A campaign that never gets it's due, U.S. Philippines 1944-45

[17thfabn]

A campaign that never gets it's due, the U.S. campaign to drive the Japanese out of the Philippines, 1944-45.

The following U.S Army Infantry Divisions or elements of them fought to capture the Philippines in 1944-45: Americal, 6th, 7th, 24th, 25th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 37th, 38th, 40th, 41st, 43rd, 77th, 81st and 96th. In addition 100 + independent battalions such as artillery, tank, and ranger were involved.

Comparing the Philippines to other campaigns: .

Philippines Campaign 16 U.S. Army Divisions 14,000 U.S. casualties K.I.A 336,000 Japanese K.I.A

Guadalcanal campaign 2 U.S. Marine and 2 U.S. Army Divisions 7,100 U.S. K.I.A. 31,000 Japanese K.I.A.

Iwo Jima Campaign 3 Marine Divisions 7,000 U.S. K.I.A. 23,000 Japanese K.I.A.

Okinawa Campaign 2 U.S. Army and 2 USMC divisions 12,500 U.S. K.I.A. 23,000 Japanese K.I.A.

The number of U.S. troops involved, and Japanese forces involved and destroyed in the 1944-45 Philippines Campaign dwarfs those of these other campaigns.

Earlier this week one of the cable channels was running a series called D-Days in the Pacific. The Philippines campaign got 15 minutes of one of the shows including commercials. The biggest land battle for the U.S. in the Pacific theater rated 15 minutes including commercials!

[Hunt SD]

I have quite a few old coins from the Philippines during US occupation.

[BigB]

I've come to realize in the last few years, some of the things you pointed out in your post... mainly the greatness of the campaign and the second seat it takes to D-Day. Unless a person puts things into a timeline and is a good historian, it is kind of hard for a guy like me to put such a World War into its proper perspective...east and west, European front and Pacific front.
My father, 87 years old, was there at the last great battle on the way to Japan, the invasion of Okinawa. In the Navy he was second class petty officer on a troop transport. He delivered Marines to many of the islands necessary to take in order to establish air bases to support an attack on Japan. His recollection of the the invasion of Okinawa always brings tears to his eyes, as it does mine. The next stop was to invade Japan itself. My father was given leave where he came home here to southwest Michigan. He was on his way back to the west coast to join his ship for that invasion. He was riding the train when it stopped in Chicago. From the time he left the station in MI until it got to Chicago, peace had been declared. He said that the station in Chicago was crazy with celebration. The war was over. A war for which I believe there has never been such support and sacrifice by its citizens.
Thanks for your post. I reminds me again of the men who fought for the freedom that I enjoy now. My son now has almost eight years in the Navy. Making a career of it and making his grandfather and me very proud. After he graduated high school in 2001, all it took was the destruction of the twin towers and he enlisted. ......but I start to ramble.
Thanks again for your post. BigB

[TranterUK]

17thfabn is right, but I wonder why? Could it be the way the US left the Philippines in the first place? If so that would be quite wrong, and dis honour those who fought to regain it.

[bcj1755]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

17thfabn is right, but I wonder why? Could it be the way the US left the Philippines in the first place? If so that would be quite wrong, and dis honour those who fought to regain it.

Most people seem to forget that MacArthur was ORDERED to leave the Philippines by FDR, under threat of court martial. MacArthur gave SERIOUS thought to resigning his commission, and joining the Philippine Army as a Private to continue fighting. His wife eventually convinced him to leave because she would not leave the islands without him. Something else that people tend to forget is that FDR continually promised MacArthur reinforcements and resupply. Very little of either was even earmarked to go to the Philippines. That's not to say that the retreat was all FDR's fault. MacArthur made some mistakes during the initial Japanese invasion. Not putting the Air Force on alert which lead to most of them being destroyed on the ground, trying to hold a defensive line for too long before retreating, and then leaving supplies behind when he did retreat. But even Japanese High Command siad that MacArthur conducted a retreat that was mostly brilliant. The liberation of the Philippines seems to be overshadowed by the events in the ETO at the time. Which is a real shame because the Philippines campaign was a brilliant one, with much sacrifice and bravery on both sides.

[delta13soultaker]

Originally Posted by 17thfabn

Philippines Campaign 16 U.S. Army Divisions 14,000 U.S. casualties K.I.A 336,000 Japanese K.I.A

Moving through a career in the Army, being a member of many organizations and working with many more even, it amazed me a long time ago, and recently too, how many battalions in certain regiments have a Philippine battle streamer, or several.

Regiments can be confusing if you forget they are the modern connection a battalion uses to its lineage. Technically, you could have a brigade with 4 Infantry battalions, and each battalion a member of 4 different regiments. It is even more confusing with Cavalry regiments because troops affiliate back to their regimental lineage. So you can be in 1st Battalion, 49th Infantry Regiment in wherever Ft USA under 2 Brigade whatever division, and 2nd Battalion, 49th Infantry Regiment be deactivated, but 3rd Battalion, 49th Infantry Regiment be under 1st Brigade whoever division in Germany. Etc etc. You'd wear the same crest (DUI) even though you're in different brigades or maybe different divisions not even on the same continent.

For separate brigades, their unit patch will sometimes have something like a "palm frond" somewhere on it to signify the brigade lineage includes Philippine battles. For battalions affiliated to regiments who fought there, their DUI likely has a palm fond too, sometimes under the same brigade. The palm frond is just one symbol indicating Philippine fighting, but not the only one by far.

The most popular symbols to see are things like the French fleur-de-lis (I call it the Saints symbol) or the "ladder" which is actually a pair of crosses on top of each other with the lower one wider than the upper...these are WW1 lineage. But lineage to the Philippines Campaign isn't far behind in being represented.

17thfabn, if it makes you feel better, the Philippines Campaign does still get some of its due by being included in the heraldry in many of our regiments.