Infantry Division Which Resulted in the Capture of Baguio

i£jO. nlv. \ -»2.%& £ ® Classification changed to PPSTgJCTEPU'-14194i by authoriê^ AC of S» G-2, vv D-j-S E. S. JOHNSTON ru&ntry OF THE 33D INFANTPY DIVISION my tA / ' c ->> ' 9 ' , sjf W Mr S:" \ .' - .... MAY 18,1945 PUBLISHED iy AC of S,' G«3 V « m 1945 A)*/> o /h^ -mm COMMANDING GENERAL HEADQUARTERS A. P. O. 33. CARE POSTMASTER SAN FRANCISCO. CAL. 20 May 1945 Maj. Gen. Karl Truesdell Commandant The Command and General Staff School Fort Leavenworth, Kansas dh'iS2 i iggsj Dear General Truesdell: I am sending you herewith a copy of a report covering the highlights of the operations of the 33d Infantry Division which resulted in the capture of Baguio. The operations were unusual in that the Division advanced over an extremely wide front and the advance was canalized by the nigged mountainous terrain to "routes" rather than "fronts." The report stresses supply, evacuation, communica tions, and air and artillery support, since these were extremely difficult due to the distances and terrain involved. Sincerely, f. W. ULAKKSUN Major General, U. S. Army Commanding. 1 Incl. COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF SCHOOL OFFICE OF THE COMMANDANT FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS 4 Jun 45 Major General P W Clarkson Condg 33d Inf Div' APO 33, c/e Postuaster San Francisco, Calif Dear Clarkson: I have just finished reading your Divisional History on the Bagaio operation. Very interesting. You know that I have always had your outfit much in Bind — old associations. We are particularly interested in your special operation on account of the rugged type of terrain, the detached ooluons, all as against our present pet enemy located oa the Japanese main islands. In this latter connection, with the present class we are completely out of Europe and have all our applicatory work sited in the area north of you. With warmest personal regards As ever KARL TRVESOm* Maj Gen, USA Coodt Auth: CG, 33d Inf Div Init: Date: 15 May 1945 INTRODUCTION In tho 22 months that the 33d Division has been overseas, tho Luzon campaign afforded the first opportunity for the Division to operate as a unit. The Hawaiian Islands Defense Mis sion, and the Wakde-Sarrai and Morotai actions employed the Division as combat teams. It is with renewed interest then that we observe tho results of our first Divisional action. Row, at the conclusion of a three month campaign it is well to summarize and to review operations worthy of note* FRAUg/J.'SACKTON Lt. Col., G.S.C. A. C* of S, G--3 INDEX Pag' THE BATTLE FOR BAGUIO ~ 1 Summary of the Action Progress Map Organization Chart Combat Strength Chart Friendly and Enemy Casualties Decorations and Awards NIGHT OPERATIONS 5 FIELD ARTILLERY 11 COMBAT ENGINEERS . 14 MEDICS IN COMBAT . 16 ...'xi SIGNAL COMMUNICATIONS 18 ASSAULT SWITCHBOARD 19 AIR SUPPORT.. 21 PROVISIONAL PACK TRAIN 24 INFANTRY SCOUT DOGS.... 2? INFORMATION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM. 31 t® BAfiCIO 1^3 MANILA for BABOO REPRODUCED BY 67lst EN6R. TOPO. CO. SWPA MAY 1945 THE BATTLE FOR BA GU I 0 This,is a thumbnail sketch of the 33d Division's opera tions in the Luzon Campaign from 13 February to 13 May, 194-5. From the moment the Division went into the line in Northern Luzon it was apparent to all that the objective was Baguio. But there were to be many hard-bought battles before the Philippines Summer Capital was captured. For three months the Division was engaged in bitter mountain fighting over the most rugged terrain of all Luzon. The battles were sharp and severe against the enemy who fought and died on his hill top positions. There was no easy route to Baguio; it'.was uphill over the mountains all the way and we brought our roads with us. The attached map shows the progress of the Battle For Baguio and shows the extension of our front from twenty miles on 13 February to sixty-five miles on 13 May. During this period over 800 square miles of Luzon were liberated. PHASE I The Relief During the period 13 - 15 February the 33d Division re lieved the 43d Infantry Division and the 158th Regimental Combat Team in the Damortis - Rosario - Pozorrubio Area with the mission to secure the key terrain along that line and to push aggressive reconnaissance to the front. The Division went into position with the 136th Infantry on the right, the 130th Infantry in the center and the 123d Infantry on the left. PHASE II. 16 - 28 February In order to open the Rosario - Pozorrubio Highway it was necessary to drive the enemy from the dominating ground SE of Rosario. On 19 February the 3d Battalion, 130th Infantry and 3d Battalion, 136th Infantry began an assault on Bench Mark and Question Mark Hillsi The two battalions, with excellent artillery support, captured these objectives in four days of bloody fighting. This cracked the Japanese first line of defense in the rugged Caraballo Mountains. Following this action Hills 600 and 1802 were captured by el^fflîts of the 130th and 136th Infantry Regiments, thus se,curing^ thf Division ' right flank at Alibeng. „ rx('W.\ *'• vf £ I r n y 't \ % >'* • 1 . ^ PHAS|%ii11|,'*T _ pil&f On the Division left'*#rafik" Hills "X" and "Y" were a con- - 1 - If n $; -r ^^ ^ rm ^ Bfe stant threat to jp\ir fortes f'.because off*|&<£Ixcellent observa- "° n *h®y offoray j,|ljjB|n ^ thls *hr«»t re" quired the capture or The ni"rs, ana plans were made to ac complish this. Preliminary to this move however, the 123d Infantry secured the favorable ground along Santo Tomas, Am- bangonan and Maoasoas as a springboard for the attack. In order to maintain equal pressure along the entire front, ele ments of 130th and 136th Infantry Regiments executed a double envelopment to secure the high ground in the Twin Peaks Area astride Kennon Road. At the same time the 136th Infantry pushed forward along the right flank from the Kennon Road to Alibeng. PHASE IV 7-18 March \ The stage was set now for the push to capture Hills "X" and "Y", To insure the success of the operation it was nec essary to protect the left flank by capturing Aringay also. Acting on information obtained by the 33d Cavalry Reconnais sance Troop in an extended patrol of the Agoo-Aringay Area, the 1st Battalion of the 130th Infantry moved in a night at tack and secured the Aringay River Bridge, the Town of Aringay and its commanding ground. Simultaneously the 123d Infantry pushed north through Agoo and east into the Fugo River Valley securing the Town of Pugo and the dominating hills. Thus in one swift coordinated operation the Division captured the im portant 920 ft Aringay road and railroad bridges, advanced the Division left flank 15,000 yards, and opened two new routes to Baguio. Meanwhile the 136th Infantry advanced north along the winding canalized Kennon Road against determined enemy opposition, and after a series of bitterly contested actions secured the Camp 3 Area. PHASE V 19 March to 10 April In a surprise night attack, elements of the 130th Infan try (motorized) seized the Town of Bauang and its important bridges. They then swept northward into San Fernando and eastward into Naguilian in a move that caught the enemy com pletely off balance. The 123d Infantry also in a surprise night attack seized Hill 3000, 1 a highly J^portant terrain feature on the route to Tuba. Then th@^f^% Infantry turned its attention to Mount Calugong apd "aiBtefcV days of bitter fighting secured this point als'oV/In SL of attacks in itiated by the 123d Infancy %an^ completed by the 130th In fantry, strong en£.my\forc0f t'in,porsition on Mount Bilbil and Mount Lomboy were contained and b'y^^Ssed, and with the sei zure of Galiano and Asin an all^âj&her road to Baguio was uncovered. Meanwhile the 129th Regimental Combat Team, at tached to the Division, drove eastward from Naguilian along Highway 9 as far as Salat. PHASE VI 11 - 26 April The 37th Division then took over the left flank, of the Division north of Highway 9, and in relieving elements of the 32d Division our right flank was extended to San Nicholas and Tebbo. Elements of the 136th Infantry began aggressive pa trol action in this mountainous area while other elements pushed patrols into Camp 4 on the Kennon Road, Meanwhile elements of the 130th Infantry began an attack along the Gal- iano-Baguio Road and seized the Asin Tunnels. At the same time the 123d Infantry continued its advance from Mount Calu- gong to Tuba. The 123d and 130th Infantry Regiments then executed a double envelopment to seize Hill 24-A atop Mount Mirador overlooking the very heart of Baguio, The stage was now set for the final drive into Baguio and the 33d Division and the 37th Division made a coordinated attack and seized the Summer Capital and nearby Camp John Hay on April 26. PHASE VII 27 Aoril - 13 May The occupation of Baguio ushered in the final phase of the campaign. Elements of the 123d and the 130th Infantry Regiments eliminated the isolated pockets of enemy resistance in the areas around Mount Bilbil, Mount Lomboy, and Mount Santo Tomas. The 123d Infantry drove southward down the Ken non Road and made contact with the 136th Infantry in the vic inity of Camp 4. The 130th Infantry pushed to the south from Camp John Hay through Itogon and Dalupirip to the Tebbo Area and joined forces with elements of the 136th Infantry which had driven northward through agonizing terrain against bitter enemy resistance.

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