Company "A", 1st Battalion, 7th Marines,
 1st Marine Division(1)
 
30 July, 1945

Operational Summary:
Period 26 June to 30 July, 1945, inclusive.

The tactical landing force consisted of:

(1) Amph Recon Bn., FMF, PAC (Marine) 252
(2) Company "A", 1st Battalion, 7th Marines 281
(3) Det. 8th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Marine) 124
(4) Det. 3rd Armored Amph Tractor Batt. (Marine) 70
(5) NGF Shore Liaison team 15

Total 742 troops

June 26, 1945 (D-day)

Initial landing was effected at 0644 on a small section of TA 7985-K-4, about 400 yards left (SW) of the intended landing point. First two waves consisted of five LVT's, each carrying Able and Baker companies, Amphibious Reconnaisance Battalion, and Able company, 7th Marines, landing in that order. The initial troops to land, Able and Baker Companies, Amphibious Reconnaisance Battalion, secured the initial beachhead at 0715 against no hostile resistance. At 0815 these two companies were relieved by Able Company, 7th Marines, who remained in position on this line for the remainder of the day. Able Company, 7th Marines, set up beach defense around the beach parimeter of assigned sector.

Able Company, 7th Marines, furnished working parties from 1200 to 1700 to Amphibious Reconnaisance Battalion to help unload LST's.

No enemy activity during the night.

June 27, 1945

Company A, 7th Marines, reconnoitered Hyajo (7691K), Uegusuku (7591C) and the entire ridge system south of these villages. There were no enemy contacts and no casualties. Troops returned to inital beachhead and occupied defensive positions manned the first night.

June 28, 1945

Company A, 7th Marines furnished working parties from 0730 to 1630 to Amphibious Reconnaisance Battalion.
First and second platoons occupied defensive positions in right half of initial beachhead perimeter defense. Third platoon set up defensive positions facing the ocean with attached MG's covering entire beach.

No enemy activity during period covered. Civilians (friendly) attempted to enter perimeter.

June 29, 1945

Furnished working parties to Amphibious Reconnaisance Battalion from 0730 to 1700. One third of Able Company actively occupied the perimeter defense during daylight hours, and then returned to regular watch.

No enemy activity or casualties during this period.

June 30, 1945

In view of the fact that the island of Kume had been virtually covered with no enemy activities noticed or enemy contacts made, and in view of the known enemy's passive attitude, the Island was declared secured as of 1800 this date.
One third of troops occupied defensive positions during daylight hours, then resumed regular watch. Personnel not on watch entered into athletic activities and went swimming. No enemy activity during period.

July 1, 1945

At 1000 units of "A" Company, 7th Marines, (81-mm mortars, 60-mm mortars, two stretcher teams, doctor, one corpsman, six special weapons and Executive Officer) as a supporting weapons team for Company "A", Amphibious Reconnaisance Battalion arrived at Tako at 1445, which was considered too late for completing an attack on the enemy MG position TA7390J. It was decided to maintain fire contact with the enemy during the night and to launch a coordinated attack on the high position the following morning.
The 81-mm mortars fired two missions about 1630 this date and the 60-mm mortars smoked the area for "A" Company, Amphibious Reconnaisance Battalion, to withdraw to a bivouac area that night. Able Company, Amph Recon Bn., defensive perimeter and delivered harassing fire during the night. Able Company, 7th Marines, had no contact with the enemy during this period.

 July 2, 1945

At approximately 0330 the 81-mm fired a harassing mission and the enemy returned the fire by spraying the bivouac area and defensive perimeter with two 13.2-mm dual-purpose MG's. The 81-mm fired two missions and neutralized the enemy machine guns. One strecher bearer was critically wounded and died as a result of wounds received from enemy fire.
A coordinated attack was launched at 0730 on the enemy position on the peak at TA 7390-0 by Company "A", Amph Recon Bn. moving south from road at TA 7391R and south. Company "A", 7th Marines, moved west along the ridge from hill at TA 7591-U. Company "B", Amph Recon Bn., was deployed with combat groups on a line generally from TA's 7290-Y-5 to 7290-N. The attack was preceded by preparatory fire from two 75-mm howitzers (LVT(A)'s) and the 60-mm and 81-mm sections. The attack progressed against inaccurate enemy rifle fire; movement was across extreemly steep and rugged terrain where thick vegetation hindered both movement and observation. By 1400 the enemy positions were completely overrun. The bulk of the ememy holding force is believed to have withdrawn and scattered in the wooded area in TA's 7489, 7589, and 7689. Two heavy MG's, caliber 13.2-mm were captured intact by Able Company, 7th Marines. The enemy is estimated to only have one MG, and it has been removed from a crashed plane, probably 7.7-mm.
Enemy radar equipment was destroyed by Able Company, 7th Marines. All troops returned to initial beachhead and occupied their original defensive positions.

July 3, 1945

Tactical units assigned to beachhead security, vehicle security and security for engineering construction parties; no patrolling executed. Personnel not on details participated in organized athletic parties and swimming. No enemy activity in sector during period.

July 4, 1945

Same as 3 July, 1945.

July 5, 1945

Able Company, 7th Marines, furnished security parties to Battalion and working parties to Battalion Quartermaster. Two enemy labor troops surrendered to the defensive perimeter and were put in POW stockade.
Continued with care and maintenance of eguipment, organized athletics and swimming. No enemy activity in sector during period covered by report.

 July 6, 1945

Able Company, 7th Marines, sent one fifty man patrol to cover the road between Yamagusuku TA 7685-E and Toishima TA 7287, demolished caves along the route to protect our vehicular traffic; no casualties and no enemy contact.
Troops not on patrol serviced and cared for equipment and entered into recreational activities.

July 7, 1945

Able Company, 7th Marines, furnished two fifty-man patrols. One patrol followed the road around the entire island, searching all villages from Toishima clockwise around the island; this patrol had no casualties and made no enemy contacts. Second patrol covered the route described in report for 6 July, 1945 with no enemy contacts. No enemy activity in sector during period.

July 8, 1945

One fifty-man patrol, with jeep and trailer, one interpreter, covered road around the entire island from beachhead at TA 7986 via Yamagusuku (7685E) Toishima (7287), Gusnihawa (7290), Kamiaiha (7790), Majo, thence back to beachhead with no enemy contact.
Remainder of company occupied defensive position and security parties. No enemy activity in sector.

July 9, 1945

No patrol activity. Security parties furnished to Amph Recon Bn., and remainder of company engaged in recreational activities. No enemy activity in sector.

July 10, 1945

No patrol activities this date. Furnished security parties for Military Governmant. No enemy activity in sector.

July 11, 1945

An all out effort was made to contact the enemy elements remaining on Kume. Plan was as follows: Company "A", 7th Marines to occupy and hold the northern ridge system, particularly peaks at TA 7591U, 7490G and 7390-O; Company "B", Amph Recon Bn., to patrol a zone 1000 yards wide following the general axis TA's 7889, 7789, 7589-S, 7488-G, 7467-U. Company "A", Amph Recon Bn., to patrol a zone 1000 yards wide following the general axis TA's 7887-H, 7788, 7688, 7588, 7587, 7486. One platoon "A" Company, 7th Marines to hold a zone along the road from TA 7785-B to 7686-U and prevent the enemy from moving across this zone into south Kume.
All units "A" Company, 7th Marines were in assigned positions at the time Companies "A" and "B", Amph Recon Bn., left the L.D. Patrolling was conducted as planned but no contact with the enemy was made. However, "A" Company, 7th Marines, making a thorough search for enemy radar equipment suspected to be somewhere on the northern ridge, located the enemy radar eguipment in an obscurely located cave at TA 7490-D. This equipment consisting of six heavy but portable units in a fairly intact condition (cathode ray tube undamaged) was transported by stretcher over extreemly rugged and densely vegetated terrain to the Kume CP and placed under guard.
"A" Company, 7th Marines, returned to initial beachhead and occupied their original defenses.

July 12, 1945

Provided security for non-tactical units moving to permanent bivouac area at TA (6989).
Patrolled the immediate 500 yard area of the initial perimeter. Men not on watch participated in organized athletics.
No enemy activity in sector.

July 13, 1945

Activities on this date were continuation of those for 12 July, 1945. No enemy activity.

July 14, 1945

Activities on this date were generally continuations of those for 13 July, 1945. Furnished security and working parties to Amph Recon Bn. No enemy activity.

July 15, 1945

No patrols furnished. Local security parties and working parties to Amph Recon Bn. office. No enemy activity in sector.

July 16, 1945

Commanding Officer inspected company area and personnel. Security parties were furnished to the Military Government. Occupied defensive perimeter. No enemy activities in sector this date.
Detached sixteen man and one officer (Lt. Leonard) to prepare defensive positions and furnish security to radar units at airstrip.

July 17, 1945

Local patrols covered area 400 yards in front of initial perimeter defenses. Furnished working parties to Amph Recon Bn. Furnished twenty-man pole detail to load LVT's. Occupied defensive positions and men participated in organized athletics. No enemy activities.

July 18, 1945

Furnished security parties to Amph Recon Bn. to ride vehicles moving non-tactical units to air strip area. Remainder of troops stood formal personnel and area inspection from 0900 to 1130. Results of inspection were very good. Remainder of day was spent in athletics and swimming parties. No enemy activities in area for covered period.

July 19, 1945

Able Company 7th Marines, furnished security parties to the Amoh Recon Bn. Twenty men detached from beachhead to airport defense. (10 men from third platoon, 4 each from first and second platoons, and 2 special weapons) This made total of 36 enlisted men and one officer. Care and servicing of equipment. Occupied perimeter defense. No enemy activity in sector for period covered.

July 20, 1945

Established two new sentry posts, first at POW stockade with four men from second platoon and second at Bn. QM dump, stretcher bearer personnel assigned duties of manning QM post. Both posts were 24 hour posts.
Furnished twenty-man pole detail to build AA defense positions for arriving army units. Occupied defensive positions. Furnished 12-man security party for Military Government. No enemy activity in sector.

July 21, 1945

Able Company, 7th Marines, furnished security parties for Military Government and a twenty-man pole detail to build AA emplacements of arriving troops. Lt. Farquahar detached to relive Lt. Leonard at airport defense. Lt. Leonard evacuated on 24th July. Formal personnel and area inspection from 0800 to 1100 and weapons were in good condition. Results were a marked improvement over previous inspection. Initial defensive positions were occupied and men participated in organized athletics and swimming parties.
No enemy activities in sector for period covered. Many civilians tried to enter perimeter to barter for food and clothing and all were immediately turned away. See note (2).

July 22, 1945

No patrol activities for Able Company, 7th Marines, this date. Furnished same pole detail as 21 July, also twelve man security party for Military Government. Men took care of and serviced equipment. No enemy activities this date.

July 23, 1945

The third platoon, less 10 men, Able Company, 7th Marines, relieved one platoon Amph Recon Bn. of security mission of protecting radar unit in vicinity of Tohujima TA 7981-R-1. "A" Company detachment was transported by LVT's to new area and detached from Able Company for supply purposes only. Able Company, 7th Marines, furnished security parties to ride jeeps to cub airstrip and northern sector of Kume. Continued with organized athletics and care and servicing of equipment. No enemy activity for period covered.

July 24, 1945

Furnished security and working parties to the Amph Recon Bn. office. Occupied the initial perimeter defense as usual. Organized athletics and swimming parties were supervised by platoon officers. No enemy activity in sector for period.

July 25, 1945

"A" Company, 7th Marines established a four-man patrol, roving, in the four native villages of Zenta, Haga, Janado, and Maja. Each patrol was to keep all troops from entering the villages and fraternizing with the civilians.
"A" Company, less airstrip defense and radar units occupied the assigned sector of initial perimeter. Organized athletics, care of servicing of equipment for remainder of troops. No enemy activities.

July 26, 1945

At 0700 Able Company sent the four-man patrols to the same native villages as on 25 July.
Three new POW (Navy Military) were placed in the stockade under second platoon guard. Remainder of Amph Recon Bn. moved from the initial beachhead to northern sector of  island. Embarked aboard ship this date and Island Command assumed by new Army garrison unit. Able Company participated in organized athletics. No organized enemy activities in sector for period covered.

July 27, 1945

Able Company, the only tactical unit remaining at the initial perimeter with one Army water distillation unit furnished own security. The same four man patrols were placed in the villages by 0700. Continued the two sentry posts as usual within perimeter.
Civialians approached perimeter seeking medical treatment. Due to extreme shortage of medical supplies to care for our own troops all civilians were sent away.
Third platoon, less 10 men, returned to initial beachhead by LVT's to make preparations to embark on LST to return to Okinawa.
Defense detail assigned to be secutity for perimeter at airport returned to initial beachhead and made preparations to embark for Okinawa.
Started police of entire beachhead and burned trash left by units that moved to the airstrip at northern sector of Kume.

July 28, 1945

Furnished the four patrols in the four villages surrounding Able Company, 7th Marines defensive positions. Continued policing of beachhead. Occupied defensive positions. Made final preparations to embark aboard LST. Personnel not on watch participated in organized athletics. No enemy activity for period.

July 29, 1945

Local patrols in the four native villages surrounding beachhead were discontinued. Established three man roving patrol to walk along the outer edge of the perimeter with a mission to keep all civilians from entering perimeter. At dawn approximately three hundred local civilians approached the area and tried to barter with troops. Many were reluctant to leave and the military authorities were notified to instruct civilians to keep clear of American troop areas. Continued with police of area and filling in trash pits. No enemy activity in sector for period covered.

July 30, 1945

Continued with the three man roving patrol around the perimeter to keep civilians away.
Company embarked aboard LST 958 to return to Okinawa.

(1) From official records.
A faithful copy except; to change a few words that were in common use during the war; but may be offensive to some in the year 2000.

(2) Remember that this is the official record; and is certain to reflect obedience to standing orders.
As occured in the european theatre; there were many instances of generosity by the American troops in violation of standing orders, and winked at by commanders.

Transcribed from official records by J. London - spelling is intact.

~