. ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁second ▁morning ▁of ▁their ▁five - day ▁pat rol , ▁they ▁were ▁gre et ed ▁by ▁a ▁burst ▁of ▁enemy ▁shell s . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁the ▁pat rol ▁ran ▁into ▁machine - gun ▁fire ▁after ▁tr ud ging ▁though ▁the ▁thick ▁mud ▁of ▁the ▁S ago ▁pal m ▁sw amps . ▁ ▁Four ▁Japanese ▁pat rol s ▁were ▁surprised ▁and ▁five ▁of ▁the ▁enemy ▁killed . ▁However , ▁the ▁real ▁battle ▁would ▁take ▁place ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁ ▁Three ▁enemy ▁t anks ▁had ▁in fil tr ated ▁behind ▁C ▁Company , s ▁lines , ▁and ▁enemy ▁mort ar ▁and ▁machine ▁gun ▁fire ▁supported ▁the ▁t anks . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁en su ing ▁sk irm ish , ▁which ▁last ed ▁all ▁day , ▁all ▁three ▁enemy ▁t anks ▁were ▁knock ed ▁out , ▁one ▁of ▁them ▁by ▁a ▁well - a im ed ▁baz ook a ▁shot ▁fired ▁by ▁Captain ▁March ant , ▁and ▁ 2 5 ▁Japanese ▁dead ▁were ▁found ▁lay ing ▁around ▁the ▁j ung le . ▁ ▁This ▁u pped ▁the ▁total ▁verified ▁enemy ▁cas ual ties ▁to ▁ 3 1 , ▁with ▁only ▁one ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 3 rd ▁killed . ▁He ▁died ▁from ▁an ▁aer ial ▁bomb ▁bo oby - t rap ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁day . ▁▁▁ ▁Also ▁of ▁note ▁during ▁the ▁combat ▁at ▁Ma ff in ▁Bay ▁were ▁the ▁hero ics ▁of ▁individual ▁soldiers . ▁ ▁S GT ▁Victor ▁High sm ith ▁became ▁the ▁first