The Philippines

In 1935 the United States and the Philippines agreed on a plan for the independence of the Philippines. Under this plan the Philippines would acquire full independence at the end of a ten year transition (on July 4th, 1945). A national Philippine government was elected right away and began to take over governmental functions, including the gradual replacement of all U.S. administrators with Filipinos.

From a military standpoint, the U.S. retained defensive responsibilities for the Philippines and continued to station troops in the Islands. A separate Philippine Army was created and began to build it’s infrastructure. At the end of the 10-year period the US Army was to turn over all facilities to the Philippine Army and U.S. troops would depart. A separate agreement allowed for the possible retention of U.S. Navy facilities – a mutual benefit as the U.S. Navy badly needed Philippine Bases and the Philippines would not be able to develop effective Naval forces in so short a time.

In 1935 the military forces in the Philippines consisted of three distinct groups:

1. Regular U.S. Army (and Navy) forces – raised in the United States and maintained by the U.S.
2. Philippine Scouts – raised in the Philippines with mostly Filipino enlisted men and mostly U.S. officers. Equipped and maintained by the U.S.. Limited by law to 6500 men in 1935, the number being raised to 12000 after war broke out in Europe. These troops remained part of the Regular U.S. Army. The Scouts were long-serving professional soldiers and were of very high quality. In 1941, with the U.S. Army diluted by a massive expansion and the best of the Australian, Indian, and New Zealand Armies sent to the Middle East, these were arguably the best allied troops in the Pacific.
3. Philippine Constabulary – an entirely Philippine organization under civilian control. 6000 men armed and trained as light infantry and dispersed in company and battalion sized units throughout the Philippines. These troops were used to combat bandit gangs and moro separatists, and to maintain government control over local tribes. In 1935 the constabulary included a small air force.

The new Philippine government decided on a Regular Army of 10,000 men (including the Philippine Constabulary) and a large reserve force. The Philippine Constabulary was retained as a separate force and continued in it’s prior mission. This left only 4,000 men for the regular army – a number barely sufficient to man minimal support units and to train reservists. A small air force and off-shore patrol were created as part of the army.

The Philippines were divided into 10 military districts and training camps created for the reserve force. Adult males were conscripted into the reserves, with about a 6-month active training period followed by reserve availability. Training began slowly, follow-on training was lacking, and equipment was minimal. However, by 1941 the Philippines officially had a theoretical pool of several hundred thousand "trained" reservists.

Then, in 1941, the Philippine Army was "federalized" into the U.S. Army using approximately the same procedures by which the National Guard troops were called up in the U.S. There were to be two Regular divisions: The existing (en cadre) 1st Division was to be fleshed out and a second division created from the Philippine Constabulary. Each of the 10 Military districts was to initially raise an infantry division from it’s pool of reservists. A second division was planned for later, along with corps units. The call up of each district’s initial division was to be completed by mid December, 1941 and was still in progress when Japan attacked. It was nearly complete in Luzon but lagging in other areas.

Five of the ten military districts were in Luzon and the surrounding islands (including Mindoro and Palawan). Luzon was the most developed of the Islands and home of the Government and of major Military Headquarters. All three infantry regiments of the five divisions from these districts had been formed but engineer and artillery units were not yet equipped. As in all cases, the first Regiment was the first formed and was in better shape, with the third regiment usually still in it’s forming camps.

The islands between Luzon and Mindanao were divided into four military districts. These were the least developed and their divisions were the most poorly trained and equipped. Prior to the outbreak of the war, two divisions were ordered transferred to Luzon to bolster defenses there but the transfer was not completed by the beginning of the war and the third Regiment of each division remained behind. The two other divisions in the Visayas were ordered to Mindanao after war broke out but, again, the transfer was not completed. The remnants of these four divisions, some Constabulary units, and a few provisional forces made up the entire defense of the Visayas.

Of growing importance to U.S. military plans, with a large B-17 capable airbase under construction, and also the obvious target of Japanese forces from Palau. The single infantry division there was to be reinforced by the two remaining divisions from the Visayas. This transfer actually happened after the war broke out but WITP mechanics make it difficult so the troops are pre-positioned. As with the two divisions sent to Luzon, only part of the two Visayan units made it to Mindanao.

There were also a number of provisional units formed on Luzon after the outbreak of the war. These were generally considered to be part of the Philippine Army but had mixed Philippine/Philippine Scout/U.S. Army composition. The most important were:

• Provisional Artillery Group – formed to utilize 50 self propelled anti-tank guns (75mm guns on half tracks) that had recently arrived in the Philippines but had not yet been issued.
• 301st Field Artillery Regiment – formed to use about two-dozen 155mm guns that were intended for Coastal Defense positions planned for the Visayas but not yet installed.
• 301st Engineer Regiment – formed from professional miners and engineers.

There were also a multitude of other provisional units – from local ROTC formations to semi-official units formed with reservists who reported after the war broke out. For example the Manila bus company was "drafted" intact – with managers becoming officers and foremen sergeants – and was used for troop transport early in the campaign. Almost all of these units were disbanded prior to the retreat into Bataan to legally change the status of their personnel back to civilian.

The Philippine Army consisted of three distinct components:

• The Regular Army, including the Philippine Constabulary. The regular army included a small air force and an offshore patrol.
• Reserve Units – a single division raised in each of the ten military district.
• Provisional Units – formed all over the Philippines but the only significant units were on Luzon.

In addition, there were the Regular U.S. Army and Air Force, the Philippine Scouts, and the U.S. Marines:

• Regular U.S. Army:

  • 31st Infantry Regiment, reinforced (RCT). The only regular U.S. Army Infantry unit in the Philippines – it’s quality had dropped significantly due to the rapid expansion of the U.S. Army in 1940-41 as well as the detachment of large numbers of officers and NCOs for advisor duty with newly formed Philippine units (only 1 officer and ten NCOs remained per company). The Artillery units attached were Philippine Scout and of very high quality.
  • 192nd and 194th Light Tank Battalions. Newly arrived in the Philippines and each comprised of three companies totaling 54 tanks (some rearrangement had been done in the Philippines to balance the two units). These were national guard units formed from a number of previously independent companies.
  • 200th Coast Artillery (AA) Regiment. A New Mexico National Guard outfit newly arrived in the Philippines and stationed at Clark Field. After the war broke out this unit was divided and a new unit named the 515th Coast Artillery (AA) was formed in order to provide AA defense for Manila. The 515th has been excluded from the OOB and the 200th retained intact.
  • 803rd Aviation Engineers. Initially stationed at Clark Field, they withdrew to Bataan and actually built a B-17 capable field there – in hopes of reinforcement that never came.
  • 59th Coast Artillery Regiment and 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (AA). Parts of the garrison of the Forts in Manila and Subic bays – it was the service of a relative in the 60th that initiated my interest in the war in the Philippines. These units, along with the attached Scout and Philippine Army Coast Defense Units, are represented at the Manila and Bataan CD Fortresses in WITP.

• Philippine Scouts:

  • 45th Infantry Regiment, Reinforced (RCT). All Philippine Scout, including attached artillery. This unit had historically been dispersed to provide needed local defense forces. It was divided into battalions on December 7th, with one guarding the supply dumps on Bataan, one at Clark Field, and one in the Manila area (I think). In the OOB it is concentrated at Clark Field as the editor does not allow units to be divided. Note that the 1st Battalion/45th had recently been detached to form the 43rd Infantry Regiment (PS) and a new 1st/45th formed. The 43rd took over the duties as a command organization for remote garrisons and had only four companies – two in Luzon and two in Zamboanga. The 43rd is not represented in WITP.
  • 57th Infantry Regiment, Reinforced (RCT). Concentrated in Manila, this was probably the best of the Infantry Regiments only in that it had been long maintained as an intact unit.
  • 26th Cavalry Regiment. An understrength Motorized Cavalry unit (Horse Cavalry that used trucks to move to the battlefield and then fought on horseback). A very high-quality unit that was initially dispersed in a scouting role and suffered greatly in the initial fighting. In WITP it is placed at Clark Field.
  • 86th Field Artillery Battalion. The “heavy” artillery regiment of the United States Army's Philippine Division, it was actually a battalion. It was formed at the time that artillery regiments were being broken up to form individual battalions as part of the conversion from square to triangular division. The term 86th Regiment was reserved for this unit but it was actually formed as the 6th Battalion. Many histories carry it as the 86th Regiment. As the big (155mm) gun unit it was split between North and South Luzon force, with two batteries emplaced at the South end of Lingayen Gulf. The unit is placed there in WITP.
  • 88th Field Artillery Regiment. The extra (Corps) field artillery regiment in the Philippines (the 23rd PS and 24th PS provided the artillery for the three RCT above). It was held in reserve and is placed on Bataan in WITP.
  • 91st and 92nd Coast Artillery Regiments. Merged into the Manila and Bataan Fortresses in WITP.
  • 14th Engineer Regiment. The combat engineer regiment of the Philippine Division. Was in the process of being converted to a battalion as part of a general reorganization of divisional support units throughout the U.S. Army. Located at Manila.

• Regular Philippine Army:

  • 1st Regular Division. Existed only en cadre until 1941, with one regiment (the 2nd) detached to Mindanao. It had been brought up to full TOE by the outbreak of the war but was not yet fully effective. Artillery units were never formed. Located at Manila with the 2nd Regiment at Cagayan, on Mindanao. The 1st Philippine Division starts at 1/3 strength to represent is forming status. The 2nd Regiment is at full strength but 90% disruption.
  • 2nd Constabulary Division. As per pre-war plans, Philippine Constabulary units on Luzon were concentrated to form a second regular division. No artillery was allocated and this was a "light" infantry division. Arrives on the first day of 1942 at Bataan.
  • 1st Coast Defense Regiment. Formed just after the outbreak of the war from personnel already in training. Merged into the Manila Fortress in WITP.
  • Provisional Artillery Group. Formed just after the outbreak of the war and fought in central Luzon prior to the retreat to Bataan. A very effective unit with 4-dozen self-propelled guns and a mixture of U.S. Army/Philippine Scout/Philippine Reservist troops.
  • 301st Provisional Field Artillery Regiment. Formed on Bataan after the outbreak of the war to utilize about 2-dozen 155mm Coast Defense guns. These guns were intended for Coast Defense positions in the Visayas and were not particularly mobile.
  • 301st Engineer Battalion. Formed on Bataan from a large group of professional miners and construction personnel. Very effective engineer unit.
  • Offshore Patrol. Comprised of five British-type PT boats that operated with USN PTs in Manila Bay.
  • Philippine Air Force. Officially the Philippine Air Force included eleven squadrons, of which three were operational and three base squadrons. The remainder were Depot or Training units. Two of the operational squadrons (5th Photo-Recon and 10th Bomber) were too weak to warrant inclusion. Two of the base squadrons are represented and placed at locations where the PAF had detachments. The Philippine Air Force’s WITP strength is:
    • 6th Fighter Squadron with 12 P-26 fighters, based near Manila (at Batangas). A very effective unit for its size (and equipment) and had a number of qualified and very brave pilots.
    • 8th Base Squadron. Placed at San Marcelino to represent the facilities at nearby Iba Field. Iba field was a Philippine Army training base that was used as a dispersal field by the U.S. Army Air Corps.
    • 11th Base Squadron. Represents all Philippine Air Corps detachments in the Visayas (the 11th was actually stationed on Luzon). Placed at Iloilo to represent the important facilities there (the main stopover for aircraft flying between Cagayan or Cebu and Bataan/Corregidor.

• Philippine Reserve Units:

  Each of the ten military districts had raised an infantry division immediately pre-war (some still forming). These were numbered within their military district – the first division of the 2nd District being the 21st Division, etc. Regiments were similarly numbered – the 11th Division would include the 11th, 12th, and 13th Regiments. All of these units were under equipped at the beginning of the war and some did not have their artillery units formed.

  • 11th Reserve Division. The 1st Military District encompassed far North Luzon and included the North half of Lingayen Gulf and most of the areas of initial Japanese invasion. The 11th Division was primarily concentrated around Lingayen Gulf but had a few units further North. One Company (L of the 12th Regiment) was actually at Aparri but that is not represented in WITP.
  • 21st Reserve Division. The 2nd Military District spanned the North Central plain of Luzon, including the southern end of Lingayen Gulf and the military facilities around Fort Stotsenburg. It is based at San Marcelino in WITP.
  • 31st Reserve Division. The 3rd District includes Bataan, Iba, and the northern approaches to Manila. The 31st Division is placed at Bataan in WITP.
  • 41st Reserve Division. The 4th district includes Manila, Batangas (the province to the south of Manila Bay) plus Mindoro, Palawan, and assorted small islands in the region. This was one of the better reserve divisions and it’s commander was a retired Philippine Scout officer that had graduated from West Point. The 41st was assigned to South Luzon force and was concentrated South of Manila. It is at Naga in WITP.
  • 51st Reserve Division. The 5th District included most of the Eastern Coast of Luzon, from just South of Tuguegarao to the southern tip at Legaspi, and several small islands to the immediate south of Luzon. The 51st was part of South Luzon Force and is placed at Naga in WITP.
  • 61st Reserve Division. The 6th Military district consists of the island of Panay and a few small islands to it’s north. After war broke out the 61st Division was ordered to Mindanao but it was not fully formed and only Division HQ and the first two regiments actually went. While the Japanese were occupied in Luzon and Mindanao, local military command on Panay formed two new reserve regiments (64th and 65th) and some provisional units. The 64th and 65th, along with the original 63rd Regiment, were used to form a new “provisional” 61st Division on Panay. Since the 61st Division units on Mindanao were merged into the 102nd Division and lost their divisional identity, the new Division on Panay is named the 61st Division in WITP. It is placed on Panay using a divisional TOE but at one-third strength to indicate a single regiment present at the beginning of the war.
  • 71st Reserve Division. The 7th Military District is formed primarily by the island of Negros. Prior to the outbreak of the war the 71st Division was ordered to Luzon and all but the last regiment had moved by December 7th. The last regiment, the 73rd never left Negros. This is represented by placing the 71st Division at Tuguegarao but at 2/3 strength and adding the 73rd Regiment at Dumaguete, on Negros. The 71st has a divisional TOE and can be filled out on Luzon using "reporting reservists" if the Philippines holds out long enough.
  • 81st Reserve Division. The 8th Military District included the islands of Cebu and Bihol. The 81st Division was also ordered to Mindanao but only a single regiment actually made it. The remaining two regiments remained on Cebu and were reinforced with provisional units. It WITP the 81st is located at Cebu, using a divisional TOE and at 2/3 strength.
  • 91st Reserve Division. The 9th Military District is formed primarily from the islands of Samar and Leyte. The 91st Division was also sent to Luzon pre-war but, again, it’s last regiment was not ready and did not make the move. The 91st Division is placed at Manila, at 2/3 strength, and the 93rd Reserve Regiment remains in the 9th District, at Tacloban on Leyte.
  • 101st Reserve Division. The 10th Military District is primarily the island of Mindanao, along with some small islands (including Jolo and Tawi Tawi). The 101st Division was dispersed throughout Mindanao, with a single battalion at Davao. Also in Mindanao were two companies of Philippine Scouts (C and E of 43rd Regiment – not represented) at Zamboanga and the 2nd Regiment of the Regular Philippine Army (placed at Cagayan).
  • 102nd Reserve Division. The equivalent of a full division was sent from the 6th and 8th Military districts immediately after the outbreak of the war (61st, 62nd, 81st Regiments and assorted units). All these additional Reserve units were amalgamated into the 102nd Reserve Division on Mindanao. In WITP, the 101st Division begins at Davao (as it can not be split in the editor) and the 102nd appears a week into the war at Cagayan. Note that the 2nd Regular Regiment was also merged into the 102nd but this is maintained as a separate (understrength) unit due to it’s position at the outbreak of the war.

• U.S. Marines:

  Immediately prior to the outbreak of the war, the 4th Marine Regiment was withdrawn from China to the Philippines. The last few detachments were still in China – at Tientsen and Peking – and the chartered passenger ship President Harrison was enroute to pick them up. There was another Marine unit on Luzon – the 1st Separate Battalion. This was an illegal outfit with an interesting history. The Asiatic Fleet had long recognized the hopelessness of the Marine garrison in China in the event of war and had frequently requested permission to withdraw it. The government in Washington refused, on political grounds, so the Asiatic Fleet took matters in it’s own hands. Replacement personnel bound for the 4th Marines in China were held in Philippines – ostensibly to await transport. Eventually the 4th Marines proper was reduced to 2/3 strength and the personnel held in the Philippines were used to man the AA defenses of the Cavite Naval Yard – subsequently being organized as the 1st Separate AA Battalion. These troops remained at Cavite when the 4th Marines returned (and were stationed at Subic Bay). Both these units were reinforced by troops from the Marine Barracks at Subic and Cavite Naval Stations and by other Marines previously stationed on ships and HQ facilities of the Asiatic fleet. They maintained their separate identifies until merged on Corregidor – at which time "shipless" U.S. Navy and "planeless" U.S. Air Force personnel were attached and the whole thing called the 4th Marines. This is represented in WITP by:

  • 4th Marine Regiment at Bataan
  • 1st Marine AA Battalion at Manila

• Headquarters and Base Forces:

  Scenario 15 had distributed a large number of base forces about the Philippines to represent both Military and useful Civilian facilities. These is considerable merit in this but it provided a large number of base forces that the allied player might be tempted to withdraw. It also probably overstated the support facilities available throughout the Philippines. The number of base forces has been considerably reduced in the Combined Historical Scenario. Base Forces are limited to those locations where military facilities actually existed plus one or two important locations where extensive military use was made of existing civilian facilities.

  • USAFFE. United States Army Forces in the Far East – the headquarters for all U.S. and Philippine Army units in the Philippines. Located at Manila.
  • Asiatic Fleet. Added by the modification, located at Manila and initially reports to USAFFE (not historical but requires that political points be spent to withdraw it). The two Marine units above are assigned to the Asiatic Fleet which allows them to be withdrawn if desired.
  • 4th USAAF Base Force at Clark Field. This was the historic unit at this major airbase and also represents the support facilities of the adjacent Fort Stotsenburg.
  • 5th USAAF Base Force at Cagayan. Actually a detachment from the 5th, which was located at one of the air bases in the Manila area. Since there are other base forces in Manila the unit in Cagayan is named the 5th.
  • 20th USAAF Base Force at Manila. Historically located at Nichols Field, Manila, this unit stands in for all of the (considerable) Air Force base assets in the Manila Area.
  • 109th USAAF Base Force at Bataan. Represents the various air force and navy facilities at Bataan and Subic Bay (including Mariveles Bay and the small airfield on Bataan).
  • 118th Navy Base Force at Manila. Represents the naval facilities in Manila Bay - primarily the Cavite Naval Base and Sangley Point Seaplane base.
  • 120th Navy Base Force at Cebu. Represents the various facilities there, primarily civilian but including some navy personnel and detachments of Philippine Air Corps training units. Included due to the historical importance of Cebu as a staging area.
  • 8th Philippine (see above) at San Marcelino.
  • 11th Philippine (see above) at Iloilo.