World War II in Leyte

Early Skirmishes

BECAUSE many of those who were supposed to surrender were missing, the Japanese command ordered patrols into the interior to flush out the so-called renegades. The results were not so happy for the Japs. Many of the troops they sent out fell into the traps set by the local guerillas.

June 17, 1942: The Terraza unit ambushed an enemy wagon at Malirong, Palo.

June 26, 1942: Pamanian set up another ambush, destroying another enemy truck in Capoocan.

June 27, 1942: Balderian attacked Japanese patrols at Tibak bridge, in Palo.

July 4, 1942: Isidro Tizon of the Western Leyte Guerilla Warfare Front waylaid three trucks full of Japanese troops, destroying one and scuttling the other two.

July 7, 1942: Pamanian struck again at Nipa, Pinamopoan.

July 20, 1942: Pamanian hit the enemy at Visares, Capoocan.

July 31, 1942: Pamanian again made his mark on enemy troops at Lemon, Capoocan.

July 29, 1942: Landia saw action at Bo. Crossing, Abuyog and Nebga.

August 14, 1942: The Jain-Mosqueda unit hit a Japanese launch at Bil-atan Point.

August 29, 1942: Galenzoga's group in Baybay executed Japanese spies.

September 10, 1942: Bagaslao hit enemy trucks in a convoy at Makinhas, Baybay.

September, 1942: Thirty guerillas of the WLGWF ambushed 19 Japanese soldiers in Sitio Wangang, Damulaan, Albuera.

October 3, 1942: Balderian engaged enemy troops at Boyo, Telegrafo, Tolosa.

October 12, 1942: Erfe's troops attacked and re-took the town of La Paz.

October 15, 1942: Galenzoga waylaid an enemy force crossing Duncaan river in Baybay, killing two and wounding three.

November 1 - 8, 1942: Balderian attacked Japanese troops in Dagami, Dulag and Burawen.

November 15, 1942: Balderian once more hit the Japs in Dagami.

These small, hit-and-run attacks by Leyte's guerillas infuriated the Japanese that they retaliated savagely, pillaging population centers in the interior parts of the island. They bombed Alangalang, Jaro, San Miguel, Bo. Kilim of Baybay, Bo. Gibunawan and Paghudlan in Burawen, the camp of Landia in Abuyog; reinforced existing detachments, and reoccupied territories they had previously abandoned.

Kangleon's coming into the picture on January 1943 put some order and coordination among units previously operating independently. But it was only in the early months of 1944 when simultaneous guerilla operations were launched throughout the island.

At 1:30 early morning, February 1, 1944, Kangleon unleashed his troops on Japanese garrisons, his operations lasting up to September 1944, a month before MacArthur was scheduled to land in Leyte. In that span of nine months, guerilla troops under his command had 307 military engagements, causing 3,869 enemy troops to perish, about 485 wounded and 56 prisoners captured.

Historians are silent on the number of Filipino guerillas killed or wounded.

A few days before MacArthur's landing, Kangleon's forces numbered 3,328 troops. These were divided into three regiments: the 94th in the south, the 95th in the east and the 96th in the northwest.