Withdrawal of Reconsideration for the Pioneer Balayan Town Guerrillas

The Pioneer Balayan Town Guerrilla Unit was one of many units of the large Fil-American Irregular Troops (FAIT) organized by the retired American Colonel Hugh Straughn at the onset of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. This guerrilla organization had many such units operating in other towns of Batangas, including the town of Balayan. The Balayan unit was organized by Majors Rodolfo Bahia and Amador de Guito. Hence, it was also referred to as the Bahia-Deguito unit. In this document¹, an internal communication within the Philippines-Ryukyus Command of the United States Army, the initially granted reconsideration of the Pioneer Balayan Town Guerrillas for official recognition was withdrawn after further investigation.

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HEADQUARTERS
PHILIPPINES-RYUKYUS COMMAND

FROM: Reconsideration Section TO: Lt Col S J Palos

1. Reconsideration of the Pioneer Balayan Town Guerrillas, Bahia-Deguito Unit, FAIT was granted by Lt Col S. J. Palos, Chief, Unit Branch, in a conference with Lt Comm. George Rowe and Buenaventura de Guzman.

2. 1^st Lt Charles L. Homewood, Unit Investigator, was given the following instructions by Lt Col Palos.

a. Make a reinvestigation of the unit and recommend what action should be taken, if any.

b. Have Lt Comm. George Rowe accompany you on the field investigation, if he does not desire to accompany you, do not make a field investigation.

c. INFORMATION.

1. Under the terms of the grant for reconsideration, Lt Comm George Rowe was told by Lt Col S J Palos that he would have to accompany the unit investigator when the field investigation was made as he was vouching for the validity of the unit.

3. Lt Homewood contacted Lt Comm Rowe in Manila and informed him of the provisions of the investigation. Lt Comm Rowe said that he misunderstood the provision of the investigation as related by Lt Col Palos and that he would be free to accompany the investigator the middle of the following week, and would contact the investigator

(Over)

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and inform him on which day the investigation could be made.

4. Lt Comm George Rowe made a personal investigation of the unit and came to our office with the information that the decision made by this headquarters on 1 March 1947 was adjust decision and that, in his opinion, the unit should not be granted any further reconsideration. [The following line was handwritten.] See attached letter from Command. Rowe, Tab A.

5. It is requested that the Pioneer Balayan Town Guerrilla unit be withdrawn from the reconsideration files.

[Sgd.] CHARLES L. HOMEWOOD
1^st Lt, Cav

Notes and references:
¹ “Pioneer Balayan Town Guerrillas, Deguito Unit FAIT,” File No. 110-42, downloaded from PVAO.