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Post by insurrectomad on Apr 27, 2009 5:33:57 GMT -5
My Asawa's uncle died in Capas POW Camp after the death march from Bataan. See item posted Ildefonso David, under Bataan Vets thread. He was a Capt. at the time. Her father and younger uncle joined the guerrilla forces right after the fall of Bataan. My father and his brother were Irish immigrants into Britain before the war and chose to Join-up in the Brit. Army rather than be sent home. My uncle Tommy Banaghan joined the Scottish Boarderer's Regt. & then entered the 'Paras' along with other companies socconded into the newly form para Regt. He was captured at Arnham while hold the road open for Brits 10th Armour to arrive. after manning a slit-trench with his "Stick' for a week they were awakened by the distinctive sound of the distinctive Rolls-Royce engines of Brits. tanks. Leaping -up out of their trench, the whole "stick" began waving their berets. then just as the sunlight burnt through the morning mist they saw the Swasticas painted in white-wash on the turret of the leading tank (of two) as both tanks fired their machine guns. Uncle Tommy spun around and dived head-first into the trench and was buried under the dead bodies of all 7 of his comrades leaving just one foot and calf sticking above the trench. Tommy received 2 bullets in his leg & one to the foot. he was not found by the Germans until 2 days later, and made prisoner. My Father Micheal Banaghan had 3 lucky escapes from death. Joined The Dorset & Devonshire Light Inf. (Light-Bobs), and was given leave to attend my birth as my mother had a "murmoring-heart" ( thought life threatening in 1941). On his return to barracks the entire regt. had departed for N. Africa where their suffered 75% casualties. Was transferred to The Royal Art. Kent County in defense of London. Acting Sgt. of the company as the Sgt. was wounded in the bombing night before. My father drove them men on night shift back to the barracks and returned with the women ATS to drop them at the searchlight batteries. it was still not daylight yet when returning American Bombers strafed the batteries as the girls lite the plans up for an ID. My father had just turn the truck away to get some breakfast. he ran back to find all the girls dead (Eldest was 23yrs). my sister was born at the time his unit was sent to Burma. Only one man out of 1200 came back alive.
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Post by dokinel on Sept 13, 2009 22:18:13 GMT -5
I just discovered this website through a friend who is involved in reenacting Philippine Scouts. I am glad to know that there is still interest about WWII. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the war. They used to live in Corregidor Island. In fact my father was born in that island in 1939 as indicated in his birth certificate. I found out that my grandfather was a master sergeant in the Coast Artillery, Philippine Scouts of the U.S. Army and was stationed in Corregidor Island before and during the war. I remember seeing old pictures of him in his uniform. I was just so young then that I took it for granted not knowing the significant service he had done as a soldier in WW II.
Nelson
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Post by legionnaire on Sept 15, 2009 1:41:54 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum Nelson!
Glad you had a Grandfather who served as a scout and I hope you can share some photos of him! There is a Philippine Scouts Heritage Society website.
Philip
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Post by galahad143 on Oct 4, 2009 0:22:06 GMT -5
My great-grand father Don Alfonso Mercado of Toledo City, Cebu I was told was a general who fought the Spaniards and Americans in the late 1800s and early 1900s, my grand father Col. Jesus Mercado of the Philippine Constabulary was a USAFFE veteran of WW-II, my uncle Gen. Manuel Mercado (my dad's brother) of the Philippine Air Force was a veteran of the Vietnam war, my cousins Lt. Col. Martin Mercado and his brother of the Philippine Air Force are veterans of the Philippine insurgency war against the MILF and NPA, and I am an injured US Navy (Special Warfare) veteran of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. I hope I am the last veteran of any wars in our family (I pray an end to all conflicts).
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Post by VeeVee on Oct 4, 2009 21:06:46 GMT -5
Thanks for your service. Yes let's hope to an end in all conflicts indeed but history recurs... (sigh)
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Post by galahad143 on Oct 5, 2009 0:11:01 GMT -5
I believe all conflicts are all about lines. The line that devides us from them. After a conflict, the line moves; some of them becomes part of us, some of us becomes part of them, then we fight again. After that, the lines moves again...and so it goes...generation after generation. All because we are on the other side of the line.
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wambi
New Member
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Post by wambi on Nov 10, 2009 2:37:34 GMT -5
My father was too young for World War II, I was too young for Vietnam. But I have an uncle who drove down, with a bunch of his friends, to Fort MacArthur (south of Los Angeles) on Monday, Dec. 8th to enlist in the Army. Obviously, not only was Pearl Harbor attacked but the Philippines at about the same time. I've seen some pictures of them, they were wearing World War I uniforms! You know, the british type helmets. What was hilarious is they would pose like Napoleon, with the hand stick in the shirt. WTF? He fought in the Philippines, met my aunt (dad's sister), and married her. He stayed in the Army, fought in Korea. I've seen pictures of him, freezing his a$$ off in the snow during the brutal Korean winter. He considered going to Vietnam but finally retired. He did confess to me that had he gone, he might have never come back. I'm sure the ol' Sarge was right. Anyway, he had done more than his share of fighting for this GREAT country.
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Post by VeeVee on Nov 10, 2009 7:20:51 GMT -5
Welcome to the fourm Wambi, do you have a picture of your uncle that you're able to post? -victor
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wambi
New Member
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Post by wambi on Nov 10, 2009 9:23:27 GMT -5
Unfortunately not. He lead a pretty interest life before WW II. One of the original Manongs, he worked the fields of San Joaquin Valley and the canneries in Alaska. I loved looking at his old pics. One picture was of his first car, a brand new Model T. He asked me how I thought he paid for it. I figured $3,000-$4,000. Nope. He said he paid $500.
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Post by spirit51 on Nov 21, 2009 14:26:21 GMT -5
My name is Emily Morris and this is my first post to this group. I came across this site trying to access info about my father who was at Bataan and a POW. I am trying to write up a history of him for my grandchildren and descendants. Since he died when I was eight and he did not talk much about his experiences I only have bits and pieces of what little I had heard and memories of some letters that he had written from the Phillippine jungle. The rest my brother had given me from letters from Major Richard Gordon and other Bataan veterans. He was in the 31st Infantry Regiment, but attached to the 91st Infantry, 91st Division of the Phillippine Army as an Instructor at Cabanatuan before the war. He and a Captain who I don't remember were the only white men there. Another Fillippino officer was Juan Pajota who had been in the 45th Infantry of the Phillippine Scouts and attached to the 91st. Later my father fought at the battle of Abucay Hacienda and possibly the Battle of the Pockets before the surrender. Shortly before my father died he had related a story about him and Juan. Later I found letters written to his mother from the training camp telling about Juan who helped him with training the men and he had sent a picture of Juan along with letters and other pictures to his mother. I would like to find info about any veterans of the 91st who served and especially info about Juan Pajota who I know is deceased and later became a Captain of a guerrlla army. Is there anyone in the Phillippines that has any info about this unit. The Japanese destroyed all the records. Also, if anyone knows where Juan's family lives. I still remember looking at his picture and wondering who this young Fillippino was, there was just something about him that struck my heart. I don't know at this late date if any veterans are left in the Phillippines. Also, I am seeking info about a veteran Primitivo Catalan who wrote a history of the 91st or where I may find this article.
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Post by legionnaire on Nov 21, 2009 21:02:59 GMT -5
Hi Emily, In regards to your request for any info about your father what is his full name? I will try and pass this on to a University of the Philippines professor who might be of help regarding any info on the 91st PA. He is so busy with his teaching that I will try and see if he could be able to find any info. And will keep you updated on this. for the meantime here is a link to the 31st IR website: www.31stinfantry.org/www.31stinfantry.org/contact_us.htmPhilip
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Post by VeeVee on Nov 22, 2009 15:13:07 GMT -5
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Post by usaffenthusiast on Nov 23, 2009 14:22:11 GMT -5
Hi! My name is Emmanuel Lopez. I really have an interest about the Second World War for a very long time already, but sad to say, I focused too much on the European Theater and it is only quite recently that I began to turn my attention towards the part the Philippines had during that time. Not more than a year ago during a visit to my Lopez side in Luzon ( I grew up south), much to my surprise and delight, I discovered that my grandfather was a World War II veteran and had fought in Bataan. Again, (very3x) sadly for me he already passed away and I didn't get much info from my uncles and aunts - they couldn't even agree on his rank. I intend to do some research when I have the chance to go to Manila soon. I've attached a scan of my grandpa's only surviving photograph from the war years which has been passed down to me. [ photos-p.friendster.com/photos/74/56/45236547/2_774578430l.jpg ] I assume that he is a 3rd Lt., am I right? Anyone who could tell more about the insignia in his uniform, please do. Thanks! -Noel/Emmanuel Lopez
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Post by legionnaire on Nov 23, 2009 19:57:47 GMT -5
Hi Noel,
Welcome to our forum. Glad you finally saw that the Philippines was the biggest land war and naval war in the Pacific. The Filipinos did their huge share of the fighting and suffering when it became a global war.
Your Grandfather from his DI collar pin and hat emblem is the three star with Philippine Eagle and shield of Commonwealth Army of the Philippines, Infantry. Wearing an officer's shirt due to the shoulder straps.
I can't make out what is on his shoulder strap which looks like another commonwealth pin or I could be wrong on this, as you mentioned he is a 3rd Lt. What PA division was he with?
Philip
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Post by VeeVee on Nov 25, 2009 7:12:35 GMT -5
It doesn't seem to have a rank insignia. I'm not actually sure what a 3rd Lt. rank insignia looks like but none of the pins seem to be ranks.
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Post by RayAdillO on Dec 1, 2009 1:50:13 GMT -5
A very debonnaire looking photo of your grandad, Noel. The insignia on his shoulder flaps are those of his regiment, not of his division. Philippine Commonwealth Army regimental insigina were seldom issued or worn, particularly for the reservist divisions. For this reason, It is likely that he belonged to the 1st PA Infantry Regular "Tabak" Division. Was he a pre-war PMA graduate by any chance? The fact that he is shown wearing a wool olive drab shirt sort of says he comes from a well established unit within the Philippine Army as these are rare items in the PA. What regiment? Well there are two infantry regiments in every Philippine Army Division in those days. Philippine Divisions normally end with a number "1", as in 1st, 11th, 21st, 51st, 71st Divisions etc. (the 2nd Div was a PC division). Infantry regiments were numbered 1st and 2nd inf regt. in the case of the Tabak Division, or 11th and 12th inf regt. in the case of the 11th Division. 21st and 22nd inf regt for the 21st division and so on. The Ist infantry regiment of 1st Infantry Regular Division looks like this.......... So my guess is that he is from the 2nd infantry regiment PA. We know from the photo that he was indeed an officer of infantry. Enlistedmen wore disc collar insignia, while officers wore full commonwealth eagle on the right collar and service branch embelms on the left collar in their "Type B" shirt and tie undress uniforms. He also wears a peaked hat or "pershing cap" won only by officers in the commonwealth army. 3rd lieutenants do not have rank insignias but are differentiated from enlistedmen because they wear long sleeved khakis, wear different style guinit helmets, and are the only ones to wear shouder boards. Philippine Army 3rd lieutenants wear plain blue shoulder boards in type A full dress uniforms, as an example.
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Post by friscohare on Feb 18, 2010 5:21:41 GMT -5
Hi everyone. I'm Sean. Glad to be here at the pinoyhistory forum. I focus mainly on WWII. Like member "usaffeenthusiast," I became too interested in WWII European Theater, spurred on by movies such as Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. My other Filipino friend, another WWII enthusiast, also focused on the ETO and taught me a lot as well.
Back in August '08, I thought that patch collecting would be cheap and started collecting. I soon found out it was an expensive hobby. I collected a whole bunch of patches before I decided to specialize on Philippine Department patches and militaria. I have a few Philippine Division patches and related insignia but after many missed opportunities, I decided to stick with P Dept items.
As for my family, they are the reason why I became interested in WWII in the first place. This is what I know about my dad's family's involvement in past wars:
- Andres Conejos (great, great grandfather): Philippine-American War. Santa Cruz, Laguna, April 1899. - Jose Conejos (great grandfather): WWII, guerrilla - Pedro "Edring" Conejos (Lolo): WWII, FAIT/Marking's Guerrillas. (from age 14-17) - Fulgencio Conejos (grand-uncle): WWII, guerrilla. Unit unknown - Placido Conejos (grand-uncle): WWII, 14th Eng. Regt. (PS). Died by the sword of a Japanese soldier at Bataan 02/13/1942.
I'm not sure if this counts but my dad was heavily involved in rallies in support of Cory Aquino in 1984-1986. He was beaten and water cannoned by police back then.
On my mom's side, according to my mom, Lolo Mauro wanted to fight in WWII but my Lola dissuaded him because they were just starting a family. If anyone has any information about a list of 14th Eng. Regt. (PS) members, especially on Pvt. Placido Conejos, please let me know!
Thanks everyone. Great to see all this great information here. Sean
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Post by VeeVee on Feb 18, 2010 6:31:40 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum Sean. Your family has an outstanding contribution to our history. Do you have vintage pictures of them to post?
Here is a list of surviving 14th Engineer Scouts. (from the PSHS forum). I wonder if any of them would remember your grand uncle. Next time the PSHS holds its reunion in the bay area, I encourage you to check it out.
14th Engineers Bn. (PS)—6 Lawrence Castro, Pittsburg, CA PFC Escolastico G. Galarosa, ["A" Co.], Seattle, WA MSgt. Rosendo Luna, ["C" Co.], Seattle, WA Cris Madayag, Wahiawa, HI (NS) SFC Leonardo Pena, ["C" Co.], Pittsburg, CA Jess Velasco, San Francisco, CA Vincente Villarta
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Post by legionnaire on Feb 18, 2010 6:44:51 GMT -5
Wow a lot of relatives who fought as guerrillas! Sad to hear how your PS uncle died. ou have a proud tradition of freedom fighters in your family.
Welcome and Glad you discovered this forum and hope you can share with us and feel free to ask for help on possible future PA, PC or PS impressions.
Early Pacific theater of war if the best and most unique period of the Philippines and the US.
Philip
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Post by Talibong on May 17, 2010 23:00:08 GMT -5
Last year I visited my Grandma in Siquijor Island, She was 90 years old She served as a 2nd Lt. in the Medical Corps. , Base Hospital, Camp X, Cebu Force, USAFFE. I found out She was the last surviving Veteran Nurse in Siquijor and probably that served in the Cebu Force. Hopefully if I visit her this year I'll get the old pictures. My late Grandpa was also a Lt. in Mactan Airbase, He was a Fighter Pilot for the USAFFE...He was part of the Bataan death march...After the war he got a Law Degree in Siliman in Dumaguete and got 89% grade on the Bar exam. BTW he is the only lawyer pilot I knew ;-) He died a farmer in his own land in the town of RM in Zamboanga.
Their name was:
Lt. Emeterio P. Katada, Fighter Pilot USAFFE
2nd Lt. Gliceria Omandam-Katada Nurse, Medical Corps. Cebu Force USAFFE
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