Investigating History:
AMERICAN SOLDIER’s IMPRESSION: MAJOR NORMAN E. THRALL, BATTLE OF BAMBAN HILLS 1945
Delivering the Talk on WWII History in the Philippines in Vigan at the national conference of the National Rizal Youth Leadership Training Institute last December 7, 2025 in Vigan, I was wearing the HBT uniform (second pattern 0D7) with accessories and gears with the shoulder insignia of the 40th Division, U.S. Army. It was this division that saw combat action from the Liberation of Bamban to the Battle of Bamban Hills.
In my thoughts, I was representing an American infantry officer, perhaps Major Norman E. Thrall, commanding the 3rd Battalion, 108th Infantry, 40th Division. Major Thrall was with the first initial body of the 40th engaged in the start of the Battle of Bamban Hills. His 3rd Battalion was pinned down by elements and snipers of the Japanese Kamii and Hoshino Butai, Takayama Detachment, the defenders where holed on tunnel defenses fortified with machine guns, mortars and automatic cannons stripped from aircraft that littered the airfields at the Bamban and nearby Mabalacat.
Source: ww2fallen100.blogspot.com
The 4-day battle was one of beginning of the fierce engagements between the Takayama Detachment and the regiments of the 40th Division. On January 28, 1945, while his troops were low on morale as they were pinned down for quite some time and unable to move forward, Major Thrall decided to lead his men to attack the Japanese positions on the hill marked at “28.0 – 46.6” on official records of the regiment. He was warned not to go forward, due to the presence of the Japanese snipers. In an apparent show of heroic bravery to uplift the morale of his soldiers and by leading the attack, he was shot and fell to the ground.
The following is the descriptive narrative of the Battle of Thrall Hill, in memory of Major Thrall that was killed on the place:
“Thrall Hill was the dominating terrain feature of a series of honey-combed hills overlooking Bamban. Defenses included deep tunnels, bankers hewn from solid rock, organized reversed slopes and many alternate positions. These positions afforded him (Japanese) every advantage. It was only after preparatory fires and continuous support by division artillery, plus help from a company of tank destroyers and organic M-7s, that the foot troops were able to smash through to their objective.”
The Americans from the 108th Infantry, with the engagement on the west of Bamban, on what would be the areas of Mascup, Sapang and extreme left of Panaisan, cost the regiment 32 killed in action (KIA), 129 wounded in action and 6 missing. The main element of the Kamii Battalion lost hundreds of troops, many lost from among the tunnels blasted by the artillery, tanks and tank destroyers, their equipment and the important high ground positions in the 4-day battle.
Our Bamban WWII Museum has this WWII Re-Enactment Group, with its American, Filipino, Japanese and the Aeta Negrito warriors, pilots and soldiers impressions.
On my part, I only wear the HBT uniform, the same outfit that the 40th Division troops wore in the Bamban campaign, the Filipino guerrillas were also issued the same HBT uniform as they were attached to the American divisions.
It is our humble way of thanking and remembering the Filipino and American soldiers in the Liberation 1945, including those who fought in the Battle of Bamban Hills.
40th Division US Army photo.
2025 Rhonie Dela Cruz
Bamban Historical Society / Bamban WWII Museum
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
Provincial Government of Tarlac-
Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
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Sources/References:
(1) Combat Journal of the 108th Infantry, 40th Division US Army.
(2) The Fighting Fortieth in War and Peace.
(3) History of the 40th Division in the Philippines.
(4) Japanese Monograph No. 9. “Outline of the Kembu Group Operation – Clark Sector, Record of the Philippine Operations Record of the Philippine Operation Vol. III Part 3.
Photos:
(a) Impression of American infantry officer (Major Norman Thrall), Battle of Thrall Hill, late January 1945.
(b) Portrait of Major Norman Thrall.
Source: ww2fallen100.blogspot.com
(c) All photographs on impressions of Major Thrall, taken during delivery of lecture/talk on WWII History, including Bamban Hills, Vigan, Ilocos Sur on December 7, 2025.
(d) Photo showing American infantry wearing HBT uniform in Bamban closing on Japanese positions, late January 1945. Carl Mydans photo.
(e) WWII-era map, the same map issued in 1944 and used by the 40th Division US Army; showing the location of Thrall Hill in Bamban. US NARA.
(f) Japanese map showing the location of Kamii and Hoshino Butai, and the vicinity or location of Thrall Hill in Bamban. Record of the Kembu Group.
(g) 40th Division Map showing the Bamban Hills with Thrall Hill, 1945.
US Army in WWII, Triumph in the Philippines.
(h) Two photos on the impression of American soldier.
(i) Photograph of a young Filipino guerrilla fighter, issued with HBT uniform and armed to the teeth; possibly taken in Bamban in February 1945.
40th Division US Army photo.
