102nd Infantry Regiment (Philippines)

102nd Infantry Regiment (Philippines)
102nd Infantry Regiment (Philippines)
Active	September 1941 – May 1942
Disbanded	May 11, 1942
Countries	United States of America; Commonwealth of the Philippines
Allegiance	United States Army
Branch	Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Ground troops
Size	1,500
Part of	101st Infantry Division
Garrison/HQ	Camp Casisang, Malaybalay, Bukidnon
Equipment	M1923 Thompson .45 ACP Submachineguns M1917 Enfield .30 caliber bolt action ifles M1918 Browning .30 caliber automatic rifles M1917 Browning .30 caliber machineguns M2 Browning .50 caliber heavy machineguns 3 inch stokes mortarsContents Background ; Combat narratives ; Japanese landings ; Surrender ; References ; See also ; External links ;
Engagements	Battle of Pikit; Battle of Cotabato City
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Lieutenant Colonel Russell Nelson
Insignia
Identification; symbol

Last updated August 20, 2024

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

under Brigadier General Joseph Vachon in Mindanao in Cotabato Province. The regiment did not fought as a unit each of the three battalions fought on different fronts and sectors.^[1]

Background

The regiment was activated mostly from recruits of Mindanao, 1st Battalion was organized in Lanao, 2nd Battalion came from Zamboanga, and 3rd Battalion came from Bukidnon recruited from migrants from Visayas islands who moved to Mindanao. Same with other regiments lack of weapons, and ammunitions mired the training of the regiment.^[1]

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Russell J. Nelson, with 1st Battalion commanded by Major Alvin T. Wilson who previously commanded 2nd Battalion 82nd Infantry back in Davao Force under Lieutenant Colonel Roger Hilsman Sr., 2nd Battalion 102nd Infantry is commanded by Major William Baldwin, and 3rd Battalion is commanded by Captain Aniano Tolentino.

Combat narratives

On December 10, 1941, Company H, 2nd Battalion 102nd Infantry was attached to 2nd Battalion 101st Infantry and was brought to Davao City by Lieutenant Colonel Roger Hilsman Sr., they are the first unit that got combat experience of the regiment. It is the fact that majority of the recruits of Company H are from Davao. In December 20, Davao city was attack by Japanese Army, Navy, and Air Forces. Company H, 2/102nd Infantry provided machinegun fire in Tibungco beach where Muira detachment landed.^[2]

In December 22, 2nd Battalion 102nd Infantry was sent to Cotabato City to prevent any Japanese landings. Lieutenant Colonel Russell J. Nelson the regimental commander as Cotabato subsector. Along with 2nd Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Calixto Duque who is posted in Camp Luna, Parang, Cotabato to guard Polloc Harbor. Together they form the Cotabato subsector force under Lieutenant Colonel Nelson.^[1]

1st Battalion under now Lieutenant Colonel Alvin T. Wilson who was a Davao campaign veteran was sent to Zamboanga Sector for retraining of the unit. However, Lieutenant Colonel Alvin T. Wilson was put in charge of the Zamboanga Sector after Colonel William F. Dalton was ordered to transfer to Bukidnon to setup Artillery and Infantry Training School. Command was passed to Major Jose D. Garcia, for 2 months it was the only force in the sector along with PC units as Provisional Battalion, 43rd US Infantry under Major Allen Peck was brought along with Colonel Dalton to serve as instructors in the training school. 1st Battalion 106th Infantry is still being organized out of the high school students of Zamboanga.^[3]

3rd Battalion was kept as Division reserve in Carmen Ferry subsector and it was later posted in Midsayap after 103rd Infantry Regiment under Major Joseph Webb was ordered transferred to Cagayan Sector under 102nd Infantry Division.

Japanese landings

Kawaguchi detachment who subdue Cebu force quickly landed in Cotabato and Parang simultaneously on April 28, 1942. Colonel Nelson had one company in Cotabato City and the rest of his forces are inland at the outskirt of the city, he is worried of Japanese infiltration through Mindanao River and he has no enough troops and transports to chase the Japanese wherever they land.^[4]

2nd Kure Special Naval Landing Force landed in Zamboanga sector 1st Battalion 102nd Infantry went to engaged them inside the city but due to combined air, naval and artillery support the battalion needed to retreat the outskirt of the city. General Sharp ordered Colonel Wilson to fight a guerilla warfare with his remaining force. 1st Battalion 102nd Infantry along with 1st Battalion 106th Infantry fought the Japanese in a hit and run tactics and giving them casualties.

Surrender

On May 10, 1942, both sector commanders Brigadier General Joseph Vachon of Davao-Cotabato Sector and Lieutenant Colonel Alvin T. Wilson of Zamboanga Sector received a radio message from VMF Headquarters in Malaybalay, Bukidnon ordering them to surrender at daybreak on the following day. 2nd and 3rd Battalions 102nd Infantry Regiment surrendered in Kabacan and brought to Camp Casisang in Malaybalay. While the 1st Battalion 102nd Battalion surrendered in Zamboanga sector. The surrender of US Forces in the Philippines is the largest military capitulation of US Military history.

Related Research Articles

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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.

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.

81st Infantry Regiment is a 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 the month after its creation due to the loss 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.

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.

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101st Field Artillery Regiment is a reserve field artillery regiment activated in August 1941 as part of 101st Infantry Division based in Camp Casisang in Bukidnon Province. Visayas-Mindanao Force only received 8 QF 2.95inch Mountain Guns and divided it between two divisions in the island 101st and 81st in Lanao sector. The regiment retrained into fighting as infantry due to lack of guns to operate.

62nd Infantry Regiment was Philippine Army Reserve unit activated in November 1941 in Panay Island. It was organized from the Army reservist in that area with officers mostly coming from Luzon and Americans. I was based and trained in Cabatuan, Iloilo and was placed as part of 61st Infantry Division activated on November 1, 1941, in preparation for Japanese invasion of the Philippines.

United States Forces in the Philippines (USFIP) is a unified command in the Philippines during World War II. It was the successor to the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) which General Douglas MacArthur commanded. He moved to Australia as he evacuated as ordered by President Roosevelt in March 1942. The command only lasted two months as it surrendered by Lieutenant General Jonathan M. Wainwright to Lieutenant General Homma Masaharu commander of 14th Army of the Imperial Japanese Army.

After Davao Force was dispersed on December 24, 1941, they went missing and no contact, General Joseph Vachon sent Lieutenant Colonel Howard Frissell to Digos, Davao and setup defense of Digos Junction area to prevent Japanese drive towards Digos-Pikit road and reaching Kabacan the southern terminus of Sayre Highway.

Japanese invasion of Cotabato is one of the three landings made by Japanese Army during their

Japanese invasion of Zamboanga took place in March 1942 as part of Mindanao siege during Japanese campaign to invade the Philippines in December 1941 to May 1942.

61st Field Artillery Regiment is a reserve unit of Philippine Army activated in August 1941 as part of 61st Infantry Division based in Panay Island. It fought as infantry as their guns did not reached them as it was sunk when SS Corregidor hit landmine in Manila Bay.

References

1 2 3 Catalan, Primitivo (1977). The brief history of 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Army (1st ed.). Quezon City, Philippines: Cintoner Printing Press (published May 1977). p. 7.
↑ Hilsman, Roger Sr (December 1941 – January 1942). Davao Force Rpt (PDF). pp. 1–10.
↑ Tarkington, Hiram (August 1941 – May 1942). There were others (PDF). pp. 87–88.
↑ Morton, Louis (August 1941 – May 1942). "The Fall of the Philippines". United States Army in World War II The War in the Pacific (1st ed.). Washington, D.C: US Government Printing Office (published June 26, 1953). pp. 510–512.

External links

There were others, unpublished papers of Colonel Hiram Tarkington, CO 61st Field Artillery
Brief history of 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Army

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[Catalan_1977-1] 1 2 3 Catalan, Primitivo (1977). The brief history of 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Army (1st ed.). Quezon City, Philippines: Cintoner Printing Press (published May 1977). p. 7.

[2] Hilsman, Roger Sr (December 1941 – January 1942). Davao Force Rpt (PDF). pp. 1–10.

[3] Tarkington, Hiram (August 1941 – May 1942). There were others (PDF). pp. 87–88.

[4] Morton, Louis (August 1941 – May 1942). "The Fall of the Philippines". United States Army in World War II The War in the Pacific (1st ed.). Washington, D.C: US Government Printing Office (published June 26, 1953). pp. 510–512.

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