Luz Banzon Chapter 6 Part 5

Part 5

Bad blood

In Manila, the American Liberation forces stopped several Huk squadrons at the corner of Avenida Rizal and Antipolo Street. The Huks were promptly disarmed for entering the city without permission. It was actually the American way of disciplining the Hukbalahaps for not coordinating with the lead Liberation forces. They did not want a repeat of the Tarlac City incident that almost endangered the lives of the Americans and Colonel Edwin Price Ramsey’s guerrillas.

The Huks, naturally refused to be disarmed. In their minds, they went to Manila to support the Liberation and at the same time, to prove their worthiness as “freedom fighters.” They really wanted to gain the people’s trust.The American authorities, however, did not recognize the suspected “communist-leaning” guerrillas as authentic freedom fighters but purely ”bandits.” Immediately  an arrest order was issued against the Huks.

Aware of an impending clash of forces, Colonel Edwin Price Ramsey himself intervened and was able to convince both sides to sit down and talk their differences out. But the disgruntled Huks left Manila immediately without attending the peace meeting.

Despite the Huk incident, the Americans did not lose track of their mission in the city. They attacked the Japanese positions from their Quiapo position and from various points like Tondo and Avenida (Rizal Avenue).

MacArthur in Hermosa

Early in the morning of February 5, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur visited Hermosa together with his East Force troops (the 38th and 149th Infantry Regiments) while massive operations against the Japanese soldiers were still going on at Zigzag Pass (presently known as the Roosevelt-Tipo area).

MacArthur and General William Spence of the East Force were welcomed in the newly-liberated town of Hermosa by local guerillas led by Guillermo Arcenas, Alejandro P. Nuguid Sr., Marcos Simpao, Conrado Alvaro, Pablo Gorospe, Catalino Lim, Judge Fernando Rivera, Ananias Tayabas, Manuel Agustin Sr. and the men and women who supported the local guerilla movement.

Hermosa residents, young and old, crowded the town plaza to have a glimpse of the famous American general. The civilians threw roses and gumamela at him. Residents also offered camote, fish, fruits and other kinds of food to the general and his companions. The American Liberators in turn, distributed canned goods, clothing, even their day’s  rations to the civilians because they knew that the residents were hungry, too.

MacArthur told the residents of Hermosa that his Liberation forces were still engaged in fierce battles with the Japanese Army defending the Zigzag Pass area. He said the battles had been going on for the past five days and he merely took time off to see part of the province which suffered so much as a result of the “War Plan Orange B” which he initiated at the start of World War II.

During the course of his visit, General MacArthur himself appointed Roas Jaring as replacement mayor of Hermosa. MacArthur also sent a message to Bataan Governor Simeon Salonga to refrain from joining the Liberation forces he had ordered to liberate the province from Japanese control, and to confine himself in his home in Orani. He also ordered his men to begin the liberation of Orani before returning to Dinalupihan.

Almost immediately, American planes dropped leaflets all over Bataan to announce the coming of the Liberation forces.The people in the province got excited over the thought that the Japanese Occupation was finally nearing its end.They shed tears of joy. Colonel John P. Boone, meanwhile, was in Dinalupihan monitoring the on-going Zigzag Pass battle. He was accompnied by his own guerrillas.

Orani assault

In Orani, some 100 American troopers of the 38th Infantry (East Force) landed in the coastal village of Pantalan Luma before dusk. Immediately, they surrounded the two Japanese garrisons, at the Orani Central School and the other in Barrio Kaparangan.

The Japanese troopers in Orani could have just escaped during the night after getting a

Hint of what was going on around them. But after realizing that Hermosa and Abucay had already been liberated, they decided to stay in their garrisons and fortified their defenses.

At this stage, Orani-based guerrillas of the Bataan Military District also gathered in an area inn town (presently known as Barangay Mulawin). At first, they were prevented from joining the actual assault on the two garrisons. But they were commended for providing the American liberating forces with valuable information on the Japanese gthered in Orani and in other towns.

Morong liberation

While the “Battle of Zigzag Pass” was going on, a battalion of the US 34th Infantry finally entered Morong from the newly-reclaimed US Naval Base in Olongapo City. They were guided by Filipino guerrillas under Colonel John Boone. History have it that Morong was fully liberated on February 5, by American troops and local guerrillas.

Manila conflagration

On February 6 flames continued to engulf the Quiapo area in Manila. Winds carried the flames across most of the commercial and residential areas in Sta. Cruz up to Binondo. The Quiapo Church was not spared from the conflagration. The Americans tore down houses and buildings in the Azcarraga area to serve as a fire break. By doing so, the fire was prevented from spreading west.

While the Americans were busy putting out the fire, the Japanese artillery shelled some liberated areas, including UST campus. Luckily, every single internee was spared from the calamity. The Americans counter-attacked using their big artillery and tanks to shell Japanese positions in Intramuros, Plaza Lawton, Post Office, Manila City Hall and the immediate vicinity.

Orani siege

In Bataan, the American troopers of the East Force (38th Infantry and 149th Infantry Regiment) assaulted the two Orani garrisons at past noon (February 6) after the Japanese soldiers failed to meet the deadline for their unconditional surrender. Using trench mortars, the Kaparangan station was easily overran before dusk. Four wounded enemy soldiers were also captured, but the fightings at the town center garrison continued through the night.

While eagerly waiting for a call for support from the Americans involved in the Orani siege, Colonel John P. Boone, commanding officer of the Bataan Military District, ordered the local guerrillas in Samal, Abucay and Balanga to advise the people to stay away from the main road to clear the way for the coming of the American Liberation forces.

Huks dilemna

In Bulacan, the Huk guerillas who refused to be disarmed by American soldiers in Manila and already on their way to Pampanga were waylaid in the capital town of Malolos. Colonel Adonis Maclang of the Bulacan Military District arrested the Huks at gunpoint and threw them in jail. And as if not enough, Maclang ordered his men to shoot the guerrillas to death with the knowledge of the American MPs.

Of the 160 guerillas seized in Malolos, only 30 Huks lived to tell the grim story. Colonel Adonis Maclang, instead of getting punished for the death of 130 Huks, was later appointed mayor of Malolos.

In Pampanga, on the same day, Huk leader Silvestre Liwanag, aka “Linda Bie,” was also arrested and disarmed in San Fernando by Colonel Edwin Price Ramsey’s men.Despite his support in the capture of the Floridablanca airfield, Liwanag was jailed and was accused of all kinds of crimes.

Rizal Memorial Stadium

After completing their mopping-up operations inside Fort MacKinley and Nichols Field, the 11^th Airborne Division and the remaining units of the Batangas Force proceeded toward the Santa Ana and the San Andres Bukid in Manila on February 7. At noon, they received orders to march to Buendia Avenue and deal with a big concentration of Japanese holed up inside the Rizal Memorial Stadium and the De La Salle University.

In Intramuros, the majority of the Spanish priests and brothers were forcibly brought by the Japanese military police to two shelters in front of the Manila Cathedral. After the priests were penned, the Japanese soldiers threw hand grenades inside the shelters. Out of the 13 Augustinian fathers, only two were saved. Franciscan, Capuchin, and Recollect priests were also killed in the same way.

Liberation of Orani

The liberation of Orani, finally came on  February 7, 1945. The local guerrillas of Orani led by Colonel John P. Boone of the Bataan Military District himself, after being summoned by General William C. Chase of the East Force to join the on-going battles at the town center, came down from their mountain headquarters in Albon and Tala. They reached the town plaza before sunrise. They immediately joined forces with their American counterpart.

After an hour of fruitless assault on the Japanese garrison located inside the Orani Central Elementary School, the guerrillas volunteered to surround the enemy camp. Shortly thereafter, the Americans were surprised to see the garrison on fire. Moments later, the Japanese came out with hands in the air. The siege of Orani had finally come to an end.

The Americans only had praises for the efficiency of the local guerrillas. They even invited them to participate in liberating the town of Samal. From Orani, the American East Force and Colonel Boone’s guerrillas entered the barrio of Lalawigan in Samal in the afternoon of the same day.

Southern march

At past noon, American planes took off from Floridablanca, Pampanga and dropped incendiary bombs on the mountain lairs of the Japanese in Dinalupihan and Hermosa. Thereafter, they proceeded to the Mount Natib complex in Abucay and dropped more bombs on suspected hideouts of Japanese stragglers.

An enemy truck laden with looted food supply was blown off near Sitio Pakiling (also in Abucay). The incident merely confirmed the intelligence reports that Japanese stragglers were really hiding in the Natib and Pasukulan forests.

Linda Bie escape

Back in Pampanga, detained Huk leader Silvestre “Linda Bie” Liwanag managed to  escape from his cell in San Fernando. A platoon of armed Huk guerrillas assaulted the guards of the provincial prison and threatened to kill them unless their leader was freed. Liwanag proceeded to Porac and reported his harrowing experience inside the San Fernando jail to his leader  and supremo, Luis Taruc.

Liberation of Samal

The American East Force of General William C. Chase and Colonel John Boone’s guerrillas entered the town proper of Samal, Bataan, early in the morning of February 8.

As expected, hundreds of rejoicing Samaleños crowded the main highway of Samal as the Liberation forces passed through the arch of the present Barrio San Juan. But it was not the proper time for celebration. After conferring with the local guerrillas, the same American troopers and freedom fighters from Orani and Samal proceeded to Abucay.

Incumbent Samal Mayor Artemio Saldana (1941-1942, 1942-1945) retained his post immediately after the liberation of his own town.

Japanese prisoners

While the battles inside the Intramuros area were going on, all Japanese civilians in various parts of Manila  were  rounded up by the American forces for the second time. The first time was in December 1941 when the Japanese Army started invading the Philippines. The Japanese civilians were interred inside a separate building of the University of Santo Tomas for their own protection from the Manila residents.

American casualties in Zigzag Pass

After six days (February 2-8) of severe fighting and despite heavy supporting artillery barrages and napalm bombing runs by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on various point of the Zigzag Pass, the American 34th RCT continued to sustain heavy casualties. Also, its offensive bogged down many times.

Two days earlier, on February 6, the 151st Regiment rejoined the battle to relieve the disengaging 34th RCT. But further confusion and frustration on the pass reigned on day’s end. On February 8, General Easley was also relieved of his command and replaced by Brigadier General William C. Chase who had to return to Dinalupihan from Samal.

To be continued