MEMORIES: Early Life, Studies, Involvements & the People's Struggle for Freedom
PART  1-Chapter 3 -The Japanese -American War in Panay Island Came to an End

My father  told me that   after returning to Dayhagan, Pilar from the Japanese Concentration Camp in Capas, Tarlac, where  he was imprisoned for more than 2 years together with several thousands of Filipino prisoners,  he stayed home with my mother  for about 3 month. 

Then, he  decided to re-joined the guerrilla forces in Northern Panay. The commander of the  guerrillas was his former officer while he was    training in Dingle military camp. He  was   inducted  again for  military service.

He told me, he was assigned to several places – first in  the town of Concepcion, Iloilo,  then in Lemery, Sara and in some other towns in Iloilo and Capiz. In Concepcion, the Japanese  have  built   a cement  fortress near the shore, about a kilometer  south of the municipal building/ Here, the Japanese have their surveillance center. 

Then, in early  1945, I heard the United States invasion forces under Gen. Douglas McArthur landed in Leyte, in the Visayas Islands. The proceeded  immediately to Panay Island/ The   American forces  then landed  in Tigbauan, a town about 40 kms., south  of  Ilollo City for the invasion of Panay and Negros.  

According to Wikipedia, the Free Encylopedia, “The area of operations for the Battle of the Visayas” was divided into two, because of the mountainous terrain of Negros Island. The planners chose to seize the western portion, including northwestern Negros and Panay island during the operation in Panay, in their Operation VICTORY 1.

“Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, the Eighth Army commander, appointed the 40th Infantry Division, a California National Guard formation and veterans of the  Battle of Luzon, under Maj. Gen. Rapp Brush, with the 503rd Airborne Regimental Combat Team in reserve. Panay Island was the first objective.

“On 18 March 1945, after two weeks of aerial bombardment on Japanese positions, the 40th Infantry Division, spearheaded by the 185th Infantry Regiment landed unopposed at Tigbauan, several miles south of Iloilo City, where a 23,000-strong guerrilla force under Col. Macario Peralta had secured most of Panay. Recalled Gen. Eichelberger: "Filipino guerrillas stood stiff, resplendent in starched khaki uniforms and ornaments and decked in battle gear".

Lt. Charles Stewart said:  “An interesting incident occurred during the Panay invasion. The landing was several miles from IIoilo City and I flew up to the city on reconnaissance.”

“After circling the city a few times I noticed a group of people had come down to the beach, waving at us. They had printed in large letters in the sand, "Japs are gone." I radioed that good news back to the (U.S.S.) Cleveland. I imagine the troops walking up the road toward Iloilo City still took precautions. The regiment proceeded to seize airfields at Mandurriao, Iloilo City and Iloilo International Airport, down to |Barrio Tiring, Cabatuan, Iloilo.

“The Japanese were concentrated in Iloilo City proper, and the 40th Division easily swept these Japanese outposts in two days. Mopping up operations by the guerrillas and 2nd Battalion of the 160th Infantry Regiment continued, and at war's end, some 1500 Japanese troops surrendered.

“Guimaras and Inampulugan islands, between Panay and Negros, were seized on the same day Iloilo fell, 20 March and the next day, respectively with no opposition.

“Overall, the Visayas operations of the U.S. Eighth Army suffered relatively light casualties in comparison to Japanese figures. The 40th Division in Panay and northeastern Negros suffered 390 killed and 1,025 wounded, with the Japanese sustaining 4,080 killed with another 3,300 succumbed to disease and starvation.” ( By Wikepedia, the Free Incyclopedia)

My father told me, his battalion was part of the guerrilla forces that supported the landing of General MacArthur in the battles of Iloilo City and other parts of Panay. His battalion was part of the guerilla forces under Gen. Macario Peralta  who  fought in different parts of Panay Island

 There were heavy fighting   in different places in Panay, starting with Tigbawan,  then Oton, Iloilo City, Jaro and other parts of Panay, where thousands have fallen. The Japanese-US war in Panay was coming to  an end. And the invasion of Manila and Luzon were  immediately planned. 

When the American Invasion forces were  preparing for the invasion of Manila, my father’s battalion was assigned to join the forces of General MacArthur. His battalion, together with  another  battalion from Panay, was ordered to  accompany the American forces  going to Manila.  Their battalion joined the Americans in the  deadly fight for the  liberation of Manila. He told me that the  battles in Manila were very hard and  deadly. Thousands of civilians--Americans, Filipinos and Japanese died   in the war to  liberate   Manila and Luzon.

During the Japanese-American War, my father said, he knew that one of the strong and committed forces that joined and fought with the Americans against the Japanese Imperial Forces, were the Communists in Manila and  Central Luzon.
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

The communist have organized themselves into guerrilla forces, known that time as “Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon (HUKBALAHAP)”,(The People’s Army Fighting the Japanese). The 

Communists fought hard with Filipino and American soldiers, fighting the Japanese Imperial forces the last 4 years. They were led by Luis Taruc, Jesus Lava, Jose Lava, Guillermo Capaducia, and other national leaders of the Political Bureau of the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas/

The HUKBALAHAP were veterans communist fighters, who fought the Japanese from 1941 until the liberation of the Philippines in 1945. They were formidable forces fighting with Filipino guerrillas  the Japanese during 4-years of Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

After the surrender  of the Japanese  forces and imprisonment of Gen.  Yamamuto Yamasita,  Commanding General of the  Japanese Imperial Forces in the Philippines, my father said, their battalion was immediately prepared for the American invasion of Mainland Japan.

They were further trained and readied for the most dangerous mission of his life – to fight the Japanese Imperial Army, right in Japanese soil, in Japan’s mainland.

My father said:  “Rudy, I took the opportunity to be part of the invasion forces to Japan, hoping to find some American soldier friends, who can help me go to the United States,  if I lived after the war in Japan. I looked forward for a work in the United States after Japan will be defeated. I hope to bring you and your mother to the United States, if ever there was a chance. But my father’s dream to fight in Japan and go to the United States was not realized.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt of the United States ordered the bombing of the two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan with Atomic bombs. That was the first time, in the history of warfare, that the unknown destructive powers of the Atomic Bomb was used on human beings.,

On just  few days, more than a hundred thousand Japanese were killed in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. These two atomic bombs, brought Japan on her knees. The Japanese Imperial Forces surrendered unconditionally to the United States.

The Filipino forces who were readied for the Japan invasion was called off. The hope and dream of my father to fight in Japan and go to the United States also ended. But he was happy to continue his military career. I think. my father loved being a soldier. But the unconditional surrender of Japan, changed the course of my father’s dream and life.

Instead of being sent to Japan,  their   batallion  was  ordered to proceed to   Tarlac and Pampanga. They were ordered to  fight the communists, the members of the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon (HUKs) in Northern Luzon. My father felt, he cannot stomach fighting and  killing or being killed by former comrades in arms, even if they were communists.

My father told me, he was not able to slept that night. He decided to   resign  and leave the Philippine Army