THE BATTLE OF GUSI HILL (HILL 1700) & THE RAISING OF THE AMERICAN FLAG ON FEBRUARY 25, 1945 1945年2月25日、バンバンの富士山の戦い（丘1700）。

INVESTIGATING HISTORY
THE BATTLE OF GUSI HILL (HILL 1700) & THE RAISING OF THE AMERICAN FLAG ON FEBRUARY 25, 1945
1945年2月25日、バンバンの富士山の戦い（丘1700）。

As we commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Bamban Hills 1945 – 2025, we at the Bamban WWII Museum would like to share this history of one of the fiercest fighting in the Philippines and remember history as it happened. Our grandfathers and uncles who were part of the local guerrillas, as well as the Aeta Negrito warriors were part of the Allied forces who fought in the final days of WWII in our area of Bamban-Stotsenburg.

This is the historical account of the American flag that was raised over Bamban Hills by the soldiers of the 40th Division U.S. Army 80 years ago.

40th DIVISION AND FILIPINO GUERRILLAS 1945
アメリカ軍兵士とフィリピン軍。
In one of the series of major engagements between the US 40th Division aided by the local guerrillas (Bamban Battalion, Squadron 30, Biniayan Company – Bruce Guerrilla, South Tarlac Military District) and the Japanese Kembu Group, the Battle of Bamban Hills was a protracted war for the control of Bamban Hills – Clark Field area.

BLOODY BATTLE BETWEEN AMERICAN 185th INFANTRY AND JAPANESE 14th NAVAL COMBAT SECTOR
（富士山）バンバン山でのアメリカ軍と日本軍の戦い。
On February 15, 1945, US air force unites using B-24’s, P-51’s and P-38’s pounded the areas of Hill 1700, a very steep, dominating hill overlooking Clark Field where the Japanese 14th Naval Combat Sector was dug in for defense. 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 185th Infantry Regiment, 40th Division begun to scale the Hill 1700 fortress against withering fire of rifles, machine guns and mortars. Up until the 23rd of February, the fight for the capture of Hill 1700 and adjacent hills fortified by the Japanese continued with very negligible result due to stubborn Japanese defenses.

On February 23, 1945 at 07:05 a.m., 3rd Battalion begun its attack on Hill 1700 supported by massive artillery bombardment. Tanks were able to position and to fire direct hits on Japanese tunnel defenses. 2nd Battalion crawled on the northeast slope of the hill and dug in for series of attacks against Japanese defenders until the next day.

AMERICAN FLAG FLIES OVER BAMBAN-STOTSENBURG AREA
アメリカの国旗がバンバン山脈とクラーク地域に掲げられます。
The final attack on Hill 1700 commenced on February 25 with the units of the 185th Infantry participating and supported by massive concentration of fire from division artillery, tanks, tank destroyers, mortars and machine guns. The whole mountain we engulfed by the smoke brought by the tremendous bombardments. Elements of Company B, including Pfc. Elbert G. French, made their way to the southwest approach of Hill 1700 and planted the American flag on the peak at 10:20 a.m. while fighting was still ferociously fought between the Americans and Japanese forces. After 20 minutes of heavy fighting, Hill 1700 was finally captured by the 185th; however, several Japanese pockets of resistance continued but were later neutralized by effective ground units, artillery, and tank fires. Close to 343 Japanese died in the battle of Hill 1700 in its adjacent tunnel defenses.

The planting of the American flag on top of Gusi Hill (Hill 1700) signifies the many of the series of tough battles fought on the ridges of the Bamban Hills between the Americans, Filipinos and Japanese forces and the destruction of the main Kembu defenders protecting Clark Field facilities.

COMMEMORATIONS & REMEMBERANCE
記念と追悼
In February 25, 2004, Bamban Historical Society Field Recon Team led by Romel Dela Cruz made the first hiking on the summit of Hill 1700 to commemorate the flag raising done by the soldiers of 185th Infantry, 40th Division in 1945. And on the 75th Anniversary of the Flag Raising at Hill 1700, another Field Recon Team led by Rhonie Dela Cruz and former American serviceman Gene Eiring and accompanied by descendants of WWII Aeta Negrito warriors from Squadron 30, climbed the summit of the tallest mountain overlooking Clark Field and Sacobia River Valley and raised the American flag, as well as the Philippine flag to commemorate this important WWII history.

SOURCE:
(1) 40th Division in WWII, The Fighting 40th in War and Peace,
(2) Official Records of the Kembu Group,
(3) Newspaper article related to 185th Infantry at Clark area (courtesy of Justin Webber)
(4) Bruce Guerrillas from the US National Archives courtesy of David Metherell.

PHOTOGRAPHS:
(1) Raising of American Flag on top of Hill 1700 in Bamban.
Photo by the 40th Division US Army, US National Archives (NARA)
(2) Image of the Hill 1700 being bombed by American navy bomber on February 25, 1945 prior the infantry attack. Note the route of the foot trail leading to the summit.
(3) Gene Eiring, Rhonie and the Aetas during the scaling of Hill 1700,circa 2020.
Rhonie Dela Cruz photo.
(4) Aerial view of Gusi Hill (Hill 1700) taken on the summit of Burog Hill.
Rhonie Dela Cruz photo.
(5) Photograph showing the perspective of the scaling of the summit of Hill 1700, circa 2020.
Rhonie Dela Cruz photo.

(6) Photos of American and Japanese soldiers who died in the Bamban Hills in 1945, at the summit of Hill 1700.
Rhonie Dela Cruz photo.
(7) Soldiers from the 185th Bn, 40th Division U.S. Army on the edge of the lower slope of Hill 1700, February 25, 1945.
Photo by the 40th Division US Army, US National Archives (NARA)
(8) American Soldiers from the 185th Bn, 40th Division U.S. Army firing on Japanese 14th Naval Combat Sector position on the lower slope of Hill 1700, February 25, 1945.
Photo by the 40th Division US Army, US National Archives (NARA)
(9) OPERATION FIREFLIES, search and recovery of remains of Japanese war dead in the vicinity of Hill 1700 by the Bamban WWII Museum Field Recon Team, circa 2015.
Rhonie Dela Cruz photo.
(10) First commemoration of the Flag Raising on the summit of Hill 1700, circa 2004.
Rhonie Dela Cruz photo.
(11) At the office of the U.S. Embassy in Manila, donating a photograph in frame, of the Flag Raising on Hill 1700.
Rhonie Dela Cruz photo.