North Luzon – July 1945
XIV Corps plans for operations against the remainder of the Shobu Group differed only in detail from those I Corps had previously employed.37 Reduced to their simplest terms, both sets of plans called for the exertion of unremitting pressure against the Shobu Group wherever Shobu Group troops were to be found.
East of the Cagayan River the 37th Division, and for a time a regiment of the 6th Division, hampered by supply problems and torrential rains, patrolled vigorously, forcing Japanese troops ever farther into the Sierra Madre. From 1 July through 15 August the 37th Division and attached units killed about 1,000 Japanese east of the Cagayan, itself losing approximately 50 men killed and 125 wounded.
On the northwest and west, opposition was stronger and better organized. Here the 15th Infantry, USAFIP(NL), finally secured the Sabangan junction of Routes 4 and 11 on 9 July, and on the next day the 11th Infantry occupied Bontoc. The 19th Division’s defenses in the Lepanto Mines-Mankayan area began to fall apart before attacks of the 66th Infantry, USAFIP(NL), on 10 July; Mankayan fell on the 20th.
The 66th Infantry secured the junction of Routes 11 and 393 at KP 90 on 25 July, making contact the same day with troops of the 15th Infantry coming down Route 11 from Sabangan. The 19th Division now began withdrawing into the upper Agno Valley to block the northern, western, and southern approaches to Toccucan, at the western end of Yamashita’s last-stand area in the Asin Valley.
The 15th and 121st Regiments, USAFIP(NL), immediately began attacks toward Toccucan, but found the 19th Division remnants still capable of effective resistance. By 15 August the USAFIP(NL)’s leading units were four miles short of Toccucan on the northwest and a mile and a half short on the west.
Meanwhile, the 66th Infantry , USAFIP(NL), had struck south from KP 90 along Route 11 to make contact with troops of the 32d Division, coming north from KP 21. The clearing of Route 11 north from Baguio had become a matter of pressing urgency because the heavy summer rains were making it nearly impossible to supply the USAFIP(NL) either by airdrop or over tortuous Route 4 from the west coast. Mixed forces of the 58th IMB and the 19th Division held along Route 11, their principal defenses located in the vicinity of Gambang, about five miles south of KP 90. Here, on 29 July, the 66th Infantry, USAFIP(NL), and the 127th Infantry, 32nd Division, finally made contact.
The two regiments next swung eastward into the Agno Valley near Buguias and initiated a drive south along the valley to gain contact with the 126th Infantry, 32nd Division, coming north up the valley from Ambuclao and Bokod. Starting off on 1 August, the 126th Infantry found few signs of the 23rd Division, which had melted away eastward into the inhospitable Cordillera Central.
On the east side of the Shobu Group’s last-stand area, while the 6th Division was making its strongest effort an attack toward Kiangan, elements of the division struck north up Route 4 and reached Banaue on 20 July. Meanwhile, troops of the 11th Infantry, USAFIP(NL), had started south along Route 4 from Bontoc and on 21 July made contact with the 1st Infantry, 6th Division, at Polis Pass, five miles north of Banaue. This contact, coupled with that between USAFIP(NL) and 32d Division units on Route 11 eight days later, marked the complete encirclement of the Shobu Group last-stand area.
The 1st Infantry, 6th Division, and the 11th Infantry, USAFIP(NL), turned east from Banaue along Route 389, on which about 2,500 Japanese of the 103d Division and the 4th Air Division had concentrated in mid-July. The 11th Infantry ultimately made its main effort from the north and east, and, with the 1st Infantry in support, cleared Route 389 by 9 August. The Japanese forced off Route 389 hid in mountains north of that road and east of Route 4 until the end of the war.
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Dan Alion – Rock Hill, SC; US Navy, WWII, radio-morse code operator
Gerard Bradley – Richmond, VA; US Navy / USMC, Korea
George Danscak – Munhall, PA; US Coast Guard, WWII
Marion Greene – Atlanta, GA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-24 Gunner, 466th Bomb Group
Charles Kaitlin – Boca Raton, FL; US Army Air Corps, WWII
Darrence Lewis – Hazel Park, MI; US Army, WWII, Commander, 738th Tank Battalion
Maika – NETH & USA; US Army, Sgt., 6 Afghanistan tours, 75th Ranger Reg./2nd Batt., Canine Explosive Detection Unit, KIA
Robert McDevitt Jr. – Dayton, OH; USMC, Vietnam
George Parmenter – Great Falls, MT; US Army, WWII, Co. I/163/41st Division
Walter Tokarski – Baltimore, MD; US Navy, WWII
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Posted on December 10, 2018, in Uncategorized, WWII and tagged Army, family history, History, Military, Military History, Pacific War, Philippines, veterans, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 60 Comments.
Thought I’d take the opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas, GP! Thank you for all you do for our veterans, throughout the year.
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Thank you Anna. I wish you all the very best!
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Your blog provides a great service GP – always a pleasure to read your posts.
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Thank you, Dennis, that is very nice to hear!!
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Thanks again for publishing all these records of events. It’s vital that these are recorded.
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Thank you, Bev. Words like these make me feel revitalized!
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
REMEMBERING A TERRIBLE TIME AND THE BUDDIES WHO SACRIFICED THAT OTHERS COULD WIN THE BATTLE AND COME HOME!
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Thank you for helping to share this history.
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My pleasure!
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The path-clearing had to be a herculean effort, GP. Thanks for reminding of that part. It helps bring us into the everyday of the situation. You find so many wonderful old images too.
Hugs on the wing.
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Thanks.
Hugs back!
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G.P. thank you for another great post. I know my comment is a little late but I had to comment anyway. I hope we all took a moment to thank those who make the daily freedoms we take for granted possible.
It’s too easy for us to sometimes take the little things for granted and how they were paid for with the blood, sweat, and tears of our brave men and woman in the armed forces. If it weren’t for them I hate to think what my life and the life of my children would be like. It sure wouldn’t be anything like it is today.
I love reading your blog for two main reasons. First, obviously, the posts are so well written and being a professional writer myself I can really appreciate that fact. The second and most important reason is that your posts never cease to keep me grounded to reality and ensure I stay humble.
I personally thank you for keeping this blog going with the wonderful, thoughtful and entertaining content you add every day. As always my thanks also go out to Smitty who you honor with every post you add. Thank You.
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I thank you for your wonderful compliments, but mostly today, of all days, you remembered Smitty on what would have been his 104th Birthday!! Thank you so very much for that!!
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“Hello Rolling Stone.” Enjoyed that bit of humor, G.
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If only it was that easy, eh, Curt?! 🙂
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🙂 More likely end you up in the brig. Laughing.
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You’ve got that right.
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I’ll bet they all wanted to ring Rolling Stone
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haha, I don’t doubt it, Derrick. 🙂
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Reading the phrase “mopping up” and looking at the dates, I do wonder why the existence of the atomic bomb and the imminent arrival of the Soviet hordes did not have an influence on events. Perhaps that’s hindsight, though!
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Their were more reasons to drop the A-bomb than to end the war and the generals had no wish for the Soviets to enter in. They knew the Russians only wanted to declare war on Japan soon enough to be able to invade Manchuria, they also continued to fight after the Japanese had surrendered.
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Beyond my admiration for the planning and execution of these battles and ‘mopping up operations,’ I’ve found my “mental map” of the Pacific beginning to fill in. It always makes me smile to hear someone talk about Africa as though it’s monolithic, but I’ve been guilty of the same thing when it comes to Asia, the Pacific Islands, and so on. I’m reminded of the song, “Over There.” For many people, where our men have been has been no more specific than that, so it’s good that you and others are continuing to add the details to our very vague notions!
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I appreciate you saying that, Linda. Our history lessons in school only barely cover what our forebears endured for us. I hope more than our group here greatly appreciate their efforts and sacrifices!!
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Reblogged this on Subli and commented:
The war was coming full circle. It started in Baguio and now they were back fighting close to Baguio near the end of the war.
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A history close to your heart, thank you for sharing it.
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You’re welcome. I remember Dad telling me about the start of the war while he was at Mankayan.
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It must have horrendous!!
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Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
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Thank you my friend.
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You are very welcome.
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Your Dad’s motto really rings true for me. Your interesting and often heartbreaking articles are about such an important time period. Luzon yet again new for me.. You honor our country and Veterans with your work. Best holidays to you. Thank you.
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Thank you. I wish you and yours the very best this season!
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The small details of the fighting to liberate the Philippines are really enlightening. Even though I had read something about the overall campaign previously, this detailed account put the gritty fighting into perspective. Thanks, GP.
Best wishes, Pete.
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To think, all this was considered ‘mopping up!’
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Incredible!
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Reblogged this on Dave Loves History.
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Thank you, Dave!
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Love the cartoons. If only getting sent home was as easy as saying something dumb about civilians…..
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So difficult in that geography and in those conditions, the feat might be missed if the terrain wasn’t understood. Amazing clearance rate given the odds.
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Glad to know that you understand that.
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Once again you have demonstrated the complexity of the final Luzon campaign. Well done, GP.
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Thank you, John. All this “mopping up” can be dangerous whether the Brass believes it or not!!
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I’m getting goosebumps when I read about Lepanto Mines and then became emotional when I saw Mankayan. Dad lived in that town for years before the war. I have to reread this post later because I can’t stop crying. Dad must be watching over me now.
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Perhaps Dad wants you to remember for him.
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It seems that way. He went back after the war and checked his store. He owned Batangas Dry Goods Store in Mankayan and most of his custormers worked at Lepanto Mines. The store was gone and some of his friends perished during the war. There was a massacre there where the Japanese sent people to the school house and burned the building. And to think that at some point after my parents got married, Dad wanted to move us there.
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Who would ever imagine a Japanese blitzkrieg would storm through?
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No one. I just hope and pray we don’t see another war in my lifetime. It will be worst the next time around.
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We have too many wars going on right now, but they aren’t publicized anymore because they don’t fit into anyone’s daily lives or their agendas. We simply ignore that we have a volunteer force scattered all around the globe.
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I mean the big ones like we just vaporize. And I wish our soldiers overseas should come home soon.
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Agreed! I believe they have done more than their fair share!
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I’d never heard of Luzon and googled it, I wasn’t sure till I did that whereabouts in the World the Philippines was to be honest, but now I know it is north of Australia and South East of China learning something new every day 🙂
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That was one of my father’s mottoes – “The day I stop learning, do me a favor and close the lid.’
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I like that motto –
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I always liked it – I try, but for him it was true!
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It amazes me how meticulous and precise these successful maneuvers were. Communication and luck must have been exceptional.
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They tried to plan things out, but I’m sure you’ve heard about “Murphy’s Law” – if anything can go wrong, it will. So yes, I imagine in many cases it was better to be lucky than good.
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Clearly, this war did not end until the last day. While the farewell salutes are always sad to read, it’s particularly sad to see someone with service in Afghanistan listed.
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Putting the Salutes together is heart-breaking, but I feel we owe them. And that “last day” of the war is rather elusive.
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I understand about the “last day” – that leads to some very sad stories, I’m sure.
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Yes, it does.
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