10 November 1944
On 10 November 1944, about 3:00 AM, no less than 400 Jap regulars and marines riding in Q-boats, launches and boats, landed at Madaum under cover of darkness.
The men of Cos “G” and “H” deployed along the beach of Madaum discovered the presence and immediately fired at them, inflicting some casualties. The Cal .50 machinegun (MG) sunk one launch and damaged others in the early part of the encounter. The fight along the beach continued until daylight with the enemy still unable to gain a foothold.
The guerrillas centered their fire on the Japs alighting from the boats and those wading the waist-deep water, while the machinegun fired at the launches and Q-boats which were mounted with mor tars and cal .50 MGs.
ENEMY ESTABLISH BEACHHEAD
The stiff and stubborn resistance offered by the guerrillas, prevented the enemy from establishing a beachhead until 7:00 AM when fresh reinforcements from Davao City arrived and the assault was shifted to Galinan beach, two kilometers away penetrating through the sitio of Gogon at Madaum.
The Japs then occupied Madaum up to Hijo River; after a hotly contested battle. The enemy despite heavy losses in men, continued to advance, and the guerrillas, in danger of being encircled due to numerical inferiority, withdrew from the beach and from Madaum.
While the fight was in progress at Madaum, another Japanese force of about 200 effected a landing at Busaoan, after receiving resistance from the OP of the Combat Co of twelve men under a non-commissioned officer.
GUERRILLA TROOPS RE-POSITIONED
As a result of the occupation of Madaum up to Hijo River, the companies of the 2nd Battalion with the Combat Co were withdrawn in an orderly manner and disposed of as follows: Cos “G” and “H” maintained a line of defense along the Utley-Apokon Road; a portion of the Ha & Ha & Service Co of Co “E” and of Combat Co were deployed at Canukutan bridge; Combat Co and Co “E” from Km 48 junction to Km 50, Bincungan-Magugpo Road; Co “K” at Apokon Road up to Magugpo crossing, while Co “M” was at Bucana.
Late in the afternoon, these companies were withdrawn and disposed of as follows: Cos “HE” and “G” at Magugop crossing; Co “E” deployed along Apokon Road; Co “F” at Magugpo-Pagsabangan Roads; Co “I” from Magugpo crossing to Km 56, Davao-Agusan Road; Combat Co at Km 60 to Km 62, Davao-Agusan Road, Co “K” at Km 57 to Km 60 of the same road, with outguards deployed along possible routes of enemy approach.
11 NOVEMBER 1944
On 11 Nov 1944, the enemy with fresh reinforcements from Davao, was discovered moving along the Bincungan-Magugpo Road to the National Highway. Our men immediately opened fire and killed two Japs. From 1:00 PM until dawn the next day, the fight continued with the guerrillas tenaciously holding their positions.
Early in the morning of the following day, however, the Japs used trench mortars and pushed back the guerrillas who withdrew to Km 59, Davao-Agusan Road. Again the Japs pursued the guerrillas at Km 58, Davao-Agusan Road, and another hot encounter took place in this area.
The guerrillas withdrew to Km 60, and from here.to Km 62; established a strong defensive position which the enemy failed to penetrate. The enemy withdrew and did not advance any further.
During the whole operation for the period from 10 to 13 November 1944, the total number of Jap casualties were undetermined but, definitely over 100, with many wounded, especially at the time of the initial attempts to take beachhead when our troops were in an enviable and excellent firing position. On the guerrilla side, one was missing or killed and three wounded.
Source: History of the Mindanao Guerrillas by the American Guerrillas of Mindanao (AGOM) Unpublished Manuscript
