January 29-31, 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
January 29
Mindoro - Marinduque - Western Visayan TF is dissolved. X Corps assumes responsibility for security of the islands. CG 24th Div arrives at San Jose on SW Mindoro to take control of all Army troops attached to corps. Fifth Air Force hq moves to Mindoro.
January 30
Luzon-In U.S. Sixth Army area, Gen Krueger issues detailed orders for continuation of attack. XIV Corps is to drive S on Manila with 37th Inf and 1st Cav Divs to line Malolos-Plaridel-Cabanatuan. I Corps, reinf by 32nd Div, will drive on San Jose. XI Corps is to move along Route 7, across base of Bataan Peninsula, to Dinalupihan-Hermosa area in order to make contact with XIV Corps. In XIV Corps area, 129th Inf of 37th Div overruns Ft Stotsenburg and Sapangbato; begins attack on (Japanese) MLR on heights to W; right flank elements clear hills in Dolores area. Other elements of 37th Div patrol along Route 3 to within a mile of Calumpit. 160th Inf, 40th Div, battles (Japanese)'s MLR N of Bamban R, making slow and costly progress. 108th, in local advances, now holds Hill 5 and Thrall Hill, virtually completing reduction of pockets in that area. In I Corps area, 6th Div reconnoiters in force toward Talavera and Muņoz. 1st Inf secures Talavera area without difficulty but 20th, in limited attack on Muņoz, is pinned down about 1,000 yards short. 32nd Div (-126th Inf, in army reserve) passes to corps control and in committed on left flank of 25th Div. XI Corps, which is transferred from command of Adm Struble to that of Gen Hall and from Eighth to Sixth Army, gains all of its initial objectives. RCT 34 of 24th Div, leading assault, quickly takes town of Subic and drives to Kalaklan R, where (Japanese) force defending Route 7 bridge is driven off; crosses the river and seizes Olongapo. With unopposed capture of Grande I. in an amphibious operation by 2nd Bn of 151st Inf, 38th Div, gains control of Subic Bay.
Leyte - Samar - In U.S. Eighth Army area, XXIV Corps continues mopping up on Leyte while relief of X Corps by Americal Div is begun. 1st Bn of 182d Inf, Americal Div, is sent to Samar to relieve 3d Bn of 381st Inf, 96th Div, in Catbalogan area.
January 31
Luzon-U.S. Sixth Army, holding in reserve 32nd Div's 126th Inf, 13th Armd Gp (less 44th Tank Bn), and 112th Cav RCT, begins final phase of drive on Manila. In XIV Corps area, 129th Inf of 37th Div attacks toward hill mass-called Top of the World-about 1,300 yards from W edge of Ft Stotsenburg and gets halfway up forward slopes. 138th Inf seizes crossing sites over the Pampanga at Calumpit late in day. 1st Cav Div starts toward Manila from Guimba, employing 5th and 8th Cav Regts, each with a motorized sq spearheading. Preceding the motorized forces, Prov Rcn Sq crosses the Pampanga and takes Santa Rosa, S of Cabanatuan, without opposition. On right flank of corps, 40th Div is clearing mountains W of Clark Field and Ft Stotsenburg. In I Corps area, 20th Inf of 6th Div continues limited attack on Muņoz but is unable to take it. Patrols of 25th Div find Umingan, div's next objective, strongly held by (Japanese). XI Corps, leaving RCT 34 to hold at Olongapo and keeping RCT 151 of 38th Div in reserve, begins drive across base of Bataan Peninsula with 152nd and 149th Regts of 38th Div. 152nd, taking Route 7, reaches vicinity of (Japanese) position, called Zigzag Pass, beginning about 3 miles NE of Olongapo, 149th moves along trail to N without opposition.
In U.S. Eighth Army area, 188th Gli Inf of 11th A/B Div lands on W coast of Luzon in Nasugbu area after naval gunfire bombardment; takes Nasugbu, Wawa, and Lian and drives inland toward Tagaytay Ridge without opposition. So successful is this operation that 187th Gli Inf is landed at once and Gen Eichelberger asks Fifth Air Force to drop 511th Para Inf on 2 February instead of on 3rd.
Camotes-7th Div TF finishes clearing Poro I. and prepares to return to Leyte.
Mindoro-21st Inf (-) moves from NE Mindoro, where about 135 (Japanese) have been killed in Pinamalayan-Calapan region, to San Jose area. Leaving platoon on Marinduque, Co D, 21st Inf, returns to Mindoro.
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