Difference between revisions 119849485 and 119849486 on dewiki

{{Coord|15|30|34|N|121|02|40|E|region:PH_type:landmark|display=title}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Raid at Cabanatuan
|image=[[File:POWs celebrate.jpg|300px|alt=A couple hundred men are all facing the camera, smiling and cheering. Many have their hands raised. The men are wearing uniforms, t-shirts, and shorts. Huts and trees can be seen in the background.]]
|caption=Former Cabanatuan POWs in celebration, January 30, 1945
|partof=World War II, [[Pacific War|Pacific theater]]
(contracted; show full)culture]] station and then a training camp for the Filipino army.<ref name="McRaven 247">{{harvnb|McRaven|1995|p=247}}</ref> When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, they used the camp to house American POWs. It was one of three camps in the Cabanatuan area and was designated for holding sick detainees.<ref name="Waterford 252">{{harvnb|Waterford|1994|p=252}}</ref><ref name="Carson 37">{{harvnb|Carson|1997|p=37}}</ref> Occupying more than 
25&nbsp;acres{{convert|25|acres|km2}}, the rectangular-shaped camp was {{convert|800|yd|m|abbr=off}} deep by {{convert|600|yd|m|abbr=off}} across, divided by a road that ran through its center.<ref name="Alexander 231">{{harvnb|Alexander|2009|p=231}}</ref><ref name="Sides 169"/><ref name="Shoot3303">{{Cite episode|title=WWII: Raid on the Bataan Death Camp|series=Shootout!|serieslink=Shootout!|network=[[History (TV channel)|History Channel]]|airdate=December&nbsp;1, 2006|season=2|number=(contracted; show full)

The imprisoned soldiers received two meals a day of steamed rice, occasionally accompanied by fruit, soup, or meat.<ref name="Parkinson 132">{{harvnb|Parkinson|2006|p=132}}</ref> To supplement their diet, prisoners were able to smuggle food and supplies 
hidden in their underwear into the camp during Japanese-approved trips to Cabanatuan, usually in their underwear. To prevent extra food, jewelry, diaries, and other valuables from being confiscated, items were hidden in clothing, latrines, or were buried before scheduled inspections.<ref name="Wright 64">{{harvnb|Wright|2009|p=64}}</ref><ref name="Carson 81">{{harvnb|Carson|1997|p=81}}</ref> Prisoners collected food using a variety of methods including stealing, bribing guards, planting gardens, and killing animals which entered the camp such as mice, snakes, ducks, and str(contracted; show full)

[[File:Henry mucci.jpg|right|thumb|alt=A standing man is smiling and staring off to his left. He has a smoke pipe in his mouth and is wearing a military uniform and hat.|Lt. Col. Henry Mucci]]
White gathered [[Lieutenant Colonel|Lt. Col.]] [[Henry Mucci]], leader of the [[6th Ranger Battalion]], and three lieutenants from the [[Alamo Scouts]]&ndash;the special 
[[reconnaissance]] unit attached to his Sixth Army&ndash;for a briefing on the mission to raid Cabanatuan and rescue the POWs.<ref name="Breuer 1489"/> The group developed a plan to rescue the prisoners. Fourteen Scouts, made up of two teams, would leave 24&nbsp;hours ahead of the main force, to survey the camp.<ref name="Rottman 19">{{harvnb|Rottman|2009|p=19}}</ref> The main force would consist of 90&nbsp;Rangers from C Company and 30 from F Company who would march 30&nbsp;miles behind Japanese lines, surround the camp, kill the guards, and rescue and escort the prisoners back to American lines.<ref name="Breuer 1489"/><ref name="Shoot2920">{{Cite episode|title=WWII: Raid on the Bataan Death Camp|series=Shootout!|serieslink=Shootout!|network=[[History (TV channel)|History Channel]]|airdate=December&nbsp;1, 2006|season=2|number=5|minutes=29:20}}</ref> The Americans would join up with 80&nbsp;Filipino guerrillas, who would serve as guides and help in the rescue attempt.<ref name="Shoot3220">{{Cite episode|title=WWII: Raid on the Bataan Death Camp|series=Shootout!|serieslink=Shootout!|network=[[History (TV channel)|History Channel]]|airdate=December&nbsp;1, 2006|season=2|number=5|minutes=32:20}}</ref> The agreed on plan figured the attack would commenceinitial plan was to attack the camp at 17:30 on January&nbsp;29.<ref name="Breuer 150">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=150}}</ref>

On the evening of January&nbsp;27, the Rangers studied air reconnaissance photos and listened to guerrilla intelligence on the prison camp.<ref name="Breuer 154">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=154}}</ref> The two&nbsp;five-man teams of Alamo Scouts, led by [[First Lieutenant|1st Lts.]] William Nellist and Thomas Rounsaville, left [[Guimba, Nueva Ecija|Guimba]] at 19:00 and infiltrated behind enemy lines for the long trek to attempt a reconnaissance of the prison camp.<ref name="Breuer 3">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=3}}</ref><ref name="Zedrick 187">{{harvnb|Zedrick|1995|p=187}}</ref><ref name="Sides 124">{{harvnb|Sides|2001|p=124}}</ref> The Scouts were armed with a .45&nbsp;pistol, three&nbsp;hand grenades, a rifle or [[M1 carbine]], a knife, and extra ammunition.<ref name="Breuer 154"/> The next morning, the Scouts linked up with several Filipino guerrilla units at the village of Platero, {{convert|2|mi|km|abbr=off}} north of the camp.

The Rangers were armed with assorted [[Thompson submachine gun]]s, [[M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle|BARs]], [[M1 Garand|M1 Garand rifles]], pistols, grenades, knives, extra ammunition, as well as a few [[bazooka]]s.<ref name="Breuer 158"/><ref name="Sides 73">{{harvnb|Sides|2001|p=73}}</ref> Four&nbsp;combat photographers from the 832nd Signal Service volunteered to accompany the Scouts and Rangers to record the rescue after Mucci suggested the idea of documenting the raid.<ref name="Sides 645">{{harvnb|Sides|2001|p=64–65}}</ref> Each photographer was armed with a pistol.<ref name="Breuer 157">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=157}}</ref> Despite Geneva Convention restrictions on armed medical personnel, surgeon Captain Jimmy Fisher and his medics each carried pistols and carbines.<ref name="Breuer 158"/><ref name="Sides 73"/> To maintain a link between the raiding group and Army Command, a radio set was basoutpost was established outside of Guimba. The force had two&nbsp;radios, but their use was only approved in asking for aircraft support if they ran into large Japanese forces or if there were last-minute changes to the raid (as well as calling off friendy fire by American aircraft).<ref name="Breuer 158">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=158}}</ref><ref name="Rottman 19"/>

== Behind enemy lines ==
(contracted; show full) 4">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=4}}</ref> Shortly thereafter they were joined by three&nbsp;other Scouts, whom Nellist tasked to deliver the report to Mucci.<ref name="Sides 172">{{harvnb|Sides|2001|p=172}}</ref> Nellist and Vaquilar remained in the shack until the start of the raid.<ref name="Sides 225">{{harvnb|Sides|2001|p=225}}</ref>

Mucci had already given Nellist's January&nbsp;29 afternoon report and forwarded it to Capt. Prince, who
m he entrusted to determine how to get the Rangers in and out of the compound quickly, and with as few casualties as possible. Price developed a plan, which was then modified in light of the new report from the abandoned shack reconnaissance received at 14:30.<ref name="Sides 174">{{harvnb|Sides|2001|p=174}}</ref> He proposed that the Rangers would be split into two groups: about 90&nbsp;Rangers of C Company, led by Capt. Prince, would attack the main camp and escort the prisoners out, while 30&nbsp;Rangers of a platoon from F Company, commanded by Lt. John Murphy, would signal the start of the attack by firing into various Japanese positions at the rear of the camp at 19:30.<ref name="Sides 224">{{harvnb|Sides|2001|p=224}}</ref><ref name="Breuer 165">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=165}}</ref> Prince predicted that the raid would be accomplished in thirty30&nbsp;minutes or less. Once Prince had ensured that all of the POWs were safely out of the camp, he would fire a red flare, indicating that all troops should fall back to a meetup at Pampanga River {{convert|1.5|mi|km|abbr=off}} north of the camp where 150&nbsp;guerrillas would be ready with carabao-pulled carts to transport the POWs.<ref name="Breuer 164"/> This group would help to load the POWs and escort them back to American lines.
(contracted; show full)oyed.<ref name="Sides 271">{{harvnb|Sides|2001|p=271}}</ref> Sgt. Ted Richardson rushed to shoot a padlock off of the main gate using his .45 pistol.<ref name="Sides 271"/><ref name="Breuer 174">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=174}}</ref> The Rangers at the main gate maneuvered to bring the guard barracks and officer quarters under fire, while the ones at the rear eliminated the enemy near the prisoners' huts and then proceeded with the evacuation. A 
[[bazooka]] team from F Company ran up the main road to a tin shack which the Scouts had told Mucci held tanks. Although Japanese soldiers attempted to escape with two&nbsp;trucks, the team was able to destroy the trucks and then the shack.<ref name="Breuer 177">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=177}}</ref><ref name="Alexander 248">{{harvnb|Alexander|2009|p=248}}</ref>

(contracted; show full)

A few days after the raid, Sixth Army troops inspected the camp. They collected a large number of death certificates and cemetery layouts,<ref name="Zedrick 198"/> as well as diaries, poems, and sketchbooks.<ref name="Sides 327"/> The American soldiers also paid 5&nbsp;
[[Philippine peso|pesos]] to each of the carabao cart drivers who had helped to evacuate the POWs.<ref name="Zedrick 198"/><ref name="Alexander 255">{{harvnb|Alexander|2009|p=255}}</ref>

== Outcome and historical significance ==
{| class="wikitable" border="1" align="right" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="font-size:95%; width:20%; border:1px solid #999; background-color:#FFFFFF;"
| align="center" colspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Prisoners rescued'''<ref name="Rottman 61">{{harvnb|Rottman|2009|p=61}}</ref>
|-
| American soldiers||464
|-
| British soldiers||22
|-
| Dutch soldiers||3
|-
| American civilians||28
|-
| Norwegian civilians||2
|-
| British civilian||1
|-
| Canadian civilian||1
|-
| Filipino civilian||1
|-
| Total||522
|}
The raid was considered successful&ndash;489 POWs were liberated, along with 33 civilians. The total included 492&nbsp;Americans, 23&nbsp;British (including Edwin Rose), three&nbsp;Dutch, two&nbsp;Norwegians, one&nbsp;Canadian, and one&nbsp;Filipino.<ref name="Rottman 61"/> The rescue allowed the prisoners to tell of the Bataan and Corregidor atrocities, which sparked a new wave of resolve for the war against Japan.<ref name="Zedrick 199">{{harvnb|Zedrick|1995|p=199}}</ref><ref name="Johnson 264">{{harvnb|Johnson|2002|p=264}}</ref> Prince gave a great deal of credit for the success of the raid to others: "Any success we had was due not only to our efforts but to the Alamo Scouts and Air Force. The pilots (Capt. Kenneth R. Schrieber and Lt. Bonnie B. Rucks) of the plane that flew so low over the camp were incredibly brave men."<ref name="LJLiberation"/> Some of the Rangers and Scouts went on [[war bond|bond drive]] tours around the United States and also met with President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].<ref name="Alexander 255"/><ref name="Zedrick 199"/> In 1948, the [[United States Congress]] created legislation which provided $1 (${{Inflation|US|1|1948|r=2}} in current U.S. dollars) for each day the POWs had been held in a prisoner camp, including Cabanatuan.<ref name="Breuer 211"/> Two&nbsp;years later, Congress again approved an additional $1.50 per day (a combined (contracted; show full)
[[File:POWs in Hospital.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Several men are sitting and laying down near a building. Some are bandaged, and others have no shirts. Various boxes and cots are nearby.|Former Cabanatuan POWs at a makeshift hospital in Talavera]]

A Sixth Army report indicated that the raid demonstrated "...
  what patrols can accomplish in enemy territory by following the basic principles of scouting and patrolling, 'sneaking and peeping,' [the] use of concealment, reconnaissance of routes from photographs and maps prior to the actual operation, ... and the coordination of all arms in the accomplishment of a mission."<ref name="King 71">{{harvnb|King|1985|p=71}}</ref> General [[Douglas MacArthur]] spoke about his reaction to the raid: "No incident of the campaign in the (contracted; show full) States)|6th Infantry Division]].<ref name="Breuer 211">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=211}}</ref> All other American officers and selected enlisted received [[Silver Star]]s.<ref name="Breuer 205">{{harvnb|Breuer|1994|p=205}}</ref> The remaining American enlisted men and the Filipino guerrilla officers were awarded [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Stars]].<ref name="Breuer 205"/> Lts. William Nellist and Thomas Rounsaville and the other twelve Scouts received 
[[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]]s.<ref name="Alexander 6">{{harvnb|Alexander|2009|p=6}}</ref>

In late 1945, the bodies of the American troops who died at the camp were exhumed, and the men moved to other cemeteries.<ref name="Johnson 276">{{harvnb|Johnson|2002|p=276}}</ref> Land was donated in the late 1990s by the Filipinos to create a memorial. The site of the Cabanatuan camp is now a park that includes a memorial wall listing the 2,656 American prisoners who died there.<ref name="Sid(contracted; show full)[[Category:Battles of World War II involving Japan]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving the United States]]

[[es:El gran rescate]]
[[fr:Raid de Cabanatuan]]
[[ru:Рейд на Кабанатуан]]
[[vi:Cuộc đột kích Cabanatuan]]
[[zh:卡巴那图营救]]