Metro Cagayan de Oro

During World War II, US Navy submarines helped supply Filipino and American guerrillas with arms, ammunition and supplies, also ferrying personnel in and out of the islands.

Known as the SPYRON (for Spy Squadron) Operation, it supported the Filipino and American Guerrillas resistance to the Japanese occupation after the Philippines fell to the Japanese Imperial Forces in early 1942.

The Spyron operation was key to the success of the resistance. Without the arms and supplies ferried by US submarines, the guerrillas would have been unable to sustain their intelligence gathering and sabotage operations against the Japanese Imperial Army.

Even before Corregidor surrendered, submarines were already playing a key role in the Battle for the Philippines supplying arms and ammunition to the beleaguered island, and ferrying people in and out the war zone.

The Quezon Mission

Notable among these missions was the USS Swordfish (SS-193) under Lt. Cmdr. Chester C. Smith which picked up President Manuel L. Quezon, his wife, two daughters, and son; Vice President Tomas Osmeña; Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos; and Philippine Army officers General Basilio J. Valdes, Colonel Nieto, and Chaplain Captain Ortiz from Corregidor on February 20, 1942 at 10:30 p.m.

 Swordfish  departed via a safety lane through the minefield in the harbor and headed for San Jose de Antique on Panay Island, where she arrived on February 22nd, and transferred President Quezon and his party to the inter-island vessel SS Princess of Negros. Quezon and his family proceeded overland to Iloilo and thence to Dumaguete from where they were ferried to Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental in two PT Boats of MTB Ron 3  led by Lt. John Bulkeley in PT-41, who would later successfully transfer General Douglas MacArthur, his family and staff from Corregidor in their famous “Breakout” to Australia via Cagayan, Misamis and Bukidnon on March 11-13, 1942.

Hence, they motored via Jimenez and Dansalan to Del Monte Airfield in Bukidnon where they were subsequently flown to Australia aboard three B-17s on March 26.

Chick Parsons

The man mainly responsible for the SPYRON operations was U.S. Naval Commander Charles Parsons, Jr.

 Better known by his nickname “Chick”, Parsons first came to Manila when he was five years old but later moved the U.S. with his uncle, before stowing away to the Philippines in the early 1920s at the age of 19.

As narrated by his son Peter in his published memoirs, Chick had been many things in the Philippines, and had traveled throughout the islands extensively.

He had been private secretary to Governor General Leonard Wood in the early 1920s; worked with the telephone company; the La Insular Tobacco company; a lumber yard near Zamboanga; and in 1931 became manager of Luzon Stevedoring. While in this capacity he began working with both the Mitsui and the Mitsubishi companies, sending them molasses. In 1932 he joined the US Navy Reserve, and was attached to submarines.

Because of his company’s mining interests, he had actually become president of a Japanese company. Some of his best friends before the war were Japanese.

One in particular was E. Namikawa of Pacific Mining Co. It is somewhat ironic that a man who had so much prewar workings with Japanese would end up being captured by them, questioned roughly by the Kempeitei in Fort Santiago; and then later to be a leading figure in the resistance against them.

Many Japanese knew of Parsons’ activities within the US Navy Reserve, including one “Pete” Yamanuchi, a photographer. Yet no one turned him in.

When World War II broke out, he and his family managed to return to the USA under a diplomatic exchange, ostensibly as the acting honorary consul of Panama, then a neutral country.

The night before he was to leave the Philippines on the Japanese vessel Ural Maru, Parsons was paid a visit by Yamanuchi, now a Japanese naval officer. He had a case of beer with him and apparently they put a good bit of it away. Yamanuchi wished his friend a safe trip.

The Japanese company Parsons was president of was the Nihon Kogyo Kapushiki Kaisha, literally Japanese mining Company. How this came about is that a foreign company needed to be 60% American or Filipino; and somehow Luzon Stevedoring made the necessary arrangements.

More ironies: when Parsons arrived in New York on the Swedish exchange ship, Gripsholm, he was sequestered by the FBI and questioned regarding his being freed by the Japanese. They felt he had no diplomatic privileges or rights, and he had been president of a Japanese company. In short they suspected him of being a Japanese spy.

Friends in Naval Intelligence and in the State Department came to his rescue. But before he went ashore to freedom, he remarked to his interrogators that they were nearly as bad as the Kempeitei!

However, Chick volunteered to return to the Philippines  to organize secret submarine missions in support of the Philippine Guerrilla movement. His extensive knowledge of the country and his network of local contacts enabled him to communicate effectively with the guerrilla units.

By September of 1942 he was called to serve in General MacArthur’s GHQ in Brisbane as the person to establish and maintain contact with the resistance movement in the Philippines.

Chick initially worked out of the Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB), and later moved to the Philippine Regional Section, but his own inner group which he commanded was known as “SPYRON” and was a very independent bunch of characters. Parsons’ Navy boss was Capt. Arthur McCollum.

“Chick” worked in Heindorff House at 171 Queen Street, and lived in Lennon’s Hotel in George Street in Brisbane. Capt. McCollum reported to Admiral James Fife. While this was his official chain of command Parsons also reported to Courtney Whitney, Lt. Gen. Richard Sutherland and General Douglas MacArthur .

Parsons joined MacArthur in January 1943. He convinced the Navy that if they lent MacArthur “Special Mission” submarines, the guerrillas would establish coast watcher radio stations throughout the islands which would supply numerous targets for their submarines. 

To that purpose Parsons “borrowed” from the Navy 20 boats, called Special Mission submarines; Parsons’ small group within the larger Philippine Regional Section was called Spyron (for Spy Squadron).

MacArthur sent Parsons on the USS Tambor in March, 1943, and this was the beginning of 49 special missions to supply the guerrilla movement and create coast watcher radio stations throughout the islands.

Parsons sailed to the Philippines on eight occasions on board a submarine to supply Filipino guerrillas in enemy occupied Mindanao. Amongst the submarines used for these missions were USS Narwhal and USS Nautilus, the two biggest submarines in the US Navy at the time each of which could carry up to 100 tons of supplies compared to 30 tons for the usual fleet submarines.

By June 1944, MacArthur’s Philippine Regional Section counted 169 radio stations, including coast-watcher, guerrilla net and control stations, and weather stations across all major islands in the Philippines. This made possible operational communication of Japanese ship movements, permitting more effective prosecution of the submarine guerre de course, along with regular detailed reports of Japanese land forces’ organization, strengths, and dispositions, and the presence of Japanese aircraft on the more than 100 military airfields in the Philippines.

By this time, Parson’s notoriety had grown so much Japanese authorities in Tokyo offered a “$50,000 Dead or Alive” reward for his capture.

According to Captain Bobb Glenn, Chief Supply Officer for the AIB who was deeply involved in supplying the  guerrillas in the Philippines, once Col. Courtney Whitney (Sectional Officer, AIB) arrived in GHQ, the AIB was more or less out of the picture as the Philippine Regional Section was more favored by MacArthur for his special missions and the Philippine resupply effort. 

Spyron in Northern Mindanao

The first Spyron operation in Northern Mindanao and seventh Spyron mission overall,  involved the Bowfin (SS-287) under Cmdr. J. H. Willingham on Sept. 3, 1943 when it embarked nine persons and  delivered seven tons of radio equipment and supplies at Iligan Bay, 1 ¼ mile east of Binuni Point (off present day Bacolod, Lanao del Norte).

Four weeks later on Sept. 29, 1943, at the same location, Bowfin evacuated nine guerrillas, selected by their superior officers, to be transported to Australia.

Among them were Luis Morgan, executive officer of Col. Wendell Fertig, who headed the organized Filipino-American Resistance in Mindanao ; Edward M. Kuder, a well-known superintendent of schools in Mindanao and Samuel C. Grashio, a U.S. Army Air Corps fighter pilot prior to his capture on Bataan.

Grashio had survived the infamous ‘Death March’ to be confined in three different Japanese prison camps before finally escaping from the Davao Penal Colony with a group of 10 POWs and two Philippine convicts and then joining the guerrillas.

The Narwhal cometh

But perhaps the most famous submarine to figure in Spyron operations in Northern Mindanao was the USS Narwhal (SS-167), the lead ship of her class of submarine and one of the “V-boats”, the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the narwhal. She was named V-5 (SC-1) when her keel was laid down on 10 May 1927 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine.

At 371 feet long and with a displacement of 4,000 tons submerged, Narwhal was one of the biggest US Navy submarines during WW2, but was not really suited for attack, thus was assigned to transport supplies and personnel to guerrillas in the Philippines especially, eventually became the leading submarine in supporting the Philippine guerrillas with nine secret transport missions to her credit, five of which were conducted in the Caraga and Northern Mindanao regions.

 First Mission to Nasipit

On her seventh war patrol and ninth Spyron mission, Narwhal skippered by Lt. Cmdr. Frank D. Latta, entered Butuan Bay submerged at 0508 hrs on November 15, 1943.

At 1605 hours, she sighted a launch flying the proper security signal. She surfaced and Colonel Wendell W. Fertig, commander of the United States Forces in the Philippines (USFIP) and head of the organized resistance in Mindanao, came aboard. Narwhal then proceeded to Nasipit Harbor. On her way in she ran aground on hard sand in the channel’s west bank, but managed to free herself quickly.

At 1746 hours, Narwhal moored starboard side at the Nasipit dock as a Filipino band played “Anchors Away.” At 2330 hours, she completed offloading 46 tons of supplies.

Early the next day, she embarked 32 evacuees, including POW escapees Shofner, Hawkins and Dobervich, women, two children, and one baby, and got underway. As Spyron Operations Chief, Lt. Cmdr. Chick Parsons left Narwhal with the harbor pilot.

Remarks the Narwhal’s patrol report: “The very real need for any kind of stores in guerrilla occupied areas led us to transfer considerably more stores than were actually consigned as cargo. Additional arms and ammunition as well as foodstuffs were transferred to Col. [Wendell] Fertig.

An eyewitness account of this story is told in the book “My Faraway Home” by Mary Mackay Maynard, who was one of the two children evacuated. It is also related in John Keat’s book “They Fought Alone” which relates the guerrilla war in Mindanao under Fertig who was on hand to meet the submarine.

Seventeen days later, on Dec. 2, 1943,  Narwhal entered Butuan Bay and surfaced at 1706 hours, some 1,000 yards off Cabadbaran. Shortly thereafter, a 150-ton barge came alongside. Fertig and Parsons came aboard. 

Narwhal embarked seven evacuees – two soldiers, three civilian men, one woman, and one eight-year-old girl. She unloaded 92 tons of supplies, 300 gallons of lube oil, a small amount of hand tools, received three messages regarding the next phase of her mission, and used the portable radio station on the barge to send three messages. At 2205 hours, she got underway with Parsons aboard.  

The Alubijid Mission

Narwhal then proceeded to Alubijid, Misamis Oriental on December 5, 1943 to pick up nine evacuees. The ship’s log dated December 5, 1943 War Patrol No. 8 Alubijid (a microfilm of the actual entry in the ship’s log) shows details of its rendezvous:

0148 hours, she sighted the proper security signal at Alubijid, Majacalar Bay. 2^nd Lt Norberto Noble, PA, then attached to the Division Finance Office of the 109^th Infantry Regiment, 109^th Division (Guerrilla) came aboard to verify Narwhal was there to embark evacuees, then returned to shore. One boat load came alongside carrying the DeVries family. Other boats followed sometime later. 

The 109^th Infantry Regiment garrisoned that portion of the province of Misamis Oriental lying between the Cagayan River and Pangayawan River. It was activated on 14 March 1943 and at the time of the Narwhal’s visit was commanded by Maj. Fidencio M. Laplap.

Relatives of the Filipino guerrillas and residents who helped unload Narwhal recalled the tales told to them by their forebears of that memorable event.

Frank Galarrita relates how one of the teams that unloaded arms from the sub were his two grandfathers, the father of Virgilio Galarrita, and  Ismael Labis, the Vice Mayor of Alubijid at that time, who was accompanied by his two teen-aged daughters.

“I think Lt. Noble was from Cebu,” he recalls. “They pronounced Noble as Noob-lee not in English as Noobol.”

“My aunt told me that they brought the precious goods to Barangay Lourdes, thereafter, probably some went to Bukidnon. But Barangay Lourdes at that time was still a town of Bukidnon.”

“So that was the name of the submarine that quietly docked in Moog to unload supplies for the Filipino guerillas,” recalls Virgilio Galarrita. “My father was one of those civilians recruited to carry all kinds of supplies from the sub.”

“He said there were all kinds and sizes of boxes to be carried. He said he regretted to have volunteered to carry a small box not knowing that it was heavy since it was one of the ammo boxes. He said he should have picked one of those big wooden boxes carried by two people and happened to be lighter since they were boxes of biscuits and cookies.”

“After that there were stories that went around that some of those volunteers ate some of those biscuits and cookies, others took some home to their families, after they cracked open the box. Mga abtik gyud kining uban nga mga Alubijidnon!”

“My grandfather Manuel Gapuz was one of them, I think,” said Manuel Abellanosa. “They used a gas lantern (known locally as Petromax) covered with a big tin can (taro) with a hole to communicate with the submarine at night via Morse Code. Supplies, guns and ammo were carried through a “back trail” up to Bukidnon. They would pass by Lunsi where Lola Doding, Mommy Ellen, Uncle Fred evacuated.”

Former Misamis Oriental Board Member Cromwell Galarrita Generalao shared his stories:

“The US submarine that docked in Moog, Alubijid in 1943 was among the many popular stories of the war in Alubijid. Unfortunately we have no documents, letters or records of the event. My father, Arturo Jamis Generalao, tirelessly and fondly told stories of the war, among which was a US submarine that docked in Moog.”

“The US submarine brought modern firearms and supplies for the Philippine Army and the local guerrillas. My father recalled that one evening, while at Guinotang, Alubijid, about 2 kilometers from the Poblacion where his family had a small farm, he noticed that some guerrillas, many of them his relatives, were walking briskly towards the Poblacion, Alubijid.”

“The guerrillas commandeered some carabaos. As a curious teenager and fascinated by the actions of war, he followed the guerrillas. On their way, he heard the guerrillas talking about receiving modern firearms from a US ship at Moog.”

“When he heard of a US ship at Moog, my father said he was very excited to follow the guerrillas, with the intention of boarding the US ship and go to the US. From Poblacion, the troops proceeded towards, Lanao, Molocboloc and finally Moog.”

“At Moog shore, he saw Philippine Army soldiers on the shore. He thought they were from the Philippine Army Camp at Kalabaylabay, El Salvador. The Army soldiers had a Petromax.”

“My father said he was so amazed at the sight of the US submarine that looked different from a ship. He tried to join the line of the guerrillas, pretending to help carry the firearms and supplies to shore, but actually intended to board the submarine and stow away. But the US sailors only allowed Filipino Army soldiers to board the submarine to haul the firearms and supplies.”

“The guerrillas stayed at the shore to receive the firearms and supplies and tied them to the carabaos. The firearms and supplies loaded on the carabaos were brought towards Lourdes, Alubijid.”

“The sight of the submarine for the first time and the new modern firearms with lots of ammunition fascinated my father, Philippine Army soldiers and the guerrillas. He identified the firearms as: Garand Rifles, Thompson Submachine guns, M-1 Carbine Rifles, and Browning Automatic Rifles.”

Narwhal embarked two men, three women, and four children then stood out of Majacalar Bay at 0446 hours.

Back to Cabadbaran

On March 3, 1944 Narwhal was back in Cabadbaran to deliver 70 tons of supplies but had to abort the mission when 3 IJN destroyers approached. She was able to meet with Capt. Hamner and pick up 9 evacuees including Hamner.

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At 1000 hours, on March 2nd, the proper security signal was spotted on the beach at Cabadbaran. She surfaced and a boat came alongside. At 1850 a boat came alongside with Lt. Cmdr. Wilson, Lt. Col. Ernest McClish, and Maj. Clyde Childress aboard.

They said Fertig was waiting at the Agusan River mouth because it was too difficult to tow their barge into the bay. The night was murky, and too many unidentified peaks were around for good radar navigation.

Cmdr. Frank D. Latta brought Narwhal as near to the river mouth shoal as he dared and then laid to. Narwhal’s crew began rigging their two launches topside for delivery to Fertig. Fertig came aboard and asked Latta to move up the channel to the barge and to delay unloading until the next day. But Latta refused both requests. Instead, he sent one of Narwhal’s launches to have the barge towed alongside.

Then he ordered his own boats in the water for delivery to Col. Fertig. He sent the launch in to have the barge towed to Narwhal. Twenty minutes later the launch had the barge alongside and unloading began under extremely difficult conditions due to cargo for this spot having been loaded under other cargo.

By 0210 hours on March 3rd, seventy tons of cargo was unloaded and two 26-foot whale boats were delivered to Fertig. Narwhal also embarked twenty service men and eight civilians, including two women. At 0229 hours, Narwhal stood out of Butuan Bay.

Moving out into Butuan Bay, Narwhal passed several small sailboats abeam at 25 yards. One doused his sails at her approach. Five Filipinos stood lined up for inspection and with expressionless faces began solemn bowing. When the commanding officer waved and they saw white men on the bridge, all of them broke into smiles and cheers. Passing in an aura of  good fellowship, cigarettes were tossed to them and they became boon companions.

Last Mission to Balingasag

On Sept 27, 1944 Narwhal was back under Cmdr. Jack C. Titus (who took command starting with her 11^th War Patrol) in Northern Mindanao, to deliver 3 men and 20 tons of supplies to Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. This later proved to be the last Spyron mission to Northern Mindanao.

Balingasag was within the area of responsibility of the 110^th Infantry Regiment, 110^th Division (Guerrilla) which extended from the Tagoloan River, Misamis Oriental to the Eastern border of the province. At this time, it was led by Maj. Rosauro P. Dongallo, who took over from Capt. Francisco N. Luz on Feb. 1942, who succeeded the first commanding officer Capt. Pedro D. Collado.

The 110^th Infantry Regiment was one of the organic regiments of the 110^th Division which garrisoned that portion of Misamis Oriental East of the Tagoloan River, the province of Agusan, province of Surigao and that of Davao.

At the time of the SPYRON mission to Balingasag, the division was headed by Lt. Col. Ernest E. McClish. The 110^th Division played a vital part in establishing supply lanes in Mindanao. Under its supervision, water by-ways were opened, sea-going vessels and fuel were procured for them, all of which activities markedly contributed to facilitating supply.

Narwhal surfaced on the night of Sept. 27, 1944 and sighted the proper signal from the shore of Balingasag. Some 45 minutes later, a heavy rain obscured all land and at 1744 hrs a small boat with a US Ensign was sighted. All cargo was unloaded by 2100 in spite of the bad weather and at 2103, Narwhal commenced clearing the coast. 

By Sept. 28 she left the Mindanao Sea for Siari Bay where she embarked 81 liberated POWS and one doctor. The prisoners had been aboard Japanese transports sunk by the submarine USS Paddle (SS-263) off Sindangan Point on September 6.

In October 20, 1944 MacArthur fulfilled his vow to return to the Philippines with the invasion of Leyte and mopping up operations of isolated pockets of Japanese resistance started on April 17, 1945.

The last Spyron mission was conducted by Nautilus on January 3, 1945 at Baculin Bay, Davao Oriental, to offload 45 tons of supplies which were received by 2^nd Lt. H. Artero in behalf of Fertig.

At 0503 on 22^nd January 1945, the U.S. submarine Nautilus (SS-168) passed Palmas Island in the Philippines at a distance of 12 miles before submerging for the day.

Surfacing at 1907, it moved toward Baculin Bay on the east coast of Mindanao. At dawn on the 23^rd it submerged five miles east of Baculin Bay to reconnoiter by periscope a pre-arranged landing spot. The proper security signal was observed on the beach at 0708.

At 1816, still submerged, commanding officer Lt. Cmdr. Willard Michael saw a banca flying a U.S. flag headed toward his periscope, “having quite a time of it in this seaway.” He surfaced Nautilus 26 minutes later, boarded 2^nd Lt. H. Antero, USFIP as a liaison, maneuvered into the bay, and at 1945 commenced unloading the first of 45 tons of supplies and equipment for the forces under command of Col. Fertig.

The shortage of local boats threatened to drag out the unloading process to a dangerous extent and so Michael broke out six inflatable rubber boats to assist.

The last of the cargo left the boat at 0106 the 24^th and Nautilus was underway again in 15 minutes, arriving Darwin six days later, where she tied up against USS Cougal. Nautilus’s largely routine rendezvous at Baculin Bay was the very last of a series of submarine special missions in support of the guerrilla resistance in the Philippine Islands during their occupation by Japan.

Transition

With the increasing American air and naval presence in the Philippines beginning January 1945, it was now possible to use surface craft to supply guerrillas. The limited cargo capacities of the submarines previously constrained the amount of material they could deliver. The Spyron submarine missions ceased when surface deliveries began.

Task Group 70.4  was created to aid Filipino Guerillas in the southern areas of the Philippines. As originally constituted, the Task Group consisted of Landing Craft, Support (Large) LCS (L) 9 and 10, and Landing Craft Infantry (Large) LCI (L) s 361 and 363 under the command of Lieutenant Albert C. Eldridge.

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Organized on 24 January 1945, the Task Group was charged with the supply and support of Filipino guerrillas in Mindanao. From February 1945 to May 1945, Task Group 70.4 completed thirteen missions.

One of most notable of these was the guerrilla raid on Talisayan, Misamis Oriental, which was conducted to eliminate and wipe out the Japanese garrisoned at this key objective.

Amphibious in nature, the operation involved guerrilla units of the 110^th Infantry Regiment, 110^th Division, 10^th Military District (Mindanao), United States Forces in the Philippines (USFIP). The US Navy Task Group 70.4 coordinated the operation.

You can read more of the Guerrilla Raid on Talisayan by clicking here.

On August 15, 1945 Japan surrendered to the Allied forces in Tokyo Bay.

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About the author: Mike Baños is a freelance journalist and writer, who has been a long-time amateur World War II history buff, former commissioner of the Cagayan de Oro Historical & Cultural Commission, and former Executive Director of the Cagayan de Oro World War II & Veterans Studies Committee)

References:

1.       Sturma, Michael. Submarine Special Missions: One Day in the Philippines, The Great Circle, Vol. 34, No. 1, Special Issue: Submarines (2012), pp. 54-64, Published by: Australian Association for Maritime History

2.       Wise, William.  Secret Mission to the Philippines: The Story of the “Spyron” and the American-Filipino Guerrillas of World War II Hardcover – January 1, 1968

3.       Wittmer, Paul W., SPYRON (Spy Squadron) Operations in the Philippines, ISBN 10: 0977145662  ISBN 13: 9780977145669, Publisher: P. W. Wittmer Publications, LLC, 2011

4.       Holmes, Kent. Wendell Fertig and His Guerrilla Forces in the Philippines: Fighting the Japanese Occupation, 1942-1945

5.       Philippine Regional Sectionand SpyronIn Australia During Ww2, ozatwar.com

6.       Ingham, Travis. Rendezvous By Submarine: The Story of Charles Parsons and the Guerrilla-Soldiers in the Philippines

7.       Dissette, Edward and H.C. Adamson. (1972). Guerrilla Submarines. Ballantine Books, New York. SBN 345025970125

8.       Eisner, Peter, “Without Chick Parsons, General MacArthur May Never Have Made His Famed Return to the Philippines,” Smithsonian Magazine, September 2017. 

9.       Ingham, Travis. 1945. Rendezvous by Submarine: The Story of Charles Parsons and the Guerrilla-Soldiers in the Philippines. Doubleday, Doran and Company. ASIN: B000W7ACKE. New edition: MacArthur’s Emissary, with new Preface by Steve Chadde, CreateSpace, 2014. ISBN 978-1495308802. ISBN 1495308804. 

10.   Keats, John. (1990). They Fought Alone. Time Life. ISBN 0-8094-8555-9

11.   Parsons, Peter. Commander Chick Parsons and the Japanese. Related narrative by Peter Parsons, Charles Parsons’ son, about his and his father’s experiences before, during, and after the war.

12.   Secret War in the Pacific, by Peter Parsons, John Anderson, Morgan Cavett,  Moon River Productions, Riverside CA, 2004.

13.   Chisholm, Donald. U.S. Submarine Missions in Support of the Guerrilla Resistance in the Philippines, 1942-1945, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, Prepared for presentation at the 2009 Naval History Symposium, 10-11 September 2009, Annapolis, Maryland.

14.    USS Nautilus(SS-168) Report of War Patrol Number Fourteen, 3 January 1945 – 30 January 1945. Dated 30 January 1945. SS168/A16-3, Serial 001.

15.    Correspondence with descendants of Filipino Guerrillas who witnessed the visit of the USS Narwhal at Moog, Alubijid, Cagayan on 05 December 1943, conducted on March, 2016.

From September 9, 1944 to March 10, 1945, US Army Air Force, Navy and Marine aircraft bombed Cagayan, Misamis and its immediate areas no less than sixteen times in a span of six months.

Why the apparent rural backwater that Cagayan was during the Second World War would merit such dedication from the rampaging US armed forces prior to the imminent liberation of the Philippines is not immediately clear.

Except for the Del Monte cannery in Barrio Bugo and plantation in Campo Uno (Camp Philipps) in Maluko (present day Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon), which was probably one of the biggest American investments in the country at the time, there was hardly any other commercially significant enterprise in Cagayan and its adjacent environs during the period.

However, it soon becomes apparent from the targets that US air forces were hitting during this period that Japanese military assets were here aplenty and the air raids were ‘softening up’ Cagayan and its immediate areas prior to the imminent invasion.

The Big Picture

About this time in 1944, the US armed forces were sweeping the Japanese forces in the South Pacific in a two-pronged assault led by Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander-in-chief, Pacific Fleet and General Douglas MacArthur, commander-in-chief, Southwest Pacific Area.

MacArthur and his Allied forces, including the Seventh Fleet, coordinated the southern prong from New Guinea to the Philippines.

Nimitz called the shots for the second prong, through the central Pacific, with forces of the Third and Fifth Fleets and their attendant task force groupings.

At the core of this two-prong advance was the strategy of island hopping employing leapfrog hops from one island to another by coordinated air, sea, and land attacks to cut off heavily defended Japanese bases, which could then be bombed into surrender at leisure.

To support this island-hopping strategy, the United States and the Allies assembled the most diverse and powerful armada in naval history in addition to overwhelming air forces.

Of vital importance to the island-hopping strategy was the control of the air and sea. Carrier task force groupings provided abundant air power, both for offensive and defensive operations. Carrier-based planes were integral in turning the tide against the Japanese.

The Third Fleet was organized on June 15, 1944, under the command of Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, with the separation of South Pacific Force units from the South Pacific Area.  This separation was primarily due to the successful conclusion of the South Pacific campaign. The Third Fleet was subordinated to the Commander, Pacific Fleet, and Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPAC).

The components of the Third Fleet constituted, and were named by CINCPAC, the Western Pacific Task Force. The Western Pacific Task Forces consisted of heavy and light support units of battleships and cruisers, screening units consisting of light cruisers and destroyers, and carrier task forces, consisting of aircraft carriers and supporting units.

The carrier task forces were under the command of Task Force 38 (also called Carrier Task Force 38) which was tasked to provide direct air support of ground units and short- and long-range bombing and reconnaissance operations.

The carrier-based aircraft and support vessels of Task Force 38 were able to strike Japanese aircraft, installations, and shipping in the Western Caroline Islands, Philippines, China Sea areas, and the Japanese Home Islands.

Movements of Task Force 38’s components spanned the distance from Ulithi to Cam Ranh Bay in Indochina to the northern-most Home Island of Hokkaido.

Task Force 38’s carrier task groups provided air strikes supporting operations in the Palau Islands Group (specifically Peleliu and Angaur), during the Philippines campaign (specifically Leyte, Mindanao, Mindoro, and Lingayen Gulf on Luzon), in the Okinawa campaign, and in the pre-invasion “softening-up” of the Japanese Home Islands. The actions of the carrier task forces were instrumental in the defeat and decimation of the Japanese Fleet at the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Task Force 38 consisted of four task groups. These task groups worked in conjunction with each other and/or as fast carrier task groups.

The fast carrier task groups provided strategic support to the various operations in the Western Caroline Islands and Philippines by targeting areas of Japanese logistical and force build-up that were supposedly behind the front line of combat.

Strikes were made against targets in Indochina, Formosa, Japanese-held South China, and the Ryukyus to draw off naval and air reinforcements. This was particularly effective during the Palau Islands and Leyte operations.

Thus, the bombings of Cagayan during the six-month period from September 9, 1944 through May 10, 1945 were covered during this active operational period of the Third Fleet that had begun with the Palau Islands operation, carried through to support of the Philippines campaign, and culminated in the destructive air strikes in the South China Sea area and Ryukyus.

The Mindanao Situation

A G-2 Estimate of the Japanese Situation in Mindanao and Sulu sometime April 1944 reported the usual patrol activity on the Zamboanga-Misamis Occidental area with slightly decreased strength north coast.

Scattered raids were reported in Lanao and indications of increasing Japanese strength in Cagayan, Misamis Oriental, such as the construction of a fighter field at Lumbia, south of Cagayan and the closure of Cagayan pier to Filipinos. The Bukidnon Sayre Highway was open with some traffic to Davao while airfield improvements were reported at Tankulan (Del Monte), Malaybalay and Valencia in Bukidnon.

At least 10 airfields were reported in Davao with at least 5 in operational condition. A sharp increase of shipping in Sarangani Bay, Cotabato was noted and another airfield reported under construction at Sanga-Sanga Island in Tawi-Tawi.

For a more comprehensive report on Japanese preparations for the expected Allied invasion, click here.

Development and Expansion of Mindanao Air Centers

Recent intelligence had revealed continued development and expansion of air bases in Mindanao by the enemy. A strategic air study map “Mindanao Air Centers”, reveals this development as consisting of three air centers:  Cagayan, Davao and Basilan Strait.

“The strategic and tactical location of these air centers is sound. The Cagayan-Davao centers are suitably placed on supporting airdromes along his principal air line of communication to both the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia) and the SouthWest Pacific Area (SWPA).”

“Further, these two air centers, and particularly Davao, provide the necessary air bases to support the maintenance of Palau as a forward air center for western Carolinas and New Guinea defense, affording maintenance and repair facilities, as well as air reserves, within approximately five flying hours of Palau, yet offering a high degree of security from Allied air attack.”

“The Basilan Strait air center is effectively placed to protect enemy shipping following the main Manila-Davao shipping lane through Basilan Strait.”

“The three centers provide good land-based aircraft defensive coverage of his fleet elements operating in the Celebes Sea and Davao Gulf.”

“The total number of operational airdromes now known to exist on Mindanao is 15. Ten are under construction, 6 more reported to be planned in the Davao area.”

“The principal airdrome is Sasa Field, serving Davao, with some 50 bombers estimated as currently operating there from.”

“The other three operational Davao airdromes are presently being used as fighter fields with further expansion probably being rushed following our Palau strike. The aircraft dispersal capacity of Mindanao airdromes, both operational and now under construction is estimated at 700 aircraft.”

“Assuming completion of some 15 additional fields within the next three months, approximately 750 additional aircraft could be added to this figure for a total dispersal capacity of 1,450 aircraft.”

The report concludes that with the proven vulnerability of Palau, conjoined with probably enemy apprehension of a further extension of allied counter air force activity against western New Guinea, the Japanese were expected to accelerate their present program for development and expansion of the Mindanao air facilities, particularly within the Davao and Cagayan air centers.

Activity on Mindanao

Meantime, air patrols were reported circling low recently over the central Agusan valley area, when they have previously flown high over the area on direct flights to or from Davao.

Some troops were reported to have left Cebu recently, earmarked for activity in the Agusan. These, according to late reports, arrived at Cagayan 14 April.

Warships were also reported to have also been shelling towns along the east coast of Surigao where guerrilla forces exist, and patrols have come ashore for short periods.

Taken together, the above reports suggested possible further activity against the guerrillas in the valley. On the other hand, one report indicated that the raiding group in northern Agusan was to be returned to Cagayan for use against guerrillas in northern Bukidnon, and that replacements were on the way to garrison northern Agusan. These replacements were believed to be the same troops recently arrived in Cagayan from Cebu.

The most significant ground report from a tactical point of view was the opening and keeping open of the Sayre Highway from Cagayan through Kabacan to Davao.

The long and high bridges on the road had not been replaced except by ferries, and at best the road was not suitable for sufficient traffic to be of great value for some time. The road had not been extensively used but the failure of the guerrillas to maintain their road blocks in the face of this limited activity was considered important.

Shipping and Naval Activity

Sporadic shelling, usually of some guerrilla occupied coastal town, had taken place the east and north coast.

The pier at Cagayan, Misamis Oriental had been closed to Filipinos this month. The full significance of this move was not known, but may well be that the Japanese desired greater security regarding their activities in this area during the next few months, and equally likely that they know they no longer trusted the Filipinos.

In Hindsight

However, these intelligence reports are best appreciated with the perfect perspective of hindsight.

According to Tony Feredo of the Pacific Air War History Associates (PAWHA), post-war reports from the Japanese and US sides note it is to be expected that the reality on the ground almost always varies with the view from the air and guerrilla reports (which are furtive at best by their very nature).

“One thing you need to keep in mind was that the Japanese Army and Navy air force operated in separate terms and although “joint” air operations were conducted, still they were independent of one another.” 

“This was also why each had separate airfields and this has something to do with logistics, maintenance and accessibility. The one thing that is common usage by both is fuel (aviation gas).  There were some exceptions that the army and navy shared some airfields due to one reason or another.”

“As early as Feb-March 44, the Japanese had anticipated that the US will make a hard push to both the Central and SWPA areas.  This was due to the increase of the US carrier raids and the island hopping of MacArthur. 

The Japanese Navy Air Force (IJNAF) had always used Mindanao as its staging areas using Davao (Sasa and Sta. Ana Harbor) as its main base of operations.  The Navy surface command held their exercises and long range gunnery practices at Tawi-Tawi though most of their capital ships were in Brunei and Singapore.” 

“Air units decimated on both the IJNAF and Army Air Force (IJAAF) in the coming months retreated to Mindanao.  US intelligence also anticipated this and initiated the reconnaissance by the use of the Filipino guerrilla forces.  This was done in the entire Philippines and the basis for the listing of the airfields is based on the pre-war landing fields built and those included as “possible landing fields”. 

“The pre-war airfields are documented properly by the Army Air Corps and US Naval Intelligence just before the outbreak of the war and were still being reported per district just before the surrender in 1942.” 

Thus, the airfields mentioned mostly were based on pre-war and the list is incomplete based on the diagram or map provided in the intelligence report.  Some are mentioned one airfield with two different names (Like Dadiangas and Buayan) is the same with confusing measurements on the airfield. 

Following are the main airfields the Japanese actually used and were priority targets by the US:

IJNAF : Sasa (Davao No. 1); Matina (Davao No. 2); Sta. Ana Harbor (Sea Plane); Digos (shared with IJAAF); Padada (shared with IJAAF); Sanga-Sanga (Tawi-Tawi); Rajah Buayan (Buayan)/Dadiangas; Zamboanga (2 airfields: San Roque & Wolf) and Dipolog.

 IJAAF: The Del Monte A/F complex; Maramag; Valencia; Lumbia; Patag (Cagayan); Daliao (Shared with IJNAF); Libby; Licanan (Lasang) – Bunawan; and Malabang.

“The IJNAF in Mindanao tended to utilize airfield locations that had close proximities to the shorelines primarily for logistics, whereas the army preferred inland locations since they relied on the highways for their logistics.”

So what were the reasons for the development of the Mindanao air centers?

“The Japanese (as well as the US) considered Mindanao to be the stepping stone for the re-conquest of the Philippines.  By April of 1944, the IJNAF gradually reassembled air units from the southern fronts to the Davao area.  Surviving aircraft and pilots from decimated units were later absorbed into existing air groups (such was the case of the 201^st Kokutai which received several aircraft from these units and later became the main fighter group).” 

“The 1^st and the 2^nd Air Fleet were sent to the Philippines.  The 1^st Air Fleet had its main base at Davao but dispersed its units to assigned IJNAF airfields around Mindanao.  The 2^nd Air Fleet had its main base in Luzon.”

The IJAAF followed suit by transferring air units to the Philippines by June 1944.  They chose to use Negros Island as their main base of operation (4^th Air Army) but also deployed several air units to the previously mentioned army airfields in Mindanao.

The Japanese were expecting a US invasion from November 1944 to January 1945 but the US opted to land at Leyte in October 1944.  One major factor for the change was the capture of the “Koga Papers” by Cebuano guerrillas led by Lt. Col. James M. Cushing in March 1944.

Named after Admiral Mineichi Koga, these papers contained vital battle plans and defensive strategies of the Japanese Navy codenamed the “Z Plan”, information on the overall strength of the Japanese fleet and naval air units, and most importantly that the Japanese had already deduced MacArthur’s initial plans to invade the Philippines through Mindanao.

These papers came into the possession of the Filipino guerrillas when the seaplane of Admiral Koga, which was en route to Davao, crashed into the coast San Fernando, Cebu, killing Koga and many others. After Koga’s body and many surviving Japanese were washed ashore, the guerrillas found them and captured 12 high-ranking officers including Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet Vice Admiral Shigeru Fukodome.

The papers were inside a briefcase which was fished out of the sea by Cebuano fishermen before being handed over to the guerrillas. Unknown to the Japanese, Cushing managed to send the documents by submarine to Allied headquarters in Australia. The discovery of the papers allowed MacArthur to move his invasion from Mindanao to Leyte and also aided the Allies in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

“Nonetheless, the Mindanao airfields had to be neutralized so the USN and USAAF made every effort to render these airfields useless and to destroy as many enemy aircraft.”

Although the US was very effective in neutralizing the Mindanao airfields, Feredo cautions the history student to be aware of a few caveats: 

1) The Japanese were masters of camouflage and placed several dummy (including wrecked and unserviceable) aircraft in their airfields.  To simulate a hit they even placed a few precious fuel drums so that attacking US aircraft were made to believe they scored an actual hit.

2)  Aircraft Identification.  US aircraft identification on Japanese aircraft was not perfect.  A number of the aircraft identified shot down or bombed were of the wrong types.   

3)  A number of airfields hit sometimes did not contain any planes (even in revetments).  This can be attributed to faulty intelligence. 

 A report by the Technical Air Intelligence Unit (TAIU) on captured Japanese aircraft in the Philippines in July 1945 lists only four (4) airfields with actual Japanese aircraft found (unserviceable or wrecks). 

These Matina are (Davao No 2), Daliao, Padada and Zamboanga.  Of course there were other airfields like Dipolog and Licanan which have photographic evidence of captured Japanese aircraft but are not listed.

Key Airfields

Foremost among the targets the US airmen were eyeing during this period were the Del Monte Airfield Complex in Tankulan, Maluko (present day Dicklum, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon).

There were eight airfields comprising the Del Monte group, within a radius of 15 air miles of Del Monte No. 1. Three of the fields were not operational when the Japanese captured them in 1942, two being used for cold storage of planes (#5 Palais, #6 Tigiptip) and the third an old golf course abandoned as unsuitable (#2).

The other five airfields were classed among the best in Mindanao with Del Monte Nos. 1, 7 and 8 among the best in the group. The three were grouped together on parallel plains and connected by a common road. A later G-2 intelligence report indicated all airfields were in operational condition as of March-April 1944.

Also prime targets of the American bombing raids were the two airfields in Cagayan: Lumbia Airfield, a Japanese constructed pursuit field with a capacity of 20 planes, and CagayanEast (Cagayan/Patag Airfield), both utilized as fighter fields.

Not the least were smaller auxiliary/dispersal airfields at Malaybalay, Valencia, Maramag, Impasug-ong, Dalwangan, and Kibawe, also in Bukidnon.

Japanese Air Units

Japanese Air Units deployed to these airfields were primarily elements of the 6^th Air Brigade under the 2^nd Air Division, 4^th Air Army with main headquarters in Luzon. 

Take a first hand look at the Ki-51 Sonia in action from this archival Japanese film footage (note: audio commentary is in Nihongo) You can also check out this longer film if you want to see more.

The 65^th and 66^th Hiko Sentais (air regiment) were deployed on a rotation basis and patrolled Palawan and Cagayan/Northern Mindanao. Each Sentai usually had 27-34 Mitsubishi Ki-51 (Army designation “Type 99 Assault Plane“; Allied nickname “Sonia“) light bomber/dive bomber usually utilized in the ground attack role and noted for its ability to operate from rough airfields. 

A map of the Japanese Air Dispositions in the Philippines dated 9 September 1944 showed two airfields in Cagayan (Cagayan West or Lumbia Airfield with a 5,000 x 340 ft runway, a Japanese built pursuit field with a capacity of 20 planes) and Cagayan South at Patag which had two level strips L 2865 x 165 and 2952 by 159 which was lengthened by the Japanese to bomber length in 1943.

A sampling of excerpts from some radio messages sent to GHQ SWPA indicate that Lumbia appeared be the more active of the two airfields.

23 March 1944: Flights of 6 to 9 bombers from Patag Airfield patrolling Macajalar Bay for the last 3 days.

23 October 1944: “Five Zeke (Zero) fighters passed night at Lumbia Misamis Oriental Field, went South next day, came from North. Habitual for Nip planes to land at dusk at Lumbia and take off early next morning.”

9 February 1945: “Remaining five pursuits at Lumbia now located in coco groves just East of Talakag-Cagayan Road at Km. 8. This is along East Boundary Lumbia Airfield.”

12 February 1945: “Four enemy planes warmed up at Lumbia today. They are hidden in dense woods 1,500 meters at 15 degrees from Municipal Building Lumbia.”

Other Japanese air units which had access to the air corridor in the Cagayan-Bukidnon-Misamis areas were based in Zamboanga and Davao.

 In the Zamboanga area, elements of the 761^st Kokutai were based as well as some aircraft from the 1081^st Kokutai although their HQ was in Cebu.  761st Ku was armed with G4M Bettys while the 1081^st employed L2D Showa “Tabby” (copy of the C-47) air transports and some G4M and G6M Bettys used for transports.  They used San Roque Airfield in Zamboanga (later renamed Moret Field) and the smaller fighter airstrip in Dipolog which was much nearer to Cagayan.

In Southern Mindanao (Davao Area), elements of the 201^st Kokutai (IJNAF) armed mostly with A6M Zero fighters and fighter bombers were based at Sasa and Matina.  The 153^rd Kokutai (night fighting unit) was based at Matina. These were equipped with J1N1-S Gekko night fighters and a number of A6M5 Zero night fighters as well as ordinary Zeros.

The 2^nd Sentai (armed with Ki-46 Dinahs) was assigned to Licanan airfield (present day Panabo City, Davao del Norte) to assist the 1^st Naval Air Fleet assigned at Sasa airfield (Davao No. 1).  The 15^th Sentai (recon) sent an element to Davao and then later moved to Licanan for recon duties. It later moved back to its base at San Marcelino, Luzon before heading to Clark in October-November 1944.

 By February, 1945 Japanese air power in the Philippines had dwindled due to attrition and transfers of air elements to the southern fronts or back to the homelands.  There were a few sporadic flights from Mindanao but none as a cohesive fighting unit.

In fact, when the 108^th Regimental Combat Team of the 40^th Division landed on Tin-ao, Agusan (codename: Brown Beach) on 10 May 1945, their reconnaissance reported only 11 Japanese aircraft in Mindanao at the time. Of the 62 sorties launched by the USAAC, USN and USMC not one encountered a single enemy aircraft nor was any anti-aircraft fire reported by the B-25s bombing Tagoloan and Cagayan.

Terrible Swift Sword

The first recorded bombings of Cagayan by the returning US forces occurred on September 9-10, 1944 of which we are fortunate to have eyewitness/primary accounts both from eyewitnesses on the ground and from reports filed by the attacking US airmen themselves. (1&2)

Perhaps the most popular, mainly perhaps because of the status of the author and the accessibility of many students to his memoirs is Guerrilla Padre in Mindanao by Fr James Edward Haggerty, S.J, Rector of Ateneo de Cagayan, then the most prestigious school at the time mostly due to the efforts of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) which owned and operated it. 

From page 218 to 222 Haggerty describes his eyewitness accounts of the day’s events in a chapter titled “The Planes are Ours”.

“It began just as I was finishing Mass-this wonderful day. A roar of planes-many planes-swept over us just before the end of Mass. I turned around and told the congregation to take cover. I unvested and stepped down into a little creek which formed a tunnel. Strangely, I felt no fear this time, although from the number of planes and the nearness of the bombings I though the Japs were beginning a really systematic clean-up of guerrillas.

 To my amazement my boys dashed breathlessly happy down the hill to our gully.

“Our planes! Our planes!” they shouted. “The Jap airfields are both on fire! The planes dived at the wharf of Cagayan! The town is on fire! Ships are exploding in the bay! ” 

I ran up the hill, saw great black columns of smoke at the Lumbia Airfield at Kilometer Seven – then explosions at the Patag Airfield. But the planes were gone.

The boys said there had been about forty of them-not like those old Jap training planes that machine-gunned us – those were real planes!”  The hills around us each had its little group who had climbed out of their hiding places as the news swept around. Even now they were jumping up and down, and cheers came from far away on the breeze,. “They knew it was America’s day, and in delirium they shouted over to me:

“Father, Father, America has kept her promise to return.”

Two hours later another roar grew louder out of the east. Racing up the steep  hill we counted the tiny specks rushing nearer-twelve, sixteen, eighteen, more, more, the sky full of them as they circled. We caught the glint of silver wings, the dark markings on the wingtips-carrier planes-carrier planes.

They dived from all directions, and as the thick smoke rolled up they flashed in  and out of it – one of the most beautiful sights, it seemed, I had ever seen. A little off to the right, I knew, was the college, and  the big gymnasium that the students themselves had helped to build. It was our pride; the only one outside of Manila.  From that direction the smoke was thicker, and I felt not even a pang of regret-it was the Japanese stronghold.

Three hours later planes returned for another pounding. Now the whole horizon is filled with  billows of smoke.   For hours explosion after explosion has continued.  Just now, fourteen hours after the first attack, the sky above Cagayan is aglow and a  heavy black pall hangs over the area for  miles. Occasionally still an explosion like a  bursting shell roars out, and the flames leap high again.

It  has been a happy day!”

The American Guerrillas of Mindanao (AGOM) in its unpublished manuscript “History of the Mindanao Guerrillas” (a copy of which was provided to us by the late AGOM President Virginia Hansen Holmes), reported witnessing the flights of American planes coming over Col. Fertig’s new headquarters on the Agusan River Valley.

“On 9 Sept 1944, a large formation of planes flew directly over the encampment. Some arguments arose as to whether they were American or Jap planes. Some claimed having caught glimpses of stars on the wings. Others were pessimistic having been schooled for three years in seeing always a red ball on the planes.”

“But a couple of hours later, messages began pouring in from stations all over Mindanao. Friendly planes! One station reported the actual  bombing practically play by play, of the town of Cagayan, capital of Misamis Oriental. From then on, American planes were continuously flying in large groups over the camp.”

From page 9 of the March 26, 1949 issue of the Philippine Free Press, Jose A. Bautista wrote this account from his story about Ang Katarungan, the oldest newspaper in Mindanao entitled “Born 1903-Still Going Strong:”

“Then came the war on December 8, 1941, and in 1942 the Japs looted the press, and when the American bombers blasted the enemy headquarters on September 9-10, 1944, all was again wiped out.”

The Blue Ghost

The aircraft that Haggerty and Bautista were referring to were the fighter, bomber and torpedo planes of the USS Lexington operating from the far-away Caroline islands in New Guinea.

Lexington arrived in the Carolines on 7 September for three days of strikes against Yap and Ulithi, then began attacks on Mindanao, the Visayas, the Manila area, and shipping along the west coast of Luzon, preparing for the coming assault on Leyte.

USS Lexington (CV-16) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier with an overall length of 872 feet and a length along the waterline of 820 feet. It had hangar deck capacity for 103 aircraft. 

During World War II, the Japanese reported the Lexington sunk no less than four times! Yet, each time she returned to fight again, leading the propagandist Tokyo Rose to nickname her “The Blue Ghost.”

Lexington’s first air group (AG-16), consisted of 89 aircraft that included 32 F6f-3 Hellcat fighters (VF-16), 35 SBD-5 Dauntless dive-bombers (VB-16)  and 18 TBF-1 Avenger torpedo bombers (VT-16). 

An air group in those days consisted of three squadrons made up of fighters, dive bombers and torpedo bombers. There were approximately twenty pilots each in the dive bomber and torpedo bomber squadrons, and sixty pilots in the fighter squadron. In air group 16 the fighter pilots flew the new Grumman F6F Hellcat; the dive bomber pilots flew the Douglas SBD Dauntless and the torpedo bombers flew the new Grumman TBF Avenger.

In the Damage Assessment Reports of fliers from the USS Lexington filed on 09 September 1944, they reported the following: two Nakajima B6N Tenzan  “Jills”) carrier-borne torpedo bombers destroyed on the ground at Lumbia airfield; one Topsy Mitsubishi Ki-57  and one Tabby Shōwa L2D transport planes destroyed on the ground at Cagayan (Patag) Airfield, five Nick Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu twin-engine fighters and Dinah Mitsubishi Ki-46 reconnaissance planes of the Imperial Japanese Army destroyed on the ground at Del Monte airfield; one steam roller and one truck destroyed on the ground at Maramag airfield; two army trucks destroyed at Cagayan; 10 large barracks plus several other buildings destroyed at Valencia Airfield; four sampans and two other sea vessels sunk or probably sunk and damaged in Cagayan Harbor.

FEAF/SoWesPac

From October 16, 1944 to May 10, 1944 Cagayan and its immediate areas were again attacked by no less than fourteen bombing missions by various elements of the Far East Air Force, SouthWest Pacific Area (FEAF, SoWesPac)

On October 16, 1944 P-38 Lightning fighter-bombers struck facilities and shipping at Cagayan Harbor, airfields and trucks at Cagayan. (3)

Five days later, seven B-24 Liberators destroyed the Ateneo de Cagayan, the Macabalan Wharf (Cagayan pier), St. Augustine Church and the Bishop’s House and Convent (4).

Fr. Haggerty’s account of the October 21, 1944 air raid wasn’t as cherry and ebullient as his first one.

“The next day, October 21st, we saw for the first time flights of Liberators. Explosion after explosion came up the wind to us. As we trotted down the road to home other flights were circling overhead. Those Liberators wrecked the town of Cagayan and its wharves. When the day was over the old transit showed our college in ruins, the century-old cathedral gone, and the lovely house of the Bishop a heap of concrete.

I wrote simply in my diary: “One group of seven Liberators destroyed in fifteen minutes our material labor of fifteen years.  What is now left to show we gave her the best years of our life, unless we look into the souls of our people.”

Besides Cagayan, the B-24s also bombed the port city of Parapare in South Sulawesi, Indonesia while B-25s and fighter bombers hit Misamis and blasted trucks in Kibawe, Bukidnon.

A mission report filed by elements of the 22^nd Bomb Group to which the B-24s belonged said “On October 21st, the government school at Cagayan [sic], doing double duty on the north coast of Mindanao, was destroyed by a wing strike.”  

The following day, October 22^nd, another bombing run was conducted by 12 B-24 Liberators of the 43rd Bomb Group on Cagayan. (5)

The mission report succinctly reported how “Due to extensive mechanical problems, only 12 of 18 planes sent by the 43rd made it to Cagayan, but they recorded an excellent bombing run, with seven administrative buildings destroyed in the attack. Among the target buildings was one with a red cross on the roof, which did not deter the bombing crews. One 64th Squadron airman recalled it blew up “like an oil explosion.” 

Apparently, the Japanese troops weren’t above using the Red Cross to camouflage their vital installations and supplies but forgot patriotic Filipinos would get the word about the subterfuge to the grapevine and the American fliers.

Just four days later, B-25 Mitchell fighter-bombers hit Iligan while P-38 Lightnings hit vehicles in the Davao area. (6)

November 1^st is All Saints Day in the Philippines where practically all families visit their dear departed in cemeteries all over the islands. However, that didn’t deter four B-24 Liberators from hitting their secondary targets at Del Monte in Bukidnon after extensive clouds obscured their primary targets in Cebu. (7)

On November 7^th, P-38s and B-25s hit Del Monte Airfield and targets of opportunity in Macajalar Bay, Mindanao. (8)

Two weeks later, 43^rd Bomb Group B-24s bombed Matina and Lumbia Airfields on Tuesday 21 November, 1944. (9)

Ten days after, 43^rd BG B-24s again hit the Cagayan A/F complex on Friday 1 December 1944.

The next day, B-24s again hit Dumaguete, Matina in Davao and Cagayan airfields in Misamis on December 2^nd. (10 & 11)

Four days later, B-25s, with P-47s support, hit Cagayan, Jagcol, and Del Monte Airfields on December 6^th. (12)

After another four days, P-38s hit port facilities at Misamis on Sunday 10 December 1944. (13)         

The Victor Operations

Two uneasy months with no air raids followed but the Japanese defenders were right in being apprehensive to fear it might just be the calm before the storm since the US Forces were focused on preparations for the Victor II, III and IV operations to free Cebu, Palawan and Zamboanga.

On Friday Feb 2, 1945, B-25s attacked Japanese pillboxes in Cagayan. (14)

On 10 March 1945, the U.S. Eighth Army—under Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger—was formally ordered by General Douglas MacArthur to clear the rest of Mindanao, with the start of Operation VICTOR V, with expectations that the campaign would take four months.

On the same day Eichelberger’s forces were ordered to invade Mindanao, remnants of Major General Jens A. Doe‘s 41st Infantry Division carried out Operation VICTOR IV, the seizure of Zamboanga, the large peninsula that extended to the southwest, concurrent with the recapture of Palawan, dubbed Operation VICTOR III.

By the end of March Zamboanga Peninsula was secured, and the Sulu Archipelago followed some two weeks later. The final phase of the invasion of Mindanao dubbed Victor V proceeded with the April 17 landings at Parang, Cotabato (present day Maguindanao) and with this the bombings of Cagayan were renewed on 19 April 1945 with B-24s bombing personnel areas in Kabacan, Cagayan and along Davao road.

This was followed by the penultimate bombing raids on 09 May 1945 by B-24s of the area sound Maluko and Dalirig preparatory to Allied landings in Macajalar Bay area on 10 May 1945. (15)

Finally, the last bombing raid on Cagayan and its immediate areas commenced at 0734 Hrs of 10 May 1945 with 16 B-25s bombing and strafing Tagoloan. Each carried 12 100-pound bombs. 90% of the bombs were in the target. 16 additional B-25s hit Cagayan in the same manner with 90% of their bombs on target, starting small fires. (16)

Simultaneously, B-24s  hit Impasug-ong, Kalasungay and Malaybalay in Bukidnon as other B-25s in support of ground forces attacked Kibawe, also in Bukidnon.

It was to be the last bombing raids of American air forces in Cagayan. On 12 May 1945 an all-Filipino guerrilla force led by Filipino guerrilla officers from the east and west corridors of the town finally cleared Cagayan of Japanese forces.

-30-

Sources/References:

1. Air Force Combat Units of World War lI, Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN-o-912799-02-1

2. Combat Squadrons of the  Air Force, World War II, Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF 1982

3. The Army Air Forces in World War II: Combat Chronology 1941-1945 by the Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973

4. McKillop, Jack. USAF (Airways and Air Communications Services) 1955-1959, Bellcore, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA jem3@cc.bellcore.com

5. Macajalar Bay Action Report 10 May 1945. File A16-3 Serial 00680 Commander Amphibious Group Nine, Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, 31 May 1945

6. Haggerty, James Edward. Guerrilla Padre in Mindanao, January 1, 1946

7. Bautista,  Jose A., Born 1903-Still Going Strong, Philippine Free Press, March 26, 1949, page 9

8. A History Of The B-24 Liberator in Over 300 Photographs, Stories And Analyisis: Including The U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II: Combat Chronology 1941 – 1945 – American Air Power in WWII by the US Department of Defense (author), Jeffrey Jones (editor).

9. Damage Assessment Report 09 September 1944, USS Lexington (CV-16).

10. The Battle of the Marianas — June 1944 Chapter 3,The Tom Bronn Story (Clyde L. (Tom) Bronn Presentation, Long Beach Rotary Club Evening Program, October 2, 1991)

11. Revenge of the Red Raiders – The Illustrated History of the 22nd Bombardment Group During World War II (Eagles over the Pacific, Volume 2) 22nd BG B-24s bombed CDO Oct 21 (map p. 314) p. 325: Walter, Don Evans, Harry Nelson, & Lawrence J Hickey, Gaylor

Published by International Research Pub Corp, 2006

ISBN 10: 0913511056 / ISBN 13: 9780913511053

URL: https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/Revenge-Red-Raiders-Illustrated-History-22nd/9808712156/bd

12. Hickey, Ken’s Men: Oct 22, 43rd BG B-24s bombs CDO. p. 171

13. Hickey Ken’s Men, p. 175

14. Guerrilla Intelligence Activities, Part II.

15. Correspondences with Tony Feredo, Pacific Air War History Associates (PAWHA) on the Japanese air unit movements in the Philippines. Sept. 28-October 5, 2020

16. How Cebuano fishermen helped defeat the Japanese in World War II, Filipiknow. Retrieved October 5, 2020.

17. Jack McKillop, USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service), 1955-59

USAAF Chronology:  COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES, DECEMBER 1944

SOURCES:

AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,

  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1

COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force

  History, Headquarters USAF 1982

THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the

  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973

FTP SITES

  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf

  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/

     wwii_chronology

URL: http://paul.rutgers.edu/~mcgrew/wwii/usaf/html/Dec.44.html

https://ottocarter.com/thunderbolt/html/5th%20AAF,%20December,%201944.htm

18. Reports of General MacArthur : JAPANESE OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA, VOLUME II – PART I,  Compiled from Japanese Demobilization Bureaux Records, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 66-60007, Facsimile Reprint, 1994, CMH Pub 13-1

19. 1^st Lt. Collins, Glen L., 1^st Lt. Sheldon, Donald, & 2^nd Lt. Fisher, Vernon J., Mindanao Campaign, Page FO#1, HQ 108^th RCT, 6 May 1945, 108^th Regimental Combat Team History (January through June 1945), page 74.

20. James Edward Haggerty (1903-1963), Jesuits in Mindanao The Mission, Media Wise Communications, Inc./MUSE Books@2013 ISBN No. 978 921 94465 5 2 page 128-132.