragged, weary, and muddy, reached Katsarsky's area. The 148th was given fresh water and hot food, then passed into division reserve. As the men struggled in after their ordeal, all available ambulances, trucks, and jeeps were rushed up to transport the 128 wounded men to the 37th Division's clearing station at Laiana. Capture of the Airfield The first day of August had broken bright and clear after a night of intermittent showers. It is likely that the spirits of the top commanders were also bright, for things were looking better. With Ilangana and Shimizu Hill reduced, the 43d Division was in possession of the last piece of high ground between it and Munda airfield. Bartley Ridge had fallen; Horseshoe Hill was about to fall, and the 148th was completing its retirement. General Griswold had issued no special orders for the day; the field order that had started the corps offensive was still in effect. In the 37th Division's zone the most significant development was the return of Baxter's men. The 145th Infantry was patrolling; the 161st was mopping up. In the 43d Division's area of responsibility, General Hodge had ordered an advance designed to bring his division up on line with the 145th Infantry. The 103d Infantry began its attack at 1100. E, G, and F Companies advanced in line behind patrols. Meeting practically no opposition, they gained ground rapidly and by 1500 were nearing Lambeti Plantation. The 2d Battalion, 169th Infantry, then in process of pinching out the 172d, attacked northwest across the front of the 172d and established contact with the 145th Infantry. The 172d completed a limited advance before going into division reserve. The 3d Battalion, 169th, on the left of the 2d, attacked in its zone and at 1500 was still advancing. For the first time since it had landed on New Georgia, the 43d Division could announce that the going was easy. The day before, Generals Hodge and Wing, accompanied by Colonel Ross, had visited the command and observation posts of the 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry, from where they could see part of Munda airfield. They detected evidence of a Japanese withdrawal, which seemed to be covered by fire from the enemy still on Horseshoe Hill. Thus at 1500, 1 August, with the 43d Division still moving forward, General Griswold ordered all units to send out patrols immediately to discover whether the Japanese were withdrawing. "Smack Japs wherever found, even if late." (XIV Corps G-3 Jnl, 1 Aug 43) If the patrols found little resistance, a general advance would be undertaken in late afternoon. Colonel Ridings telephoned the orders to 37th Division headquarters, and within minutes patrols went out. They found no enemy. At 1624 Ridings called Beightler's headquarters again with orders to advance aggressively until solid resistance was met, in which case its location, strength, and composition were to be developed. The 148th Infantry was to have been placed in corps reserve with orders to protect the right flank, patrol vigorously to the north, northeast, and northwest, and cut the Munda-Bairoko trail if possible. Since the 27th Infantry of the 25th Division was arriving and moving into position on the 37th Division's right flank, Beightler persuaded corps headquarters to let him use the 148th Infantry. (See below, pp. 167-69.) Ridings required, however, that the 148th be given the mission of protecting the right flank because the 27th Infantry would not have enough strength for a day or two. All went well for the rest of the day. The 103d Infantry reached the outer taxiways of Munda airfield; the 169th pulled up just short of Bibilo Hill. The 37th Division's regiments plunged forward past Horseshoe Hill, which was free of Japanese, and gained almost seven hundred yards. The Japanese Withdrawal The Japanese positions facing the XIV Corps had been formidable, and the Americans had been held in place for long periods. But the Americans had wrought more destruction than they knew. The cumulative effect of continuous air and artillery bombardment and constant infantry action had done tremendous damage to Japanese installations and caused large numbers of casualties. By late July most of the Japanese emplacements near Munda were in shambles. The front lines were crumbling. Rifle companies, 160-170 men strong at the outset, were starkly reduced. Some had only 20 men left at the end of July. The 229th Infantry numbered only 1,245 effectives. Major Hara, Captain Kojima, and many staff officers of the 229th had been killed by artillery fire. Hospitals were not adequate to care for the wounded and sick. The constant shelling and bombing prevented men from sleeping and caused many nervous disorders. To compensate for the diminution of his regiment's strength, Colonel Hirata ordered the soldiers of his 229th Infantry to kill ten Americans for each Japanese killed, and to fight until death. Higher headquarters, however, took a less romantic view of the situation. On 29 July a staff officer from the 8th Fleet visited Sasaki's headquarters and ordered him to withdraw to a line extending from Munda Point northeast about 3,800 yards inland. The positions facing the XIV Corps, and Munda airfield itself, were to be abandoned. Sasaki and his subordinates thought that it would be better to withdraw even farther, but the views of the 8th Fleet prevailed over those of the responsible men on the spot. The withdrawal, which was deduced by XIV Corps headquarters on 1 August, was accomplished promptly, and except for detachments at Munda and in the hills the main body of Sasaki's troops was in its new position by the first day of August. More XIV Corps Offensive Plans Ilangana and Shimizu Hill Attack Against the Ridges Advance and Withdrawal Jungle Techniques and Problems Back to Table of Contents -- Operation Cartwheel Back to World War Two: US Army List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by Coalition Web, Inc. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com