ay en ▁G ulf ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁front ▁lines ▁three ▁days ▁later . ▁ ▁They ▁rel ieved ▁the ▁ 1 5 8 th ▁Regiment al ▁Com bat ▁Team ▁of ▁the ▁Arizona ▁Army ▁National ▁Guard . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁sh ots ▁fired ▁by ▁the ▁ 3 3 rd ▁Division ▁on ▁Lu zon ▁were ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 2 3 rd ' s ▁Regiment al ▁C annon ▁Company , ▁which ▁fired ▁ 1 0 5 mm ▁M 3 ▁how itz ers ▁in ▁a ▁direct - fire ▁role , ▁and ▁inf lic ted ▁heavy ▁losses ▁on ▁the ▁Japanese ▁in ▁the ▁operations ▁that ▁followed . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁company ▁to ▁send ▁out ▁a ▁pat rol ▁was ▁B ▁Company , ▁ 1 - 1 2 3 . ▁ ▁This ▁pat rol ▁started ▁out ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁February ▁and ▁returned ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 4 th . ▁ ▁Str ong ▁enemy ▁positions ▁were ▁encountered , ▁and ▁the ▁pat rol ▁by pass ed ▁these ▁areas ▁to ▁reach ▁its ▁objective . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁man ▁to ▁kill ▁a ▁Japanese ▁soldier ▁on ▁Lu zon ▁was ▁P FC ▁F ay ▁" Tex " ▁H ough , ▁a ▁medic ▁who ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁C ▁Company . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁att ending ▁a ▁wounded ▁man ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁when ▁an ▁enemy ▁soldier ▁po pped ▁up ▁a ▁short ▁distance ▁away . ▁H ough ▁finished ▁him ▁off ▁and ▁then ▁completed ▁his ▁aid ▁work . ▁ ▁Un like ▁in ▁Europe , ▁it ▁was ▁common ▁for