Sixty Years Ago ...
Dateline: Pacific Theater
by Jennifer King and Timothy Rollins
Reflections on World War II
A
Special Note to Our Readers: At this point in the War, the
events that led to the Bataan Death March were beginning to come into place.
While the march itself did not occur until May of 1942, the fight for Bataan
began in late January, and the fight was ferocious indeed as outlined below.
The Japanese were coming at the Allies with all they had, and with this front
of the war being fought in the Pacific, it was essentially home turf for the
Japanese, thus putting the Americans at decided disadvantage. As the year progresses
and we check in on the battle, we will see how ordinary men became extraordinary
heroes - not only in defense of country, but of themselves and each other. -
Jennifer and Tim
By
the end of January, 1942, Japan’s dream of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity
Sphere seemed quite likely to come true. In the Philippines, the Japanese had
landed during 8-17 December, 1941. By January, 1942 they had finally conquered
Manila. The U.S. Army Garrison and Filipino Army forces under the command of
General Douglas MacArthur, were pushing back onto the Bataan Peninsula. Admiral
Thomas C. Hart (pictured, right), Commander in Chief of the Asiatic Fleet, had
left for Java in the submarine Shark on December 26th, leaving
command of the U.S. Naval forces in the Philippines to Rear Admiral Francis
W. Rockwell.
Rear Admiral Rockwell now commanded three river gunboats, three minesweepers, two district tugs, two civilian tugs, two converted yachts, two submarine tenders and six motor torpedo boats (the famed PT boat - the P designates the category of boat, patrol and the T for torpedo). Their mission was to give the Army whatever support they could in the defense of the Philippines. A radio station set up on Corregidor was the only adequate form of communication left.
The
submarine tender Canopus (left), which had been bombed on 29 December
and 5 January, was set up to look like a derelict by Commander E.L. Sackett,
and provided with a decided list, tangled cargo beams and fake fires caused
by burning oily rags in smudge pots. The Japanese, duly fooled, left her alone
after that and Canopus became the general utility repair ship
for both the Army and the Navy, providing crucial service.
The Army troops began their slow retreat down the Bataan Peninsula. The forces divided into two Corps, I Corps under the command of Major General Jonathan Wainwright and II Corps under Major General George M. Parker. Under repeated assault, II Corps’ line was pushed back. The Japanese also landed a fresh enemy force at Port Binanga on 16 January. By 26 January, the united U.S. forces had fallen back to the reserve line, which ran across Bataan from Bagac to Orion.
The Navy could not do much for the beleaguered forces on land, save run patrols around the coast. Nevertheless, the Japanese were able to effect a landing at Longoskawayan Point near Mariveles, far behind U.S. lines. Commander Francis J. Bridget, who had been left in charge of the remnants of naval aviation in the Philippines, put together an unlikely battalion consisting of 150 of his own men, 130 sailors from Canopus, 100 Marines and some refugees from the Cavite Naval Yard. Lieutenant “Hap” Goodall from Canopus was named second in command.
Commencing 24 January, Bridget’s Battalion fought a jungle war with the infiltrators. On the fifth day, the 57th Regiment of Filipino Scouts relieved them, and proceeded to pick off the Japanese invaders. Their expertise, and the deadly effect of mortar fire from Corregidor, forced the Japanese to retreat to the cliff side caves. Canopus’ motor launches were reinforced with boiler plate and armed with a light fieldpiece and machine guns. They were then dispatched to shoot up the caves and kill any survivors. These “Mickey Mouse Battleships” were used twice, to great effect. After being beset by four Japanese dive bombers on the second mission, the boats were beached and Bridget’s Battalion was detached and sent to Corregidor.
On 23 January, the Japanese staged another landing at Quinauan Point which threatened the Bagac-Orion line. This was beaten back, at high cost, by a battalion sent from General Wainwright. Another Japanese landing on 1 February was repulsed by P-40’s and the motor torpedo boats under the command of Lieutenant John D. Bulkeley.
The remnants of the U.S. forces, the “Battling Bastards of Bataan”, would doggedly continue to hold out in the face of overwhelming odds. The Japanese had blockaded the islands, and rations were cut by half, then cut again. Yet the gaunt and disease ridden men of the “BBB’s” would withstand the Japanese until May, providing crucial time to the Allied war production efforts. ***
© 2002 Jennifer King and Timothy Rollins
EDITOR'S
NOTE: After retiring from active duty, Admiral Thomas Hart went on
to serve an interim appointment in the United States Senate from Connecticut,
winning himself many friends and very few enemies while in Washington.
He retired to his home in Connecticut, where he enjoyed the remainder of his days with his wife and died of a heart attack July 4, 1971 at age 94. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia near his son who died of illness during World War II. His more than half a century of selfless devotion to his country remains an example to all who have worn the uniform past and present.
COPYRIGHT © 2002 BY THE AMERICAN PARTISAN. All writers retain rights to their work.
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