The following are pages from copies of affidavit documents sent to me by Ed Ramsey regarding their last cavalry charge in Bataan.
At the PSHS reunion in 2009, I showed present day pictures of the Abucay line to an audience of veterans, family, and other reunion attendees. I don't think I had made it clear that the pictures were of locations I was able to visit and not a comprehensive presentation of the whole line. At some point Col. Ramsey asked about the western most area of the line where the 26th Cav was heavily engaged near the town of Morong. This was where the the 26th Cav made history as having made the US Army's last horse cavalry charge. Well I reiterated to everyone that I was only showing pictures of places I was fortunate enough to have visited and that I hadn't been to Morong yet (at that time, but visited in 2010). He seemed disappointed that my slideshow didn't have anything on the area they were engaged in.
After the presentation, Col. Ramsey asked me to make sure to touch base with him for a few minutes before the reunion was over. He even joked around that he was going to "straighten me out." He basically just made sure that we had each other's emails and said he had some research documents to send me. He did.
They were affidavit statements made by then Sgt. Major Eliseo Mallari who commanded the cavalry platoon that followed Col. Ramsey's point platoon that made the charge into Morong. The other affidavit was by PFC Pedro Euperio, the point cavalryman for Col. Ramsey's platoon, who was shot at and wounded by the Japanese right before the charge.
(click the thumbnails for bigger version)
I thought this note was priceless for me:
Lt. Col. Eliseo Mallari's sworn statement with his perspective of the fight:
PFC Pedro Euperio's statement:
Col. Ramsey's statement (sent in Word document)
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MEMORANDUM TO FILE RE LAST CAVALRY CHARGE
SUBJECT: LAST HORSE CAVALRY CHARGE IN U.S. ARMY HISTORY
In 1985, while I was still living in Manila, as a result of a question from Col. Jim Spurrier, then President of the U.S. Horse Cavalry Assn., as to any supporting witnesses as to the supposed Last Cavalry Charge in the Battle of Morong, in Bataan, on Jan. 16, 1942, I started inquiring as to any living veterans of the 26th Cavalry Regiment, Philippine Scouts (PS), who might have information regarding that battle. I learned of two men alive who were members of Troop E/F, a consolidated troop due to massive losses, which was the troop I had volunteered to lead into that action. As an aside, Captain John Wheeler, who was Troop E Commander, submitted a citation for me for the Distinguished Service Cross while he was in the hospital following the battle. Unfortunately, the Chief of Staff of Gen. Wainwright who came in to observe the battle after the Charge was over but while the dismounted battle was still going on, cited me for a Silver Star before Wheelers citation for a DSC was received and thus I got the Silver Star instead of the DSC for that battle, which Capt. Wheeler told me a few days later when I was admitted to the hospital, that it was coming. Sadly, Wheeler died on one of the Hell Ships.
I learned that PFC Pedro Euperio, an enlisted man in the 1st Platoon of Troop E, was still alive and living in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. He was the same soldier, who was in the Point in advance of me, that I had sighted for a Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism in the battle of Morong and about whom I have written in Lieut. Ramsey’s War. I had cited him while I was in the hospital and supposed that he had died from the severe wounds received during the battle. Surprisingly, he lived and received his DSC. I contacted him and he came to Manila to execute an affidavit regarding the circumstances of the battle and the Last Cavalry Charge. He executed an affidavit as to his recollection of the event, a copy of which is attached.
I also learned that the former Sergeant Major of the 2nd Squadron of the 26th Cavalry Regiment, (PS), Eliseo Mallari, was still alive and retired in Pampanga as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U. S. Army. He had been a 2nd Lieutenant in the reserves and called to duty at the beginning of the war and was the Platoon Leader of the 2nd Platoon of the troop and followed directly behind me leading up to the Charge and the Battle. He observed the Charge and the battle and came to Manila where he executed an affidavit as to the event, a copy of which is attached.
Copies of both of the above action report/affidavits were sent to the United States Cavalry Association and should be in their archives.
A detailed report of the Last Charge, appears in my book, Lieutenant Ramsey’s War, in the Section of “Stotsenburg” and sub-section “The Charge.”
Edwin P. Ramsey