Alberto Navarrete

Title

Alberto Navarrete

Identifier

Roll of Honor

Language

English

Source

Philippine 3 (4) June 14, 1943

Year

1943

Subject

Heroes--Philippines

Philippines--History--1898-1946

Bataan, Battle of, Philippines, 1942

Biography

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

"THE DISTINGUlSHED SERVICE CROSS TO ALBERTO NAVARRETE.
Captain, Offshore Patrol, Philippine Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near
Lamao, Bataan, Philippine Islands, on January 17, 1942. While two Q.Boats of 1st
QB oat Squadron, Offshore Patrol, under command of Captain Navarrete, were on patrol duty in Manila Bay off the cast coast of Bataan, a group of nine enemy dive-bombers appeared and began attacking nearby shore objectives. Without thought of seeking personal safety or of leaving the scene of action as he might easily have done, Captain Narrete maneuvered the boats of his squadron at high speed to positions from which he could attack the hostile planes. When subjected to dive-bombing attack by the enemy planes, he continued the fire of his machine guns with such accuracy that at least three of the hostile air-craft were hit and badly damaged and the enemy forced to discontinue the attack"

Fulltext

Alberto Navarrete Citation: "THE DISTINGUlSHEU ~ERY ICE CROSS TO ALBERTO "'A YARRETE. Captain, Offshore Patrol, Philippine Army. for e~""traordinan· heroism in action near Lamao, Bataan, Philippine Islands, on Janu· ary 17, 1942. While two Q·Boats of ht QB oat Squadron, Offshore Patrol, under command of Captain Navarrete, were on patrol duty in Jllanila Bay off the cast coast of Ba· taan, a group of nine enemy clive-homhers appeared and began attacking nearby shore objecth·es. Without thought of seeking personal safety or of leaving the scene of action as he might easily ha\'e done, Captain NaYar· rete maneuvered the boats of his squadron at high speed to positions from which he could attack the hostile planes. When subjected to dive-bombing attack hy the enem~· planes, he continued the fire of his machine guns with such accuracy that at least three of the hostile air-craft were hit and badly damaged and the enemy forced to discontinue the attack" When two waves of Japanese bombers began attacking military installations along the east coast of Bataan, Capt. Navarrete, then in command of two Q-Boats on patrol duty in Manila Bay along the Bataan shore lines, knew that from their exposed position he and his men were in grave danger; but instead of ordering his men to run for cover as they might have done very easily, he gave orders to stay out in the open and be on the alerc. Each man stood, tense and ready, behind his respective post, with every machine gun primed for action, while the little Q-Boats recklessly sped toward the enemy planes. And as soon as these were within striking distance, Capt. Navarrete issued the command to commence firing. A deadly barrage of 50-caliber bullets met the attacking planes. And even when the planes started dive-bombing, the QBoats held to their positions, firing back in defiance as if the crew that manned them were deathless in their daring. Then one of the planes started wobbling in mid-air. It had been hit. It was the leader of the enemy squadron. Then two more planes scarred whirling about, trailing black smoke and now heading toward Formosa. The other (Continued on page 6) JUNE 15, 1943 Pedro Q. Molina Cit11tio11: "THE DJSTJl\Gl'ISHED SEH\'ICE CHOSS TO PEDRO Q. MOU:\,\. Captain. Fir8t Provisional Infantry Batt.a lion (Air Corps). Philippin.- Army. for .-xtraordinar~· hcroisnt in action al ~a~aat-;a Point .. Bataan .. Philippine )Hlnncl~. on January 25. 19 l:l. During a <'otll'erl.-d mu! t>Xl<·n"h'· allt!C'k upon enemy pm1itions. th.- unit 'd1irh Caph1in i\lolina \HlS serving a~ liai~on oflit·«.·r wa~ lcn1· porarily stoppe1l and pi111w1l to th.- ground hy intense machine gun fin•. Oh,.cning thnl an officer lying ahout tw1~nty yards to hi8 front was seriously woundccl and bleeding profusely, he rushc1l fm·ward lo the aid of the wounded offi<'er, without consiclcring the hazards of the hail oi' enemy maehinc gun fire in the area, and cai·ricd him to safetv behind the lines. The Ii re of the wounded officer was saved hy his p1·0111pt and heroic act." If it is true that war brings our the worst in man, Capt. Molina's action in saving the life of a comrade at the risk of his own proves that war also brings our the best in man. Capt. Molina was liaison officer of a unit which was part of the combined troops of rhe U. S. Army Air Corps and P. I. Army Air Corps, and assigned to defend that particular area in the vicinity of Nagaasa Point, Bataan. Toward the latter part of January 1942, the Japanese, coming in barges from Olongapo, were able 10 effect a landing at a point in Aglaloma Bay. In the furious skirmish that followed, the unit in which Capt. Molina was serving, was exposed to concentrated machine-gun fire, and temporarily pinned to che ground while death took its toll of the gallant defenders. At the height of the fury of battle, Capt. Molina observed that anocher officer, Capt. Onrubia, lay about twenty yards away right in rhe path of the enemy fire, seriously wounded and bleeding profusely. Forgetful of his own safety, he rushed to the aid of his fallen comrade and carried him to a safe spot behind the lines. Capt. Molina received a bullet wound in the thigh, but Capt. Onrubia's life was saved. (Continued on page 6) Filipinos Hear from Quezon Ou l\'lemorial Day IN a Memorial Day address broJdcasr to the Philippines. President Quezon paid tribute to rhe memory of the Unknown Soldier whose story of "unflinching cour,1ge :ind lcp.lty unto death ... is wrirren in blood. in the forests and hills of Bltaan and on the rock that is Corregidor." The President said: "l\femorial Day this year tinds us still engaged in the grim task of winning the war. Behind us are memories of blood and suHering, of battles fought and lost. Ahead of us is the hope and~ promise of cerr~in victory. \Vnile we move steadily forward ro that certain day, it is well for us ro pause a moment and pay tribute to the memory of the Unknown Soldier. From his gallant ex:;mple we must gather srrengrh and vision for rhe giant, grim rask that lies ahead oi us. His was unflinching courage, his was loyalty unro death. His srory is written in blood, in the forests and hills of Bataan and on the rock that is Corregidor. "Ir is a story of supreme sacrifice. He and his comrades fought to the bitter end, knowing rhar they rhemselves had no hope. They were a lost battalion-men doomed ro cumin defeat. And yet, when the Barrie of rhe Philippines was over, Secretary of State Cordell Hull could say co the world: "Corregidor and Bataan stand for reverses that are but preludes to victory.' For there is such a thing as losing in victory, and winning even in defeat. Our soldiers fought a forlorn-hope battle, and they losr. Bur nor in vain. For with their blood they have earned for us the respect of the world, the undying friendship of America, the comradeship of thirry-one United Nations. Shoulder to shoulder with these gallant allies we shall, in God's good rime, march onward to vicrory." CoNT~TUING, he reminded our coumrymen in the Philippines that the same promise of independence given by Premier Tojo during his visir to Manila was given to cht men of Bataan and Correigidor, who paid no heed to it because they knew what had happened to China, Manchukuo, and Korea. "Nor many weeks ago, on the anniversary of the Fall of Corregidor, Premier Tojo came to Manila to reiterate Japan's promise of independence. Thar same promise had been given to the men of Bataan and Corregidor. Bur there was only one answer, and that answer was sounded at ihe mcuth of their guns. Those men knew history. They have read it as it is written on che face of China, Manchukuo and Korea. They knew that surrender to Japan could only mean one thing-the surrender of our human freedom and digniry-the death of our ancestors' dream of a free and independent Philippines. ''That is why they fought though they knew that they d1emselves had no hope. And though we mourn over their graves today, though our country groans under the iron heel of the invader, still we know in our heart of hearts ( Contint1ed on page 7) 6 Alberto N:warette . . • Japanese pbnes followed. And so, tcmporariiy .tt lc:asr. •lll was quiet again on 1bc Ihtaan eastern front. Capt. Navarrete. the hero of chis brief encounter. is a slender and tall. handsome bd, so bashful and un;\ssuming that rhc honor char came upon him as his due as a resul1 of this intrepid action. muse h;\\'C embarrassed him no liulc. He was only doing his duty w;\s his self-effacing remark. Born in Pangasin:rn ;rnd educated in Philippine public schools, he was a third year engineering student at the Mapua lnsiiture of Technology when he enrolled as cadet in the Philippine Constabulary Academy from which he gradua1ed in 1935. Where his brmher-in-arms Capt. Molina w.1s gay .ind full of life, Navarrete was pensive, and muth to<l serious for his young years. He is nored for bis pleasing personal1ty and quier efficiency. The last rime be was heard from-it was the latter pan of February-he and his men in their frail, speedy Q-!3oats were still patrolling the coasts of Manila Bay, hoping co make good and real ro the bitter end that linle phrase of a song, Navarrete and his men learned in school and knew by heart: "Ne'er shall invaders Trample 011r saaed shores" Pedro Q. Molina .•• Capt. Molina, or P. Q. as he was popularly known, is a choroughly progressive )'Oung Filipino. Nearly si.x feet rail, naturally arhlecic, well-built, and fair complexioned. he held his own among all officers of the corps. With his genial camaraderie and winning personality, he made friends among officers and enlisted men. Educated ac the Areneo de Manila, he joined the Philippine Army a few years after the passage of the National Defense Ace, and in 1938 came to the United Scates to srudy. He rook up flying at Randolph Field, Texas and lacer enrolled for advanced instruction in Kelly Field. He also underwent training in Chanute Field, Illinois. He remrned to the Philippines in the spring of 1940 with his American wife, a former army nurse in Texas, Miss Virginia James Dickson. She is a native of Oklahoma. Incidentally, the Captain is a nephew of President Quezon. It is presumed that Capt. Molina is now a prisoner in one of the Japanese prison camps somewhere in the Philip· pines. But wherever he may be, those who know him well and remember him with fondness, believe that he muse be spreading cheer and hope among his fellow prisoners, for a prison camp does not kill the spirit of a soldier like P. Q. PHILIPPINES

pages

5-6

Media