From Bataan to safety : the rescue of 104 American soldiers in the Philippines

ROM BATAAN TO SAFET.Y· The Rescue of 1 04 American Soldiers in the Philippine /

MALCOLM DECKER

FROM BATAAN TO SAFETY The Rescue of104 American Soldiers in the Philippines Malcolm Decker

McFarland &. Company, Inc., Publishers refferson, North Carolina, and London

AIPINAS HERITAGE LlBRA" _

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUiNG-iN-PUBLICATION DATA

Malcolm, Decker, 1946From Bataan to safety: the rescue of 104 American soldiers in the Philippines I Malcolm Decker. p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-7864-3396-4 soft cover : 50# alkaline paper

§

1. Fassoth, Bill , 1890- 1957. 2. Fassoth, Marrin, 1890- 1982.

3. Bataan Death March, Philippines, 1942. 4. World War, 19391945 - Prisoners and prisons, Japanese. 5. World War, 19391945 - Conscript labor - Philippines . 6. Prisoner-of-war escapes - Philippines - History - 20th century. 7. Prisoners of war - Philippines - Biography. 8. Prisoners of war - United States - Biography. 1. Title.

D767.4.D39 2008 940.54'7252095991- dc22 2008016998

British Library cataloguing data are available Š2008 Malcolm Decker. All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or trammitted in any form or by any meam, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

On the cover: from top left Bill, Catalina and Vernon Fassoth; Presidential Medal of Freedom (courtesy Ron Fischer); Death March (National Archives) Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcforlandpub.com

To Vernon and Aurora Fassoth for keeping the Fassoth legacy alive

Acknowledgments Thanks go out to so many that it is impossible to list them in any order implying importance or amount of support. Thanks to Vernon Fassoth, who supplied several documents, Jnterviews and pictures and spent over ten hours with me on the phone going over the material in the book, giving me additional background material. In addition. Monica Fassoth, his daughter, helped with family genealogy and pictures.

Wayne Sanford and Doug Clanin in Indianapolis held three reunions in the mid-eighties of the surviving men who organized guerrilla units on Luzon.

It is from their interviews that much of the material in this book was garnered. Earl Oatman, a member of Fassoth's camps, wrote and self-published Bataan: Only the Beginning, and encouraged me to use material from his book to better tell the story of Bill, Martin, and Catalina's endeavors to aid the escaped American soldiers from Bataan. In addition, he and his good friend Hank Winslow met with me and Bob Mailheau in Riverside, California, for an interview in 1996. Thanks also to Edwin Ramsey for encouragement and allowing me to use excerpts from his book, Lieutenant Ramsey's War. Jim Conner, son of Henry Clay Conner, has been most gracious in supplying me with his father's manuscripts and pictures.

Thanks go to Paul Brockman at the Indiana Historical Society for his help in locating research materials at the Society's beautiful Indianapolis facility.

Thanks to Don (Nano) Lucero for his interviews about Fassoth's camps and his time evading the Japanese. To Chris Schaefer, the author of Bataan Diary: An American Family in World War II, 1941-1945, who has forwarded me material for this book, including interviews with Vernon Fassoth. And to John Burton and his son Andrew Burton for helping with the map of Luzon.

John Burton is the author of Fortnight of Infamy: The Collapse ofAllied Airpower West of Pearl Harbor. vii

Vlll

Acknowledgments

Many thanks also go out to the veterans of the war against the Japanese in the Philippines who have written of their experiences, and in particular to those who spent time recovering from the ravages of war and malnutrition in the jungle camps of the Fassoths. These books have substantiated the humanitarian work done by Bill, Catalina, and Martin Fassoth and helped give their story amplified integrity.

Contents Acknowledgments Preface 1

Vll

1- War: December 8, 1941 3 2 - Into Bataan 16 3 - Little Food, Bad Ammunition 25 4-Escape 39 5 - Fassoths' Camps 69 6-Raids 98 7 - Capture, Surrender, Survive 124 8 - The Summer of' 43 146 9 - Re-formation 156 10- Preparations 167 11- MacArthur Returns 182

Appendix 197 Chapter Notes 205 Bibliography 213 Index 215

ix

Preface The surrender of Bataan on April 9, 1942, was a sad chapter in American history. Twelve thousand American soldiers and 60,000 Filipino compatriots slowed the conquering Imperial forces of the Japanese for four long months while enduring starvation rations and insufficient ammunition. They were asked to arrest the Japanese onslaught on the Philippine Islands without any help from outside sources.

Nearly 400 American soldiers either escaped from the Death March or did not surrender and slogged their way out of the Bataan peninsula into southern Luzon. They were aided by many Filipino families who put their own families and lives at risk to feed and shelter these men during their escape.

None put forth more effort than the Fassoths. Bill and Martin, twin brothers who were American cane growers, and Catalina, Bill's wife, expended immeasurable resources in ministering to over 104 American soldiers from April I?, 1942, to April 4, 1943.

Many Filipinos paid with their lives, but many were reimbursed by the U.S. government at war's end. Because Bill Fassoth would not turn his camps over to military control, insisting they remain rest and recuperation centers, he was denied the meager compensation for money he personally spent in providing food, shelter, and medicine for his "boys."

The army in one paragraph of their denial said: "You were not authorized to incur the expenses for which you seek reimbursement; it was a voluntary act on your part which does not create any obligation, legal or implied on the part of the United States to reimburse you ."

Though Bill, Catalina, and Martin Fassoth were recognized by President Harry Truman with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1947, to date the Fassoth family has not received one penny in compensation for the untold

1

2

Preface

efforts they performed in saving over 25 percent of the men who escaped Japanese control.

The following story chronicles where the soldiers were when the war began, how they escaped from the Japanese and found their way to Fassoth's camps, the care the men received while in the camps and what became of them after the camps were raided and Bill and Martin Fassoth surrendered to the Japanese.

I have relied on material from more than twenty books, as well as archives, personal letters, unpublished notes and interviews from many of the men. I have changed verb tenses in some of the material and paraphrased some of the longer stories for continuity. For every story, source material is credited in my endnotes. Many who read this book will want to find the books I've quoted for more information about these remarkable men.

It is with great humility that I tell this story of epic humanity. It is a small effort for what this noble family has done, including saving the life of my father, Doyle Decker.

Index Balinguan. Occidental Misamis Province 162 Banaba barrio 119. 120. 136. 137. 156. 159. 160.

161.172.174.178.179.184.185.188.189.

190 Bank. Bertram 30 Banks. Coleman 67. 96. 100. 109. 110. lll. 129.

130. 143. 144 Banning. Major 37 Banyan tree 36. 42. 120 Barber. Major 24 Barella. Louis 107 Barker. Joseph 12. 31. 37. 51. 52. 71. 72. 73.

74.82.83.89.91.92.93.95.98.99. lll.

112. 123. 127. 128. 133. 134. 154. 174 Barrio Benning 98 Barrio Defense Group 172. 173 Barrio Defense System 172 Barrio Watch Group 172 Barron. Anton 130. 131. 132. 142. 143 Barron. Espanacia 130 Barron. Rufino 130. 131. 132 Baruch. Benjamin 181 Baruya barrio 103 "Basi" 132 Bataon 1. 3. 8. 9. 10. 11. 13. 16. 21. 22. 23. 25.

27. 28. 33. 35. 37. 39. 41. 42. 44. 48. 52.

53.54.56.60.64.66.69.71.73.77.79.

81. 83. 84. 93. 94. 96. 102. 107. 112. 115. 116.

119. 125. 128. 133. 135. 148. 152. 171. 175.

177, 184. 188 Bataan Field 30 Bataan Mountains 16 Bato. Gaetano 175. 176. 177 Batolan River 19 Battery B. 200th Coast Artillery 36 Battery H. 200th Coast Artillery 7. 8. 11. 23.

28. 29. 30. 193 Beck. Leon 9.26.39.40.92.104 Bell, Louis 112, lJ3. lI5. 119. 134. 163

A-27 attack bombers 22 Ablan. Roque B. 99 Abucay 16. 21 Abucay Hacienda 28 Agloloma Bay 21 Agloloma Creek 46 Agloloma Point 23 Agno River. Bayambang 13 Agridano. Margarito 122. 130 Alibijed 162 Alvidrez. Fred 138 American Bar Association 170 Anderson. Bernard L. 8. 26. 49. 50. 56. 82.

83. 89. 127. 137. 138. 154. 161. 164. 166. 173.

174. 177, 178. 188. 189. 194 Angat. Bulacan 137 Angeles. Pampanga 90. 138. 152. 189. 190. 191 Antinoman. Tayabas 137 Apayao Province 99. 168 Aquino. Pablo 95.136 Arisan Maru 180 Artesian well 44 Ashton. Doctor Paul 30. 48 Atabrine 54 Ateneo de Manila 85. 87 "Attraction" 124 Augustin. Marcos (Marking's Guerrillas) 173 Australia 8. 83. 90. 97. 150. 168. 174. 181. 189 B-IO aircraft 8. 22 B-17 bombers 6. 8. 12 Baba. General 128 Babalete Island 138 Bagac. Bataan 24. 182 Bagac-Pilar Road 71 Baguio 10.139. 169. 185. 197 Bahay (house on stilts) 45 Balanga. Bataan 21. 47. 125. 183 Balekow. Jose 138

215

216

Index

Bellair, Archie 192 Bellanca, civilian airplane 34 Beriberi 56, 88 Bernacki, Frank 35,41,70,84,91,92,140 Bernia, Arturo 22, 84, 86, 91, lOS, 113, 138 Bernia, Vicente 22, 46, 56, 64, 72, 74, 76, 77, 80, 84, 85, 86, 87, 91, 94, 100, 105, 106, 112, 113, liS, 138 Big Pockets 26 Bilibid Prison 148, 149, 150, 151, 153, 164, 170; hospital 147, 148, 169 Blackburn, Donald Dunwoody 10, 21, 26, 55, 56, 80 86, 87, 89, 94, 95, 98, 99, 167, 168, 181 Bluemel, Clifford 31 Bocnown River 10 Boho 27,76,86,142 Bohol 162 Bokod 99 Bolos 60,75 Bondoc, Ruben 125 Bongabong 12, 13 Boni 21 Bontoc, Kalinga 146 Boone, John P. 9, 71, 72, 73, 88, 96, 99, 112, lI5, lI6, 117, 123, 125, 127, 128, 134, 135, 163, 171, 178, 182, 183, 187, 188, 194 Boston 87 Boyd, Jim 5, 53, 65, 66 Brazil Maru 185 Breder, John A. 181 Bressler, William 193 Brokaw, Frank 60, 62 Brooks, William 112 Brougher, William E. 27 Bruce, Alford 24, 56, lI8, 134, 135, 137, 151, 152, 187, 193 Bruno (Igorot guide) 56 Bujaoen barrio 104, 105, 108, 130, 132, 142 Bulacan, Province 79, 89,104, 112, 154 C-rations 46 Cabadbaran, Agusan Province 162 Cabanabanan River 138, 161 Cabanatuan 13 Cabanatuan prison camp 141, 142, 163, 164, 169, 170, 188 , 189, 192 Cabangbang, Lieutenant 178 Cabcaben 21, 35 Cabcaben Field 44 Cagayan Province 99 Cahill, Daniel 150, 151 Calumpit, Sibul Springs, Bulacan 89 Calyer, Peter d. 87,94,104,107,122,135,188 Cameguin Island 162 Camp Dau 138 Camp John Hay 10 Campbell, Bob 88, 96, 100, 109, 111, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 129, 156, 157, 158, 159, 164, 190,193

Canadian Inventor 1II 170 Canal Zone 149 Candaba Swamps 133, 136 Capalong, Comarines Norte 161 Capas 68, 152 Carabao 46, 48, 79, 90, 104, 144, 173, 192 Carrerela 139, 140 Casey, Hugh J. 24 Catmon River 32 Cebuano 156 Cervantes, IIocos Sur Province 168 Chapin, Robert M. 30, 32, 33, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 81 Chatham, Walter D. 44, 80, 102 Cheeseman, Joe 148 China Sea 39 Chinese Cemetery 153 Chocolate (Bill Fassoth's dog) 138, 139, 141 Cinemar barrio 131 Clark Field 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, lll, 118, 119, 129, 133, 156, 158, 174, 178, 179, 180, 183, 184 Club Tsubaki 154, 171 Cogon grass 42, 60, 74, 107, 143 Com padre (John Boone's code name) 171 Conception 136 Conner, Henry Clay 9,30,31,38,49,50,52, 53, 54, 55, 65, 66, 81, 89, 95, 96, lI5, lI6, 117, 118, 125, 128, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 156, 157, 158, 159, 164, 171, 174, 176, 177. 178, 179, 180, 183, 184, 185, 187, 188, 189, 190, 193 Constabulary (Philippine) 32, 33, 53, 175 Convoy MATA-30 180 Corregidor Island lI, 13, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 44, 48, 51, 52, 90, 168 Coward, William 103 Cracker (Firecracker, Decker's dog) 122, 157, 160 Crane, George 104, 107 Culala, Felipa U8 , 119 Cushing, Walter 24, 86 Dagupan 169 Dalagot River 19 Dao 12 Dawson, Samuel 53 Death March I, 25, 39, 44, 56, 68, 81, 83, 104, 135, 144, 158, 164 Decker, Doyle I, 6, 7, 8, 11, 23, 28, 29, 30, 36, 37, 41, 42, 43, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 81, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 96, 97, 100, 109, 110, 111, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 129, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 164, 171, 172, 174, 175, 176,178, 179, 183, 184, 185, 187, 188, 190, 193 Del Carmen, Pampanga 12 Del Carmen Field 6 Delores barrio 117, 118, 132 Demerine, drug 123 Dempson (Fi lipino plantation owner) 56

Index Dengue fever 33, 66 Dibut Bay 164 Dinalupihan 12, 16, 44, 49, 68, 71, 77, 78, 84, 94,102, 112, 125, 126, 127, 129, 139, 140, 183 Dinalupihan-Olongapo highway 188 Dingalon Bay 161 Dipolog, Occidental, Misamis Province 162 Dita 55,89 Dizon, Herminia Ill, 112 Donahey, Joe 135, 136, 137, 156, 157, 158, 164 Dosh, Louis 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 81, 92,140,185 Dunlap, Jerry 65, 66 Dysentery 38, 50, 56, 59, 73, 123, 178, 179 Earthquake 37 East Central Luzon District 83 ECLGA (East Central Luzon Guerrilla Area) 112, 123, 178 Eleventh Engineers 26 Eleventh Infantry Philippine Army 10, 13, 19, 21,25, 55,99,168 Enoura Maru 185 Espino, Jimmy 53, 54, 66, 95 Fassoth, Anna (Decker) 12, 69 Fassoth, Bill 1, 3, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 27, 28, 56,64,67,69,71,73,74,76,77,78,79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 97, 100, 102, 103, 105, 106, liS, 126, 128, 129, 134, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 163, 192, 194, 200, 201 Fassoth, Bill, Jr. 3,68,90, U5, 140, 141, 142, 163,201 Fassoth, Catalina 1, 3, 13, 21, 27, 28, 69, 71, 72,76,77, 90, 91, 100, 106, lI5, 128, 129, 138,139, 140, 141, 142, 163, 194, 200, 201 Fassoth, Conrad ina 69 Fassoth, Hans 69 Fassoth, John 12, 69 Fassoth, John, Jr. 69 Fassoth, Johnny 3 Fassoth, Joseph 69 Fassoth, Martin 1, 3, 12, 13, 15, 16, 21, 56, 64, 67, 69, 71, 74, 78, 80, 81, 82, 89, 93, 100, 102, 104, 106, 129, 138, 139, 141, 142, 163, 192, 194, 200, 201 Fassoth, Paul 69 Fassoth, Vernon 3, 12, 14, IS, 16, 21, 22, 88, 105, 112, 113, 114, 115, 129, 142, 163, 180, 201 Fassoth's camps 46, 47, 49, 56, 64, 70, 72, 73,74,77,80,82,83, 85, 8~91,92, 93, 94, 100, 104, 105, 109, Ill, 112, 113, 115, 120, 125, 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 134, 135, 138, 144, 150, 154, 164, 181, 185, 192, 194, 200 Feretta, Alvin, J. 194 Fertig, Col. W. 161 Fifth Interceptor Command 138 Filimeno, Placido 53, 54 First Far Eastern Air Force 8

217

First Field Hospital, 121st Guerrilla Infantry 169 First Philippine Division 18, 26 First Regiment 188 515th Coast Artillery Corp 23 Fletcher, Bernice 39, 140 Florida Blanco 142 Floridablanca 72 Foley, Joe 49 Fort Hughes 90 Fort McKinley 10 Fort Santiago prison 128, 154 Fort Stotsenburg 4, 12, 22, 24, 50, 72, lll, 117, 118,136,156,158,159,174,175,176,178, 180, 184, 185, 188, 189, 190 Fortieth Division 189 Forty-fifth Infantry Philippine Scouts 26 Forty-first Philippine Army 30 Fourteenth Corp 191 Fourteenth Engineer Battalion 32 Fourth Regiment 183, 188 Franco, Fabian U2 Franco, Louis M. 106, 107 Gardner, Bill 28, 35, 36, 39, 108, 135, 156 Gateley, William 39 Gause, Rocky 9 George (Mr. Palo's son-in-law) 120, 121, 159 George, General 8 "Golf Club" 150 Gonzales, Mr. 89 Greg, Colonel 31, 49 Griswold, Gen. Oscar 191 Guagua 78, 135 Guerrilla, Filipino 104, 106, 107, 112, 180, 183, 187, 188 Guerrillas 80, 89, 88, 89, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 99, 101, 117, 123, 124, 125, 126, 128, 129, 132, 133, 135, 137, 146, 150, 152, 154, 156, 159,166,167,168,171,173,174,175,177, 178, 180, 184, 186, 188, 189, 191 Guerro (plantation manager) 56 Guligado's Pass 185 Gutad, Parnpanga 22, 84, 87, 91, 106 Gyovai, Frank 53, 54, 55, 65, 66, 95, 96, 115, 116,117, 118, 128, 132, 136, 137, 156, 157, 158, 164, 174, 176, 179, 184, 190, 191, 193 Hacienda Ramona 190 Hagins, Arthur 39 Hardin, Cering 119, 120, 121, 135, 136, 161 Hardin, Maling 119,120, 121, 161 Hardin, Mauricio 119,120,135,157 Hardin, Mauricio, Jr. 119,120 Hardin, Pading 119,120, 121, 161 Hart, Eddie 139, 140 Hart, James 151,152 Hendrickson, Albert C. 153,181 Herbert, Ray 118, 132, 133, 134, 135, 152 Herring, Sill 149

218 High Pockets (Clare Phillips code name) 171 Hileman, Millard 122, 130, 131, 143, 148, 149, 150, 163, 164, 170 Hogan, Clay 189 Holmes, Stanley 30, 125 Horan, John P. 99 USS Hornet 184, 185 Hospital Number 1 35 Hospital Number 2 35 Hukbalahap, (Huks) 83, 112, 113, 116, 117, 126, 127, 133, 134, 136, 139, 149, 152, 156, 160 Humbo, Negrito guide for Conner 157, 158, 178,179 Hunt, Ray C. 9, 22, 23, 33, 34, 44, 45, 46, 68, 80, 88, 89, 98, 103, 105, 106, 107, 126, 127, 138, 152, 153, 170, 173, 180, 194, 197 Hurley, Father 85, 87, 88, 106 Iba, Zambales 94, 159 Iba trail 183, 184, 189 Igorot 56, 86, 138 I1ocano language 104 I1ocos Norte Province 99 I nd, Allison 8 Infanta, Tayabas 137,138, 161 Inghram, Alvin 53, 65, 66 Inman, Commander 112 Iowa 158 Irving, Harold Todd 151, 170 Isidro, Joaquin 130, 132 Islip, Bataan 105, 106, 129, 139 Japan 6 Japanese War Notes 162 Jellison, Wilbur 136 jingco sisters 94, 135 Johns, johnny ll8, 126, 127, 134, 135 Jones, Thomas 168 jones, Winsron 44, 80 Joseph Conrad (Wainwright's horse) 34 Kadel, Richard C. 5, 104, 107, 135 Kalaguiman Hospital 54 Kamachile barrio 183 Kanesero, Lieutenant 182, 183 Kangaroo Court 170 Kanji (Japanese writing) 171 Keiper, Owen 79 Keith, Eddie 53, 65, 66, 132, 136 Kelly, Ernest 50, 52, 53, 136 Kempeitai 112, 123, 125, 128, 147, 148, 153, 169,175 Kerry, John M. 45, 80, 181 Kilometer 191 46 King, Edward P. 24, 26, 34 Kinoguitan 162 Kipahulu Plantation 69 Kipling, Rudyard 151 Kodairo, Laxamana (Negri to leader) 188, 190

Index Krueger, Gen. Walter 189, 192, 193 Kuroda, Lt. Gen. Shegenori 124, 125, 154 Laganbyan 138, 161 Lage, Wilber 95, 181 La Lorna Cemetery 153 Lamao 35,48 La Paz 137 Lapham, Robert 24, 68, 82, 98, 128, 152, 153, 154,164,174,177, 178, 188, 189, 192, 194 Lapu, Doctor 89 Lara 136 Larsen, (Jim?) 79 Laurel, Jose 185 Lawrence, Hayden 53, 152 Laxamana, Marcos lll, 112 "Lay Low Order" 167 Layug, Doctor 76 Lebrado 156 Lebrado girls (Catalina Fassoth's nieces) 77, 129 Lee, Henry G. 39 Leeches 43, 94 Leslie, Ben 29 Letterman Hospital 7 Leyrer, Bob U8 Leyte 163, 173, 182, 186 LGAF (Luzon Guerrilla Armed Forces) 68 Lim, Gen. Vicente 30 Limay 21,51 Limpin, Dionicia 112 Lingayen Gulf 3, 13, 134, 135, 185, 186, 187 Little Baguio 21, 24, 35, 50 Lloyd, Frank 53, 54, 125 Long, Charles 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64 Loreto, Agusan Province 162 Los Angeles, California 122 Louisiana U8 Lubao, Pampanga 4, 12, 40, 41, 78, 79, 90, 142 Lubuagan, Kalinga 146 Lucero, Nano 36, 41, 42, 43, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66, 81, 83, 96, 97, 101, 103, 142,170 Lumanlan, Democrito (Crito) 136,152,157 Lumanlan, Erting 136 Lupus, Doctor 79 Luzon 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, 52, 54, 68, 69, 73, 82, 87, 98, 99, 108, 113, 133, 137, 142, 146, 154, 159, 161, 162, 163, 164, 166, 167, 169, 172, 173, 177, 178, 180, 185, 186, 187, 189, 197 Mabatang 16 MacArthur, Douglas 13,24,34,41,49,73, 123, 125, 154, 164, 167, 168, 169, 171, 172, 173, 174, 177, 178, 180, 186, 187 Macasual, Agapito (Max) 175, 176 MacGrath, Frank 189 Magat, Private 112 Magtanggol, Captain 182

Index Mailheau, Bob 95, 135, 136, 137, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 164, 172, 174, 175, 176, 178, 179, 180, 184, 185, 187, 188 , 190, 193 Main , Bill 148, 149, 150, 163, 164, 170 Mainit, Tayabas 161 Makapili spy 128 Malabo barrio 103 Malaria 27, 30, 33, 38, 39, 49, 54, 56, 57, 71, 73,74,77, 80, 87, 88, 89, 93, 122,129,134, 143 Manila 4,5,7,9,10,11,22,25,33,74,79, 84, 85, 86, 93, 96, 98, 99, 109, 112, 127, 128, 134, 136, 138, 142, 148, 169, 170, 171, 174,178,180, 182,184,189 Manila Bay 4, 21, 52, 54, 90, 106

Manila Tribune 171 Maningo, Felipe 177, 178, 180, 184 Mann , Howard 53, 136 Mao Tse-Tung 156 Mario (Negrito guide for Conner) 157, 178 Mariveles, Bataan 12, 14, 21, 23, 30, 35, 36, 37, 41, 44, 46, 47, 51, 113, 182 .

Mariveles Bay 34 Mariveles Mountains 30, 48, 71 Marking's Guerrillas 173, 180 Martin, Horner 91, 92, 140 Mason, Captain 31, 38, 49, 50 Mati Mati Maru 170 Mauban 16, 138 Max (Macasual, Agapito) 176 McCarty, John 192, 193 McCoy, Hugh B. 138, 149 McGuire, Ralph 24, 90, 91, 93, 94 McKenzie, Harry 194 Menzano, J.H. 137 Mercado (Manila cadre) 127 Merrill, Gyles 82, 92, 104, 105, 107, 108, 129, 130, 135, 154, 158 , 159, 160, 171, 179, 184, 187, 188 Miller, David 24 Mindanao 57, 161, 162, 170, 171; emergency currency 162 Mindoro 186 Missouri 87 Moji, Kyushu , Japan 170, 185 Mombajao 162 Montalban, Captain 161, 162 Montilla barrio 183 Moton , Bataan 132, 133, 134 Morong 18 , 19 Monon , Louis 16 Moses, Martin 10, 27, 55, 56, 98, 99, 146, 153, 154 Mosquiroes 33, 54, 56, 80, 86, 107 Mount Arayat 95 Mount Bataan 59 Mount Malasimbo 71, 102,125, 183 Mount Mariveles 37, 50, 51 Mount Natib 16, 59 Mount Pinagalun III

219

Mount Pinatubo 24,73,74,76,119,158,174 Mount Sam at 30, 32, 48 Mucci, Col. Henry 189, 192 Mulanay, Bondoc Peninsula 162 Musang 129 Musgrove, Tommy 134, 137 Nagahama, Col. Akira 124, 153, 154 Naguilian Road 169 Nakai, Major 124, 125 Nakar, Guillermo 153, 154 Narwhal (submarine) 181 Natividad 87 Navarro, Father (disguise of Water Cushing) 86 Navy fighter aircraft 179 Naylor, Charles 136 Negrito 27,28, 43, 54, 55, 74, 78, 85, 86, 89, 92, 93, 99, 100, 101, 103, 104, 105, 109, 110, lll, 112, 117, 118, 119, 121, 129, 130, 131, 143,144,156,157,158,159,161,172,174, 177, 179, 180, 183, 184, 187, 188, 189, 190, 194 New Guinea 38 Newman, Shelby 10, 56, 87, 126, 127, 185 Nichols Field 5, 6, 8 Nineteenth Bomb Group 56 Ninety-first Division 21 Ninety-second Infantry 19 Nipa hut (bamboo) 49 Nissyo Maru 170 Noble, Arthur 10, 26, 27, 55, 56, 98, 99, 146, 153,154 Nueva Ecija Province 152, 189 Nueva Vizcaya Province 152 Oatman, Earl 5,6,21,46,47,72,73,74,75, 77, 78, 85, 86, 93, 94, 95, 100, 101, 103, 104, 105, 107, 108, 129, 130, 132, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 149, 163, 169 O'Conner, Raymond 103 O'Donnell Prison Camp 40, 56, 68, 73, 90 Olongapo 41, 49, 94, 98, 109, 110, 128, 133, 140 Olongapo Naval Base 185 Olongapo Point 185 155th Headquarters 160, 179 155th Provisional Guerrilla Battalion 158, 164, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 183, 184, 189,190 145th Infantry 191 194th Tank Battalion , Company C, Salinas Unit 79 Orani 21, 47, 54, 125, 128, 182 Orani River 53 Orchid 52 Orion 53 Oryoku Maru 184, 185 Osmena, Sergio (VP of the Commonwealth of the Philippines) 168, 169

220

Index

Osmena (wife of Sergio) 169 Ostrander. Bill 130. 143.148.149 P-26 aircraft 22 P-31 Northrop 192 P-35 fighters 6. 22 P-40 pursuit planes 6. 8. 13. 22 Pagalangang. Dinalupihan 90 Palacol 142 Palad. Julian 116. 117 Palawan Island 180 Palmer. Arthur 29 Palo. Mr. 120. 121 Parnintuan. Colonel 111 Parnpanga Mountains 16 Parnpanga Province 106. 134. 143. 144. 156.

172 Parnpanga Sugar Mills 12 Pampangano dialect 107 Pangasinan Province 112. 152 Panlilio. Yay 173. 180 Patal Garland 74 Patton. Henry 164. 170 PBY aircraft 163 Pearl Harbor 3. 4. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 17 Pettitt. Bert 56. 82. 83. 89. 127. 137. 138. 161.

162 Philippine fur Force 22 Philippine Army 91. 98. 107 Philippine Islands 40. 178 Philippine Scours 18.32.33. 55. 56. 57.91.

173.174.175.177.178.180 Phillips. Clare 154. 171. 178 Phillips. John 171 Phillips. Sergeant 63. 64. 65. 66. 67 Photo Joe 29 Pilar-Bagac Line 30. 31. 50. 52. 59 Pi1ar-Bagac Road 182. 188 Pita barrio \02 Porac 24. 128 Porac River 15 Porter. Harry 66 Praeger. Ralph 98.99.146.150.168 Priero. Mauro 161. 162 Prince. Captain 189. 192 Prisoners of War (POWs) 180.181.185.189 Provisional Air Regiment 35 Provisional Infantry 21 PT boats 51 PT-13 planes 8 Puli beans 161 "Quan" 164 Quarter Master Corp 39 Quezon . Manuel L. (president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines) 168 "Quezon's Own Guerrillas" 162 Raagas. Jose 151. 152 Rama. Mauro 162

Ramsey. Edwin Price 4. 11. 12. 14. 18. 19. 37.

51. 52. 71. 72. 73. 74. 92. 93. 99. \02. 112.

119. 123. 125. 127. 128. 133. 134. 135. 136.

164. 171. 174. 177. 178 . 183. 186. 194 Rattan 60. 75 Rayburn . Tom 148. 164 Reeves. Bob 79. 89 Ringworm 151 Robinson. Captain \0 Rodriquez. Captain 104. 105. 107. 132. 156 Romero. Romana 103. 142 Romulo. Carlos P. 34 Roskopf. Andy 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 81 Roulston, Jim 87 Salas, Hippolito 53,66 Sarnal 53, 54, 95, 116 Samporado (Lugao, with sugar and milk or cocoa) 77 San Fernando, La Union 185, 197 San Fernando, Parnpanga 40,41,49, 100, 102, 104, 140, 141, 142, 185 San Fernando Prison 148, 149 San Hose, Hipolita 76, 106, 129. 201 San Isidro 14 San Juan 10 San Luis. Mauban, Tayabas 137, 138 San Luis. Parnpanga 83 San Marcelino 105. 132. 138, 149 San Miguel. Bulacan 89 Santa Rosa 183 Santo Domingo 15 Santo Rita 135 Santo Tomas. Lubao. Pampanga 13. 14 Santa Tomas prison 141. 189 Santos. Alejandro 128 Schafer. John .161. 162 Schletterer. Ray 53.138.149.170 "Scorpion" 183 Second Battalion 25 Second Philippine Division 18 Second Regiment 188 Segundo. Fidel V. 18 Service. Robert 151 Seventeenth Ordinance 4. 53. 138 Seventy-first Philippine Division 21. 46 USS Shark 180

Shelledy. Rose 22 Sibacan barrio 183 Sierra Madre 12 Signal Hill 113 Silva, Francisco 53. 54. 55 Silva. Margarita 52. 53, 54 Sixth Army 187, 189 Sixth Ranger Battalion 189,192 Sixty-fourth Infantry 8 Sixty-sixth Guerrilla Infantry 169 Slish. Mike 151. 170 Smith. Willard 102. 192 Soliman, Eugenio Ill. 117

Index South West Pacific Area (SWPA) 164. 167.

169.189 Southwest Pacific Command 168 Spies. Jack 32. 82. 98. 154 Stamper. Fred 1\3. 144.145 Sternberg Hospital 7 Stotts. Charles 190. 193 Straughn. Hugh 153. 154 Strickland. Gene 51. 71. 72. 73. 74 Subic Bay 41. 96. 97. 183. 185 Subic Bay Naval Base 39 Submarine 90. 125. 161. 164. 168. 173. 174.

178; wolfpack 170. 180 Sumilao. Bukidnon. Province 162. 181 Susuki. Col. 140.141. 142 Swick. Herb 99 Tacamura fern (wait a minute bush) 43. 66 Tacloban. Leyte 163 Tagalog language 6. 46. 103. 118. 121. 122. 130.

171 Taiwan 178 Takao. Formosa 185 Tala. Bataan 53. 54. 125. 132 Tala. Pampanga 186 Tamura. Besing 183 Tamura. Captain 183 Tanaka. Captain 152 Taos Pueblo Indians 28 Tapuak. Bamban 152 Tarlac. Province 76. 90. 111. 112. 115. 137. 152.

153 Tarlac-Cabanatuan Road 19 Taruc. Luis 133. 134 Tayabas. Province 138. 154. 172 Taylor. Vince 193 Teniente del Barrio 172 Tenth Military District of Mindinao 161. 162.

163 Third Battalion. Eleventh Philippine Army 26 Third (Seaside) Regiment 182. 188 Thirty-first Infantry Philippine Scouts 144 Thirty-first Infantry U.S. Army 4. 8. 9. 13.

25. 26. 28. 31. 39. 41. 51. 56. 71. 104. 107.

145.171 Thirty-fourth Pursuit Squadron 5. 6. 21 . 46 Thirty-seventh Division 189 Thirty-seventh Infantry 191 Thirty- third Infantry 30. 32 Thorp. Claude A. 24. 41. 49. 50. 72. 73. 74.

76. 82. 90. 91. 93. 95. 98. 99. Ill. 112. 117. lI8. 1\9. 120. 123. 128. 129. 133. 150. 152.

153.154 Tibuc-Tibuc village 106 Timbo. Zambales (Thorp's base in the hills) 74.82.83.89.95. lll. 1\7 Tisdelle. Achille C. 26 Tiwa language 29 Tobacco 27. 29 Tondo 128

221

Tonsillitis 179 Trail (2) 31 Trail (6) 26. 32. 33 Trail (10) 31 Trail (429) 30 Truman. Harry I Tubo. Carmen 21 Tubo. Consuelo 21 Tuggle. Roy 104. 107. 135 Tuyo. Balanga 183 Twelfth Infantry Philippine Army 10. 98 Twelfth Medical Battalion 30. 79 Twentieth Pursuit Group 8 Twenty-first Division 32 Twenty-first Pursuit Squadron 34 Twenty-seventh Bomb Group 9. 30. 49. 1\8 Twenty-sixth Cavalry 4. 1\. 12. 14. 26. 29. 31.

175. 176. 190. 191 200th Coast Artillery Corp 23. 28. 39. 80.

88. lll. 131 228 Signal Operating Company 79 Typhoid fever 134

La Union Province 99 United States Armed Forces Far East (USAFFE) 82. 96. 99. 112. 116. 133. 134. 189 United States Armed Forces in Philippines.

North Luzon (USAFIP. NL) 167. 168. 186 University of Santo Tomas 89 Vacher. Paul 148.163.164.170 Vance. Lee 31. 32 Vickrey. John M. 29 Victoria. Tarlac 153 Villareyes. Addaida 151. 152 Visayans 108. 144. 145. 156 Volckmann . Russell 4. 10. 11. 13. 19. 21. 26.

55.56. 80. 86.88 . 94.95.98.99.146.154.

164. 167. 168. 169. 181. 186. 197 Wade. Gerald 38. 56. 57 Wade. Pierce 4. 5. 53. 54. 65. 66. 113. 128.

148. 149. 150. 151 Wain logging camp 182 Wainwright. Jonathan M. 12. 18. 19. 33. 52.

99 Walk. Earl 48. 49. 85. 86. 102 Warshell . Arnold 79. 91 . 92. 93. 99, 102. 106.

129. 140. 141. 181 "Water Treatment" 147 West Point 4. 10. 37. 107. 140. 192 Wesr Virginia 1\7. 158 Wheeler. John Z. 17. 18.32 White. Horton 189. 192 Whitman. John W. 3 Wichita 52 Williamson. William 69 Winslow. Henry 5. 6. 21. 46. 47. 72. 73. 93.

95. 96. 100. 101. 109. Ill. 129. 130. 131. 132.

142. 143. 148. 149. 163. 169

222

Index

Wisconsin 118 Witch doctor 110 Wolfe, Clinton V. (Red) 29, 30, 36, 41, 42, 43,57,58,59,60,62,63,64,65,66,80, 81, 83, 96, 97, 131 WPO-3, War Plan Orange 13 Wright, Edgar 41, 42 Wurzbach, Rudolph 70, 84

Zambales guerrillas 156 Zambales Mountains 4, 41, 46, 48, 56, 69, 72,73,74,91,93,99,122,144,154,156, 174 , 183,185, 188 Zambales Ptovince 94, 103, 104, 125, 172 Zapanta, Major 162 Zaragoza 19 Zeto fighters 6 Zingheim, Eugene 79, 85, 113, 115, 151, 152

Yamashita, Gen. Tomoyuki 185, 186, 187, 197

LIPINAS HERITAGE LlBRAR

1_J!~!II~ID39_ - --

-

From Balsan to safety : the rescue of 104 American soldiers in the Philippines I Malcolm Decker.

or American troops in the Philippines, December 8, 1941, began with shocking reports of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, followed by a Japanese air attack on Clark Field in southern Luzon.

Deprived of reinforcements, American and Filipino troops surrendered Bataan to the Japanese on April 9, 1942. For the 400 American soldiers who avoided the Bataan Death March and hundreds of others who refused to surrender, escaping the Bataan Peninsula to Luwn was a life-or-death journey.

F

Among the local families who risked their lives to provide food and shelter to fleeing American soldiers were twin brothers and transplanted American sugar cane farmers Bill and Martin Fassoth.

With Bill's Filipina wife Catalina, they ministered to over 100 Americans between April 1942, and April 1943. The stories of the Fassoths, th~ soldiers they saved and their fates following the Fassoths' surrender to raiding Japanese forces are an important and fascinating chapter of World War II history.

An artillery officer in the Vietnam War, MALCOLM DECKER has written previously on the 155th Provisional Guerrilla Battalion on Luwn. He lives in Lebanon, Missouri, where he operates an lflsurance agen9'.

,,

• MCFARLAND ISBN 978-0-7864-3396-4

64

On the cover: Bill, Catalina and Vernon Fassoth; Presidential Medal of Freedom (courtesy Ro1l... _ Fischer); Death March (National Archives)