February 1-7, 1945
Source: Compilation done by Mary H. Williams of the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, Washington D.C. in 1960
February 1
LUZON - In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Cops area, 1st Cav and 37th Inf Divs drive quickly southward toward Manila. Prov Rcn Sq of 1st Cav reaches Gapan. Elements of 5th and 8th Cav Regts cross the Pampanga N and S of Cabantuan and clear most of that town. Motorized elements of 8th Cav reach Santa Rosa. 37th Div's 148th Inf drives down Route 3 to Labangan R; some elements then advance E toward Plaridel until stopped at Plaridel airfield while others continue down Route 3. To W, 145th Inf column takes Hagonoy without opposition. In I Corps area, 6th and 25th Divs attack E to cut Highway 5 at San Jose. 6th Div commits 1st and 3d Bns, 20th Inf. Against Munoz but is still unable to enter. 27th Inf of 25th Div, assisted by 35th Inf, attacks toward Umingan and gets elements into the barrio. 32d Div, blocking southward movement of (Japanese) from Cagayan Valley, gets elements to San Nicolas, SW entrance to Villa Verde Trail, which joins Highway 5 at Santa Fe. On N flank of corps, 43d Div and RCT 158 consolidate on hills and ridges commanding Damortis-Rosario-Pozorrubio road. In XI Corps area, 152d Inf of 38th Div, approaching (Japanese) MLR at Zigzag Pass, gains less than 1,000 yards. 149th, following trail (which bends sharply northward instead of paralleling Route 7), is about 4,000 yards N of Route 7.
In U.S. eight Army area, when 188th Inf of 11th A/B Div meets delaying opposition in defile between Mt Cariliao and Mt Batulao, short of Tagaytay Ridge, planned drop of 511th Para Inf on the ridge is postponed until 3rd. Fifth Air Force planes from Mindoro support fighting.
February 2
LUZON - In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, main assault forces of 1st Cav Div reach Sabang-Baliuag sector. Elements of 5th Cav move eastward to vicinity of Norzagaray. Patrols make contact with 37th Div elements near Plaridel and elements of 6th Div, 1 Corps, N of Cabanatuan. One column of 148th Inf, 37th Div, takes Plaridel while another reaches Boacaue and patrols toward Marilao. Some elements of 145th Inf drive through Malolos to San Juan and others to Bulacan. Forward elements of corps are on general line Marilao-Santa Maria-Norzagaray. 129th Inf of 37th Div completes its tasks in Ft Stotsenburg area and prepares to join in 37th Div's drive on Manila. 108th Inf, 40th Div. shifts S to replace 129th; 185th Inf takes over positions vacated by 108th on W flank on 40th Div. I Corps has advanced sufficiently by this time to insure safety of XIV Corps from (Japanese) counterattacks from the E. While 20th Inf, 6th div, continues struggle for Munoz without making much headway, other elements of div prepare for assault on San Jose, 63d Inf cutting Highway 5 NE of Munoz and 1st Inf seizing bridge corssing along Rizal-San Jose road. 25th Div pushes into Umingan where 27th Inf is left to mop up while 35th Inf continues E toward Lupao. 161st Inf begins wide enveloping movement S of Lupao. In XI Corps area, 38th Div's 152d Inf is pinned down by stiff opposition from Zigzag Pass. 149th, far to N, is out of contact with (Japanese) and returns to Santa Rita; ordered to retrace its steps along trail, which leads toward Dinalupihan, does so without incident.
In U.S. Eighth Army area, 11th A/B Div drives to within two miles of W end of Tagaytay Ridge.
LEYTE - In XXIV Corps area, 77th Div concludes combat operations on the island. Americal Div is to relieve it for future operations on Okinawa. 7th Div's special TF return to Leyte from the Camotes, leaving 2d Bn, 94th Inf (PA), to garrison Poro and Pacijan.
February 3
LUZON - In U.S. Sixth Army area, Gen Mac Arthur orders Manila by reopened, a task that entails clearing Bataan, Corregidor, and S coast of the bay in Ternate area. In XIV Corps area, 1st Cav Div, when forward elements reach city limits of Manila, is given permission to enter and does so. 37th Div, whose progress is slower, is to clear narrow zone along waterfront. Slowed because they have to move on foot and cross numerous streams, forward elements of 37th Div are still short of Manila, at Meycauayan. 129th Inf arrives in Calumpit area. In I Corps area, 1st Inf of 6th Div pushes forward to positions S and SW of San Jose. 1st Bn of 35th Inf, 25th Div, is unable to take Lupao and 3rd Bn prepares to join in attack. In XI Corps area, RCT 34, under corps control, takes over assault on Zigzag Pass from 152d Inf, 38th Div, but is up against (Japanese) MLR and makes little headway.
In U.S. Eighth Army area, 511th Para Inf of 11th A/B Div is dropped along Tagaytay Ridge. Drops are widely scattered, but paratroopers are unopposed and make contact with 188th Inf at W end of the ridge and seize road junction at E end. With the ridge secured, plans are made to employ 511th Inf in northward advance on Manila.
February 4
LUZON - In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, elements of 1st Cav Div within Manila conduct local patrolling while awaiting arrival of reinforcements; attempt unsuccessfully to take Quezon Bridge across Pasig R. 2nd and 3rd Bns of 148th Inf, 37th Div. Move into N part of Manila and make contact with cavalrymen. In 1 corps area, 1st Inf of 6th Div, assisted by aircraft, seizes San Jose - Highway 5 gateway to Cagayan Valley - and blocks approaches. 63d Inf is unable to advance northward toward San Jose. 20th commits 3 bns against Munoz and receives strong fire support but is still unable to reduce this strongpoint. Attacking from N and S, 35th Inf of 25th Div reaches edge of Lupao, where (Japanese) continues to hold out. (Japanese) forces on N and S Luzon are separated as elements of 161st Inf reach San Isidro. In XI Corps area, 34th Inf is unable to make progress against (Japanese) positions at Zigzag Pass and its attached to 38th Div, which is to make strong effort on 5th.
U.S. Eighth Army begins drive on Manila from S. 511th Para Inf, motorized, of 11th A/B Div moves along Route 17 and then Route 1 to Paranaque, four miles from the city, where it encounters main (Japanese) defenses S of the city.
February 5
LUZON - SWPA hq approves plan to reopen Manila Bay, a mission that is assigned to XI Corps. Air action against Corregidor is intensified.
In U.S. Sixth Army area, Gen. Mac Arthur orders (Japanese) in N Luzon contained while main effort is directed against Manila area. In XIV Corps area, additional elements of 37th Div and 1st Cav Div move into Manila, where responsibility for clearing N part of the city is divided between the two divs. Both push S toward Pasig R Line, where (Japanese) demolitions cause huge fires. In I Corps area, 20th Inf of 6th Div makes very little headway at Munoz; 1st Inf takes Rizal. Lupao remains under attack by 35th Inf of 25th Div. 32d Div begins drive up Villa Verde Trail with 2d Bn, 127th Inf, which has been patrolling from Santa Maria, where the trail enters the mountains, since 31 January. In XI Corps area, 38th Div continues costly fighting for Zigzag Pass; attached RCT 34 withdraws a little. Fresh 151st Inf is ordered to relieve RCT 34 and join in assault on this position. 149th Inf, upon reaching Dinalupihan and making contact with patrol of XIV Corps, is placed under corps control and directed to advance W along Route 7 toward the Zigzag in conjunction with eastward attacks.
In U.S. Eighth Army area, 511th Inf of 11th A/B Div progresses slowly northward toward Manila, crossing damaged Paranaque Bridge and driving along Route 1.
February 6
P.I. - GHQ SWPA directs Eighth Army to plan for Operation VICTOR III against Palawan and for VICTOR IV against Sulu Archipelago.
LUZON - In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, 37th Div and 1st Cav Div have cleared most of Manila N of Pasig R. 40th Div is ordered to speed action to clear rights rear of corps. 160th Inf, with tank and air support, secures foothold on McSevney Pt. W nose of Storm King Mountain. In I Corps area, (Japanese) continue stubborn defense of Munoz, target of very heavy arty concentration, and Lupao. (Japanese) withdrawal routes from Munoz are cut. 32d Div suspends attack up Villa Verde Trail while consolidating current positions about 1,500 yards N of Santa Maria. In XI Corps area, 149th Inf of 38th Div starts W toward Zigzag Pass, where (Japanese) positions are worked over thoroughly by aircraft, now based on San Marcelino airstrip, and by arty. 152d Inf continues eastward and penetrates (Japanese) line late in day. 151st relieves 34th Inf.
In U.S. Eighth Army area, 511th Para Inf of 11th A/B Div gains about 500 yards toward Manila. 188th Inf moves forward in preparation for attack on Nichols Field.
February 7
LUZON - In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, 37th Div extends E to take responsibility for most of Manila N of the Pasig, thus releasing 5th and 8th Cav Regts, which are to clear E suburbs as far S as the Pasig. Ordered to attack across the Pasig at once, 37th Div turns over part of its zone to a provisional organization, Special Security Force, and crosses 3d and 2d Bns of 148th Inf in assault boats. 185th Inf, on N flank of 40th Div, begins attack toward Snake Hill North in region W of storm King Mountain. In I Corps area, battle for Munoz ends victoriously for 20th Inf, 6th Dv. (Japanese) columns attempting to escape are virtually wiped out. In Lupao, (Japanese) continues to hold out against 35th Inf, 25th Div. 2nd Bn of 127th Inf, 32d Div, renews drive up Villa Verde Trail, which at this point winds about a bowl-shaped depression and is exposed to (Japanese) fire from commanding terrain. In XI Corps area, 151st and 152d Regts of 38th Div are slowly and methodically reducing (Japanese) strong points along Highway 7 on W; 149th Inf drives rapidly W to vicinity of Balsic.
In U.S. Eighth Army area, 11th A/B Div, with arty and air support, begins drive on Nichols field. 511th Inf makes slight progress along route 1 toward SW corner, but 188th Inf cannot reach its intended line of departure along cut-Cut Creek.
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