Sugar Cane Shuffle PTO (id:#61483)

(Bataan: Battle for the Mabatang Line ID: BML2)   [next]   [previous]

Mabatang, Philippines 1942-01-11 (9 others)

No balance information available

Overview:

The night of 10/11 January was a dark and moonless one and Japanese soldiers made good use of the limited visibility to move on the American main line of resistance. A large gully and an even larger sugar cane field directly to the front of the enemy positions assisted the attackers. Permission to burn the cane field away had been denied on the grounds that the cut cane, so early in the season, would be a tell to exactly where the MLR was once the Japanese began amassing aerial photographs. . .In his forward position, PFC Narcisco Ortilano scanned his eyes alertly through the darkness for any signs of movement and double-checked the belt on his Browning Model 1917 heavy machine gun. With a terrifying chorus of “Banzai” the sugarcane field across from him erupted with accurate covering fire from dozens of rifles and submachine guns. Ortilano’s gunner assistant slumped over lifelessly as a Japanese infantry squad of battle-hardened warriors, bayonets and rifles held high, charged straight on at his position. He fired until his machine gun jammed, then stood and killed 5 soldiers with his 7 clip .45 pistol. Two bayonet-ready Japanese jumped into his foxhole and he killed them both with one of their own weapons, losing most of his thumb to a bayonet slice. When his commanding officer came by the next morning, he asked Ortilano what the hell happened. Ortilano’s response? “Oh, some Japanese tried to scare me.” He became the first Filipino to receive the Distinguished Service Cross.

Defender: American (Elements of Item Company, 3rd Battalion, 57th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts)  

Errata (source)