A Division At War — Part I
Another observer emphatically stated : “ We were stopped cold .” 12 The next attack , hopefully , would be better . Scheduled for 21 November , the 32nd ’ s 126th Infantry Regiment would make the main attack . They now had a general idea of the Japanese position ’ s location . An air attack followed by a mortar and artillery preparation ( with several Australian guns ) preceded the infantry attack . The air attack was late and off target ( even hitting some US troops ). The mortars and artillery also had little effect . They all used ammunition with quick fuses ( exploding on contact ) because delayed action fuses were in short supply . All the bombardment did was blow the jungle camouflage around . The infantry still advanced , and once again machine gun fire stopped them . For the next several days , the 32nd continued to probe forward and continued to be thrown back . Many factors were in play here . Inexperience , the tenacity of the Japanese , and the lack of proper weapons to deal with bunkers all began to break the 32nd Infantry Division . The jungle also took its toll .
Imagining what it was like for the infantry in those first attacks is chilling . These green soldiers , already worn from their first few weeks in the jungle , are told of their first attack . Tired and uneasy , they are given confidence by all their officers repeatedly telling them there will not be much opposition and that the Japanese are already defeated . They advance . They can see their objective several hundred yards ahead . This is all too easy . There is an eerie silence that the men do not realize is dangerous ; they are all experiencing a battle for the first time , including their leaders . Suddenly the noise of machine gun fire erupts . The lead rank is cut down ; there are dozens of killed and wounded . Scared but resilient , they look for the Japanese so they can return fire . They cannot see them ; they cannot see the fire from the enemy weapons . The easy fight is no longer easy . The lack of reconnaissance now rears its ugly head . The wounded from the lead ranks now have a general idea where the Japanese are so that the next attack should fare better . The men , still shocked but ready to move again , are told there will be an air attack and artillery barrage before the attack . The air attack is late , forcing the men to boil in the heat of their forward positions . When it does come , it is not all on target ; some US positions are hit . The resulting chaos is alleviated a bit when the guns and mortars start firing . They see them hitting the area where the Japanese had stopped the previous attack . The men think this should now be OK . When they advance , the same enemy fire stops them again . What good was the artillery ? Frustration sets in ; exhaustion takes an even greater toll . Something has to change .
As November came to a close , the men of the 32nd were drained , their lack of preparation and acclimation to a jungle environment making its mark . General Eichelberger sent an officer to observe the frontline infantry . He was appalled at what he saw : “ The troops were deplorable . They wore long , dirty beards . Their shoes were uncared for or worn out . They were receiving far less than adequate rations and there was little discipline or military courtesy .” 13
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