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HEADQUARTERS COMPANY SECOND |
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BATTALION 594TH ENGINEER BOAT & SHORE REGIMENT |
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18 January 1945 SUBJECT: Operational report of Communications Platoon, Headquarters Company, Second Battalion, 594th EB & SR, in recent landing at Lingayen, Gulf, Luzon, Philippines. TO : Regimental Communication Officer, 594th EB & SR. JANUARY -- 9th. (S-Day) The Communication Platoon landed on Beach at 1007. Thirty minutes later the Signal truck was unloaded and a switchboard was being set up. By J/2 two trunk lines to Burlap Orange were in and one trunk line was run to Green (Burlap). By J/4 four lines were in and operating at Beach Control Point. By J/5, Regimental Headquarters had strung two trunks to us, but they were not in working order. At J/6 eleven wiremen left telephone work to string lights on Beach between Orange One and Green Two. J/8 a line was strung to First Battalion Medics. The work on the lighting of Beaches was hampered by the lack of trees along the dune line. Cocoanut trees were chopped down, hauled to positions along the dune line where holes were dug. The poles were set up with the aid of an A-frame on the communications truck. The 15 KW trailer-mounted generator refused to operate, although it had been serviced aboard ship. (It had been under water while being pulled ashore ). We finally got the Commanding Officer "E" Company, to haul a trailer mounted 3 KW generator to the beach and six of the 12 lights to be set up were put in operation. We waited until 0400 S/l day, for the other two, 3 KW generators to be taken off an LST. The first of these to come ashore had bean robbed of the oil, gas and water which had been put on the trailer at Cape Glouester, and it refused to operate although considerable time was spent working on it. (This particular generator had been in operation until the last night at Cape Glouester). It was daybreak when the other 3 KW generator was ought ashore --too late to use it for lighting. JANUARY -- 10th (S-1) By 0300 lights were working on the beach Control Point. From 0300 to 0600 the generators caused quite a lot of trouble because of the beating they took in landing. At 0800, leaving three switchboard operators and one lineman to work on telephone lines, the other linemen went to get poles to set up lights on Orange Two. By evening these lights were installed and working. Poles were also put up on Green One; however the surf was bad that work could not be done on the beach, and lights were not needed. JANUARY -- 11th (S-2) At 0800 word was passed to us that Burlap Green was pulling out and that we were supposed to take their lines direct to our Board. JASCO was doing this and we had one man left to see if the Board was set up correctly. Two trunks were run to Catus Red but were taken out and switched to the 544th EB & SR, 2nd Battalion board and the other to Airwarning. Most of the linemen were stringing lights along the Beach. After working all day, lines were established to Green Beach and Burlap Green pulled out completely, and all points on Green Beach were taken over by Export White. JANUARY -- 12th (S-3) The wiremen were advised to set up poles and string lights to a beach 1000 yards beyond Orange Two Beach. With the help of our truck we were able to get poles cut, hauled, and installed along the beach six lights by 1600. At this time, the project was called off and we were ordered to light up Green One Beach, since it was going back into operation. By using trees slightly behind the dune line, six lights were working on this Beach by 1900. The men returned to the Switchboard area to reinforce foxholes, eat and get some much-needed rest. JANUARY -- 13th (S-/-4) Early in the morning all lineman were out consolidating lights on all the Beaches. This was done, and by 1400 there were lights on all beaches every 100 yards. By 1500 word came through to move out switchboard as the Air Corps Engineers were widening the Air Strip. The First Battalion Medics moved out and their line was rolled up. Meantime, six wiremen were recovering unused lines and the rest were tying lines direct to Burlap Orange. From 1700 to 2100 we loaded our truck with three separate loads and pulled into the new Bivouac area where one BD-71 was set up and one trunk line run to Burlap. The rest of the lines were to be put in tomorrow. JANUARY -- 14th (S-/-5) Around 0900 Regimental sent down word that all trunk circuits and local lines were to be in a switchboard by 1300 all wiremen went to work on lights on Green One Beach. They had to cut poles and set them up. After putting up 11 of the lights it was then 2200. By this time the men were pretty well worn out after working undermanned for almost five days with very little sleep or rest. Most of these men never even had a chance to dig a foxhole. JANUARY --15th (S-/-6) This day was spent mostly in repairing lines. In repairing these lines, the men worked under their section leaders. Each time a line was out of order a different section went out to shoot trouble. Around 2300 it began to rain and the beach control officer phoned in that the rain was bursting our light bulbs on the beach. The wiremen were awakened and went out in force to put in new bulbs and repair the lines. After this work was finished the men dogged back to their foxholes for the remainder of the night. NOTE: (January 16-18 will be covered in the summary of this report) SUBJECT: Operational report of SCR-300 (January 9 through ___ ) concerning BICYCLE-CHARLIE Net. It is the opinion of the Chief Operator that the operational performance of SCR-300 in the recent landing was as a whole, satisfactory in many respects, and that SCR-300 provides a means of rapid, reliable radio communication in beach operations. This was especially true during the first few days of the operation before telephone installation were complete. Although it is not known how much the radios facilitated the actual unloading of ships, etc., there is no doubt that the use of the 300's saved valuable time in the issuing and carrying out of orders pertaining to cargo, trucks, native labor, and many other beach functions. Although there were as many as 13 stations in the Bicycle-Charlie Net, the net was conducted in an efficient manner with very little confusion and a great volume of traffic was handled. Even after telephones were installed radios were still used at locations of telephones, due to the fact that traffic was so heavy that both radio and wire were required to handle the volume of traffic. In regards to the battery situation (BA-70) there was very little difficulty in the operating performance of the batteries. A few batteries lasted only a few hours, but the majority lasted anywhere from 24 to 48 hours (some as high as 72 hours). The serious difficulties encountered in operating the radios are noteworthy to mention and suggestions are offered to alleviate the troubles. (1) Out of a total of 15 sets put into operation by this Headquarters two (2) of 13 broke down and were unable to be put back into operation, Even those two sets could have possibly been repaired if proper repair equipment had. been available. (2) Considerable trouble was experienced in the hand sets of SCR-300. Butterfly switches in about 4 or 5 sets failed to operate properly and the wiring was found broken inside some of the handsets. The handsets (especially the butterfly switches) seem to be the weakest and least reliable of all operating parts of the radio. However, it has been found that most of the handsets can be put back into service by making proper and minor repairs to them. The following suggestions are offered to alleviate operational trouble. (1) If future operations (or any operations) are planned for the use of the 300's, it is imperative that proper repair equipment be obtained for the radio section in order to keep a majority of the 300's in operation, This repair equipment should include: tools, tube-testing set, spare tubes and parts. Also, if possible, spare handsets should be obtained (because of frequent breakdowns of handsets). A regular kit is provided for SCR-300 radios and it is hoped this Kit can be obtained as soon as possible. If this Kit cannot be obtained then as much loose repair equipment should be procured before future operations. In all future operations more 300's can be expected to breakdown; therefore the importance of securing repair equipment, tubes, and spare parts cannot be over-emphasized. Of course, if such equipment cannot be provided, then satisfactory and maximum performance cannot be expected of the radios. Third and fourth echelon repair work cannot be done with the present available repair equipment in this section. (2) Extreme care should be exercised in the handling of SCR-300 in the field as this radio is a delicate set and can be easily put out of order by mishandling and mistreatment (such as dropping the set, banging against objects). A great deal of trouble in the handsets is due to sand, water. etc., getting in the sets. Care should be exercised to protect the handsets from such elements. Conclusions concerning the combat performance of SCR-300 can be summarized thusly: (1) SCR-300's provide rapid and satisfactory means of radio communication on beaches, and prior to installation of telephones, are invaluable in establishing communication between beach command-posts and beach parties. (2) SCR-300 must be maintained by a proper repair kit of tools and spare parts, in order to insure satisfactory and maximum performance of such radios on the beaches. (3) SCR-300's are delicate radio sets and must be handled with extreme care at all times by all concerned. CONCLUDED SUMMARY OF COMMUNICATIONS REPORT: During the operations in Lingayen Gulf, P. I., the work of the Communications Platoon of Second Battalion, E.B. & S.R., was very commendable. The mission of the Platoon was very flexible but was of such proportions that the maximum efforts of all men were necessary to carry it out. Generally the mission was to land in the initial waves immediately after the infantry Assault troops, set up and operate a thirteen radio command net, set up and operate a Battalion Message Center, set up and operate a radio command net and a 24 line switchboard in cooperation with a supporting Jasco Unit, and provide lights for the several unloading points on Orange and Green Beaches. Every phase of this mission was carried out in an efficient manner in as short a time as was possible. The Platoon worked under difficulties throughout the while operation. Lack of transportation was an inherent obstacle that never was overcome; one two-and a half-ton truck was used to string both telephone and light lines, drag the poles to t pole line, set the poles with the A-Frame as well as to supply radio batteries and rations to the various sections separated from Headquarters. Another inherent obstacle was the lack of personnel. Eighteen men operated the continuous radio net, sixteen men set up the pole lines, switchboard, and generators, and seven men operated the Message Center. Lack of proper generator maintenance men caused quite a bit of extra work to start the generators. The men all during the operation went without meals and sleep in order to accomplish the mission. When lines went out at night they were willing to hunt the fault; when poles had to be set, day or night, all were willing and cooperative. Everyone worked together and all the men should receive any commendation due to the Platoon. In my opinion, the successful movement of such an enormous tonnage of supplies across Green & Orange beaches was a reflection, to a minor extent at least, on the combined efforts of a handful of communication men with a real job to do. SIGNED: T/Sgt Roy D. Page |
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