Cactus Ridge
Encyclopedia
Cactus Ridge was the name given to a rise of land approximately 600 yards southeast of Mashiki, Okinawa which commanded much of the ground between Uchitomari and Oyama, both of which lie along Highway No. 1. The defense of Cactus Ridge to the west, and The Pinnacle
to the east, marked the start of iron resistance by Japanese land forces on Okinawa.
. Firing twenty rounds
, Japanese gunners set the three tanks afire. Japanese Army commanders later described this feat as an illustration of the effectiveness of 47 mm guns. "Great results," Japanese combat instructions stated, "can be
obtained by concealing the guns and opening surprise fire on the tanks at close range."
and from 15 to 20 mortars, besides artillery
pieces. As movement progressed, it encountered a series of fortified
positions, the approaches to which were often covered by minefields. Dislodging the Japanese from these positions required coordinated enveloping
movements, and resulted in numerous American casualties.
On the afternoon of 5 April, well-camouflaged Japanese troops, supported by tanks, attacked elements of the 382d, but were broken up by combined
machine gun, mortar and artillery fire. Ultimately, the 382d gained approximately 1,300 yards of east-west ground by the evening of 5 April.
To the west, the 383d was focusing its efforts on what came to be known as Cactus Ridge. The initial direct assault by a single infantry company, supported tanks, proved to be disastrous. Cactus Ridge was protected by a tank ditch, barbed wire, and a long mine field. When American tanks tried to pass through a gap in the mine field, they came under direct 47 mm fire. Two were hit and had to be abandoned. Heavy Japanese machine gun, rifle and mortar fire halted the assault and American forces were forced to withdraw.
early on that morning, but subsequent troops assaulting the targeted positions found defensive enemy fire as intense as ever. American forces continued to make direct frontal assault
s, through heavy Japanese mortar fire, against the ridge. Such assaults ultimately resulted in charging and reducing Japanese positions with hand grenades and small arms fire.
By the end of 6 April, these "Banzai" type
charges by the 2d Battalion enabled the 383d to ultimately gain first the western half of Cactus Ridge. On 7 April, similar tactics by the 2d Battalion allowed the 383d to capture the rest of Cactus Ridge.
As a result of the offensive actions of 4–7 April, the 383d Infantry found itself assembled against the formidable Japanese positions on Kakazu Ridge.
The Pinnacle, Battle of Okinawa
The Pinnacle was the name given to a 30 foot spire, atop a 450 foot ridge of coral approximately 1,000 yards southwest of Arakachi, Okinawa. Heavily fortified by the Japanese 62d Division, this outpost to Japan's main defenses at Shuri held up the U.S...
to the east, marked the start of iron resistance by Japanese land forces on Okinawa.
4 April 1945
As the American 96th Infantry Division advanced south along Okinawa's Highway 1 on 4 April, it came under increasing fire from the south and from the ridges on their left (east). Three medium tanks from the 763d Tank Battalion were destroyed by a carefully sited and well-concealed 47 mm anti-tank gunType 1 47 mm Anti-Tank Gun
The was an anti-tank gun developed by the Imperial Japanese Army, and used in combat during World War II.-History and development:The Type 1 47 mm Anti-Tank gun was accepted into service in 1942. The design originated as an improvement to the prototype “Experimental Type 97 47 mm Anti-Tank Gun” ,...
. Firing twenty rounds
High explosive anti-tank
High explosive anti-tank warheads are made of an explosive shaped charge that uses the Munroe effect to create a very high-velocity partial stream of metal in a state of superplasticity that can punch through solid armor....
, Japanese gunners set the three tanks afire. Japanese Army commanders later described this feat as an illustration of the effectiveness of 47 mm guns. "Great results," Japanese combat instructions stated, "can be
obtained by concealing the guns and opening surprise fire on the tanks at close range."
5 April 1945
By 5 April, the 383d regiment indicated that its forward elements were receiving fire from 20 machine gunsMachine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
and from 15 to 20 mortars, besides artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
pieces. As movement progressed, it encountered a series of fortified
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
positions, the approaches to which were often covered by minefields. Dislodging the Japanese from these positions required coordinated enveloping
Envelopment
Envelopment is the military tactic of surrounding an enemy in the field so that they are isolated in a pocket. The friendly forces can choose to attack the pocket or invest it and wait for a beleaguered enemy to surrender.To achieve an envelopment several different tactics can be employed:* A...
movements, and resulted in numerous American casualties.
On the afternoon of 5 April, well-camouflaged Japanese troops, supported by tanks, attacked elements of the 382d, but were broken up by combined
Combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different branches of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects...
machine gun, mortar and artillery fire. Ultimately, the 382d gained approximately 1,300 yards of east-west ground by the evening of 5 April.
To the west, the 383d was focusing its efforts on what came to be known as Cactus Ridge. The initial direct assault by a single infantry company, supported tanks, proved to be disastrous. Cactus Ridge was protected by a tank ditch, barbed wire, and a long mine field. When American tanks tried to pass through a gap in the mine field, they came under direct 47 mm fire. Two were hit and had to be abandoned. Heavy Japanese machine gun, rifle and mortar fire halted the assault and American forces were forced to withdraw.
6–7 April 1945
On the following day, 6 April, the fortified Japanese positions on Cactus Ridge continued to hold up the 383d. Attempts were made to dislodge the defenders with an airstrikeAirstrike
An air strike is an attack on a specific objective by military aircraft during an offensive mission. Air strikes are commonly delivered from aircraft such as fighters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters, and others...
early on that morning, but subsequent troops assaulting the targeted positions found defensive enemy fire as intense as ever. American forces continued to make direct frontal assault
Frontal assault
The military tactic of frontal assault is a direct, hostile movement of forces toward the front of an enemy force . By targeting the enemy's front, the attackers are subjecting themselves to the maximum defensive power of the enemy...
s, through heavy Japanese mortar fire, against the ridge. Such assaults ultimately resulted in charging and reducing Japanese positions with hand grenades and small arms fire.
By the end of 6 April, these "Banzai" type
Banzai charge
Banzai charge was a term applied during World War II by the Allied forces to human wave attacks mounted by infantry forces of the Imperial Japanese Army...
charges by the 2d Battalion enabled the 383d to ultimately gain first the western half of Cactus Ridge. On 7 April, similar tactics by the 2d Battalion allowed the 383d to capture the rest of Cactus Ridge.
As a result of the offensive actions of 4–7 April, the 383d Infantry found itself assembled against the formidable Japanese positions on Kakazu Ridge.