Philippine Department

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.

Philippine Department
Philippine Command Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active13 January 1911 – 9 April 1942
CountryUnited States
Part ofWar Department
Garrison/HQFort Santiago, Manila, Luzon
MarchWorld War II

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

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

General Headquarters:

Troops:[1]

Commanders of the Philippine Department

FromToCommander
13 January 19115 March 1914Major General J. Franklin Bell
5 March 191415 April 1916Major General Thomas H. Barry
15 April 191615 April 1917Major General Hunter Liggett
15 April 19175 August 1917Major General Charles J. Bailey
5 August 19175 August 1918Brigadier General Robert K. Evans
16 February 191923 November 1919Brigadier General Francis Henry French
23 November 19196 March 1922Major General Francis J. Kernan
6 March 192210 September 1922Major General William M. Wright
10 September 19223 October 1922Major General Omar Bundy
3 October 192218 November 1924Major General George W. Read
18 November 192424 February 1926Major General James H. McRae
25 February 19254 May 1926Major General William Weigel
4 May 192630 April 1928Major General Frederick W. Sladen
30 April 19281 October 1928Major General William Lassiter
1 October 19282 October 1930Major General Douglas MacArthur
2 October 19309 April 1932Major General John L. Hines
9 April 19327 September 1933Major General Ewing E. Booth
7 September 193319 September 1933Brigadier General Stanley H. Ford
19 September 193316 December 1933Brigadier General Frank S. Cocheu
16 December 193311 December 1935Major General Frank Parker
11 December 193513 February 1936Major General Charles E. Kilbourne
13 February 193625 February 1938Major General Lucius Roy Holbrook
26 February 193824 July 1939Major General John H. Hughes
24 July 193910 June 1940Major General Walter Grant
10 June 19401 November 1941Major General George Grunert
1 November 19419 April 1942Lieutenant General Douglas MacArthur

US Army Troops – Philippines – 31 July 1941

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

Ref: American Battlefield Monuments Commission

  • {For reference only. PS=Philippine Scouts}

Philippine Forces

Unit1941–19451946
1st Training Squadron
1st Philippine Coast Artillery Regt1
2nd Philippine Coast Artillery51
1st Philippine Regular Division:
• 1st Philippine Infantry Regiment
• 2nd Philippine Infantry Regiment
• 3rd Philippine Infantry Regiment3
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 Squadron1
9th Observation Squadron
10th Fighter-Bomber Squadron
1st Philippine Division:
• 11th Infantry Regiment
• 12th Infantry Regiment2
• 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 Division1
• 21st Engineer Battalion2
21st Field Artillery Regiment3
• 21st Infantry Regiment3
• 22nd Infantry Regiment3
• 23rd Infantry Regiment3
23rd Field Artillery Regiment (PS).161
24th Field Artillery Regiment (PS)310
25th Field Artillery Regiment
26th Cavalry Regiment (PS)26437
26th Infantry Regiment (PS)1
31st Philippine Division:
31st Engineer Battalion1
• 31st Field Artillery Regiment2
• 31st Infantry Regiment6
• 32nd Infantry regiment3
34th Quartermaster Co (PS)62
41st Division (Philippines) :
• {General Officers}1
• 41st Engineer Battalion1
• 41st Infantry Regiment51
• 42nd Infantry Regiment4
43rd Infantry Regiment (PS)283
45th Infantry Regiment (PS)98358
• 47th Infantry Regiment (Provisional)1
47th Motor Transport Co1
51st Division (Philippines):
• 51st Field Artillery Regiment4
• 51st Infantry Regiment4
• 52nd Infantry Regiment4
• 53rd Infantry Regiment4
• 54th Infantry Regiment (Provisional)1
• 57th Infantry Regiment (PS)878105
59th Coast Artillery Regiment1
61st Division (Philippines):
• 61st Field Artillery Regiment3
• 62nd Infantry Regiment4
• 63rd Infantry Regiment1
65th Quartermaster Troops {PS}18
66th Quartermaster Troops {PS}183
71st Philippine Division:
• 71st Engineer Battalion10
• 71st Field Artillery Regiment1
• 71st Infantry Regiment2
• 72nd Infantry Regiment6
• 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)1547
• 86th Field Artillery Regiment (PS)8
• 88th Field Artillery Battalion (PS)3
• 88th Field Artillery Regiment (PS)17513
91st Philippine Division:
• 91st Infantry Regiment1
91st Coast Artillery Regiment(PS)1985
92nd Coast Artillery Regiment(PS)1919
101st Philippine Division:
102nd Philippine Division:
120th Ordnance Company (PS)1
252nd Signal Const. Com. (PS)44
Special Troops

United States forces

US Army
Unit1941–19451946
4th Chemical Co (Aviation)35
4th Composite Group
6th Field Artillery Regiment
20th Air Base Group
27th Air Material Squadron732
28th Air Material Squadron902
19th Air Base Squadron1
28th Bombardment Squadron1248
31st Infantry Regiment91424
50th Coast Artillery Regiment7
59th Coast Artillery Regiment3076 (+1, 1948)
60th Coast Artillery (AA) Regiment3873
75th Ordnance Deport Company3
75th Ordnance Company35
192nd Tank Battalion1881
194th Tank Battalion183
200th Coast Artillery (AA) Regiment374
515th Coastal Artillery2061
803rd Engineer Aviation Battalion232
808th Military Police Company891
US Navy and USMC[3]
TypeNavyUSMC
KIA33789
Wounded died later2
Died POW630413
Invalided from Service31

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

US Navy casualties/losses

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

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

References

  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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