LUZON

THE CAPTURE OF SANTA FE

2D BATTALION OPERATIONS IN THE BOLONG AREA

15 – 21 MAY 45

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After Balete Pass, the 25^th Division objective was Santa Fe, a village about three thousand yards north-northeast of the pass as the crow flies, but twice that via Highway #5.

The 35^th Infantry’s share of the Division mission was simple and direct: " Attack north in zone to seize and secure Santa Fe; seek and destroy enemy forces in zone; seize, secure and open Highway #5 in zone," Our zone of responsibility stretched from Balete Pass to Santa Fe astride Highway #5, widening from about four hundred yards at Balete Pass to 1500 at Santa Fe in order to take in the torturous meandering of the highway.

On 13 May, Regimental Field Order #6 was issued. The 2d Battalion was assigned the zone to the right of the highway exclusive; the 1^st Battalion was to advance on the left, including the highway. The 3d Battalion, which was still mopping up the last resistance south of the pass, was ordered to move to Balete Pass upon completion of their mission and remain in regimental reserve.

F and G Companies had already moved to Balete Pass and relieved elements of the 27^th Infantry there on the 12^th. On the 13^th, F Company jumped off and advanced north-northeast almost one thousand yards without opposition. They dug in for the night just south of Bolong. At 0630, twelve Japs attacked the perimeter; five were killed in the ensuing fight. G Company patrolling to the Balete Pass Rest House, sealed three caves near the rest house which contained several Japs.

E Company jumped off at 0930 on the 14^th from Balete Ridge and made contact with F Company near Bolong before dark. At 0600 on the 15^th, E and F Companies were attacked by what was thought to be a small group of infiltrators. The situation developed into a large scale counterattack from the south-southwest. Taking full advantage of heavy rain and fog, the Japs attacked throughout the morning. They were able to approach quite near the perimeter under cover of the fog, and considerable close in fighting took place. The attack gradually petered out, however, and by noon the enemy had withdrawn. At 1400, when the fog lifted enough to permit observation, forty eight dead Japs were counted around E and F Companies perimeters. During the afternoon, a platoon from each company moved north to attempt to obtain a toehold on higher ground, but were stopped by heavy fire from their front. For a short while, they were cut off from their companies, but fought their way back by 1500. Throughout the day, G Company, H Company, and the Battalion CP, who had bivouacked about halfway between Balete Ridge and E Company’s positions, received 105mm fire from the Villa Verda Trail area.

After an artillery preparation on the morning of May 16, F Company and one platoon of E Company jumped off at 1130. F Company, moving north, then east to a point almost due north of E Company, and then north down a ravine, reached their objective at 1545 without opposition. The E Company platoon worked down a ridge to the west, and at 1530 dug in for the night on a small rise about one hundred fifty yards west of Bolong. The remainder of E Company stayed in the old position, where they were joined in the evening by an advance platoon of G Company. On the morning of the 17^th, E Company joined their forward platoon.

E and f Companies were now on an east-west line about two hundred yards apart. The area between the two companies was infested with snipers. Both companies remained in position throughout the 17^th and sent strong patrols to the north. An E Company patrol west of Highway #5, (was) attacked near the highway by a Jap force of undetermined strength, (and) killed six before withdrawing. G Company meanwhile patrolled the terrain through which E and F Companies had advanced, searching ravines and destroying caves and other emplacements. Ten caves were sealed in a single ravine.

On the morning of he 18^th, preparations were completed for an attack northwest by F and G companies the next day. The supply trail between the two companies was cleared of snipers. During the morning G Company moved to a point one hundred yards north of E, and jumped off at 1200. The company drove four hundred yards northwest through open country against small arms fire gradually increasing in intensity, until at 1400, they were stopped by a machine gun crossfire coming from four different positions. Because of the open terrain the company was unable to hold its ground against increasingly heavy fire, and moved to higher ground to the south.

F Company, working down a ravine on G Company’s right, was forced back to its former position by enfilading machine gun fire from their right flank. Jumping off again on the 9^th after a preparation had been fired and a smoke screen laid to cover their advance over open country, the company advanced until nightfall with no contact. The next day they advanced another three hundred yards without opposition, but on the 21^st swung back to their left flank to clear a ravine from which enemy fire had been received.

On the 19^th, G Company had also swung to the south, to secure a hill from which the enemy was holding up progress on Highway #5. After eliminating enemy resistance on the hill, they moved to heir positions again, and prepared for another attack the next day. At 1200 on the 20^th, after an artillery preparation and an air strike, the company, reinforced by an F Company platoon, jumped off and advanced toward the high ground overlooking Santa Fe which was the battalion objective. Only stragglers were met and at 1700 the objective was secured. E company move up and occupied high ground to the right of G Company on the 20^th. On the 21^st, both companies were relieved by I and E Companies. The Battalion then moved back to Minuli in regimental reserve.

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