An Appeal for the Recognition of the Rest of the Gagalac Guerrillas, August 1945
The Gagalac Guerrilla Group was one of the groups operating in Batangas that was given official recognition by the United States Army after World War II. In this August 1945 document, guerrilla commander Filomeno Gagalac appealed to the United States Army’s Adjutant General for the recognition of members of the guerrilla group who had not earlier been attached to the 11th Airborne Division for reasons that were explained in the communication. The transcription is edited for grammar, punctuation and spelling here and there by this web site.
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GAGALAC GUERRILLA UNIT
11TH AIRBORNE DIVISION
TUY, BATANGAS
The Adjutant General:
US Army Training Group AFPAC
Thru the Batangas Guerrilla Headquarters
Sir:
This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 30 July 1945. Referring to the decision rendered in paragraph 1 thereof, I respectfully respect reconsideration.
The GAGALAC GUERRILLA unit is a recognized organization already. Its first company is now attached to the 11th Airborne Division since 8 March 1945; actually rendering active service in mopping up operations at Mt. Batulao, Tuy, Batangas; and the soldiers thereof draw pay regularly since the date of attachment. Said unit is composed of one (1) regiment consisting of seven companies with a total strength of nine hundred sixty-five (965) men. On or about the last week of February, 1945, the services of this regiment were offered, but the 11th Airborne Division accepted only one company because the rest did not have sufficient arms. The remaining six companies, therefore, were placed on the reserve. In justice to every man in the GAGALAC GUERRILLA organization, it is respectfully requested that the entire regiment be processed with its first company.
The roster of one regiment of the GAGALAC GUERRILLA unit submitted to your office by Capt. Raymon L. Otti, a carbon copy of which is enclosed herewith, is copied from the original regimental roster submitted by the said unit to Maj. Jay D. Vanderpool at Tagaytay on 15 March 1945, in compliance with the requirements of his letter dated 5 March 1945, subj: “Organizational Report.” Please refer to this letter, and the reports thereof, of Maj. Jay D. Vanderpool, Guerrilla Affairs Officer. This regiment, therefore, is not a newly-organized regiment, but a regiment organized long before the American forces landed on Philippine soil.
For convenience’s sake, I am enclosing herewith the following important papers which are true copies of those sent to the Guerrilla Affairs Office on 15 March 1945:
(b) A true copy of [the] History of our Organization.
(c) Names of soldiers killed in action.
(d) Names of soldiers wounded in action.
(e) Copy of our letter dated 15 March 1945 offering the services of two (2) more companies.
(f) Two copies of purchase vouchers showing that the Gagalac unit is entitled to food supplies since March, 1945.