THE 21st DIVISION (PHILIPPINE ARMY) DEFENSE AT TARLAC, TARLAC: DECEMBER 30, 1941
(1941 年 12 月のタルラック市での戦闘)
82 years ago, the gallant Filipino soldiers defended Tarlac, Tarlac before New Year 1941. Many of the soldiers who fought were actually from this province, as part of 21st Division, Philippine Army. This is their story.
UNCERTAIN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR 1941
(1941年のクリスマスと新年)
In our history of WWII, the beginning of the saddest holiday season was the Christmas of 1941 until the New Year, a critical point in the campaign for the Defense of Luzon starting with the retrograde movement of the Filipino-American forces (North Luzon Force) under the command of Major General Jonathan Wainwright. A change in strategy was activated by General MacArthur’s Headquarters, the War Plan Orange No. 3; for the movement of all forces into the Bataan Peninsula and abandoning the Lingayen Gulf for the protracted war with the Japanese 14th Army of General Masaharu Homma.
THE WITHDRAWAL FROM THE NORTH: USAFFE DEFENSE LINE NO. 4
(アメリカとフィリピンの軍隊第4ライン)
The withdrawal covered 5 phases or USAFFE Defense Lines or delaying positions, from the north at Aguilar-Urdaneta in Pangasinan to Bamban-Magalang-Sibul Springs to the south, covering a period starting December 25-31, 1941. The plan for the retrograde movement of the North Luzon Force was to get the time needed for the preparation of defenses at the Bataan with the Bataan Defense Force and the warrant the orderly withdrawal of the main bulk of the North and South Luzon Forces into the peninsula. The main route of withdrawal would be the Highway No. 3 (Route 3, or the present MacArthur Highway) forming the left sector and Highway No. 5, the right sector, with a shell of infantry forces protecting the movement of the divisions supported by self-propelled mounts (SPMs), field artillery guns and tanks from the 192nd and 194th Tank Battalion.
USAFFE Defense Line No. 4.
AMERICAN AND JAPANESE FORCES
(タルラック州タルラックにおけるアメリカ軍と日本軍)
The Imperial Japanese 14th Army, 48th Division(supported by the 4th and 7th Tank Regiment, with the 14th Army Artillery and the IJA 5th Fighter Group for air support) was the main enemy force coming down from Lingayen in pursuit of the North Luzon Force, with its Kimijima Detachment (9th Infantry) on the left (west area) following the route of the Highway No. 3 and to the right (east area), the elements 48th Division (1st & 2nd Formosa and Kanno Detachment) along the Highway No. 5.
The Tarlac-Cabanatuan Line was designated as USAFFE Defense Line No. 4. The 21st Division Philippine Army (P.A.) under Brigadier General Mateo Capinpin, held the western portion of the line covering Tarlac and Route 3 while the 11th Division P.A., led by Brigadier General William E. Brougher, held the road to Cabanatuan and the 91st Division P.A. at the Cabanatuan area.
THE GALLANT STAND OF THE 21ST DIVISION AT TARLAC, TARLAC
(タルラックを守る第21師団の勇敢なフィリピン兵士たち)
With the rapid movement of the Japanese forces coming down from Lingayen, Japanese troops riding in bicycles were observed coming into Tarlac. On December 29, 1941, s strong Japanese attacks had been developing north of the Tarlac, Tarlac, with the field artillery guns of the 21st Division firing and holding the line. To the east, the main body of the Japanese Kanno Detachment had been penetrating elements of the 11th Division P.A. at Zaragosa-Lapaz sector supported by 75mm field artillery and anti-tank guns. Some of the infantry from the 13th Infantry, as well as half-tracks SPMs and tanks under the control of the 11th Division were cut-off due to the Kanno Detachment’s interdiction near Lapaz, on their route of withdrawal to the south (Lapaz-Capas-Magalang road). The town center of Tarlac became scenes of heavy fighting on the following day, where many of the town center’s buildings were destroyed.
Army 9th Infantry under Colonel Kimijima along the road at San Miguel, Tarlac, Tarlac on December
30, 1941.
DEATH OF COLONEL KIMIJIMA
(君島大佐は1941年12月30日にタルラックで亡くなった)
In the afternoon of December 30, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army’s 48th Division of the left sector, under the 9th Infantry led by Col. Kimijima, entered Tarlac town with the 22nd Field Artillery along Highway No. 3. Tarlac was defended by the 21st Division, Philippine Army, from which division came from the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, and Tarlac. Some of the soldiers from the 21st came from Tarlac province, being part of the former 2nd Military District consisting of the provinces cited. Col. Kimijima, reinforced by artillery, sent his 9th Infantry to attack the 21st Division positions led by the 22nd Infantry along the Route 3 (MacArthur Highway), near San Miguel. However, the Filipino soldiers under the 22nd Infantry put up stiff defense, inflicting heavy losses on the part of the Japanese’ 9th Infantry. Col. Kimijima was killed by soldiers of the 22nd Infantry during the assault against the 21st Division line south of Tarlac, Tarlac.
PLIGHT OF THE AMERICAN TANKS AND SPM HALF-TRACKS IN TARLAC
(タルラックのアメリカの戦車と装甲車両)
The 9th Infantry tried to infiltrate the Filipino-American Line south of the Tarlac but were fired upon by the 21st regiments and the field artillery. On the left (west) sector, the elements of the 13th Infantry (11th Division), along with the M-3 Stuart tanks from the 192nd Tank Battalion and SPM half-tracks managed to get into Tarlac, into the Japanese line, as they were cut-off from the line of withdrawal but were able to fought their way out after engaging Japanese forces holed in the town. The 192nd tanks and SPM half-tracks were able to cross the stream while the 21st Field Artillery fired on Japanese positions. The bridge was blown by the retreating 21st Division to give way to the fleeing tanks and half-tracks across the stream and safely into the friendly line, with the exemption of the vehicles that were abandoned and destroyed by artillery fire from the 21st Field Artillery.
killing Colonel Kimijima of the 9th Infantry, Imperial Japanese Army.
RETREAT TO BAMBAN LINE
(フィリピン軍とアメリカ軍がバンバン防衛線に移動した)
In the late afternoon, the 21st Division PA was ordered to withdraw in the evening to the next line; the D-5 Line which was located south in the Bamban area. In the course of the withdrawal, the 21st Infantry, 21st Division, with the 21st Field Artillery in support, successfully covered the whole retreat of the 21st Division into Bamban Line. Among the gallant soldiers of the 21st Field Artillery who defended Tarlac was Bamban’s own son; Sgt. Eduardo Navarro. However, 21st Infantry, in the course of the fight, had many casualties and the unit was badly hurt with the advance of the Japanese forces coming down from the north. By the dawn of December 31, 1941, the 21st Division was at the D-5 Line in Bamban area and 11th Division P.A. at Magalang-Arayat area. New Year’s Eve 1941 in Bamban area in D-5 Line would become an explosive night with the gallant 21st Division holding their position against the Japanese advance.
Bamban WWII Museum Collection
This is the forgotten history of the defense of Tarlac, Tarlac on December 30, 1941 but whose gallantry and tenacity of the Filipino soldiers had proven even before the Battle of Bataan. I am sharing the photographs of Eduardo Navarro (21st Field Artillery, 21st Division, Philippine Army) and Juan Sanches (22nd Regiment, 21st Division, P.A.), sons of Tarlac who took part in the Defense of Tarlac prior New Year of 1941.
Rhonie Dela Cruz
Bamban Historical Society/Bamban Museum of History
CITATIONS: 参考資料
(1) Louis Morton, The Fall of the Philippines.
(2) Richard Mallonee, The Naked Flagpole – Battle for Bataan.
(3) Wainwright, General Wainwright’s Story.
(4) Duane P. Schultz, Hero of Bataan: The Story of General Jonathan M. Wainwright.
(5) Celedonio A. Ancheta, Wainwright Papers Volume II “Report of Operations of the Provisional Tank Group, USAFFE 1941-1942.
(5) Military Records of Eduardo Navarro (1st Bn, 21st FA, 21st Division PA, available at Bamban Museum.
PHOTOS/IMAGES: 写真
(a) Rolling slope at Camp James Ord (now Camp Gen. Servillano Aquino, Tarlac) with the 21st Infantry training. The site became part of the position of the 21st Infantry, 21st Div PA in defense of Tarlac town on December 30, 1941. (resource person: Ged Dizon)
(b) Map showing the USAFFE Defense Lines, “Fall of the Philippines”.
(c) Photo of the Japanese Imperial Army’s 48th Division entering Tarlac Town in late 1941.
(d) Photo of Sgt. Eduardo P. Navarro; 1st Bn, 21st Field Artillery from Bamban, Tarlac.
(e) Aerial view of Tarlac, Tarlac; circa 1938.
(f) Vicinity map of the town of Tarlac, circa 1934. Source: Terrain Handbook No. 39, Allied Geographical Section, SWPA, Tarlac-Dagupan, November 2, 1944.
(g) Aerial view of Tarlac town, where the fighting took place on December 29-30, 1941.
(h) Aerial view of San Miguel, where Camp James Ord was located, in pre-war. During the Defense of Tarlac with the USAFFE D-4 Line, at San Miguel, Colonel Kimijima of the 9th Infantry was killed by Filipino soldiers from the 21st Division, Philippine Army.
(i) Sergeant Juan Sanches, from Tarlac, Tarlac, belonging to 21st Division, P.A. who took part in the Battle for the Defense of Tarlac in December 1941.
(Bamban WWII Museum Collection)
(j) Japanese Imperial Army Soldiers probably from Kanno Detachment, en-route to Bamban after the fall of Tarlac (Tarlac), late December 1941.
(Bamban WWII Museum Collection)
