▁ 2 9 ▁two - day ▁pat rol s , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁score ▁or ▁more ▁of ▁five - day ▁pat rol s . ▁ ▁Res istance ▁from ▁the ▁Japanese ▁was ▁frequent , ▁and ▁on ▁each ▁of ▁these ▁engag ements ▁the ▁enemy ▁was ▁rendered ▁in effect ive . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁these ▁pat rol s , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁were ▁prevent ed ▁from ▁closing ▁in ▁on ▁the ▁per imeter ▁and ▁their ▁art illery ▁was ▁kept ▁out ▁of ▁range . ▁ ▁The ▁men ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 3 rd , ▁even ▁during ▁their ▁" b apt ism ▁by ▁fire ," ▁showed ▁that ▁quality ▁training ▁paid ▁off , ▁and ▁they ▁performed ▁well ▁even ▁against ▁a ▁veter an ▁enemy . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁ 1 2 3 rd ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁To em - S ar mi ▁area , ▁there ▁were ▁around ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁Japanese ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁with ▁ 1 , 4 0 0 ▁of ▁them ▁identified ▁as ▁combat ▁troops . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁Regiment ▁left ▁the ▁area ▁for ▁combat ▁on ▁Lu zon , ▁the ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁enemy ▁killed ▁in ▁that ▁sector , ▁including ▁those ▁account ed ▁for ▁by ▁preceding ▁troops , ▁had ▁been ▁sw elled ▁to ▁ 4 , 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁most ▁bitter ▁battle ▁of ▁the ▁Sar mi ▁area ▁took ▁place ▁when ▁Company ▁C ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁( 1 - 1 2 3 ), ▁led ▁by ▁C PT ▁March ant , ▁encountered ▁heavy ▁resistance ▁at ▁S aw aar ▁Air field