Thomas Brown’s Reply to Macabuag’s First Request for Reconsideration, November 1946
The Major Phillips Unit was a guerrilla unit that was founded and operated in or around western Batangas town of Calatagan. It was commanded by one Emilio Macabuag and took its name from a United States Army intelligence officer from whom the guerrilla outfit took directions until the latter was caught and killed by the Japanese. In this document1 Col. Thomas Brown of the Adjutant’s Office of the Philippines-Ryukyus Command responds to Macabuag’s first request for reconsideration after an earlier application for official recognition was turned down by the United States Army.
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HEADQUARTERS
UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES WESTERN PACIFIC
OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL
APO 707
| GSCPU 091 PI | 15 NOV 1946 |
Mr. Emilio Macabuag
Calatagan, Batangas:
Dear Mr. Macabuag:
This will acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 30 September 1946 in which you request reconsideration of the unfavorable decision rendered by this headquarters on 12 August 1946 with regard to the recognition of the Major Phillips Unit.
It is the desire of this headquarters to avoid all appearances of arbitrary decisions in the case of claimant guerrilla units. Your request for reconsideration is, therefore, accepted. It must be emphasized, however, that it would be extremely helpful if you [unreadable] forward as quickly as possible such additional pertinent documentary evidence as has not been submitted previously and which, you feel, reflect favorably upon your claim. These additional data should be original documents or photostatic copies of the original documents, or true copies of the original documents certified to by United States Army Officers of field grade on duty with the Guerrilla Affairs Section, G-3 Section of this headquarters.
Your request for reconsideration will be placed on file at this headquarters to await appropriate action at the earliest practical time. You must appreciate that hundreds of claimant guerrilla units are now being initially investigated, and that review of rejected units must necessarily follow them. It is, therefore, suggested that you defer further inquiry into the state of your reconsideration for at least four months from date of receipt of this letter, inasmuch as frequent inquiries are neither necessary nor desirable because of the time consumed in superfluous correspondence.
Asst Adj Gen