Lt. Charles Homewood's Reconsideration Report on the Lipa Unit, PQOG - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Lt. Charles Homewood's Reconsideration Report on the Lipa Unit, PQOG - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Lt. Charles Homewood's Reconsideration Report on the Lipa Unit, PQOG

The 1st Battalion, 38th Regiment, 35th Division, I Corps guerrilla unit of the President Quezon’s Own Guerrillas (PQOG), which purportedly operated out of the town of Lipa, was supposedly commanded by one Leodegario Mendoza. It failed to gain official recognition from the United States Army, although some members of the unit had already been recognized as having been part of the composite roster submitted by the overall headquarters of the PQOG. In this document is a transcription of a report filed by one Lt. Charles Homewood of the United States Army, who was given the task of reinvestigating the Lipa Unit of the PQOG after the latter had a request for reconsideration accepted.
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Report on Reconsideration of Lipa Unit PQOG Batangas
Guerrillas or 1st Bn, 38th Inf Regt
35th Division


Recapitulation

On 2 October 1946, 2nd Lt Victor Smolen, unit investigator of the Guerrilla Affairs Branch, completed an investigation of the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, PQOG, and recommended that the unit be not favorably considered for recognition as an element of the Philippine Army (See Tab A).

On 1 November 1946, a letter was sent to Mr. Leodegario T. Mendoza, the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 38th Inf Regt, 35th Division, PQOG, informing him that his unit had been not favorably considered for recognition.

On 11 December 1946, Mr. Leodegario T. Mendoza wrote a letter (See Tab B) contesting the decision of this headquarters and requesting reconsideration of his unit. A reply was sent him on 22 Jan 1947, granting his unit reconsideration.

On 24 April 1947, Mr. Leodegario Mendoza, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, PQOG, wrote a letter (See Tab C) submitting additional evidence (One affidavit).

Findings

1st Lt. Charles L. Homewood on 7 July 1947 made a thorough and detailed study of all available information pertaining to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, PQOG, a field investigation was deemed unnecessary.

In was found that the Lipa Unit Batangas Guerrillas (No file number) and the 1st Bn, 38th Inf Regt, 35th Div, PQOG file No. 244 are one and the same unit.

In the affidavit signed by Mr. Esteban M. Mayo, he does not state any claims as to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, PQOG, but he does state that Mr. Leodegario Mendoza and his men were included in the roster of the 35th Div.

The supporting evidence submitted by this unit does not conform to the five basic points for recognition and was considered on the initial investigation. Therefore, the supporting evidence submitted is discounted.

Col. Vicente S. Umali, commanding officer PQOG, submitted a letter (See Tab C) dated 30 January 1947, requesting that all non-casualty guerrilla claims of the PQOG be withdrawn after the announcement of official recognition of the PQOG General Head-

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quarters and the 2nd Infantry Regiment, PQOG (Composite unit). The official announcement of the above was 26 February 1947 for the PQOG General Headquarters and 14 February 1947 for the 2nd Infantry Regiment, PQOG (composite unit).

The Commanding Officer in his letter requesting reconsideration does not make any claims.

Recommendation

1. That the original decision of this headquarters dated 1 November 1946 not favorably considering the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, PQOG for recognition be sustained.

2. That the Lipa Unit PQOG Batangas Guerrillas be incorporated into the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division PQOG and the file number of the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division PQOG remain the same.

3. That this report constitutes the final action by this headquarters on the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, PQOG.

[Sgd.] CHARLES L. HOMEWOOD
1st Lt., CAV





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Notes and references:
1 “1st Bn, 38th Regt, 35th Div, I Corps, PQOG,” File No. 271-16, online at the United States National Archives.
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