Japanese invasion of Cagayan de Oro

Japanese Invasion of Cagayan de Oro
	Part of the Philippines campaign (1941–1942), Pacific Theater
Date	May 2, 1942 – May 6, 1942
Location	Cagayan de Misamis, Misamis
Result	Japanese successfully secured a beachhead, and Filipino-American forces retreated towards Sayre Highway in Bukidnon.
Belligerents
Japan	United States Philippines ;
Commanders and leaders
Kawamura Saburo;	William F. Sharp ; William P. Morse ; Hiram Tarkington ; John P. Woodridge; Allen Thayer; Contents Background ; Japanese landing ; Withdrawal ; See also ; References ; External links ; Joseph Webb;
Units involved
Ground units: ; Japanese Fourteenth Army Kawamura detachment 9th Infantry Regiment; 41st Infantry Regiment; Armored Detachment; Artillery Batteries; ; Air units: ; Japanese 5th Air Army 22nd Air Brigade; Naval units: ; Japanese Imperial Navy 2nd Fleet;	Ground units: ; Philippine Commonwealth Army 103rd Infantry Regiment; 62nd Infantry Regiment; 81st Field Artillery Regiment (Fighting as Infantry); 61st Field Artillery Regiment (Fighting as Infantry); ; Civilian Home Volunteers; Philippine Constabulary Misamis PC Company; Air units: ; US Army Air Corps 30th US Bombardment Squadron (Ground Echelon);
Strength
4,500 Soldiers 4 Destroyers 2 Cruisers 11 Transports	6,500 Soldiers 200 Philippine Constabularies 2 P40 Warhawks
Casualties and losses
450	1,200

Last updated November 30, 2024

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.

Background

At the start of the war, Cagayan de Misamis in Misamis Oriental Province and Northern Coast of Mindanao has no army troops posted only PC^{[ clarification needed ]} constables and local policemen. The 1st Battalion, 101st Infantry under Major John McGee was posted in Tankulan in Bukidnon Province in order to guard Del Monte Field. In December, the 2nd Battalion, 102nd Infantry under Major William Baldwin was transported via sea from Zamboanga but before end of the year, the battalion was transferred to south in Cotabato.^[1]

In December 1941, General William F. Sharp, commander of Visayas-Mindanao Force, ordered troops from the Visayas Islands to transfer to Mindanao in order to bolster its defenses anticipating that supplies and reinforcements from Australia would be coming from the island and transported to Bataan and other islands. Between January 2 and 3, 1942 these troops arrived in different areas. The 61st Infantry and 73rd Infantry from Negros arrived via Iligan to bolster Lanao sector. The 61st Field Artillery and 62nd Infantry from Panay arrived via Bugo and Iligan, respectively. The 81st Field Artillery Regiment from Bohol arrived in Bugo port in Misamis.^[2] The 93rd Infantry and 81st Infantry arrived in Surigao from Leyte.^[1]

In February, United States Army Forces in the Far East headquarters informed General Sharp that 600 officers and men under Colonel William P. Morse from Bataan mostly airmen from deplaned squadrons were on their way to Mindanao. They wre to fight as infantry and starting arming them with rifles. Sharp activated Cagayan brigade under Colonel Morse and had the 61st Field Artillery and 81st Field Artillery under its command. Later in the month 103rd Infantry (less 3rd Bn) under Major Joseph Webb was transported via land arrived from the Cotabato-Davao Sector. In March, the 62nd Infantry under Lieutenant Colonel Allen Thayer was ordered to transfer to the sector from Lanao via land. Due to lack of motor transports the regiment hiked through the trails from Dansalan to Malaybalay. It was moved straight to Cagayan and posted in Tagoloan River.^[3]

On the stopover of General Douglas MacArthur in Mindanao for his relocation to Australia from March 16 to 17, he authorized the activation of 102nd Infantry Division under Colonel Morse whose Cagayan Brigade has expanded. This division was tasked to defend the northern coast of Mindanao.^[2]

Japanese landing

After securing Panay island, the Kawamura detachment under Major General Kawamura Saburo were preparing to its redeployment in Mindanao. They were relieved by 10th Independent Garrisons on April 28 and boarded naval transports escorted with destroyers for Northern Mindanao.^[2]

On May 2, 1942, the detachment and naval task group appeared in Macajalar Bay, in early morning they landed in several sectors of the Cagayan de Misamis coast including Bugo port. Due to the absence of a single artillery gun in the sector the landing was easy and defenders was unable to prevent it. The 103rd Infantry under Major Webb attacked the beachhead with two companies that almost threw the Japanese back to the sea.^[3]

Withdrawal

The 81st Field Artillery that posted at the right of 61st Field Artillery withdrew due to overwhelming number of Japanese. Colonel Tarkington of 61st Field Artillery ordered his regiment to withdraw, seeing his right flank was exposed. The 103rd Infantry, which attacked the Japanese on their beachhead, was also forced to withdraw as its right flank was exposed, and in fear of being encircled, Major Webb withdrew towards Talakag and 62nd Infantry, the last unit to withdraw, went towards Sayre Highway.^[2]

The Japanese were in total control of the Northern Coast with the capture of Macabalan and Bugo ports, and could land more troops and supplies. The 62nd Infantry was posted in Alae Junction to guard the next move of the Japanese. The 102nd Division failed on defending the beach landings due to lack of artillery and firepower.^[2]

Related Research Articles

The 61st Division of the Philippine Army was an infantry division from the 1941 to 1942.

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.

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61st Infantry Regiment was a military unit and formation of the Philippine Army, activated in August 1941 in Panay Island. It is under the command of 61st Infantry Division. The regiment collapsed in May 1942 with its commanding officer captured by the Japanese Army in Lanao.

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.

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.

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Japanese invasion of Panay on April 16–18, 1942 was the second landing in the Visayas Islands after Fil-American forces surrendered in Bataan on April 9, 1942. It is the next step to prevent any supplies reach Corregidor Island and control the Visayas waters and established bases for the campaign to invade island of Mindanao to complete the invasion of the Philippines.

93rd Infantry Regiment is a unit of 91st Infantry Division of Philippine Army activated in 1941. It was not organized until late of 1941. So it was left in Leyte island while the rest of the division was transferred to Luzon island to bolster its defense. It fought in Mindanao island where it was ordered to surrender and became POWs.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiram Tarkington</span>

Hiram Wendell Tarkington was a colonel in United States Army known for commanding the 61st Field Artillery Regiment of the Philippine Army from November 1941 to May 1942. He became a prisoner of war after the surrender of American forces in the Philippines and was imprisoned until the end of the war. After retiring from the Army in 1954, he led civil defense in Florida from 1955 until 1968.

John P. Woodridge is an American Army officer who served in World War II in the Philippines. He was known as commander 81st Field Artillery Regiment that fought Japanese in Mindanao in May 1942. He was POW and he boarded a hell ship to be taken to Mukden, Manchuria but was bombed and he went missing. He was promoted to full Colonel posthumously in 1945.

64th Infantry Regiment, is a provisional unit of Philippine Commonwealth Army under 61st Infantry Division activated and organized in Panay Island. It fought the Japanese invaders in the island from April 18, 1942, to May 12, 1942, after ordered to surrender by Visayas-Mindanao Force commander Major General William F. Sharp.

65th Infantry (Provisional) Regiment, is a reserve unit of Philippine Commonwealth Army under 61st Infantry Division to cover Panay Island. It was organized entirely with trainees and recruits from Panay Island. It fought during the Invasion of the Japanese of Panay Island and resorted to guerilla warfare after the 61st Division surrendered on May 16, 1942.

References

1 2 Baños, Mike (2022-02-21). "Defenders of Mangima Canyon". Metro Cagayan de Oro. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
1 2 3 4 5 Tarkington, Hiram (November 1941 – May 1942). There Were Others (PDF). pp. 345–357.
1 2 Morton, Louis (June 1, 1953). The Fall of the Philippines, August 1941 – May 1942 (1st ed.). Washington, D.C: US Government Printing Press. pp. 516–519.

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[:1-1] 1 2 Baños, Mike (2022-02-21). "Defenders of Mangima Canyon". Metro Cagayan de Oro. Retrieved 2024-08-25.

[:2-2] 1 2 3 4 5 Tarkington, Hiram (November 1941 – May 1942). There Were Others (PDF). pp. 345–357.

[:0-3] 1 2 Morton, Louis (June 1, 1953). The Fall of the Philippines, August 1941 – May 1942 (1st ed.). Washington, D.C: US Government Printing Press. pp. 516–519.

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