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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:07:59 GMT -5
70 years ago, on February 13, 1942 at about 2:45 AM CST, my grand-uncle, Placido Conejos, 14th Engineers, Philippine Scouts, accidentally passed away on the Bataan Peninsula. His sacrifice and my grandfather's service drove me to learn more about the Filipino & American defenders of the Philippines—and to collect related patches, uniforms, and other militaria. I'd like to share parts of my collection with all of you. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of these gallant men and women so that their stories are never lost. Please enjoy!
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:08:20 GMT -5
Here's the "mini-museum" in my room so far. NOTE: I made some of the flags and guidons, especially the Philippine Department flag, by hand. I figure, if I can't buy or find one, then make one! Same with some of the patches on the patch boards. I just printed out the different variations that I didn't have on photo paper.
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:08:48 GMT -5
Above are some of the Philippine-related uniforms I've collected. Each one has a story. Someone on USMF once wrote to me "If [uniforms] could only talk." They do through their insignia. Through their ribbons. Through a note in a pocket. Through every stitch hole or marking. Through lots of patience, persistence, and research. These uniforms have spoken:
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:09:14 GMT -5
J. J. CHERNITSKI (PA, 1918-2008)- 1936: Learned telephone operating in high school, but dropped out. - 04/29/1941: Enlisted. Assigned to Philippine Air Warning Service Company. - 12/03: Sent to the northern tip of the P.I. to warn of Japanese planes. - 12/10: Position overran by Japanese. Filipinos took him and S/Sgt. William Snyder and hid them. - 1942: Joined US Army Forces in the Philippines-Northern Luzon. (Guerrilla forces) * Promoted to guerrilla rank of Technical Sergeant. * Served as a radioman for Governor Ablan of Ilocos Norte. - 06/1943: Captured by the Japanese. Sent to Cabanatuan then Bilibid POW Camps. - 07/17/1944: Boarded hellship Nissyo Maru. Taken to Fukuoka POW Camp #3, Yawata Japan. - 09/13/1945: Liberated. Sent to the US and hospitalized. - 07/03/1946: Honorably discharged
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:09:57 GMT -5
F. J. BROHM (KY, 1914-1982)- Pre-1940: Farmer earning $21 a week. - 09/19/1940: Enlisted. Sent to Hawaii. Assigned to C Co., 3rd Engineers - Early 1941: Re-assigned to 809th Engineer Aviation Bn. - 06/10: Sent to the P.I. 809th became C Co., 803rd Eng. Avn. Bn. - 12/25: Withdrew to Bataan. 803rd Engineers maintained roads, airfields, etc. - 04/04/1942: 803rd ordered to the front lines - 04/08: 803rd fought to delay Japanese. Brohm shot in right arm. Awarded Purple Heart. Surrendered 04/09. - ~04/15: Survived Bataan Death March. Only then do the Japanese treat the wound at Camp O'Donnell. - 06/1943: Brohm & other POWs selected to build the Las Piñas Airfield. - 10/01/1944: Boarded hellship Hokusen Maru. Taken to Inrin Temporary POW Camp, Yuanlin, Taiwan. - 01/29/1945: Boarded hellship Melbourne Maru. Taken to Sendai #8B POW Camp in Kosaka, Japan. - August: The Japanese transferred all Sendai POWs to a ship in Sendai Harbor. - 09/11: Americans liberate the ship. - 10/19: Off-boarded the transport ship Storm King. Arrived in San Francisco. Hospitalized at Ashford General Hospital. - 05/03/1946: Honorably discharged. Returned to Kentucky. Worked as an operator at a manufacturing company in Louisville.
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:10:24 GMT -5
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:10:47 GMT -5
R. O. RATHJEN (CA, 1921-2001)- Pre-1940: Married and was a fruit picker in Palo Alto. - 12/18/40: Enlisted. Sent to P.I. - 02/20/41: Assigned to E Co., 59th Coast Artillery on Ft. Drum (Concrete Battleship) - 05/07/42: Ft. Drum surrenders. Rathjen becomes a POW. Taken to Manila, then to Clark Field to repair the runway. - 06/1944: Sent to Bilibid Prison. - 08/25: Boarded hellship Noto Maru. Americans bomb ship 2 days later. - 09/08: Taken to "Camp Nomachi" in Takaoka, Japan. - 12/16: Wished his family well in a Christmas broadcast over Tokyo radio. - 09/14/45: Liberated. Sent to Hawaii then to San Francisco. - 1946: Honorably discharged
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:11:14 GMT -5
R. J. ROBINSON (GA, 1916-2001)- Pre-1940: Completed 1 year of study at Emery University for a BS. - 10/29/1940: Enlisted. * Trained as an airplane engine mechanic. * Received a private pilot's license * Assigned to 91st Bombardment Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group. - 11/20/1941: Arrived in the P.I. - 12/08: Japanese destroy the Far East Air Force's planes or forces them away to Australia. - 12/24: The plane-less 27th Bomb Group becomes 2nd Regiment, Provisional Air Corps Regiment. Airmen convert into infantrymen. - 04/07/1942: Amidst the confusion, the 91st disintegrated. * Robinson made it across the channel to Corregidor. * Assigned to Field Artillery, HQ Co., Harbor Defenses of Manila & Subic Bays - 05/07: Corregidor officially surrenders. Sent to Bilibid Prison. - 10/08: Boarded hellship Tottori Maru. Later arrived at Pusan, Korea - 11/11: Arrived at Mukden POW Camp, Manchuria. He was POW #460. - 08/20/1945: Russians liberate camp. - 10/08: Boarded USS Klipfontaine bound for the US. - 06/08/1946: Honorably discharged.
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:11:36 GMT -5
R. C. ANDERSON (CA)- Pre-1941: Married, attended one year of college, member of the California National Guard. - 01/15/1941: Enlisted. Took an Administrative NCO course. * Promoted to S/Sgt. * Sent to the Philippines. Assigned to North Luzon Force Headquarters. - 01/06/1942: North Luzon Force becomes I Philippine Corps. - 04/09: Bataan surrenders. - 06/1943: Anderson & other POWs selected to build the Las Piñas Airfield. - 09/1944: American planes suddenly appeared. All Las Piñas POWs sent to Bilibid. Anderson later taken to Cabanatuan POW Camp. - 02/04/1945: Sixth Rangers liberate Cabanatuan. Sent to a hospital on Leyte. Sailed back to the US and treated at Madigan General Hospital at Ft. Lewis, WA.Befriends PFC Angus Cripps. - 10/05: Honorably discharged. - 03/14/1946: Reenlisted with the USAAF and prepared to serve in Hawaii. * Before he left for Hawaii, he gave his WWII Ike Jacket to PFC Cripps. - 03/13/1951: Retired as a Master Sergeant.
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 10:12:24 GMT -5
I also posted all of these on USMF, but felt I should post here too.
Anyway, that's it for now. I have more uniforms, but I have not been able to photograph them yet. I'll post more in the future. Thanks for visiting!
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Post by legionnaire on Feb 12, 2012 10:55:48 GMT -5
Incredible collection FH! I like you title- Sea Lions and Carabaos ! Thank you for sharing your pics.
So that's were all the Phil. Dept & Division patches on ebay are disappearing? ;D
Is that 26th Guidon also hand made by you or original?
You should be joining us in April for the first reunion on home fort and Philippine soil of the PS!
Please post more of your collection. Philip
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Post by friscohare on Feb 12, 2012 23:04:16 GMT -5
Thanks, Philip!
When I started out, I collected all WWII patches. But, there were so many of them that I decided to just focus on Phil Dept and Div patches. A few of them are just print outs from images friends have sent me. I wish they were all real!
The 26th guidon is actually a ca. 1958 guidon for the 26th Armored Cavalry. (I think) But it looks so much like a 26th Cav one that I thought "why not get it?"
I won't be able to make it to the P.I. this April. I'm the new guy at my job and we're put on "probation" for a few months... and then I can start accruing days off. My Lolo's 85th birthday is this April as well. I wish I could go back though...
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Post by VeeVee on Feb 13, 2012 19:29:08 GMT -5
Oh wow... that's an amazing collection Sean. Great research too. Good stuff.
I hope you can attend a reunion sometime.
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Post by friscohare on Feb 15, 2012 22:54:11 GMT -5
Thanks, Vic! I hope to attend a reunion as well. Here's another uniform. It happens to be one of my favorites. M. V. DIOKNO (P.I. & CA, 1911-1974)- 06/26/30: First recorded enlistment = B Company, 14th Engineer Regiment (PS) - 06/25/33: Honorably discharged as Private, 6th Class - 11/1941: T/Sgt. & Assigned to Service Company, 14th Engineers (PS) - 04/10/1942: Surrendered. Survived Bataan Death March. - 02/20/1945: Returned to the Army - early-1950s: Served during the Korean War - 1955: Captain. Assigned to the 8149th Army Service Unit. - 02/28/1957: * Was Assistant Property Officer at Camp Stoneman * Retired as Major, Army Reserves - Post-1957: * Pittsburg, CA's finance officer (An office he held until his death) * Past president of the Pittsburg Lions Club * Past Chairman of the Filipino-American Council of Northern California
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Post by friscohare on Feb 15, 2012 22:54:34 GMT -5
More photo's of Diokno's uniform. It included all original insignia, custom ribbon bar, dog tag plus 14th Engineer (PS) DIs. (DIs have NHM) He must have been really proud of being in the 14th Engineers and in the Scouts!
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Post by oklahoma on Feb 16, 2012 8:47:17 GMT -5
Hey Frisco...Thanks for posting. This is great stuff, worthy of a regular military museum, methinks. Cheers.
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Post by VeeVee on Feb 17, 2012 8:38:42 GMT -5
How did you acquire Maj. Diokno's uniform? Trough a swap or through an estate sale?
Thanks for sharing online and letting us enjoy your collection and accompanying documentation. I hope the linked images won't expire.
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Post by friscohare on Feb 18, 2012 11:38:18 GMT -5
How did you acquire Maj. Diokno's uniform? Trough a swap or through an estate sale? Thanks for sharing online and letting us enjoy your collection and accompanying documentation. I hope the linked images won't expire. Maj. Diokno's uniform was a chance find actually. I was browsing through a store and the Philippine Defense Ribbon caught my eye. I looked closer and it had 14th Eng DIs and collar brass. I don't think the seller knew what the insignia was for. I also don't think the seller dug into Diokno's pockets. He would have found a note from his grandson stating that he was a Bataan DM survivor. So it was a lucky catch! Here's one reason I do this: when I requested my grand-uncle Placido's records from the National Archives, my Lolo told me to make copies so he can give it to Placido's relatives. When Lolo presented the records to them, the relatives didn't even know he was a Scout! As MacArthur said, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away." We shouldn't let the memories of these gallant soldiers die or fade away. That's why I have extreme respect for the PSHS and the members of this forum. We are preserving the legacy of these heroes.
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Post by friscohare on Mar 11, 2012 20:41:31 GMT -5
Here's the first Philippine Department shirt I acquired: W. W. THOMPSON (WI, 1906-1969)- Pre-1940: Lived in Milwaukee. - 1940: Enlisted. Assigned to 30th Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group. - 10/23/1941: 19th Bomb Group moved to Clark Field, P.I. - 12/1/1941 to 12/8/1941: Aircrewman * -12/8: War begins. Many planes destroyed at Clark Field. * Sometime in December: ** Transferred to 28th Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group ** Flown to Del Monte Air Field, Mindanao, P.I. ** Continued to work on & repair planes - 05/10/1942: Forced to surrender. Became POW. ** Japanese take POWs to Camp Casisang, Malaybalay, Bukidnon Province. - 09/20: HQ & HQ Squadron, 5th Air Base Group and & 28th Bomb Sq. celebrate their joint formation days ** Later placed on a ship & sent to Japan - 11/13: Arrived at Tokyo-02B-Kawasaki (Mitsui #2) POW Camp. ** Forced to do stevedore & steel mill labor for the Mitsui Corporation. ***The above image was taken at the Kawasaki #2 POW Camp ( Source) - 09/20/1945: Liberated. Sent home via USS Gosper- 05/08/1946: Honorably discharged at Santa Ana, CA. - Post-1946: Returned home to Milwaukee.
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Post by VeeVee on Mar 12, 2012 17:43:51 GMT -5
As usual, outstanding!
Do you use Ancestry.com to research? How are you able to find these information?
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