WW2 Chapter 49 - Battle of Shoestring Ridge

Newspaper from December 6
(underlined by Franklin's parents)

AP News Report, Nov. 29: “Thirteen miles to the south, Correspondent Spencer Davis reported, Japanese troops have been counterattacking American Seventh division outposts for a week in costly, but well planned night sorties. About 600 Japanese and 100 Doughboys have been killed in this Nipponese probing for a spot to make a general break-through.”

AP Report, Dec. 6: “Correspondent Al Dopking with the Seventh Division advancing toward Ormoc from the south described some of the bloodiest fighting these veterans of Attu and Kwajelein have ever seen. One small ridge – Shoe String hill it is called, because that is all we held at first – was the scene of a five-day battle [actually six days]. It was seized by the Yanks only after the slopes were littered with more than 1,000 enemy dead. The Seventh is fighting the Japanese 26th Division, seasoned veterans of Manchuria who outnumbered the Americans five to one at the start of the ridge battle.” “Today’s communiqué indicated a definite renewal of the Leyte ground fighting, stalemated by weeks of torrential rain.”

For the next few weeks, the 7th Infantry Division advanced northward toward their objective of Ormoc on the western side of the island. During this time, they had to pass through several difficult mountain ridges. The steep terrain and dense vegetation allowed the entrenched Japanese forces to put up fierce resistance.

Late in the day on November 23, elements of the 7th Division encountered strong enemy defenses on what became known as “Shoestring Ridge." The battle was reportedly fought by the 32nd Regiment reinforced by Franklin’s 184th Regiment.

The soldiers named the battle “Shoestring Ridge” due to their reliance on a precarious supply of ammunition and very little food and sleep. While fighting for the ridge, the Japanese launched fierce counter-attacks using up to 50 machine gun emplacements and repeatedly hitting the American positions with mortars and grenade launchers. At times the troops had to engage in hand-to-hand combat to keep the enemy from breaking through their lines.

During these efforts, any interruption in their supply of ammunition, particularly artillery and mortars, would have left the Americans defenseless. Therefore, after spending the night fighting off Japanese attacks, the men often had to spend the next day without sleep bringing up more supplies, resulting in additional casualties from fatigue and illness.

After six days of heavy casualties on both sides, the Americans were able to take the ridge on November 29.