Documents on the Cooperation between USAFFE and Nasugbu FAIT 2nd Regt
[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 two documents addressed to the Guerrilla Affairs Branch of the United States Armed Forces in the Western Pacific with information on the cooperation between the 2nd Regiment Nasugbu FAIT and the USAFFE.
[p. 1]
UNITED STATES PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
PHILIPPINE ARMY HEADQUARTERS
MANILA
TRUE COPY:
[p. 2]
UNITED STATES PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
PHILIPPINE ARMY HEADQUARTERS
MANILA
TRUE COPY:
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 two documents addressed to the Guerrilla Affairs Branch of the United States Armed Forces in the Western Pacific with information on the cooperation between the 2nd Regiment Nasugbu FAIT and the USAFFE.
PHILIPPINE ARMY HEADQUARTERS
MANILA
19 December 1945
|
SUBJECT
TO |
: Coordination of Command with USAFFE, Guerrillas : Guerrilla Affairs Section, U.S.A. |
1. The Nasugbu Fil-American Guerrilla Forces, 2nd Regiment under the command of Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez, helped and cooperated with the USAFFE under my command, from 18 January 1942 till the surrender of Bataan.
2. Patriotic activities of said guerrilla force, helping USAFFE, to wit:
(a) Brought us five (5) sacks of dynamite which were used for blasting bridges to delay Japanese advance (under Col. M. T. Enriquez).
(b) The staff officers and enlisted men (Guerrilla Org.) covered Batangas Province, Southern Manila, up to Calamba gathering intelligence reports of enemy positions, troop movements, propaganda papers and rushing said reports to me in my HQ in Bo. Looc, Nasugbu, Batangas relayed to General Willoughby in Corregidor.
(c) Procured and loaded to ship “Kalumbugan” 3,000 sacks of palay, hogs, and cattle which Major Razon and I successfully sent to Bataan despite heavy Japanese patrol in the air and sea. [The] Success of said S-4 job would not be possible without the material help of the Nasugbu Fil-American Guerrilla Forces, 2nd Regiment, under Col. M. T. Enriquez (Date of Operation 15 February 1942).
(d) Important military communication from Corregidor to Manila was possible via Nasugbu, Batangas only. Said guerrilla forces maintained our military communications bringing our message to and from Manila.
3. That the Nasugbu Fil-American Guerrilla Forces, 2nd Regiment under Colonel M. T. Enriquez operated since 18 January 1942. That it was the guerrilla force which General Willoughby, then in Corregidor, planned to supply 1000 rifles to retake Batangas Province from the Japanese. Plan secret, true excerpts of communication destroyed according to military orders.
(SGD) JOSE P. RUEDA
Major, G-2
Criminal Investigation Section
PA
Major, G-2
Criminal Investigation Section
PA
TRUE COPY:
[Sgd.] M. T. ENRIQUEZ
Col., CO, FAIT
2nd Regt.
Col., CO, FAIT
2nd Regt.
[p. 2]
PHILIPPINE ARMY HEADQUARTERS
MANILA
25 May 1945
|
SUBJECT
TO |
: Coordination of Command with USAFFE, Guerrillas : Guerrilla Section, AFWESPAC, U.S.A. |
1. I had my initial contact with Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez and his guerrillas in Looc, Nasugbu, Batangas on or about 10 February 1942, when Gen. MacArthur’s Headquarters sent me on an S-4 mission. I was with Capt. Jose P. Rueda, USAFFE officer.
2. The cooperation of the Nasugbu Fil-American Troops, 2nd Regiment to me were the following:
(a) Thru is S-4 officer Capt. Pedro Zabarte and about 600 men, 3,000 sacks of palay and other food supplies were carted from barrio Looc to Calayo Beach where said food supplies were loaded to ships “Kolambugan” and “Bohol.” The tremendous job of carting those sacks of palay, guarding of the beaches and loading to ships of said vast supplies was a tribute to said valiant guerrillas – for those food supplies reaching the starving defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.
(b) Sending vital intelligence work to USAFFE agents in the City of Manila, and received S-2 reports and important papers. This intelligence job was under Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez.
During the Japanese occupation (1943-1944), I had contact with the guerrillas under Col. Marcelino T. Enriquez and even during the landing days of the enemy’s occupation, this guerrilla organization provided me with suicide guards and espionage agents.
On January 31, 1945, when the 11th Airborne Division under General Swing landed on the shores of Nasugbu, Batangas, I sent for Col. M. T. Enriquez, who arrived with over one thousand men.
Through the cooperation of these Fil-American guerrillas, 11th Airborne supplies ships were unloaded on the beach. Infantry work as mopping [up] operations, patrolling of dangerous areas were performed daily by this outfit in coordination with the 11th Airborne advance troops.
(SGD) JOSE RAZON
LT. COL., INF. ASN 023813
CHIEF OF STAFF, MPC
LT. COL., INF. ASN 023813
CHIEF OF STAFF, MPC
TRUE COPY:
[Sgd.] MARCELINO T. ENRIQUEZ
Col., CO, FAIT
2ND REGT.
Col., CO, FAIT
2ND REGT.
Notes and references:
1 “2nd Regiment, Nasugbu FAIT,” File No. 110-51, online at PVAO.