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Battle of Balanga Bagac Line (Day 2)
April 4 (Holy Saturday) Day 2
The Japanese continue their attack at first light with another heavy bombardment of two hours aimed at suspected Luzon Force artillery positions, while light artillery pounds the now isolated positions held b the 3rd Infantry Regiment (1st Inf Div) and 57th Philippine Scouts Regiment (51st Inf Div). General King has the 23rd Infantry move to cover the flank and rear of II Corps, moving the Corps artillery to support it, leaving the 11th and 21st Division to hold the line with little support. However the Japanese 16th Infantry Division continues to face II Corps and launches a few probes but little else.
The main Japanese attack begins at 0900 hours once again, with the 38th Infantry Division driving through the gap with 3rd Infantry Regiment, supported by an engineer regiment, a tank regiment and 3 light artillery battalions. The Japanese run smack into the 12th Infantry Division which has launched its own counterattack to clear infiltrators from the 51st and 1st Infantry Division rear area, supported by motorized AAA guns of the 3rd Coast Artillery and the 20 remaining tanks of the 192nd Tank Battalion. This results in a meeting engagement and a head on clash, and both sides see their attacks stall as infantry go to ground under heavy fire from artillery, mortars and machine guns. As a result, very little ground changes hands that day and deadlock results.
However, on the flanks of the penetration, strong combined arms forces of infantry, engineers, tanks, light anti-aircraft guns, and light artillery wipe out the remainder of the 57th Philippine Scouts and 3rd Philippine Infantry Regiment and only a handful of survivors of each manages to eventually make their way to friendly positions. General Lim gets King to authorize a pull back by the remainder of the 51st and 1st Infantry battalions holding the line, aided by strong support from the 23rd Infantry Division and 6th Cavalry Brigade. By midnight all 4 regiments have successfully pulled back.
It is a costly day, with Japanese losing 3,500 men, 40 tanks and 35 guns, while the Luzon Force losses are 2 entire infantry regiments, 4,700 men, 20 tanks, and 25 guns. Heavy bombing attacks continue all day as well but fierce opposition from ground fire downs 12 Japanese light bombers, with another 8 lost to operational causes. King has also made what will be the his most important decision, releasing 90% of remaining artillery ammunition for use, convinced that if the Japanese are not stopped this time there will not be another battle. Meanwhile General Siechi is satisfied with the elimination of 2 entire American regiments but is frustrated by the deadlock that resulted when his best division ran head on into the American counterattack. He is also concerned about his supply situation as almost 75% of his artillery ammunition has been exhausted and a breakthrough does not appear imminent.
The 4th Division and 62nd Brigade are both down to 50% of their infantry, with the engineers down to 30% of their starting strength and half of his tanks are knocked out or broken down. The 38th Division is in better shape, still at 80% of its infantry strength, but his intact division, the 16th, is not in position to attack as it is spread to thin holding the line in front of the American II Corps.
II Corps and the 16th Division are both on the defensive and have moved little. The situation in the I Corps area is fluid, for both sides, although the American fixed positions have been abandoned or overrun.
At this point the only remaining uncommitted American reserve is the Engineer Brigade (PA) and the Marine 1st Provisional Battalion (which can field 2 machine gun companies in a pinch) The Japanese lack any significant reserves available for the battle.