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26th Marines

D+10, 1 Mar 45 Weather: Scattered showers, visibility good At daybreak on passage of CT 27 lines by CT 28, LT 126 and LT 226 reverted to CT 26 in 5thMarDiv reserve. About 1340 CT 26 was committed to action, in that LT 326 was ordered to move forward into a gap in the lines between CT 28 and 3rdMarDiv elements. LT 226 was moved to a forward position in CT reserve. CT 26 CP was displaced forward. General advance having carried to the northern plateau of the island, the enemy had lost most of his commanding observation and a considerable number of his heavy guns, resultant in greater freedom of movement and less casualties in rear areas. Supply has progressed to a normal standard.

Casualties: 1 Off, 69 Enl. Replacements 10 Off, 385 Enl. Effective strength: 116 Off, 2474 Enl.

27th Marines - D plus 10 1 March, 10, 1945

This combat team became division reserve on this date. Flame throwers and demolitions were captured in T.S. 199K, west. Rocket launchers and dump were captured in T.S. 199G, northeast. At 1605, a POW was captured in T.S. 215T. Enemy dead reported to date was 1042.

28th Marines - 1800, 38 FEBRUARY TO 1800 1 MARCH

Night Activity: Very quiet.

Daylight Operations: CT-28 was ordered by Division as follows: 28th Marines with 5th Tank Bn, and 3d Bn, 27th Marines, attached, will at K-hour (0830) pass through 27th Marines, seize O-2 and D-A in Division zone of action, be prepared to seize O-3 on order.

All three landing teams moved into the line abreast relieving three landing teams of CT-27. Relief was completed by 0850. Boundary between LT-128 and 228: 216 R northeast, M east, H east. Boundary between LT-328 and LT-228 216 K center, F center, A northwest. Boundary between LT-128 and CT-26; 217 P W center, K southwest, K northwest. Order of LT's from left to right: 328, 228,128. LT-327 was sent to assembly area in reserve in 199 K.

Hill 362 was the most formidable terrain feature confronting us. The hill provided enemy observation of the entire western side of the island and all the way south to SURIBACHI. It was rugged and rocky with no vegetation on the south, while on the north side was a sheer cliff about 80 feet high and dotted with many caves both large and small. This hill, or cliff line, extended in front of both LT-128 and LT-228.

The attack was delayed 20 minutes in order to allow for completion of the relief of CT-27. Because of the extremely wide front, LT-128 was unable to relieve two companies of LT-326 which had been on the right of LT-327, and attached to CT-27.

The attack moved slowly ahead under severe mortar and small arms fire. The same type of dogged enemy defense was encountered here as was encountered on SURIBACHI.

By 1030, LT-128 and LT-228 had reached the top of 362 and the ridgeline running east and west from it, but were unable to negotiate the steep cliff on the north side because of heavy machine gun and mortar fire.

Artillery, mortars, and rockets were concentrated in front of the hill but with little effect. At 1330, LT-128 committed its reserve company around the right side of the hill but was unable to contact LT-228, so the lines were consolidated for the night on the hill and ridgeline running east and west from it.

C Co, 5th Tank Bn, was attached to LT-228 and also supported LT-128 and LT-328 by fire.

Captain Wilkins, Commanding A Co, was killed during the day while leading his company against Hill 362.

At 1700, H Co, of LT-327 was attached to LT-128 to back up its line for the night with orders to revert to LT-327 at 0730, 3 March.

CP's; LT-128 in 199 B, LT-228 in 216 P, LT-328 in 198 C.

Casualties for period: Supporting units for period

KIA & DOW 4 54 2 destroyers, 1 cruiser, 1 LC(S) WIA 7 146 2d Bn, 13th Marines SK (evac) 13 C Co, 5th Tank Bn. TOTAL 11 213

Combat efficiency: 65%