Post by VeeVee on Jun 24, 2009 11:23:13 GMT -5
Received from Mike Houlahan. Very interesting account:
Here is an interesting unedited article written by a Japanese second lieutenant describing his combat experiences on Bataan. Rod Hall forwarded it to me. Mike
--------------------
[translated by Yukakao Ibuki, who sent it to Peter Parsons, among others.]
Memoir of the Battles in Bataan
by Toshimi Kumai 1986
Ifll be fifty-one years old this year, 1968. This is my private memoir to tell my experience in the battles in Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 to my Father and children. Though it is recorded as a brilliant victory of Japan, the reality was the most physically painful experience in my life. I was a SecLt and a gun force platoon leader. I carried the heavy machine-guns with my subordinates at the risk of life, and with the pride of a platoon leader, did desperate effort to achieve my duty. Had there been another battle, my and my subordinatesf physical energy must have reached the limit, and having lost our composure in a self-destructive way, we might have perished in Bataan.
In February 1942, I was in the officers meeting room in 46th Regiment in Matsue City. The media was reporting brilliant victory in Bataan Peninsula. However, we were listening to a grave and heart-rending report by Regiment Commander Tobita of the Mt. Natib offensive carried out by Nara Corps. We knew that two thirds of the Corps was lost in the battle.
The names of those who were summoned as recruiting officers for Nara Corps were announced, and I was one of them. On Feb. 21, my Mother passed away and I bade farewell to her at the funeral, leaving my Father and a younger brother and a sister at home. We recruiting officers went to Manila via Shanghai and Heitc, Formosa. Manila was beautiful and I wandered as if I were in a dream Then we were taken to the Head Quarters of Nara Corp in a military truck. We reported to the sun-tanned and gaunt Corp Commander(Yoshizawa?). His voice was vigorous and he was an experienced war-veteran general, who had studied in the US and knew a lot about the situation of the US Forces and their ways of fighting. Although 60 % of the soldiers and nearly all the officers had been killed in action, he expressed no emotion of regret or sympathy for the loss of lives, except his regret of losing the great chance of victory by a hairfs breath at Mt. Natib. He told us that, at that moment in the front line, both sides were facing so close to each other that the othersf voices could be heard.
We also learned from other officers of the HQ that we were going to fight against the USAFFE=the United States Armed Force Far East, and the Commander was General McArthur, whose HQ was in Corregidor Island where they had a modern underground fortress. It was March 5, 1942 not far from Orani. I was shown to the platoon, where late SecLt Minamoto was the commander. In the jungle, under the dim moon light, around twenty soldiers were standing in watch and waiting for me. That night three newly promoted SecLts took over the duty, and the new formation of our company finished.
p36The US Force had constructed a solid position on the north side of the road between Bagac and Balanga. The JA had developed the formation with Nara Corps in the center, 4th Division on its left, which advanced from China, and a detached unit of 20th Division still further to the left. The 16th Division was on the right of the central corps. The major focus of the attack was the area of Mt. Samat, which was going to be performed by the 4th Division. In addition to those, with both the Air Force and the Naval Force joining, it was going to be a three dimensional general attack. To my relief just inside my heart, it was decided that we Tanabe Battalion serve as the reserve force, and was supposed to be commanded directly by the Corps Commander as a reserve force in case when the main corps attack didnft go well. At that time, among the soldiers, the following rumor was going around about the fire power of the US Force.
‚‚S‚OIn a previous battle, a company of 20th Division had been sent to the Philippines from the battle field of China. The company faced the US position, situated on a hill. It was an ordinary looking plateau, making a prime target for an attack. Every member of the companyfs experienced war veterans in China thought, eHow could such a hill be difficult to capture?f In the sky there was the full moon best for a night attack. The company launched their favorite night attack based on their experience in China, of which they were proud of successive victories. In an instant, they received the counter attack. The US shooting was horrible, being like waves and sea of firing to be precise, and the company nearly annihilated. This showed the awful difference between Chinese and American gun power. The JA realized it was difficult to dash through the American line without a strong covering by the artillery.
Soon after the last review the Corps Commander, the General Offensive was decided to be launched on April 3, the Emperor Jimmu Memorial Day. All the soldiers, vehicles, guns and horses of the JA made the final movement in excitements. We also moved the position to the final point. We encountered the Takasago-tribe Voluntary Army from Formosa, and saw them devotedly engaged in making a road through the untrodden jungle. Their efficient work made us feel grateful for their cooperation.
Two days before the General Offensive, perhaps in preparation for the expected loss of personnel killed in action, a last minute supplement was carried out and our platoon were added with around a dozen of new soldiers. This made the number of the men in the platoon around forty, giving new worry and anxiety to me. They were literally supply soldiers, who were classified as rank C in the military standard physical examination given to them back in their home town of Japan. Everyone was shortish and feeble-looking, and was not cut in an adequate frame to bear through heavy machine guns and bullet boxes that weighed more than 30 kg. Inside my heart, I thought the army had arranged wrong kind of soldiers to our gun force unit and wished there would be no extra problems.
On the previous day of the attack, we got distributed a pack of the emperor-given tobacco and sweets. In the place and circumstance, we enjoyed them and especially the sweets tasted good. Eventually, the candies would become our precious calorie supplement and the only side dish to go with rice during the offensive operation. On the night previous to the General Offensive, the sky of Bataan was full of twinkling stars. Beneath them, everything on the earth was in dead silence, but with the General Offensive waiting for the next day, there was something fierce in the bottom of the atmosphere.
Actually it is quite lately that I knew that the General Offensive of the Bataan Peninsula was performed from April 3 to April 10. As I try to recall precisely what I did on each day, the dates never fit properly. It must have been that as a front gun force platoon leader, I moved about just as I was ordered, like a robot. Therefore memorizing itself of all the acts was difficult, and also I had been in the utmost exhaustion towards the latter part of the campaign. Let me put everything as I recall them.
On the morning of April 3, we Yoshizawa Regiment reached the Bagac-Balanga road, having dashed through the front US Force line by the night attack, as planned.
Maeda Company Commander proposed us two platoon leaders, me and Kimura, to climb up the hill behind to go see the battle, which started at 10:00 a.m. Although I was concerned about my platoon, I also wanted to see the battle. Eventually firing of the JA began in front and behind us. Hundreds of guns of the JA unanimously started shooting. There was a survey point where we could see the whole scene of Marivelez and Mt Samat.
At 10:00 a.m. the General Offensive in the major area started. We heard noises of various different types of guns and several friendly airplanes above the sky. The dust and smoke of yellowish white rose and climbed higher and higher in an instant covering Mt. Samat and Mt. Marivelez. As we three of us were excitedly watching, suddenly a fire started at our feet. Nearby dry grass caught fire of the cigarette thrown away by the Company Commander. We managed to extinguish it in five minutes. All three of us got our face black with smoke.
Returning to the position of our company, we were shocked to find there was no one. The had gone. The order of advance must have been given.
There was left no indication of which direction they went. We hurriedly advanced along the road. It must be a case punishment for a company to move forward without the commander and two platoon leaders. We nearly ran, but I found on the way several takuwan, traditional Japanese pickled radish, in a little water pool, where someone must have thrown them away. As they had a flavor of home, I picked them to carry with me. Eventually we caught up with the company. It seemed each corps was succeeding in the front line attack, and with the horrible unanimous firing and bombing by the JA, the US Force shootings were silent this day. Thus the first day of the General Offensive finished while we remained impassive spectators.
Before the 2nd day, I woke up early in our camping site for the night. The JA was making a rapid movement, and the move seemed to be changing moment by moment. The JA was giving fierce firing to the US positions. Without any clear order to advance where, we just followed the company HQ in front of us. Those newly supplied soldiers already looked tired and I wished them just to go with the rest of us without being left behind. Squad leader Okazaki kept cheering them up. We came up to a river of around 20 m wide. We saw around a dozen friendly tanks, which we had rarely seen. They must have been those tanks that did the front attack of the day one. The exhausted look of the soldiers revealed the mortar battle. Eventually, we saw the US Force front position along the Tiawel River, which was the target of the major attack previous day by the Imai Regiment. We climbed down the slope crushed by the firing, and crossed the river. First we saw tens of corpses of the enemy force scattered in the area. The Japanese side of the Tiawel River was a cliff of seven to eight m, exposed under the glaring hot sun.
The width of the river was around 20m, with clear water that made me feel like swimming. Then we stood on a flat field of pebbles. In the ditches made with the stones on the riverside, some Filipino soldiers were lying dead still holding the gun. It was an utmost noble sight as a soldier. The flesh of the head had already melted leaving the hair on the scalp, and the clothes were dump with the rotten liquid of the body. First we met a single barbed-wire, then 50 to 60 m behind, and still further 50 to 60 m behind them were two roof-shaped barbed wires just like those we were taught in the text of position constructing. Although the wires were slack, they were new and showed they were newly constructed. Swelled up black corpses were scattered here and there, which rotten liquid dropping on the clothes. I saw a Japanese soldierfs corpse that was urgently buried with the knees sticking out on the ground. P47 70 to 80 m behind the barbed wires were trenches extending to the directions horizontal and vertical, and in 10 m interval were concealed dugout where heavy machine-guns must have been set. Swollen corpses were scattered here and there, and inside the trenches. As I looked out over the position of 300 or 400 m away, there were a few points where the barbed wire were broken, showing it was not so effective as might have expected. As there was plenty of time for preparation, I thought the Philippine Force should have strengthened the ditches and could have done better about the formation of them
P51The US Force bullets shot the leaves of the trees making noise of eBasat, basat!f The battalion HQ ordered the battalion to shoot the US Force in front. Commander Maeda directly commanded the battalion guns. The sound of shooting sounded eGwatt! e At the same time the commander shouted eAh!f and he was pressing his thigh. A shell hit a tree behind him and exploded piece of the shell unfortunately hit him. He ordered, gSec. Lt. Kumai, accompany a platoon of infantry to go around and attack the front US Force from the right side.h
Going right meant climbing up a cliff of 14 or 15m high. We pulled up the heavy guns and bullets with ropes and crawled up the cliff. With a platoon of infantry soldiers ahead of us, we advanced through the jungle around a quarter of an hour. And we reached an adequate high point. 300 m below in the jungle, the US Force force was shooting. We set the guns, and aimed. The first occasion for myself to shoot the machine gun into an emeny position. A little excited I ordered, gShoot!h 7
Da, da, da, dah the pleasant sound seemed to shook the leaves of the jungle. I felt excited, #Itfs a great success.h We might have shooted for twenty minutes. The jungle fell into a dead silence. The US Force must have retreated. We caught up with the battalion HQ. and found that the company commander had been hospitalized because of the wound. Along the road were still remaining enemies and we saw some crossing the main road here and there.
The jungle was completely different from that near Mt. Natib. On the way we passed several points where a large number of the US Force had camped. I was impressed there was no trace of human wastes anywhere. The site of their camping was extremely clean hygienically, making an astonishing contrast of that of the JA, which was full of the wastes.
P52 The fourth day? It seemed we were very close to the HQ of the US Force. The number of the shooting in the jungle increased. The drop-outs of the platoon also increased. Only one of the newly supplied soldiers was still with us. In the big jungle and making a rapid advance, there were no ways to seeking for and gripping where about of the missing. More than one third of the platoon were missing, the leaders must be blamed the responsibility, while the company commander being hospitalized. Fierce shooting lasted on the way. The US Force wouldnft withdraw. gGun force, come forward!h with the order my platoon advanced. The 2nd Company led by Commander Ikeda was fighting fiercely in the jungle bushes. The distance was around 100 m, and the sound was so sharp as if it was going to break the eardrum. Company Commander Ikeda was around forty years of age, wearing glasses and had a little exploded teeth. He was a dark compression and was a veteran of the balttles in China. In the Bullets, he was standing behind a big tree in a little caved in spot, sticking his military sward under his hands. Beside him was Tanaka platoon leader, who had been back to the gront after he was hospitalized of the wound he got in the first Natibu attack.. Both of the commanders remained calm.
gPlease hurry and shoot.h Sharp, nearly painful noise of the US Force gun-shooting and the sound of the bullets slashing the leaves around us was heard, Bastt, basatt!f We set up two heavy machine-guns. Okazaki Squad leader said, gThe men havenft yet got their usual pace.h Two veteran gunners, Wakisaka and Katoh, put their hands on the gear. gShoot!h With my order, the sound of shooting noise in the jungle became even more fierce. eDa, da, da, da, c!f
The US Force shooting had focused on our direction, making the shake of the leaves around even more active. We went on shooting for more than ten minutes, but there was no sign of the US Force retreat. Suddenly a soldier on my left screamed ,hGya!h and I heard his organs few out at the same time. I pressed my head on to the ground The soldier got up for a second and was shot at the stomach. From the company came the prompt, g There are a few more who were shot still further ahead. Shoot the machine gun more KIJIuchi.h We shot and shot towards the direction where the sound came. The US Force shooting became a bit interrupted. Ikeda Company held a Filipino officer in khaki uniforms as a POW. I asked the commander, gOur gun platoon has shortage of the personnel. And we need one who bears the bullet box. Please let him carry it.h The Filipino soldier coughed ominously and refused. The Company Commander ordered, gHe has got TB. He might do anything if he is with our company. Shoot him.h No one dared to shoot him, although the enemy and friendly fire was still going on. gLet me do it.h A young soldier came forward. gNo, donft shoot.h Someone halted. gDahn!h, a gun sounded. The Filipino soldier was shot at the stomach and he fell on his face breathing heavily with the shoulders. gShoot quick!h Another voice and another shot. An eye flew off, and the solder with a hole in his head didnft move anymore. I couldnft stop feeling sorry for him. The shooting in the jungle went on with a distance of 100m or closer between the two parties. Eventually the US Force started to flee away.
P55 As it was in the jungle, the US Force sometimes shot at us unexpectedly. The spearhead company made advance shooting at them. When the US Force resistance was strong, the order came, gThe Machinegun force come forward.h Kimura platoon and my platoon took turns. The turn of the gun force was divided into two. Infantry soldiers of the three companies were each divided into three groups, so they too turn as spearhead once in nine turns, and if it was the whole spearhead company it made once in three turns. However, the gun force went out once in tow turns, when the shooting was fierce. One machine gun weighed 45kg. we carried it analyzed into parts. Physical energy of us gun force began to deteriorate day by day, hour by hour. The soldiers had already started to drop out, so the number barely satisfied the regular quota. However, the damage was more in infantry companies, and the Company Commander grieved over the numbers of those killed in the battle, yesterday and today.
On the 5th? Day. It seemed the next attack point for the corps was decided on the solid second line position of Mt. Marivelez. The loss of energy of my platoon personnel had added. Still we were supposed to do the full scale attack of the 2nd line position. I couldnft be confident about any more attack, in consideration of the number of the staff and their fatigue level. In addition, according to what I heard later from Ikeda
Company Commander, Kimura 1st platoon leader didnft easily obeyed the order by general companies and caused trouble. On the other hand, our platoon was willing and shot and shot as best as we could, which made the order to us more frequent from the company commanders. Of course, my soldiers got more exhausted. The front of the corps was Tanabe Battalion, the spare unit. The difficult barrier of the attacking the 2nd US Force line became closer. It was the evening. In the forest of Marivelez the sound of gun shot was heard. gDahn, dahn!h I thought it must have been the mountain gun, as I saw it accompany us during the day. In this mountainside, and in the dusk, I wondered what the mountain gun was aiming at. Soon the battalion HQs gave us the order, gThe gun force, come forward.h It was the turn of the Kimura platoon. Eventually, we knew what caused the sound.
Mt. Marivelez was different from Mt. Natib, being a forest jungle of huge trees, and it became pitch dark at night. For advancing the only road in the jungle, our Tanabe Battalion had received several tanks. With them in front, the battalion was advancing as the spearhead battalion, when suddenly the US Force dynamite blew off a huge tree by the side of the road off. From behind the fallen trunk that was huge, they started to shoot the road we were advancing. Now the sound of shooting on both sides was heard in front. Under covering fire by the gun force, spearhead platoon and the fire thrower squad of the attached engineer platoon went close to the fallen tree and they attacked using mainly the flame thrower.
P59. Before long, we heard the explosion. gDahn!h The unit started to move. We were surprised to see the tree. It must have been 2m across, and the trunk blocked the road.
P57
The second explosion we heard was made by the engineers blowing off the trunk to let the tanks and gun force go through. One fall of a giant tree made it extremely difficult for our force to make advance.
We heard again the explosion, gDahn!h Then gZahatt!h The horrible sound of a gigantic tree falling down with shaking of the leaves, then we machinegun force was ordered to get rid of the US Force shooting from behind the tree trunk. After that the engineer corps exploded the trunk for going through. After seven or eight repetition of this procedure, the engineer corpsf dynamite might have run out, the blowing off of the fallen trunk had to be put a stop. The tanks and the mountain gun couldnft join with the battalion any further, and they were detached from the main force. We the gun force had to climb over the trunk bearing the machineguns.
In the dark of the night the US Force must have set dynamite to huge trees along the road.
Huge trunks of more than 2 m across lay on the road, one after another, blocking our way, with an explosion, gGahn!h The sound regularly accompanied the advancement of the JA at an interval. It was a hard labor to come over the trunks covered with thick branches. As the trees were huge, it was impossible to detour in the dark of the night, and we had no other way to climb over them. In addition, there were random shooting by the US Force, and our priority was to beat them off. Thus the battalion gun force platoon had difficulty in analyzing and carrying the guns, and they eventually broke away from the company. Nevertheless, the giant trees continued falling over the road, one after another, with the explosion, gDahn!h All the members of Kimura Platoon got exhausted, and we took over. By the time, the fire thrower squad had nearly annihilated and they could carry out no combat duty any more. Therefore, while our gun force platoon was shooting at the US Force behind the giant trunk, the rifle platoon went close and dashed. As soon as we climbed over the trunk, soon we heard another gDahn! Zahtt!h, the noise of a new fall of yet another giant tree. It was just for the first several that I could count, and I donft remember how many had fallen. Anyway, we kept fighting the US Force, struggling against the huge trees all night, in exhaustion until the dawn. Everyone of the platoon was fatigued, and the personnel of our platoon now counted just 14 or 15.
On the 5th day? After our struggle of the night, Kimura Platoon took their turn in the spearhead company. We advanced repeating skirmish with remaining enemies. We went on conveying the heavy machine-guns. Now we had the minimum number of the men to carry the staff. As the leader, I carried the appurtenance box, which usually was carried by the squad leader. Yokoo and Okazaki squad leaders carried the machine gun. As all the remaining soldiers were exhausted, the Kumai platoon leader, Yokoo and Okazaki squad leaders became the main power of bearing the gun barrels and tripods.
P63
It was the only road in the pitch dark night, and we advanced groping our way. The spearhed platoon of the 2nd Company and my platoon kept going forward very carefully watching for the US Force movement. The extreme silence of the jungle added even more weirdness. From the situation of the combats till then, we supposed we were step by step closer to the eemy Head Quarters. What was going to meet us? If the US main force would focus their attack, the spearhead platoon, a bait, would be destroyed in an instant.
It might have been around 2:00 a.m. Dragging our exhausted unstable feet, we came trembling with fear to a slope that sank in a deep silence, when we saw 300 or 400 m ahead of us suddenly bright, big trees and foliage clearly shown in the light. We also heard the sound of the bullets bursting. It was definitely not the shooting sound of the gun. All of us instantly lied on the ground, watching the surroundings. We quickly understood it was not the sign of the beginning of war, with our sharpened nerves. From behind, an officer came running with anxiety from the battalion HQ. With the Battalion Commanderfs order, the spearhead squad went scouting.
He trotted fearfully looking pale, while we waited holding our breath, which seemed like a long time. Eventually the platoon leader returned running and stambling. Over the slope, in a sort of basin, hundreds of enemies gathered with several bonfires burning.
The Battalion Commander must have expected this, and he made his way towards the spot taking me and 14 or 15 of my platoon. We let the first soldier carry a white flag as the sign of military messenger, and I was watchful about the guard of the Commander Tanabe.
As we climbed up the slope, the bonfire gained more brightness, and in not so big a basin, there were hundreds of enemies squatting. Their attitude showed they had abandoned fighting. The Battalion Commander and the rest of us climbed down the slope and advanced to the center of them. In the center there stood several soldiers surrounding a tall and darker Filipino of stoutly built. As our Japanese interpreter spoke something, the man replied in Filipino language a bit awkwardly. gAccording to the order of the USAFFE, the USAFFE of Bataan Peninsula have completely surrendered. I am Regiment Commander XXX of the USAFFE. Here we surrender and express our obedience.h The interpreter, who didnft look so skilled, told Commander Tanabe. This instant, I felt my body so light. Ifm saved, Ifm saved. I danced with joy in my heart, and was nearly started to sing. It was the second best joy in my life, the first being the time when I received the life saving sentence at the war tribunal court. The Commander spoke a bit arrogantly, gI accept your surrender. Tell this to your men. Obey the JA, and your lives will be guaranteed. Tell this to them.h The Filipino Regiment Commander loudly spoke to his subordinates in a military manner. When he finished, a surge of noises spread, relieved voices of joy rose, and there was a kind of festive atmosphere that war was over. A soldier who seemed like American screeched, gHail, Japan!h We laughed with a little bitterness. Eventually, as if they couldnft sit still, a dozen soldiers joyously and amiably around us like a crowd surrounding movie stars.
gOfficer, officer,h those around me was more than the others. I said in my broken English,h I have the same skin color as you. We are friends.h They gave cries of joy openly expressing their joy. Their faces were full of delight, and they all looked good-natured young men of my age. Why have we been shooting each other risking our life, I started to wonder. There were a lot of American soldiers also. However, they didnft
become friendly with us as might have been expected. They had the atmosphere of being fidgetingly in the farthest corner. Some Philippine soldiers shouted remarks which sounded like abuse against the American soldiers, as if they felt closeness rather towards the Japanese. This instant in war; gratefulness for victory; I wanted to let me Dad and brothers and sisters taste just part it. It was too wonderful a joy to keep it just for myself. It was such a strong emotion of life; the joy and emotion only those who fought in war could appreciate. I felt for this instant that all my fatigue had gone blown off.
It was a little basin surrounded by jungle. The bonfires were even more bright and as they seemed to have burnt rifles as well, the bullets went off like firecrackers, and the basin was covered with atmosphere like a festival. I wanted to stay soaked in the melting pot of wonderful emotion, but we got the order of advance by the Regiment HQ. The touching moment might have been thirty or forty minutes.
As we got four or five stout Philippine soldiers as temporary members and had them carry the bullet boxes, there was no need for me to convey the machine-gun. That made me feel like floating in the air, but the pain on the shoulder added on the contrary. The march in the dark night went on. We saw white flags hang along the road here and there. As we went along, we were not sure if the surrender order had thoroughly spread into the area. We became very cautious as it would have been more than we could accept if anyone had been shot to death by the US Force now. I went in front, lay on the ground, and spoke in English, gThe US and Philippine Army have surrendered totally. You surrender. Throw away the gun and come out with your hands up. We wonft harm you!h Each time, out of the jungle, five or six, fifteen or sixteen US or Phlippine soldiers appeared with their hand up. We left all of them under the care of the Regiment HQ.
Adjutant Masutani attached to the Battalion HQ was with us in the front, when a soldier who looked like an officer came by with his hands up. As soon as he came, he showed a friendly gesture, and reached out a packet of lucky strike, saying, gCigarrett.h Adjutant Masutani got angry. He said, gDumb!h and hit him a few times with all his might. The American stumbled and fell. As we went farther from the front line, we saw more and more American soldiers. We often heard the rumor that the Philippine soldiers were put to the front, with the American soldiers from behind. That seemed not a completely made up fake story. Or we might have seen more Americans as there were more facilities that looked like field headquarters, and the Main Head Quarter set up in further behind. We gradually understood the rear formation of the USAFFE such as field HQs, Communication Units, Medics Unit, and the Field Hospital.
On the way, we saw some soldiers trying to make a little elderly decent Philippine officer convey a bullet box, but he refused. Eventually a Japanese interpreter said, gPlatoon Leader, he says he is the Division Commander.h gWe cannot make a Division Commander carry a bullet box. Take him to the HQ right away,h I ordered.
Because the night was so dark, every time we came to an area where the enemies might be hiding, we all lay on the ground, with me notifying and calling for the surrender. Every time some UA and Philippine soldiers appeared with their hand up high. It was obvious that there were fairly a lot of them hiding in the jungle on both sides of the road to see how the JA would be doing.
Eventually the night was dawning. More and more surrendered soldiers were waiting for us. We were surprised to see the road. It must have been constructed by the USAFFE after they had entered Bataan. They had sliced off the mountainsides with something like a sharp knife. It seemed they made the road using some machines. What kind of machine could it be? They constructed the road in this steep mountains with some magnificent construction machine which was beyond our imagination. We were astonished to have a glimpse of the American machinery power. Besides, everything within the US Force positions were in a perfect order with no confusion. They were very clean, and without any trace of the smell of human wastes that was characteristic of the JA positions. From the movement of the US soldiers, they didnft look so exhausted, and seemed to have plenty energy for fighting. For me at that point their surrender seemed strange and unbelievable. However, their surrender at that timing was such a grateful help for me, and I was even appreciative for that. If we had been there an hour earlier, the surrender order had not spread thoroughly enough, and we might have fallen in an extremely confused combat. Just a slight difference in the timing was nothing but a help given by the Heaven.
The sun started to rise. On the left side of the road, it seeming like an artillery force position, the heads of a dozen field artilleries were sticking out. My head started to feel hot, as the malaria fever came back. Walking became painful again. I had new anxiety of how long we had to go on like this. Around then the direction ahead of us became open and I saw the sea. We had reached the west shore of the peninsula. Someone started to call out, eSaisan Cape.f We arrived at Saisan Cape as the first of the JA. And hundreds of Philippine soldiers and local people welcomed us. Some spoke to us in friendly manners, and some looked sympathetic for our toil. The Spearhead Company almost collapsed by the roadside of the west shore. Now a huge crowd of Philippine soldiers and local people started to gather around us. Some came in a raw of military trucks. Our Company quickly started to prepare breakfast. Since the General Offensive commenced, no side dish was supplied. All during the General Offensive, my meals consisted of rice and takuwan , for the first some time, and then rice and candies. I had plenty of water though. All of us lay down exhausted. When we looked at the surrounding Philippine soldiers, it was impossible to know which lost the war. We Japanese had consumed all the energy and were unable to move.
However, among those Philippine soldiers who kept arriving in trucks, there were some who hadnft eaten for days. As soon as a container full of boiled rice was thrown down on the roadside, thirty to forty excited Philippine soldiers dashed around the container like the tackling of rugby. There was a great confusion for some time. After the crowd had scattered away, there were a few men who didnft move with their hands stuck in the container. After some time the same scene was repeated again, and such a misery kept repeating itself. It was more beastly than human. But the number was too big and we didnft have anymore food, so there was nothing we could do about that. It seemed there was difference about the food situation among the Philippine troops. My malaria fever must have got more than 38 degrees, but I wanted to see the west coast, and with a few other soldiers I got out at the coast road and looked over the sea. The seaside was cliff, but we could see coconut trees here and there, and the sea glittered under the tropical sunshine, and as if nothing had happened, the waves were playing its musical sound on the shore. Once while the Natibu attack was going on, a battalion of JA tried to force landing and annihilated near this spot. Looking at the cliff and geographical features, I was convinced of the event of annihilation. We went back going through the inhabitants. Some beautiful young ladies who must have evacuated from Manila surrounded us, talking very friendlily in English. They asked what had become of Manila. When I told them that civilians in Manila were all happy, and they clapped their hands with delight and excitedly said they wanted to come back to Manila as soon as possible.
After that, in Cape Saisan, more and more US and Philippine soldiers and inhabitants noisily gathered, and having been released out of warfare, it was like a festival. We did see some Philippine soldiers falling down to starvation. But the war was over, and every face friends and foe alike was full of relief and joy.
Around noon, we received an order, gTanabe Battalion should leave for Balanga right away, and there get under the command of the Logistic Unit. With the instruction by the battalion commander, we borrowed the vehicles scattered in the neighborhood, and all of the men of the battalion got in. We went back the way we came in the morning till we reached Bagak/Balanga road, and went along the road to Balanga. It took one hour and half or two hours. While in the Offensive it took us one week although the way taken was different. Philippine soldiers were at the wheel merrily. The road was so full of people that we wandered where all those people were. Among the POWs there were local people as well, and they kept walking along the road.
Towards the evening, we reached the ruined Balanga, and our company put up in nippa houses along the beach, a little away from the town. There were fishing net in the house we stayed, so some soldiers threw the net in the sea. We were surprised to see a big catch of prawns and fishes. Since then, we were treated with prawns and fishes every day. We got an order from the Logistic Unit HQ to guard a large group of POWs who assembled south of Balanga to the entrance of the peninsula, Orani. While explaining us the procedure of the guarding, Commander Tanabe said,h The meals of the POWs are at XXX and XXX, a bowl of gruel.h He laughed. That would be unbearable for the POWs, I thought, but neither we got anything but rice.
The gun force of the 4th Division was preparing for the general Offensive of Corregidor. The area around Balanga was in such a confusion, which was even bigger than that before the General Offensive of Bataan Peninsula. It was because the large crowd of POWs and refugees blocked the way. The vehicles of the JA in those days were really poor. The troubles of Toyota and Nissan trucks happened regularly, and a decade old Ford was much more relied on as vehicles and they were the main force.
After one or two days, the guarding of POWs by the company started. We men of the company got into trouble. At that time, half of the men of the company were suffering from malaria and diarrhea, and the number of those who were able to perform the duty was far too small for the requested number from the HQ. The company HQ had difficulty in forming four or five squads everyday. There were around fifteen men in a squad, to accompany around a thousand of POW to the intersection point of around 20km ahead. The soldiers went out early in the morning and came back exhausted in the evening. They complained it was impossible to accompany a thousand POWs with only around fifteen. If the accompaniment of the POWs went on a few more days, it must have been impossible for the company to form the squads for guarding.
I kept suffering by the regular rise of malaria fever everyday. When I had no fever, I was reading an English history of the Philippines, which must have been the school text book, and I learned for the first time that there was intervened historical relation between the Philippines and Japan. Filipino drivers often came visiting and we talked in broken English. One of them was an Ilokono, and another was a Vysayan. It was an interesting coincidence that later I was stationed in Ilokono area in the northern Luzon, and Panay in Vysaya area.
As the Company had been greatly troubled by the duty of guarding the POWs, fortunately Nara Corps had got the order of a Clearing-up Operation in northern Luzon. It must have been 17 or 18 of April. We left Balanga, which was still in confusion with the JA vehicles, hurryingly preparing themselves for the attack of Corregidor, and the POWs and refugees. Our Battalion went up the east shore road of Bataan Peninsula in the captured vehicles of the US and Philippine forces. The road was extremely crowded with the JA vehicles engaged in the operations, POWs and refugees, and the dust was kicked up as a storm of ashes. In the cloud of dust, groups of a thousand US and Philippine soldiers guarded by only twenty Japanese soldiers made a long line. In each group, there were always seven to eight men bearing a sick on the shoulder, who were staggering as if carrying a stretcher. On the road, fallen corpses of POWs were left, and vehicles went over them without mercy. Some of the copses got flattened, but no one seemed trying to get them aside the road. Big crowd of refugees mingled with the columns of POWs, and the large procession endlessly went on. One impressive scene I remember is a group of captured US officers. They looked decent and left me some special impression of being different from others. They were all under the scorching sun, and their faces got sun-tanned and covered with the dust. However, I can never forget a dignified noble face of a US Lt. Colonel, who happened to meet my eyes, when I passed him on a truck.
However, the crowd of the US soldiers, who had obscene tattoos on the chest or arms, was destructive of my image of Americans, which I had formed through the movies. Looking back at the mountains of Natibu, in which a great number of our comrades were killed, we left Bataan peninsula full of memories of hardships and emotions.
Here is an interesting unedited article written by a Japanese second lieutenant describing his combat experiences on Bataan. Rod Hall forwarded it to me. Mike
--------------------
[translated by Yukakao Ibuki, who sent it to Peter Parsons, among others.]
Memoir of the Battles in Bataan
by Toshimi Kumai 1986
Ifll be fifty-one years old this year, 1968. This is my private memoir to tell my experience in the battles in Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 to my Father and children. Though it is recorded as a brilliant victory of Japan, the reality was the most physically painful experience in my life. I was a SecLt and a gun force platoon leader. I carried the heavy machine-guns with my subordinates at the risk of life, and with the pride of a platoon leader, did desperate effort to achieve my duty. Had there been another battle, my and my subordinatesf physical energy must have reached the limit, and having lost our composure in a self-destructive way, we might have perished in Bataan.
In February 1942, I was in the officers meeting room in 46th Regiment in Matsue City. The media was reporting brilliant victory in Bataan Peninsula. However, we were listening to a grave and heart-rending report by Regiment Commander Tobita of the Mt. Natib offensive carried out by Nara Corps. We knew that two thirds of the Corps was lost in the battle.
The names of those who were summoned as recruiting officers for Nara Corps were announced, and I was one of them. On Feb. 21, my Mother passed away and I bade farewell to her at the funeral, leaving my Father and a younger brother and a sister at home. We recruiting officers went to Manila via Shanghai and Heitc, Formosa. Manila was beautiful and I wandered as if I were in a dream Then we were taken to the Head Quarters of Nara Corp in a military truck. We reported to the sun-tanned and gaunt Corp Commander(Yoshizawa?). His voice was vigorous and he was an experienced war-veteran general, who had studied in the US and knew a lot about the situation of the US Forces and their ways of fighting. Although 60 % of the soldiers and nearly all the officers had been killed in action, he expressed no emotion of regret or sympathy for the loss of lives, except his regret of losing the great chance of victory by a hairfs breath at Mt. Natib. He told us that, at that moment in the front line, both sides were facing so close to each other that the othersf voices could be heard.
We also learned from other officers of the HQ that we were going to fight against the USAFFE=the United States Armed Force Far East, and the Commander was General McArthur, whose HQ was in Corregidor Island where they had a modern underground fortress. It was March 5, 1942 not far from Orani. I was shown to the platoon, where late SecLt Minamoto was the commander. In the jungle, under the dim moon light, around twenty soldiers were standing in watch and waiting for me. That night three newly promoted SecLts took over the duty, and the new formation of our company finished.
p36The US Force had constructed a solid position on the north side of the road between Bagac and Balanga. The JA had developed the formation with Nara Corps in the center, 4th Division on its left, which advanced from China, and a detached unit of 20th Division still further to the left. The 16th Division was on the right of the central corps. The major focus of the attack was the area of Mt. Samat, which was going to be performed by the 4th Division. In addition to those, with both the Air Force and the Naval Force joining, it was going to be a three dimensional general attack. To my relief just inside my heart, it was decided that we Tanabe Battalion serve as the reserve force, and was supposed to be commanded directly by the Corps Commander as a reserve force in case when the main corps attack didnft go well. At that time, among the soldiers, the following rumor was going around about the fire power of the US Force.
‚‚S‚OIn a previous battle, a company of 20th Division had been sent to the Philippines from the battle field of China. The company faced the US position, situated on a hill. It was an ordinary looking plateau, making a prime target for an attack. Every member of the companyfs experienced war veterans in China thought, eHow could such a hill be difficult to capture?f In the sky there was the full moon best for a night attack. The company launched their favorite night attack based on their experience in China, of which they were proud of successive victories. In an instant, they received the counter attack. The US shooting was horrible, being like waves and sea of firing to be precise, and the company nearly annihilated. This showed the awful difference between Chinese and American gun power. The JA realized it was difficult to dash through the American line without a strong covering by the artillery.
Soon after the last review the Corps Commander, the General Offensive was decided to be launched on April 3, the Emperor Jimmu Memorial Day. All the soldiers, vehicles, guns and horses of the JA made the final movement in excitements. We also moved the position to the final point. We encountered the Takasago-tribe Voluntary Army from Formosa, and saw them devotedly engaged in making a road through the untrodden jungle. Their efficient work made us feel grateful for their cooperation.
Two days before the General Offensive, perhaps in preparation for the expected loss of personnel killed in action, a last minute supplement was carried out and our platoon were added with around a dozen of new soldiers. This made the number of the men in the platoon around forty, giving new worry and anxiety to me. They were literally supply soldiers, who were classified as rank C in the military standard physical examination given to them back in their home town of Japan. Everyone was shortish and feeble-looking, and was not cut in an adequate frame to bear through heavy machine guns and bullet boxes that weighed more than 30 kg. Inside my heart, I thought the army had arranged wrong kind of soldiers to our gun force unit and wished there would be no extra problems.
On the previous day of the attack, we got distributed a pack of the emperor-given tobacco and sweets. In the place and circumstance, we enjoyed them and especially the sweets tasted good. Eventually, the candies would become our precious calorie supplement and the only side dish to go with rice during the offensive operation. On the night previous to the General Offensive, the sky of Bataan was full of twinkling stars. Beneath them, everything on the earth was in dead silence, but with the General Offensive waiting for the next day, there was something fierce in the bottom of the atmosphere.
Actually it is quite lately that I knew that the General Offensive of the Bataan Peninsula was performed from April 3 to April 10. As I try to recall precisely what I did on each day, the dates never fit properly. It must have been that as a front gun force platoon leader, I moved about just as I was ordered, like a robot. Therefore memorizing itself of all the acts was difficult, and also I had been in the utmost exhaustion towards the latter part of the campaign. Let me put everything as I recall them.
On the morning of April 3, we Yoshizawa Regiment reached the Bagac-Balanga road, having dashed through the front US Force line by the night attack, as planned.
Maeda Company Commander proposed us two platoon leaders, me and Kimura, to climb up the hill behind to go see the battle, which started at 10:00 a.m. Although I was concerned about my platoon, I also wanted to see the battle. Eventually firing of the JA began in front and behind us. Hundreds of guns of the JA unanimously started shooting. There was a survey point where we could see the whole scene of Marivelez and Mt Samat.
At 10:00 a.m. the General Offensive in the major area started. We heard noises of various different types of guns and several friendly airplanes above the sky. The dust and smoke of yellowish white rose and climbed higher and higher in an instant covering Mt. Samat and Mt. Marivelez. As we three of us were excitedly watching, suddenly a fire started at our feet. Nearby dry grass caught fire of the cigarette thrown away by the Company Commander. We managed to extinguish it in five minutes. All three of us got our face black with smoke.
Returning to the position of our company, we were shocked to find there was no one. The had gone. The order of advance must have been given.
There was left no indication of which direction they went. We hurriedly advanced along the road. It must be a case punishment for a company to move forward without the commander and two platoon leaders. We nearly ran, but I found on the way several takuwan, traditional Japanese pickled radish, in a little water pool, where someone must have thrown them away. As they had a flavor of home, I picked them to carry with me. Eventually we caught up with the company. It seemed each corps was succeeding in the front line attack, and with the horrible unanimous firing and bombing by the JA, the US Force shootings were silent this day. Thus the first day of the General Offensive finished while we remained impassive spectators.
Before the 2nd day, I woke up early in our camping site for the night. The JA was making a rapid movement, and the move seemed to be changing moment by moment. The JA was giving fierce firing to the US positions. Without any clear order to advance where, we just followed the company HQ in front of us. Those newly supplied soldiers already looked tired and I wished them just to go with the rest of us without being left behind. Squad leader Okazaki kept cheering them up. We came up to a river of around 20 m wide. We saw around a dozen friendly tanks, which we had rarely seen. They must have been those tanks that did the front attack of the day one. The exhausted look of the soldiers revealed the mortar battle. Eventually, we saw the US Force front position along the Tiawel River, which was the target of the major attack previous day by the Imai Regiment. We climbed down the slope crushed by the firing, and crossed the river. First we saw tens of corpses of the enemy force scattered in the area. The Japanese side of the Tiawel River was a cliff of seven to eight m, exposed under the glaring hot sun.
The width of the river was around 20m, with clear water that made me feel like swimming. Then we stood on a flat field of pebbles. In the ditches made with the stones on the riverside, some Filipino soldiers were lying dead still holding the gun. It was an utmost noble sight as a soldier. The flesh of the head had already melted leaving the hair on the scalp, and the clothes were dump with the rotten liquid of the body. First we met a single barbed-wire, then 50 to 60 m behind, and still further 50 to 60 m behind them were two roof-shaped barbed wires just like those we were taught in the text of position constructing. Although the wires were slack, they were new and showed they were newly constructed. Swelled up black corpses were scattered here and there, which rotten liquid dropping on the clothes. I saw a Japanese soldierfs corpse that was urgently buried with the knees sticking out on the ground. P47 70 to 80 m behind the barbed wires were trenches extending to the directions horizontal and vertical, and in 10 m interval were concealed dugout where heavy machine-guns must have been set. Swollen corpses were scattered here and there, and inside the trenches. As I looked out over the position of 300 or 400 m away, there were a few points where the barbed wire were broken, showing it was not so effective as might have expected. As there was plenty of time for preparation, I thought the Philippine Force should have strengthened the ditches and could have done better about the formation of them
P51The US Force bullets shot the leaves of the trees making noise of eBasat, basat!f The battalion HQ ordered the battalion to shoot the US Force in front. Commander Maeda directly commanded the battalion guns. The sound of shooting sounded eGwatt! e At the same time the commander shouted eAh!f and he was pressing his thigh. A shell hit a tree behind him and exploded piece of the shell unfortunately hit him. He ordered, gSec. Lt. Kumai, accompany a platoon of infantry to go around and attack the front US Force from the right side.h
Going right meant climbing up a cliff of 14 or 15m high. We pulled up the heavy guns and bullets with ropes and crawled up the cliff. With a platoon of infantry soldiers ahead of us, we advanced through the jungle around a quarter of an hour. And we reached an adequate high point. 300 m below in the jungle, the US Force force was shooting. We set the guns, and aimed. The first occasion for myself to shoot the machine gun into an emeny position. A little excited I ordered, gShoot!h 7
Da, da, da, dah the pleasant sound seemed to shook the leaves of the jungle. I felt excited, #Itfs a great success.h We might have shooted for twenty minutes. The jungle fell into a dead silence. The US Force must have retreated. We caught up with the battalion HQ. and found that the company commander had been hospitalized because of the wound. Along the road were still remaining enemies and we saw some crossing the main road here and there.
The jungle was completely different from that near Mt. Natib. On the way we passed several points where a large number of the US Force had camped. I was impressed there was no trace of human wastes anywhere. The site of their camping was extremely clean hygienically, making an astonishing contrast of that of the JA, which was full of the wastes.
P52 The fourth day? It seemed we were very close to the HQ of the US Force. The number of the shooting in the jungle increased. The drop-outs of the platoon also increased. Only one of the newly supplied soldiers was still with us. In the big jungle and making a rapid advance, there were no ways to seeking for and gripping where about of the missing. More than one third of the platoon were missing, the leaders must be blamed the responsibility, while the company commander being hospitalized. Fierce shooting lasted on the way. The US Force wouldnft withdraw. gGun force, come forward!h with the order my platoon advanced. The 2nd Company led by Commander Ikeda was fighting fiercely in the jungle bushes. The distance was around 100 m, and the sound was so sharp as if it was going to break the eardrum. Company Commander Ikeda was around forty years of age, wearing glasses and had a little exploded teeth. He was a dark compression and was a veteran of the balttles in China. In the Bullets, he was standing behind a big tree in a little caved in spot, sticking his military sward under his hands. Beside him was Tanaka platoon leader, who had been back to the gront after he was hospitalized of the wound he got in the first Natibu attack.. Both of the commanders remained calm.
gPlease hurry and shoot.h Sharp, nearly painful noise of the US Force gun-shooting and the sound of the bullets slashing the leaves around us was heard, Bastt, basatt!f We set up two heavy machine-guns. Okazaki Squad leader said, gThe men havenft yet got their usual pace.h Two veteran gunners, Wakisaka and Katoh, put their hands on the gear. gShoot!h With my order, the sound of shooting noise in the jungle became even more fierce. eDa, da, da, da, c!f
The US Force shooting had focused on our direction, making the shake of the leaves around even more active. We went on shooting for more than ten minutes, but there was no sign of the US Force retreat. Suddenly a soldier on my left screamed ,hGya!h and I heard his organs few out at the same time. I pressed my head on to the ground The soldier got up for a second and was shot at the stomach. From the company came the prompt, g There are a few more who were shot still further ahead. Shoot the machine gun more KIJIuchi.h We shot and shot towards the direction where the sound came. The US Force shooting became a bit interrupted. Ikeda Company held a Filipino officer in khaki uniforms as a POW. I asked the commander, gOur gun platoon has shortage of the personnel. And we need one who bears the bullet box. Please let him carry it.h The Filipino soldier coughed ominously and refused. The Company Commander ordered, gHe has got TB. He might do anything if he is with our company. Shoot him.h No one dared to shoot him, although the enemy and friendly fire was still going on. gLet me do it.h A young soldier came forward. gNo, donft shoot.h Someone halted. gDahn!h, a gun sounded. The Filipino soldier was shot at the stomach and he fell on his face breathing heavily with the shoulders. gShoot quick!h Another voice and another shot. An eye flew off, and the solder with a hole in his head didnft move anymore. I couldnft stop feeling sorry for him. The shooting in the jungle went on with a distance of 100m or closer between the two parties. Eventually the US Force started to flee away.
P55 As it was in the jungle, the US Force sometimes shot at us unexpectedly. The spearhead company made advance shooting at them. When the US Force resistance was strong, the order came, gThe Machinegun force come forward.h Kimura platoon and my platoon took turns. The turn of the gun force was divided into two. Infantry soldiers of the three companies were each divided into three groups, so they too turn as spearhead once in nine turns, and if it was the whole spearhead company it made once in three turns. However, the gun force went out once in tow turns, when the shooting was fierce. One machine gun weighed 45kg. we carried it analyzed into parts. Physical energy of us gun force began to deteriorate day by day, hour by hour. The soldiers had already started to drop out, so the number barely satisfied the regular quota. However, the damage was more in infantry companies, and the Company Commander grieved over the numbers of those killed in the battle, yesterday and today.
On the 5th? Day. It seemed the next attack point for the corps was decided on the solid second line position of Mt. Marivelez. The loss of energy of my platoon personnel had added. Still we were supposed to do the full scale attack of the 2nd line position. I couldnft be confident about any more attack, in consideration of the number of the staff and their fatigue level. In addition, according to what I heard later from Ikeda
Company Commander, Kimura 1st platoon leader didnft easily obeyed the order by general companies and caused trouble. On the other hand, our platoon was willing and shot and shot as best as we could, which made the order to us more frequent from the company commanders. Of course, my soldiers got more exhausted. The front of the corps was Tanabe Battalion, the spare unit. The difficult barrier of the attacking the 2nd US Force line became closer. It was the evening. In the forest of Marivelez the sound of gun shot was heard. gDahn, dahn!h I thought it must have been the mountain gun, as I saw it accompany us during the day. In this mountainside, and in the dusk, I wondered what the mountain gun was aiming at. Soon the battalion HQs gave us the order, gThe gun force, come forward.h It was the turn of the Kimura platoon. Eventually, we knew what caused the sound.
Mt. Marivelez was different from Mt. Natib, being a forest jungle of huge trees, and it became pitch dark at night. For advancing the only road in the jungle, our Tanabe Battalion had received several tanks. With them in front, the battalion was advancing as the spearhead battalion, when suddenly the US Force dynamite blew off a huge tree by the side of the road off. From behind the fallen trunk that was huge, they started to shoot the road we were advancing. Now the sound of shooting on both sides was heard in front. Under covering fire by the gun force, spearhead platoon and the fire thrower squad of the attached engineer platoon went close to the fallen tree and they attacked using mainly the flame thrower.
P59. Before long, we heard the explosion. gDahn!h The unit started to move. We were surprised to see the tree. It must have been 2m across, and the trunk blocked the road.
P57
The second explosion we heard was made by the engineers blowing off the trunk to let the tanks and gun force go through. One fall of a giant tree made it extremely difficult for our force to make advance.
We heard again the explosion, gDahn!h Then gZahatt!h The horrible sound of a gigantic tree falling down with shaking of the leaves, then we machinegun force was ordered to get rid of the US Force shooting from behind the tree trunk. After that the engineer corps exploded the trunk for going through. After seven or eight repetition of this procedure, the engineer corpsf dynamite might have run out, the blowing off of the fallen trunk had to be put a stop. The tanks and the mountain gun couldnft join with the battalion any further, and they were detached from the main force. We the gun force had to climb over the trunk bearing the machineguns.
In the dark of the night the US Force must have set dynamite to huge trees along the road.
Huge trunks of more than 2 m across lay on the road, one after another, blocking our way, with an explosion, gGahn!h The sound regularly accompanied the advancement of the JA at an interval. It was a hard labor to come over the trunks covered with thick branches. As the trees were huge, it was impossible to detour in the dark of the night, and we had no other way to climb over them. In addition, there were random shooting by the US Force, and our priority was to beat them off. Thus the battalion gun force platoon had difficulty in analyzing and carrying the guns, and they eventually broke away from the company. Nevertheless, the giant trees continued falling over the road, one after another, with the explosion, gDahn!h All the members of Kimura Platoon got exhausted, and we took over. By the time, the fire thrower squad had nearly annihilated and they could carry out no combat duty any more. Therefore, while our gun force platoon was shooting at the US Force behind the giant trunk, the rifle platoon went close and dashed. As soon as we climbed over the trunk, soon we heard another gDahn! Zahtt!h, the noise of a new fall of yet another giant tree. It was just for the first several that I could count, and I donft remember how many had fallen. Anyway, we kept fighting the US Force, struggling against the huge trees all night, in exhaustion until the dawn. Everyone of the platoon was fatigued, and the personnel of our platoon now counted just 14 or 15.
On the 5th day? After our struggle of the night, Kimura Platoon took their turn in the spearhead company. We advanced repeating skirmish with remaining enemies. We went on conveying the heavy machine-guns. Now we had the minimum number of the men to carry the staff. As the leader, I carried the appurtenance box, which usually was carried by the squad leader. Yokoo and Okazaki squad leaders carried the machine gun. As all the remaining soldiers were exhausted, the Kumai platoon leader, Yokoo and Okazaki squad leaders became the main power of bearing the gun barrels and tripods.
P63
It was the only road in the pitch dark night, and we advanced groping our way. The spearhed platoon of the 2nd Company and my platoon kept going forward very carefully watching for the US Force movement. The extreme silence of the jungle added even more weirdness. From the situation of the combats till then, we supposed we were step by step closer to the eemy Head Quarters. What was going to meet us? If the US main force would focus their attack, the spearhead platoon, a bait, would be destroyed in an instant.
It might have been around 2:00 a.m. Dragging our exhausted unstable feet, we came trembling with fear to a slope that sank in a deep silence, when we saw 300 or 400 m ahead of us suddenly bright, big trees and foliage clearly shown in the light. We also heard the sound of the bullets bursting. It was definitely not the shooting sound of the gun. All of us instantly lied on the ground, watching the surroundings. We quickly understood it was not the sign of the beginning of war, with our sharpened nerves. From behind, an officer came running with anxiety from the battalion HQ. With the Battalion Commanderfs order, the spearhead squad went scouting.
He trotted fearfully looking pale, while we waited holding our breath, which seemed like a long time. Eventually the platoon leader returned running and stambling. Over the slope, in a sort of basin, hundreds of enemies gathered with several bonfires burning.
The Battalion Commander must have expected this, and he made his way towards the spot taking me and 14 or 15 of my platoon. We let the first soldier carry a white flag as the sign of military messenger, and I was watchful about the guard of the Commander Tanabe.
As we climbed up the slope, the bonfire gained more brightness, and in not so big a basin, there were hundreds of enemies squatting. Their attitude showed they had abandoned fighting. The Battalion Commander and the rest of us climbed down the slope and advanced to the center of them. In the center there stood several soldiers surrounding a tall and darker Filipino of stoutly built. As our Japanese interpreter spoke something, the man replied in Filipino language a bit awkwardly. gAccording to the order of the USAFFE, the USAFFE of Bataan Peninsula have completely surrendered. I am Regiment Commander XXX of the USAFFE. Here we surrender and express our obedience.h The interpreter, who didnft look so skilled, told Commander Tanabe. This instant, I felt my body so light. Ifm saved, Ifm saved. I danced with joy in my heart, and was nearly started to sing. It was the second best joy in my life, the first being the time when I received the life saving sentence at the war tribunal court. The Commander spoke a bit arrogantly, gI accept your surrender. Tell this to your men. Obey the JA, and your lives will be guaranteed. Tell this to them.h The Filipino Regiment Commander loudly spoke to his subordinates in a military manner. When he finished, a surge of noises spread, relieved voices of joy rose, and there was a kind of festive atmosphere that war was over. A soldier who seemed like American screeched, gHail, Japan!h We laughed with a little bitterness. Eventually, as if they couldnft sit still, a dozen soldiers joyously and amiably around us like a crowd surrounding movie stars.
gOfficer, officer,h those around me was more than the others. I said in my broken English,h I have the same skin color as you. We are friends.h They gave cries of joy openly expressing their joy. Their faces were full of delight, and they all looked good-natured young men of my age. Why have we been shooting each other risking our life, I started to wonder. There were a lot of American soldiers also. However, they didnft
become friendly with us as might have been expected. They had the atmosphere of being fidgetingly in the farthest corner. Some Philippine soldiers shouted remarks which sounded like abuse against the American soldiers, as if they felt closeness rather towards the Japanese. This instant in war; gratefulness for victory; I wanted to let me Dad and brothers and sisters taste just part it. It was too wonderful a joy to keep it just for myself. It was such a strong emotion of life; the joy and emotion only those who fought in war could appreciate. I felt for this instant that all my fatigue had gone blown off.
It was a little basin surrounded by jungle. The bonfires were even more bright and as they seemed to have burnt rifles as well, the bullets went off like firecrackers, and the basin was covered with atmosphere like a festival. I wanted to stay soaked in the melting pot of wonderful emotion, but we got the order of advance by the Regiment HQ. The touching moment might have been thirty or forty minutes.
As we got four or five stout Philippine soldiers as temporary members and had them carry the bullet boxes, there was no need for me to convey the machine-gun. That made me feel like floating in the air, but the pain on the shoulder added on the contrary. The march in the dark night went on. We saw white flags hang along the road here and there. As we went along, we were not sure if the surrender order had thoroughly spread into the area. We became very cautious as it would have been more than we could accept if anyone had been shot to death by the US Force now. I went in front, lay on the ground, and spoke in English, gThe US and Philippine Army have surrendered totally. You surrender. Throw away the gun and come out with your hands up. We wonft harm you!h Each time, out of the jungle, five or six, fifteen or sixteen US or Phlippine soldiers appeared with their hand up. We left all of them under the care of the Regiment HQ.
Adjutant Masutani attached to the Battalion HQ was with us in the front, when a soldier who looked like an officer came by with his hands up. As soon as he came, he showed a friendly gesture, and reached out a packet of lucky strike, saying, gCigarrett.h Adjutant Masutani got angry. He said, gDumb!h and hit him a few times with all his might. The American stumbled and fell. As we went farther from the front line, we saw more and more American soldiers. We often heard the rumor that the Philippine soldiers were put to the front, with the American soldiers from behind. That seemed not a completely made up fake story. Or we might have seen more Americans as there were more facilities that looked like field headquarters, and the Main Head Quarter set up in further behind. We gradually understood the rear formation of the USAFFE such as field HQs, Communication Units, Medics Unit, and the Field Hospital.
On the way, we saw some soldiers trying to make a little elderly decent Philippine officer convey a bullet box, but he refused. Eventually a Japanese interpreter said, gPlatoon Leader, he says he is the Division Commander.h gWe cannot make a Division Commander carry a bullet box. Take him to the HQ right away,h I ordered.
Because the night was so dark, every time we came to an area where the enemies might be hiding, we all lay on the ground, with me notifying and calling for the surrender. Every time some UA and Philippine soldiers appeared with their hand up high. It was obvious that there were fairly a lot of them hiding in the jungle on both sides of the road to see how the JA would be doing.
Eventually the night was dawning. More and more surrendered soldiers were waiting for us. We were surprised to see the road. It must have been constructed by the USAFFE after they had entered Bataan. They had sliced off the mountainsides with something like a sharp knife. It seemed they made the road using some machines. What kind of machine could it be? They constructed the road in this steep mountains with some magnificent construction machine which was beyond our imagination. We were astonished to have a glimpse of the American machinery power. Besides, everything within the US Force positions were in a perfect order with no confusion. They were very clean, and without any trace of the smell of human wastes that was characteristic of the JA positions. From the movement of the US soldiers, they didnft look so exhausted, and seemed to have plenty energy for fighting. For me at that point their surrender seemed strange and unbelievable. However, their surrender at that timing was such a grateful help for me, and I was even appreciative for that. If we had been there an hour earlier, the surrender order had not spread thoroughly enough, and we might have fallen in an extremely confused combat. Just a slight difference in the timing was nothing but a help given by the Heaven.
The sun started to rise. On the left side of the road, it seeming like an artillery force position, the heads of a dozen field artilleries were sticking out. My head started to feel hot, as the malaria fever came back. Walking became painful again. I had new anxiety of how long we had to go on like this. Around then the direction ahead of us became open and I saw the sea. We had reached the west shore of the peninsula. Someone started to call out, eSaisan Cape.f We arrived at Saisan Cape as the first of the JA. And hundreds of Philippine soldiers and local people welcomed us. Some spoke to us in friendly manners, and some looked sympathetic for our toil. The Spearhead Company almost collapsed by the roadside of the west shore. Now a huge crowd of Philippine soldiers and local people started to gather around us. Some came in a raw of military trucks. Our Company quickly started to prepare breakfast. Since the General Offensive commenced, no side dish was supplied. All during the General Offensive, my meals consisted of rice and takuwan , for the first some time, and then rice and candies. I had plenty of water though. All of us lay down exhausted. When we looked at the surrounding Philippine soldiers, it was impossible to know which lost the war. We Japanese had consumed all the energy and were unable to move.
However, among those Philippine soldiers who kept arriving in trucks, there were some who hadnft eaten for days. As soon as a container full of boiled rice was thrown down on the roadside, thirty to forty excited Philippine soldiers dashed around the container like the tackling of rugby. There was a great confusion for some time. After the crowd had scattered away, there were a few men who didnft move with their hands stuck in the container. After some time the same scene was repeated again, and such a misery kept repeating itself. It was more beastly than human. But the number was too big and we didnft have anymore food, so there was nothing we could do about that. It seemed there was difference about the food situation among the Philippine troops. My malaria fever must have got more than 38 degrees, but I wanted to see the west coast, and with a few other soldiers I got out at the coast road and looked over the sea. The seaside was cliff, but we could see coconut trees here and there, and the sea glittered under the tropical sunshine, and as if nothing had happened, the waves were playing its musical sound on the shore. Once while the Natibu attack was going on, a battalion of JA tried to force landing and annihilated near this spot. Looking at the cliff and geographical features, I was convinced of the event of annihilation. We went back going through the inhabitants. Some beautiful young ladies who must have evacuated from Manila surrounded us, talking very friendlily in English. They asked what had become of Manila. When I told them that civilians in Manila were all happy, and they clapped their hands with delight and excitedly said they wanted to come back to Manila as soon as possible.
After that, in Cape Saisan, more and more US and Philippine soldiers and inhabitants noisily gathered, and having been released out of warfare, it was like a festival. We did see some Philippine soldiers falling down to starvation. But the war was over, and every face friends and foe alike was full of relief and joy.
Around noon, we received an order, gTanabe Battalion should leave for Balanga right away, and there get under the command of the Logistic Unit. With the instruction by the battalion commander, we borrowed the vehicles scattered in the neighborhood, and all of the men of the battalion got in. We went back the way we came in the morning till we reached Bagak/Balanga road, and went along the road to Balanga. It took one hour and half or two hours. While in the Offensive it took us one week although the way taken was different. Philippine soldiers were at the wheel merrily. The road was so full of people that we wandered where all those people were. Among the POWs there were local people as well, and they kept walking along the road.
Towards the evening, we reached the ruined Balanga, and our company put up in nippa houses along the beach, a little away from the town. There were fishing net in the house we stayed, so some soldiers threw the net in the sea. We were surprised to see a big catch of prawns and fishes. Since then, we were treated with prawns and fishes every day. We got an order from the Logistic Unit HQ to guard a large group of POWs who assembled south of Balanga to the entrance of the peninsula, Orani. While explaining us the procedure of the guarding, Commander Tanabe said,h The meals of the POWs are at XXX and XXX, a bowl of gruel.h He laughed. That would be unbearable for the POWs, I thought, but neither we got anything but rice.
The gun force of the 4th Division was preparing for the general Offensive of Corregidor. The area around Balanga was in such a confusion, which was even bigger than that before the General Offensive of Bataan Peninsula. It was because the large crowd of POWs and refugees blocked the way. The vehicles of the JA in those days were really poor. The troubles of Toyota and Nissan trucks happened regularly, and a decade old Ford was much more relied on as vehicles and they were the main force.
After one or two days, the guarding of POWs by the company started. We men of the company got into trouble. At that time, half of the men of the company were suffering from malaria and diarrhea, and the number of those who were able to perform the duty was far too small for the requested number from the HQ. The company HQ had difficulty in forming four or five squads everyday. There were around fifteen men in a squad, to accompany around a thousand of POW to the intersection point of around 20km ahead. The soldiers went out early in the morning and came back exhausted in the evening. They complained it was impossible to accompany a thousand POWs with only around fifteen. If the accompaniment of the POWs went on a few more days, it must have been impossible for the company to form the squads for guarding.
I kept suffering by the regular rise of malaria fever everyday. When I had no fever, I was reading an English history of the Philippines, which must have been the school text book, and I learned for the first time that there was intervened historical relation between the Philippines and Japan. Filipino drivers often came visiting and we talked in broken English. One of them was an Ilokono, and another was a Vysayan. It was an interesting coincidence that later I was stationed in Ilokono area in the northern Luzon, and Panay in Vysaya area.
As the Company had been greatly troubled by the duty of guarding the POWs, fortunately Nara Corps had got the order of a Clearing-up Operation in northern Luzon. It must have been 17 or 18 of April. We left Balanga, which was still in confusion with the JA vehicles, hurryingly preparing themselves for the attack of Corregidor, and the POWs and refugees. Our Battalion went up the east shore road of Bataan Peninsula in the captured vehicles of the US and Philippine forces. The road was extremely crowded with the JA vehicles engaged in the operations, POWs and refugees, and the dust was kicked up as a storm of ashes. In the cloud of dust, groups of a thousand US and Philippine soldiers guarded by only twenty Japanese soldiers made a long line. In each group, there were always seven to eight men bearing a sick on the shoulder, who were staggering as if carrying a stretcher. On the road, fallen corpses of POWs were left, and vehicles went over them without mercy. Some of the copses got flattened, but no one seemed trying to get them aside the road. Big crowd of refugees mingled with the columns of POWs, and the large procession endlessly went on. One impressive scene I remember is a group of captured US officers. They looked decent and left me some special impression of being different from others. They were all under the scorching sun, and their faces got sun-tanned and covered with the dust. However, I can never forget a dignified noble face of a US Lt. Colonel, who happened to meet my eyes, when I passed him on a truck.
However, the crowd of the US soldiers, who had obscene tattoos on the chest or arms, was destructive of my image of Americans, which I had formed through the movies. Looking back at the mountains of Natibu, in which a great number of our comrades were killed, we left Bataan peninsula full of memories of hardships and emotions.
