United States Army Forces in the Philippines - Northern Luzon

United States Army Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon
Active	January 01, 1942 – June 30, 1946
Country	United States of America Commonwealth of the Philippines
Type	Army, light infantry, regular military, irregular military, guerrilla resistance movement
Size	about 20,000 men in 1945[1]
Engagements	World War II * Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1942–44) * Philippines Campaign (1944-45) – Battle of Bacsil Ridge (March 19, 1945) – Battle of Baguio (April 26, 1945) – Battle of Mayoyao Ridge (July 26, 1945, to August 9, 1945) – Battle of Bessang Pass (June 14, 1945) – Battle of Kiangan (September 02, 1945)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Russell W. Volckmann

The United States Army Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon or United States Armed Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL) (Tagalog: Sandatahang Lakas ng Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas - Hilagang Luzon (SLEUP-HL)/Hukbong Sandatahan ng Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas - Hilagang Luzon (HSEUP-HL) Ilocano: Fuerza Armada ti Estados Unidos iti Filipinas - Amianan ti Luzon (FAEUF-AL)) was the military and guerrilla organization active in the Philippines after the Japanese occupation. It was made up of United States Army and Philippine Commonwealth Army Soldiers, reservists and civilians.

It was active from January 01, 1942 to June 30, 1946 and commanded by Col. Moses, followed by Russell W. Volckmann.^{[2]:119–121}

Following the Japanese occupation of the Philippines through the campaign to liberate the country, the military and guerrilla operations from the units of USAFIP-NL operated in Northern Luzon, including the some provinces in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Mountain Province, Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Viscaya.

Supported by the local Filipino troops under the Commonwealth Army and Constabulary units, the guerrilla resistance fighters and the American liberation forces of the Sixth United States Army operated from January 9 to September 2, 1945. The Battle of Bessang Pass was a notable military victory.

Following the surrender of Japan, the USAFIP-NL was reorganized into the 2nd Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army was held to ongoing in North-Central Luzon from January 3, 1942 to June 30, 1946, followed by the USAFIP-NL military units.^[2]:218

Formations

Infantry regiments^{[2]:138–155, 192[3]:466}

• 11th Infantry Regiment – Cagayan Valley
• 14th Infantry Regiment – Nueva Vizcaya
• 15th Infantry Regiment – Ilocos Norte
• 66th Infantry Regiment – Baguio City and Southern Mountain Province (now. Benguet)
• 121st Infantry Regiment – Ilocos Sur and La Union

Military battalions

• Field Artillery Battalion,
• Engineer Combat Battalion,
• Military Police Battalion,
• Quartermaster Battalion,
• Replacement and Casualty Battalion,

From November 1943 the forces were organized as districts.^{[4]:182–183}

• 1st District – Major Parker Calvert
• 2nd, 3rd Districts – Major George Barnett,
• 4th District – Major Ralph Praeger,
• 5th District – Major Romulo Manriquez,
• 6th District – Capt. Robert Lapham
• 7th District – Volckmann and Blackburn

See also

• List of American guerrillas in the Philippines

References

1. Smith, R.R., 2005, Triumph in the Philippines, Honolulu: University Press of the Pacific, ISBN 1410224953
2. Volckmann, R., 1954, We Remained, New York:W.W.Norton & Company, Inc., ISBN 9780393350227
3. Smith, R.R., 2005, Triumph in the Philippines, Honolulu: University Press of the Pacific, ISBN 1410224953
4. Harkins, P., 1956, Blackburn's Headhunters, London: Cassell & Co. LTD

External links

• Our Igorot Fathers, The Heroes: The Untold Story of the 66th Infantry Regiment, USAFIP-NL (blog entry about video documentary)