NOTE:Publication of the Occupation Diary, First Cavalry Division (1945-1950) will appear, as installments, on the Historian Corner on a continuing basis as time and space permits. Each installment will be subsequently moved to the History Annex Page when a new installment is published. Therefore, if an installment is missed during the period it was published, it may be viewed on the History Annex Page.

Continued: Installment 7:

Constant firing practice as pictured above with the carbine on the Camp Drake range, keeps troopers of the First Team in the expert marksmanship class.

Excitement reigned in Tokyo between December 17 and 20 when elements of the Division Artillery and the 2nd Cavalry Brigade were alerted to observe and maintain order during the mass Anti-Yoshida demonstrations at the Imperial Palace Plaza. Although 200,000 people were in attendance, there were no unusual incidents and the group remained orderly throughout.

A single honor was bestowed upon the First Cavalry Division band and military police when they were requested to participate at ceremonies on December 14 at the French Embassy in honor of General MacArthur, during which he was presented with the highest French Military Award, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor.

The year of 1946 came to a close with a December quota of 5,253 replacements for the division from the states. Their basic training varied from three weeks to completion of the basic course. They were immediately integrated into the division military training program, and December 31, 1946 saw the division eagerly awaiting the reception of the trained replacements to bring it to authorized strength.

The First Cavalry Division began the year 1947 with a continuation of its mission of occupation of the heart and nerve center of the Japanese Empire. Its hard-riding patrols fanned out from metropolitan Tokyo and Yokohama, the center of all industry, government and occupation policy, to the southernmost tip of the Izu peninsula, west through the mountainous regions of Yamanashi and Nagano, through the fertile Kanto plain to Saitama, Gumma, Tochigi and Niigata on the Japan Sea, then northeast through Chiba and Ibaraki-10 prefectures in all.

Although there was no change in occupational policy or area of occupation, there had been vast changes among the troopers themselves. The combat veterans of the division had been almost entirely replaced by new arrivals from the States, young, eager and anxious to learn the ways of the army. Their time was busily spent doing guard duty, patrolling, specialist assignments and the ever-present basic training program.

More than 10,000 replacements were received by the division during the months of December and January, bringing its enlisted strength to 15,605 at month's end, over 15 per cent more than authorized table of organization strength.

The problem of training for all these young men was acute. Commanders of brigades, regiments, squadrons and troops were faced with this: Replacements were being received in large increments from the USA and no individual had more than eight weeks preparation at replacement centers stateside. Some had received a five week program, no more. Secondly, replacements for officers in the company grades were only a little more than one half of authorized requirements, and lastly, the shortage of trained and experienced non-commissioned officers in all grades was acute. From a training standpoint, the supply of young officers who bore the brunt of instructing troops and non-commissioned officer assistant instructors were so short as to be critical

Supervised by American Army dentists, skilled Japanese dentists employed in the 15th Medical Battalion Dental Clinic at Camp Drake save the American taxpayer thousands of dollars annually.

Regardless, training progressed and each individual, after receiving his two weeks of review on the subjects he had in the States and largely forgotten through his processing in depots and voyage to Japan, was, by January's end, well into the balance of the 13 weeks required by the War Department Mobilization Training Program. For some of the early arrivals, the tests, to be conducted by IX Corps at the termination of the basic training cycle, were well in sight. But welding the individuals into small fighting units and the small units into an efficient whole, capable of performing all the missions of an occupational division and for combat, if need be, was far from complete.

In January, at the repatriation port of Uraga, where the 12th Cavalry had long supervised the processing of millions of demobilized Japanese military personnel, activities slowed to a walk, and plans were made to close the port and cease operations January 15. But on January 9 came word from the Commanding General of IX Corps that the port would remain open to repatriation until the 1,500 German Nationals in Japan were shipped out.

The month of February, 1947 started with the division alerted during a threatened Japanese general strike. The strike ended at noon on the 1st.

February 3rd was proclaimed "Manila Day," a memorable occasion to old timers who had seen combat with the division in the Philippines. It was on this day two years prior, that the famed "Flying Column" entered Manila, liberating the internees at Santo Tomas. The largest review ever put on in Tokyo was conducted in commemoration of this day. Major General Charles W. Ryder, IX Corps Commander, reviewed the troops.

The turnover of personnel was the lowest in several months. About 200 replacements were received. Slightly over half of these were enlisted men. Fortunately, the bulk of the latter were combat experienced, old-time first three graders.

Training was continued with renewed vigor. The modified seven week MTP as well as the full 13 week program was being conducted in all units of the division. Vehicular training was suspended due to a drastic gasoline cut. A 70 per cent cut in the average fuel use over the previous few months was put into effect on February 5th, which practically grounded the division as far as tactical gasoline was concerned.

The one exception to the gasoline shortage was the combined air-ground exercise at Camp Palmer on the 25th and 26th. First Squadron, 5th Cavalry; C Battery, 82nd FA Battalion; a Provisional Truck Co; 16th Cavalry QM Squadron; a Platoon, 302nd Reconnaissance Troop and Detachment MP Platoon took to the field for this two day problem. They were strafed and bombed as well as having airborne ammunition, rations, water and supplies dropped to them by elements of the 314th Composite Wing.

High ranking officers from General Headquarters, Eighth Army, IX Corps and the division Commanding General were all present the second day for the air drop and last phase of the problem. Words of praise were given to all units concerned.

The ever present job of demilitarizing former Japanese war plants continued at about the same rate as in the previous months. Four war plants were returned to civilian production under the supervision of the 8th Cavalry Regiment.

February 1950 brought the Joint Chiefs of Staff and their Chairman, General Omar Bradley, to Japan. Here they take the salute prior to one of the largest parades held on The Imperial Palace plaza in Tokyo in which the First Cavalry Division participated. Shown above are, left to right, Major General Hobart R. Gay, First Cavalry Division Commander and commander of troops for the occasion; General Bradley; General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Air Force Chief; General J. Lawton Collins, Army Chief; Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, Chief of Naval Operations and Lt. General Walton H. Walker, Eighth Army Commander.

The month of March, 1947 found the First Cavalry Division deep in the throes of its intensive training program. The effect of this training was beginning to manifest itself by the greater tendency toward unit training and the application of this training in command post exercises.

For some units, this month saw the culmination of the mobilization training program with tests being conducted by the IX Corps testing team. Units of the division that were tested comprised of the 1st Squadron, 5th Cavalry; 1st Medical Squadron; 603rd Tank Company, 302nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop; and 3rd Platoon, 6th Special Service Company. The extensive examination, which included both practical and written work, was concluded by a critique in which constructive comments were offered by the test team and General Chase. All tests were held at Camp Drake. The completed units were then scheduled to embark on a thorough and comprehensive range season. Division Artillery had continued its howitzer firing at Camp Weir with the respective Field Artillery Battalions firing weekly.

The number of installations requiring guards by the First Cavalry Division remained relatively constant during the month and by the end of March, the figure stood at 67. A total of 929 reconnaissance and police patrols were active throughout the month.

Outstanding activities during the month included a visit to Camp Drake by Lieutenant General Chu Shih Ming, head of the Chinese mission in Japan and a party of Chinese journalists on March 4. The group was received by General Chase who gave the visitors a detailed account of the division's activities.

March came to a close with the First Cavalry Division taking on the added mission of organizing survey teams for the purpose of conducting election surveys during the approaching Japanese national elections. These surveys, to be made throughout the First Cavalry Division area of responsibility, would be threefold in effect: the pre-election phase, election phase, and post-election phase. During March, the pre-election phase saw 155 teams active in all 10 division prefectures. It was believed that the results of these surveys would provide substantial information as to the progress of democracy in occupied Japan.

With the advent of April, 1947, First Cavalry Division troopers, now well along in their training and becoming well versed in their occupational assignments, looked well to their rifles, carbines and pistols, because with these weapons, they were to begin the intensive range practice season ordered by Division Commander, Major General William C. Chase. Teammates of the Browning automatic is light and heavy machine gun spoke with authority on the merits of their respective weapons, because after weeks of "dry" runs, they were secluded to demonstrate on the ranges, their prowess in terms of close-packed shot groups, high and coveted marksmanship badges. Former Japanese army ranges at Camp Drake, Camp Wier, Camp Palmer and Camp McGill suddenly came to life and were packed to capacity. Word had already spread, with regard to the All-Japan rifle and pistol matches to be held at 2nd Brigade's Camp Palmer in the fall, and few troopers believed in their hearts that they could not distinguish themselves in this meet.

Forward scouts of the 16th Reconnaissance Company swing into action against a hidden enemy during the 1949 war games at their Camp Hiratsuka training area.

The young men, boys really, that had only a few short months before, disembarked at Yokohama for assignment to the First Cavalry Division with adventure in their hearts and very little military training under their belts, were just now beginning to show the results of the intensive individual training program during the winter. For many, the dreaded "basic" or Mobilization Training Program was over.

In early April, further word came from IX corps with regard to the Japanese elections. The duties of the division comprised of visiting the poling places to insure fairness, and preventing violations of existing voting laws. Above all, these teams were to be impartial fact finders and exert no influence on either side. These 155 division teams spread out on April 4 in towns, villages and c metropolitan areas. Ninety nine teams were employed in Tokyo alone. After the last election on April 30, team reports showed few major violations. The turnout was good and women were much in evidence to exercise the right of franchise acquired only a year before. Colonel Lester A. Sprinkle, commander of the Kanto military government region, was high in his praise of the troopers who had worked long hours and covered hundreds of miles in pursuit of this important mission.

Armed to the teeth, these scouts of the 16th Reconnaissance Company battle an imaginary enemy on the Camp Chigasaki firing range.

To Be Continued...