July
1941
Journal of
Commodore
Ramon A. Alcaraz
July 1, 1941
Manila News today reveal about massive Nazi attacks on USSR
stretching 2,000 miles front from Arctic region to Black Sea. This
is a massive confrontation considering USSR has more than 4
million active troops and 3 million in reserves, total 7.15 million
world's largest. Germany has 3.5 M active, 3.35 M reserves;
Romania 1.8 M; Finland 401,000 both on Nazi side. Both sides
claim victories in attacks or counterattacks.
Italian East Africa surrenders to the British allowing King Hailie
Selassie to returned to his throne in Ethiopia. French Vichyites
also surrenders Syria to the Allies. The British put down uprising
in Iraq to gain complete control of the region.
July 1, 1941 - continued
Cadre training in all the 10 Mil Districts are continuing according
to the master plan. Each military district is supposed to train
4,000 yearly or a total of 40,000 per year and theoretically, after
10 years we will have 400,000 trained men. The Infantry is the
biggest PA branch of service and PCA alumni easily filled the
required officers. Col William Dosser '08 and Major Mateo
Capinpin of the Phil Scouts who was given the assimilated rank
of Col are the early pioneers of the Infantry that saw birth in
Camp Murphy where the Infantry School was established. Col
Dosser had two lovely daughters, Helen and Ruth, who used to
attend our socials at Teachers Camp. I wonder where they are
now.
Brig. Gen. Mateo M Capinpin, Inf.
Commanding Gen, 31st Div USAFFE
Philippine Scouts 1917; rose from the ranks
Pioneered the Philippine Infantry
July 6, 1941
Manila News today reveal about massive Nazi attacks on USSR
stretching 2,000 miles front from Arctic region to Black Sea. This is a
massive confrontation considering USSR has more than 4 million active
troops and 3 million in reserves, total 7.15 million world's largest.
Germany has 3.5 M active, 3.35M reserves; Romania 1.8M; Finland
401,000 both on Nazi side. Both sides claim victories in attacks or
counterattacks. Italian East Africa surrenders to the British allowing King
Hailie Selassie to returned to his throne in Ethiopia. French Vichyites
also surrenders Syria to the Allies. The British put down uprising in Iraq
to gain complete control of the region. Today’s Manila News says Gen
Castroux proclaimed Syrian independence on behalf of Free France.
USSR checked main German drive, hurling the Nazis back at Latvian
border. In New York, Joe Dimaggio of the Yankess, is setting baseball
record by hitting safely in 45 straight games so far. In nearby
IndoChina, the Japanese continue to mass troops which are
alarming to me. We continue our military training in all our cadres
according to the master plan.
July 6, 1941 - continued
Did you know the first officer picked by Pres Quezon to start the
OSP was Maj Rafael Ramos '17 because he was a Nautical
School graduate before PCA.
However, before he could do anything, Rep Manuel Roxas of
Capiz recommended a relative, Jose V Andrada USNA 31 then
Phil Nautical School Director.
Commissioned as a Captain, Andrada gathered fellow USNA
alumni Lts Alfredo Pecson '33; Enrique Jurado '34; Marcelo
Castillo '38; and Carlos Albert '39 to start the OSP at Muelle del
Codo, Port Area, Manila in Feb. 9,1939. Major Ramos together
with Maj Miguel Aguilar went on to pioneer the Quartermaster
Service after undergoing training in US QM School.
Col. Jose V Andrada
Chief OSP 1939-41 & 1945-47, USNA 1931
Pioneered OSP
July 12, 1941
Today’s front page news says Germany and Italy announced
plans to divide Yugoslavia and Croatia to be independent. FDR
announced the appointment of William Donovan to head the
newly formed Civil Intelligence Agency (CIA). Britain and
USSR pledge mutual aid for war effort. And William Holden
married today, in Las Vegas, Brenda Marshall. I remember
Brenda as a young student at Brent School across Leonard
Wood Drive from our White Hall Barracks. Lt Luis Villareal, then
Jr aide to Pres Quezon introduced me to her during a social at
Quezon's home at Legarda Road summer of 1937. She
attended our Sunday evening parade twice at Teachers Camp
same year. Now she is a famous Hollywood star. Sayang!
July 12, 1941 - continued
My Mistah Rey Mendoza of CAC, Ft Wint reported to me how
busy they are with their training in Grande Island. CAC was built
on solid foundation by its pioneer, US Army Maj Marquart who
taught early PA officers like Lts Silvino de Goma, Carlos
Gatmaitan, Jose Fernandez, Jose Cardenas, Fidel Llamas and
my seven classmates Caballero, Joe Mendoza, Job T Mayo,
Conrado Nano, Francisco Lumen and Ricardo Foronda. I
remember Maj Marquart as the Ft Wint Comdr during our first
class trip when we fired the CAC guns with disappearing
carriage. CAC Training was also available at Ft Mills in
Corregidor.
July 21, 1941
Our training during the past week on the 1st Q-Boat Squadron
was hectic and very extensive. Torpedo firing exercises were
conducted under the watchful eyes of our torpedo mentor
William Mooney. I really do not know how I fared during my turn
during those exercises. I know I scored several hits. Manila
newspapers today says the German advance smash near
Leningrad but the Soviets claimed the Nazi column crushed.
London BBC Broadcast to Europe encourages resistance
against the Nazi under the slogan "V for Victory." Meanwhile, it
was reported French Vichy govt yields military bases to the
Japanese in Indo-China to prevent the British from gaining
complete control of the area which consisted of Vietnam,
Cambodia and Burma.
July 21, 1941 - continued
My Mistah, Maning Acosta reported to me the feverish training
activities of the FA in Camp Dau. The early pioneers of the FA
were trained at the FA School at Ft Stotsenburg under Lt Col
Ralph Hirsh, USA FA, a product of the FA School, Ft Sills, OK.
Some of the early pioneers were Jesus Vargas, Alfonso
Arellano, Luis Villareal, Zoilo Perez, Felipe Pilapil, Francisco
Adriano, Simplicio Rivera and my seven classmates. Later an
FA School was established in Camp Dau. I have touched on
the early pioneers of PAAC, OSP, INF, CAC,QM, SigC and now
the FA.
July 21, 1941 - continued
The Med Corps was pioneered by Maj Joseph Weaver USA
MC, thence Victoriano Luna, Dino, Roman Salacup, Hospicio
Solidum. Early DCs were Fernandez and Hawkins (forgot their
first names). JAGO were Fred Ruiz Castro, Delfin Jaranilla,
Luis Torres, Sixto Carlos. The AGS were Federico Oboza and
Luis Florentin. Let me touch on the other branches of the PA as
I recall them. The early pioneer of the CE was a certain Maj
Torres from the USA CE, thence Antonio P Chanco, Rigoberto
Atienza, Pollard, Clemente Guerero, Benjamin Mata, Ramon
Olbes, Licurgo Estrada, Washington Sagun, Cipriano de Leon,
Reynaldo Bocalbos.
July 27, 1941
I did not pay so much attention when Lt Sid Huff, USN, our OSP
Advisor on the Staff of Gen MacArthur, told me last month that
his Boss may be Called to Active Duty. Today, its impact is
manifested after reading the front page news about Pres
Quezon's Proclamation No. 740, announcing the Military Orders
of US Pres FDR dated July 26, 1941 that the Phil Army is called
into the service of a newly formed United States Army Forces
Far East (USAFFE) and Lt Gen MacArthur CAD and
designated as Comdg General. We read the announcement
with serious trepidation but glad the USA is reacting to the
realities of what is happening in the area with the Japanese
building its military forces in French Indo China. It is also
reported that Japanese troops are flooding Cambodia and
Thailand with the consent of the French Vichy government.
July 27, 1941 - continued
I had dinner at Tom's Dixie hosted by Lt Tony Chanco USMA
'38 and with him were Lts. Vicente E Gepte USMA '40 and my
Mistah and Tocayo, Ramon Olbes. The main topic of our
discussion was the USAFFE whose new Hq will be at Victoria
St, Intramuros a few blocks from OSP Hq at Port Area, Manila.