Hello, and thank you for listening to the History of World War II podcast, Episode

325, Patan, the beginning of the end.

Three days into the second battle of Patan saw the Japanese Shatter Sector D on the right

side of the defensive line and take control of the area in front of and to either side of

Mount Samat. General Homo's plan was more than just working out. It was ahead of schedule.

This was due to the weakened state of the defenders of the line, along with the massive hours

long bombardment that mostly Sector D had suffered through. Either way, the attackers had gained

the height and access to the trail system behind the allied line. The question for General Edward

King, the Luzon commander was, where would Homo focus next? There is a saying in business that

serves equally well in war, which is, expand or die. By the morning of April 6th, Monday,

General King knew he could not wait any longer. Either the tide of battle turned here and now,

or it would not be turned at all. Now, General King was well served by his staff as they had already

been discussing a counterattack. Problem was, the reserve, the 21st Infantry Regiment, had been thrown

into the line on the first day of this current battle with no discernible improvement. Still,

the other reserve units, the 45th Infantry Regiment, won company of tanks and the 31st Infantry

Regiment were in the area and would have to carry out most of the counterattack themselves. It was

assumed by command that the men of Sector D could not be relied upon, as their will and ability to

fight had been cut down to size. Still, by the evening of that Easter Sunday, April 5th,

General George Parker of Second Corps had a plan in place to push the enemy back. At 6am on April 6th,

the various units would move out, and if all went well, not only would some sort of line be

reestablished near the Sector D area, but Mount Samat would be back under Allied control.

First, on the right or east side of Samat, the 31st Infantry Regiment would move north to attack

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