Battle of Digos | |||||||||
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Part of Battle of Mindanao | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
United States | Empire of Japan | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Reed Graves Contents
| Muira Tushio | ||||||||
Units involved | |||||||||
"Ground Forces":
| Ground units:
Naval units:
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Strength | |||||||||
4,000 Troops 2 QF2.95inch Mountain Guns | 3000 Troops |
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. [1]
The Digos Force of Cotabato-Davao Sector held the Japanese for four months despite lack artillery guns and ammunition. [1] The landing of one of the group of Sakaguchi detachment in Cotabato City and made a landing head to Pikit and Midsayap through the Mindanao River on April 28, 1942, made 101st Division commander General Vachon to order Digos Force to retreat towards Kabacan in fear of being cut off as Japanese are now fighting at the vicinity of Kabacan. [1]
When Davao City, Davao was Japanese secured on December 24, 1941, at a great cost due to heavy casualties inflicted by the Davao Force under Lieutenant Colonel Roger Hilsman, Sakaguchi detachment under Major General Sakaguchi Kayatake was forced to use his reserves intended for Jolo, Sulu Invasion. [1] He landed his troops in Malalag, Davao southeast of Davao Gulf. [2] General Joseph Vachon, Commanding General of 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army ordered Lieutenant Colonel Howard Frissell to setup defense in Digos area and locate the missing forces of Colonel Hilsman. [3]
Japanese moved west to Padada, Davao where the setup their supply depot where they can attack Digos. Another landing was made by the Japanese along the shoreline from Padada to Digos. [2]
He has 3rd Battalion 101st Infantry and 3rd Battalion 102nd Infantry. On December 31, 1941, a detachment of three QF 2.95inch Mountain Guns under Captain Manuel Acosta of Philippine Army was arrived to support the force, which gave a little morale booster to the defending force. 3rd Battalion 101st Infantry under Major Arlie Higgins was posted at the south of Digos and 3rd Battalion 102nd Infantry under Captain Johnson posted in the north toward Davao. [4]
Muira detachment was secluded in Davao City maintaining garrison duty. It did not move towards Digos only in February when battalions from 10th Independent Garrison arrived to replaced them on garrison duty. [2] 2nd Kure Special Landing Force was freed from Legaspi, Albay and landed in Malalag, Davao to free Sakaguchi detachment and moved to Jolo, Sulu.
Marines from 2nd Kure SNLF landed in the shoreline from Digos to Padada on December 31, 1941. With artillery, tanks, and air support it easily secured a beachhead and made contact on 3rd Battalion 101st which took heaviest pressure. Captain Johnson and his 3rd Battalion 102nd Infantry was ordered to assist the right flank. Captain Johnson was wounded and Captain Acosta commander of Artillery detachment was killed. The Digos-Pikit Junction was lost on this action. A reserve 3rd PC Infantry battalion at center was held it for a while but fled as towards Pikit. Captain Floyd Forte a Visayas-Mindanao Force HQ staff rallied to held the line near the Haley Plantation. [3]
On January 18, 1942, Colonel Howard Frissell was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Howard Perry with Major John H. McGee as his executive officer in Digos Sector. 3rd PC Infantry Regiment was replaced by 1/101st Infantry and 1/101st Field Artillery. [3] 101st Special Troops was also attached to the sector to make raids on Japanese positions. First raid in Padada was successful and several warehouses were burned and Japanese supplies were destroyed. However, raiding team commander Captain Nicolas Del Rosario was killed on his wounds. [3]
In March Lieutenant Colonel Howard Perry was replaced by his XO Major John H. McGee as he was ordered to be in Mindanao Force HQ in Malaybalay and assumed as Force Personnel Officer G1. [5] McGee was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and 3rd Battalion 101st Infantry was replaced by 1st Battalion 101st Field Artillery (equipped as infantry) under Major Reed Graves. 3rd Battalion 101st Infantry was fighting in the sector for three months since January 1942. 2nd Battalion 101st Infantry was again retrofit and attached to this again under its commander Major John Richardson. [4]
In April Lieutenant Colonel John H. McGee was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Reed Graves, commander of 101st Field Artillery Regiment. 101st Infantry Regiment units are pulled out to Kabacan and Aroman area in Carmen Ferry Sector. Muira receiving reinforcements took and offensive campaign in coordination with Kawaguchi detachment who just landed in Cotabato City and Parang. Graves forces repulsed Muira assaults twice with mortals and machineguns. However, due to Kawaguchi was able to make a landing head in Midsayap through Mindanao River, General Vachon ordered Graves to retreat towards Kabacan in fear of being cut off. Thus, the operations in Digos sector ended as operations are now concentrated in Kabacan and Carmen sector.
101st Infantry Division was still fighting when order from Mindanao Force headquarters reached Division headquarters to surrender at daybreak on May 12, 1942. Digos was the longest campaign in Mindanao during World War II as it reached four months before it was evacuated by 101st Division troops.
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 was 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 was 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 created when the Visayas-Mindanao Force was split into two in March 1942. It was initiated in February 1942 in the headquarters of the United States Army Forces in the Far East, but took effect when General Douglas MacArthur departed for Australia on March 17, 1942.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Japanese invasion of Cotabato is one of the three landings made by the Japanese Army during their siege of Mindanao.
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 was 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 the SS Corregidor, the ship transporting their guns, was sunk when it hit a landmine in Manila Bay.
Japanese Invasion in Cagayan de Oro, a military conflict during early days of World War II in the Philippines. It took place from May 6 to 12, 1942. Their main objective was to capture vital Del Monte Fields and link with Sakaguchi Detachment from the south via Sayre Highway.
104th Infantry Regiment, was a unit of Philippine Commonwealth Army activated and organized while the war progressed. It was organized with moros and local recruits within Cotabato-Davao Sector under 101st Infantry Division under Brigadier General Joseph Vachon in Mindanao Island during World War II.
105th Infantry Regiment was a special troops of activated and organized by 101st Infantry Division during Japanese invasion of Mindanao island. Irregular soldiers from Moros and local volunteers where trained and put into one unit. During Japanese invasion of Mindanao in Cotabato-Davao Sector.
106th Infantry Regiment, is a reserve unit of Philippine Commonwealth Army activated in January 1942 to augment the forces in Mindanao. It was attached to Zamboanga Force under Lieutenant Colonel William F. Dalton and later Lieutenant Colonel Alvin T. Wilson.
John Hugh McGee, is a US Army officer who is known for his combat exploits in Mindanao and escape during World War II. His contribution in Korean War was also credited by his peers and superiors. He served with US Army for 30 years from 1931 to 1961.
Reed Graves (1898–1944) is a US Army officer who served in the Philippines during World War II. He fought the Japanese in Digos at Cotabato-Davao Sector of Mindanao Force. He became POW when all Filipino and American troops surrendered on May 12, 1942. He died at sea when USS Shark torpedoed Arisan Maru that killed 1,782 POWs and civilians aboard.