On Leyte, the Alamo Scouts conducte

On Leyte, the Alamo Scouts conducted pre-landing reconnaissance and intelligence collection to support ground maneuver. Short term reconnaissance operations on Leyte included missions based on requests of the 24th Infantry Division to determine the enemy’s disposition at Palo to San Jacinto and from Palo to Tanavan. Operations included a pre-landing reconnaissance at Camp Downes, southeast of Ormoc, where the Scouts used an indigenous fishing boat to perform the mission.16 Longer-term intelligence collection occurred at Cananga from 12 November until 5 December and five Alamo Scout missions at Ormoc, the island’s major Japanese logistics port, one mission which lasted from 6 November through 22 November. Among the Scouts’ 13 reconnaissance and intelligence missions, two Scout teams conducted interior reconnaissance along the main road network running north from Ormoc to determine the enemy’s activities.17 The Alamo Scouts’ role expanded to conduct both coastal and interior reconnaissance to support large-scale operations on Leyte.