March
1942
Journal of
Commodore
Ramon A. Alcaraz
March 9, 1942
The lull in Bataan that started last Feb. 23 continues. The
enemy is either regrouping, licking their USAFFE inflicted
wounds during the Battle of the Points and Pockets last month
or waiting for reinforcements.
Taking advantage of the lull, a reorganization was effected with
the Visayas-Mindanao Force by separating the Visayas Force
as a distinct command under B/Gen Bradford G Chenoweth and
dividing it further into five garrisons: Panay Gerrison under Col
Albert Christie; Negros Garrison under LCol Roger Hillsman;
Cebu Garrison under LCol Irvine Schrudder; Bohol Garrison
under LCol Arthur Grimes; and Leyte-Samat Garrison under
LCol Theodore M Carrol.
March 9, 1942 - continued
The remaining P-40s hidden in Bataan raided enemy base in
Subic, sank one tanker and two cargo ships and started fires on
other vessels, Olongapo docks and Fort Wint.
Food rations were further reduced to three eights from half due
to acute food shortages. Enemy propaganda through Manila
Radio KZRH, loudspeakers at the front lines and leaflets
dropped by planes continue uninterrupted but have no mark
effect on our morale. The Voice of Freedom is doing a great job
countering enemy propaganda. It is the Mosquitos in the Bataan
jungles that are becoming allied to the enemy inflicting deadly
malaria on our troops.
March 12, 1942
I've been using "All Quiet" meaning no exchanges of fires nor
enemy bombings since the last week of Feb. It is not really
"Quiet" as the propaganda war with enemy loudspeakers blaring
in the front lines of Bataan and enemy planes dropping leaflets
to our troops. I would say, what is now going on is a "WORD
WAR". The Voice of Freedom is doing a great job for our side.
Q-111 engines overhaul by Lt Zulueta's gang was completed rwo
days ago and resumed patrolling Bataan east coast last night.
For a change, Q-112 was directed to patrol Bataan west coast
and Q-113 had a special mission landing an army unit in
Zambales area to start guerilla warfare also last night. Early
today, the three Q-Boats returned to Sisiman Cove with all theit
missions accomplished specially that one by Q-113 of Lt S C
Nuval.
March 12, 1942 - continued
At noontime, I noted the four PT Boats have not returned to
Sisiman Cove and when I visited Corregidor in the afternoon, I
learned from Lt Leonie Guerero at PRO that Gen MacArthur
and a party of 26 left Corregidor using PT-41, PT-32, PT-34 &
PT-35 of Lt Bulkeley in compliance with FDR's orders. I also
learned that my friend, Maj Huff, was with the party and
understood why he "borrowed" late last month my portable
rubber boat which, I am sure, was brought along. Among those
in the party, aside from the general and his wife, were their
young son, Arthur and his Amah, Gen R Sutherland and two
USN officers Adm H Rockwell and Capt H Ray. I consider using
PT Boats to get out of Corregidor perilous as the enemy had
complete control of the air and sea. A submarine is safer and
available. Now, I realize why I had to patrol the area previously
covered by PT Boats and Q-113 mission to Zambales last night
as clever diversionary tactics to cover MacArthur's escape.
March 15, 1942
"Word War" continues. Q-112 is now assigned to patrol West
Bataan Coast, previously a responsibility Lt Bulkeley's PT
Boats. Q-111 of Capt Navarette now covers Bataan East Coast.
It is now Q-113's turn for engine overhaul.
I surmise that by now, Gen MacArthur and party must have
reached Del Monte Airfield in Bukidnon where Gen Brereton's
B-17 shuttle service to Australia is. The PT's have to take
advantage of darkness and it would only take two nights to
reach the nearest northern Mindanao port to Del Monte. They
could be there two days ago on the 13th although, I think, the
enemy does not know this.
Q-112 and Q-113
OSP Torpedo Boats
March 15, 1942 - continued
Pres. Quezon left Corregidor 20 days ahead of Gen MacArthur
who wanted his Compadre (Quezon) to proceed to Australia per
invitation of FDR. But Quezon, still sulking and upset that
mother America failed him on reinforcements, debarked in San
Jose, Antique. From there, he traveled to different places in
Panay Island and later crossed to Negros where he is now.
Apparently he does not like to leave his people and I wonder
what he will do.
Before Gen MacArthur departed Corregidor, he relinquished his
USAFFE Command quietly to Gen Wainwright, newly
designated C-in-C, US Forces in the Phil (USFIP). Gen Edward
King took over the Bataan command of Wainwright.
March 18, 1942
This is the 24th "Lull Day" in all fronts and the "Word War" going
on helped to obscure the secret escape of Gen MacArthur from
Corregidor a week ago. Meanwhile, Q-112 continues her
routine patrol of West Bataan Coast while Q-111 covers East
Bataan Coast.
Finally, yesterday, the whole world knew the dramatic escape.
Upon arrival of Gen MacArthur and party at Bachelors Field, 40
miles south of Darwin, Australia from Mindanao, confronted by
the Australian press, he said, "The President of the US ordered
me to break through the Japanese lines and proceed from
Corregidor to Australia for the purpose, as I understand it, of
organizing the American offensive against Japan, a primary
object of which is the relief of the Philippines. “I CAME
THROUGH and I SHALL RETURN".
Q-Boat depth charge firings
March 18, 1942 - continued
No mention was made of the arrival of Pres Quezon and party
in Australia aboard another B-17 that left Mindanao a bit ahead
of MacArthur's B-17. I understand the general would not leave
Mindanao without his "Compadre" Quezon left sulking in the
Visayas. Besides, Pres Roosevelt wants Quezon to have his
govt in exile in USA.
I calculated that it would take only two nights for the PTs to
make the 620 miles from Corregidor to Cagayan de Oro,
nearest port to Del Monte Airfield in Mindanao where the B-17
shuttle to Australia operates. My calculation was confirmed by
Corregidor USN Intelligence tracking Adm Rockwell and Capt
Ray aboard PT-34 of Lt Kelley as the party had, in fact, arrived
in Cagayan de Oro early morning of March 13.
March 18, 1942 - continued
The news about MacArthur's dramatic escape using PT Boats
instead of submarines is devastating to the enemy.
We, of the 1st Q-Boat Sqn, are proud of our brethrens of PT
Ron Three under Lt Bulkeley for their accomplishments. I
expect to know more details about this escapade from friends at
USN Intelligence.
March 20, 1942
This is the 26th day of "Lull in All Fronts" as Q-112 and Q-111
continue with their nightly routine Bataan sea coastal patrols.
From the office of Major Romulo and USN Intelligence in
Corregidor, I learned more details of that dramatic escape of
MacArthur from Corregidor using PT Boats instead of a
Submarine. The party boarded after dark March 11, at South
Dock, distributed in 4 PT Boats with Gen MacArthur and family
aboard PT-41 (Bulkeley's flagship) Ens George Cox, CO; Adm
Rockwell aboard PT-34 Lt R Kelly, CO: other PT-32 Lt (jg) V
Schumacher, CO; PT-35 Ens Akers, CO. Under cover of
darkness, the PTs got thru the minefields and dashed for the
open China Sea on their 620 mile journey to North Mindanao
headed for Cuyo Gp where they spent daylight March 12 at
Tagcauayan. PT 32 had engine trouble, passengers and crew
transferred to other PTs and abandoned. They expected
rendezvous with a back-up no show submarine.
March 20, 1942 - continued
The night of March 12 -- dashed southeast at 40 knots arriving
0700 March 13 at Cagayan de Oro Wharf where Gen Sharp
welcomed MacArthur aboard PT-41 and PT-34 with military
honors. PT-35 arrived much later due to engine problem.
MacArthur and party were escorted to nearby Del Monte
Pineapple Plantation whose Airfield is used by the B-17 Shuttle
to Australia. Adequate quarters and facilities at Del Monte were
most welcomed by a very weary and tired group that suffered
severe sea-sickness and shaken like pop-corn in rough seas
cramped among torpedo tubes as quarters.
March 22, 1942
The "Lull In Bataan" continues on its 28th day but let me
continue with more additional details learned from Major
Romulo's office about the dramatic escape of MacArthur from
Corregidor eleven days ago. Immediately after Gen MacArthur's
arrival at Del Monte on March 13, Gen Sharp gave a briefing
about Vis-Min Area and fresh reports say Pres Quezon is still
wavering on whether he will leave the Philippines or not and is
hiding somewhere in Negros Oriental about 100 miles north.
Alarmed and greatly disturbed by this report MacArthur
summoned Lt John Bulkeley and ordered him to locate and
"persuade" Quezon to join them at Del Monte with Lt Col Andres
Soriano as guide and a few men of Gen Sharp to assist. Using
PT-41 and PT-35, Bulkeley and Soriano were able to locate
Quezon hiding in Bais, Negros Oriental. At first, Quezon
refused to budge and it took some "persuasion" by a pirate
looking Bulkeley for Quezon and party to finally relent and
board PT-41 & PT-35.
March 22, 1942 - continued
On their way to Cagayan de Oro, PT- 35 went aground and her
passengers were transferred, packed like sardines that upset
Quezon, to PT-41. Military Honors was rendered by Gen Sharp
on Quezon upon arrival at Cagayan de Oro Wharf. MacArthur
lost no time placating the hurt feelings of his Compadre and so
before midnight of March 16, Quezon and party boarded a B-17
at Del Monte and headed for Australia. Shortly, thereafter,
MacArthur and party boarded another B-17 that took them to
Bachelors Field where he declared his famous "I Shall Return"
on March 17.
March 22, 1942 - continued
By this time, of the original 6 PTs, only PT-41of Bulkeley's PT
Squadron remains. Lt Bulkeley was left behind and given
instructions by MacArthur to reconnoiter the Southern Cotabato
Coast for possible Allied landing sites when MacArthur returns
as he intended.
March 25, 1942
This is the 31st day "Lull in Bataan" as the Q-Boats continue
their routine monotonous Coastal Patrols. As good and bad
news are hard to come by, it is only today I learned of the fate of
the big ships of Adm Hart's Asiatic Fleet that moved to Dutch
East Indies waters last December and later became part of the
Allied Naval Forces under Dutch Adm E E Helfrich. In late
January, the USS Boise ran aground and lucky to return to USA
for repairs to fight another day. The USS Marblehead was
badly damaged after enemy attacks in February, managed to be
towed to Boston via South Africa for repairs to fight again later.
However, the big cruiser USS Houston ran out of luck and sunk
during the battle of Java Sea with many casualties. Half of the
29 submarines under Capt John Wilkes became a part of Adm
Helfrich naval forces and operated in Surabaya.
March 25, 1942 - continued
Finally, after eight days fighting following the Japanese landings
in Java, the Allied Forces of more than 100,000 troops
capitulated to the Japanese Forces. The USAFFE is not doing
bad at all considering that we have not given up 106 days now
after the initial Japanese landings in Luzon last Dec 10 despite
lack of reinforcements, supplies and other handicaps.
Before the Dutch surrendered in Java, the submarine force
under Capt Wilkes moved to Freemantle, Australia as new base
of operations. The other half of the Asiatic submarine force
under Captain James Fife went directly from the Philippines to
Darwin, Australia where they operated supporting USAFFE
operations like bringing badly needed ammo and evacuating
certain critical passengers like Pres Quezon and party, High
Commissioner Francis B Sayre and party and other selected
military personnel as directed from time to time.
March 30, 1942
Two days ago, Q-112 became NRFS (not ready for sea) the first
time since the war started. Her main engines have exceeded
the 700 hrs operation by 200 hrs and are due for extensive
overhaul by Lt Joe Zulueta and his mechanics. I and the crew
are having a respite at our Bataan Shore Camp upstream
Sisiman River.
The two days I've been ashore gave me time to ponder our
‘fate’ for the first time. This is the 36th day "Lull" and when I
saw some of the troops of the 2nd Reg Div, I could feel the
effects of starvation diet and ravages of sickness living in the
jungles of Bataan from their gaunt bodies and sunken eyes. It
dawned on me that the enemy may just prolong the "Lull" and
like a plant, we will just "die in the vine".
March 30, 1942 - continued
The signs are clear but I refused to see them. For instance,
when War Plan Orange was made effective last Dec 24, that was
the initial bad sign. By the end of Dec, the Asiatic Fleet and
remaining B-17s had scampered south. No reinforcements were
possible as long as the enemy retain air and sea power. Pres
Quezon, H.C. Sayre and Gen MacArthur are all gone now.
After the Asiatic Fleet abandoned us last Dec, our naval defense
relied on nine torpedo boats (6PTs & 3 Qs). Since last Mar. 11
when MacArthur used the remaining PTs, our naval defense fell
on these hapless three Q-Boats and so for the past twenty days,
our very own three Q-Boats are the only fighting ships to support
our beleaguered USAFFE troops. I can only wish that those
eight Q-Boats under construction at Engineer Island were
completed before the start of WW II-wishful thinking ashore in
Bataan.