California Militia and National Guard Unit Histories
The 160th Infantry Regiment and the Liberation of Bamban, Luzon, 21 January 1945
by Rhonie Dela Cruz
Bamban Historical Society, Bamban, Republic of the Philippines

From the Author
 
As I am writing this very important narrative of the history of Bamban, people of this town may not know it but 75 years ago on this date, the Liberation of Bamban had just started with the 40th Infantry Division, aided by local guerrillas, begun to enter the town from the north with its Company K and L, 3rd Battalion, 160th Infantry. As I wake up early this morning preparing myself for the Farmers' Day with the parade of the carabao and carabao race, perhaps I am the only one who knew about this FORGOTTEN EVENT that was the liberation. With support of M-4 "Sherman" Tanks, M-7 "Priest" Self-Propelled Artillery, 3rd Battalion engaged the Japanese defenders at the town center and some of them holed at the Santo Nino church. At the end of the day, 3 soldiers died and 3 wounded in the aftermath of the operation to liberate the town.

Hoping we will remember the ultimate sacrifice of these American soldiers who gave their lives for Bamban during the Liberation Day January 23, 1945.

The following is the historical accounts of the important highlight in World War II:
 

Prelude to Liberation

After more than three years of Japanese Occupation, Bamban, a strategic town, was decided by the Japanese Kembu Group in late December 1944, to be part of the defensive line that will hold the incoming American forces coming from Lingayen. The Japanese-built Bamban Airfield (sometimes called Tala Airfield after the settlement of Tala) was used extensively during the Leyte Operations and later, numerous air intercept battles between the American carrier-based naval squadrons and Japanese Army and Navy units. The town was defended by the Takayama Detachment - Kembu Group on a two-pronged sectors namely; Hoshino and Kamii Butais. Further south, Major Okamoto of the Okamoto Butai was entrenched at Lafe Hill. In January 18 and 21, 1945, the US Army Air Force 494th Bomb Group B-24 heavy bombers delivered the final blow to Bamban and conducted massive aerial bombardment in the town and nearby hills and airfield. On January 21, 1945, the 40th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop penetrated the town on Reconnaissance mission to ascertain Takayama's strength and position.
 

Liberation

On the morning of the 23rd January 1945, seventy years ago today, Companies L and K of the 3rd Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment entered the burning ruins of Bamban and engaged the Japanese defenders on the north and center of the town. Bamban became the north anchor of the Japanese defense of Clark area known as Kembu Group. Japanese snipers hiding in the smoldering ruins of the town and in the church fired at the American troopers. Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion entrenched at the old Muncipio, the statue of Jose Rizal and at the base of the flag pole and fired back against the surrounding Japanese defenders. Intense automatic fires coming from the tunnel defenses overlooking the town and on the pillboxes delayed the advance. The 40th Infantry Division brought into the line M10 3" Tank Destroyers and M7 105mm Self-Propelled Howitzers to silence the Japanese fire.
 

Capture if the Bamban Hills

Bamban Hills, build by the Japanese Air Service and became fully operation in February 1944, was defended in the southern sector by Japanese infantry, machine gun nests and anti-aircraft guns converted for artillery fire. A battalion of the 160th Infantry Regiment combed the wide area of the airfield assisted by M10's and other armored Reconnaissance vehicles. The landing strips were laden with many logs and drums to prevent the Americans from using the field. Infantry attack and fire from the armored Reconnaissance vehicles as well as artillery fire directed by airborne L-4 Reconnaissance planes quickly put down the Japanese defense. A total of 40 aircraft were captured in the field including trainer planes, fighters, and medium-bombers and transports. Seven anti-aircraft guns in good firing condition were also recovered with huge ammunition supplies.
 
 
Final Collapse of the Japanese Defense in Bamban Town Center

The 40th Infantry Division, in charge of capturing Bamban area from the Japanese, placed the New York's 108th Infantry Regiment north of the town. Local guerrillas from Bamban Battalion were aiding the American liberators by providing vital intelligence reports on the location of Japanese troops and facilities. The 160th Infantry Regiment continued its advance towards the Bamban Sugar Central when it was fired from light artillery and mortar fire holed from the mouth of the numerous tunnels located on the higher slope of Bantiti (Grotto-Rotary), Lafe, and Sapang Hills. Upon discovery by the Division Artillery L-4 Reconnaissance Aircraft, artillery fires were directed on these tunnel positions sealing the gun positions. The Mansion House located on top of the small ridge overlooking the highway and the bridge was captured by the 3rd Battalion and discovered with many honey-combed tunnels containing huge supplies of rubber and leather boots, soaps, and cigars along with medical supplies. As the sun fell on the western horizon, the remaining Japanese defenders moved into the mountain positions pockmarked with tunnels that would later the start of the Battle of Bamban Hills. Bamban town center was finally captured in the evening.
 

The Silent Commemoration

In 2005 and 2006, Bamban Historical Society held commemorations of the Liberation Day of Bamban held at the foot of Grotto, at the Bamban Museum and unveiling of historical markers in front of the old Municipal Building which was a scene of fighting in January 1945. Another marker was unveiled in front of the baranggay hall of Anupul, Bamban with some veterans and descendants as well as visitors including the late Colonel Rafael Estrada (retired) and Dr. Rico Jose.

Today, there is no commemoration rite or ceremony. Only my Bamban Museum which housed collections of images and artifacts that are related to the history of the Liberation of Bamban, is a perfect place to reminisce that important day in World War II in this town.

Our grandfathers and uncles fought during Liberation Day as members of Bamban Battalion, Bruce Guerrillas helping the 40th Infantry Division in clearing the town.

Join me in remembering this important history of our town, to honor those officers and men of the 40th Infantry Division as well as our very own Bamban Battalion, that their sacrifices shall not be forgotten. I am a descendant of a veteran from Bamban Battalion, my grandfather Macario Dela Cruz and Bartolome Dela Cruz both from Company A. In their memory and honor, we shall remember Liberation Day of Bamban.

Rhonie Dela Cruz
Bamban Historical Society
Bamban Museum of History
 

References and Citations:
  • Delk, James D. The Fighting Fortieth in War and Peace. California: ETC Publications, 1998.
  • The 40th Infantry Division - The Years of World War II. Nashville, Tennessee: The Battery Press, Inc., 1995.
  • Okada, Yasuji (Colonel, Chief of Staff of the Japanese Kembu Group). Japanese Monograph No. 9: Outline of the Kembu Group Operation - Clark Sector, Record of the Philippine Operations Record of the Philippine Operation Volume III Part 3. First Demobilization Bureau, November 1946.
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    Photos:

    Still part of the Liberation Day, photo shows soldiers from 40th Infantry Division entering the town of Bamban on January 26, 1945. US National Archives NARA courtesy of Dave Metherell. (Bamban Historical Society)
     

    An M-1 57mm Towed Anti-Tank Gun in action outside of Bamban. US Army Signal Corps Photograph (California Military Department Historical Collection)
     
    The Municipality of Bamban's Main Street immediately following liberation. US Army Signal Corps Photograph (California Military Department Historical Collection)


    Photos of Liberation Day commemoration in 2005 and 2006. (Courtesy of Rhonie Dela Cruz, Bamban Historical Society).
     

    Portrait of Guy Cumbo of the Company L, 3rd Battalion, 160th Infantry 40th Infantry Division US Army who took part in the Liberation of Bamban.
     
    Copyright 2020 Bamban Historical Society. Used with permission
    Written 20 January 2020
    Posted 28 March 2020

    Santo Nino Parish Church During the Liberation
     
    The year 2020 is a very important in the history of World War II, as we commemorate the Liberation of our country with General Douglas MacArthur. But it was not just victory that had been achieved by the American and their Filipino troops who fought in the most fiercest combat in eliminating the enemy presence in the country. Many civilians died in the aftermath, as well as the destruction of towns and cities and even ordinary settlements in the barrio brought by the war.
    Bamban was no exemption and had tasted the full explosion of the war in our own backyard. The bombing and destruction of the town center on January 18 and 21, 1945 wherein more than 27 Consolidated B-25J "Liberator" heavy bombers flattened the town with the 1000-pound aerial bombardments. Only the church and the original municipal building remain standing after that massive bombings.
     
    Battered Santo. Nino Church. Photograph from the US National Archives shows the damaged church that was just constructed and dedicated in 1936 after the original stone church was destroyed by fire. The Augistinian Recollects were the religious order that covered Bamban in their evangelical and secular administration way back in the 1700s.

    During the Liberation of Bamban on January 23, 1945, Companies K and L from the 3rd Battalion,160th Infantry Regiment conducted combat and clearing operations from the north of the poblacion into the center, with the church defended by about 50 Imperial Japanese Army troops from the Takayama Detachment, Kembu Group. In the vicinity of the church premises, scores of trenches and pillboxes occupied by Takayama defenders fought the 3rd Battalion in the morning of the Liberation Day. It took the battalion the whole day of combat clearing operations to eliminate the defenses of the Takayama in the poblacion and the remnants retreated to their mountain position holed in the hundreds of tunnels located west of the town.

    By sundown on the 23rd January, the town of Bamban was secured by the 40th Infantry Division and the focus of combat operations of MacArthur's Sixth Army will be shifted to the west, the beginning of one of the toughest combat in the Philippines in 1945: the Battle of Bamban Hills. Our own Bamban Battalion, Bruce's Guerrillas participated in the combat operations with the 40th Division against the Japanese Kembu Group.

    In the coming days, Bamban will be celebrating the town fiesta (Saturday, January 25, 2020). Let us also remember that we are commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Bamban, where our grandfathers and uncles belonging to the Bamban Battalion helped in the series of combat with the American 40th Infantry Division. Tens of American soldiers were killed and wounded during Liberation while many Japanese troops killed in the aftermath of the clearing operations in the town.

    The photo of the battered church of Bamban, unknown to many, is a symbol of the Liberation Day, as manifested in the image showing the broken windows brought by the small arms fire. The original Spanish-era convent located to the right of the image was actually bombed to the ground, hence it is no longer visible on the photo taken on January 26, 1945.

    Let us remember Bamban's Liberation Day this January 23. Our grandfathers and uncles, members of the US Army Forces Far East (USAFFE) guerrilla forces in Bamban served and fought in 1945. Their bravery and sacrifices contributed in the Liberation of our country, with the American forces, that we may have the freedom we enjoy today.
     

    Sources:
    Copyright 2020 Bamban Historical Society. Used with permission
    Written 20 January 2020
    Posted 28 March 2020
     
     
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