1 XXIV Corps FO 12, 30 Oct 44. The operations of the 7th Division on the western coast of Leyte were more adequately covered than any other action in the Leyte campaign. Capt. Tucker Dean and 1st Lt. Russell A. Gugeler, two combat historians, prepared very complete manuscripts on the battle of Shoestring Ridge. Gugeler’s Battle of the Ridgelines and Dean’s King II: the Liberation of Leyte, on file in the Office of the Chief of Military History, have much information that is not given in the official reports. In addition Col. John M. Finn, who commanded the 32d Infantry which bore the brunt of the Shoestring Ridge battle, wrote an account of the engagement that appeared in the September and October 1945 issues of the Infantry Journal. (Unless otherwise stated, this chapter is based upon these accounts and the 32d Infantry Operations Report Leyte, pp. 10–26.) ↑
2 The Japanese historians make the following ambiguous statement: “The Army had doubts as to the authenticity of this broadcast, but from past experience with U. S. broadcasts, the Army estimated it to be a small unit of U. S. and Philippine troops which had landed there.” 35th Army Opns, p. 51. Unless otherwise stated the part of this section dealing with Japanese plans is based upon this study, pp. 51–84. ↑
3 Tomochika, True Facts of Leyte Opn, p. 24. ↑
5 XXIV Corps Opns Rpt Leyte, pp. 11–12. ↑
6 Fragmentary Order, CG 7th Div to CO 32d Inf, 14 Nov 44, 7th Div G-3 Jnl, 14 Nov 44. ↑
7 Col. John M. Finn, “Shoestring Ridge,” Infantry Journal, LVII, 3 (September, 1945), 47. ↑
8 7th Inf Div G-3 Periodic Rpt, 21 Nov 44. ↑
9 7th Inf Div G-3 Jnl, 20 Nov 44. ↑
10 7th Inf Div G-3 Periodic Rpt, 21 Nov 44. ↑
11 7th Inf Div G-3 Jnl, 23 Nov 44. The 11th 155-mm. Gun Battalion and the 5th 155-mm. Howitzer Battalion were Marine artillery units and part of the V Amphibious Corps artillery which had been designated for Yap. With the cancellation of that operation, these two battalions had been assigned to the XXIV Corps as part of the corps artillery for Leyte. ↑
12 Msg, XXIV Corps to 7th Inf Div, 21 Nov 44. ↑
13 32d Inf Regt S-3 Periodic Rpt, 23–24 Nov 44. ↑
14 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 22. ↑
16 That evening General Arnold, acting on instructions from the Sixth Army that “guerrillas not be given missions beyond their capabilities,” ordered Colonel Finn to use guerrillas only as outposts and not as part of the main line of resistance. 7th Inf Div G-3 Jnl, 23 Nov 44. ↑
17 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 17. ↑
19 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 18. ↑
20 49th FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 10. ↑
21 Msg, CO 32d Inf to CG 7th Div, 25 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 25 Nov 44. ↑
22 “The platoon leader, a technical sergeant, insisted that the Marine gunner either transfer to the Army or he would have to transfer to the Marines, as he couldn’t get along without him.” (Finn, op. cit., p. 52.) A check of Marine Corps records, and interviews with Marine Corps historians and Colonel Finn failed to disclose the name and rank of the Marine gunner. ↑
23 Msg, 32d Inf to 7th Div, 1520, 26 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 26 Nov 44. ↑
24 Msg, 32d Inf to 7th Div, 2213, 26 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 26 Nov 44. ↑
25 The Japanese give the number of enemy troops as two and a half battalions while the 32d Infantry estimated it as three battalions. 35th Army Opns, p. 78; 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 22. ↑
26 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 22. ↑
30 Msg, CO 32d Inf to CG 7th Div, 0220, 27 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 27 Nov 44. ↑
31 Msg, CO 32d Inf to S-3 2d Bn, 0305, 27 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 27 Nov 44. ↑
32 Msg, 32d Inf to 7th Div, 1443, 27 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 27 Nov 44. ↑
34 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 24; Msg, 2d Bn to 32d Inf, 27 Nov 44, and Msgs, Exec Off 32d Inf to CO 32d Inf, 1005, 1120, and 1210, 27 Nov 44, 32d Inf Unit Jnl, 27 Nov 44. ↑
35 32d Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 24. ↑
36 XXIV Corps FO 28, 22 Nov 44. ↑
37 XXIV Corps FO 30, 27 Nov 44. ↑
38 7th Div G-3 Periodic Rpt 40, 28 Nov 44. ↑
39 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 1200, 28 Nov 44. ↑
40 184th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 6. Unless otherwise stated the material on the 184th Infantry is based on this operations report of the regiment. ↑
41 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 2005, 28 Nov 44. ↑
42 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 2045, 28 Nov 44. ↑
43 Msg, S-3 2d Bn to 184th Inf, 2010, 28 Nov 44, 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 28 Nov 44. ↑
44 Msg, CO 184th Inf to CG 7th Div, 2045, 28 Nov 44, 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 28 Nov 44. ↑
45 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 0125, 29 Nov 44. ↑
46 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 2020, 29 Nov 44. ↑
47 184th Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt 42, 30 Nov 44. ↑
48 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 30 Nov 44. ↑
50 Cainto is also known as Caintic. The Army spelling, Cainto, will be followed here. ↑
51 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 3 Dec 44. ↑
53 17th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex B, The Battle of the Ridgelines, p. 1. Unless otherwise stated, the part played by the 17th Infantry during this engagement is based upon the above report, pp. 1–9. ↑
54 Armor on Leyte, a research rpt prepared by Committee 16, Officers Advanced Course, The Armored School, 1948–49, Ft. Knox, Ky., May 1949, pp. 89–91, copy in OCMH. ↑
55 184th Inf. Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 7. ↑
58 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 5 Dec 44. ↑
62 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 5 Dec 44. ↑
64 49th FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 13. ↑
66 184th Inf FO B, 5 Dec 44. ↑
67 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 6 Dec 44. ↑
68 184th Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt 48, 6 Dec 44; 7th Div G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44. ↑
69 17th Inf Opns Rpt Leyte, Annex B, The Battle of the Ridgelines, p. 4. ↑
70 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 6 Dec 44. ↑
71 49th FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 13. ↑
72 32d Inf S-3 Periodic Rpt, no number, 6 Dec 44; 7th Div G-3 Jnl, 6 Dec 44. ↑
73 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 6 Dec 44. ↑
75 184th Inf FO C, 6 Dec 44. ↑
76 184th Inf Unit Jnl, 7 Dec 44. ↑
78 17th Inf Unit Jnl, 7 Dec 44. ↑
79 49th FA Bn Opns Rpt Leyte, p. 13. ↑