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73rd Infantry Regiment (Philippines) | |
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Active | September 1, 1973 - May 11, 1942 |
Disbanded | May 11, 1942 |
Countries | ![]() ![]() |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch | Army |
Type | Infantry |
Role | Infantry |
Size | 1,800 |
Part of | 81st Infantry Division 71st Infantry Division |
Garrison/HQ | Camp Overton, Iligan, Lanao Camp Leon Kilat, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental |
Equipment | M1917 Enfield .30 Caliber Bolt Action Rifles M1903 Springfield .30 Caliber Bolt Action Rifles M1923 Thompson .45 ACP Submachineguns M1918 Browning .30 Caliber Automatic Rifles M1911 Colt .45 Caliber Pistol |
Engagements | Battle of Lanao |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Colonel Robert H. Vessey, USA Captain Juan Taduran |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol | ![]() |
Philippine Army Infantry Regiment | ||||
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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. [1] 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.
After its activation 78 officers led by Captain Juan K. Taduran and 20 senior enlistedmen were called for active duty at Camp Leon Kilat. After induction the regiment was moved to Magallon for further specialized training. 71st Infantry Division was ordered to transfer to main island of Luzon, leaving 73rd Infantry Regiment in the island of Negros. In November 1941 the regiment was mobilized to its full war time strength. Major Robert H. Vessey, of US Army became its commanding officer on December 15, 1941. [1] Along with Captain Stephen M. Byars as acting regimental executive officer and commander of HQ Battalion. Later Major Tisdale arrived and assumed as executive officer of the regiment. Regimental staffs composing of 2Lt Monico V. Ausejo as S1 and Adjutant, 2Lt. Alfredo Tomada as assistant Adjutant, 2Lt. Perfecto Arribas as S2 Intelligence, 1Lt. Emilio P. Arboleda as S3 Operations, Captain Leodegario Ramos as S4; 2Lt Timoteo S. Oracion, Assistant S4, and 3Lt. Simeon O. Mamicpic as regimental signal officer. [1]
HQ & HQ Battalion is under was under Captain Byars along with 1Lt Mamicpic as his Executive Officer. Americans 1Lieutenant Albert F. Chase appointed appointed as CO of 1st Battalion, 1Lieutenant Jack . Lare CO of 2nd Battalion, and 1Lieutenant John W. Stephens, CO of 3rd Battalion. [1]
The regiment did not escape from the widespread and harassing plague of broken extractors which contributed to the markmanship training not being carried.
The regiment was ordered transferred to Mindanao island and sailed on January 6, 1942, and reaching the following day. [2] Upon its arrival on January 7 It was attached to 81st Infantry Division under Brigadier General Guy O. Fort covering northwest coast of Lanao sector. Colonel Vessey established his HQ at Camp Overton, just around Maria Cristina falls. [3]
Kawaguchi detachment landed in Cotabato City and Parang in Cotabato Province. Another force landed in Malabang, Lanao the objective is to move northward to link with Kawamura detachment in Cagayan sector. After the 61st Infantry Regiment was routed and the capture of its commander Colonel Mitchell. Only 73rd Infantry Regiment was the lone remaining intact regiment in Lanao sector. With General Fort ordered Colonel Vessey moved two of his battalions around the vicinity of Lake Lanao. It stood at the path of Kawaguchi detachment. [4] Colonel Vessey along with his XO Major Tisdale and with an American enlisted man moved forward to reconnoiter the front but was ambushed by a tank. They were separated, Colonel Vessey was able to returned to Communication Post while Major Tisdale and the Corporal straggled around the jungle where they met two moros and guided them but attacked them which killed Major Tisdale.
Colonel Vessey appointed LCmdr. Strong to be his executive officer and continue to fight the Japanese.
The regiment was still fighting at Ganassi and Bacolod area of Lanao Province when orders from Mindanao Force Headquarters to surrender reached General Fort commander of Lanao sector on May 10, 1942. [5] Initially Fort questioned the order as his men is fighting very well in his sector preventing Japanese reaching Cagayan sector. General Sharp the force commander insisted that the order must be carried the following day. Fort ordered Colonel Vessey to stand down and wait for further instructions. On May 22, 1942, All forces under 81st Division including 73rd Infantry Regiment surrendered.
73rd Infantry Regiment and remnants of 61st Infantry Regiment was involved in another death march that took place in Mindanao. Japanese forced them to march from Dansalan to Camp Overton in Iligan without food and water. Colonel Vessey along with other officers were executed by the Japanese at the road as warning to his men who are escaping every opportunity they have. [6]
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.
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
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
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.
Negros Force was activated by USAFFE on September 1, 1941, to May 12, 1942. The force did not fought during the war but played in organizing units deployed to different sector. The force also continued to fight as a guerilla after the surrender. Although the two provinces was never united due to different affiliation of the commanders.
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.
Japanese Invasion of Malabang was part of the Japanese landings on the western coast of Mindanao that began on April 29, 1942. Kawaguchi Detachment landed in three important points in west coast of Mindanao including Malabang in then undivided Lanao Province. Defending forces of Filipino and American troops resisted but due to lack of artillery pieces and Japanese Naval and Air support they were overwhelmed and forced to retreat most of the time.
Japanese invasion of Cotabato is one of the three landings made by Japanese Army during their
84th Infantry Regiment is a provisional military unit and formation of the Philippine Army organized during WW II to bolster the defense of Lanao Sector. It fought in Lanao during Japanese landing in Malabang and moved northward to Dansalan.
75th (Provisional) Infantry Regiment was a reserve unit of Philippine Commonwealth Army activated under Negros Force in January 1942. It saw no action as it was disbanded in May 1942 after it surrendered to Japanese during World War II. Most of its soldiers escaped and joined guerilla movement organized by Major Salvador Abcede.
74th Infantry Regiment is a provisional unit activated and organized in Negros during World War II after all units of 71st Infantry Division was transferred to Luzon and Mindanao. It was comprised mostly of reserve out of ROTC cadets and recruits within Negros Island. It was activated after Headquarters, Philippine Army authorized in December 1941.
71st Field Artillery Regiment was a military unit of Philippine Army activated in 1941 as part of 71st Infantry Division. It fought in Luzon during Japanese landing and also in Bataan. All officers and men was captured during surrender of Fil-American forces in Bataan on April 9, 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.
81st Field Artillery Regiment is a reserve unit of Philippine Commonwealth Army activated in August 1941 as part of 81st Infantry Division. It was organized and inducted in Cebu out of reserve soldiers and officers.
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