Word: jap
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When the next-to-last major enemy pocket on Okinawa (on Oroku Peninsula) was being mopped up, as many as 145 Japs surrendered in a single day. It almost seemed that the lower ranks might be seeing the light. But the prisoners were mostly Okinawan and Korean service troops, far from typical of Jap fighting men. The typical attitude was shown by Jap officers who shot their enlisted men for trying to surrender. And for each soldier who even tried, there were many more who willingly killed themselves...
Japanese prisoners were being taken as never before-although still not in large numbers. Four waved a white flag to a cub plane, threw away their rifles, trudged into infantry lines to give up. Two souvenir-hunting doughboys came back with 28 live Japs. Another Jap, surrendering to a sergeant, explained in fluent English, "I know Germany has fallen and our situation on Luzon is hopeless." Still another turned to his captors and asked plaintively: "What is it you have that breaks our Bushido spirit...
From Yaeju, the 383rd Infantry jumped off and took Yuza Peak. To the east, the 7th Division was battling for a summit 502 feet high when the enemy gave an assist. Jap artillery shelled Jap troops at the top. When the error was dis covered, and the fire lifted, the Japs on the peak were stunned and the 7th Division veterans were able to swarm all over them...
There was no consistent pattern to the Japs' behavior. While a few surrendered (see above), and a few more tried to do so, most of the cut-off enemy groups ran around wildly, then blew themselves to bits with grenades. One captured Jap went out (on his parole to return) and brought in twelve others. Major General Pedro...
Then one of the battalions, its ranks refilled with battle-green replacements, tried again. Once again a hail of Jap fire pinned the troops to the ground. But this time one soldier just kept walking and throwing hand grenades at every Jap he saw. He was Pfc. Clarence B. Craft, a sandy-haired 23-year-old from Santa Ana, Calif., eight months in the Army and brand-new to combat...