Last 130 days of the USAFFE

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Copyright, 1982 by Col. Uldarico S. Baclagon Printed by Astra Ink Corp.

8140 Sgt. F. Yabut Circle, Guadalupe Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines

FOREWORD The defense of the Philippines by the United States Army Forces in the Far East covered a period of 153 days.

The first 23 days of the war was a period of hope and confidence in the ultimate military victory over Japan.

The next 130 days were times of diminishing hope~, creeping demoralization, and vanishing dreams of relief and even of redemption.

The war of the Filipinos against the Japanese covered more than three years. What is told in this book is that particular chapter of our existence which caused much sufferings and anguish to our fighting men and brought much anxiety and frustration to our people. It is a day-to-day account of the travails and death throes of the USAFFE which began with the Japanese occupation of Manila on 1 January 1942 and ended with the surrender of the last USAFFE unit on 10 May 1942.

Much have been written about the conduct of USAFFE operations, of the strategic thinking behind the decision of major commanders, and of the actuations of our wartime leaders. Little, however, have been said of the thoughts and feelings of the men in the foxholes of Bataan and in the tunnels of Corregidor, the real problems facing the leaders of the Filipino-American troops and the risks they had to take not only their lives but also on their honor in history.

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This book tells why we cannot forget Bataan and Corregi¡ dar and other fronts and why, in the words of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, "every man must have his own Bataan."

EDO M. SANTOS G eral, AFP (Ret) Chief of Staff (1962¡1965)

Quezon City, Philippines 1 April 1982

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INTRODUCTION Almost all his life, Colonel Uldarico S. Baclagon has been involved with military history. In his fourth year as a cadet in the Philippine Military Academy, he was the class marcher in military history, an honor bestowed to one who tops his class in that subject. Perhaps, it was because of this academic record that in 1949 he was sent abroad to observe methods of instructing military history in the United States Military and Naval Academies. On his return to join the PMA faculty, he organized and launched the course on History of Military Art under the Department of Social Sciences.

While in the United States, serving as Army Attache in the Philippine Embassy at Washington D.C. Colonel Baclagon was encouraged by then Armed Force Attache, Colonel Jaime Velasquez, to research and write on the military history of the Philippines, starting particularly with World War II. The latter arranged for Colonel Baclagon to work with the historical offices of the Department of the Army and the National War College and also to research in the Library of Congress. From his stints with those agencies, he produced his first book "Philippine Campaigns," which is a textbook in the Philippine Military Academy.

In between combat assignments, Colonel Baclagon served as Assistant Commandant of the School for Combined Arms and later of the Infantry School. All the while, he introduced and handled the subject of military history in the programs of instructions of the said service schools. It was during this VI

period that he produced the book" Lessons Learned from the Huk Campaign" which, as a material on counter-insurgency, earned recognition in the United States by being used as a textbook by the US Army Special Warfare School and being translated into five (5) languages for use in the Free World.

Colonel Baclagon has written several accounts of World War II, namely in his books "Philippine Campaigns," "Military History of the Philippines," and "Filipino Heroes of World War II." In this book, " Last 130 Days ofthe USAFFE, " he sets down on record the sacrifices, valor, and heroism of the Filipino soldier in the service of the USAFFE. Written chronologically, the author gives us a blow-by-blow account of what happened in the last phase of the delaying actions in Luzon, in the series of battles fought in Bataan, and in the subsequent campaigns of the Japanese in Corregidor, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

As Chief of the Office of Historical Activities in the AFP, I ani for encouraging all men in the military service, active or retired, to engage in military historical work, for how else will the next generations of Filipino fighting men learn from our past military campaigns or operations than having available for them research materials, like the "Last 130 Days of the USAFFE" which, besides its instructional value, is in itself a testimonial of the heroic achievements of the Filipino soldiers in World War II. ---

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Ei-;:;;;m;1 MAC; LI Colonel, PA Chief, Office of Historical . Activities GHO, AFP VII

ACKNOWLEDGMENT I had long wanted to publish a book on the defense of the Philippines by the USAFFE. I have written accounts of the war fought in the Philippines against Japan in several of my earlier books but what I had wanted most was to produce one that would tell of the heroic actions of the Filipino combat units that fought against heavy odds in the defense of our country. In this particular endeavor, I had the encouragement and support of President Ferdinand E. Marcos who wants to record for posterity the achievements of the Filipino soldiers in history.

What impelled me. to come up with a story of the USAFFE is the forthcoming 40th Anniversary of the fall of Bataan which calls for a clarification of why we are commemorating the Bataan campaign. The Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor feels the need for a book that will bring out the significance of the Defense of Bataan and Corregidor, of its impact in the course of Philippine history and in the conduct of the Pacific War. lowe it then to the Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor for having provided the initial motivation for producing this book. Since the DBC lacks the funds to underwrite the initial expenses for the production of the manuscript, Mr. Carlos H. Beloso and Atty. Francisco Ortigas were kind in providing financial support to pay for the typing services, illustrative work, editing and proofreading work done on the manuscript.

When the manuscript was ready for printing, Deputy Minister VIII

Jose M. Crisol, in his desire to get the book in the process of production, offered to answer for the printing and binding expenses needed by the press. Thus the production of the book was assured.

"Last 130 Days of the USAFFE" would not have come out of the press if not for the invaluable assistance given by Colonel Cesar A. Mijares, President of Gregorio Araneta University Foundation, and by Colonel Eduardo Dimacali, Chief of the Office of Historical Activities of the AFP, who volun¡¡ tarily gave his technical advice in the production of the book.

I would like, also to express my profound gratitude to the Sunday Times Magazine for the use of the picture that we used as illustration in this book.

The Author

IX

LAST 130 DAYS OF THE USAFFE Table of Contents Date

Topic

Page

DELAYING ACTIONS January 1, 1942 January 2, 1942

Battles Around Manila Actions on the Guagua-Porac Line

January 3, January 4, January 5, January 6, January 7,

Collapse of the Guagua Line Withdrawal to Gumain River

1942 1942 1942 1942 1942

January 8, 1942 January 9, 1942

Action at the Gumain River Holding the Gate to Bataan Battle of Layac Junction On to Bataan JaP!lnese Prepares to Attack Bataan

2 6 11 14 17 21 23 26 29

BATTLES ON THE ABUCAY-MORON LINE January 10, 1942 January 11, 1942 January 12, 1942

Initial Attacks on the USAFFE Front Probing Attacks on the II Corps Girding for the Main Battle

January 13, 1942 January 14, 1942

First Battles on the Abucay Line Japanese Shifts Attack from Right to Left and 46 Vice Versa Battle Actions in the Mabatang Sector 48 "Rock of Bataan" Covers Itself with Glory 51

January 15, 1942 January 16, 1942 January 17, 1942 January 18, 1942 January 19, 1942 January 20, 1942 January 21, 1942 January 22, 1942

Patrol Heart of Lieutenant Marcos Operations West of Mt. Natib Philippine Division Counter-Attacks Fighting for the Moron-Bagac Road Collapse of the Abucay Line Lieutenant Marcos Wins Medal of Valor

34 38 41 43

56 60 63 65 68 71

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January January January January

23 , 1942 24, 1942 25, 1942 26, 1942

Withdrawal of the I Corps Heroes of the Battle of Abucay Line Heroes of the I Corps "Fame and Glory" for the Men of Bataan

76 81

84 88

BATTLES OF THE POINTS AND THE POCKETS January 27, 1942 January 28, 1942 January 29, 1942 January 30, 1942 January 31,1942 February 1, 1942 February 2, 1942 February 3, 1942 February 4, 1942 February 5, 1942 February 6, 1942 Feburary 7, 1942 February 8, 1942 February 9, 1942

Japanese Takes to the Sea Battle of Mount Pucot Falling Back to the Pilar-Bagac Road Reducing the Aglaloma Beachhead Heroic Stand at Orion Line Battle Actions in the Orion Line Japanese Landing at Anyasan Point Japanese Penetration in West Sector Closing Battles of the Points Operations Within the Little Pocket Mopping Up Operations at the Points Battle of the Little Pocket Final Battles of the Pockets Japanese Break Contact with USAF F E

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96 98 103 105 108 111 115 117 120 125 128 131 135

ACTIVITIES DURING THE LULL PERIOD February February February February Feburary February February February February February XI

10, 1942 11, 1942 12, 1942 13, 1942 14, 1942 15, 1942 16, 1942 17, 1942 18, 1942 19, 1942

The Question of a Counter-Offensive Life in Bataan Quezon's Proposal for Neutrality Activities During the Lull Period Actions of Men of Other Services MacArthur leaves Corregidor Front-Line Activities During the Lull Japanese Psychological Warfare USAFFE Propaganda Efforts The Matter of American Aid

138 140 143 146 149 153 155 158 162 166

February 20, 1942 More Front-Line Activities During the Lull February 21, 1942 USAFFE Operations and Activities During the Lull February 22, 1942 Japanese Activities During the Lull

172 174 178

FINAL BATTLE OF BATAAN February 23, 1942 USAFFE Situtation Before the Final Battle February 24, 1942 Japanese Prepares for the Final Battle February 25, 1942 Front-Line Activities Before the Final Battle February 26, 1942 Last Effort to Send Aid to the USAFFE February 27, 1942 Prelude to Battle Feburary 1 to

181

March 31,1942 March 10 to March 31, 1942 April 1, 1942 April 2, 1942 April 5, 1942 April 5, 1942

196

Significant Events During the Lull Period

184 187 190 193

The Calm Before the Storm

199 Pr~paratory Bombardment and Initial Assault 203 208 In Defense of Mount Samat Enemy Capture of Mount Samat 212 Attempts at Counterattack 215

DEATH THROES OF THE USAFFE April April April April April

6-7, 1942 8, 1942 8, 1942 9, 1942 9, 1942 April 13-16, 1942 April 17 to July 31, 1942

Beginning of the End Japanese Pursuit Postcript to Battle Surrender Negotiations Requiem to a Dying Army March to Captivity Concentration Camp

218 221 225 228 233 239 243

XII

OPERATIONS IN OTHER FRONTS December 8, 1941 May 6, 1942 January 1, 1942 May 31, 1942 January 1 April 30, 1942 April 30 May 10, 1942

XIII

Defense of Corregidor

248

Conquest of the Visayas

255

Last Target: Mindanao

262

Fight for Mindanao

268

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