Activities of the Canluran Regiment in Support of the 158th RCT and 11th AB Division

The liberating forces arrived in Lemery about 3:00 p.m. on March 6, 1945. The 3^rd and 4^th Battalions of this Regiment immediately contacted the American troops and cooperated with them in every possible way.

In most cases, our men were used as guides and in so doing, they pointed to them the enemy positions, gun emplacements, ammunition dumps and food supply dumps. They were able to patrol the surrounding areas of American camps to prevent surprise attacks by Jap snipers and to ensure the safety of the Americans. Ammunition and supply dumps were likewise guarded. Our men were sent to enemy occupied territories to spy on enemy movements and to obtain information about the new positions and strength of the Japs. They also arrested some Filipino spies.

Our men, in the performance of their duties enumerated above, forgot regard for their lives and placed their work above all else. Some of the casualties suffered by our men as a result thereof are as follows:

1. On March 5, 1945, Capt Amado Diokno of the “Q” Company, 4^th Battalion, with seven of his men joined the Rainbow Regiment (Blue Eagle Command) at San Piro, Balayan, and in coordination with the operations then being conducted by the 158^th R.C.T. in that place, actively participated in fighting against the Japs. Two of our men were wounded in said encounter and one, Sgt. Constantino Diokno, was brought to Leyte for treatment and the other, Pvt. Ernesto Diokno, was brought to the San Jose (Mindoro) hospital.

2. On the night of March 6, a patrol from the 4^th Battalion was sent to Butong and one of our men, Pvt. Jose Pilapil, was bayoneted to death by Japs entrenched in that sector.

3. On March 11, a squad of the “Q” Company, 4^th Battalion, was sent to Bagong Tubig where they encountered six Japs and killed three of them. One of our men, Pvt. Leon Patolot, was killed in this action.

4. On March 13, men of the “Q” Company, 4^th Battalion, patrolling at San Isidro, encountered Japs in their tunnel thereat. Our men killed six Japs. Two of our men were seriously wounded. Those wounded were Pvts. Candido Cortes and Victorino Ilao.

5. On March 14, Cpl. Pio Malaluan of the 2^nd Battalion was wounded in action at Conde, Batangas. The next day, Cpl. Agaton Asi of the same unit was wounded in the same place.

6. On March 29^th, [a] report was received that 15 Japs were in the barrio of Balagtasin shooting and killing civilians. All the men of the “Q” Company, 4^th Battalion, were sent to the place.

A few of the accomplishments and other things performed by members of this unit may be worth mentioning as follows:

1. On March 6, an officer-courier, Lt. Manalo, of the 1^st Battalion, bringing S-2 reports to the Division CP at Nasugbu, submitted the said S-2 reports to the American troops he met at Calaca. Said S-2 reports dealt on the strength and positions of the enemy at Durungao.

2. On the night of March 6, four men of the 4^th Battalion were sent to accompany a squad of American soldiers headed by Lt. Shirkey to the tower of the Taal Church and acted as artillery observers.

3. After the 158^th R.C.T. got Mt. Durungao and left the place, the “Q” Company, 4^th Battalion, took over the mopping up of the remnants of the American garrison in said place. As a result of this mopping operation, we had turned over to the Headquarters of the 158^th R.C.T. two Jap officers who were captured alive by our men.

4. On March 9, 1945, Lt. Aseron of the 1^st Battalion went with an American pilot in an observation plane and pointed to him Japanese positions at Durungao and Cuenca.

5. On March 10, a patrol of the 1^st Battalion intercepted 50 Japs headed by Capt. Morai, armed with two MG’s, rifles and hand grenades. A report about this was made to the 158^th R.C.T.

6. On March 11, [the] 1^st Battalion intercepted 7 Japs armed with rifles at Calumpang and killed all the Japs, capturing 3 rifles and hand grenades.

7. On March 19, a patrol of the “Q” Company, 4^th Battalion, detected 16 Japs in barrio San Martin, San Luis and killed 14 of them and captured 6 rifles, ammunition, hand grenades, 2 sabers, 2 flags and one knee mortar with ammunition.

8. On March 11, men of the 2^nd Battalion contacted the liberating troops and guided them in entering the town of Batangas. S-2 reports about the enemy located at Sorosoro Hill, Batangas, San Jose and Mataasnakahoy were furnished the S-2 of the 2^nd Battalion of the 158^th R.C.T.

9. On March 14, the 158^th R.C.T. took a detachment from the 4^th Battalion consisting of 29 men under Lt. Romeo Atienza and brought them in their campaign in Dagatan, Mabini. These men

10. On March 15, men of the 1^st Battalion accompanying American patrols in Bungahan intercepted 7 Japs and killed 5 of them.

11. On March 16, patrols of the 1^st Battalion intercepted three Jap snipers at Calumpang and killed all of them and capturing their rifles.

12. Men of the “Q” Company killed three Japs at Bagong Tubig on March 11.

13. On March 27, our men of the “Q” Company encountered Japs and killed two of them and captured alive a Jap Master Sergeant and was turned over to the G-2 of the 11^th Airborne.

After the 158^th R.C.T. left, we continued to extend the same cooperation to the 11^th Airborne. At present, we are patrolling an area given to us by the General Guerrilla Headquarters, 11^th Airborne.

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