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Post by The Phantom on Aug 11, 2009 1:37:20 GMT 8
From the following passage from the aforementioned book it would appear the 26th Cavalry still had some of their horses at this point in the battles on Bataan............
(The book, "The Fall of the Philippines" was written in 1953 by the Center for Military History, U.S. Army, I have the 50th anniversary edition)
"ON THE 15TH OF JANUARY THE TWO ELEMENTS OF THE 122D INFANTRY, (JAPANESE) JOINED, AND BY THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE REGIMENT WAS WITHIN A MILE OF MORON. WHEN IT CROSSED THE BATALAN RIVER, JUST NORTH OF THE VILLAGE, OPPOSED ONLY BY FIRE FROM AN AMERICAN PATROL, WAINWRIGHT HASTENED TO MORON WHERE HE ORGANINZED AND DIRECTED AN ATTACK BY THE 1ST INFANTRY AND TROOP E AND F OF THE 26TH CAVALRY. IN THIS FIRST ENGAGEMENT FOR I CORPS, THE HONORS WENT TO FILIPINO'S WHO FORCED THE JAPANESE BACK TO THE RIVER LINE. UNFORTUNATELY THE CAVALRYMEN SUFFERED HEAVILY IN MEN AND ANIMALS AND HAD TO BE WITHDRAWN."
My question is, what was the terrain like in that area? Cavalry fighting possible, or it was not, thus all the casualties?
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Post by okla on Aug 11, 2009 6:10:19 GMT 8
hey phantom....from what i have read, the terrain involved in this action wasnt exactly ideal for cavalry. this operation sounded more like a wild west shootout in a dodge city like sitting with the mounted horsemen racing thru the streets. they did break up the Japanese attack and advance as i get it, but werent able to sustain their momentum. you, of course, know that this little fracas is generally recognized as the last official "mounted charge" by US Army horse cavalry. these guys were certainly unique in every way to my way of thinking.
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Post by The Phantom on Oct 5, 2009 3:37:58 GMT 8
The end of the Cavalry as a mounted unit can be traced to before March 15th, 1942.
"While it lasted fresh meat was issued to the troops at regular intervals, usually every third day.This meat was obtained principally from the Carabao slaughtered at the recently established abattoir near Lamao and at scattered, small slaughterhouses consisting of little more than platforms over swiftly running fresh water streams.
In the absence of refrigeration the Carabao were kept in enclosures until a fresh meat issue was due, then quickly slaughtered and issued to the troops.
Towards the end of the campaign about 600 of the butchered Carabao were sent to Corregidor for storage in the refrigeration plant and later returned to Bataan for distribution.
When the forage for animals was exhausted, the 250 horses of the 26th Cavalry and the 48 pack mules, were regretfully slaughtered also.
Maj. Achille C. Tisdelle , a Cavalry officer and aide to General King, wrote on March 15th that the 26th Cavalry and other units had that day finished the last of their horses." This information from; "THE FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES"
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Post by okla on Oct 5, 2009 6:23:42 GMT 8
hey phantom....i have always heard that the first horse slaughtered was genl wainwright's favorite mount, joseph conrad. "skinny" supposedly said that if the 26th's mounts were to be sacrificed that he wanted the first horse to his own. genl wainwright was a soldier's soldier. in my humble he was the hero of bataan.
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Post by The Phantom on Oct 11, 2009 21:13:54 GMT 8
I believe I read that about General Wainwright also. His horse was the first served to the starving soldiers.
He was the hero, did all the dirty work, and was Mac Arthur's fall guy until after the war, when he had him at the surrender signing in Tokyo Bay on the battleship Missouri. Wainwright and General King had to "endure the unendurable" and surrender American forces.
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Post by okla on Oct 11, 2009 23:12:11 GMT 8
hey phantom...I am sure you are aware of the fact that Genl MacArthur threw up a roadblock on Skinny Wainwright being awardrd the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1942 or 1943, reducing the award to the DSC. Wainwright did finally receive the much deserved medal in 1945. President Truman awarded the honor, saying something like, "i enjoyed presenting the General that medal about as much as i have ever enjoyed anything". In my humble, Genl MacArthur was extremely "petty" in the matter of getting Wainwright the medal in 1942. Mac was a great military stratigist, leader, etc, but he certainly had his personal flaws. Having said all this, i am still glad he was on our side. I especially appreciate the fact that he stuck to his guns in the matter of retaking/liberating the Phillipines instead of going the US Navy's route of focusing on Formosa and the China coast. He could see that the US owed it to the Philippines to get the Japanese off the filipino people's back before we did anything about Formosa, Okinawa,etc. Simply put, it was a matter of honor and duty toward the people who stood by our side during that dismal period back in early 1942.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Dec 6, 2016 18:18:24 GMT 8
FILIPINO VETERANS FINALLY RECEIVE A U.S. MEDAL, THE GOLD MEDAL News from the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society and Gen. AntonioTaguba from the Filipino Recognition and Education Project. V437. This is the screen shot of the PSHS email heading. Thank you Vic Verano, he is the secretary of the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society. This is the URL: www.philippine-scouts.org/Vic sent me an email about the news that the US Government granted this Gold Medal. The contents is copied and pasted below here: (Sent to PSHS email list) View this email in your browser CONGRESS APPROVES CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS A message from Gen. Antonio Taguba: December 2, 2016 Ladies and Gentlemen, Yesterday at 5:29pm, Nov 30, 2016, we witnessed from the gallery in Capitol Hill, the passage by Act of Congress of the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015. Simply, this was a highly emotional and historic period in US history. This historic act by the United States Congress to recognize the gallantry, selfless sacrifice, and honorable service of the 260,000 Filipino soldiers – men and women – who served under the United States Forces Far East in defense of the United States and Philippines has been long awaited. It took nearly 75 years to gain this recognition. While we all know and appreciate what the veterans had done to accomplish their mission, how they suffered deeply the injustice and indignation, and how their courage and loyalty to country carried their hopes through these long years, their day of justice became reality on Nov 30, 2016 – on the eve of Dec 8th – the day the Philippines was attacked by the Japanese Imperial Forces. The Congressional Gold Medal is now their symbol of dignity and honor restored, and the triumph they had sought for a very long time. I want to personally thank each and every one of you for accomplishing this mission for the veterans and their loved ones. We did this all for them and nothing more. There is no greater act we could have done than help them with their cause to be recognized, at last, by a grateful Nation and by an Act of Congress. They deserve this more than we can ever imagine. We are deeply and eternally grateful to them for preserving our lives in this country and Philippines. They will always serve as the beacon of inspiration for all Filipinos, Filipino-Americans, and Americans alike. But the work does not stop here. We have much more to do in the near term. I would hope you will continue to help endure the FILVETREP mission and extend the legacy of the veterans and the significance of the Congressional Gold Medal for generations to come. We have now elevated and preserved their prominence in American history. Thank you for your volunteerism and service. HOOAAAAH! Sincerely Tony Taguba Major General, US Army Retired Chairman, FILVETREP ---------------- To compile the needed roster for the award, PSHS President, Brig. Gen. Oscar Hilman is asking members to fill out the attached form and send to Alan Figuracion. It can be sent electronically via email or mailed via hardcopy. Please include a form of documentation that shows your relative to be a member of a military unit. Please click and download this form: FilVetRepsForm.pdf URLs Phil Scouts & Filipino Vets. Philippine Scout Heritage Society www.philippine-scouts.org/1940's Philippine Commonwealth Army's blue uniform corregidor.proboards.com/thread/1654/1940s-philippine-commonwealth-armys-uniformPhilippine Scouts, retired (12/26/1941) corregidor.proboards.com/thread/507/philippine-scouts-retired-12-1941Philippine scouts heritage society reunion part1 corregidor.proboards.com/thread/1149/philippine-scouts-heritage-society-reunion26th Cavalry Philippine Scouts corregidor.proboards.com/thread/483/26th-calvalry-philippine-scoutsVideo: Philippine Scouts reunion 2009 corregidor.proboards.com/thread/418/video-philippine-scouts-reunion-2009
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Post by Karl Welteke on Jan 25, 2017 14:52:12 GMT 8
Philippine Scouts 26th Cavalry Ceremonial Mounted Unit to be in the Tournament of Roses 2017 Rose Parade The National Secretary of the Philippine Scout Heritage Society, Victor Verano, sent me an email with the above news. His press release and pictures were included and are presented here. He sent it on the 30th Dec. 2016 and only now did I find time to pass it on. They did participate and you can find it in the www, it is reported. And if you interested in the scouts you can look up their webpage with this URL: www.philippine-scouts.org/V580. The Los Angeles based living history group named the 26th Cavalry Ceremonial Mounted Unit (26th Cavalry CMU) comprised of equestrians living in California. This photo was sent to me by the National Secretary of the Philippine Scout Heritage Society, Victor Verano. This is the written part: Los Angeles, CA Dec. 30, 2016: The Los Angeles based Lt. Alexander Nininger Chapter of the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, which honors the legacy of the US Army’s Philippine Scouts will be one of ninety four entries in the 2017 Rose Parade to be held on January 2, 2017. This will be the first time that the historical Filipino and American US Army Unit, the Philippine Scouts, will be featured and this unique World War II Unit will be represented in the parade by the living history group named the 26th Cavalry Ceremonial Mounted Unit (26th Cavalry CMU) comprised of Nininger Chapter members made up of Descendants of Philippine Scouts, Businessmen, Educators, retired Professionals, Law Enforcement and California State Military personnel living in California. The historical Philippine Scouts were composed of Filipino enlisted men commanded by American Officers. General Douglas MacArthur was their Supreme Commander and they were often called “MacArthur’s Soldiers”. With the theme of the upcoming Tournament of Roses being “Echoes of Success”, the 26th Cavalry (PS) Ceremonial Mounted Unit and its affiliate – the Lt. Alexander Nininger Living History Company (Lt. Alexander Nininger LHC), fit right into this year’s theme by representing Military Units of America’s Greatest Generation and the success they had in defeating the problems and tribulations of their time. The story of the Philippine Scouts reverberates and echoes their success through slogans coined by men who experienced those times, “I Shall Return”, “Strong to Endure”, “Anywhere, Anytime” and “Our Strength is in Loyalty”. The group also honors the gallant United States Army Forces of the Far East (USAFFE) who affected and delayed Japanese Imperial Army plans on conquering the Pacific Far East and Australia in World War II. With Southern California having the largest concentration of Filipino Americans in the United States and having an opportunity to tell the whole world about the valiant Filipino Soldiers and Philippine Scouts, the 26th Cavalry CMU and the Lt. Alexander Nininger LHC are greatly honored to participate in the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade. The 26th Cavalry CMU is Entry # 78. The Rose Parade will start at 8:00 am (West Coast Time) and will be shown on all major TV Networks. V581. The 2017 Tournament of Roses Equestrian Committee with the 26th Cavalry CMU; this photo was sent to me by the National Secretary of the Philippine Scout Heritage Society, Victor Verano.
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