The PC's role in the last battle of Bataan

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Part of Philippine Armed Forces Journal

Title: The PC's role in the last battle of Bataan
Language: English
Source: Philippine Armed Forces Journal Volume IX (No. 6) April 1956
Year: 1956
Rights
Fulltext: PHILIPPINES ARMED FORCES JOURNAL -~f. The PC's Ro~ in thi Last Battt~~f ,.vat:1qan , By Captain Ambrosio P. HE full wrath of the hos· was brought to bear against the USAFFE after the long lull it enjoyed from mid-February to the last week of March 1942. At the latter period, the enemy, havin~ received vast reinforceh1ents f1-om China, Malaya, t he mainland of J a pan and the Dutch East Indies, com· pleted reorganization of his forces. He was now poised to launch an as· sault essayed at breaking the back bone of the USAFFE. Prelude to the Last Rattle The main attack fo1·ce was assembled in front of Mt. Samat. Tht enemy had calculated that as soon as this formidablP barrier was taken, the rest of Rataan could be had with t1·if!ing effort. Supporting this operation that h., had not I"VI.'it· bothassault force was a hea\"Y concPn err'! with a secondat·y piau of ac tration of artillery r•ieces west of tiOil just in case it ~hould fall. By Balanga, positionl'(l at 30-yard in· his own admission after the war, the tet·vals and with a total frontaj::"e enemy had expected the cap1tulatiun and depth of about fivl! squan• kilo of Ba•aan in one month's tinw. Hut meters. The enemy was so confi· this was too consen•ati\'e an o ·stident in the success of i.his proj .. cted mate. In the last week of March the confined on a five-kilometer front enelllY launched several exploratot·y age on which the limiting point M probes along the east central front the 21st and 41st divisions was loof th(' Pilar-Bagac Line. Then on cated. the 1st of April, he launched a li- The artillery fire was so p\ann('d mitcd infantry attack supported by and executed that the fit·st volleys artillery and the air force. ~ight- fell just in the rear of the MLR ing indomitably, the 21st and 41st and the succeeding rounds were gt·ad Divisions threw back the attack. ually lobbed northward {backward) The next day was comparatively until every foot of friendly ground quiet, which was startling and omi- was hit. The shelling and aerial nous. Enemy activity was confined bombardments went on unabated hour . :OmC:::;:;::s ::r~~ll a:"~im~;:~ll:t:. ~~~\c~~~~~ ~~:~Y a~~r~;t~~:ic~:~;0:1l~ rial reconnaissance. The artillery, routes of rett·eat. The friendly ardit·ected by air observers and from tillery which has thus far bef'n thf' balloons flown high in the rear hos- mainstay of the USAFFE stood l!'ile at·ea, continued bombarding the helplessly silent for fear of giving Expecting ihe capitulation of Bataan in one month's time, the japanese invaders gravely miscalculated the ability of the gallant Fil-American defenders, including the constabulary fighters, who time and again stalled the potent forces of invasion and prolonged the fight by sheer courage and determination, thus upsetting the entire Japanese timetable lJ.SAFFE dispositions with growing away its positions. int.ensity. Toward nightfall the en- By 1400 hout·s the right flank of tire .battleground became quiet again. the 41st Division was so ba<lly The Breakthrough smashed that its elements began to The 3t·d of April was Jimmu-Ttn- filter to the rear. The left flank no, the Foundation Day of the Jap- of the 21st Division also Wllvered, anese Empi1·e. For the Fil Amer- but it quickly reformed in a fish ican troops it was Good Friday, hook formation to the rear in a brave which bef{an rather quiet and fon•- effort to contain the thrust. An boding. Suddenly as the sun rose, opening had been made which the hostile planes were all over Bataan, enemy hoped to f'xploit fully. flying directly to the east-cPntral The enemy had set his Zero Hour front where they unleashed thl'it· at 1500, 3 April 1942. On the dot bombs on the northern undulations tM hostile infantt·y and tanks which of Mt. Samat. By 0900 hout·s, the had been assembled in front of Mt. !t hostile at·tillery opened fire incrl'as Samat since mid Ma1·ch, moved in for ini;' in tempo with the passing mi- the kill. Meanwhill', the hostile arnutf's. The combined fury from the tillery had shiftffi its entit'e fllr} air and artillery was unfortunali·ly against the rear an•a "f th .. frontOPERI>.TION MAP 1110 REGUW\. DIVISIOH<Ptl Showing ds initial (7Jan:.t.U and ~u~e.quenT di•f01iiitions line units, while the air force con The blow had been \'Cl"Y severe while dueled a number of ta<:tical missions the destruction wrought on the front over the front-line dispositions h('- line dispositions was Vt'l')' heavy. fore tuming its efforts to the more The troops of th!' 41st were greatdistant USAFFE 'dispositions in thf' ly demoralized. By nightfa'tt the enemy had penetrated dt>ep into the P1·eceded by tanks that smashed 41st Division sector. A few hours the remaining machine gun and anti- more and the enemy wrest control tank emplacements, the hostile in- of the summit of Mt. Samat. fantJT charged upon the arti!IPry- The friendly aJ·tillery was catted made openin~~;s at the MLR which in the evening but as it opened fire, was ~ein•d without much opposition. the hostile air forcE> swooped and r-ainod more bombs. This was one tze thes,. men 111 ot·ganizing a new of the few occasions on Bataan in line generally along the north bank which the enemy ail· force under- of Mamala Rivet· above the town of took a night mission. Limay. On the afternoon of 7 April, The friend!}' arttllery, once a pow- this new line was established. But erful weapon, was now wholly neu- before its left wing could be phytmlized. sically occupied, it was abandoned. On 4 April, the enemy installl'd Heinforccments his observation posts on Mt. Samat Meanwhile, USAFFE hcadquartet·s and from these vantage points di- rekased its reserve~ consisting of rected his artillery in pounding at the American 31st Infantry, the 45th •the rear USAF FE dispositions of the Infantry, PS, the 57th Infantry, PS, II €orps under Major General George and the 26th Cavalry, PS, to the M. Parker, Jr. The infantry and II Corps which reinforcements still tanks, meanwhile, kept pressing on were sadly lacking. As a last measthe attack with increasing fury ut·c, Major General Guillermo B. akainst which USAFFE's opposition ft·ancisco, Commanding General of became increaSingly less. The enemy the 2nd Regulat· Division and of continued to roll the II Corps with Sub-sector "E", was ordered to abana distinctly regulat· pattern. don his northern beach positions and Aftet· gainiilg the most important 1·eleasc Colonel Rafael Jalandoni's at·tery of colllmunication, the enemy 4th PC Regiment and Lieutenant tut·ned his attack generally to the Colonel Vicente L. Torres' 2nd Ensoutheast, utilizing for this purpose gineer Battalion to General Bluemel's Trails 4, 6, and 29 and late1· Trails command. These u11its were placed 2, 44 and 429. All resi~tanc<> that under the ovet·all command of Col. hilQ been hastily ~et UJJ alon).!' the Jalandoni. way. was smashed. By 6 April, the At 1800 hours, the 4th PC and entire II Corps was dl'iven far be- the 2nd Engine(!!' were moved to Liyond the MLR leavin).!' the t·ight may, where they were further 'orflank of the I Corps, now under dered to the west-northwest via Trail Major General Albert M. Jones, to- 2 thence Trail 8. Near the junction tally exposed. The II Corps was of Trail 8 and Trail 44, these units fast disintegrating it was not even were to deploy and organize the left possible for its headquat·tet·s to keep wing of the Mamala Rivet· line. In tab of its losses nor of the situation the pre\·ailing confusion and for lack on the ft·ont-line. of time, the movelllent was made A last desperate dfot·t was ef wi1hout previous reconnaissance ot· fected to stem the Japanese advance intt>lligence of the situation obtainwhen II Corps headquartet·s ordered ing at the indicated sector. As a Bl'igadiet· General Bluemel to assume consequence the leading elements of command of all the front-line troops the 4th PC Regiment, near the trail who had so far escaped the enemy junction ran into newly f'Siablished wJ·ath. General Bluelllel would uti] Japanese positions. Othet· elements Thra coptvred lopo11••e plrol<>!lfoph ollowa the USAfff fro11tli11e ntb~cted 1o ;,,..,,. orliUerr bombardment of tile <1or1 of !he gr•ot oflen•i~• of 3 April 1941. P'foh Hie Jop on••• c/oorOC!ttJ ""/oi<l> indica!••, from ltfl lo rlgllr MI. Orion, MI. Somol and loll. loloflw•ft< ran into newly set-up road blocks vague and 1t was unknown whether· of tanks. In the ensuing melee there were still fr·iendly troops in many officers and men were killed, that area. The point of withdrawal including Majors lsidoro Agudo and indicat<'d was generally along the Manuel Fcrnandine, S 4 and As~>ist- south bank of A Iang-an Rive•· midant S-4, respectively, of the 4th PC way between Limay and Lamao. Regiment. The 57th Infantry whkh The withdrawal was made at great had previously been deployed ncar risk to the 4th PC and 2nd Engithe trail junction had been earlier neer since the road was badly con withdrawn. gested and was continuously Mmbed Before Col. Jalandoni could es- and strafed in spite of the growin~t tablish his line, an American liaison dat kness. By midnight of 7-8 April, officct· ft·om the II Corps headquar Colonels Jalandoni and Torres c:omtet·s aJTived to inform him to with- pleted the organization of their as dt·aw since Limay was already ren- signed sector on the Alangan RiVCI' dered untenable. Besides the situa- line, generally 1~00 yardH to the •·ast linn in thl' farther north was ~o and west of th<' national highwa\·. .·\'t this juncture, Col. Jalandoni mv rifle-equipped air men JeployeJ found' that several of his units were to the left of the Constabulary units missing. At 0500 hours, 8 April, to withdraw at 0800. A provisional h!: o1·dered his executive. Major Gas- outfit that had been hastily assem par Haylon, to return up north. But bled and thrown to the right of the aftf'l' foul' hours Major Baylon 1'1'- Con~tabulary units also withdrew at turned to RCP and reported that 1300 lt."aving both flanks of the Conthere were no traces of the missing stabulary line totally exposed. units. Colonel Jalandoni was there T he Last Fight fore forced to extend the fronta,l('e Shortly before noonday, the hostile of his few available units to co\'cr infantry launched another savage athis assi~ned sector. tack along the axis of the national The enemy planes busy highway, hitting hard the center of throughout that day, So was the the Constabulary line. Despite the hostile artillery which subjected th<' brave, magnificent stand put up by new Alangan River line to incessant the Constabulary men several pene searching fire, forcing the U.S. Ar- trations were made. The situation PHILIPPINES ARMED FORCES JOURNAL was fast deteriorating, and as an found themselves in tight strait,. The expedient, Col. Ja\andoni committed Japanese poured a large body of into the fight all the available men troops through the exposed flanks he could Jay his eyes on, including and by nightfall began to subject the truck drivers, the medics, and the Constabulary line to a three the mess personnel. He then ot·der~d pronged attack. And yet against a counter-attack launched in a fran- this fut·y the Constabulary men, livtic effort to save his command. ing up to its g lorious past, held on The order fell on responsi\'e ears. tenaciously to their positions. ColoThe Constabulary men rose from nel Ja\andoni had earlier issued or their holes, and with sheer .:ourage ders to hold the line at all costs. and with their remaining strength But unknown to Col. Ja\andoni wa& rushed forward for a head--On dash the fact that the situation had t)irnwith the enemy. Colonel Torres and ed for the worst. The Japanese Lieutenant Colonel Frank Lloyd, se- at·tillery had earlier been moved fornior American instructor of the 4th ward and was· now within range of PC, joined effort in rallying the men vital USAFFE installations nt Lainto exerting the most of their dis- mao, at Cabcaben, and at Mariveles. sipated strength. It was on this The base hospitals, overcrowded with occasion that Col. Torres, although over a thousand patients, were llOW previously wounded in the neck by within shooting distance of the hastwo shell fragments displayed his tile artillery. The patients laid coolness, his aggressive leadership helplessly, and it was reasoned by and keen devotion to duty, by re- Bataan's high command that they maining with his troops, setting for would be massacred mercilessly if rethem t he finest example of gallantry, sistance continued. for which he earned from the U.S. No power seemed to be able 'to Army the Legion of Merit and Pur- stave off the Japanese onslaught. pie Heart and from the Philippine The enemy pressure became inc"reasArmy the Distinguished Conduct Star ingly heavier with the passing of and the Wounded Soldier's Medal. minutes. But Col. Jalandoni kept Also, it was on this occasion when exhorting his men to hold on as reLt. Enrique Manaois, of the 2nd inforcements were on the way to Engr. Bn., led his platoon in re- their succot·. Earlier he had recapturing a Japanese position by a quested his division commander to cliff overlooking the highway and send him men which t·equest, evithe town of Limay. Lt. Manaois dently, did not reach Gen. Fra'ncisco. subsequently held back repeated As night began to deepen, it was charges of the enemy until late in thought best to straighten out the the evening. For the gallant stand, situation before chaos broke loose on he was decorated with the Gold account of darkness. Colonel Lloyd Cross. and Major Baylon reasoned with Col. Although the penetrations were Jalandoni that without any reinthrown back, th.e Constabulary units forcements their line would not hold THE JAPANESE BREAKllfiOUGH 3-6 APRIL 1942 _ .. .......,..,..,,.,. ----+ ~' ·'"""' -~ ....... ~ " ,.._...,.. _..,,, '<~' .... '"''' .. '"'* =--- "'-" __ , mO.ch longer. It was therefore best ably delayed by the southward traf to ~ithdraw before the men would fie. The units were still on the be h~lplessly ensnared in the hostile way when Gen. Francisco got in trap, and uselessly sacrificed. touch with Col. Jalandoni to inform In spite of the overwhelming odds, him that the fight was over. SurCol. Jalandoni still dilly-daillied on render negotiation was underway. the p1·oposition, hopefully believing The General followed the informsthat with reinforcements he could lion with orders for Col. Jalandoni hold the line longer. He had learn- to move his men back to Cabcaben. ed that a big portion of his missing On the west coast, the 1st PC units had filtered to the division Regiment and the 2nd Anti-Tank headquarters and had therefore sent Battalion of the 2nd Regular Diviword to Gen. Francisco to send these sion, both attached to the 71st Diviunits to him. sion, enjoyed comparative quiet durThe End of Battle ing those few remaining days of 'Ihe units were rounded up and Bataan. Except for the occasional immediately ordered to the front- bombings and naval bombardments, line. However, they were consider- the enemy never bothered with them. They were therefore spared the full west bank of the Pantingan River. wrath that the enemy mounted in This new line was occupied at 1900 the east sector. The news of the hom·s, but except for its combat disintegration of the II Corps and patrols, the new regimental secto1· subsequently the sunender seemed so remained quiet. unbelievable and only became real At 0800 hours the next day, the when they were told to lay down regiinent was again ordered farther theil· arms on the morning of 9 to the 1 -ear where some o! its eleApril. ments established a perimeter defense On the west-central front, t~e 2nd around the Jlth Division CP, while PC Reg1ment, 2nd Regular D1vision, the bulk were assigned to man the commanded by Lieutenant Colonel RRL just above the CP. Still the Manuel V. Atanacio until the latter much awaited battle did not noatepart of March 1942, which had ear- rialize. At noontime the regi~ent 1ie1· been attached to the 11th Divi- was informed of the surrender of sion, was likewise spared the whole Bataan. ~~~- r~~i~~~t~a:~~:i~ll~y ~~s Ba~-~;~~ The sad tiding was too much • to flank, ~as shelled h~avily, but was ::;:·n a;od r:~ ~ho:,;o~;;rbu~:.;:s :~~ ~~te s~~J:c~~d 1~0e ar: 1i~::ttryho::!:~~.' raise the white flag o_f surrende1·, nOted the thundero!s cx~losions of ~hCJ'e weJ·e t~at·.s on ~hel_rd_eyes.U Met ~:n~~ a:~ ~~:\lsls!o o~he~r r~·:~ht }ne~ s:~~~;or v~~t ~;nd~:g ra~n ~~~~me nt~= fhen a~ter ~3 April, ~oJ:e.P and tnore ~~~~m1:;~l ar':l·t h:p:1fulget~C::11:; ~~= ~:n p~~ot~ng~h: ~ii::r ~;v~~~:nse~~~~s:~ end victory would be theirs. ili~~-- -~--ili-~· The men of the 2nd PC Regiment 1st PC Regiment were being ~archwere told of the breakthrough and cd from their positions to RCP at of the terrific beating the 41st Di- kilometer 189; even as the men of vision was getting. But these news the 2nd PC Regiment were being fell on disbelieving ears. It seemed march_ed t~ the assembly point along ha1·dly probable then that the Pilar- Saysa111 R1ver, they still kept faith Bagac Line would crack. The 2nd in the strength. of Mother America PC men held on theil· MLR posi- and of Mother Amel'ica winning the lions, still hoping that the promised war at the end. , aid would finally come. The 4th PC Regiment, meaT.while, And then a more realistic picture which had suffered about 30 pe1·cent of the situation presented itself. The clisuult1es during the past 36 hours 2nd PC Regiment was ordered to va- of fighting at the Mamala and Alacalc the MLR on the afternoon o! ngan lines, had been gathered near 8 April and move 7 kilometers be - the 2nd Regular Division CP to 'wait hind where new positions were to for the instructions attendant to the be o1·ganized, generally along the sunender. J/11. "' ~,.. ·-~~-·~\~ ' e . . . ' I .. JopoMue •old•ero penetr<Jiing 1~"'"'!1~ t~e uposed llonh ol 1~0' Conslobulorr lon._. The brave 2nd Regulat· Division on Hataan they wez·e never outfought whose men had in the past known because unto the end of the bloody hard tillll'S in the jungles of Minda- trail, they kept faith in their cause. nao anJ Sulu, the Sierra Madz·es, and The end had now come. the Mountain Province, chasing outlaw bands and headhunters, had now reached the end of the road. Despite Thio ac~ount conotitut ... Cho~t>tcr XVIII the tremendous odds the men faced, ~~~:~e nt~~~;n A:~?.,~ ~;~~~ ~~. 1~;,;,~1~~" R~~ they fought the last battle of H~- ~k),~;~, i:it~~fon~~a~n~"'~:;~~1y\~" ~n~~ taan with exemplary I':OUt·age in ~:~,;,•,.dwii~ ',hh~at~~:~••h:~~~~.""'"T~~o a~~l,~; keepV'tg with one fine tradition of r~qu~•t• ruder~ _who had h<-1on~t...t to the the Constabulary corps - "Otdnum- ~~dnt:~:;::~•r ot~~~••i:i~K110 d=:;d ~hic~he~,.;"~ bered hu.t net•er out fougl!t." F.ven ~~~i~~.~;M:·~:K:~~.;~~!~ ac~ount u bctual