The liberation of Luzon, Philippines , was the culmination of three years sacrifice, bravery, suffering and fortitude of a group of men and women known as guerrillas. Since Bataan fell in April 1942, a few Americans and Filipinos had been waging a battle behind the Japanese lines.
The Beginning
In January 1942, General Douglas MacArthur authorized Lt.Col. Claude Thorp to infiltrate the Japanese lines and establish an observation post in the Zambales Mountains just above Clark Field. This small unit observed Japanese activity at the airfield and radioed reports as to when the Japanese planes took off to bomb Bataan and Corregidor.
When Bataan surrendered on April 9, 1942, Lt.Col. Thorp organized a guerrilla unit in the area. This unit grew as men (American and Filipino) who had escaped capture joined Lt.Col. Thorp and his irregular fighting unit. A few Filipino women also joined his warriors.
All of this activity was being conducted with no contact with the outside world. Lt.Col. Thorp divided Luzon into four military districts with each district appointed a commander. Each guerrilla unit was given a squadron number (e.g. 111, 102).
At first, the only way they had to communicate with each other was by runner. Then they established what was called “bamboo telegraph.” This consisted of tubes of bamboo being struck with Morse-code-like beats and relayed throughout the countryside.
Enemy Reprisals
The Japanese offered large monetary rewards for betraying these brave fighters. Courageous guerrillas were turned in by Filipinos who believed money was more important than loyalty. The majority of the civilian populace was dedicated to assisting the guerrillas. The Japanese ruled with an “iron hand” and many civilians were executed for helping the guerrillas.
Top guerrilla commanders who lost their lives were:
- Lt.Col. Claude Thorp
- Lt.Col. Martin Moses
- Lt.Col. Guillermo Nakar
- Captain Ralph Praeger
- Captain Jack Spies
- Captain Ralph McGuire
- Captain Joseph Barker
Units Carry On
After Lt.Col. Thorp was captured and executed in October 1942, Captain Joseph R. Barker took command. Captain Barker slipped into Manila in January 1943 disguised as a Catholic priest. He was also captured and executed. Danger surrounded these brave men and women twenty-four hours a day. By January 1943, all of Lt.Col. Thorp’s commanders had been captured and executed. The resourcefulness and fortitude of the remaining officers kept the movement going and they continued to harass the enemy.
Living in constant fear, the guerrillas carried out sabotage and disrupted Japanese occupation. In late 1943, MacArthur’s headquarters in Australia had linked via radio with the guerrillas and established contact. Every now and then, a secret mission via submarine landed vitally-needed supplies and weapons, For example, in the fall of 1944 the submarine USS Seawolf brought in thirty-five tons of supplies. This type of secret mission was like Christmas to the isolated guerrillas.The negative aspect of the Philippine guerrilla movement was the Hukbalahaps. Their guerrilla unit was formed as a union of Philippine communist and socialist parties. They headquartered in the rice region of Pampanga. Based at Mount Arayat, the Huks clearly publicized they intended to form a communist government in Pamapanga. Disagreements and fights were common between the regular guerrillas and the communist guerrillas. After the war, the Huks refused to disarm and continued guerrilla warfare against the Philippine government into the 1950s.
Liberation
Thanks to the dedicated men and women of the Philippine guerrillas, the American invasion on January 19, 1945, at Lingayen, in Northern Luzon, was successful. Supplies were cut off and troop movements to the beach were negated by the constant interruptions by the people who had not surrendered and who had taken the fight to the enemy for three long years.
Sources:
Lt. Ramsey's War: From Horse Soldier to Guerrilla Commander by Edwin P. Ramsey and Stephen J. Rivele, Knightsbridge Publishing (1990)
Philippine Diary 1939-45 by Brig. Gen. Steve Mellnick, D. Van Nostrand Co. (1969)
Behind Japanese Lines: An American Guerrilla in the Philippines by Ray C. Hunt and Bernard Norling, University of Kentucky Press (1986)
Anywhere Anytime: The History of the 57th Infantry by John E. Olson, J.E. Olson (1991)
Guest of the Emperor: The Personal Story of Ex-POW Frank O. Promnitz USMC by Lee K.Bergee, Four Freedoms Press (1987)
Lee Bergee - * Retired-U. S. Marine Corps * Fought in World War II and Korea-1950 (wounded twice) * Forty years experience as a war history ...
