Vanderpool's Memo Relaying Commendation after Los Baños POW Camp Raid, February 1945
[TRANSCRIPTION]
Col. Jay D. Vanderpool was the Liaison Officer sent by Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) Command to southern Luzon, including Batangas, to coordinate guerrilla activities in the area in preparation for the Allied invasion. Transcriptions of a selection of his communications either with guerrilla units or offices of the United States Army are compiled in this section. In this page is a transcription1 of a memorandum from Vanderpool relaying to the Fil-American Irregular Troops (FAIT) a commendation from Major General Joseph Swing, Commander of the 11th Airborne Division, after the success of the raid on Los Baños to liberate prisoners-of-war.
GENERAL GUERRILLA COMMAND
CENTRAL LUZON
Notes and references:
1 “2nd Regiment, Nasugbu FAIT,” File No. 110-51, online at PVAO.
Col. Jay D. Vanderpool was the Liaison Officer sent by Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) Command to southern Luzon, including Batangas, to coordinate guerrilla activities in the area in preparation for the Allied invasion. Transcriptions of a selection of his communications either with guerrilla units or offices of the United States Army are compiled in this section. In this page is a transcription1 of a memorandum from Vanderpool relaying to the Fil-American Irregular Troops (FAIT) a commendation from Major General Joseph Swing, Commander of the 11th Airborne Division, after the success of the raid on Los Baños to liberate prisoners-of-war.
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| Left: Col. Vanderpool. Image credit: ARSOF History. Right: Filipino soldiers being inspected. Image credit: US National Archives. |
CENTRAL LUZON
27 February 1945
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SUBJECT TO |
: Commendation : CO, Fil-Americans |
1. I take great pleasure in forwarding to you a copy of the letter received from Major General Swing expressing his appreciation for the excellent performance of duty by your organization during the Los Baños operation.
2. This operation was a great achievement in liberating 2100 interned civilians without the loss of an interned [person]. It required the closest coordination between the paratroops, amphibian forces, U.S. Army ground forces and joint guerrilla forces. Due to the coordinated efforts of all forces, the enemy was completely surprised and routed.
(SGD) JAY D. VANDERPOOL
Major, GSC, USA
GUERRILLA COMMANDER
Major, GSC, USA
GUERRILLA COMMANDER
CERTIFIED TRUE COPY:
[Sgd.] MARCELINO T. ENRIQUEZ
Col., CO, Infantry
2nd Regiment, Nasugbu,
Fil-Americans
Notes and references:
1 “2nd Regiment, Nasugbu FAIT,” File No. 110-51, online at PVAO.