These narrative reports were obtained from the National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Battery A, 209th AAA Aw Battalion, 0320, 17 February 1945
Corporal James Robinson was on guard duty at No. 12 machine gun position on the Pasig River when at 0320 hours on 17 February 1945 he spotted a canoe coming down river about 25 yards away. He immediately opened fire with a Tommy gun from a position in a foxhole. The first two short bursts of four each wounded one of the three visible men in the craft. One man from the rear of the boat ran forward to help the wounded man and at this point Corporal Robinson could plainly hear the occupants of the boat jabbering. He then emptied his Tommy gun on the canoe which caused it to blow up with a tremendous explosion. Corporal Robinson was knocked down by the explosion and received a slight cut over the eye from a flying piece of bone. Private James McCarthy, who was on the half-track, was knocked off by the force of the explosion but was uninjured.
Corporal John Holmes ripped his way out of his hammock and leaped on to the half-track and into the gun turret. He immediately raked the river and banks expending eighty rounds of .50-caliber ammunition. Small arms were fired spasmodically until daylight at every floating object on the river. The gun section expended sixty rounds of small arms ammunition altogether.
The area around the gun was inspected at daybreak and fragments of human bodies were found all over the area. Bone fragments, pieces of flesh, skull fragments, and human entrails were found on the gun itself, in the hammocks, and all over the area in general. The force of the explosion broke window panes for 150 yards around and one piece of flesh was found 200 yards from the immediate scene of the action. The only damage incurred was the ripping of three jungle hammocks caused by the men themselves in their haste to get out. It is assumed that the enemy was attempting to blow up the pontoon bridge close by our position.
Battery A, 209th AAA AW Battalion (SP) Attached to 3rd Battalion, 63rd Infantry Regiment, 21-30 June 1945
21 June
At 0700, Provisional Platoon Battery A, consisting of seven M16 and two M15 Special half-tracks departed Luna, arriving at 6th Division command post at Solano at 2200. The battery was quartered at division command post that night and attached to 3rd Battalion, 63rd Infantry Regiment, which was located five miles north of Bagabag. Battery arrived at 3rd Battalion at 1300, 22 June, and reported to commanding officer, Colonel Mueller. There was no action on this date.
23 June
Supply trains had been ambushed on the morning of 22 June and our first mission was to accompany the supply train along with an armored car on the morning of 23 June. We used a personnel carrier half-track and two M16s. Major Samusson, S-2 of 63rd Regiment, and Major Wells, Executive Officer of 3rd Battalion, rode in a gun track. The enemy action of the previous day had everyone on the alert. There was no enemy action en route. Destination was the forward area of I and K Companies, 11 miles north of Bagabag on Highway No. 4. At this location the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion designated an area that he wanted strafed. Working in shifts, two M16s strafed the area thoroughly. During the firing an explosion was heard and it is believed an ammo dump was hit by our fire. Firing was completed at 1230 and all tracks returned to our command post at 1300 hours. There was no enemy activity and we sustained no casualties or damage to material.
24 June
No action occurred.
25 June
1st Battalion requested two M16s for the morning of the 25th. Vehicles arrived at forward command post, 1st Battalion, located eight miles north of Bagabag on Highway No. 4 at 0700. At 0800 both half-tracks moved north up Highway No. 4 with squads of infantry covering both flanks. A pillbox was sighted at 800 yards. We opened fire and set it ablaze. At a point nine miles north of Bagabag, Company C, Captain Rainville commanding, joined us. Company C dispatched a patrol to take a hill on our right front. Captain Rainville directed one of our machine gun squads to strafe a draw on our forward left flank. Just before we opened fire an enemy sniper’s bullet ricocheted off a scout car and all took cover. As we opened fire a Japanese machine gun hit our track. The infantry patrol was pinned down by the machine gun and later withdrew 500 yards to reorganize. We returned to 1st Battalion command post and the two half-tracks remained there all night by order of Lieutenant Colonel Brunevolt, commanding officer of 1st Battalion. The damage to our half-track was negligible and there were no casualties.
26 June
No action occurred.
27 June
At 0800 the two half-tracks proceeded up Highway No. 4 to a bridge one-and-a-half miles north of 1st Battalion command post. One section strafed the bridge approach and a mined area. The mined area was then cleared by engineers. The other half-track went past approximately one mile north and met Company G. From this point they strafed a hill designated by commanding officer of Company G. Both half-tracks returned to battery command post at 1530. No casualties or damage to material occurred.
28 June
Two half-tracks were sent north on Highway No. 4 to a point 11 miles from battery command post. An M4 tank was operating in this area and our mission was to support and cover the tank. There was no enemy action, however, a position thought to be an enemy machine gun was fired on by one of our half-tracks. Both half-tracks returned to battery command post at 1400. No casualties or damage to material.
29 June
Two half-tracks were sent north 11 miles on Highway No. 4. Due to impassable roads and difficult terrain vehicles were unable to continue with the infantry. A suspected enemy cave was sighted and fired upon at 20 yards range by one half-track, with unknown results. The half-tracks returned to battery command post at 1430. No casualties or damage to material.
30 June
Two half-tracks were sent north 11 miles to a point where a bridge had been washed out and vehicles could not pass. Half-tracks were relieved at 1600 and returned to battery command post. No enemy action.
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