Attachments to Gen. Peralta's Letter to US Army about the Gold Area Unit - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Attachments to Gen. Peralta's Letter to US Army about the Gold Area Unit - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Attachments to Gen. Peralta's Letter to US Army about the Gold Area Unit

Batangas History
29 Dec, 2017
[TRANSCRIPTION]

The Gold Area Unit was a guerrilla organization affiliated Free Luzon Intelligence Echelon of the 6th Military District on the island of Panay. This unit was ordered created in Bauan, Batangas by one Mariano A. Tibay, who would also be its commander. In this page are transcriptions1 of documents contained as attachments to Brig. Gen. Macario Peralta’s communications sent to the US Army regarding the Gold Area Unit outfit.
Guerrilla Files jpeg
[p. 1]

SUBJECT

TO

ATTN 		: Recognition Gold Area Unit, 6th Military District

: CG, U. S. Army, Philippine Republic

: G-3, Guerrilla Affairs

1. I certify that I acted in the capacity of Guerrilla Coordinator for the 11th Airborne Division from the month of February 1945 thru May 1945.

2. From March to end of aforementioned time, Capt. MARIANO A. TIBAY and a company of [the] Gold Area Unit, 6th Military District, numbering approximately 240 officers and EM, were attached to and actively served with the 11th Airborne Division.

3. I would estimate the approximately 300 more men belonging to the Gold Area Unit were active in our area as guerrillas making a total of approximately 500 officers and EM active in that unit.

[Sgd.] WILLIAM J. SCHLOTH
Major, U. S. Army, (Ret.)
0-339137.


[p. 2]

REPUBLC OF THE PHILIPPINES
CITY OF MANILA

A F F I D A V I T

I, ELEUTERIO L. ADEVOSO (Terry Magtangol), of legal age, married, resident of the city of Manila, Ex-Colonel, 0-42208, PA, after having been duly sworn in accordance with law, depose and say:

That I was the overall commander of the HUNTERS-ROTC Guerrillas;

That I personally know Capt. [the rest of this paragraph is unreadable; part of the page was folded when scanned.]

That he was the Commanding Officer of the Suicide and Sabotage Unit (Hocson Unit), 6th Military District, Free Luzon Echelon, operating in Manila and Rizal under Major Ildefonso Fernandez, alias. H. J. Hocson, under the overall command of Brig. Gen. Macario Peralta, Jr.;

That sometime in February, 1943, upon my request, he supplied me with a considerable amount of .30 and .45 caliber ammunition;

That in 1944, he was transferred to Batangas Province as Commanding Officer of the Gold Area Unit (Combat, Intelligence and Sabotage), 6th Military District, Free Luzon Echelon;

That he and his men were attached to the 11th Airborne Division, U S Army during the liberation campaign;

FURTHER, affiant sayeth none.

[Sgd.] ELEUTERIO L. ADEVOSO

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 23rd day of October, 1947 at HAP, Camp Murphy, Quezon City.

[Unreadable signature]
Oath Administering Officer

1st Lt, Inf, PA
Dy, JAGO, HAP


[p. 3]

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
CITY OF MANILA

A F F I D A V I T

I, JAIME N. FERRER, ex-Lt. Col. AGS, 0-42716, PA, of legal age, at present member of the Philippine Veterans Board, Manila, after having been duly sworn, depose and say:

That I was the Adjutant General, Hunters ROTC Guerrilla Unit operating in Greater Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Tayabas, Cavite, Batangas, Zambales, and Pangasinan;

That I know Capt. MARIANO A. TIBAY personally; that sometime in September 1942, I had the opportunity to contact said Captain TIBAY at Pasay, Rizal, Philippines, who was Commanding Officer of the Suicide and Sabotage Unit, under Major Ildefonso Fernandez, alias H. J. Hocson, Commanding Officer 6th Military District, Free Luzon, under the overall command of Brig. Gen. Macario Peralta, Jr.;

That as a result of said contact cooperation was agreed to and effected in Intelligence and Sabotage activities between my men and Capt. TIBAY’s unit of about 500 Officers and EM operating in Greater Manila and Rizal province;

That I came to know that in February 1944, Capt. TIBAY was assigned by Major H. J. Hocson, as CO, Gold Area Unit, 6th MD, Free Luzon, Batangas Province, performing combat, intelligence and sabotage with over 500 active officers and men;

That I know that Capt. TIBAY and his men of the Gold Area Unit, were attached to the 11th Airborne Division, US Army during the Liberation Campaign;

That it is my honest knowledge and belief that Capt. TIBAY and his men rendered very valuable services in the resistance movement and during the liberation;

Further affiant sayeth none.

[Sgd.] JAIME N. FERRER
Affiant

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME THIS 21st DAY OF OCTOBER 1947 AT PVB Manila.

Mariano S. [illegible]
Oath Administering Officer

Legal Investigation
Phil. Veterans Board
Rank and Organization


[p. 4]

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
CITY OF MANILA

A F F I D A V I T

I, ROMULO L. BRIONES, formerly Lt Colonel, ASN 0-74232, PA, Filipino, of legal age and resident of the City of Manila, after having been duly sworn in accordance with law, depose and say:

That I was the Commanding Officer of the 41st Inf Regiment, MD, ECLGA, organized in September 1942, under authority of Capt. Joseph R. Barker II (PS) USA and Col. Claude A. Thorpe (PS) USA, both deceased and Lt Colonel Edwin P. Ramsey, assumed command of the ECLGA, up to the liberation of the Philippines;

That I personally know Capt. MARIANO A. TIBAY officially as Commanding Officer of the Suicide and Sabotage Unit, under alias Major H. J. Hocson, 6th Military District, Free Luzon Echelon, under the Overall Command of Brig. Gen. Macario Peralta, Jr.;

That sometime in October 1942, I had the occasion to contact Capt. Tibay in Pasay, Rizal, Philippines and during that time, I had knowledge of the fact that Capt. Tibay had approximately 500 officers and men who were very active in guerrilla activities performing sabotage and intelligence duties in the City of Greater Manila and Rizal Province;

That on that occasion, I availed myself to ask his cooperation with my unit to effect a joint effort in the performance of sabotage activities in our respective sectors of operation;

That in this particular compromise, our joint effort materialized, thus Capt. M. A. Tibay effected a smooth underground activity, particularly in the sabotage of gas and oil drums, smuggling of arms and ammunition as well as procuring information of the nature, resources and of Jap troops at the Nielsen Airport, Nichols Field, Fort Wm. McKinley, and other neighboring districts of Greater Manila and Rizal Province;

That I have knowledge of the fact that in February 1944, Capt. Mariano A. Tibay was transferred and assigned by Major Hocson as Commanding Officer of the Gold Area Unit, 6th M D, Free Luzon Echelon in Batangas Province, performing combat, intelligence and sabotage against the enemy, with about 500 officers and men very active, besides some more men he left in Manila and Rizal Province, continuing their operations in intelligence and sabotage;

That I can hereby state without hesitation that the unit under Capt. M. A. Tibay materially contributed to the eventual defeat of the enemy through its combat, intelligence and sabotage activities;

AFFIANT further sayeth none.

[Sgd.] ROMULO L. BRIONES

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 11th day of October 1947 at HAP, Camp Murphy, Quezon City, Philippines.

[Sgd.] Tomas G. Brual
Oath Administering Officer
1st Lt. Inf. PA – 046552
Dy, JAGO, HAP
Rank and Organization

Notes and references:
1 “Gold Area Unit, Free Luzon Intelligence Echelon, 6th MD,” online at the United States National Archives.
Next Post Previous Post