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Philippine Department

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the largest component of the national executive branch of the government of the Philippines, see Executive departments of the Philippines.

U.S Philippine Department
Philippine Command Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active13 January 1911–9 April 1942
Country United States
Allegiance United States Army
BranchArmy, Philippine Scouts
TypeInfantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Quartermaster, Air Corps
RoleCorps
Size30,000
Part ofWar Department
Island GarrisonFort Santiago, Manila, Luzon
ColorsWhite, Blue
MarchWorld War II
EquipmentM1903 Springfield Rifles, M1 Garand Rifles, M1923 Thompson Submachineguns, M1917 Browning Machineguns, M2 Browning Heavy Machineguns, M1917 75mm Howitzers, M1A1 75mm Pack Howitzers, M1918 155mm Howitzers
Engagements
  • Philippine Defense Campaign (1941 - 1942)
  • Battle of Bataan
  • Japanese Invasion of Visayas
  • Japanese Invasion of Mindanao
DecorationsUS Presidential Unit Citation
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Commanders
Notable
commanders		General Douglas MacArthur, Major General George Grunert, Lucius Roy Holbrook

The Philippine Department (Filipino: Kagawaran ng Pilipinas/Hukbong Kagawaran ng Pilipinas) was a regular United States Army organization whose mission was to defend the Philippine Islands and train the Philippine Army. On 9 April 1942, during World War II, the organization surrendered to the Japanese. The department and its sub-units were predominantly under the command of American officers, including an American general, while the majority of the troops were enlisted Filipinos, known as the Philippine Scouts (PS). The primary force of this department was the Philippine Division. Of the 22,532 troops, 10,473 were members of the Philippine Division itself.

This unit was formally organized in 1913 and, on 26 July 1941, was attached to US Army Forces – Far East (USAFFE). Following the creation of USAFFE, the Philippine Department became, in effect, a corps area service and logistical command. Tactical command was permanently transferred to USAFFE's control.

The Philippine Department in 1914

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Aerial view of the headquarters of the Philippine Department in Manila, 1939

General Headquarters:

Troops:[1]

Commanders of the Philippine Department

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From To Commander
13 January 1911 5 March 1914 Major General J. Franklin Bell
5 March 1914 15 April 1916 Major General Thomas H. Barry
15 April 1916 15 April 1917 Major General Hunter Liggett
15 April 1917 5 August 1917 Major General Charles J. Bailey
5 August 1917 5 August 1918 Brigadier General Robert K. Evans
16 February 1919 23 November 1919 Brigadier General Francis Henry French
23 November 1919 6 March 1922 Major General Francis J. Kernan
6 March 1922 10 September 1922 Major General William M. Wright
10 September 1922 3 October 1922 Major General Omar Bundy
3 October 1922 18 November 1924 Major General George W. Read
18 November 1924 24 February 1926 Major General James H. McRae
25 February 1925 4 May 1926 Major General William Weigel
4 May 1926 30 April 1928 Major General Frederick W. Sladen
30 April 1928 1 October 1928 Major General William Lassiter
1 October 1928 2 October 1930 Major General Douglas MacArthur
2 October 1930 9 April 1932 Major General John L. Hines
9 April 1932 7 September 1933 Major General Ewing E. Booth
7 September 1933 19 September 1933 Brigadier General Stanley H. Ford
19 September 1933 16 December 1933 Brigadier General Frank S. Cocheu
16 December 1933 11 December 1935 Major General Frank Parker
11 December 1935 13 February 1936 Major General Charles E. Kilbourne
13 February 1936 25 February 1938 Major General Lucius Roy Holbrook
26 February 1938 24 July 1939 Major General John H. Hughes
24 July 1939 10 June 1940 Major General Walter S. Grant
10 June 1940 1 November 1941 Major General George Grunert
1 November 1941 9 April 1942 Lieutenant General Douglas MacArthur

US Army Troops – Philippines – 31 July 1941

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At the time of USAFFE's formation the force consisted of 22,532 troops. Of the 1,340 officers, 775 were reservists. 7,293 troops were assigned to the infantry and 4,967 were assigned to the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays.[2] About 2,500 troops served in a service or supply position, mainly quartermaster or medical units. The majority of the department's troops were stationed on Luzon.

Total Strength: 22,532 (1,434 officers, 21,098 enlisted, including 11,937 Philippine Scouts).

Casualty count

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Ref: American Battlefield Monuments Commission

  • {For reference only. PS=Philippine Scouts}

Philippine Forces

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Unit 1941–1945 1946
1st Training Squadron
1st Philippine Coast Artillery Regt 1
2nd Philippine Coast Artillery 5 1
1st Philippine Regular Division:
• 1st Philippine Infantry Regiment
• 2nd Philippine Infantry Regiment
• 3rd Philippine Infantry Regiment 3
2nd Philippine Division (Philippine Constabulary):
• 1st Regiment Philippine Constabulary
• 2nd Regiment Philippine Constabulary
• 3rd Regiment Philippine Constabulary
• 4th Regiment Philippine Constabulary
• 4th Veterinary Company (PS). 5
5th Photo Detachment
6th Pursuit Squadron 1
9th Observation Squadron
10th Fighter-Bomber Squadron
1st Philippine Division:
• 11th Infantry Regiment
• 12th Infantry Regiment 2
• 13th Infantry Regiment
12th Ordnance Company (PS) 45
12th Signal Regiment (PS)
12th Signal Company (PS) 77
12th Medical Regiment(PS) 13
12th Medical Battalion(PS) 12
12th Military Police Company (PS) 40
12th Quartermaster Regiment (PS) 90
12th Quartermaster Battalion(PS) 73
14th Engineer Regiment (PS) 324
21st Philippine Division 1
• 21st Engineer Battalion 2
• 21st Field Artillery Regiment 3
• 21st Infantry Regiment 3
• 22nd Infantry Regiment 3
• 23rd Infantry Regiment 3
23rd Field Artillery Regiment (PS). 161
24th Field Artillery Regiment (PS) 310
25th Field Artillery Regiment
26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) 264 37
26th Infantry Regiment (PS) 1
31st Philippine Division:
• 31st Engineer Battalion 1
• 31st Field Artillery Regiment 2
• 31st Infantry Regiment 6
• 32nd Infantry regiment 3
34th Quartermaster Co (PS) 6 2
41st Division (Philippines) :
• {General Officers} 1
• 41st Engineer Battalion 1
• 41st Infantry Regiment 5 1
• 42nd Infantry Regiment 4
43rd Infantry Regiment (PS) 28 3
45th Infantry Regiment (PS) 983 58
• 47th Infantry Regiment (Provisional) 1
47th Motor Transport Co 1
51st Division (Philippines):
• 51st Field Artillery Regiment 4
• 51st Infantry Regiment 4
• 52nd Infantry Regiment 4
• 53rd Infantry Regiment 4
• 54th Infantry Regiment (Provisional) 1
• 57th Infantry Regiment (PS) 878 105
59th Coast Artillery Regiment 1
61st Division (Philippines):
• 61st Field Artillery Regiment 3
• 62nd Infantry Regiment 4
• 63rd Infantry Regiment 1
65th Quartermaster Troops {PS} 18
66th Quartermaster Troops {PS} 18 3
71st Philippine Division:
• 71st Engineer Battalion 10
• 71st Field Artillery Regiment 1
• 71st Infantry Regiment 2
• 72nd Infantry Regiment 6
• 73rd Infantry Regiment. 3
• 75th Infantry Regiment (Provisional) 1
74th Philippine Infantry Regiment (Provisional) 1
74th Quartermaster Baking Co {PS} 17
76th Ordnance Company
81st Philippine Division:
• 86th Field Artillery Battalion (PS) 154 7
• 86th Field Artillery Regiment (PS) 8
• 88th Field Artillery Battalion (PS) 3
• 88th Field Artillery Regiment (PS) 175 13
91st Philippine Division:
• 91st Infantry Regiment 1
• 91st Coast Artillery Regiment(PS) 198 5
• 92nd Coast Artillery Regiment(PS) 191 9
101st Philippine Division:
102nd Philippine Division:
120th Ordnance Company (PS) 1
252nd Signal Const. Com. (PS) 44
Special Troops

United States forces

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US Army
Unit 1941–1945 1946
4th Chemical Co (Aviation) 35
4th Composite Group
6th Field Artillery Regiment
20th Air Base Group
27th Air Material Squadron 73 2
28th Air Material Squadron 90 2
19th Air Base Squadron 1
28th Bombardment Squadron 124 8
31st Infantry Regiment 914 24
50th Coast Artillery Regiment 7
59th Coast Artillery Regiment 307 6 (+1, 1948)
60th Coast Artillery (AA) Regiment 387 3
75th Ordnance Deport Company 3
75th Ordnance Company 35
192nd Tank Battalion 188 1
194th Tank Battalion 183
200th Coast Artillery (AA) Regiment 374
515th Coastal Artillery 206 1
803rd Engineer Aviation Battalion 232
808th Military Police Company 89 1
US Navy and USMC[3]
Type Navy USMC
KIA 337 89
Wounded died later 2
Died POW 630 413
Invalided from Service 3 1

The Marines were from the 4th Marines.[4]

US Navy casualties/losses

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Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three:
• PT-34: 2 killed 3 wounded
• Houston (CA-30) : 693 fatalities
• USS Asheville: 160 fatalities {No survivors by Wars end}
• USS Oahu: 55 fatalities {No Survivors}

Patch of the Philippine Department

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All units of the department wore the Philippine Department shoulder sleeve insignia, with the exception of the Philippine Division, which wore their own patch: a golden carabao on a red shield.

Officially, the Philippine Department's insignia featured the Philippine Sea Lion, in white, superimposed on a blue oval with a height of 2.5 inches. The Sea Lion is derived from the coat of arms of Manila. The Philippine Department and Philippine Division insignia were both approved on 8 July 1922.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Roster and Directory, United States Troops Serving in the Philippine Department, Stations of Troops and List of Garrisoned Towns. Philippine Department, War Department. 1914. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  2. ^ Fall of the Philippines
  3. ^ US Navy and Marine Corps Personnel Casualties in World War II, Naval Historical Center
  4. ^ Santelli, James: A Brief History of the 4th Marines.
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