Kakazu Ridge April 19th 1945

On 19 April the US 193rd tank Battalion advanced south on route 5 between Kakazu and Nishibaru Ridges with 30 tanks and 105 mm M7 self-propelled howitzers, supporting an attack by 1/105th infantry, 27th Infantry Division. It was overwhelmed by the Japanese 272nd Independent Infantry battalion, supported by elements of the 2nd Mortar and 22nd Independent Antitank Gun Battalions. Heavy Japanese fire separated the infantry from the tanks. Mines, 47 mm Model 1 antitank guns, artillery, and suicide squads destroyed 18 M4A3 Sherman tanks and four attached 713th Tank Battalion M4A1 flame tanks. Suicide squads first blinded tank crews with hand-thrown Model 94 smoke candles, kept them buttoned up with model 97 grenades and small arms fire, and flung 22 lb satchel charges beneath the tanks.Hand-placed model 99 magnetic demolition charges were also used- their 1 1/2 pounds of TNT could penetrate a Sherman tank´s side and top armor. Some tank crews bolted 2 in. planks on the hull sides and festooned the tops of hatches with nails to counter the hand mines. Japanese swarmed over some disabled tanks forcing the hatches open and grenading the crews. Some crewmen dug-in under their disabled tanks and held out for two days before returning to American lines. Only eight tanks and self-propelled howitzers survived the attack and were reassigned to other battalions to replace the losses. The 193rd was not reconstituted for the remainder of the campaign.

From Okinawa 1945 by Gordon Rottman

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