United States Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific
The Fall of the Philippines
by Louis Morton
1952
. . . to Those Who Served
Table of Contents
Part One: Prewar Plans and Preparations
Chapter 1: The Philippine Islands
The Islands—The Philippine Army
Chapter 2: U.S. Army Forces, Far East
The Recall of General MacArthur—The Organization of USAFFE—U.S. Army in the Philippines—Philippine Army: Mobilization and Training
Chapter 3: The Reinforcement of the Philippines
Ground Forces—Air Forces—Naval Forces—Summary
Chapter 4: Prewar Plans, Japanese and American
The Japanese Plan—The Plan of Defense—The Last Days of Peace
Part Two: The Isolation of the Philippines and the Japanese Landings
Chapter 5: The First Days of War
The Attack on Clark Field—The Fleet Moves South—The Japanese Gain Air and Naval Supremacy
Batan Island—The Landings on North Luzon—The Legaspi Landing—Landings in the South
The Lingayen Landing—Consolidating the Lingayen Beachhead—The Lamon Bay Landings
Chapter 9: Strategy and Logistics
The Pensacola Convoy—Far East and Pacific Strategy—The Base in Australia
Part Three: The Withdrawal to Bataan
Chapter 10: The Withdrawal Begins
“WPO-3 Is In Effect”—The North Luzon Force Plan—To the Tarlac–Cabanatuan Line—Supply—The Tarlac–Cabanatuan Line
Chapter 11: Withdrawal in the South
Withdrawal From Mauban—Withdrawal From Atimonan—Out of South Luzon
Chapter 12: Holding the Road to Bataan
The Defense of Calumpit—The D-5 Line: Bamban–Arayat—Escape Through San Fernando
The Guagua–Porac Line—Behind the Gates
The Occupation of Manila—Strategic Views on the Philippines
Part Four: The Siege of Bataan
The American Position—The Status of Supply—The Enemy and His Plan
Chapter 16: The First Battle of Bataan
Attack Against II Corps: The Abucay Line—Attack Against I Corps: The Mauban Line—The Abucay Line Is Turned—The Withdrawal
Chapter 17: The Battle of the Points
The Service Command Area—Longoskawayan and Quinauan Points—Anyasan and Silaiim Points
Chapter 18: Trail 2 and the Pockets
The Orion-Bagac Line—The Fight for Trail 2—The Pocket Fights
Chapter 19: The Japanese Withdrawal
The Evacuation of MacArthur—Wainwright Assumes Command
Chapter 21: The Battling Bastards
Food and Clothing—Health—Morale
Chapter 22: “Help Is On the Way”
Running the Blockade—Last Efforts
Chapter 23: Preparations for Battle
The American Line—Japanese Preparations—Prelude to Attack
Chapter 24: The Final Japanese Offensive
Capture of Mt. Samat—6 April: The Day of Decision
Chapter 25: The Disintegration of II Corps
7 April: Disintegration—8 April: Chaos
Part Five: Corregidor and the Southern Islands
Chapter 27: The Siege of Corregidor
The Harbor Defenses of Manila Bay—The First Aerial and Artillery Attacks—The Second Aerial Bombardment
Chapter 28: The Southern Islands
The Islands and Their Defenses—The Visayas—Mindanao
Chapter 29: Japanese Plans and American Defenses
The Japanese Plan—The American Defenses
Chapter 30: The Last Twenty-Seven Days
The Preliminary Bombardment—Health and Food—The Pre-assault Bombardment
Chapter 31: The Fall of Corregidor
Chapter 32: The End of Resistance
General Wainwright’s Orders—The Surrender of Corregidor—Surrender in the South
17: The Orion–Bagac Line
22: Japanese Advance, 7-9 April 1942
23: Corregidor Island
Inline Maps
1. Japanese Plan and Disposition of the Armies, November 1941
2. Disposition of U.S. Army Forces, Far East, 8 December 1941
3. Advance Japanese Landings, 8–20 December 1941
4. Lingayen Gulf Landings, 22–24 December 1941
5. Lamon Bay Landings, 24 December 1941
6. Withdrawal in the North, 25–31 December 1941
7. Withdrawal in the South, 25–31 December 1941
8. Holding the Road to Bataan, 31 December 1941–1 January 1942
9. Through Layac Junction, 2–6 January 1942
10. Situation on Bataan, 8 January 1942
11. The Abucay Line, 9–23 January 1942
12. The Mauban Line, 18–25 January 1942
13. Japanese Landings on Bataan, 23 January–1 February 1942
14. Longoskawayan Point Area
15. Quinauan Point Area
16. Anyasan and Silaiim Points Area
18. Fight for Trail 2, 27 January–2 February 1942
19. The Pockets
20. Japanese Plan of Attack, 3 April 1942
21. Japanese Penetration, 3–6 April 1942
24. The Fight for Mindanao, 29 April–9 May 1942
25. Japanese Landings on Corregidor, 5–6 May 1942
Tables
Strength of Philippine Division, 31 July 1941
Strength and Composition of U.S. Army Troops in the Philippine Islands, 31 July 1941
Aircraft in the Philippines and Hawaii, 1 December 1941
Strength and Composition of U.S. Army Troops in Philippine Islands, 30 November 1941
Organization and Disposition of Japanese Army, 1 December 1941
Assignment of Forces, USAFFE, 3 December 1941
Weapons and Equipment Captured by 14th Army, 20 February 1942
Rations, 25 March 1942
Armament on Corregidor
Armament on Forts Hughes, Drum, and Frank
Strength, Harbor and Beach Defenses, April 1942
Illustrations
The Philippine Islands—Signing the Constitution of the Philippine Commonwealth—Manila Harbor—Philippine Scouts (37-mm. antitank gun)—Philippine Scouts (pontoon bridge)—Ceremony at Camp Murphy, Rizal—Aircraft in the Philippines, December 1941: Douglas B-18A—Martin B-10B—Republic P-35—Boeing B-17D—Curtiss P-40E—Boeing P-26A—Clark Field—General MacArthur—Japanese Air Attack on 10 December 1941 (Nichols Fields)—Japanese Air Attack (Cavite Navy Yard)—Luzon—155-mm. Gun Emplacement Near Dagupan—26th Cavalry (PS) Moving into Pozorrubio—Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma, 14th Army Commander—Villasis–Carmen Bridge—Agno River—Tarlac Railroad Station—Salvaging .30 Caliber Ammunition—Bicycle-Mounted Japanese Troops—Motorcycle Messenger Catnapping—Camouflaged 155-mm. Gun M1917 (GPF)—Mount Arayat—Calumpit Bridges—San Fernando—The Open City—Japanese Light Tanks—Fortifications on Bataan (tank obstacles and fence)—Fortifications on Bataan (roadblock)—Bridges on Bataan (wooden bridge ready for burning)—Bridges on Bataan (remains of steel bridge)—Bridges on Bataan (foundations for temporary bridge)—Inspection—Brig. Gen. Maxon S. Lough—USAFFE Headquarters on Bataan, February 1942—Standing Formation—Medical Care on Bataan—Medical Care on Bataan—Japanese Propaganda Leaflets—Japanese Propaganda Leaflets—“Voice of Freedom”—Seeking Cover in a Trench Near Lamao—Surrender on Bataan—Surrender on Bataan—Discussing Surrender Terms—Corregidor—Malinta Hill—Diagram of Malinta Tunnel—Fort Drum—Fort Drum—Gun Emplacements on Corregidor—Gun Emplacements on Corregidor—USAFFE Headquarters in Malinta Tunnel—Maj. Gen. William F. Sharp and His Staff—Cebu—Heavy Clouds Over Corregidor—Marine Sergeant Teaching Filipinos—Life in Malinta Tunnel—Life in Malinta Tunnel—Battery Crockett—Battery Way—Japanese Bombers Over Corregidor—Searchlights on Corregidor—The Meeting of Wainwright and Homma—General Wainwright Broadcasting—American Generals in Captivity
Photographs are from the Department of Defense files, except for that on page 533, the Japanese photographs on pages 143, 233, 465, 539, 548, 568 and 573, and the photograph on page 583, reproduced through the courtesy of Col. William C. Braly.