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| A US Army soldier in Batangas, 1945. Image source: United States National Archives. |
A closer examination of the captions, however, confirm that the town called Santo Tomas where the pictures were taken was, indeed, the northernmost town of the Province of Batangas. First, all the pictures were dated 18, 24 or 25 March 1945. Second, two combat groups of the United States Army were involved: the 7th Calvary as well as the 8th Cavalry. Finally, the captions seem to indicate that the pictures were taken at around the time when the town of Santo Tomas was being liberated from Japanese Occupation.
We refer now to a United States Army document listing the approximate dates when the towns of the Philippines were liberated from Japanese control. For Santo Tomas, the date given was 28 March 1945. It further stated that the town was “seized” from the Japanese by the 7th Cavalry. These details were contradicted by Robert Ross Smith2 who, in a book, wrote that Santo Tomas was taken four days earlier on the 24th; and that the combat group involved was the 8th Cavalry.
From the captions, we learn that both the 7th and 8th were BOTH involved in the liberation campaign. A “liberation festival” was held as early as the 18th, but this does not necessary belie the dates given by the US Army document and Smith. The pictures when the festival was being held appear to have been taken in the poblacion or town center; and it is entirely possible that the dates given by the US Army document and Smith were for when the entirety of the town was freed of Japanese control
A word about the pictures below: a couple of the pictures have graphic content that may not be suitable for younger readers. These are intentionally hidden but may be seen in a drop-down widget at the reader’s discretion.
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| A road block north of Santo Tomas, 1945. Image source: United States National Archives. |
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| Filipino civilians shot by US Army soldiers for creeping up on their positions. Image source: United States National Archives. |
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| A US Army patrol in Santo Tomas, 1945. Image source: United States National Archives. |
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| US Army soldiers examine a culvert for the presence of the Japanese. Image source: United States National Archives. |
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| At the Liberation Festival, Santo Tomas, 1945. Image source: United States National Archives. |
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| A US Army commanding general at the Liberation Festival, Santo Tomas 1945. Image source: United States National Archives. |
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| The chaplain delivers the invocation at the Liberation Festival, Santo Tomas, 1945. Image source: United States National Archives. |
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| Bodies of dead Japanese in Santo Tomas, 1945. Image source: United States National Archives. |
Original Caption: Members of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, grimly look over the bodies of Jap dead in the town of Santo Tomas, Laguna Province (erroneous, should be Batangas), Luzon, P.I. Troops of the 7th and 8th Cavalry and a Filipino guerrilla force captured the town. Taken 25 March 1945.
Photo colorized courtesy of Algorithmia.
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| A veteran of the UST Internment Camp arrives in Santo Tomas, 1945. Image source: United States National Archives. |
Photo colorized courtesy of Algorithmia.
Notes and references:
1 “List of Towns Liberated by the US Army from 17 October 1944 to 11 August 1945,” created 1945 by the Office of the AC/S for Intelligence, G2, United States Army Philippines-Ryukyus Command.
2 “US Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific, Triumph in the Philippines,” by Robert Ross Smith, online at Ibiblio.org.
1 “List of Towns Liberated by the US Army from 17 October 1944 to 11 August 1945,” created 1945 by the Office of the AC/S for Intelligence, G2, United States Army Philippines-Ryukyus Command.
2 “US Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific, Triumph in the Philippines,” by Robert Ross Smith, online at Ibiblio.org.
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