Liberation of North Luzon (after-battle report) : with supplement, Assessment of the Battle of Tanga

BRIG. GEN. RUSSELL W. VOLCKMANN (Ret.), U.S. Army Former overall commanding officer of USAFIP, NL

HISTORIC DOCUMENTS OF WORLD WAR II IN THE PHILIPPINES VOLUME II

LIBERA·T ION OF NORTH LUZON (AFTER -

BATTLE REPORT)

EDITED BY CELEDONIO A. ANCHETA

WITH SUPPLEMENT

ASSESSMENT OF THE BATTLE OF TANGADAN

~BOOKSTORE PUBLISHERS. METRO MANILA PHILIPPINES

Published by National Book Store, Inc.

COPYRIGHT, 1983 by National Book Store, Inc. & Celedonio A. Ancheta

First Year of Publication, 1983

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, except brief quotations for a review, without permission in writing from the Publisher.

PCPM Certificate of Registration No . SP 594

Printed by Navotas Press Navotas, Metro Manila IV

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all the people of North Luzon, Philippines, who unselfishly rendered services for the attainment of peace and tranquility, and to those who wil1ingly sacrificed their lives for justice, freedom and democracy during the war of Ilberation from Japanese Occupation, WW II.

v

INTRODUCTION

The Liberation of North Luzon (or After-Battle Report), of Historic Documents of WW II in the Philippines, Volume II covers the the operations of the 11th, 14th, 15th, 66th and 121st Philippine Army Infantry regiments of the United States Army Forces in the Philippines, North Luzon (or USAFIP, NL) from 9 January 1945 to 15 August 1945 in the Provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, La Union, Mountain Provinces, Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.

This document is the official report of operations of USAFIP, NL (Guerrilla) submitted in 1945 to the commanding general of the United States Army Forces Western Pacific (or AFWESP AC).

The overall commanding officer of USAFIP, NL was Col. Russell W. Volckmann, a graduate of West Point, Class 1934. Volckmann escaped from Bataan after its fall to North Luzon and later joined the guerrillas.

Originally the 11th, 15th and 121st Infantries were commanded by Americans, while the 14th and 66th Infantries were under the command of Filipinos. Most of the staff officers, however, were Filipinos who graduated from colleges and universities in the Philippines and the United States. A number of them graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City, the "West Point" of the Philippines,. and from service schools in the United States.

The enlisted personnel were former Philippine Army USAFFE and civilian volunteers and three or four American non-commissioned officers.

There were Philippine Army "Death March" survivors and escapees from Bataan and from Japanese prison camps. At least eighty percent of USAFIP, NL personnel were civilian volunteers.

After the war a number of USAFIP, NL veterans became successful in their chosen professions. Among them is President Ferdinand E. Marcos, a former major in the 14th Infantry. Four of those who reVI

INTRODUCTION

VII

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mained after the war in the military service, became Chief of Staff in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.. For example, Maj. Gen. Calixto Duque (deceased), Lt. Gen. Alfonso Arellano (deceased), Maj. Gen. Segundo Velasco (Ret.), and General Fabian C. Ver, the present Chief of Staff.

The salient facts on the campaign of USAFIP, NL based on the official record are as foliows: The strength of USAFIP, NL officers and men as of V-J Day was 20,664; total casualties (KIA, WIA and MIA) was 5000; total strength against the Japanese Army was 25,.664.

While the total strength of the Japanese forces that faced USAFIP, NL from 4 January 1945 to 17 October 1945 was 85,044 officers and men.

The total enemy casualties, killed in a,ction was 53,043, and enemy ¡captured was 32,001. The ratio of those killed in action was one USAFIP, NL to thirty-six Japanese.

The most significant battles in the campaign were the Battle of San Mateo Bridge in Ilocos Norte, the Battle of Taiigadan in !locos SurAbra boundary, the Battle of Bessang Pass in ¡eastern Ilocos Sur and the Battle of Mt. Data Ridge in Mountain Province.

The fall of Bessang Pass on 14 June 1945 was the most significant because it led to the surrender of Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita, commanderin-chief of the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines, to USAFIP, NL on 2 September 1945.

This historic document (After-Battle Report) of 213 pages mimeographed was prepared by the Historical Record Section, Headquarters USAFIP, NL at Camp Spencer, Luna, La Union in 1945.

C. A. A. 10 K-2d Street, Kamuning,. QC Metro Manila, Philippines August, 1981

PREFACE

At 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 Co.MMAND OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL SIXTH ARMY PAREN LIEUTENANT GENERAL WALTER KRUEGER UNITED STATES ' ARMY PAREN TO WHOM YOU WILL REPORT BY RADIO USING SAME CODE BUT TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING ON FREQUENCY FOUR ONE FIVE FOUR POINT FIVE KCS CODE NAME AURORA RPT AURORA PAREN ONE HALF FIELD PAREN CALL SIGN SIXTH ARMY STATION IS FOX WILLIAM SEVEN FIVE PD "FOR YOUR INFORMATION DURING INITIAL PHASE OF THE LUZON OPERATION AND UNTIL OTHERWISE DIRECTED THE SIXTH ARMY HAS ASSUMED CONTROL OF AND WILL DIRECT THE OPERATIONS OF ALL OF OUR INTEE:IOR FORCES NORTH OF THE LINE PALAWIG POINT PAREN FIFTEEN, DEGRE~S TWENTY FIVE MINUTES NORTH ONE ONE NINE DEGREES FIVE FIVE MINUTES EAST PAREN SAN MIGUEL PAREN FIFTEEN DEGREES TWENTY FIVE MINUTES NORTH ONE 'rWENTY DEGREES THIRTY FIVE MINUTES EAST PAREN SANTA ROSA P AREN FIFTEEN DEGREES TWENTY FIVE MINUTES NORTH ONE TWENTY DEGREES FIFTY FIVE MINUTES EAST PAREN SAIMAG P AREN FIFTEEN DEGREES TWENTY FIVE MINUTES NORTH ONE TWENTY ONE DEGREES TEN MINUTES EAST PAREN DESEADA POINT PAREN FIFTEEN DEGREES TEN MINUTES NORTH ONE TWENTY ONE DEGREES THIRTY MINUTES EAST P AREN PI} ACKNOWLEDGE PD" What transpired soon after receipt of this significant message from Lieut. Gen. Walter Krueger, US Army" is briefly narrated in this modest VIII

PREFACE

work. The sources of every factual event are the official reports, journals, field orders, operational and administrative files available in the Headquarters, USAFIP, NL at Camp Spencer.

This work is far from being comprehensive and complete. Only such vitally important and significant events which transpired during the offensive to wrest North Luzon from the enemy have been included for the benefit of students and pundits of military history. To avoid confusing the reader, the narrative terminates before commencing detailed discussions of other equally important operations which meanwhile were actually in progress. However, an attempt has been made to keep the reader abreast of the situation then taking place in other sectors of the USAFIP, NL and such an attempt should not confuse nor detract him in the preceding chapters.

Printing paraphernalia does not allow a more elaborate inclosure of detailed maps. Situation maps are not reproduced herein, because the maps in the original document are blurred. To obtain a clearer and more exhaustive study, it is necessary to consult all the voluminous files of reports and journals of the USAFIP, NL.

NORTH LUZON Babuyan Is.

o

THE pmUPPINES

~

50

100

300

Kilometers o

50

100

200

Statute Miles

Sea

8

x

LIBERATION OF NORTH LUZON

PATCH FOR USAFIP, NL Legend: BLACK BASE represents tbe 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 the triumphant liberation of North Luzon.

XI

>< ...... ......

Seated at a conference table durillg General Yamashita's formal surrendm' are Allied officers left of table fron~ L to R: Lt. Gen. JOllathan Wainwright, Lt. Gen. W. D. Styer, Maj. Gen. E.dmund S. Leavey, Lt. Gen. A. E. Percival, British Army, Maj. Gen. Wood, Maj. Gen. Robe1¡t Beightlen, Commander Gillette, Navy, Brig. Gen. McBride, and Col. R . W. Volckmann, and at right Japanese delegates, General Yamashita at the center sitting second to the left. U.S. Army Photograph, Bagu1"0, Philippines 3 September 1945. (Courtesy of the United States International Communication Agency, Manila)

VOLUME II

CONTENTS Brig. G€n. Russell W. Volckmann Introduction Preface Map of the Philippines Patch of USAFIP, NL General Yamashita Surrenders (See picture)

Frontispiece vi viii

x xi xii

Pages

Chapters PART I PRE D-DAY SITUATION I II III

The Mission of the USAFIP, NL on D-Day Liaison with SWP A and Submarine Landings Estimate of the Enemy in North Luzon

2

5 9

PART II THE MAJOR OPERATIONS IV V VI VII VIII XI X XI XII XIII

San Fernando-Bacsil Operations The Ilocos-Tafigadan Operations The Battle for Bessang Pass The Lepanto-Mankayan Operations The Bauko-Sabangan Operations The 11th Infantry Operations The 14th I~fantr¥ Operations Loo Valley,Tocucan ' Operations Air Strikes and Air Ground Liaison A Critique on the USAFIP, NL Operations and Lessons Learned

18 26

44 61 70 78 84

88 96 103

PART III INTERVIEWS XIV

Interviews with Surrendered Japanese General Officers

114

PART IV THE SPECIAL SERVICES XV XVI XVII

Engineer Battalion on the Job Medics on the Job The Signal Men on the Job XIII

154

161 173

XIV

LIBERATION OF NORTH LUZON

SUPPLEMENTS A. Assessment of the Battle of Tafigadan B. Notes and Comments C. Commands and Staffs of USAFIP,. NL

178 181 184

APPENDIXES A.

B. C. D.

Contribution of the People of Abra to the Defense and Liberation of the Philippines Bio-Data of Dr. Celedonio A. Ancheta Military Map Identification and Symbols Schematic Diagram of USAFIP, NL (folded)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

187 196 200 201-~02

203

ILLusrRATIONS 1.

2.

Col. Robert H; Arnold in front of a Japanese tunnel at Tafigadan, Abra Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos with his guests in Malacafiang Palace

16 112

A PORTION OF A SPEECH DELIVERED BY BRIGADIER GENERAL VOLCKMANN ON THE OCCASION OF U SAFIP, NL DAY, JUNE 14, 1946

On the eve of my relinquising command of Philippine Army units in North Luzon I desire to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to all personnel who served with me throughtout the past trying years.

Your loyalty and devotion to duty have been unquestionable. The sacrifices and hardships that you have gone through are known to no one better than myself. . In spite of these and many obstacles, our units in North Luzon achieved outstanding success and victory over numerically . superior Japanese Forces. A victory that was the result of your determination, courage and self-sacrifice. Your achievements have drawn extremely favorable comments and praise from higher echelons. So much so that today,. a spirit of jealousy has- sprouted in-some camps here in the Philippines. It may be that such feelings exist because of the records you have made - those records are open to anyone and they will become history. You have the right to be proud, the right to carry your heads high and forever claim to have been a part of USAFIP, NL.

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