Russell J. Nelson | |
---|---|
Born | Montcalm County, Michigan |
Disappeared | December 15, 1944 at Sea, Philippines |
Died | December 15, 1944 At Sea |
Cause of death | Missing in action or lost at sea, Prisoner of War, under Japanese control |
Buried | Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1917 - 1944 |
Rank | Colonel |
Service number | O-012423 |
Unit | 101st Infantry Division (Philippines) |
Commands | 102nd Infantry Regiment (PA) Cotabato Force |
Known for | Commanded Cotabato subsector |
Battles/wars | Battle of Cotabato |
Awards | Bronze Star Prisoner of War Medal Contents |
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.
Nelson initially commanded 101st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Army under 101st Infantry Division based in Dansalan, Lanao. In November 1941, the division transferred to Malaybalay, Bukidnon. [1]
In December, he was sent by then Colonel Joseph Vachon, commander 101st Infantry Division to Cotabato, Cotabato to thwart any Japanese landings in the area. [1] He organized his troops from local volunteers, PC units, and later 2nd Battalion, 102nd Infantry under Major William Baldwin arrived from Cagayan. [2] Another battalion arrived 2nd Battalion, 103rd Infantry and 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery (Fighting as infantry) [1]
When General Sharp ordered his Mindanao-Visayas Force to surrendered. He became POW and incarcerated in Camp Casisang, Malaybalay, Bukidnon. Later, he was moved to Cagayan and transported to Luzon. He along with other POW was boarded to one of transport ships to move to Japan. However, his ship was bombed and sunk. Colonel Nelson was missing and presumed dead on December 15, 1944. His memoriam is in the Walls of Missing at American Manila Cemetery, in the Philippines. [3]
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.