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Started By
Message
75 years ago today...more than 550 Allied POWs are rescued in the Philippines
Posted on 1/29/20 at 7:34 pm
Posted on 1/29/20 at 7:34 pm
Since it's already January 30 in the Philippines, I decided to post this now as it happened on the other side of the international date line.
"The Great Raid" as it has been dubbed by both history and Hollywood.
On January 30, 1945, 133 U.S. soldiers from the 6th U.S. Ranger Battalion and the Alamo Scouts - joined by more than 250 Filipino guerilla fighters - raided a Japanese POW camp near Cabanatuan City on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Their mission? To rescue more than 550 Allied prisoners of war that had been housed in the camp since completing the infamous Bataan Death March some three years earlier.
Journeying more than 30 miles behind enemy lines to Cabanatuan, the American and Filipino soldiers were heading into battle totally outnumbered. Some 1,200 Japanese soldiers were stationed in and around the camp with a further 8,000 men encamped nearby. Utilizing the element of surprise as well as the cover of darkness, the 383 men of the combined American-Filipino rescue force moved into position and executed a beautifully conceived plan to perfection.
The result? More than 1,000 Japanese soldiers killed and 4 Japanese tanks knocked out of action. Losses on the Allied side were disproportionately light with 2 Americans killed and 4 wounded. The Filipinos also suffered lightly with just 9 wounded. All but two of the Allied POWs survived the battle and the trek back to American lines.
The raid on Cabanatuan POW Camp is widely considered to be the most successful raid in American military history.
Battle plan for the Raid on Cabanatuan POW Camp
Lt. Colonel Henry Mucci - CO of the 6th Rangers and in overall command of the operation
Captain Robert Prince - CO, Company C, 6th Ranger Battalion and the man who planned the raid
Captain Juan Pajota - CO of the Filipino guerrillas
Captain Jimmy Fisher (left) and Captain Robert Prince (right) just before the start of the raid
Pajota's guerrilla fighters ready to go
"The Great Raid" as it has been dubbed by both history and Hollywood.
On January 30, 1945, 133 U.S. soldiers from the 6th U.S. Ranger Battalion and the Alamo Scouts - joined by more than 250 Filipino guerilla fighters - raided a Japanese POW camp near Cabanatuan City on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Their mission? To rescue more than 550 Allied prisoners of war that had been housed in the camp since completing the infamous Bataan Death March some three years earlier.
Journeying more than 30 miles behind enemy lines to Cabanatuan, the American and Filipino soldiers were heading into battle totally outnumbered. Some 1,200 Japanese soldiers were stationed in and around the camp with a further 8,000 men encamped nearby. Utilizing the element of surprise as well as the cover of darkness, the 383 men of the combined American-Filipino rescue force moved into position and executed a beautifully conceived plan to perfection.
The result? More than 1,000 Japanese soldiers killed and 4 Japanese tanks knocked out of action. Losses on the Allied side were disproportionately light with 2 Americans killed and 4 wounded. The Filipinos also suffered lightly with just 9 wounded. All but two of the Allied POWs survived the battle and the trek back to American lines.
The raid on Cabanatuan POW Camp is widely considered to be the most successful raid in American military history.
Battle plan for the Raid on Cabanatuan POW Camp
Lt. Colonel Henry Mucci - CO of the 6th Rangers and in overall command of the operation
Captain Robert Prince - CO, Company C, 6th Ranger Battalion and the man who planned the raid
Captain Juan Pajota - CO of the Filipino guerrillas
Captain Jimmy Fisher (left) and Captain Robert Prince (right) just before the start of the raid
Pajota's guerrilla fighters ready to go
12
Posted on 1/29/20 at 7:55 pm to RollTide1987
Solid thread. Thank you for posting
I can’t imagine what it would have been like to have been there and hear the American forces start to attack
I can’t imagine what it would have been like to have been there and hear the American forces start to attack
Posted on 1/29/20 at 7:57 pm to RollTide1987
Posted on 1/29/20 at 8:02 pm to East Coast Band
Posted on 1/30/20 at 4:56 am to RollTide1987
Bump!
Posted on 1/30/20 at 6:13 am to RollTide1987
1000 Japanese to 2 Americans killed. That has to be the most lopsided battle in modern history.
Posted on 1/30/20 at 6:33 am to AU66
It was a turkey shoot for the most part. It was actually the Filipino guerrillas who did the lion's share of the killing, however. There were only about 220 guards stationed within the camp itself. An additional 1,000 Japanese soldiers were stationed about a mile away. The guerrillas were tasked with keeping them away from the camp while the Rangers rescued the POWs.
Every single Japanese soldier inside the camp was killed and a majority of the Japanese facing off against the guerrillas were killed trying to break through the Filipino line in an effort to get to the camp.
Every single Japanese soldier inside the camp was killed and a majority of the Japanese facing off against the guerrillas were killed trying to break through the Filipino line in an effort to get to the camp.
Posted on 1/30/20 at 6:35 am to RollTide1987
Ghost soldiers an incredible read
Posted on 1/30/20 at 9:27 am to RollTide1987
Great Post. Lest we forget.
One of the prisoners rescued in this raid was Dr. Claude Daniel of Bogalusa. I knew him well growing up there.
One of the prisoners rescued in this raid was Dr. Claude Daniel of Bogalusa. I knew him well growing up there.
Posted on 1/30/20 at 9:41 am to blueridgeTiger
quote:
One of the prisoners rescued in this raid was Dr. Claude Daniel of Bogalusa. I knew him well growing up there.
a neighbor of mine when I lived in Lafayette was one of the 550
Posted on 1/30/20 at 9:47 am to RollTide1987
My uncle was one of those rescued. My Dad's brother.
ETA: Understandably so, he hated the japs the rest of his life. Hated them with a passion. He didn't speak of it often, moreso back when he was drinking, but a couple of the stories he would tell were blood curdling. Some of the things he saw done to his friends.
ETA: Understandably so, he hated the japs the rest of his life. Hated them with a passion. He didn't speak of it often, moreso back when he was drinking, but a couple of the stories he would tell were blood curdling. Some of the things he saw done to his friends.
This post was edited on 1/30/20 at 9:50 am
Posted on 1/30/20 at 9:49 am to RollTide1987
RLTW
Posted on 1/30/20 at 10:06 am to RollTide1987
Thank you for posting this.
My Dad was flying convoy coverage in the Phillipines at this time. He had been shot down a month earlier, then rescued.
Brave men!
My Dad was flying convoy coverage in the Phillipines at this time. He had been shot down a month earlier, then rescued.
Brave men!
Posted on 1/30/20 at 10:07 am to RollTide1987
Not mentioned in OP is the role of the Alamo Scouts, a deep recon detachment which had eyes on the camp prior to the raid. Modern US Army SF consider them part of their lineage.
Fun fact: the 6th Ranger Battalion was originally a mule mounted artillery battalion. The success of Rangers in the European theatre inspired the development of such units in the Pacific. Marucci put them through an improvised Ranger course. About half washed out or dropped out voluntarily. The rest formed the core of the 6th Ranger Battalion.
Fun fact: the 6th Ranger Battalion was originally a mule mounted artillery battalion. The success of Rangers in the European theatre inspired the development of such units in the Pacific. Marucci put them through an improvised Ranger course. About half washed out or dropped out voluntarily. The rest formed the core of the 6th Ranger Battalion.
Posted on 1/30/20 at 10:11 am to choupiquesushi
quote:
Ghost soldiers an incredible read
Came here to post this.
For Alabama fans, Bert Bank was one of the captives that was rescued. He started the Alabama Sports Network in Tuscaloosa years later. A very interesting guy if you ever got to meet him. He was my grandpa's neighbor for several years.
Posted on 1/30/20 at 10:13 am to RollTide1987
The Great Raid was a great movie.
This post was edited on 1/30/20 at 10:39 am
Posted on 1/30/20 at 10:39 am to choupiquesushi
Excellent thread. Never heard of this event before. Will definitely be buying the book.
Posted on 1/30/20 at 11:10 am to The Spleen
quote:
Bert Bank was one of the captives that was rescued.
He is prominently featured in Hampton Sides book, The Ghost Soldiers, and he wrote his own account of the Bataan Death March and the rescue from Camp Cabantuan.
His book is available on Amazon:
Back from the Living Dead
Posted on 1/30/20 at 6:25 pm to McGregor
quote:
Never heard of this event before. Will definitely be buying the book.
The film adaptation is currently on Netflix. The Great Raid. It stars James Franco has Captain Robert Prince and Benjamin Bratt as Lt. Colonel Henry Mucci.
Posted on 1/30/20 at 8:52 pm to AU66
quote:Except for LSU vs. Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl...
1000 Japanese to 2 Americans killed. That has to be the most lopsided battle in modern history.
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