Investigative U.S. Army Report on the Blue (Acosta) Battalion, FAIT
[TRANSCRIPTION]
The Blue (Acosta) Battalion was purportedly a unit of the San Juan Regiment – Fil-American Irregular Troops that operated in the eastern Batangas town of San Juan during the Japanese occupation and the liberation period. The United States Army did not recognize this battalion as an element of the Philippine Army in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States during the liberation period. This document1 is a transcription of the investigative report on this battalion under file with the U.S. Army.
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Report on “Blue (Acosta) Battalion, FAIT”
1. Lt Grant S. Wilcox and M/Sgt Sebastian G. Songsong proceeded to San Juan, Batangas on 8 November 1946 to investigate the Blue (Acosta) Battalion, FAIT.
2. ALLEGED HISTORY: (See attached unit folders of San Juan Regiment, FAIT, and Batangas Regiment, FAIT).
3. FINDINGS:
Lt Col Marino S. Umali, Insp Gen and G-4, PQOG Command
Lt Col Emilio Bolaños, CO, 35th Regt, 35th Div, PQOG
Col Arsenio Lopez, CO, San Juan Regt, FAIT
Lt Col Vicente Castillo, Ex O, San Juan Regt, FAIT
UNIT MEMBERS *
Capt Victorino Salud
Capt Estilito* Castillo
1st Lt Gregorio Marquez
1st Lt Sixto Quijano
2nd Lt Siluivo* Castillo
M/Sgt Guillermo Rio Veros
S/Sgt Flaeriano* Castillo
S/Sgt Jose Ferreras
Sgt Amado Malisa
Sgt Bernardo Balogtas*
Cpl Leodegario Sevilla
Cpl Constantino Lunes
Cpl Fernando Morada
Pfc Jose de los Reyes
Pfc Maximino Briones
Pvt Maulion Bonifacio
Pvt Doroteo Bayani
Pvt Celestino Adapon
Pvt Enrique Marasigan
Pvt Florencio Calingasan
Pvt Andres Valdez
Pvt Felipe Bayani
Pvt Filemon Capuno
Pvt Domingo Capuno
Pvt Benito Contreras
Pvt Julio Macalintan
Pvt Porfirio Adan
Pvt Sergio Rosales
Pvt Martin Lunez
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b. Record of service was not substantiated by sufficient acceptable evidence. The unit is one of the three battalions that make up the San Juan Regiment, FAIT. Col Arsenio M. Lopez, commanding officer of the Unit, admits that the regiment’s record of service does not warrant the guerrilla recognition of the unit.
c. The unit was not maintained satisfactorily in the field in opposition to the enemy. The commanding officer of this unit said that there had been no combat activities on the part of the organization, only counter-espionage work; in short, it was an organization not in active operations, but always with the “Lay Low and Hopeful Waiting Policy,” and had no encounters with the Japs. The unit had no attachments with US Army units.
d. A definite organization was not established. This unit existed only on paper. The unit had no roster prior to February 1946.
e. Performance of the unit did not indicate adequate control by its commanding officer, because when Acosta was killed, the unit was disbanded and most of the men shifted to the PQOG unit in San Juan, Batangas. This unit was inactive. (See folder San Juan Regt, FAIT.)
f. Unit did not show satisfactory continuity of activity and organization because the commanding officer, as well as his subordinate, cannot show any achievement accomplished during the occupation nor show any supporting evidence. The commanding officer of the San Juan Regt, FAIT admits that his unit had no combat activities, following the “Lay Low and Hopeful Waiting Policy.”
4. POLITICAL ASPECTS: This unit does not appear to have any political affiliations or aspirations.
5. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Blue (Acosta) Battalion, FAIT be not favorably considered for recognition.
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[Sgd.] SEBASTIAN G.SONGSONG
M/Sgt, Infantry, PA
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[Sgd.] GRANT S. WILCOX
2nd Lt, Infantry
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1 “Blue (Acosta) Battalion,” File No. 110-43, online at the United States National Archives.