A brief history of the 101st Division, Philippine Army

A BRIEF HISTORY OFTHE

1015t

DIVISIO~,

PHILIPPINE ARMY

LT. COL. PRIMITIVO M. CATALAN, PA

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF HISTORICAL ACTIVITIES

ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City

May 1977

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c"J<ti /tl1 1 Copyright 1977

by the ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Printed by

CINTONER PRINTING PRESS Quezon City, Philippines

1977

FOREWORD

This is a brief account of the organization, training and operations of the lOlst Division, Philippine Army, one of the ten reserve divisions mustered into the service of the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) during World War II in the Philippines. It was the only division originally assigned to defend the entire island of Mindanao, an area too large for the division's capability to secure in time of foreign invasion. Subsequently, two other divisions, the 61st and the 81st, were assigned by Hq USAFFE to augment the lOlst in the defense of Mindanao and Sulu archipelago.

This book is the fifth hi sto ri cal vo lum e th at the author. Lt Co l

Primitivo !,1 Catalan, my deputy and executive officer, has written about the history of the units which participated in the defense of our country against Japanese invaders during the war. The loss and/or inadequacy of source materials was the principal handicap in the writing of this historical work. Nevertheless, through available documents in the office and supplemented by the author's interview with surviving veterans of the lOlst Division, the writing of this volume was made as accurate and objective as possible. However, it is far from being complete and a more accurate volume will be published when more pertinent materials will be made available . .It is therefore urged that the reader, especially former members of the unit, send to the Office Chief of Historical Activities, AFP, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, any significant information which may not have been included in this volume. Be that as it may, this work of Colonel Catalan will go a long way in the preservation and maintenance and perpetuation of our Philippine military ileri tugc.

PRIMITIVO C MILAN (GSC) Colonel PC Chief of Historical Activities AFP

PREFACE With the establishment of the Reserve Forces as contemplated in the National Defense Act, ten Philippine Army reserve divisions were activated. One of these divisions was the 101st Division with its elements coming from the deactivated 10th Military District covering Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.

The mission given the 101st was to deny the enemy from making any landing in Mindanao, an area bigger than the unit's operational capability. It had not enough manpower and its logistics sadly lacking. However, unlike its counterparts in Luzon the division did not suffer much in food and medicme supplies, although sometimes the men had to forage fresh meat to augment their regular rations.

The plan for the defense of Mindanao included beach defense along the coastal lines of Cotabato, Davao, Misamis and Agusan. If the beaches would become untenable, the USAF FE forces would conduct delaying actions and withdraw to the interior, finally congregating in the plateaus of Bukidnon where they would put up a perimeter defense along the Bukidnon mountains. There they would conduct an indefinite resistance against the Japanese and "keep Mindanao open as the backdoor to General MacArthur's forces in Australia, until aid from the United States would arrive".

When the war broke out, this "spearhead" division was still' in the tedious process of organization and training. And although compounded by the lack of fighting equipment the men of the 101st Division capably redeemed themselves in th.eir battles against the enemy.

The writing of this volume was not the labor of just one, but of a concerted and joint efforts of many. I would like to acknowledge the invaluable assistance given me by my chief, Colonel Primitivo C Milan, whose encouragement inspired me for the completion of this volume . I also like to extend my gratitude to my co-workers in the Office Chief of Historical Activities, AFP, particularly, Lt Colonel Froilan B Alvior, who helped in the editing of the manuscript; MSgt Bonifacio A Ventura, who patiently typed the entire manuscript aside from compiling all my reference materials; Misses Erlinda G Briz and Eva M Quiban who made the illustrations; and to MSgt Andres B Dacuyan, who accompanied me in my interviews with some veterans of the 101st in Mindanao; to 1Lt Rey B Borromeo who started on this project and had interviewed some veteran members of the Division.

I would also wish to acknowledge the help of Col Ambrosio P Pena (Ret), my former chief, Office of Military History, GHQ, who loaned me some source materials; Col Uldarico ,5. 8aclagon whose book "They Served With Honor" was among my references; the Office of the Philippine Veterans Administration, Manila and the Office of The Adjutant General, AFP whose records were made available for my research ; to Colonel Zosimo S Balagtas. PC and Colonel Abdul Husin Uddin , PA for their inspiring cncol'.ragement and moral support ; and to all form e r memb ers of the 101 st Division who furnished me with some facts and valuable information on the participation of their unit during the war.

The Author

DEDICATED

to the MEMBERS

of the 101st DIVISION, PA

Table of Contents

Page FOREWORD . . ... . " ... ... . . ...... .. . .. . . ... . .. . ..... . i PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... ... .... ... .. . .ii CHAPTER I

- INTRODUCTION ... .... .. . . ... . . . . . . . . . 1 Citizen Army. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Military Districts/Divisions .... ... .. . . . . . . . . . 3

CHAPTER II

- THE 101ST DIVISION ORGANIZED . . . . . . . . . . 6 101st Infantry Regiment . . . . . . . . . . . . . , .. . .. 6 10 1st Engineer Battalion . . . . . . . . . . . ... .. . .. 6 102nd Infantry Regiment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Division Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 103rd Infantry Regiment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Attached Units . . . ... . ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Training of Personnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Logistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

CHAPTER IV

- PRELUDE TO WAR .... ....... ... . .....

Indication of Japanese Attack . . ... . ..... . . .

Sneak Attack on Pearl Harbor . ....... . .. ...

War came to the Philippines . . ... .. ...... ..

War Declared . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CHAPTER V

- JAPAN INVADES THE PHILIPPINES . . . . . . . . . 14 The Giant Pincers ..... .. ..... . ....... . .. 14 Frist Landing at Batanes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Landing at Legaspi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Main Landing at Lingayen Gulf .... . . .. . ... . . 16

CHAPTER VI

- WITHDRAWAL INTO BATAAN .. . .. .. ... . . 18 The Defensive Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .. 18 Reorganization in Bataan . .. .. . ... .. .. ..... 19

CHAPTER VII

- THE BATTLES ON BATAAN AND CORREGIDOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Battles at the Points and in the Pockets . . . . . . . . . 21 The Great Lull . . ... . .... , ... .. . . .. ..... 22 Surrender Negotiations . .. . .. . .... .. .. .. .. 24 Death March .. ... . .. ' . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ... 25 The Fall of Corregidor . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .... 25

CHAPTER VIII

- THE VI SAYAN-MINDANAO FORCE ...... . . 27 Concept of Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 1st Provisional Battalion .... ... . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Colonel Vachon Gets a "Star" .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . 28 Sector Commands Created . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Sector Missions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .... 30

. 10 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13

CHAPTER IX

- THE SIEGE OF MINDANAO .... .... . .. .. .. 33 The Enemy Plan . . . ... ... . ..... .. ...... . 33 The Davao Landing . . ..... . ...... . ....... 34 The Battle of Sta. Ana . .. . . . . . . . ... .. .... . 34 The 1010 Landing .... . . ... . .. . ........ . . 35 Other Encounters ... .. ... .. . .... . . . . .... 36 The Zamboanga Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . 37 Visayan-Mindanao Force Split .. . . . . . .... ... . 38

CHAPTER X

- THE 101ST IN ACTION ..... . . . ..... . .... 40 Retreat to Bukidnon .. . . . . .. . ......... .. . 40 The New MLR at Digos . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. 41 Dutch Planes . . .... . . . .... . . . ..... . .. . . 42

CHAPTER XI

- GENERAL SILENCE IN MINDANAO ..... . ... 44 MacArthur Leaves for Australia ..... . . . . ... .. 44 Minor Skirmishes .... . ..... . ... .. .. . . .. . 45 Amphibious Assault Planned ......... . . .. . .. 45 The Lanao Force Activated .. . .. . . .......... 46

CHAPTER XII

- THE FINAL OFFENSIVE .. .... . . ......... 48 The Defense of Polloc Harbor .. . ...... . .... . 48 The Cotabato Defense Force . ........ . .. .. .. 49 The Battle of Digos .. . ...... . ..... . . . ... . 50 The Battle of Malabang . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .... 52 The Attack at Carmen Ferry .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

CHAPTER XIII

- THE LAST STAND IN MINDANAO .......... 56 The Cagayan Force .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 56 The Defenses at Parang ........ . . .. . . .... . 56 Battle of Sayre Highway......... .. ..... . .. 57 The Mangima Line ....... . ... . . . . . . . . . . . 58 The Dalirig Force .. ... .. ' ....... . . . ... . .. 59 Cease Firing Order ... . . . .... ... ......... 59 Orders for Surrender ....... . . .. .......... 61 Ordeals in the Concentration Camp . . . . . . ..... 62

ROSTER OF OFFICERS AND MEN 101ST DIVISION . . . .......... 63 BIBLIOGRAPHY .... .. ....... .... .. ...... .. . ......... 188 GLOSSARY OF TERMS . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . ......... . . . . . . . . 190 ANNEXES. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . ... . . ..... . . ..... 193