101st Infantry Regiment (Philippines) | |
---|---|
Davao Force | |
Active | August 1941 to May 1942 |
Disbanded | May 11, 1942 |
Countries | ![]() ![]() |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch | Army |
Type | Infantry |
Role | Reserve Force |
Size | 2,000 |
Part of | 101st Infantry Division |
Garrison/HQ | Camp Casisang, Malaybalay, Bukidnon |
Engagements | Battle of Digos Battle of Davao City |
Commanders | |
Senior Military Instructors | LCol. Roger Hilsman LCol. Russell Nelson |
Notable commanders | LCol. John H. McGee, USA LCol. Russell J. Nelson |
Philippine Commonwealth Army Infantry Regiments | ||||
|
101st Infantry Regiment is military unit and formation activated by Philippine Army during the early days of World War II. It was composed of Filipinos who resided in Mindanao, few officers from Luzon, Moros, and American soldiers assigned to command and train the regiment. It is known for his action in Davao province during the early days of war. It is credited for holding Japanese forces from reaching Kabacan for December 1941 to April 1942. It held them beyond Digos sector for 4 Months, that it needed reinforcements in April to reach Kabacan.
It was organized in August 1941 in Malaybalay, Bukidnon as part of the 101st Infantry Division under Colonel Joseph Vachon. On September 1, 1941, it was inducted to USAFFE and continue to train in infantry tactics despite lack of ammunition, broken rifles, and lack of equipment. 1st Battalion under the command of Captain Abellana with its military instructor Major John H. McGee was sent to Del Monte field to secure it. 2nd Battalion under Captain Nicolas Gabutina with its military instructor 1Lieutenant John R. Richardson.
Lieutenant Colonel Roger Hilsman Sr., took over the command in November 1941 but he was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Howard Frissell in January 1942. Lieutenant Colonel Howard Perry took over after Colonel Frissell was trasnfer to Cagayan sector to command reserve force on January 18, 1942. Lieutenant Colonel John McGee took the command including Digos sector in February 19 as Colonel Perry was transfer to Force HQ, he commanded the regiment until he was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Reed Graves as the sector commander in April 26 until its surrender in May 1942. [1]
Filipino Army Captain Corvera was assigned as regimental operations officer S3 later he will be regimental executive officer under Lieutenant Colonel John McGee, Lieutenant Doak a non-com from 31st US Infantry was appointed as motor officer. Lieutenant Leon Tan is regimental engineer. Lieutenant Felipe, Ong ping, and Avis are officers of engineer detachment attached to the regiment
Made invaluable service. Captain Bernardo is the medical officer of the regiment.
There were several changes of battalion commanders since its activation. In August 28, 1941 to December 1941 1st Battalion was commanded by Captain Abellana with Major John H. McGee as its senior instructor, it was posted in Tankulan to guard Del Monte Field for time being it was the only combat unit in Cagayan sector until January 1942 when it bolstered with the transfer of 61st & 81st Field Artillery Regiments. 2nd Battalion was commanded to Captain Nicolas Gabutina with its senior instructor Lieutenant Colonel Roger Hilsman Sr., when it was ordered to moved to Davao and Major Frank McGee, (Ret.) took command few days before battle of Davao in December 20, 1942. 3rd Battalion was under Captain Vicente Marabol it was still n Malaybalay as it was still training with its senior instructor Major Arlie Higgins. It was ordered to Digos along with 3rd Battalion, 102nd Infantry to setup defensive sector in Digos under Lieutenant Colonel Howard Frissell in December 24, 1941.
In January 1942 Major McGee was replaced by Major Reed Graves as senior instructor of 1st Battalion in January 1942 after he moved to Digos sector to command 101st Infantry Regiment and also the executive officer of Colonel Perry. The battalion transferred back to Cotabato-Davao Sector to replace 3rd PC Regiment. Captain John Richardson became CO of 2nd Battalion in January 1942 after it was rested and rebuilt after Battle of Davao in December 1941. [2]
In April, Captain Bradshaw replaced Graves as Military instructor of 1st Battalion after graves assumed command of 101st Field Artillery Regiment, Major Earl Frandsen assume command of the 3rd Battalion after Major Higgins was wounded.
The regiment did not fought as a one unit due to the lack availability of a fighting unit within Mindanao. On December 10, 1941, General Vachon the 101st Division and Davao-Cotabato sector commander ordered Lieutenant Colonel Roger Hilsman Sr., to bring 2/101st Infantry under Captain Gabutina to Davao City and setup defense against Japanese invasion. Along with 2/82nd Infantry under 1Lieutenant Luis Jakosalem who came from Cebu, Davao PC Battalion under Major Gregorio Ferreols, and some volunteers that his force reached more than 2,000. Despite the large force, Colonel Hilsman don't have field artillery guns, coastal guns, and antiaircraft artillery pieces. Lack of training due to due limited supply of ammunition prevented soldiers to fire their rifles. To beefed up the leaderships Hilsman had Major Frank McGee who is retired Army officer turned planter in Malalag area, he also put Major Alvin T. Wilson in command of 2nd Battalion 82nd Infantry. On December 20, 1941 Muira and Sakaguchi detachments landed respectively in Tibungco in the northern part and Talomo in the southern part of the city. [3] In less a day Colonel Hilsman's troops were routed and forced to retreat via Davao-Tigatto road. They undertook 15 days hiking through the thick jungle trek and deep ravine eating corn, monkey meat, and bananas.
After losing contact with Hilsman, General Vachon sent Lieutenant Colonel Howard Frissell to Digos along with 1st Battalion 101st Infantry and 1st Battalion 101st Field Artillery, setup defenses in Digos area to prevent Japanese from reaching Kabacan the southern terminus of Sayre Highway. He also ordered Frissell to look for the missing unit and Hilsman, word reached him from moros and soldiers from the unit that straggled in Davao area that Hilsman has gone to Bukidnon via the Callawa. Upon knowing Japanese has made another landing in Malalag, Frissell posted 1st Battalion 101st Infantry at west of Digos towards Malalag and 2nd Battalion 101st Field Artillery to the north towards Davao City. From January to February 1942, Frissell attacked Japanese who landed in Malalag and their supply warehouses in Padada. A detachment of 2.95inch Mountain Guns under Captain Manuel Acosta was sent from Malaybalay to provide fire support. This small detachment made a moral booster to the Filipino – American defenders. Japanese naval fire and air support prevented Frissell troops in attacking Japanese in Padada and Malalag. In the engagement it destroyed 2 of the artillery battery guns and killed Captain Acosta. The unit and guns was withdrawn back to Malaybalay as ordered by the Force commander. [4]
He sent commando unit 101st Reconnaissance Battalion under Captain Narciso Del Rosario raided Japanese warehouses in Padada, resulting to destroying supplies and burning the warehouses. Captain Del Rosario was found severely wounded in this raid and he died on his wounds 2 days later. In February 1942, Lieutenant Colonel Howard Perry replaced Colonel Frissell as sector commander he was moved to Dalirig to serve as commander of the reserve force. 3rd Battalion, 101st Infantry under Major John McGee was sent to reinforce the Digos sector. [5]
2nd Battalion 101st Infantry now under Major John Richardson was brought to Makilala from Kabacan to prevent Japanese infiltrating from the jungles of Padada. In April Kawaguchi detachment landed in Cotabato City and Muira detachment received reinforcements and sent force from Davao to Digos, [6] General Kawaguchi sent a force via Mindanao river with their moro guides, landed in Pikit and reaching Midsayap. General Vachon ordered all forces to retreat in Kabacan, 3rd Battalion 101st Infantry reached Kabacan from Makilala on May 2, 1942. Fighting was intense but Japanese failed to cross Carmen Ferry to reach Malaybalay. [7]
Pulled Out to Kabacan
The regiment has been fighting since February without let up, Division Commander Brigadier General Joseph Vachon decided to pullout 101st Infantry Regiment to Kabacan. 1st Battalion under Captain John Richardson, 2nd Battalion under Major Arlie Higgins placed in Aroman, and 3rd Battalion under Major Earl C. Frandsen placed in Carmen Ferry subsector.
On May 10, 1942, General Vachon received orders to surrender from Mindanao Force headquarters at daybreak on May 11. All combat units of 101st Division including 101st Infantry Regiment now under Lieutenant Colonel John McGee cease their combat operations and assembled in Kabacan to surrender. However, not all soldiers and officers acknowledge the order. They run and hide to the hills, mountains, and jungles waited for the guerilla units to get organized and joined at the earliest opportunity.
Regimental Roster
The VII Army Corps of the United States Army was one of the two principal corps of the United States Army Europe during the Cold War. Activated in 1918 for World War I, it was reactivated for World War II and again during the Cold War. During both World War II and the Cold War it was subordinate to the Seventh Army, or USAREUR and was headquartered at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart, West Germany, from 1951 until it was redeployed to the US after significant success in the Gulf War in 1991, then inactivated in 1992.
This is the complete order of battle of Allied and German forces involved during Operation Market Garden.
The Battle of Mindanao was fought by the Americans and allied Filipino guerrillas against the Japanese forces on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines as part of Operation VICTOR V. It was part of the campaign to liberate the Philippines during World War II. The battle was waged to complete the recapture of the southernmost portions of the archipelago from the Imperial Japanese Army.
The 29th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade unit of the British Army. It was originally raised in 1914 and saw service during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War.
The 715th Infantry Division was a German infantry division which fought during World War II.
The 71st Infantry Division was a reserve division of the Philippine Army that fought under the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). It was known for its fight with Japanese invading forces in Layac Junction, that was ordered to hold until all retreating Fil-American forces of crossed into Bataan Peninsula.
The 81st Infantry Division was a reserve division of the Philippine Army under the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). It was established in the prewar period and fought 1941–1942. Its troops are from Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte but most of its troops are Americans and junior officers are Filipinos coming mostly from Luzon. The division served in defense of Mindanao but it never commanded the 4 of its maneuver regiments but was supplemented with 61st Infantry from Panay and 73rd Infantry from Negros. Also, 2nd Regular Regiment was transferred to its command in the early part of Japanese invasion of Mindanao.
The 101st Infantry Division was one the reserve divisions of the Philippine Army under the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE)'s 10th Military district mainly entire island of Mindanao.
The 102nd Infantry Division was a division of the Philippine Army under the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE).
Visayas-Mindanao Force was a military formation created in November 1941 to command all soldiers of US Army, US Philippine Scouts, Philippine Army, and Philippine Constabulary in the southern islands of the Philippines. Colonel William F. Sharp was appointed as commanding general and was promoted to Brigadier General in November 1941 and later Major General. His executive officer is Major Howard Edmands. He was just starting to organize his command and train his soldiers into a fighting unit when the war started on December 7, 1941.
Mindanao Force is a corps size military unit defending the island of Mindanao the second largest Island of the Philippines from March 17, 1942, to its surrender on May 9, 1942. The force was already created when the Visayas-Mindanao Force was split into two in March 1942. It was initiated in February 1942 in the headquarters of US Army Forces in the Far East but took effect when General Douglas MacArthur departed for Australia on March 17, 1942.
61st Infantry Regiment is a military unit and formation of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, activated in August 1941 in Panay Island. It is under the command of 61st Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army. The regiment collapsed in May 1942 with its commanding officer captured by the Japanese Army in Lanao.
The 73rd Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was activated on August 25, 1941, was inducted to United States Army Forces in the Far East on September 1, 1941, by Captain Eugene B. Hicker of US Army. It was the last regiment among the three authorized to organized so it was not included when the entire 71st Infantry Division was ordered transferred to the main island of Luzon in September 1941.
61st Field Artillery Regiment of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was activated in August 1941and fought in Mindanao island during World War II. The regiment was composed of reservists from Panay island in the Visayas with few officers from Luzon and American army officers and key non-commissioned officers. It was transferred to Mindanao in January 1942 and fought the Japanese in Cagayan sector retreating inland to Bukidnon until it was ordered to surrender on May 10, 1942.
81st Infantry Regiment is military unit and formation of the Philippine Commonwealth Army
Visayan Force is a US Forces in the Philippines subcommand which was created and took effect on March 17, 1942, after General Douglas MacArthur departed for Australia. It was disintegrated in month upon its creation due to the lost of contact of Visayan Force headquarters during the Japanese invasion of Cebu in April 16 to 19, 1942, it resorted to guerilla warfare. Eventually all forces in the Visayas was ordered to surrender on May 11, 1942.
102nd Infantry Regiment is a military unit of the Philippine Commonwealth Army during World War II. I was activated in September 1941 and inducted to USAFFE on the same month. It fought under 101st Infantry Division
103rd Infantry Regiment is a unit activated by the Philippine Army during World War II. I was organized in Mindanao in November 1941 which was not yet ready to fight when the war broke out.
82nd Infantry Regiment is a unit activated by the Philippine Commonwealth Army for the defense of the Philippine during World War II. It defended the Cebu Island particularly in the southern part of Cebu during the Japanese landings in Cebu island on April 16, 1942. It surrendered on May 12, 1942, after it was ordered by Visayas-Mindanao Force commander General Sharp to surrender.
94th Provisional Infantry Regiment is a territorial defense organized by Colonel Theodore Cornell