Guerrilla Daughter

7. The Japanese Expand Their Operations against the Guerrillas

112 Guerrilla Daughter  seven  The Japanese Expand Their Operations against the Guerrillas Rumors of additional Japanese troops landing on Mindanao continued to fly. Moreover, Japanese military units were now staying longer in areas they had previously only given token visits. As previously mentioned, Japanese forces were putting pressure on the guerrilla capability to move supplies by sea. Were developments all a part of the Japanese grand design to neutralize the guerrilla presence in the 110th Division’s operational area of responsibility? A report my father sent to division headquarters may have had some relevance to the attack by the Japanese that we experienced a few days later in Claver. In this report, dated November 28, 1943, Dad notes that the 114th Infantry regimental headquarters had received and passed on to the 110th Division headquarters reports of large numbers of Japanese troops landing in Surigao province as well as the island of Leyte to the north. Major Childress dispatched him to verify these reports. Upon arrival in Claver he found the information to be without foundation; however, it was confirmed that the Japanese were active in moving small numbers of troops to areas to which they had not previously deployed. The last item he reported stands out: “On the 24th of November two launches came to Claver, one a big one and the other a small one. They came right to the mouth of the river, stayed for around half an hour and took one banca which was anchored in the mouth of the river and took it to Surigao.” One item of Dad’s report would have been especially disturbing to him on both military and personal bases; the increased activity of Japanese launches in particular indicated that they were on the move, confirming that their campaign to extend their control over the coastal regions south of Surigao was 112 The Japanese Expand Their Operations 113 gaining momentum. Hank remembers being with Dad, Rudy, and many others on the banks of the river observing the two Japanese launches. “Looks like they’re up to something,” Dad said to the boys. While it was not clear whether the Japanese troops had simply paused during a routine maritime patrol for a quick look in the direction of the town or were actively reconnoitering the area in preparation for an impending raid, this brief foray into an area so close to the 114th Infantry Regiment’s headquarters raised the alert level to a higher degree. According to Hank, guerrilla forces doubled the number of sentries at the various lookout points covering both maritime and land routes into Claver. Until now our family had done reasonably well in evading the Japanese forces. However, as the end of 1943 approached, they had significantly strengthened their presence on the island and had increased the ferocity of their attacks against the guerrillas. Moreover, the Japanese commander for Mindanao issued a proclamation to the effect that any Americans found on the island would be summarily executed and anyone caught helping them would meet a similar fate. True to their word, particularly when they found a guerrilla, American or Filipino, the Japanese forces immediately executed him, usually by beheading. Afterward, they put the head of the dead person on a stake in the town plaza to demonstrate to the people the consequences of resisting Japanese occupation or aiding their enemies. Albert McCarthy, killed by the Japanese in an ambush, was treated exactly this way. After our move to Claver, Mom and Dad believed we were relatively safe under the protective umbrella of the 114th Infantry Regiment headquartered there, especially while Dad was away on his liaison-procurement trips. However , this recent visit of the enemy launches forced them to see that it was only a matter of time before the Japanese forces extended their control into our area. Once again, we had to find another hiding place. Our designated bakwitan could serve as a temporary refuge but because of its proximity to the town was unsuitable for a long-term stay. Furthermore, a radio station had recently been established at the top of the hill, utilizing equipment delivered by the SPYRON missions. While the transmitter site was certainly logical, Dad was concerned that its location above our bakwitan would compromise the security of our little sanctuary. Still, there were no specific indications of an imminent attack, and the 114th had its warning systems in place, so my parents decided that we could stay put in Claver until Dad’s...