The. 823rd ATC landed on Leyte on its D-Day, 20 October 1944, two hours after the first forces, coming under fire from air attacks or snipers as the truckers transported supplies to units inland. The commanding officer described the action of the 823rd as follows:
Our separate platoons went in about H plus two hours, carrying a maximum load of one 105 m.m Howitzer, plus ammunition and equipment and personnel. Only one “DUKW’ of the forty-eight failed, and it was repaired in the water and arrived at the Battery area one hour late. After getting the guns in place “DUKWs’ commenced unloading 18,000 odd rounds of 105 mm ammunition out of each of the three LSTs that carried the Artillery units, and they didn’t top until all were unloaded about seventy-two hours later. Many of the men and officers were under severe enemy fire, but no casualties results, and the manner of their performance under their baptism of enemy fire was exemplary. We were orally commended by the Commanding General of the 96th Division Artillery.
The above is from “The Exclusion of Black Soldiers from the Medal of Honor in World War II,” by Elliott V. Converse, et al. (1997)
