The fall of the Philippines, 1941-42

THE FALL OF THE I PHILIPPINES

1941-42

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR CLAYTON K.S. CHUN, PhD, is on the US Army War College faculty at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvaniar where he teaches courses on national security, strategy, and economics. He completed a military career in the US Air Force and has published work in the fields of national security, military history, and economics.

HOWARD GERRARD studied at the Wallasey School of Art and has been a freelance designer and illustrator for over 20 years. He has worked for a number of publishers and is an associate member of the Guild of Aviation Artists. He has won both the Society of British Aerospace Companies Award and the Wilkinson Sword Trophy, and has illustrated a number of books for Osprey. Howard lives and works in Kent.

FILIPINAS HERITAGE LI BRARY The Roderick Hall Collection

in Memory of Angelina Rico de McMicking, Consuelo McMicking Hal/, Alfred McMicking and Helen McMicking arrested in Manila and executed in January, 1945 by the Japanese Imperial Army

lL::i ¡AS HERITAGE LIBRARY

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CAMPAIGN • 243

THE FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES

1941-42

CLAYTON CHUN

ILLUSTRATED BY HOWARD GERRARD Series editor Marcus Cowper

DEDICATION

First published in Great Britain in 2012 by Osprey Publishing, Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford OX2 OPH, UK 44-02 23rd St, Suite 219, Long Island City, NY 11101 , USA

To those who fought for freedom in the Philippines.

E-mail: info@ospreypublishing.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank Mr. Marcus Cowper for all of the gracious help and support to make this project come through. The US Army War College, especially the Dean of Academics Dr. William Johnsen, also allowed me the time to research and complete this book. Finally, my family gave me much encouragement to write.

Š 2012 Osprey Publishing Ltd OSPREY PUBLISHING IS PART OF THE OSPREY GROUP All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrica l, chemical, mechanical, optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Enquiries should be addressed to the Publishers.

ARTIST'S NOTE Readers may care to note that the original paintings from which the color plates in this book were prepared are available for private sale.

The Publishers retain all reproduction copyright whatsoever.

All inquiries should be addressed to: Howard Gerrard, 11 Oaks Road, Tenterden, TN30 6RD, UK

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

The Publishers regret that they can enter into no correspondence upon this matter.

ISBN: 978 1 849086097 PDF e-book ISBN: 978 1 84908610 3 EPUB e-book ISBN: 978 1 78096392 1 Editorial by lIios Publishing Ltd, Oxford, UK (www.iliospublishing.com) Page layout by: The Black Spot Index by Sandra Shotter Typeset in Sabon and Myriad Pro Maps by Bounford .com 3D bird's-eye view by The Black Spot Battlescene illustrations by Howard Gerrard Originated by Blenheim Colour Ltd Printed in China through Worldprint 12 13 14 15 16 1098765432 1

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GLOSSARY AAA

antiaircraft artillery

AAF

Army Air Forces

FEAF

Far East Air Force

IGHQ

Imperial General Headquarters

IJA

Imperial Japanese Army

IJAAF

Imperial Japanese Army Air Force

IJN

Imperial Japanese Navy

IJNAF

Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force

PA

Philippine Army

PS

Philippine Scouts

PT

patrol torpedo

USAAFE

United States Army Forces in the Far East

USFIP

United States Forces in the Philippines

WPO

War Plan Orange

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

5

Japan and the United States: opposing powers in the Pacific Japanese interests and motivations for war. The Philippines: America's Far Eastern outpost

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CHRONOLOGY OPPOSING COMMANDERS

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US commanders. Japanese commanders

OPPOSING FORCES

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US and Philippine Forces. Imperial Japanese Forces. Orders of battle

OPPOSING PLANS

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Japan's move to war . American defense of the Philippines

THE BATTLE FOR THE PHILIPPINES

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Japanese air superiority and the bumbling nincompoops. The Japanese invasion of Luzon The Japanese strike south. Defending northern Luzon. The Lingayen Gulf landings "WPO-3 is in Effect" • The Japanese strike at Lamon Bay. The retreat to Bataan Bataan : the final refuge. The Japanese break the Abucay and Mauban lines. The Battle for the Points Homma retreats north. MacArthur's last stand on Corregidor • The final assault and fall of Bataan The Bataan Death March. Corregidor falls. Southern Philippines operations. Final surrender

AFTERMATH

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THE BATTLEFIELDS TODAY

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BffiLIOGRAPHY

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INDEX

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INTRODUCTION The Japanese conquest of the Philippines was one of largest losses for the United States early in World War II. The Pearl Harbor attack frequently overshadows the campaign in the Philippines archipelago that started on December 8, 1941 and lasted six months. Perhaps due to the sudden, massive Japanese aircraft carrier strike, in the minds of many the Pearl Harbor attack became a more devastating military event than the seizure of the Philippines.

Both Hawaii and the Philippines were under American control, one a territory and the other a commonwealth. The Pacific Fleet had suffered major losses and the Hawaiian Air Force had its airfields ravaged by Japanese aircraft.

In the Philippines, the Japanese invaded and took control of the land and its people. An American Army division was lost, the Asiatic Fleet retreated out of the Philippines, and the bomber and fighter force were destroyed. In terms of casualties and scope of combat, the Philippines represented a much larger defeat. Still, the dogged American-Filipino defense of the islands provided a flicker of light in the darkest days for Washington in World War II.

JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES: OPPOSING POWERS IN THE PACIFIC Imperial Japan entered the 20th century with a great demonstration of its budding national power. Much of that national power centered on its expanding military capability. Japan had participated in quelling the 1900-

This Japanese depiction of the Pearl Harbor attack illustrates the meticulous planning and operationa l capability that Tokyo used to conduct nearsimultaneous operations throughout the Pacific. The Japanese hoped to destroy the US Pacific Fleet. (US Army)

5

INDEX A-24 dive-bombers 19,49 Abucay Line, t he 61, 63-65, 73, 76 air radar-warning units 34

aircra ft (Japanese) 7 Kawanishi H6K flying boats 43 Kawasaki KiA8 light bombers 21,35 Mitsubishi A5M4 fighter aircraft 22 Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter aircraft 17,22,38,39, 42,43 Mitsubishi G3M2 (Nell ) bombers 22, 38,39 Mitsubishi G4M l (Betty) bombers 22, 38,39 Mitsubishi Ki-15 reconnaissance aircraft 21 Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Sa lly) bombers 20,21, 35, 56 Mitsubishi Ki-30 (A nn ) bombers 72 Mitsubishi Ki-36 cooperation aircraft 21 Nakajima Ki-27 Na te fighter a ircraft 21, 42 aircraft (US) A-24 dive-bombers 19,49 B-1 0 bombers 20,39 B-17 bombers 15, 15,16, 19,27,32,35, 38, 39,40,42,46 B-18 bombers 39 Boeing P-26A Peashooter fighter aircraft 20,34,41 Cu rti ss P-'J4 E fighter aircraft 17 Curti ss PAO fighter a ircraft 19,27,34, 38,39,41,42,46,49,52,69 PBY Cata lina flying boats 20,34,42,46 Seversky P-35A fighter aircraft 19,39, 41 ,52 Akira, Lieurenant Genera l Na ra 14 anti aircraft artillery (AAA) 16 Aparri 28,40,41-42 Arcadia Conference, Washingron (1942) 44 Ari sa ka rifles 21 Arnold, Major General Henry " Hap" 19, 39 artillery 16, 28, 68, 73, 73, 84, 85 B-10 bombers 20, 39 B- I 7 bombers 15, 15, 16, 19, 27, 32, 35, 38,39,40,42,46 B-18 bombers 39 Bagac-Orion Line, the 65,69,73,76 Bataan 12, 13, 14, J 7, 26, 3 1,49- 50,52, 53,68, 69,76-77,78-79, 93 Bataan Death March 72, 77,80 Battle of the Points, the 65-69 Boeing P-26A Peashooter fighter aircraft 20, 34,41 Borneo 26, 28, 91 Boxer Rebellion ( 1900-01) 5-6 Brereton, Major Genera l Lewis 12,33, 34-35,39,40 Britain 6-7,26,32,44 Browning machine-gun s 61 Cebu Island 81 China 6,21,25

Churchill , Prime Minister Winston 6, 89, 90 Chynoweth, Brigadier General Bradford 81 comma nders 11-14 Corregido r 13,28,56,57,63,69, 73, 74-75,77,80-81,82-83,84, 93 Curtiss P-14E fighter a ircraft 17 Curtiss PAO fighter aircraft 19,27,34, 38, 39,4 1, 42, 46,49,52,69 Dyess, Captain " Ed" 72 East Indies 7,27,28,73,90 Eisenhower, Dwight 12 Hart, Adm ira l Thomas C. 14,25,32,33, 41,45 Hartlna 42

motivations for war 6-7 occupi es Indochina 6-7 plans 25-28 pre Word War II 5-6 the retreat north 69-73 Southern Philippines ope rations 81-85 strength a nd organization 20-22,24 the strike at Lamon Bay 50-52 strike south 42-43 surrender of 11 , 13, 91 a nd the US retreat to Bataan 52-57 weapons 21, 73 Japanese Navy 16,21-22, 22,26 see also ships (Japanese) Jolo Island 28, 40,42,43 Jones, Brigadier General Albert 50,55, 56,60

H ayataka Mart< 46 H ayo Maru 46

Hom ma Masaharu, Lieutenant Genera l 13, 14 Baraan 62,64,76-77 the Battle of the Points 69 the fall of Corregidor 80-8 1 the invasion of Luzon 41-42 Ja panese a ir superiority 38 the Lingayen Gulf landings 4 6,47,48 orders the Japanese invasion 40 the plans 26, 28 the retreat north 69-73 Sourhern Philippines operati ons 81,84 strategy 91 strike at Lamon Bay 50, 52 and the US retrear to Bataa n 53 ,55 , 56,57 and the US surrender 87 H OlistOIl, USS 20 Imper ial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF ) see Japanese Air Force Imperia l Japa nese Army (IJA ) see Japa nese Army Imperia l Japanese Navy (IJ N) see Japanese Navy Indochina 6-7,25 Japanese Air Force 16,21,33-42,47,56,64, 72 ,73,76,80 see also aircraft (Japanese) Japa nese Army aftermarh 91-92 air superiority 33-4 1 attack on Pea rl Ha rbor ('1941) 5,7, 26,33 Baraan 57-69, 76-77, 78-79 Baraan Death March 72, 77,8 0 the Battl e of the Points 65-69 break the Abucay and Ma uban lines 63-65 chrono logy 9-10 commanders 13,14 th e fall of Co rregidor 80-8 1,82-83, 84,85 invasion of Lu zon 41-42 the Lingayen Gulf Landings 44-48

Kawaguchi, Major Genera l Ki yotake 81 Kawanishi H6K fi ying boats 43 Kawasaki Ki-48 light bombers 21,35 King, Ma jor Genera l Edward 47, 76,77 Korea 6,26 Lamon Ba y 27,28,44,50-52,93 landing craft 27,50, 72 League of Narions 6 Legaspi 28, 42, 50 Limura, Major General Naoki 42 Lingayen Gu lf 27,2 8,44, 93 Longoskawaya n Point 65,68,69 Luzon 17,20, 26,2 8, 28, 31, 32, 35, 40, 43,52,73,77,87,93 M3 Stuart li ght tanks 18,22,29,44,47, 53-55,56,60 M 1897A4 gun Motor Carriages 17 M1 9 11 auto matic pistols 53 MacArthur, Lieuten ant General Douglas 8, 11-12, 12, 91 and Admiral Thomas C. Hart 14 and the attack on Pea rl Harbor (1941 ) 33 Bataan 61-65 the Battle of the Points 68, 69 and Brigadier-General William Sharp 13 defending northern Luzon 43-44 and the Japanese air superiority 34-35,39, 40 a nd the Japanese invasion of Luzon 41 and the Japanese strike at La mon Bay 52 last stand on Co rregidor 74-76 and the Lingayen Gulf landings 46,48 a nd Major-General Jonathan Wa inwright 13 th e pla ns 25 , 31, 32 the retreat to Baraa n 52,53,57 returns to rhe Philippines 89,92 signs Homma 's death warrant 14 strategy 88-90 troop strengrh 1 8- I 9 on Wainwright's order to surrender 87 and WPO-3 49

95

machine guns 34 Browning machine-guns 61 Malaya 7,26,27,28,91,92 Malinta Tunnel 80,8],81,85,93 Manila 22,28,34,40,50,52,55,57,93 Manila Bay 16,17,28,31,34,40,49,61,69 Marblehead, USS 20 Mariveles 61,63,65,77 Marshall, General George C. 13, 17,32,49, 52,74,76,90 Mauban Line, the 61,63-65,73,76 Mindanao 13,28,42,49, 72, 84-85, 86 Missouri, USS 13,91 Mitsubishi A5M4 fighter aircraft 22 Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter aircraft 17, 22,38,39,42,43 Mitsubishi G3M2 (Ne ll ) bombers 22,38,39 Mitsubishi G4M1 (Betty) bombers 22, 38,39 Mitsubishi Ki-15 reconnaissance aircraft 21 Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Sally) bombers 20,21, 35,56 Mitsubishi Ki-30 (Ann) bombers 72 Mitsubishi Ki-36 cooperation aircraft 21 Morioka, Lieutenant General 69 Moron 64,65 mortars 68 Motoo, Colonel Nakayama 47 Nakajima Ki-27 Nate fighter aircraft 21,42 Nimitz, Admiral Chester 91 Obata, Lieutenant General Hideyoshi 21 O longapo 63,65,68 Operation Barbarossa (1941) 26 orders of battle 23-24 Panay Island 81, 84 Parker Jr., Major Genera l George 13,61, 63,64 PBY Catalina flying boats 20,34,42,46 Pearl Harbor, attack on (1941) 5,7,26,33 Pensacola, USS 49 Philippine Army (PA) 8,19-20,32,34,43, 46,50,53-55,56-57,64,77,81,90 Philippine Constabu lary 67,68,69 Philippine Scouts (PS) ]6,17,29,44,48, 63,69 Philippines campaign, the Abucay and Mauban lines broken by the Japanese 63-65 aftermath 88-92 Bataan 57-69,76-77,78-79 Bataan Death March 72,77,80 the Battle of the Points 65-69 the battlefield today 93 chronology 9-10 the fall of Corregidor 80-81, 82-83, 84,85 the final surrender 87 Japanese air superiority 33-41 Japanese invasion of Luzon 41-42 the Japanese retreat north 69-73 Japanese strike at Lamon Bay 50-52 the Japanese strike south 42-43 the Lingayen Gulf Landings 44-48 opposing commanders 11-14

96

opposing forces 15-24 opposing plans 25-32 Southern Philippines operations 8] -85 US acquisition of 6, 8, 8 the US defends northern Luzon 43-44 US last stand on Corregidor 74-76 the US retreat to Bataan 52-57 and WPO-3 29-32, 49-50, 88, 89 pistols 53 prisoners of war (POWs) 13,77,80,85 Quezon, President Manuel 1'1, 12, 35, 53 Quinauan Point 65,68,69,72 rifles 2] Roosevelt, President Franklin 11, '12, 39, 49,74,75,76,89,90,91 Russia 6,7,26 Ryujo 22,35,40,42 S-38, USS 45-46 Sakai, Saburo 38 Seal, USS 46 Sealion, USS 40 Seversky P-35A fighter aircraft 19,39, 41,52 Sharp, Brigadier General William 13-14, 85,87 ships (Japanese) Harulw 42 Hayataka Maru 46 Hayo Marti 46 Ryujo 22,35,40,42 ships (US) Houston 20 Marblehead 20 Missouri 91 Pensacola 49 William B. Pearson 40 Singapore 7,26,73 Spanish-American War (1898) 6,8 Stark, Admira l Harold 32 Stingray, USS 45 Subic Bay 16,34,40 submachine guns 53 submarines (US) 18 S-38 45-46 Seal 46 Sealion 40 Stingray 45 Sutherland, Brigadier Genera l Richard K. 35,39,64

US Army Abucay and Mauban lines broken by the Japanese 63-65 acquisition of the Philippines 6,8,8 aftermath 88-9 1 Bataan 57-69, 76-77, 78-79 Bataan Death March 72,77,80 the Battle of the Points 65-69 chronology 9-10 commanders 11-14 defending northern Luzon 43-44 the fall of Corregidor 80-81, 82-83, 84,85 and the Japanese air superiority 33-41 and the Japanese invasion of Luzon 41-42 and the Japanese strike at Lamon Bay 50-52 last stand on Corregidor 74-76 and the Lingayen Gulf landings 45-48 plans 28-32, 31 the retreat to Bataan 52-57 Southern Philippines operations 81-85 strength and organization 16-20,23 surrender 75,77, 81, 87, 92 weapons 28,34,53,61,68,73, 84,85 WPO-3 29-32,49-50,88, 89 US Navy 14,15,17,18,20,32,34,45-46 see also ships (US) Vigan 28, 40, 41, 42 Visayan Islands ] 3,81,87

Takahashi, Vice Admirallbo 21-22 tanks (Japanese) ] 8,55 Type 89 tanks 22,60 Type 95 tanks 20,26 tanks (US): M3 Stuart light tanks 18,22, 29,44,47,53-55,56,60 Thompson submachine guns 53 Truman, President Harry 13 Tydings-McDuffie Act (1934) 6 Type 89 tanks 22,60 Type 95 tanks 20,26

Wainwright, Major General Jonathan 12, 12-13,91 and the Abucay-Mauban Line 64, 65 Bataan 6] the Battle of the Points 68 defending northern Luzon 43, 44 establishes defense position behind the Agno 49 the fall of Corregidor 80 left in charge of Luzon forces 75,76 . the Lingayen Gu lf landings 47, 48 and the retreat to Bataan 53, 55 surrender of the US Forces 75,87 War Plan Orange (WPO) 29-32,49-50, 88,89 weapons (Japanese) Arisaka rifles 21 artillery 73 weapons (US) artillery 28,68,73,84,85 M 1911 automatic pistols 53 machine guns 34, 61 mortars 68 Thompson submachine guns 53 William B. Pearson, USS 40 World War I (1914-1918) Americans in 11 the Japanese in 6 WPO (War Plan Orange) 29-32,49-50, 88,89

US Air Force 12,15,18-19,33-41,42,46, 49,52,69, 89 see also aircraft (US)

Zero aircraft see Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter aircraft

FILIPINAS HERITAGE LIBRARY

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THE FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES

1941-42 The Philippine Islands stood in the way of Japanese expansion in the Pacific, and were therefore an immediate target when war broke out in December 1941. Defended by a mixed Filipino-American force under the flamboyant Douglas MacArthur, the islands were hit by surprise Japanese aerial attacks that all but wiped out the American air forces in the Philippines. An amphibious assault followed. Despite desperate attempts by the US and Philippine Armies, they were unable to halt the Japanese advance and Manila was lost with the beleaguered defenders retreating to Bataan a-nd Corregidor. Here they made their last stand on May 9, 1942. Although the campaign ended in an American defeat, and for the US prisoners of war the horrors of the Bataan Death March and years in Japanese captivity, the heroic defense had inspired the Americans to return in 1944.

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