Japanese invasion of Cotabato

Japanese invasion of Cotabato City
	Part of Sakaguchi Landings
Date	April 29, 1942 – May 12, 1942
Location	Cotabato, Cotabato
Result	Japanese victory
Belligerents
United States of America Commonwealth of the Philippines;	Empire of Japan
Commanders and leaders
William F. Sharp ; Joseph P. Vachon ; Russell J. Nelson; William Baldwin; Paul Schultz; Calixto Duque ; Francisco Donesa	Kawaguchi Kiyotake
Units involved
"""Ground Units:"""" Mindanao Force 101st Infantry Division 102nd Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion; ; 104th Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion; ; 103rd Infantry Regiment 3rd Battalion; ; 101st Field Artillery 2nd Battalion; ; ; Philippine Constabulary 3rd PC Infantry Regiment; Air units: ; US Army Air Corps 28th US Bombardment Squadron;	"""Ground units:""" Kawaguchi Detachment 9th Infantry Brigade; ; Armored Detachment; Artillery Detachment;
Strength
4,600 Troops 2x QF 2.95inch Guns	3,560 Troops 4 Destroyers 18 Armored Vehicles Artillery Guns

Last updated December 04, 2024

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

The landings in west coast of Mindanao took place in Zamboanga City in Zamboanga Province, Malabang in Lanao Province, and in towns Cotabato and Parang of Cotabato Province. Kawaguchi Detachment objective was to move towards Kabacan and link up with Muira Detachment who was driving west from Digos, Davao to control Sayre Highway from the southern terminus of it, which under the area of responsibility of 101st Infantry Division assigned in Cotabato-Davao Sector.^[1]

Japanese was able to reached their objective on May 3, 1942, which created confusion among the troops of the Filipino and Americans defending the area due to sudden infiltration of the Japanese in Pikit town just few miles from Kabacan. The landing further inland in Pikit gave more complications on the Cotabato subsector forces forcing the Digos subsector to retreat to Kabacan.^[2]

Background

In December 1941, General Vachon sent forces to Davao and Cotabato respectively to thwart any Japanese landings on these two fronts who aiming to reach Kabacan and control Sayre Highway.^[3] Vachon sent Lieutenant Colonel Russell J. Nelson to establish Cotabato Subsector force, he brought along 2nd Battalion, 102nd Infantry under Major William Baldwin to reinforce 2nd Regular Regiment of the Philippine Army under Lieutenant Colonel Calixto Duque who is based in Camp Luna in Parang overlooking the Polloc Harbor and the 3rd PC Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Donesa.^[2]

While Japanese landed in Davao on December 20, 1941, Cotabato subsector was not hit until April 1942. Nelson tried strengthened his sector but 3rd PC Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Donesa was pulled out and sent to Digos subsector to reinforced the forces there. In March, 2nd Battalion 104th Infantry under Captain John Natola was sent to reinforced Cotabato.^{[ citation needed ]}

Combat narratives

On April 29, 1942 Kawaguchi Detachment arrived in the coast of Illana Bay. The made landings at dawn at Cotabato and Parang towns in Cotabato province on April 29, 1942, supported by naval and aircraft from Zamboanga.^{[ citation needed ]}

Parang

Colonel Duque's 2nd Infantry Regiment with over 600 men composed of newly recruited school boys delayed the Japanese for 4 hours at their beachhead with their stubborn resistance. Duque position his mean above the hill overlooking Polloc Harbor. However, Duque was forced to withdraw after Cotabato was easily sieged and the control of the highway was taken by the Japanese. To avoid being cutoff he retreated towards Malabang.^[4] 2nd Infantry Regiment now assigned to 81st Infantry Division under Brigadier General Guy O. Fort. Later Colonel Duque became 81st Division selected as its chief of staff.^[2]

Cotabato

Colonel Nelson deployed the 2nd Battalion, 102nd Infantry under Major William Baldwin at the outskirt of the town support by 1st Battalion, 104th Infantry along the Pikit-Cotabato road. Soon, Japanese was able to sieged the town and in command of the highway Cotabato-Lanao Road.^[2] Nelson's troops gave a brave stand but a Japanese force was sent through the Mindanao River to make a land in Pikit with the help of Pro-Japanese Moros under Datu Sinsuat who served as guides. This worried Nelson more as he feared of being cutoff.

General Vachon sent 1st Battalion, 103rd Infantry to thwart this landing in Pikit. The landing in Pikit brought the Cotabato-Davao Sector into its knees as Digos Force was forced to retreat to Kabacan to avoid being cutoff if Japanese reach Kabacan.^[1] Fighting was instense and it reached Midsayap and General Vachon ordered Colonel Graves to retreat to Kabacan with his units who gave a stubborn resistance of Muira Detachment trying to reach Kabacan.^[2]

Aftermath

101st Division was still firmly in control of Kabacan with his troops still fighting in Midsayap and Mlang but the Cagayan Sector was fast crumbling and could no longer put a line of resistance.^[1] General Sharp ordered all units in Mindanao to surrender on May 12, 1942, but only few surrender a vast number of 101st Division soldiers went to the hills and later joined guerilla movement among them the young and energetic young Moro officer Captain Salipada Pendatun who later became a senator.^[2]

Related Research Articles

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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 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 lacked artillery, and due to Japanese naval and air support were overwhelmed and forced to retreat.

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.

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.

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.

Russell J. Nelson, is a US Army colonel who served both on World War I and World War II. He was known to comma.nd Cotabato subsector and Japanese invasion of Mindanao on later Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1942. He surrendered his regiment upon the surrendered of all forces in the Philippines in May 1942. He went missing at sea when his transport ship was bombed and sunk.

References

1 2 3 Morton, Louis (1953). The Fall of the Philippines, November 1, 1941 – May 12, 1942 (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office (published June 26, 1952). pp. 510–513.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Tarkington, Hiram (November 1, 1941 – May 25, 1942). There were others. pp. 315–320.
↑ Catalan, Primitivo (May 1977). The Brief History of 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Army (1st ed.). Quezon City, Philippines: Cintoner Printing Press. p. 49.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
↑ Catalan, Primitivo (May 1977). The Brief History of 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Army (1st ed.). Quezon City, Philippines: Cintoner Printing Press. p. 48.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)

External links

There were others, Unpublished papers of Colonel Hiram Tarkington, CO 61st Field Artillery Regiment, Philippine Army

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[:0-1] 1 2 3 Morton, Louis (1953). The Fall of the Philippines, November 1, 1941 – May 12, 1942 (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office (published June 26, 1952). pp. 510–513.

[:1-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tarkington, Hiram (November 1, 1941 – May 25, 1942). There were others. pp. 315–320.

[3] Catalan, Primitivo (May 1977). The Brief History of 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Army (1st ed.). Quezon City, Philippines: Cintoner Printing Press. p. 49.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)

[4] Catalan, Primitivo (May 1977). The Brief History of 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Army (1st ed.). Quezon City, Philippines: Cintoner Printing Press. p. 48.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]