World War II in the Philippines: Batanes and North Luzon [3] 9715420019

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IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES 1941-1945

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959.9035 So3lin

Fernando R. Reyes

Leonardo Q.Nuval

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IN NORTH LUZON, PHILTPPINES L941-1945

Generoso P. Salazar B.S.C., M.S,BA,

Fernando R. Reyes B.S.C.,Ll.B.

Leonardo Q. Nuval B.S.M,E.

Quezon City, PhiliPPines 1992

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9qq11 6!0'11 tt t Copyright 1993 by-the" authors. All rights reserved &r.

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Reprinted March 1996.

rsBN 97t-542-007-9

University of the Philippines Printery

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dication... To

the USAFIP NL battle losses Killed-in-action

59 officers 1,336 enlisted men

Wounded-in-action

3,385

Missing-in-action

73

Allona, enfants, d,e lo potrie, Le joure de gloire est arriae. -Rouget de Lisle

La Marsellaise

(Come, children of our native land, The day of glory has arrived.)

FOREWORD world war II in the Philippines began and ended in North l,uzor). But this fact is not generally known by the people' .fhe war in the Philippines broke out on December 8, 1941. At, dawn that day, while the Filipinos were in deep slumber, a siz,eable force of Japanese military engineers stealthily landed on the shores of Baluarte Bay in Batan Island, Batanes Group, irnmediately seized the undeiended Basco airfield and effected gHrund improvement works to make the freld suitable for the ruse of fighter planes. They succeeded. At about 8:30 o'clock on the same morning, a formation of seventeen (17) enemy warplanes dropped their lethal cargo of lxrmbs on camp John Hay, Baguio city. This happened as the people of Baguio were in church in deep meditation and prayer i,u.urr" it w-as the Feast Day of Our Lady of fhe Immaculate Oonception.

what followed the initial invasion and bombing were more

.lapanese landings, bombs, bullets, blood and clashes between fhi Japan"r. uid the defending Fil-American troops under General Douglas MacArthur of the United states Army Forces in the Far -East, US$FE by acronym. The US$FE was rlecimated in Bataan and corregidor. But they made a gallant stand! Three (3) years and nine (9) months later, almost to the day rrnd also in Camp John Hay, the Supreme Comman{:r of the ,lspanese Imperial Forces in the Philippines, General- Tomoyuki yrimashita, bowed in peaceful surrender to the Fil-American

lirrces of liberation. The Americans were led by Lieutenant ( ieneral wilhelm styer, commanding General of the United sl;rtes Army Forces in the western Pacific, AIWESPAC while t.he Filipino, *"ru led by Colonel Russell W. Volckmann, Comnr:rnding Officer of the oversized guerrillainfantry division, the United stut"" Army Forces in the Philippines, North Luzon, t,SAFIP NL. That was on September 3, 1945. That, day in september is extr.emely significant when the st,uclent, prr.rait or avid lover of history takes into account that t,h(} Philippine capital city of Manila was liberated on March 3, vll

1945 or six (6) months earlier. But on that day, March 3, troops of the USAFIP NL were still in the midst of their first two (2) regimental-scale baLtles, those of San Fernando, La Union and Tangadan in Abra Province. The US$IP NL won these battles and went on further to commit its five regiments, supported by American planes and artiliery, to frght the divisional-scale campaign for Bessang Pass, followed by more regimental-scale battles namely those of Lepanto-Mankayan, Tadian-Bauko, Tuguegarao, Aparri-Dugo Junction, Mayaoyao and the battalion-scale engagements at Panupdupan and Hapid, the latter two in lfugao. Finally, the USAFIP NL together with the 6th and 32nd Infantry Divisions of the US Eighth Army converged in the Loo Valley-TocuccanKiangan last-ditch stand of Yamashita where the coup-de-grace was about to be delivered, when all so suddenly Tokyo announced the unconditional surrender of Japan on August 18, 1945. What were left of Yamashita's 14th Area Army came down from the Central Cordilleras in droves, many very sick and all hungry. The authors-editors of this book, all surviving veterans of the last war, should be congratulated. They presented in a comprehensive and authentic form the history of the war as seen in North Luzon by the Filipino eye. It is my wish that surviving veterans of that war in other parts of the country should follow suit and leave to the generations that followed them a similar written record. And to all veterans of the USAtr'IP NL, kins of the war dead and the loyal civilian "mass base" in North Luzon then, please accept the greetings of a grateful Filipino nation!

Fidel V. Ramos General, Atr'P (ret) Former Chief of Staff, Atr'P and Secretary of National Defense

January 15,1992 vlll

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT l'orty-six (46) years after the end of World War II in the l'hilippines, a comprehensive history of that war as seen, felt flnrl participated in by ]'ilipinos has yet to be written and offrcially promulgated. Appreciation of this gap is long overdue' War veterans and knowledgeable civilians have died, are rlying or are now infirm. Much vital information that could have sn"" into written Philippine Military History had been irretrievably lost. This is very unfortunate! The authors-editors of this book, all surviving veterans of Lhat war, took upon themselves the task of presenting to the people a portion of that "comprehensive history'" They gathered and collated over the past few years information and i-elevant data and in order to keep the reader abreast of events elsewhere as then a world war was in progress, Lhey lifted supplementary information from (a) The war in the Pacific, Tri-umph in ihe Philippine.s by Robert Smith, publisher Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the fu*y, Washington D.C., 1963, (b) The Guerrilla Resistance Mouement in the Fhitipptne.s, Major General Charles A. Willoughby (USA retired), p,rtiith". Vantage Press, New York, Washington, Hollywood, i9?2 (c) World War II Almanac 1931-1945, Robert doralski, Bonanza Books, New York , L982 and (c) Return to the Philippine.s, Rafael Steinberg, Time-Life Books, Alexandria, virginia, Lg7g. To these authors and publishers go our unending gratefulness.

To all the above, they added their personal knowledge and cxperiences. This book is only a point-of-departure and as their reiearches shail so reveal, further information relevant to the subject shall be subsequently and appropriately accommodated, GPS

FRR LQN lx

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CON'f ENTS Foreword.

vii

.

ix

Acknowledge ments.

.''

I

Part

I

Almanac, 1935-1945. .

Part

II

The USAFIP NL After-Battle Rcport' l0 November 1945.

ITI

In Memoriam, General Orders No'

129

6,

Headquarters USAFIP Arca Command' 7 JanuarY 1946 .

4t7 449

BibliograPhY

4s3

Index

x1

ILLUSTRATIONS Page

President Quezon takes his oath before Supreme Court Chief Justice Ramon Auancena. The President's Oath (Facsimile).

5 6

The

fiery Quezon deliuering his inaugural speech on Nouember lS, TgSd A unit of the Pre-war Philippine Army rnarching before the Luneta Grandstand on a Commonwealth Day parade. The Jopanese landings in North Luzon in December 1941. Lieutenant General Wainwright, through radio KZRH on May 25, 1942 calls on at[USfrc commanders throughout the nation to surrender to the Japanese. The.US_Sixth Army landings along Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. I'he enemy on Luzon in January 1g45. Note the heauy troop deployment in North Luzon. Arnerican medium tanks support American troops near Damortis, La Union in tg4d. A typical Japanese sentry. Fitipinos were made to bow low before a sentry as a ,,sign of respect to the Emperor of Japan. 'fhe Philippine Legislatiue Building before the war 7'lte

_l'}hilippine Legislatiue Building after the I)uttle of Manila in 1945.

Intramuros (Walled City) after the Battle of Manila in 1945. Baguio City before the war.

xll

103

104 105

106 107 108

109

109 110 110 111

112

'['he roud approaches to Baguiq Route (Naguilian road) and Route 17 (Kennon, Road) below.

I

final driue of the USAFIP NL for Bessang Pass in June 1945. It was of diuisional scale. 105-mm howitzers of the US 122nd Field Artillery Battalion fire on maximum gun eleuation in support of (ISAI-IP NL troops in the final driue for Bessang. Bessong Pass and adjoining highlands after

113

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reduction and capture of the Pass. Note denudation causedbY air and artillery support fire. The Bessang Pass Memorial Monument erected by the post-war Armed Forces of the Philippines astride the Pass on Mt. Buccual, more than 5,000 feet aboue sea leuel. The retnforced concrete pillbox that sented as shelter and Command Post of the Japanese in the Battle for Lepanto and Mankay(tn.

final gro und operations

LN

114

115

116

117

118

the Central

Cordilleras of North Luzon LN August 1945 where USAFIP NL and two (2) Amertcan infantry diutsions operated in concert for the capture of General Yamashita ond his 14th Area ArmY.

Yamashitawalks to IJS Arruy-USAFIP NL lines from his Asin Valley headquarters in Ifugao Qeft) to surrender. The formal surcender ceretnony in Carup John Hay, Baguio City on SePtember 3, 1945. Some of the enlistedwomen in theUSAFIP NL. The IISAFIP NL Mernorial is the community school building at Darigayos, Luna, La Union,

xiii

119

120 121

122

sitt of'llrc utortirnc Camp Spencer, USAFIP NL headquarters.

122

Facsimile of P100 and P7,000 paper bills used as legal tender during the Japanese Occupation period.

123

USAFIP NL Base Hospital Admissians from December 1944 tct September 1945.

124

Colonel R. W. Volckmann, CO USAFIP NL, in front of his beachside bamboo-cum-thatch quarters in Camp Spencer.

125

(This listing does not include graphics and situations maps in the After-Battle Report, Part II of this book.)

xlv

\{olllWn II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES 1941,-7945

I

Part I ALMANAC A Chronology of Def~at and Victory The Years Before --- 1935-1940 o The New Commonwealth o Japan's Military Tendencies · o War in Europe

The WarYears--- 1941-1945

,,

o Dark Clouds Loom o The Commonwealth is Invaded - o The Guerrilla Movement Begins o Philippine Defense Crumbles o Australia and the Guerrillas o Guerrilla Submarines o "Abuse" o "I Shall Return" o USAFIP NL Battles o V-J Day

al manac

I 3

1935 Nov.

15 •

The Philippine Islands were granted Commonwealth status under American rule as a transition period for complete political independence on July 4, 1946. Manuel Luis Quezon and Sergio Osmena, Sr., were sworn in by American Governor General Frank Murphy in appropriate ceremonies at the Luneta as the first elected President and Vice President.

•

Frank Murphy, the A rican Governor General in the country was redes1gnated by Washington, D.C. American High Comm.issioner.

•

General Douglas MacArthur, retired Chief of Staff of the United States Army, on the request of President Quezon, was appointed Military Adviser to the Commonwealth, drawing $33,000 a year from the Commonwealth in pay and allowances.

•

Under threat of military occupation, Japanese military authorities demanded autonomy for North China.

4 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

Dec.

•

Mainland China Administrator Yu Ju-keng declared Eastern Hopei Province to be independent and under the Administration of the Anti-Communist Autonomous Council. The Japanese sought economic control over the area which produced coal and the port facilities for its shipment. It is also an entry port for Japanese manufactured goods to be smuggled into China. Hopei became a key source of narcotics.

9 •

A naval conference was convened in London attended by the world's five major maritime powers - the United States, Great Britain, Japan, France and Italy. Japan demanded parity in strength and tonnage. of their respective navies.

21 •

The National Assembly or Legislature of the Commonwealth of the Philippines passed Commonwealth Act Number 1 or the National Defense Act.

23 •

Japanese diplomat Saburo Kurusu commenting on the China Incident said "foreign people did not understand what it was all about." Japan, he declared further, was destined to lead Oriental civilization.

almanac I 5

President Quezon taking oath

6 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

O~ath )

of ®ffire 0

I, MANUEL L. QUEZON, of Bale r, Province of Tayabas, having been elected and proclaimed President of the Philippines, hereby solemnly swear that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation; and I hereby declare that I recognize and accept the supreme authority of the United States of America in the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance thereto. So help me God.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this of

0iovcm.fcr~ ~A-D--

1935 , at

15lli 01tan~La

Philippines.

Ccdula No.

_53 __

Issued at ____QIL.,in~J.-__ Dated

-~i,in . 2___,_j_035 Facsimile of Presiden t Quezc:i 's Oath of Office

day

a lmana c I 7

1936 9 •

Japan said she would withdraw fro m the London Naval Conference unless she is allowed to equal the navies of the other maritime powers, specifically referring to the United States and Great Britain.

15 •

Japan withdrew from t he London Naval Conference.

Feb.

26 •

Japanese Army extremists assassinated the Minister of Finance, Director General of Military Education and a former Prim~ Minister in an attempt to force the government to reform, particularly, seeking a military-socialist dictatorship for J apan.

Aug.

15 •

Japanese Prime Minister Hirota, who became increasingly receptive to the views and desires of the Army extremists, outlined t he country's foreign policy goals in a briefing to the Emperor. Th ese goals included, among others,expansion t o the Dutch East Indies ( n ow Indonesia ), Manchurian economic growth, independence for

Jan.

8 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941 -18 H:i

the Philippines, and the elimination of white rule in Asia. All hinged on peaceful cooperation with the United States and Great Britain. Sept.

~

The first batch of Filipino officers were graduated from the Reserve Officers Service S~hool (ROSS) at Camp Henry T. Allen, Baguio City. They numbered 156 in all.

almanac I 9

1937 Japan's Hirota cabinet fell.

Jan.

23 •

Feb.

4 •

General Senjuro Hayashi became Japan's Premier.

Mar. 2 7 •

Japan did not agree to an international proposal. limiting naval guns to 14 inches.

Apr.

30 •

Premier Hayashi and cabinet were ousted and the Diet dissolved. It was a protest agai,nst the military character of the cabinet and the Army's control of foreign policy. ·

•

20,000 20-year old able-bodied Filipino males reported to various training camps across the nation to compose the first batch of 5-1/2 months military trainees of the Philippine Army. It was MacArthur's plan to develop a trained manpower reserve of 400,000 in ten years.

June

3 •

Prince Fumimaro Konoye became P rime Minister.

July

31 •

Japanese Army forces occupied Peking, China.

10 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

Dec.

12 •

Japanese aircraft sank the United States naval gunboat Panay while at anchor on the Yangtze River, China despite the clear American markings carried by the ship. (The Japanese Government eventually "owned" responsibility for the sinking and paid $2,214,007.36 as settlement in full. Seven weeks after the Pearl Harbor raid in 1941, the Japanese Government honored a Colonel Kingono Hasimoto, the officer believed responsible for the Panay sinking.)

13 •

Nanking, China's capital after Peking, fell to the Japanese. ( The "Rape of Nanking" followed when for two weeks, the Japanese destroyed a third of the city, killed more than 200,000 civilians and raped and murdered an estimated 20,000 women, )

..

. , .

I

'-

-"'~

almanac I 11

1938 Jan.

16 •

Premier Konoye announced that Japan looks forward to the establishment of a new Chinese regime, a "puppet" administration. Japanese troops in China then numbered more than half a million.

Feb.

10 •

United States Secretary of State Cordell Hull said that plans to increase the size of the United States naval fleet were based solely on defense needs sinGe it was American policy "not to be drawn or forced into a war."

14 •

The British Naval Base of Singapore, under construction since 1928, was formally opened. Its guns were positioned to defend Singapore from attack by sea.

Mar. 25 •

Japan suffered its first major military defeat in the China front, the Battle of Taierchuang where the Chinese inflicted 16,000 dead to a Japanese garrison of 18,000. The Chinese themselves suffered some 15,000 killed in the battle.

12 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

May

June

July

/

26 •

Japan approved the National Mobilization Bill which authorized the government to assume complete control of the economy.

28 •

Japan established the Reformed Government of the Republic of China, the Chinese "puppet" government with Wang Ching-wei as titular head.

12 •

Secretary of State Cordell Hull declared that it was the intention of the United States to continue its policy of neutrality.

17 •

The United States Congress completed approval of a bill authorizing a greatly expanded Navy.

26 •

The Japanese cabinet was reshuffled with generals and admirals holding six ministries.

•

Fearing Japanese capture of the vast area between the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, Chiang Kai Shek, Chinese Generalissimo, ordered the .blowing up of the Yellow River dikes. ( The ensuing floods rendered more than two million Chinese homeless, 11 cities and 4,000 villages destroyed by flood waters, and crops and farm top soil washed away. This error of judgment by a military commander led to years of famine and earned for Chiang Kai Shek the contempt and hatred of millions of China's population.)

11 •

The Russians dealt a major blow against the Japanese in fighting along the Manchuria, Siberia and Korea boundary area.

•

Douglas MacArthur-resigned his American army commission in protest to Washington's non-support of the Philippine Commonwealth's plans to build up a Defense Force under American training and supervision.

almanac

I 13

Sept. 27 •

The British Navy was mobilized and placed on war footing.

Oct.

12 •

Japanese forces landed at Bias Bay, close to Hongkong. This posed a menace to the British Colony of Hongkong aside from being a naval base for the Japanese. It set the stage for Japanese occupation of Southeast China.

Nov.

2 •

Japan withdrew from the League of Nations' special agencies.

4 •

Japan declared the 9-power treaty guaranteeing China's independence and territorial integrity obsolete.

22 •

Premier Konoye said that extermination of the Chinese Koumintang regime under Chiang Kai Shek was an essential element of the Japan's "New Order" in East Asia.

Dec.

14 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES , 1941-1945

1939 J an.

4 •

United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt questioned the wisdom of American neutrality laws. He said "... when we deliberately try to legislate neutrality, our laws may operate unevenly and unfairly - may actually aid an aggressor and deny it to the victim." He called for a dramatic increase in the budget.

•

Prince Konoye resigned as Prime Minister and was replaced by Baron Hiranuma.

12 •

Roosevelt outlined a $552-M US Rearmament Program.

20 •

With none willing to impose sanctions on Japan, the League of Nations called on member states to undertake unspecified aid measures for a fast-ly disintegrating China because of Japanese conquest.

10 •

Poland declared she would not permit German road or railroad transit across the Corridor.

.-.

" Feb.

~

.'

almanac

I 15

•

Japanese forces occupied French-controlled Hainan Island in the South China Sea, thus giving Japan a base for southern and China operations.

Mar. 31 •

Japan annexed the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, a group previously claimed by France. Tokyo's navy now had a base 700 miles from Britain's key Asian outpost of Singapore. Japanese submarines used these islands for operational purposes.

J un e

6 •

US State Secretary Sumner Welles called for US military rearmament and revision of neutrality laws. "We cannot deny the self-evident truth that the outbreak of a general war in any part of the world will have grave repercussions upon our national economy, social wellbeing and national security." This was the gist of Welles' pronouncements.

Aug.

20 •

Russians under General Georgi Zhukov retaliated in Mongolia and inflicted heavy losses to the Japanese. 18,000 Japanese troops were killed and more than 100 planes were destroyed. (Easily, this was Japan's worst military setback in modern history.)

to 25

22 •

Adolf Hitler, German Nazi Chancellor, said to his top generals in an urgent meeting "... the citizens of Western Europe must quiver in horror." ( This was the theme of a lengthy monologue he delivered before the military brass.)

22 •

France urged direct negotiations between Germany and Poland to avoid war.

16 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

•

Poland promised to consult with Britain and France before pursuing any policy that may provoke German military action.

27 •

Hitler wrote French Premier Daladier that war appeared inevitable.

•

Britain proposed that Poland attempt to enlist the Roman Catholic Pope as a peace intermediary.

•

British young men 20 and 21 years -of age ordered to report for induction into the military.

•

The Germans flew (the world's first jet-powered aircraft, a Heinkel 178.

28 •

:1'

'•

Poland called additional reservists.

•

Belgium and Netherlands offered their services to Britain, France, Germany and Italy " to avert war."

•

A new Japanese cabinet under Noboyuki Abe was formed.

General

29 •

Hitler agreed to begin direct talks with Poland and suggested that a Polish delegation be sent to Berlin immediately.

30 •

Poland informed Britain it would not send a delegation to Berlin but "would certainly sooner fight and perish rather than submit to such humiliation." I

•

Britain concurred with the Polish decision.

•

Germany told the British ambassador in Berlin that they had 16 demands for presentation to Poland but the issue became academic since Poland refused to send a delegation to Berlin.

almanac I 17

31 •

• Sept.

Sept.

Germany considered its demands to Poland rejected. Berlin cut communications with Warsaw. Britain began evacuations from London.

1 •

Germany invaded Poland and touched off World War II. Hitler hurled 52 divisions or roughly one and a half million men against a Polish force one third that size. Germany unveiled the blitzkrieg.

•

Britain and France notified Germany that unless all military actions ceased, they would have to come to the aid of Poland. Britai~ and France ordered total mobilization.

3 •

Britain and France issued an ultimatum to Germany demanding immediate German withdrawal from Pola..11d.

•

The Polish airforce ceased to exist as a fighting component due to enemy action.

•

Britain announced a blockade of Germany. Winston Churchill became First Lord of the Admiralty.

•

The British passenger ship Athena was torpedoed and sunk off Scotland by a German Uboat in contradiction to Hitler's orders. Of 1,400 passengers aboard, 118 were killed including 28 of the 316 Americans billeted. ·

5 •

The United States declared its neutrality.

8 •

Roosevelt proclaimed a state of "limited national emergency." Enlisted manpower in the armed forces was increased and the President was allowed to call reservists to active duty.

18 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

15 •

Russia concluded a cease-fire agreement with Japan which Moscow and Tokyo labeled as the solution to an irritant.

17 •

Russia invaded Poland.

22 •

Germany declared that all organized fighting in Poland has ended.

27 • . Warsaw, defenseless capital of Poland, after incessant German air attacks, surrendered. About 694,000 out of Poland's 800,000-manArmywere captured by the Germans.

Oct.

9 •

The American cargo ship City of Flint enroute from Britain to New York was captured by the German battl~ship Deutschland causing soured US-German relations and swayed the American public to call for the repeal of the Neutrality Act.

29 •

The US military attache in China reported the rising number of Chinese troop defections to the Japanese.

22

• • • •

27

•

Washington protested the seizure by the Germans of US mail enroute to Europe.

29

•

Finnish forces administered a resounding defeat to the Russians at Suommusalmi.

Nov. 1-3 4

30

Dec.

Germany and Russia partitioned Poland. The US Congress repealed the Neutrality Act. Russia invaded Finland. The Finns launched a major counterattack against the Russians.

almanac I 19

1940 Jan.

3 •

Roosevelt asked US Congress for a bigger Defense Budget. .

8 •

Finns wiped out entire Russian 44th Division on the Karelian front.

•

Mar.

Britain began food rationing.

14 •

Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai named to head new Japanese Government.

26 •

United States informed Tokyo that future trade between the two countries would be conducted on a day-to-day basis.

29 •

Moscow informed Sweden that Russia was willing to conclude a settlement with Finland.

5 •

Finland agreed to discuss Soviet proposals for ending their war. Negotiators would leave for Moscow the following day.

12 •

~usso-Finnish War ended with an agreement signed in Moscow. Russia got an area close to 16,000 square miles but the 200,000 Finns living

20 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

in the area were repatriated to Finland. The campaign cost to Russia was 68,000 men killedin-action and fighting equipment lost were 1,600 tanks and 700 aircraft. Finland suffered 24,923 in military dead.

Apr.

May

30 •

United States refused to recognize the puppet Chinese Government set up by Japan.

9 •

Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. Denmark's Government capitulated within f01~r hours "to save the country from an even worse fate and to protect its people from the disasters of war."

24 e

Germany assumed administrative control over occupied Norway.

3 •

Greenland appealed to the United States for protection.

11 •

German troops advanced rapidly into the Low Countries of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.

•

Japan demanded the maintenance of the political and economic status quo in the Dutch East Indies ( now Indonesia ).

14 •

Netherlands surrendered to the Germans.

15 •

Churchill wrote Roosevelt for a loan of ships, aircraft, anti-aircraft guns and ammunition, steel, a prolonged visit to Irish ports by US ships and offered American use of Singapore " in any way convenient" as to "keep the Japanese quiet in the Pacific. "

•

Roosevelt called for a sharply increased military spending and modernization of the Army and Navy. The largest expenditures were for the production of 50,000 planes a year.

almanac I 21

June

17 •

The United States Navy was or dered to recommission 35 destroyers.

24 •

Hitler ordered German armored units to halt mop-up operations and continue toward Paris. At the time 380,000 Allied troops were trapped in a 60-square mile area around Dunkirk. But the Hitler directive made the Germans abandon their encircling positions away from Dunkirk where the 380,000 Allied troops were trapped.

26 •

The Allied evacuation of Dunkirk began.

4

•

The Dunkirk evacuation was completed. In one of the most dramatic withdrawals in military history, a hastily assembled fleet of 861 ships and boats evacuated to safety 224,585 British, 112,546 French and Belgian troops. The German airforce, howeuer, sunk 231 of the rescue uessels. Hitler, after a 2-day delay, ordered a German attack at Dunkirk but it was too late to achieue a great victory . /British losses were 180 aircraft, 9 ships, 11, 000 machine guns, 1, 200 artillery pieces, 1,250 anti-aircraft guns, 6,400 anti-tank guns and rifles 1nd 75,000 vehicles. By the time the Germans entered Dunkirk, near!~ 340,000 Allied troops have escaped death or capture.

9

•

Norway's High Command ordered the army to stop fighting at midnight.

10 •

Italy entered the war and invaded France.

12 •

Japan and Thailand signed a non-aggression treaty.

13 • 14 •

Paris declared an Open City.

19 •

General Charles de Gaulle called on all Frenchmen in the colonies and possessions of France abroad to continue the fight declaring that

German troops marched into Paris.

22 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941 -1945

"every Frenchman who still bears arms has the absolute duty to continue resistance." 21 •

France surrendered to Germany.

•

Prince Fumimaro Konoye formed a new Japanese cabinet with General Hideki Tojo as Minister of War.

24 •

France signed th e formal surrender document with Italy.

•

France yielded control of its sector in Shanghai to the Japanese.

27 •

Japan declared the South Seas as an area it had a special interest in. Japanese Foreign Minister Arita elaborated, " The countries of East Asia and regions of the South Seas are geologically, historically, racially, and economically very closely related. The uniting of all those regions in a single sphere ·on a basis of common existence insuring thereby the stability of that sphere is a national conclusion." ·

1 •

Germany declared that the US Monroe Doctrine is "valid only on condition that the American nations for their part do not interfere in the affairs of the European Continent."

7 •

Hitler issued orders for the invasion of Britain, dubbing it Operation SEALION.

•

The US Congress gave the President discretionary authority to prohibit export of any war material in the interest of national defense.

16 •

The Japanese cabinet resigned after War Minister General Shonroku Hata stepped down but demanding sweeping governmental changes. Prince Konoye became Premier.

,:')\

\

July

almanac I 23

Aug.

27 •

Japanese secret police began arresting for eign nationals on various vague charges associated with alleged spying activities.

•

Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka informed the British ambassador in Tokyo that Japan was "determined and in fact compelled to step up a new order in the Far East ."

29 •

Hitler told his military leaders it was his intention but not yet his decision to attack Soviet Russia.

31 •

US Secretary of War Stimson called for military conscription in the United States.

1 •

Foreign Minister Matsuoka defined Tokyo's policy for "Greater East Asia," namely "the mission of Japan is to proclaim and demonstrate the imperial way throughout the world and accordingly, the immediate aim is to establish a Great East Asian chain of common prosperity with the Japan-China-Manchukuo group as one of the ' · links."

Sept. 12 •

United States Ambassador to Tokyo Joseph Grew warned State Secretary Hull that the Japanese might retaliate in the face of American embargo of oil shipments to Japan.

22 •

Japan was formally granted air bases and the right to maintain troops in French Indo-China in a treaty signed in Hanoi.

e

US Intelligence was able to decode for the first time a complete J apanese message transmitted in the Purple supersecret diplomatic code used by Tokyo. The American officer responsible 1_for

25

24 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

it was Colonel William Friedman, duplicating even the encoding-decoding machine without any previous knowledge of what the original looked like or its operating principles. This was considered the greatest intelligence coup of the war.

Oct.

26 •

Roosevelt banned export shipments of scrap iron and steel to Japan.

5 •

Prime Minister Konoye (Japan) said a war between Japan and the United States was inevitable if the United States saw the Axis alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan as "hostile".

8 •

Washington advised US citizens to leave the Far East in view of "abnormal conditions in those areas."

30 •

"I have said this before but I shall say it again and again. Your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars." This was said in Boston by .Roosevelt in a reelection campaign speech. ~

Nov.

5 •

Roosevelt was reelected for an unprecedented third term.

almanac I 25

1941 Jan.

Feb.

21 •

In an address to the Diet, Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka warned the United States against interfering in Asian Affairs.

26 •

Matsuoka repeated Japan's determination to impose a New Order in Asia.

27 •

US Ambassador to Tokyo Joseph Grew advised Washington of reports circulating in Tokyo of a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor being planned by the Japanese military in case of trouble with the United States.

•

Minister Matsuoka told a budget committee of the Diet that Japan must dominate the Western Pacific if it were to achieve its goals.

•

American Army and Navy dependents in the Philippines ordered to evacuate to the United States mainland. The American High Commissioner's Office in Manila advised all American civilians to leave the Philippines.

26

/ WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

19 •

Japanese Ambassador to the United States Admiral Kiehisaburo Nomura said there would be a war between Japan and the United States only if the United States wanted it.

23 •

The German Foreign Minister advised the Ja- panese ambassador in Berlin that Japan should enter the war against Britain "as soon as possible in its own interest."

25 •

Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka said the white race must ·cede Oceania to Asians. "This region has sufficient natural resources to support 600-800 million people. I believe we have a natural right to migrate there."

Mar. . 10 •

April

France gave Japan full use of the Saigon airport.

19 •

German Admiral Raeder met with the Japanese ambassador in Berlin and expressed his desire for a "Japanese attack on Singapore."

4 •

Hitler conferred with Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka in Berlin. He told Matsuoka "England has already lost in the war. It is only a matter of having the intelligence to admit it." He urged the Japanese to attack the British and other Allies in Asia. He also assumed that Germany would fight against the US if Japan got into a war with that countcy.

•

US Navy mined entrance channels to Manila Bay.

13 •

Japan and the Soviet Union signed a 5-year neutrality pact.

almanac

19 •

The military and conservative factions gained greater influence in the Japanese cabinet. Admiral Teijiro Toyoda and Lieut. Gen. Suzuki, pro-expansion advocates, were added to the body. To strengthen the "war hawk" posture, Admiral Osami Nagano replaced Prince Fushimi as Chief of the Naval General Staff.

•

General George MarshaJl, American Chief of Staff and successor to Douglas MacArthur, invited MacArthur to take on a new military command, the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). The command was created and designed to meet the growing threat of Japan in the Pacific and would combine the US Army Philippine Department and the forces of the Philippine Commonwealth. The invitation was accepted by MacArthur.

12 •

Japan proposed a general settlement of all its disputes with the United States.

20

Japanese Ambassador to Washington, Admiral Nomura, informed Tokyo that the United States was reading coded Japanese diplomatic messages.

May

•

June 12 •

July

I 27

US naval reserves were called to active duty.

18 •

Japan broke off trade talks with the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) government because the Dutch insisted on unilateral rights to decrease the export of goods which were deemed essential by the Japanese.

2 •

Japan called up a million men for·militacy service.

•

All Japanese merchant ships in the Atlantic were ordered to return to their Japanese home ports.

28 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

Aug.

16 •

Japanese government resigned with the Foreign Minister holding out for a hardline position in dealing with the United States and for a break in talks with Washington.

18 •

Prince Konoye formed a new but basically identical cabinet. The only change was the relief of Matsuoka by Admiral Toyoda.

21 •

Japan occupied military bases in French IndoChina. '

25 •

Admiral Toyoda told Ambassador Joseph Grew that Japan was being encircled by hostile forces in Southeast Asia.

26

•

All Japanese assets in the US were frozen "to prevent the use of financial facilities of the US in trade ... in ways harmful to national defense and American interests."

•

Retired US Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur was recalled to active duty. Roosevelt nationalized the armed forces of the Philippine Islands.

29 •

Japanese troops occupied the n.aval facilities of Cam Ranh Bay in French Inda-China.

30 •

The US Navy river gunboat Tutuila was bombed by the Japanese at Chungking.

1 •

The US embargoed the export of all aviation fuel.

•

Japan halted the export of silk to the United States. Thailand recognized Manchukuo in order to appease Japan and to maintain Thai neutrality and independence.

6 •

Britain and the United States warned Japan against attacking Thailand.

almanac I 29

Sept.

•

Ambassador Nomura proposed a meeting in Honolulu between Roosevelt and Konoye ..

17 •

Roosevelt agreed to renew informal discussions with Japan concerning the entire Pacific situation.

26 •

Japan protested the shipment of American materials to the Soviet Union through Vladivostok.

27

•

Prince Kono ye personally invited Roosevelt to meet with him to discuss all important problems covering the entire Pacific area and to explore the possibility of saving the deteriorating situation.

28 •

Japan delivered a note to the United States giving "broad assurance of its peaceful intent" and its stand of not using rrilitary force against any neighboring nation, unless provoked.

6 •

Emperor Hirohito was informed of all the risks of going to war with the United States. Premier Konoye was given six weeks to_ effect a diplomatic settlement of all outstanding issues with the United States. -

11 •

The United States Navy ordered to shoot-onsight if. any American ship or convoy was threatened.

18 •

Orders were issued to the Japanese Army to prepare for offensive operatiohs in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

•

American War Plan Orange III superseded by War Plan Rainbow V.

•

President Roosevelt, on the advice of State Secretary Hull turned down Konoye's invitation.

Oct. 2

30 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

Nov.

Nov.

9 •

Roosevelt asked Congress authority to arm merchant ships engaged in international trade.

16 •

Konoye resigned as Prime Minister of Japan. Military leaders regarded talks with the United States as hopelessly deadlocked.

3 •

US Ambassador Grew cabled Washington that Japan "might resort with dramatic and dangerous suddenness to measures which might make war with the US inevitable."

•

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's plan to attack Pearl Harbor approved by the Japai.'1ese High Command.

•

American women and children in Guam, Wake and Midway were evacuated to the United States.

6 •

The Japanese Southern Army was alerted to attack the Philippines, Malaya, Thailand and the Dutch Indies. The Japanese Southern Army was composed of the 14th, 15th, 16th and 21st Arnnes.

7 •

State Secretary Hull informed the American cabinet that a critical stage had been reached in relations with Japan.

15 •

90,000 Philippine Army reservists ordered to report to their respective mobiliza:tion centers.

17 •

Foreign Minister Togo of Japan said a US-Japan understanding was still possible "but there is natmally a limit" of Japan's conciliatory attitude.

•

Grew cabled W ~hington "I take into account the probability pf the Japanese exploiting every possible tactical advantage such as surprise and initiative."

almanac I 31

18 •

The Japanese Diet approved a "resolution of hostility" directed against the United States.

20 •

Washington directed the US Asiatic Fleet to leave Manila and proceed southwards to be out of the reach of the Japanese, leaving on Manila Bay only four destroyers, six river gunboats, five minesweepers and some auxiliaries.

•

Japan offered new and final proposals to the United States in response to the American note of October 2 which sought clarification from Japan on whether she planned to withdraw her

WP Orange III was postulated by a situation in which only Japan and America were at war. It prescribed the abandonment of Manila and the withdrawal of the Philippine defenders to Bataan Peninsula overlooking Manila Bay. From Bataan and the bay fortresses of which Corregidor was most important, the plan assumed that Manila Bay could be defended until such time as the United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii could arrive on the scene to help the defenders. WP Rainbow V was worldwide in scope and had been drawn up in consultation with the British General Staff. It was assumed that it was fighting both Japan and Germany. It would be viewed that Germany was Enemy No. 1 and the forces in the Philippines would adopt a defensive strategy similar to that of WPO III. MacArthur disliked the negative and defensive approaches of both plans and wrote Marshall to abandon this citadel-type defense in favor of keeping the Japanese out of the Philippines altogether. He further wrote that a beefed-up air force could pose:m. threat to Japan's sea lanes south:vards thereby blocking her movement of raw maten~s and subsequently disrupting her plans of expansion and conquest. Marshall was enthusiastic on this comment of MacArthur.

32 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945.

troops from China and Indo-China and turning down Konoye's invitation. In effect, the Japanese note carried the tone of an ultimatum. 23 •

The Japanese strike force assembled at Tankan Bay, Kuriles (near Alaska) for the first time, was informed of its mission.

24 •

Admiral Suetsugu, a Japanese extremist, told the Associated Press "Consciously or not, America seems inspired by the inhuman motive of holding us down in a subordinate position to herself and seeks to justify such a policy by the specious plea of defending the American idEf81 of peace and democracy."

•

US Navy commanders in the Pacific were warned of Tokyo's preparations for military action; "a surprise aggres:sive movement in any direction including an attack on the Philippines or Guam."

•

Japanese transports observed enroute from Formosa (Taiwan) to the Malayan Peninsula (Malaysia).

26 •

Vice Admiral Nagumo and his Kuriles force sailed for their mission.

27 •

All US military forces in the Pacific were given the "war warning" or final alert that "an aggressive move by Japan is expected within the next few days."

•

Admiral Hart (Asiatic Fleet) received the Navy Department's warning that "an aggressive move by Japan could be expected soon very likely in Borneo, Thailand's Kra Peninsula or the Philippine Islands."

almanac

Dec

I 33

28 •

For the second time, US State Secretary Hull warned the United States military of a possible imminent attack by Japan.

•

The Japanese foreign ministry advised its embassies throughout the world that relations with the US and Britain had reached an extremely critical stage.

29 •

The United States warned Britain of an impending Japanese attack in the Asia-Pacific Area.

•

Prime Minister Tojo restated Japan's leadership role in East Asia: "Nothing can be permitted to interfere with this sphere because this sphere was decreed by Providence."

•

MacArthur ordered USAFFE interceptor aircraft to begin night patrols of territorial waters of the Philippines. (Each night thereafter these patrols came upon Japanese bomber groups 20-50 miles out to sea but each time too, the bombers turned away before reaching the International Line.)

30 •

Japanese Foreign Minister Shigemitsu Togo informed the Japanese ambassador in Berlin that "war may suddenly break out between the Anglo-Saxon nations and Japan ... quicker than anyone dreams."

1 •

In Japan, a council meeting in the Imperial presence ended with a unanimous vote to begin hostilities. Tojo led the meeting. Emperor Hirohito did not at all speak.

2 •

Roosevelt handed a personal note to Ambassador Nomura and Kurusu, Japanese negotiators in Washington, asking why Japan kept sizable forces in Indo-China.

34 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945 e>

The Japanese cabinet was reshuffled and affirmed the final decision to attack Pearl Harbor.

•

Tokyo ordered the Japanese embassy in Washington and missions in British, Dutch and Canadian cities, Cuba, the Philippine Islands and south Pacific to destroy all but the most secret coding facilities.

*

The coded message "Climb Mount Niitaka" was flashed to the Japanese naval task force.

4 "

Japan declared the Netherlap.ds an ene~y power and said it would treat the Dutch as if a state of war existed between them.

•

'I'he Japanese 25th Army began leaving Hainan Island for Malaya and Thailand.

5 •

Japan answered Roosevelt's note on December 2 that her units in Indo-China are there because "Chinese troops have recently shown frequent signs of movement along the Northern frontier of French Indo-China."

3

19

6

@

®

Thailand sought assurances from Britain that if the Japanese attacked them, London would immediately declare war on Japan. Tokyo activated the Southern . Army under General Count Hisaichi Terauch1 composed of 10 divisions and 3 mixed brigades to include the 14th Army under Lt.Gen. Masaharu Homma, this unit (14th Army) tasked to capture and occupy the Philippine Islands. Terauc~i's ~ead­ quarters would ultimately be based m Saigon, Indochina. Roosevelt sent a message to Hirohito calling on Japan to withdraw its troops from Indochina.

almanac I 35

•

Roosevelt approved research funds for an atomic bomb and a pledge of "enormous" resources if the project showed promise.

•

Rear Admiral Takeo Takagi, Task Force Commander of 3 heavy cruisers (Nachi, Haguro, Myoko), a light cruiser, 7 destroyers and 2 minelayers and the aircraft carrier Ryujo left Palau Island, east of Mindanao Island, to support 2,500 men of the 16th Division for planned. landings on southern Luzon. The landing force was made up of the 33rd Infantry Regiment, a battery of the 22nd Field Artillery and some Marines.

8 •

P&cific War of World War II broke out!

•

Special Japanese Airforce Task Group went ashore at dawn in Batan Island, Batanes Group and promptly seized Basco Airfield.

•

Japanese planes in V-formationandapproaching from the general direction of San Fernando, La Union bombed Camp John Hay in Baguio City, headquarters of the Senior American Officer in North Luzon, Lt. Col. John P. Horan, USA and home base of the 43rd Infantry, Philippine Scouts, Philippine Department, US Army.

•

Also on this day, Japanese planes bombed Tuguegarao in Cagayan Province.

•

Earlier today, December 7, Honolulu Time, Japanese aerial and naval forces attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and other American and British territories and possessions in the.Pacific, thus launching the Pacific War. Pearl Harbor was a huge US Naval Base and home . of the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. American losses were staggering, namely, four (4) battleships

36 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

sunk, 92 Navy and 96 Army planes destroyed, 2,334 American servicemen killed and 1,347 wounded. Japanese losses were placed at 28 aircraft shot down, 5 midget submarines sunk.) , •

Japanese forces landed in Malaya (now Malaysia) and Thailand. Singapore, Hongkong, Guam, Midway and Wake Island were subjected to air attacks of varying intensities.

•

Japanese troops occupied the International Settlement in Shanghai, China.

•

Japan asked Germany to declare war on the United States.

•

Thailand signed an agreement with Japan granting Japanese troops the right of passage in the latter's prospective military operations in the Asian mainland.

9 •

Japanese forces occupied Bangkok, Thailand.

•

Japanese warplanes operated from captured Basco Airfield.

•

Task Force advanced southward to Camiguin Island, also in the Bliltanes to establish a seaplane base thereat.

•

Civilian Emergency Administration, Commonwealth Government ordered local governments to organize Civili~n Volunteer Guards (Paramilitary Force) to augment Philippine defense efforts.

10 •

Japanese naval aircraft based in Saigon sank the British battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse off the port of Kuantan, Malaya.

•

Japanese-trained Burma Independence Army (organized and trained in Thailand by a

almanac

I 37

Japanese Colonel Suzuki disguised as a newspaper correspondent in Rangoon, Burma) freely marched to Burma to oust the British thereat. •

Cavite Naval Base, US Navy, heavily bombed and damaged by Japanese warplanes.

•

Tanaka Detachment of 2,000 men from 2nd Formosa Regiment, 48th Division, successfully landed in Aparri and Gonzaga, Cagayan; a similar force, the Kanno Detachment, landed in Barrio Mindoro, Vigan, Ilocos Sur and Solvec, Narvacan, also in Ilocos Sur.

•

Philippine Constabulary Ilocos Sur Command offered token resistance to Japanese troops, was overran and taken prisoners were Major Sergio Laurente (Provincial Commander), Lieutenants Enrique Domondon and Gregorio Villacorta (junior officers) and seven (7) enlisted men. Laurente was interned in Taipei, Formosa and released from confinement in July 1942.

•

Municipal Mayors of Bangar, Balaoan and Luna, all in La Union, organized Civilian Volunteer Guard Units, armed by the Philippine Constabulary with Springfield rifles.

•

Buenaventura Bello, Northern Luzon Institute (defunct) schoolteacher, Vigan, refused to haul down American and Filipino flags when asked by the Japanese.

~,,. Walter .~/

M. Cushing, American-Mexican, coowner of Rainbow Gold Min~s, Ba-ay, Abra, observed enemy movements in Vigan landings, ·returned to Ba-ay and organized his miners into an armed resistance or guerrilla group.

38 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945.

12 •

•

Kanno Detachment elements that earlier landed in Vigan proceeded north and occupied Laoag, Ilocos Norte and its adjoining Gabu Airfield. Tanaka Detachment Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

elements

occupied

• . Ilocos Norte Governor Roque Ablan, Sr. evacuated Provincial Government personnel to Solsona town and reestablished provincial authority. •

Cagayan Governor Marcelo Adduru, Sr. evacuated Tuguegarao to reestablish Provincial Government in the vicinity of Tuao town; gathered USAFFE stragglers and policemen in southwestern Cagayan towns and organized Cagayan Guerrilla Force.

•

Kanno and Tanaka Detachments effected junction in Laoag, Colonel Tanaka assuming command of joint force.

14 •

Platoon of the 3rd Bn., 13th Infantry, 11th Division PA USAFFE under a Lt. George Wiliams, USA, ambushed enemy advance force aboard two (2) commandeered North Luzon Transportation (NORLUTRAN) buses in the vicinity of the Municipal Cemetery at Barrio Dar-darat, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur. Casualties undetermined.

16 •

"L" Co., 3rd Bn., 13th Infantry, 11th Division under 3d Lt. Eusebio T. Callao, engaged enemy in 3-hour battle at Barrio Tallaoen, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur killing undetermined number of Japanese; Philippine Army suffered first officercasualty, a Lt. Baltazar Aduna, killed-in-action.

18 •

George T. Scholey, American mining engineer, Vice President and General Manager, Lepanto

almanac I 39

Consolidated Mining Company, organized at Lepanto, Benguet from the company work force a resistance group, armed with firearms and ammunition drawn from Camp Holmes, Benguet. Among the American engineers in the group was George M. Barnett. 19 •

Battle of Baroro River, Bacnotan, La Union began. Defenders were the 1st and 3rd Bns. of the 13th Infantry commanded by Capt. Manuel Verde and Maj. Arthur K. Noble, respectively. USAFFE suffered casualties, disengaged towards south and some straggled their way north.

•

Fuel tanks at Poro, San Fernando, La Union siphoned of contents and what could not be removed were burned.

22 •

Bulk of 48th Div, Japanese (Tsuchibashi) effected practically unopposed landing over beach areas stretching from Bauang, Caba, Aringay, Agoo and Damortis) all in southern La Union. USAFFE beach defenders withdrew towards Baguio and Pangasinan.

•

Captain Guillermo Nakar and battalion, 71st Infantry disengaged from enemy at Bauang, La Union .and withdrew towards Baguio via Naguilian Road.

•

Lt. Col. Horan declared Baguio an Open City.

23 •

Horan contingent, composed of the 43rd Infantry (Philippine Scouts), cadets of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1943, ROTC cadets of the University of the Philippines College of Arts and Science, Baguio and cut-off units of the USAFFE left Baguio for Cagayan

40 /

WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

Valley Road via Bontoc and Bokod in an effort to save his (Horan) command and to rejoin USAFFE main body in Central Luzon. •

MacArthur decided to defend Bataan Peninsula and wait for possible American reinforcements.

24 •

Lt. Robert H. Arnold, SigC., US, detachment commander of Early Warning Unit at Cape Bojeador, Ilocos Norte arrived in Abra Province, organized resistance group with the 32 American enlisted men of the Bojeador Detachment as nucleus.

•

Walter M. Cushing accepted Arnold's invitation to join forces, Arnold in command and to train Cushing's armed volunteer force of some 200 civilians at San Emilio, Ilocos Sur.

•

Japanese troops estimated at 7,000 landed at Lamon Bay, Tayabas Province.

•

President Quezon and party left Manila for Corregidor.

26 •

Manila declared an Open City.

30 •

Horan group reached Imugan, Nueva Vizcaya but cannot proceed south due to enemy occupation of San Jose in N ueva Ecija.

•

Captain Ralph Praeger, 26th Cavalry, USA requested permission from Horan to be released from his (Horan) control and proceeded north on Route 5 towards Cagayan and Apayao to start his guerrilla movement.

almanac

I 41

1942 Jan.

1 •

Horan convened his officers and men on situation emphasizing their "freedom" to choose between continuing with him (Horan) or taking any possible route inorder to reach Bataan where the USAFFE was consolidating.. Capt. Parker Calvert, Lt. Arthur Murphy and Private Grafton Spencer went south. Horan proceeded north towards Kiangan in Ifugao.

•

Walter M. Cushing and 5 Filipino soldiers ambushed enemy truck in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, killing 12 of 14 occupants. (This is the first known guerrilla action against the Japanese since the invasion.)

8 •

Capt. Guillermo Nakar and unit arrived in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya after retreating from Bauang, La Union, through Baguio, and after providing rear guard for Col. Van Bonnet al).d group. He was cut-off from USAFFE main body and decided to conduct resistance against the

42 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

enemy with the Cagayan Valley as area of operations. •

Nakar, with Capt. Manuel Enriquez, PA and Maj. Everett Warner organized First Provisional Guerrilla Regiment from remnants of 71st Infantry and disbanded Horan contingent.

11 •

Capt. Ralph Praeger, Lts. Warren B. Minton, Francis Camp and Thomas Jones, all of Troop C, 26th Cav. USA arrive~ in Tuao, Cagayan and metAdduru Sr.

15 •

Horan, after contacting cut-off military units in Mt. Province, activated Provisional Battalion, 43rd Infantry PS and directed organization of the 1st and 2nd Bns. of a Provisional 43rd Infantry Regt. PS to be composed of Philippine Constabulary units in Kalinga, Bontoc, Ifugao and USAFFE stragglers. Maj. Julian M. Esquejo was commander of the 1st Bn. and Capt. Gregorio Manalo, Ifugao Constabulary Commander headed the 2nd Bn. Lt. Mariano Tumaliuan commanded the 3rd Ifugao PC Co. of the 2ndBn.

18 •

Cushing and.his guerrillas ambushed and killed an estimated 60 Japanese airforce personnel in 10 trucks proceeding southward at Candon, Ilocos Sur. The guerrillas suffered one wounded. This was the first big blow handed the Japanese in occupied North Luzon since the war broke out prompting Tokyo Radio to howl and label Cushing and his men as "the sonavabitches of North Luzon."

20 •

Japanese forces raided Cushing camp in San Emilio, Ilocos Sur causing dispersal of Cushing's · force.

almanac I 43

•

Jan.

Horan met American miner-guerrillas at the Lepanto Mines and offered commissions to the engineers subject to confirmation by USAFFE Headquarters. Cushing and Scholey were commissioned Captain.

24 •

Adduru-Praeger forces attacked Aparri airfield.

27 •

Ablan armed 3rd Lt. Feliciano Madamba, Philippine Army, after the latter agreed to team up with him, Madamba as leader of the military arm of the Ilocos Norte Government.

28 •

Cushing met Horan at Lepanto and got incorporated into Horan's planned guerrilla regiment.

•

Ablan and Madamba ambushed and killed the entire Japanese combat patrol of approximately 50 officers and men in Solsona, Ilocos Norte.

29 •

Lt. Arnold relinquished to Cushing command of the combined Arnold-Cushing force on account ofthe field commission given by Horan to Cushing in the grade of Captain.

31 •

USAFFE completed retreat to Bataan Peninsula.

•

Radio communication between Major Everett Warner, USA somewhere in Cagayan Valley established with USAFFE Headquarters in Corregidor. He reported that he has asssembled and was commanding a consolidated force composed of elements of the 11th, 7 lst and possibly the 91st Divisions, Philippine Army. These remnants were unable to proceed southward on Route 5 to join the main body of the retreating USAFFE as the advancing Japanese Army had by·then occupied Nueva Ecija Province.

44 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941 -1945

Feb.

4 •

Ablan and Madamba guerrillas ambushed enemy commander of Abra, Ilocos Sur and Norte a Major Komatsu, together with two truckload~ of his troops in Hanna, Ilocos Norte. Komatsu was then leading a punitive force in pursuit of the ambushers of his men on January 28 at Solsona also in Ilocos Norte. '

6 •

Japanese planes bombed and strafed Hanna and Nueva Era in retaliation to the February 4 ambush staged by Ablan and Madamba. The Japanese summarily executed 25 civilian residents of Hanna, including lawyers Esteban Batuyong and Faustino Ines, associates and supporters of Ablan.

8 •

Lt. General Masaharu Homma, Commanding General of the Japanese 14th Area Army, ordered a general pullback of all Japanese forces on the Bataan front due to exhaustion and the need for fresh reinforcements.

15 •

Singapore fell after seventy (70) days. General Commander of the British Singapore Garrison unconditionally surrendered to Lt. Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita, Commander of the Japanese 25th Area Army. A total of 65 000 British, Indian and Australian troops gave' up. One of the factors that led to the surrender was a very critical potable water shortage for both the troops and the Singapore populace. Perc~val,

19 •

Japanese planes bombed Darwin in Australia.

22 •

PresidentRooseveltorderedGeneralMacArthur to leave the Philippines and proceed to Australia to take command of all Allied forces in the process of assembly and organization.

almanac

Mar.

Apr.

I 45

23 •

Japanese submarine shelled an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California.

27 •

Cushing and men ambushed enemy flag officer and staff at Sitio Almazan, Bio, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur recovering from the enemy US Army fire control maps of Bataan and Corregidor.

28 •

Japanese burned down Almazan residence in Bio, Tagudin, in retaliation to previous day's ambush by Cushing and men.

•

Gen. MacArthur sent out of Bataan Lt. Col. Claude Thorpe, Cav. USA and others on a guerrilla mission; Thorpe established headquarters in Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales naming his unit as the USAFFE Luzon Guerrilla Army Forces.

1 •

MacArthur, his wife and son and key personnel in MacArthur's prospective staff in the new command left for Mindanao aboard Patrol Torpedo boats. In a final message to the Filipinos, he declared, "I Shall Return."

14 •

MacArthur party reached Mindanao.

17 •

MacArthur party arrived in Australia. He assumed duties as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific theater.

22 •

Japanese issued surrender USAFFE Bataan Garrison.

24 •

Japanese opened up their final drive to occupy Bataan. Bataan fell to the Japanese. The surrender instrument was signed by Maj. Gen. Edward King, Jr. for the Garrison at 12:30 pm.

9 •

20 •

ultimatum to

Japanese forces completed their conquest of the Visayan Islands.

46 / WW ll IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

May

6 •

The USFIP island bastion of Corregidor surrendered. In a letter written before the surrender, Lt. Gen Jonathan Wainwright, USFIP Commander said "...We have done our best both here and on Bataan, and although beaten, we are still unashamed."

Jwne

•

A Colonel Kalakuka, USA, was dispatched by surre~dered Lt. Gen Jonathan Wainwright, estwhde USFIP Commander to contact and convince American officers in Northern Luzon to similarly give up. Major Warner allegedly complied with the Wainright pronouncement. Nakar took over from Warner.

•

Lt. Col. John P. Horan, Post Commander, Camp John Hay, Baguio City and allegedly coordinator of North Luzon guerrilla units surrendered to the Japanese in compliance with Wainright's message.

28 •

President Quezon and party arrived in San Francisco, California aboard the SS President Coolidge of the American President Lines. Quezon escaped from Corregidor aboard an American submarine to Iloilo, by boat to Negros where he was placed aboard a patrol boat for Mindanao (Del Monte Plantation after disembarking in Cagayan de Oro) and was finally flown to Australia

2

•

4

©

Quezon appeared at the US House of Representatives. Quezon addres~ed the US Senate to recite the bravery of the Filipino and American soldiers fighting the Japanese and to assure the Americans of the loyalty of the Filipino people.

almanac

9

I 47

•

Quezon set up the Philippine Commonwealth Government-in-Exile in Washington D.C. composed of Sergio Osmena, Sr. as Vice President, Manuel Nieto as Secretary of Commerce and Agriculture, Jaime C. Hernandez as Secretary of Finance and Joaquin M. Elizalde as Resident Commissioner.

•

CaptainParkerCalvert, ~SAassumedcommand of elements of "A" and "B" Cos., 43rd Infantry, Philippine Scouts in the Cordilleras. These Scouts were cut-off from the USAFFE main body then withdrawing towards the Bataan Peninsula.

•

Hitler personally ordered the outright execution of all men, 199 of them, in the Czech mining village of Li dice near Prague in reprisal for the ambush on Blackshirt's leader Reinhard Heydrich by Czech partisans or guerrillas. Hitler on that day delivered the eulogy on Heydrich's interment. The 199 were executed that day in addition to 131 Czechs executed two days earlier. Heydrich was SS Commander for Czechoslovakia.

o All formal and organized defense of the Philippines ended. 22 e

®

Jwy

14 "'

A Japanese submarine shelled Fort Stevens, Oregon, the first attack on a US continental military base since 1812. Major Guillermo Nakar established radio communications with MacArthur's headquarters in Australia. Nakar's unit redesignated 14th Infantry, imny of the United States, f:rom its previous designa-

48 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

tions of First Provisional Guerrilla Regiment and.14th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Army.

Aug.

Sept.

27 •

Premier Tojo asked Australia to surrender.

30 •

A German submarine laid mines off Charleston, South Carolina.

7 •

US forces in the Pacific took the offensive for the first time in the war with the invasion of Guadalcanal and the Solomons.

•

Six German agents arrested by the FBI after landing in Long Island and Florida.

9 •

Allied naval forces suffered major losses in a one-sided engagement with the Japanese navy in the Battle of Savo Island, Southwest Pacific Area.

17 •

Japanese garrison commander on Makin Island, Gilberts, Pacific, radioed the Japanese High Command "All men are dying serenely in battle." The US marines who were secretly landed by two American submarines wiped out the enemy garrison of almost 90 men and destroyed all installations including the newly-completed seaplane base.

•

Records and roster of the budding 121st Infantry, PA, La Union Sector, under Captain George M. Barnetti captured by the Japanese in San Gabriel, La Union.

•

Japanese arrested Mayor Domingo N era and Vice-Mayor Matias Barba of Luna, La Union who were carried as lieutenants in the captured 12 lst Infantry roster and incarcerated in San Fernando. They were reported executed, also during the month.

almanac &

I 49

Colonels Martin Moses and Arthur Noble, US Army, arrived in the Cordilleras after escaping fr om Bataan when the USAFFE surrendered on April 9. After familiarization with general situation in North Luzon and with the consent of the various guerrilla commanders, assumed command of all underground units in North Luzon.

29 •

Nakar and his radio captured by the Japanese in Minuri, Jones, Isabela; succeeded by Major Manuel Enriquez; capture considered first serious blow to the growing coordinated command of the USAFFE remnants.

Oct.

•

Guerrilla general ,offensive allegedly ordered by Moses and Nob le failed.

Nov.

4 •

Praeger established radio communications with Washington, D.C., through a San Francisco radio broadcast station.

15 •

Five (5) Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa killed when the US cruiser Juneau was sunk by the Japanese off Guadalcanal. (A destroyer, The Sullivans, was later named after them.)

•

Elements of the 12 lst Infantry in northern La Union surrendered en-masse to the Japanese and were interned in Camp 0 'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac.

50 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

1943 Jan.

Feb.

15 •

Major Jesus A Villamor, Philippine Army Air Corps (now Philippine Air Force) arrived secretly in southern Negros from Australia ferried by the American submarine Gudgeon. He was on a secret mission to the Philippines as head of the first Allied Intelligence penetration team "PLANET" composed of 1st Lt. R. C. Ignacio, 2d Lts. D. C. Yuhico and E . F. Quinto and Sgts. Patricio Jorge and D. Malic.

22 •

Papua New Guinea campaign terminated marking the first Allied land victory over the Japanese and thus eliminated the most pressing threat to Australia.

9 •

All organized Japanese defenses on Guadalcanal neutralized and resistance ended. The Japanese evacuated the island with more than 10,000 men in a week's time without detection by American air and naval forces, a feat considered remarkable in the history of warfare.

almanac I 51

•

Moses and Noble arrived at Praeger's headquarters where the latter was operating a radio in contact with the US mainland and MacArthur's headquarters in Australia.

April 18 •

Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, architect of the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941 was killed when his plane which was about to touch down in Bougainville, was shot by American planes. (It is not generally knoWn. that Yamamoto opposed the war, feeling that it could not be won. American P-38s from Guadalcanal were reported to have been given the mission to "get Yamamoto" after US Intelligence intercept.ed coded radio messages from Tokyo but which code has been earlier broken by the Americans. The Japanese did not suspect that the same has been compromised.)

June

9 •

Japanese soldiers captured Colonels Moses and Noble a few kilometers northeast of Lubuagan, '.Kalinga.

•

Volckmann assumed command of North Luzon guerrillas after capture of Moses and Noble.

16 •

Premier Tojo told the Japanese Diet that the war situation has reached a critical stage.

2 •

The US Navy Patrol Torpedo Boat #109 skippered by Lt. John P. Kennedy sunk after it was rammed by a Japanese destroyer in the Solomons.

•

Japanese captured Praeger and Adduru, also in Kalinga.

•

Major Manuel Enriquez, 14th Infantry AUS, reported gathering intelligence over North Luzon from Nacoco Store in Baguio City, ostensibly a trading organization which was estab-

Au g.

52 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

lished with the permission of the Japanese Military Administration. (Intelligence agents and operatives posing as commodity buyers and salesmen went and came from all parts of North Luzon to Baguio bringing with them unwritten information which were collated in the store by personnel designated by Enriquez. Some of Enriquez's people at the time were Romulo Manriquez, Jose Alvarez, Tomas Acop, Honorio Quines, Andrew Douglas, Melito Bulan, a Briones and Saturnino Dumiao, all military men.)

Sept.

Oct

•

Japanese took Enriquez into custody and was interned in Manila.

•

Volckmann established regular overland communications with Manriquez in Nueva Vizcaya, Lapham in Pangasinan, Molintas east of Baguio, Calvert west of the Mountain Trail or Highway 11 ( now Halsema ) and Barnett in the Ilocos.

14 •

Japan granted "independence" to the Philippines. Appropriate ceremonies were held at the Luneta, Manila and other places in the country.

•

Philippine Army surgeon, Major Egmidio C. Cruz, personal physician of President Manuel L. Quezon of the Philippine refugee government in Washington, D. C., disguised as a dried fish and chicken trader arrived by batel in Bulan, Sorsogon from Negros Island on his way to perform a Top Secret mission in Manila for Quezon. He, together with other persons in the Bulan shore area, were herded by the Japanese and Bureau of Constabulary to the town plaza to celebrate the inauguration of the Puppet Republic of the Philippines headed by Jose P. Laurel, Sr. as President. Cruz was earlier flown from the USA to Australia and subsequently ferried by the

almanac I 53

American submarine Thresher to the Philippines which put him ashore in southwestern Negros to waiting guerrillas under Major Jesus Villamor, Philippine Army Air Corps. This was on July 9, 1943. Oct.

14 •

Enriquez released from confinement by the General Amnesty Order of the Japanese when "political independence" was granted by Tokyo. He continued to direct activities of the Baguio Nacoco Store from Manila, reassembled and reorganized his forces to cover Mountain Province, Pangasinan and Isabela. (His combat units were from the pre-war Philippine Constabulary, Philippine Scouts and civilians.)

Late in 1943 Franco Vera Reyes, Filipino swindler and spy for the Japanese, infiltrated Enriquez's headquarters after posing as a field agent of Major Jesus Villamor, head of the first Allied Intelligence Bureau (Australia) penetrating team to the Philippines, then operating in Negros Island, Visayas. Reyes obtained the roster of Enriquez's organization. Reyes was later arrest~d and killed by the Japanese and Enriquez, fearmg Japanese capture/possession of his roster convened his key personnel in Manila and some decided to peacefully surrender to the Japanese for their "mutual safety". Dec. • American planes started operating from Bougainville.

54 f WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

1944 Jan.

17 •

American forces ended all enemy resistance at Arawe on New Britain.

Feb.

9 •

The Japanese raided the Nacoco Store in Baguio and rounded up most of the remaining Enriquez following. Enriquez himself was incarcerated in Manila. Some of his followers in Manila were similarly arrested.

Mar. 31 •

Admiral Mineichi Koga, C-in-C of the Japanese Combined Fleet disappeared and presumed killed while flying from Palau to Davao in Mindanao during a storm. (Tokyo announced his death only when Admiral Toyodo was named to succeed Koga sometime in May).

May

21 •

Wakde Island seized by US forces, giving them a base from which to give air cover to landing forces in the projected invasion of Mindanao.

6 •

Allied forces in Europe landed in northern France in what was the greatest amphibious operation in military history. This was D-Day in

June

almanac / 55

~urope,

commonly called the Normandy Land-

mg. 10 •

In one of the most savage actions during the war, Hitler's SS Das Reish Division killed all inhabitants of the French village of Oradour-surGlane, almost 600 including women and children, for the kidnap of an SS commander by the French Maquis (French Resistance or Guerrilla fighters.)

13 •

Germany began launching V-1 rocket bombs against England, marking a new phase of warfare - missiles and unmanned weapons.

19-20 •

Battle of the Philippine Sea, a giant clash of aircraft, surface ships and submarines of Japan aIJ.d the United States. (Due to very heavy Japanese air and seacraft losses, the Japanese High Command in Tokyo abandoned all hopes that Japan could possibly win the war.)

25 •

Emperor Hirohito summoned his fleet admirals and field marshals to Tokyo to assess and discuss the worsening Japanese military situation.

1 •

Japanese Admiral Nagumo, who commanded the Pearl Harbor attack force and who led naval and air units to victory in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, shot and killed himself for loss of face'.. He lost the Battle of Midway (with US Navy) and was demoted to command a small flotilla operating in the Marianas.

2 •

Courier from Volckmann arrived at Captain Robert Ball's headquarters in the vicinity of Baler, Tayabas. Ball was the Southern Luzon penetration of the Smith (Samar) Team.

July

56 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

Aug.

18

GJ

26

®

President Roosevelt arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii to confer with his top Pacific commanders, General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz. (Nimitz recommended by-passing the Philipnines for a direct thrust at Formosa and the Chinese Mainland while MacArthur batted for the reconquest of the Philippines. Roosevelt approved MacArthur's plan.)

30

®

The Japanese commander at Mityikina, Burma, confronted by the American-Chinese combined force in a sustained engagement, ordered his forces to withdraw and then committed harakiri.

24

6

Vokkmann radio became part of Ball's net. USAFIP NL communications to Australia (MacArthur) now relayed via Ball and Smith.

27 c

Hideki Tojo was relieved as Japanese premier, war minister and Army Chief of Staff, the three positions he concurrently held.

The American submarine USS SS Stingray secretly landed the Valera Intelligence Team of the Southwest Pacific Headquarters (MacArthur) in Bangui, !locos Norte. The team landed in the evening aboard two (2) rubber boats while the submarine anchored offshore, unable to put ashore all the team's equippage and supplies due to detection earlier by an enemy surface combatant vessel. The submarine was subjected to intense depth-charging before entering Bangui Bay but escaped unharmed. With the help of the barrio or village chieftain, the team proceeded inland to the nearby mountain areas maintaining contact with the civilian population only through a Miss Layaoen (Philippine Army pre-war employee), Medical Captain Juanito Duque and Sergeant Perfecto Flores, all

almanac

I 57

of !locos Norte Province. The Valera Team was charged by SWPA with the mission of opening channels of communication and intelligence through North Luzon, establish weather stations and an air warning service and contact the Ablan guerrilla forces, then the only reported guerrillas active in the area.

Sept.

@

2

'1l

15

@

e

Lt. Col. Volckmann, Commanding Officer, USAFIP NL in coordination with SWPA ordered the 12lst Infantry Regiment (Major George M. Barnett) to locate the Valera Team. Charged with the mission were Capt. John P. O'Day and · Lt. Manuel Z. Borja, Company Commander, "I" Co., 3rdBn. Volckmann established direct radio contact with Australia. (Lt. Carlos Ancheta and S/Sgt. Pete Luz, First Filipino Regiment, AUS were received by Volckmann in Camp V or 1122 as SWPA Intelligence Penetration Team. These two (2) men effected the direct contact with KAZ (British) and MACA (MacArthur) radio stations, both in Australia.) American Marines began landing on Peleliu Island, Palau group, about 450 miles east of Mindanao, Philippines. They captured Palau after a month of bitter battles and sustaining heavy losses. 300-ft. waterfall in Liteng, Kapangan, Benguet developed into a hydro-electric power plant for Camp V. Leading the project were Engineer Ariston Huliganga of Naguilian, La Union and Ernest Schneider, Swiss electrical technician at the Baguio Power and Ice Plant who was "borrowed" by the guerrillas from the Japanese administrators of the power plant.

58 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

•

Timoteo Sinay and Crispo Hernando, electronics technicians, arrived in Camp V from "recruitment" in Manila.

29 •

The US submarine Narwhal rescued 81 Allied POWs who survived the sinking of the Japanese freighter Shinyo Maru by another American submarine. The prisoners were being transported from Mindanao (Davao Penal Colony) to internment areas in Japan when sank. Filipino guerrillas (Fertig) rescued the survivors and radioed Australia for aid, bringing the NarWhal to Sindangan Bay, Zamboanga del Norte.

•

First attempt to supply USAFIP NL by submarine failed.

14 •

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, suspected (with others) of plotting the assassination ofAdolf Hitler, committed suicide by swallowing a poison capsule. The German High Command gave him the choice of suicide or the ignominy of a military trial and certain execution. He chose the former.

•

O'Day rep~rted to Barnett and Volckmann location of Valera Team which was subsequently moved to Volckmann's Headquarters, Camp V or 1122 in Kapangan, Benguet.

18 •

US Sixth Army Rangers landed on and seized Leyte Gulf islands of Dinagat, Suluan and Guiuan. This operation was preparatory to the massive invasion of Leyte by the American Liberation Forces personally led by General Douglas MacArthur.

Oct.

_,...,,

almanac

•

20 • •

I 59

American planes in waves bombed Gabu Airfield in Ilocos Norte after receipt ofradio intelligence summary from the Valera Team. American Liberation Forces landed in Leyte. An emaciated Maj. Robert H. Arnold was es-

corted to Volckmann's headquarters by field troops via the "Bamboo Telegraph" route. -~·~-

'"' "30 •

Philippine First Lady Esperanza L. Osmena and party rescued from enemy custody· by th~ .1st Bn.,66th Infantry on Kilometer 5, Nagmhan Road, Benguet.

Nov. 22 •

USS SS Gar, skippered by Lt. Commander Maurice Ferrara, USN surfaced at 1752H off Santiago Cove, Ilocos Sur to rendezvous with USAFIP NL shore party composed largely of the 3rd Bn., !21st Infantry under Capt. Eduardo Borge. This rendezvous was the second SWPA-USAFIP NL coordinated attempt to provide the USAFIP NL with arms and supplies including intelligence and demolition personnel. In th~ previous month a similar arrangement wherem the submarine would have surfaced at Darigayos, Luna, La.Union was foiled by the Japanese. The SS Gar surfaced off Santiago Cove erroneously, the skipper "amazed to learn that we were at our alternate spot, Santiago Cove." (Excerpt of SS Gar War Patrol Report No. 14, dated 30November1944.) In the above operation, Lt. Col. Volckmann was personally manning the Primary Spot for the rendezvous, Darigayos. He billeted at the Jud~e Fernando Zambrano farm residence at Barrio Pit-pitac, Luna town.

60 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941 -1945

Aside from war materiel, the IntelligenceDemolition Team headed by Captains Wm. Farrell and Vaughn was landed safely. Dec.

l

~

Maj. Parker Calvert, USAFIP NL Chief of Staff and party of 2 enlisted men left Camp V, Benguet for Pit-pitac and Darigayos, Luna, La Union to oversee and coordinate shore activities for second submarine rendezvous operations. (Privates Gelacio of Tublay, Benguet and Leonardo Nuval of Luna, La Union.)

3

~

The 15th Infantry Regiment was formally organized as a combat unit of the USAFIP NL in Piddig town. Its nucleus came from selected elen;ients of "K" and "M" Cos., 121st Infantry (Maj. George M. Barnett) and together with exUSAFFE men, reservists and qualified civilians impressed into the budding regiment, were incorporated into the USAFIP NL in simple field ceremonies at 6:30 in the morning by Barnett.

•

Volckmann designated as Acting Regimental Commander Capt. O'Day and Governor Roque Ablan (not in station) who was given the temporary field commission of Captain, as Executive Officer.

4

@

*

A combined force of Japanese soldiers and Bureau of Constabulary General Service Troops swooped down on Piddig and battled elements of the new regiment. The 15th Infantry suffered its first officer casualty, Lieutenant Luna Puruganan of Dingras town, Philippine Army Air Corps, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class ofl941. Japanese soldiers in Vigan were spreading counter-propaganda news particularly in that the Japanese troops have successfully encircled

almanac I 61

MacArthur's forces in Leyte and in a big naval battle, the Americans lost almost 350 warships/vessels. (Propaganda of this nature was neutralized by the Camp V Radio News daily newssheet despite its very limited circulation. The big naval battle mentioned above was the Battle of Leyte Gulf which was won by the Allied fleets and resulted in tremendous losses to the Japanese Navy. After that battle, the Japanese Navy never was a force to reckon with,) Dec.

11 •

Submarine USS SS Gar surfaced at 5:45 p.m. off Darigayos, Luna, La Union to locate USAFIP NL contact party afloat; located one hour after; 7:30 p.m. Maj. Parker Calvert, representative of Lt. Col. Volckmann, boarded submarine whereupon unloading of war materiel commenced; accompanying Maj. Calvert was US Navy Ensign M. T. Mosko, naval pilot from the USS Langley, aircraft carrier, who was shot down by the enemy while strafing Japanese shipping at San Fernando harbor on November 25, 1944; Mosko parachuted and was rescued by the guerrillas. Unloaded at Darigayos Cove into small boats or dugouts were 35 tons of arms, ammunition and supplies for USAFIP NL, supplemented with 500 lbs. of food including 30 loaves of freshly baked bread and certain medical supplies "in consideration of the approaching Christmas Holidays."

62 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941 -1945

1945 Jan.

4 •

Volckmann set this day for USAFIP NL D-day. Demolition missions given the regiments concentrated on roads, bridges, airfields, and communication facilities linking Japanese garrisons or strongpoints so as to effectively isolate them from each other.

•

US Invasion Forces approaching Lingayen Gulf from the south subjected to heavy enemy air attacks.

•

Detachment of "L" Co., 3rd Bn., 121st Infantry laid siege to enemy garrison in Bitalag, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.

•

1st Bn., 121st Infantry, USAFIP NL, fresh from training at Camp Felipe Casuga, Alibangsay, Bagulin, deployed to start the liberation of San Fernando, capital town of La Union; elements of "B" Co. subjected enemy guard unit at Baroro River Bridge, Bacrtotan to small arms and automatic fire.

almanac / 63

6 •

Flaming kamikaze (enemy suicide plane) plowed into the bridge of the American battleship New Mexico killing 29 men. including the ship's captain and British Lt. Gen. Herbert Lumsden, Churchill's personal liaison officer to MacArthur. Lumsden became the highest ranking casualty in the Luzon Campaign of the Allied Liberation Forces.

•

"B" Company, 121st Infantry dislodged enemy bridge guards at Baroro River, La Union. They fled southward to San Fernando to join the enemy strongpoint. (The Baroro Bridge and approaches were captured intact. This 2-day sie~e marked the first victory of Luzon guerrillas over a Japanese armed unit. Note that this victory was won even before the American Liberation Forces landed on Luzon.)

•

"D" Company, 12 lst Infantry, USAFIP NL seized and occupied the town of San Juan, La Union.

•

Elements of "B" Co., 121st Infantry wiped out enemy garrison at Hangar town, La Union, killing 15 and capturing 12. This achievement gave control of 30 kilometers of the paved Manila North Road or Highway 3. It also brought the 1st Bn., 121st Infantry six (6) kilometers to their objective, San Fernando.

64 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

T HE LINGAYEN LANDINGS

"Early on the morning of J anuary 9, 1945, as Oldendorf s warships shepherded the t roop transports into position in Lingayen Gulf, the admiral (Oldendorf) trained his ships' guns on suspected enemy coastal positions. The American High Command had received a message from Filipino guerrillas saying that "there will be no repeat no opposition on the beaches." But Oldendorf had no choice on the matter; he was under orders to bomb the coast. He sent planes to drop leaflets warning the citizens of the coastal towns to evacuate, and then he went ahead with his plans. The warships blasted the area, destroying many homes and public buildings and little else. "At 9:30 a.m., 68,000 men of General Krueger's Sixth Army began streaming ashore, and they quickly discovered that the guerrillas had been right: the Japanese were gone. The residents of the coastal town of Lingayen returned to their damaged homes, broke out long-hidden American flags and greeted the liberators with a joyful celebration. "In the first few days, the assault forces quickly captured the coastal towns and spread out along the dusty roads to secure a 20-mile long beachhead. The town of San Fabian was taken easily, and four frightened Japanese won dubious fame by trying to escape, disguised as women." Return to the Philippines Rafael Steinberg Time-Life Books, Va., USA (Note: Vice Admiral JB Oldendoif, USN was Commander of Task Group 77.2, Bombardment and Fire Support Group for the Lingayen Operation of the Allied Forces.)

almanac

Jan.

I 65

6 •

Patrols of the 2nd Bn., 15th Infantry, USAFIP NL harassed the Badoc enemy garrison, seized 40 cavans ofrice and distributed same to civilian population.

-7 •

Currimao bolomen (para-military force) surprised the crew of a Japanese ship moored at the Gaang Port, accounted for eleven (11) including the ship captain, hauled down two (2) anti-aircraft guns with 6 loaded magazines and thousands of cal. 50 and 30 ammunition.

•

Elsewhere in Ilocos Norte, para-military forces accounted for hundreds of enemy survivors of Japanese ships bombed and sank by American aircraft.

•

Enemy garrison at Bitalag capitulated to "L" Co., 12 lst Infantry, USAFIP NL. Road junction of Highway 4 and Manila North Road (Highway 3) seized.

9 •

Lingayen Gulf coastal areas subjected to heavy naval bombardment despite Krueger's (Commanding General, US Sixth Army) receipt of USAFIP NL radio message emphasizing that "there will be no - repeat no - opposition on the beaches." (This message was sent towards the end of December 1944 when USAFIP NL intelligence agents noted the continuous withdrawal of Japanese beach defense units towards Central Luzon and some to the Cordilleras of La Union province.)

•

US Sixth Army invasion forces landed on Lingayen Gµlf beaches unopposed. By nightfall, 68,000 officers and men were ashore on a beachhead almost twenty miles long and four miles deep, from Calasiao to Sual, practically unopposed and " far exceeding the wildest dreams of

66 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

those who had planned the operations." (This confirmed the USAFIP NL radio message sent to MacArthur toward the end of 1944.)

Jan.

•

At 7 p.m., Volckmann received radio message from Sixth Army placing all elements of USAFIP NL under the command of the Sixth Army's Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger.

•

Detachment of the 2nd Bn., 15th Infantry raided the enemy garrison at Gaang, Currimao and captured one (1) machine gun, one (1) rifle, five thousand rounds of ammunition and a radio set.

11 •

US forces pushed farther inland still not encountering enemy position. Aguilar, Urbiztondo and Malasiqui, towns in Pangasinan, came under guerrilla control before the Americans reached these places.

•

2nd Bn., 12 lst Infantry operationally attached to 123rd Infantry, 33rd Infantry Division, US Sixth Army (Maj. Gen. Percy W. Clarkson). This happened somewhere in southern La Union.

12 •

Damortis, La Union secured by US 158th RCT, 43d Inf. Division.

13 e

"A" Co., 15th Infantry attacked the enemy garrison at Burgos, Ilocos Norte, drove the Japanese thereat and captured 1 cal. 30 machine gun, 12 knee mortars and various ammunition.

19 •

2nd Bn., 11th Infantry, USAFIP NL captured Babayuan in northern Cagayan.

23 •

Battle of San Mateo Bridge, between Laoag and Sarrat, Ilocos Norte. Elements of the 1st Bn .. 15th Infantry, after burning the San Mateo Bridge laid an ambush position for hundreds of Japanese troops moving eastward along the

almanac

I 67

Laoag-Sarrat Road in an effort to reach Solsona town and move farther eastward in the Northern Cordilleras for a possible link-up with Japanese units in Cagayan Province. The engagement was fought for almost twelve (12) hours. 24 •

Elements 2nd Bn., 15th Infantry, USAFIP NL attacked Gabu Airfield burning all Japanese quarters and almost 15,000 gallons of aviation fuel.

26 •

Elements 2nd Bn., 15th Infantry raided for the second time Gabu Airfield and destroyed 3 planes (2 twin-engined bombers and a single-engined fighter), 2 trucks and burned 10 drums of aviation fuel.

27 •

3rd Bn., 121st Infantry previously performing demolition and sabotage work in Abra and Ilocos Sur, ordered by Maj. Barnett to assemble in Bitalag, Tagudin for eastward push along Highway 4.

28 •

Elements 2nd Bn., 15th Infantry staged a third raid on Gabu Airfield burning another two trucks and set aside 185 drums of automotive fuel for future use of the Battalion's motor vehicles.

•

American forces seized Rosario, La Union.

29 •

2nd Bn., 15th Inf. elements infiltrated San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte and put to the torch 168 drums of gasoline and 2 trucks used by the Japanese garrison.

30 •

US Sixth Army Ranger Battalion raided Pangatian Prisoner-of-War Camp in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija killing all Japanese guards and freeing 516 Americans, British, Dutch and Nor-

68 J WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941 -1945

wegian military and civilians, prisoners of war. The Rangers were accompanied and guided by 423 officers and men of the Luzon Guerrilla Army Forces (LGAF) under Maj. Robert Lapham. All members of the LGAF on this mission were awarded Bronze Star medals, historically, the biggest harvest of this American medal by a Philippine Army unit. Feb.

•

3rd Bn., 121st Infantry dislodged Japanese outpost in Mt. Tapao, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.

3 •

Allied civilian internees at the University of Santo Tomas compound rescued and freed from enemy custody by elements of the 1st Cavalry · Division, US.

5 •

Suyo town, Ilocos Sur captured by 3rd Bn., 121st Infantry.

10 •

38-hour engagement between "L" Co., 121st Infantry with enemy north of Bessang Pass. Enemy outpost overran.

•

"L" Co., 121st Infantry suddenly withdrawn from Bessang area to defend Butac which the enemy threatened to recapture. "L" Co. totally abandoned Bessang Pass vicinity, then lightly garrisoned by the enemy.

second week

•

3rd Bn., 121st Infantry less "L" Co. pulled out of Highway 4 positions and redeployed at the San Fernando front to assist the beleaguered 1st Bn. (Borge).

third week

•

US Marine Air Support Team attached to 121st Infantry to direct American Airforce and Marine planes supporting 1st and 3rd Bns., 121st Infantry in the San Fernando campaign.

almanac

Feb.

I 69

12 •

Elements of"L" Co., 121st Infantry reinforced by a detachment from regimental headquarters clashed with the enemy at Sitio Licdasan, vicinity of Butac, along Highway 4.

13 •

"B" Co., 1st Bn., 15th Infantry infiltrated Laoag town, Ilocos Norte and expelled the Japanese garrison force. The Japanese, before fleeing to Gabu Airfield, burned their garrison building and part of the Laoag Bridge. Earlier, Maj. Arnold, regimental commander of the 15th Infantry, invited the Japanese commander of Ilocos Norte to peacefully surrender but his invitation was coldly received.

•

Japanese staged vigorous counter-attacks against 3rd. Bn., 121st Infantry positions north and east of Reservoir Hill, San Fernando, La Union.

•

Emilio Escobar, unit unkno\lVn, abusive guerrilla from Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, and popularly known as ''Sagad", Ilocano word for "Broom", executed by musketry by a team led by Col. Salvador F. Reyes, US Army, Inspector General and G-5, GHQ USAFIP NL.

15 •

"L" Co., 121st Infantry failed to reoccupy/repossess Bessang Pass which the enemy reoccupied and heavily reinforced after "L" Co. abandoned it earlier for Butac.

20 •

"L" Co., 121st Infantry attacked the Japanese garrisoned at the Cervantes town church. Enemy reinforcements from Bessang Pass repulsed.

21 •

The first engagement between the Japanese and the 14th Infantry USAFIP NL took place at Barrio Santa Cruz, Aurora town, Isabela. Elements

70 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1!:::.. Cl!

108 / WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

SHOBU GROUP . 152 , 000 Gen . Yamashita 2d Tank Di v (- l 10th Div H 19th Div 23d Div 103d Div 58th IMB Tsuda Del E lms 4th Air Army

SHIMBU GROUP 80, DOO Lt. Gen. Yokoyama

KEMBU GROUP 30,000 Maj. Gen. Tsukada

8th Div l-> 105th Div

1st Raiding Group 2d Mobile Inf H 39th Inf l-> Naval Combat and Service Troops 115,000J Elms 4th Air Army

(16 ,000) Elms 4th Air Army

Manila Nava! Def Force

''

'\ '\

' ' ..... ........ THE ENEMY ON LUZON Jantt~r 1945 ~o

.

--- v

~ o l.l l L ES

~·o

s'o KILO METERS

(u.s .

rn~;y

)

US Army

The enemy on Lu:?,on in January 1945 .Note that North Lu:?.,on had the biggest enemy troop deployment.

almanac I 109

i

U.S. Army

American medium tanks support their troops near Damortis, La Union in 1945 ·

A typical Japanese sentry. Filipinos were made to bow before sentries as a "sign of respect to the Emperor of Japan ."

110 I WW II IN NORTH LUZON, PHILIPPINES, 1941-1945

US Army

The Philippine LegislatfJ.Je Building before the war.

...

U.S . Army

The LegislatfJ.Je Building after the Battle of Manila in 1945.

almanac I 111

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I 125

Colonel Volckmann in front of his seaside bam boo-thatch quarters at Camp Spencer.

m

Part II AFTER.BATTLE REPORT November 10, L945

I

AFTER. BATTLE REPORT UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES

NORTHLUZON OPERATIONS

Prepared by the Historical Becords Section, G-3 HQ,

US$IP, NL

wE REtrAlnED THE APPROVED PATCH FOR TFIE USAFIP NORTH LUZON Legend

BLACK BASE represents

the horrible days during

the

Japanese regime

FLAME AT CENTER (Yellow) represents the symbolic light of liberty aglow in the hearts of those who remained with USAFIP, NL FIVE RAYS

(Yellow) represent the five regiments which operated during the Japanese days and eventually aided in the liberation of North Luzon

HEADQUARTERS NORTH LUZON CAMP SPENCER

US$IP

10 November 1945

Sulrject

AFTER-BATTLE REPORT

'l'hru

CG, Luzon Area Command

ttl

CG, AT'WESPAC

lo

1. The following after-battle report covers the major operations of the US$IP, NL, in the provinces of ILOCOS NORTE, ABRA, ILOCOS SUR, LA UNION, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE, CAGAYAN, ISABEI"A, and NUEVA VIZCAYA from I January 1945 to 15 August L945. 2. From the commencement of hostilities on D-Day, the five infantry regiments of this organization were heavily engaged in tarrying out the missions assigned to it initially ,r.r-a"i Sixth Army. Attached with I Corps as an independent divisional unit and then later on with the XW Corps, the us$IP, NL had covered its various assigned areas as a unified command. consisting of over 20,000 troops in the combat and special service echelons. In spite of various handicaps, it accomptished its missions to the satisfaction of higher headquariers. With three regiments and supporting units committed in conjunction with the 32nd Division (us), and the 6th Division (US), the US$IP, NL was in the process of effecting the final coup de grace of General YAMASHITA',S beleafrrered Army at the TUCCUCAN area, BENGUET, Mt' Province, when armistice was declared. of the US$IP, NL forces is another failh, Ioyalty, and patriobism of the proof of the unmistakable Filipinos in thi cause for which the Allied Nations fought this *ur. At BESSANG PASS and in the many other fields of action, the ultimate honor, indeed, belongs to the immortal FilAmericans who died the glorious death so that the Fhilippines

3. The achievements

li\2 t

ww u tN NoltrH LUzoN, pHILIppINEs,1941-1945

might be redeemed; and to those heroic and valiant men who kept the flame of BATAAN and CORREGIDOR ever aglow, never for a moment bowing their heads to the enemy during those dark period's of enemy occupation, belongs the gratitude and acclaim of the liberated peoples the world over.

R WVOLCKMANN

Colonel,InfAUS Commanding

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TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE 1 Frontispiece - The USAFIP, NL Emblem 2 Area Covered by the USAFIP, NL 3 Introductory Letter, CO, US$IP, NL 4 Schematic Diagram of the Combat Strength of USAFIP, NL on D-Day 7 Table of Contents 8 Preface PART I (Pre-D-Day Situation) 10 L4 18

Chapter 1: The Mission of the US$IP, NL Chapter 2: Liaison with SWPA and the Submarine Landings Chapter 3: Estimate of the Enemy Situation

PART II (The Major Operations)

27 38 58 83 94 103 109 114 L26

1^32

Chapter 4 : The San Fernando-Bacsil Operations Chapter 5 : The Ilocos-Tangadan Operations Chapter 6 : The Bessang-Cervantes Operations Chapter 7 : The Lepanto-Mankayan Operations Chapter 8: The Bauko-Sabangan Operations Chapter 9 : 11th Infantry Operations Chapter 10: 14th Infantry Operations Chapter 1.1: The Loo Valley-Toccucan Operations Chapter 12: Air Strikes and Air Ground Liaison Chapter 13: A Critique on the USAFIP, NL Operations

l4O

t

ww II rN NoRTH LUzoN, pHrl,rpprNEs,194l-194b

PAR,T

III

(Surrender Documents) L42 L44 r.55

163

770 L76 181

Chapter 14: Interviews with Surrendered Japanese General Officers (1) Interview of Col. SOTOMU TERAU, C of S, 19th TORA DIWSION (2) Interview of the Rear-Admiral KYOGURO SIMAMOTO, AC of SJapanese Imperial Navy (3) Interwiew of Lt. Gen. FUKUTARO fVfS^UfVaVfa,' CG, 23rd Division, Japanese Imperial Ar*y (4) Interwiew of Major Gen. fOSI{fnftfSU faXa-tSU, C of S, 23rd Div, J-apanese Imperiai Army (5) Inrerview of Lt. Cen. ytJtaXa lfaneUfa, "CC, 103d Division, Japanese Imperial.Army (6) Interwiew of Lt. Gen. FUGtSaWa, Air and Ground Liaison Signal Corps, Japanese Imperiai*;;

PART TV (Appendices) L87 195

209

Chapter 15: Engineer Battalion on the Job Chapter 16: Medics on the Job Chapter 17: The Signal Men on the Job

Note: The paging enumerated above were those of the originar After-Battle Report,

PREFACE 1900, 9 January 1945, the following self-explanatory radio message No. 41, in three parts, was received by Headquarters, USAFIP, NL: ,EFFECTIVE AT ONCE YOU AND ALL ELEMENTS OF YOUR ORGANIZATION ARE PLACED UNDER THE COM-

At

MANDoFTHECoMMANDINGGENERALSD(THARMY PARENLIEUTENANTGENERALWALTERKRUEGER UNTTEO STATES ARMY PAREN TO WHOM YOU WILL REP0RTBYRADIoUSINGSAMECODEBUTTRANSMIT. TINGANDRECEMNGoNFREQUENCYFOURoNEFIVE FOUR POINT FME KCS CODE NAME AURORA RPT AURORAPARENoNEHALFFIELDPARENCALLSIGN SD(THARMYSTATI0NISFoxw[LIAMSEVENFIVEPD ,FORYOURINFORMATIONDURINGINITTALPHASE oFTHELUZoNOPERATIoNANDUNTILOTHERWISE DIRECTEDTHESD(THARMYHASASSUMEDCoNTROL OF AND WILL DIRECT THE OPERATIONS OF ALL OF ounNTERIoRFoRCESNORTHoFTHELINEPAI.AWIG

PoINTPARENFIFTEENDEGREESTWENTTFTVE MINUTESNoRTHoNEoNENINEDEGREESFIVEFIVE MINUTESEASTPARENSANMIGUELPARENFIFTEEN

bNCNNNS TWENTY FTVE MINUTES NORTH ONE TWEN-

TYDEGREESTHIRTYFIVEMINUTESEASTPAREN SANTARoSAPARENFIFTEENDEGREESTWENTYFIVE

MINUTESNoRTHoNETWENTYDEGREESFIFTTFIVE

MINUTESEASTPARENSAIMAGPARENFIFTEEN

DEGREES TWENTY FIVE MINUTES NORTH ONE TWEN' TY ONE DEGREES TEN MINUTES EAST PAREN

DESEADA POINT PAREN FIFTEEN DEGREES TEN rr,riNUrnS NORTH ONE TWENTY ONE DEGREES THIRTY MINUTES EAST PAREN PD ACKNOWLEDGE PD'

what transpired soon after receipt of this_sign_ificant message from Lieutenant General WALTER KRUEGER' US

I42 t

ww II IN NoRTH LUzoN, pHIIrIppINEs, 1941-194b

Army, is briefly narrated in this modest work. The sources of every factual event are the ollicial reports, journals, field or9_ers, operational and administrative files -available in the Headquarters, US$IP NL at Camp Spencer.

This work is far-from being comprehensive and complete. -and important significant which transpired during the offensive to *""rt North Luzon "ru"i, from the enemy have been included herein for the benefit of students and pundits of military history. To avoid confusing the reader, the narrative terminates before commencing detiled discussions of other equally important operations int i"r, meanwhile were actually in progress. However, an attempt has been made to keep the reader abreast with the situation ihen taking prace in other sectors of the usAFIp, NL and such an attempt should not confuse nor detract him in the precedi.rg;,apte"s. . Printing paraphernalia does not allow a more eleborate inclosure of detailed maps; only such fundamental and important situation-maps are reprod.uced herein. To obtain a crearer and more exhaustive study, it is necessary to consult all the voluminous files of reports and journals of the usarp, Nr,.

only such vitally

PART

I

PRE.D-DAY SITUATION CIIAPTER

I

CIIAPTER

II

CIIAPTER

III

The Mission of the USAFIP, NL on D-Day Liaison flSWPA and Submarine Landings Estirnate of the EnernY

the mission of the USAFIP, NL on D-Day

/

L45

CHAPTER I THE MISSION OF THE USAFIP, NL on D-DaY The driving power behind the organization of the USAFIP NL, was ttre arr:rUition to build up a force, strong and- sufficient' to deal a crushing blow to the Japs. To that end, Colonel RUSSEL W VOLCKMANN, by persiitent selection of experienced ex-soldiers and capable t eattt y civilians, completed the T/O of fri, nrn infantry regiments, in order that his forces by D-Day would have their *u*i*o- frghting power in gear. The selection, therefore, was began immediately when he assumed command of the scatterld guerrilla units under determined American and Filipino leaders. That was June 1943' By october 1944, after Colonel VOLCKMANN had practi cally knitted together all available frghting units in the

NontuLUZON-AREA,andhadsuppliedandequippedthem with ali available arms and ammunition, he was ready for the greater acceleration of recruitment and enlistment'of men to

Iomplete his frve regiments. By this time, also, indications had been forthcoming af,out the need of an all-out offensive in the NORTH LUZONsector, to be undertaken simultaneously with projected American Army operations in the LUZON AREA' Following orders from HQ, SWPA, regarding this projected all-out offen-sive, voLCKMANN',S HQ frnally fixed 9 January 1g45 as D-Day for the USAIIIP NL. D-Day Missions were drawn outlining for the five infantry regiments a series of activities designed to cripple, if not to permanently disable, all enemy capabilities in NORTH LUZON'

The most important items of the missions of the five regi' ments were: defiles, of bridges, culverts, -and BoNand bebween LAOAG and TAGUDIN, between BAGUIO ToC, between BALETE PASS and BAGABAG, between

(1) Maximum demolition

746 I ww II IN NoRTH LUZoN, purt,rpprNus,

1941-194r-r

BAGUIO ang BAUANG, and on the KENNON ROAD, between BONTOC and KIANGAN, between TAGUDIN and CERVANTES, and between NARVACAN nd LAGANGII"ANG;

(2) Destruction of enemy wire communications;

(3)

Destruction of ammunition, fuel, and other supply

dumps;

(4) Destruction of planes concealed in dispersal areas; (5) Destruction of convoys

and.

troop trains;

(6) Encouragement of patriotic people under local leadership to "unleash maximum violence against the enemy"; and (7) Destruction, only upon proper order, of railroad tracks and stations.

When D-Day came around on 9 January 1945, all missions were practically accomplished despite enemy activities to nuliify the crippling effect of what the USAFIP NL forces had done to do their communications, installations, depots, dumps, convoys, llivouac areas, outposts, and garrisons.

Definitely, the following results were tallied on D-Day:

(1) A majority of principal concrete and steel bridges and culverts on road sections specified in the D-Day Orders were destroyed and rendered unusable for vehicular traffic; (2) All road sections mentioned in the Orders were blocked and their use denied to enemy transportation;

(3) All wire communications between principal enemy concentrations were cut and carried away, isolating troops from one garrison to another;

(4) All located and known supply dumps were blasted;

(5) All accessible planes in dispersal areas were either destroyed or put out ofworking order;

the mission of the USAI.IP, NL on D-Day

/

147

(6) 'frains and convoy trucks and wagons moving on the roads were ambushed and burned; people arose en masse either to join the US$iP NL, forces, to openly render aids to the gr'rerrilleros, to desert areas where Japs were concentrating, to heip in the sabotage and destruction of enemy installafions and supply dumps; or to hamper as much as they could enemy movernents. This contributed very much to the effective paralizing and isolation of enemy troops garrisoned or concentrated in strategic towns and points.

(7) The

In order that these various accomplishments of

the

USAFIP NL could be maintained to render ineffective all enemy counter-moves, the five regiments moved out from their mountains CP's into strategic positions in towns and barrios previously liberated by them from Jap control. This brought to the maximum the ability to deny to the enemy the use of the roads and highways of the remainnig lines of communications, of Ianding fields, depots, and. of center of distribufion and supplies. The following troop disposition for D-Day, therefore, have concern of denying to the enemy any maneuver or counter-move (Refer to Figure):

in mind the primary 15th Inf RCP lst Bn CP

NUEVA ERA, ILOCOS NORTE VINTAR BATAC MAGSINGAL

12lst Inf RCP 1st Bn CP 2nd Bn CP 3rd Bn CP

BACNOTAN, I,A UNION SAN JUAN ROSARIO BAUGUEN

66th Inf RCP

CAMP KILIM KAPANGAN,

lst Bn CP

CAMP VALHALI"A

2ndBnCP 3rd Bn CP

a

BENGUET

748 I ww II IN NORTH LUzoN, 2nd Bn CP 3rd Bn CP

llth Inf RCP 1st Bn CP 2nd Bn CP 3rd Bn CP

14th Inf RCP

lst Bn CP 2nd Bn CP 3rd Bn CP

PHILIPPINES, 1941.1945

ITOGON ATOK TUAO, CAGAYA}I BURNAY,IFUGAO RIZAL, CAGAYA}I TAIVT.]DAIV, I(ALINGA I,A TORRE, NUEVA ITIZCAYA IGBIIGLAN, ISABEI,A PreZ,At, FUGAO BINALIAN, NUEVA VTZCAYA

Th:ry five regiments, in the highest of spirit and in possession of all important strategic posit=ions and crossroads controlling the main arteries of comrnerce and t"u"uportrlion in the entire NORTH tuzoNAREA were all alerted for D-Day, oo + January L945.

.

Ttrey were now ready to dear the enemy the crushing blow that would close a

bloody and tyrannicar o"",rp"iioo ro, NORTH LUzoN. Armed with alr assortment of captured Jap and American firearms, equipped only with lnd knowledge of the art a1d technique of mohern *rf*u, ",iai*""t"ry these NoRTrr luzoN gue*illeros anxiously awaited tr* nr* when lheycould unleash furiously a simultaneous assault against all Jap forces who were then concentrated in NoRTtI iuzol, of the generar w-E rine from LINGATN throulh s^rN JosE to BALER on the PACTFIC. This attalk, cuhnfrating a series_of frequent and isolated sorties against the e"e*y over a period of three restless years (Lg4z-Li44), set off the fuse of the dynamite that blasted forever the hope and the hold of Japanese militarists putting up their last stand resistance in NORTH LUZON.

ryt!

nr

r..

liaison w/SWPA and submarine landings

/

749

CHAPTER II LIAISON WITH SWPA

AND SUBMARINE I,ANDINGS One of the biggest handicaps responsible for the rather hazy and jumbled information about the natu.re, scope, stre'ngth and activities of the USAFIP NL, was its sad lack of rarlio communication. Before various guerrilla units were brought under one unified command, there were attempts to make contact with SWPA for the purpose of relaying enemy intelligence information. As the Japanese increased their activities and mopping up operations however, radio equipments became increasingly diflicult to obtain, and communication had to be relayed through field agents and by special arrangements with guerrilla units operating in the South. As early as 1943, when Colonel.MOSES and NOBLE were still in radio communication with GHQ, SWPA, it appears that the guerrillas of NORTHERN LUZON were ordered "not to engage in offensive action against the enemy except where it was necessary for defense, and were assigned the primary mission of obtaining intelligence on enemy disposition and activities." These instructions were taken to mean that no large scale operations should take place in the area covered by the USAFIP NL until further orders from SWPA. Except for this policy which instructed unit commanders to "lay low" there is no record extent of other major policies enunciated by SWPA which had direct bearing on the guerrillas until the earlier part of L944,when it became apparent that the PHILIPPINES was getting nearer in the time schedule of a US ARMY invasion.

In order to overcome the "developing mental aversion to the enemy" of the units of the USAf'IP NL in the middle part z]7

.;-t

I

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240 I ww rI IN NoRTH LUzoN, pItILIppINES, l94l-1945

II. THE TERRAIN At the outbreak of the war, only a big trail connected CERVANTES and MANKAYAN. When the Japs occupied the Philippines, the enemy covdrted the trail into a road, hard surfaced, passable by vehicles, which was used in transporting copper from the LEPANTO mines.

On both sides of the CERVANTES-MANKAYAN Road are two ridges rising upward to MANKAYAN. East and West of these high ridges are minor ridges separated by gulleys and streams. On lhese ridges were located a series of Jap defense works which consisted of an elaborate network of pillboxes and tunnels prepared at strategic points with a good command of any possible hostile approach.

LEPANTO, which guards the northern approaches is situated on a high ground overlooking the only road due N to S. Flanked on the eastern side by strategic and carefully planned system on interlocking tunnels, pillboxes were constructed out of concrete with l8-inch thick walls, reinforced with steel bars. These defenses were supplemented by artillery guns of various calibers mounted in carefully camouflaged places. To make a direct frontal attack on these prepared enemy defenses would have been suicidal as the Japs waited in pillboxes so well camouflaged you might walk over them without knowing they were there. The attacking forces were forced to go around these well prepared defenses but in so doing they had to pass through steep trails with sheer drops of several hundred feet and to scale slopes that were almost perpendicular, towering over 6,000 feet above sea level. They had to go through a jungle rising hundreds of feet high. The forest was densed with undergrowths, with tangles of brush which gave our troops plenty of double cutting their way out into the open. That was the kind of terrain which the 66th had to contend with.

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II. I]NBMY SITUA.TION

lntclligence reports and information taken from POW's rovealed that approximately 600 troops escaped from CERVANTES to MANKAYAN follow"ing the collapse of their defen' ses in the BESSANG-CERVANTES area. One identified enemy unit in the MANKAYAN area was the 3d Bn of the 25th Mtn Arty Regt, (Batteries 7 and 9) 19th Division. with an approxirnate strength of 300. O[her units identrfied were the 19rh Div. Field l{ospit-al, 2 Cos. of the 76t.h lnf Regt and elements of the 19th Div. Tpt. Unit with a reported strength of 750.

The fall of BAGUIO forced the rernnants of the 58th IMB' 23rd Div. Altillery, and the 6th, gth, 1lth and 12th Prov. Bns to withdraw up the MOUNTAIN TRAIL and their arrival at MANKAYAN explained the presence of additional troops in that area.

Air reconnaisance patrols reported that enemy activity was going at a fast pace in the MANKAYAN-LEPANTO area. He was trurriedly pu*-ting up defensive installations which were located in the following areas. 2 small caves and 3 AA positions were located at (59.8-39.0), 4 gun positiors at (50.50-38'75) and to the rrght across these positions were obsered two other gun positions at (595.50-347.80) near MANKAYAN.

important was this area that the Japanese began fcrrtify13 years before. Lalge quantities of food supplies and equipment were stored here" These fortifications were greatly augmented and plans for their defense were perfected long hefbre the liberation forces landed. The Japs mav be said to have made complete preparations to stand a siege of long duration. So

ing it

Jlhe return of fleeing troops from CERVANTES and the arrival of reinforcements from KP 90 area gave the enemy a sizairie fbrce with which to defend MANKAYAN.

242 I ww II rN NoRTH LUzoN,

pHILIpprNr,ls, 1941-194b

TV. OPERATIONS A. THE INITIAL PHASE OF THE OPERATION After the occupation of CERVANTES by the lbth Infantry, the 66th Infantry, as per FO No. 2g, dated 14 June 1g45, was ordered (1) to patrol aggressively as far to the southeast as MANKAYAN; and (2) to occupy and fortify such trail junction or junctions south of HWY #4 as to oppose any attempt of the enemy to occupy in force the high ground south of and com-

manding HWY #4.

Acting on the instructions of FO No. 29, the Regimental issued to the Bn commanders instructions whi& would guide them in their initial operations against the Japs.

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(a) 1st Bn, less "D" Co, sent out strong patrols as far south as CoMILLAS,4700 yards ssE CERVANTES and securect that town against strong enemy forces acting as rear guards of the main body of the enemy which was hastily withdiawing SE to MANKAYAN. (b) 2nd Bn, "F" co, continued to secure the communication route South of FIWY #4 with no enemy contact. Cos. "G" and "H" were to secure DINWIDE (4g.S-53.0) 2,000 yards S CERVANTES.

(C) 3rd Bn (less Co. M) occupied and secured NAMANDARAAN (MT) (48-50), 9,000 yards SW CERVANTES againsr light opposition. As the elements of the 1st Bn moved farther south of cERVANTES, enemy resistance became more intense. The CO of' the regiment established his cP at CoMILLAS after it had been occupied and secured by the 1st Bn at 10"00 o, clock, 1Z

June. From COMILLAS the Regt'l co directed the initial

phase of the LEPANTO-MANKAYAN operations. In this initial stage of the operation, only the tsCBn securing its right flank and the 2nd Bn acting in regimental reserve.

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In securing the right flank of the lst Bn, the third Bn startod its drive from MALAYA to KABITEN by way of IIADUYOS, wiping out enemy stragglers and clearing small pockels of enemy resistance with the enemy leaving 154 KIA. 'l'his opcrafion lasted from 17 June to 24 June. On 21 June, the 1st Bn, less "D" Co, started its drive south, w:rrd towards the LEPANTO Copper rnines, until it reached the KABITEN area where the enemy first offered stiff resistance. '4" and "C" Cos. Ieading the attack of the 1st Bn, started their drive suspiciously at 0600, 25 Jun, which Iater in the day was slowed down by heavy MG fires which finally pinned them down haif way to the hill-bop, about 300 yards from the enemy. This initial drive of "A" and "C" Cos brought them 800 yards from their point of departure.

At 0440, on 26 June, 50 Japs frorn three directions staged one of their famous BANZAI attacks against the hillside positions of "A" and "C" Cos. The three pronged counterattack was repulsed successfully when the fighting ceased at daybreak with the Japs withdrawing and leaving 13 enemy dead. The faiiure of the enemy counter-attack encouraged "A" and "C" Cos. to press harder their drive until KABITEN was seized and secured at 1000 on the same day. From this point, the 3rd Bn 3 companies ("L", "I", "K") resumed the advance as the 1st Bn was disposed in reserue and as security for rear units as well as ground gained. The enemy remnants retreated toward the slope of KOLOS HILL. Strong patrols from the 3rd Bn were sent out toward BADUTO and BADUYOS, followed immediately by the main body of the Bn which overran enemy resistance and which resulted in the seizure and capture of their objectives (BADUTO and BADUYOS).

B - THE FIGHT FOR KOLOS RIDGE Meanwhile, elements of the 2nd Bn ("E" and 'F" Cos) were disposed on the ridges east of the CERVAI.ITES-I\{ANKAYAN

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Road to seize and secure the high grounds on the right flank of the enemy. The 3rd Bn (Cos. "L", "I", and "K") at center rapidly advanced astride the road, with "I" Co acting as the spearhead and ("L" and "K" Cos) acting as the left and right prong of the Bn's pincer movement against the enemy position on KOLOS

HILL.

After an artillery preparation, the three companies advanced, making slight gains against the enemy counter-artilIery, mortar, and heavy machine gun fires. As the heavy enemy fire threatened to stalemate the operation in that area, "D" Co. of the 1sl Bn was immediately ordered to cover the area between ("I" and "K" Cos). The enemy at this sector had three sets of earthen and stone dykes with all kinds of zigzag and parallel trenches. About 8 enemy heavy MG's and some undetermined number of knee morLars were emplaced at high grounds completely commanding all possible routes of approach. The ground covered by the 3 companies ("D", "I", and "K') was 500 yards wide and a depth of 300 yards. On lst July, the 1st Bn, less "D" Co, set out on a circuitous route on the high ridges on the enemy left, as bhe 3rd Bn resumed the attack on the enemy's right. The 3rd Bn sector readily proved to be the enemy's strongest line and fighting became most bitter and savage. Despite artillery and air support, the Srd Bn made smail headway in its advance despite the fact that it reorganized its line 4 times during the day. While the 3rd Bn remained practically pinned down, units of the 2nd Bn, which were corlmitted to take ridges east of the CERVANTES-MANKAYAN Road, gained more grounds against comparaiively slighter enemy resistance. The lst Bn,

which was operating on the Regiment's righf flank,

also

covered and secured enemy grounds ofabout 300 yards against were "A" "8" and not expect as they did taken completely by surprise Cos. to come from the direction of a route that was rough and circuitous. The 76th Inf. Brigade, which was committed to

light enemy resisiance. The Japanese in this sector

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defend that sector, was completely annihilated and all equipment were captured.

Although the 1st and 2nd Bns were practically over-running the enemy defense positions in their respective areas, the 3rd Bn in the center of the line was pinned down completely by the enemy who was inflicting a heavy toll with his heavy MG and knee mortar fires. For that day alone, the 3rd Bn suffered 19 KIA and 25 WIA. On 2 July, the whole elements of the 66th Infantry Regt, being committed to an all-out offensive, effected a pincer movement and made spectacular gains for the day. On the same day units of "C" Co, effected a junction with, and established a perimeter of defense on the right flank of, the 3rd Bn, which, although heavily opposed by increased enemy resistance, resumed its assaults against well prepared Jap positions pushing back the enemy 150 yards. At 1600 o'clock the same day following a lull in the fighting, the Japs launched a fierce counter-attack supported by a mountain gun, knee mortar, and healry MG's. It did not, however, hold out Iong when elements of the 3rd Bn including "D" Co not only fought them savagely and stubbornly but also drove them to gain an additional 50 yards. In this fierce fight, 80 Japs were killed while the 3rd Bn including "D" Co. (attached) lost 5 K[A, with 13 WIA including 2 officers who led the assault. The set back of the enemy at this point gave the 3rd Bn, for the first time, an upper hand in that sector. On 3 July, all elements of the 66th Inf. Regt. prepared another concerted assault against the enemy to follow an artillery preparation and air strikes in order to end the stalemate in the 3rd Bn sector. This support came from detachments of the 694th FA Bn, the 121st FA Bn, the lst FA Bn of the US$IP, NL and 1 pltn of the 85th Chem. Mortar Bn.

After the barrage the 66th Inf. moved forward as follows: lst Bn spearheaded by the Special Service platoon of 'An Co. seized and secured the high ridges 1500 yards N of SAPNIT alter a brief hut fierce encounter. Then (a) Elements of the

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II IN NoRTH LUzoN, PHILIPPINES, I941-1945

followed the main body of the lst Bn which secured the high ridges from DACUDAC to PAYEO, with "F" Co. making considerable gains towards SESECAN and PATPAT ridges. (c) In the 3rd Bn sector, two attempts to seize the enemy positions were repulsed by Mtn guns and heaqy Mgs'well emplaced on commanding grounds and high ridges as north of MANKAYAN. On 4 July, elements of the lst Bn on the right flank of the 3rd Bn, were making considerable headway in their drive towards the LEPANTO MINIIS area, with the Special Weapons Platoon and the 2nd Platoon of "A" Co. occupying and securing the high grounds of SAPNIT and the high ridges 1,000 yards south of it. These gains were made notwithsfanding a two-day very heavy shelling of the trst Bn main body from the same Mtn guns that held up the 3rd Bn.

On the same day, "E" Co of the 2nd Bn was pulled out from KABITEN to reinforce the 3rd Bn with 'D" Co attached. On the left flank, in the 2nd Bn sector, a general frontline was formed from 600 to 800 yards N of SESECAN. The line of departure runs from BAIONGABINGAN to PAYEO. Strong Combat intelligence patrols were sent out continuously toward SESECAN and PATPAT RIDGES.

As enemy resistance on both flanks (1st and 2nd Bns Sectors) continued to be moderate, opposition in the 3rd Bn sector remained stiff and undiminished as all approach to the enemy positions were well covered by healy MG's and Mtn guns. Early on the morning of 5th July, Battery "A" of the 21st FA and lst FA Bn. USAFIP, NL, concentrated their fires on the enemy defenses and supporting positions. When the artillery barrage was lifted, elements of the lst Bn on the right flank of the Regiment's line, advanced rapidly, seizing and securing all the high ridges 2,50A to 3,000 yards S and SW of the LEPANTO MINES area. Meanwhile, the 2nd Bn drive towards the S at the left flank swung to NW direction, also towards the LEPANTO MINE AREA.

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lst

and 2nd Bns were completing the pincer rnovcmcnt as planned, the 3rd Bn was making a 3rd assault on the .Iap garrison at the center of the line. The enemy, howcver, refused to give ground despite the artillery support glven the :rttacking forces. At 2300 o' clock of the same day, the Japs staged two counter-attacks against 3rd Bn sector which were repulsed successfully in spite of a continuous barrage from the supporting enemy artillery. The timely support of the .2lst I,'A Bn and the 1st Platoon of the Chemical Mortar Bn contributed much to the collapse of the enemy counter-attacks.

Whilo the

On the foliowing day, after another artillery preparation by supporting units, the Regiment's three prongs advanced. The 1st Bn made the most spectacular gains for the day when they seized, occupied, and secured the high ridge, 1,000 yards W of LEPANTO, which faced a front approximately 3,000 yards. In the center of the line, the 3rd Bn sector, as usual, received the brunt of enemy fire which could not deny a 12-yard gain of rvell earned ground.

At 1100 o' clock the same day, the 2nd Bn started a 2

pronged drive "F" Co to the E acting the left prong and "8" Co to the W right prong) towards SESECAN covering a 200-yard front. "E" and "F" Cos, engaged the enemy, well entrenched on a ridge 400 yards NW of SESECAN, in that way considered the most bitter fight ever encountered by the 2nd Bn for the last five days. Superior fire from the 2nd Bn, however, forced the Japs to withdraw to a higher knoll 250 yards away with elements of the 2nd Bn after them. After 24 hours of biiter fighting, the 2nd Bn secured the northern most knoll on SESECAN Ridge. The 16 KIA and 36 WIA inflicfed by the enemy on the 2nd Bn speaks well of the kind of battle that took place in that area.

On 7 July, elements of the lst Bn ("A" Co.) attacked and assaulted enemy positions killing a total of 73 Japs including 15 officers. The newly-gained positions turned out to have been an outpost and HQ of the enemy, the same to be used as an observation post by the lst Bn. While the 1st Bn waited for the

248 I

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rI IN NORTH LUZON, PHILr?PINES, 1941-1945

other elements of the Regiment to keep abreast with its line, it used the captured observation post to direct air strikes. fire missions and mortar frres, as a result of which direct hits were scored contributing greatly to the collapse of the LEPANTO defenses. The complete annihilation of the Jap forces W and SW of LEPANTO gave the lst Bn a chance to attack the enemy from the rear. On 9 July, 2 hours of artillery preparation and mortar fires badly shattered the Jap garrison, made of concrete pillbox, forcing the Japs to abandon their positions. As the artillery barrage was lifted, elements of the 1st Bn ("B" Co) seized, occupied, and secured the garrison with only slight opposition, killing only 7 Japs. That crushed the Japanese MLR in the LEPANTO MINE area.

On 10 July, at L945, another Jap garrison like the one captured by "8" Co was also captured by "C" which met only sniper fires after the Japs had withdrawn to a higher hill overlooking the captured pillboxes. From hereon the enemy resorted to tactics using the long-prepared cave-and-lunnel defenses..

C. THE COLI,APSE OF THE LEPANTO-MANKAYAN DEFENSE While the elements of the lst Bn were advancing rapidly, the Third and Second Bns in the center and left prongs respectively of the Regiment's line of attack were being pinned down by the enemy's undiminished volume of heavy and small arm fires. Several assaults launched by the 2nd and 3rd Bns could hardly make no dent on the enemy's defense position as the Japs stubbornly repulsed every assault. To break the stalemate, plans were made to knock out the enenly Mtn gun which had been grving valuable support to their front line position. On 13 July, planes bombed and strafed all other objecti,res including the well-defended Jap garrison that had repulsed nine consecutive assaults. An artilIery barrage of 45 minutes directed against the Mtu gun,

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belicved to be 500 yards SW of IVIANKAYAN, followed the bombing and strafing. As the enemy Mtn gun was silenced, units of the 1st Bn launched a perfectly timed assault closely supported by 60-rnm mortars and knocked out the Jap stronghold. The capture of'the Jap stronghold at 1330, 13 July, greatly weakened the enemy's left, flank.

Vfith the reduction of their left flank the Japs counterattacked lrom their right at 0300, 14 July, in an effort to break thrcugh the 2nd Rn line. It was ruthless and furious lasting 2 hours wrth our lirre inLact 'after. At the time the Japs threafened the 2ntl Bn line, they also launched a simultaneous attack a.gainst the 3rd Bn sector at the center of the line. This attack was also repulsed successfully. For the best of the day sporadic fr.ring continued in the PATPAT-SESECAN sector, enerny snipers being most active. As enemy resistance in the PATPAT-SESECAN sector continued to hold the 2nd Bn line, "8" Co was pulled out from the left flank of "L" Co and was given a mission to out-flank the enemy's MLR in that area.

For the whole day "8" Co was enroute to BATO passing BALILI which was secured b1' "11" ao, 1'o support "F" and "H" Cos. in their drives to the top of I'}ATPAT and SESECAN Ridges, another air strike and artillery barrage was lifted at 0900 the sarne day, "tr"' and "FI" Cos. rushed ahead from their initial positions and a bitl,er fight for the control of the PATPAT-SESECAN Ridges ensued. Meanu'hile "E" Co, operating E and SE of PATPAT, and closely supported by the Combat Co, threatened the enemy's right rear forcing the Japs to withdraw before the advancing "F" and "FI" Cos. which seized and secured SBSFICAN and the knolls on both sides of the ridge. PATPAT was not captured although its fall became imminent when ib was sandwiched by the advancing elements of Lhe 2 corrrapnies approaching from 2 directions. Fire superiority of the advancing forces forced the Japs to withdraw, leaving only a detachment armed with MG's and machine rifles to effect delaying actions.

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II lN NOIt'l'tI LUZON, PHILIPPINTiS' 1941-1945

On 1? Juiy, the final drive to dislodge and annihilate the enemy at PATPAT Ridge was launched culminating in its capture at 1200 o' clock the same day despite heavy enemy MG, Mortar, and small arm fires.

The occupation of PATPAT and SESECAN Ridges, two straLegic poinls, gave the Regiment complete control of all the adjacent r."ur, completing the pincer movement as planned at thl shrt of the operations. From the commanding g'ounds gained at SAPNIT, PATPAT, SBSECAN and BATO, the final

drive against LEPANTO and MANKAYAN was launched. The lsb Bn and 3rd Bn in a coordinaied atfack with the 2nd Bn, converged towards LEPANTO proper and MANKAYAN' In one big puslt on 19 July, the 2nd Bn swung,"heir line and ad\rurr."d sw ancl macle a junction with the right flank of the 2nd Bn.

At, 1030 the same clay, one platoon of "F" Co ildvanced to a position 100 yarcis N of N{Ui,LER'S Place, The :rdvance patrol tlcoulterecl olly 15 Japs, left presumably as rear guards, who fled after giving a brief exchange of fire. By 1100 the place rvas so co,rpleiely clea'e'd of eueury. LEPANTO and MANKAYAN ,"u." ,irrrltaneously seized and secured by elements of the 2nd Bn at 0930, 20 July, with only slight enemy opltosition as the main force of the enemy fled towards BULALACAO and

I(P 90. Tlr.e fall of LEPANTO and MANKAYAN rvhich took Japs 3 years to prepare elin'rinated one of the best fortified enemy positions l, North Lgzon. It also forced the enerny into the lriangular trap ald reduced further their area of operation to within the confines of the LOO VALLEY.

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