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| U.S. infantrymen moving toward a Japanese machine gun position (from military archives) |
AP Report, Oct. 28: “Elements of Maj. Gen. Archibald V. Arnold’s Seventh and Maj. Gen. James L. Bradley’s 96th divisions struck north above captured Burauen to within two miles of Dagami, main supply and troop concentration center for the Nipponese 16th.”
The Japanese 16th Division was one of the enemy’s most experienced fighting units. The 16th was known to be well trained and strongly motivated, and they were willing to fight to the death rather than surrender.
Earlier in the war, the Japanese 16th had been responsible for two major atrocities. In 1937 and 1938, they had killed over 200,000 Chinese civilians in the "Nanking Massacre," and in 1942, they had subjected American and Filipino prisoners to the infamous "Bataan Death March" in the northern Philippines.
Of the approximately 13,000 men in the Japanese 16th, only 620 would eventually survive Leyte. Its commander would afterwards commit suicide.
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