Documents in Support of the Nasugbu FAIT 2nd Regiments Application for Recognition
[TRANSCRIPTION]
The Fil-American Irregular Troops or FAIT was a large guerrilla organization that operated in Luzon during the Japanese occupation. It was founded by the retired US Army Colonel Hugh Straughn. It had many affiliated units in many towns of Batangas, including two regiments in the western Batangas town of Nasugbu. The 2nd Regiment is the second of these. In this page1 are transcriptions of some certificates and an affidavit submitted to the United States Army as part of the regiment’s application for official recognition.
[p. 1]
[Certificate from Terry Adevoso.]
C E R T I F I C A T E
CERTIFIED TRUE COPY: [Unreadable signature.]
[p. 2]
[Certificate from Quintin Gellidon.]
C E R T I F I C A T E
[p. 3]
[Affidavit of Manuel T. Dikit.]
A_F_F_I_D_A_V_I_T
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT:
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
CITY OF MANILA
[p. 4]
[Certificate of Salvador Rillo.]
RILLO-NERI FIL-AMERICANS
HQ, BALAYAN, BATANGAS
C-E-R-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-E
Notes and references:
1 “2nd Regiment, Nasugbu FAIT,” File No. 110-51, online at PVAO.
The Fil-American Irregular Troops or FAIT was a large guerrilla organization that operated in Luzon during the Japanese occupation. It was founded by the retired US Army Colonel Hugh Straughn. It had many affiliated units in many towns of Batangas, including two regiments in the western Batangas town of Nasugbu. The 2nd Regiment is the second of these. In this page1 are transcriptions of some certificates and an affidavit submitted to the United States Army as part of the regiment’s application for official recognition.
[Certificate from Terry Adevoso.]
1. I hereby certify that the Nasugbu Fil-American 2nd Regt. in [the] Nasugbu, Batangas area, then under the command of Col. Marcelino Enriquez, was already an active guerrilla unit by the time I arrived at CUTAD, Nasugbu from Lt. Col. Andersons camp on the Luzon east coast in October 1944.
2. Prior to October 1944, my Hunters Commander for my units in Batangas, Lt. Col. Juanito Ferrer, had been in contact with the Nasugbu Fil-Americans and had reported on their activities.
3. My first personal contact with the leaders of this group was in November 1944 when they escorted three American flyers (USN) to my Hq for delivery to Mindoro – at Lt. Comdr. George Rowe’s camp. These three flyers were rescued by men of the Fil-American group.
4. For some time until January 1945, this unit was in communication with me, receiving from my Hq latest orders and directives from GHW, SWPA for all guerrilla groups to follow. The Nasugbu Fil-American unit followed those instructions as far as I have been informed.
5. About the third week of January 1945, a delegation from this unit visited my Hq and received instructions from Lt. Col. Jay Vanderpool, who was the GHQ SWPA Ln O to all Cavite-Batangas-Western Laguna guerrillas.
6. In the Strike Orders that we issued to all Batangas-Cavite-Western Laguna guerrillas in contact with us, the Nasugbu Fil-American unit was given a definite mission and performed same in a superior manner. This was in the first week of February 1945.
7. During the first weeks of the landing of the 11th A/B Division, the Nasugbu Fil-American Unit, 2nd Regiment, together with other loyal units, performed combat patrol work hauling duties of supplies between ships and shore and from shore to depots, security, etc.
8. I left Nasugbu about the 6th of February to join the main echelon of my Hq (which later became Lt. Col. Vanderpool’s General Guerrilla Command Staff which myself as C/S) at Parañaque to supervise guerrilla cooperation in the Battle of Southern Manila. From this time on, Lt. Col. Monfort was in charge of the Rear Echelon supervised by Lt. Col. James Farren, FA, 11th A/B Division.
[Sgd.] TERRY ADEVOSO
Colonel, Infantry
CO Hunters ROTC Guerrillas
C/S General Grla Command, 11th A/B
Colonel, Infantry
CO Hunters ROTC Guerrillas
C/S General Grla Command, 11th A/B
CERTIFIED TRUE COPY: [Unreadable signature.]
[p. 2]
[Certificate from Quintin Gellidon.]
15 January 1946
This is to certify that I was the Executive Officer of Lt. Col. Jay D. Vanderpool, then Major during the months of December 1944, January, February, and March 1945, and subsequently designated as the overall commander of all guerrilla units attached to the 11th Airborne Division in Southwestern Luzon. As such, I am familiar with the existence of the Nasugbu Fil-Americans, 2nd Regiment, under the command of Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez.
Prior to the landing operations when Col. Jay D. Vanderpool had his headquarters in Kutad, Nasugbu, Batangas, liaison and intelligence officers from the Nasugbu Fil-Americans were continuously bringing important S-2 reports to the headquarters of Lt. Col. Vanderpool.
During the period of December 1944 and January 1945, prior to the landing of the 11th Airborne in Nasugbu, guerrillas of the Nasugbu Fil-Americans protected the headquarters of Col. Vanderpool and [the] supply route of the guerrillas that came from Cavite and Batangas provinces.
Immediately after the landing, members of this guerrilla outfit helped in transporting supplies from the landing barges toward the shore for a period of about two months in [the] Nasugbu area. Said assistance was very effective and gave the 11th Airborne Division paratroopers a chance to annihilate the enemy very easily.
In mopping-up campaigns against the enemy, the high command of the Nasugbu Fil-Americans, 2nd Regiment, supported the 11th Airborne Division in offensive action, and helped in the mopping up struggles during the succeeding month.
I might add in this connection that as a former Executive Officer of Colonel Straughn’s Fil-Americans, I have known of the Nasugbu Fil-American guerrilla outfit as one of the oldest of the underground units in Luzon.
[Sgd.] QUINTIN GELLIDON
Col, CE 042240 PA
Col, CE 042240 PA
[p. 3]
[Affidavit of Manuel T. Dikit.]
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT:
I, MANUEL T. DIKIT, Ex-Colonel, Inf. PA, ASN 0-41807, of legal age, married, Filipino and residing at 1245 Lealtad Extension, Sampaloc, Manila, after having been duly sworn according to law, hereby depose and state:
That I had perfect knowledge of the Nasugbu Fil-American Troops under Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez as the old resistance unit which gave all-out assistance to the USAFFE forces in Nasugbu, Batangas, during those critical days of [the] Bataan defense by the Fil-American troops, I was supplying Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez with vital S-2 reports on Jap troop movements, installations and gun emplacements, which he relayed to USAFFE S-2 Intelligence Officers in Nasugbu, Batangas, February 1942;
That while I was interned, after my capture by the Jap Kempetai, in Fort Santiago and subsequently at Muntinglupa Prison Compounds, I was also receiving news of the unwavering resistance of Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez and his guerrillas in Batangas thru intelligence officers who were employed as Prison Gurds;
That in the months of August to October 1944, while I was in Cavite following my escape on August 25, 1944, from the Muntinglupa Prisons, I had courier contact with Colonel Marcelino T. Enriquez at Nasugbu, Batangas, thru Captain Teodorico Timbang, deceased guerrilla who was killed in an encounter in the Sierra Madre Mountains on March 23, 1945; and that
During the landings of the 11th Airborne Division on Nasugbu, Batangas on 31 January 1945, I had knowledge of the fact that Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez coordinated his guerrilla commands with that of Major Jay D. Vanderpool, Chief SWPA Advance Officer, with whom I had personal contact sometime in the month of February 1945, at Nichols Field.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hands this 15th day of January 1947, at Manila, Philippines.
(Sgd.) MANUEL T. DIKIT
Ex-Colonel, Inf., PA
ASN 0-41807
Ex-Colonel, Inf., PA
ASN 0-41807
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
CITY OF MANILA
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 20th day of Jan. 1947, at the City of Manila, Philippines. Affiant exhibited Res. Cert. No. A 2643579 issued at Manila, on Nov. 2, 1945.
(Sgd.) MARIANO AGONCILLO
NOTARY PUBLIC
NOTARY PUBLIC
[p. 4]
[Certificate of Salvador Rillo.]
HQ, BALAYAN, BATANGAS
C-E-R-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-E
This is to certify that I know the Nasugbu Fil-American Troops under the personal command of Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez.
During the epics battles of Bataan and Corregidor, Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez, thru [the] Inter-Guerrilla Service (Jan. 1942), made contact with me in Balayan, Batangas. He and his guerrilla forces helped the USAFFE forces by sending vital intelligence reports to them in Corregidor – thru [the] USAFFE advance echelon, Captain Jose P. Rueda, whose key Hq. was in Looc, Nasugbu, Batangas.
From February 1942, Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez found me again in Manila and I gave him important S-2 reports which he relayed to his S-2 team.
Throughout the vile Japanese occupation, Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez led his resistance men in Batangas province, fighting the enemy thru spurious raids.
When Major Jay D. Vanderpool was sent by Gen. MacArthur to Kutad Cove, and then to Panagsagan, Nasugbu, Batangas, I knew Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez as one of the active commanders who supplied said USA advance echelon officer with S-2 reports, fighting men and food.
When the 11th Airborne Division landed on Nasugbu, Batangas on 31 January 1945, I led my guerrilla outfit against the Japanese forces in mopping [up] operations in [the] Balayan and Tuy sectors. In Nasugbu, Batangas, Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez helped the 11th Airborne Division under Gen. Swing, by providing the USA forces with intelligence scouts, patrol and combat men.
[Sgd.] SALVADOR RILLO
COL. CO, INF.
RILLO-NERI FAIT
COL. CO, INF.
RILLO-NERI FAIT
Notes and references:
1 “2nd Regiment, Nasugbu FAIT,” File No. 110-51, online at PVAO.