After the invasion of the Philippines by the Japanese in 1941, several Americans, civilian and

military, evaded capture or escaped imprisonment. This occurred on several islands in the
archipelago. With the aid of the local Philippine population, these Americans survived. However,
not content with just surviving and avoiding capture, these Americans formed resistance groups,
which were soon recognized by the American military, and eventually supplied. Initially
relegated to an intelligence gathering role, these groups eventually took a more active and
aggressive role, such that they were an integral part of the American re-conquest of the country.

Member list[edit]
Name Notability Reference

[2]
Bernard L. Anderson US Army Air Corps major. Formed Kalayaan Command
in Tayabas Province that focused on intel work. Linked
up with Alejo Santos in the Bulacan Military Area north
of Manila.[1]:26 Col. Jaime Manzano was his executive
officer.[1]:114 Commanded 7,000 men.[1]:226

[3]
Robert Arnold Commanded military and guerrillas of the 15th Infantry
Regiment, Philippine Army which operated in Ilocos
Norte.[3]:222–224 His thirty American soldiers joined forces
with Walter Cushing's miners.[1]:109 He later joined Capt.
Guillermo Nakar's guerrilla outfit.[1]:109

George Norman Fought for the Filipino Guerrillas in World War II, born
Arnovick in Shanghai to an English family. George was later taken
as a POW in a Japanese internment camp before later
being rescued by the United States Military. Once
George arrived in America he joined the Army Air Corp
and later became the father of three children.

[4]
Robert V. Ball Enlisted man on Mindanao, joined Col. Fertig's guerrilla
group, sailed in May 1944 from Samarto Baler Bay on
Luzon, and delivered a radio transmitter to Lapham.[4]:157

[3]
Joseph Barker Captain,[1]:29 26th Cavalry, Philippine Scouts, US Army.
Commanded East Central Luzon Guerrilla Area under
Thorp, with Edwin Ramsey as adjutant and Bernard
Anderson as chief of staff.[1]:36 After the capture of Thorp,
took command of Luzon Guerrilla Force. Captured in
Manila while disguised as a priest.[1]:56 Bayoneted to death
 by the Kempeitai at Manila North Cemetery on 2 October
1943.[3]:183

[5]
George M. Barnett Major, commanded the 2nd and 3rd Districts under
Volckmann.

[4]
Leon Beck Escaped from the Bataan Death March to become a
guerrilla.[4]:222

[7][8]
Henry Roy Bell Professor, Silliman University. Major in the guerrilla
forces on Negros island, head of the Free Government,
printed the Victory News, and ran a radio transmitter
which established contact with SWPA and Fertig.[6]:76,78–80,
127
Many Silliman students, alumni, faculty members and
ROTC officers joined the resistance forces numbering
10,811 men.[6]:166 The Bell family was evacuated by
the USS Narwhal (SS-167) on 7 February 1944.[6]:155–160

[9][10]
Donald Dunwoody 11th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Army (11th
Blackburn (1916- Division, USAFFE). Did not join USAFIP surrender;
2008) evaded Bataan Death March. Joined Russell Volckmann.
Helped organize Igorotguerrillas. Commanded 11th
Infantry Regiment, USAFIP-NL.

[11]
John P. Boone US Army corporal[1]:11 and wartime guerrilla colonel who
formed the Bataan Military District that conducted intel
work and sabotage. Recipient, Distinguished Service
Cross.

[12]
William E. Bowen Technical Sergeant, 228th Signal Corps. Joined Troop C,
(1905-1944) 26th Cavalry Regiment retreating from Camp John Hay.
Became guerrilla. Captured April 1943. MIA in Japanese
prison ship torpedoed by US Navy.

Robert V. Bowler US Army officer. Guerrilla leader on Mindanáo.

[1]
James Patrick Boyd US Army; guerrilla on Luzon.[1]:20

[1]
Alfred Bruce Sergeant, Philippine Scouts, US Army. Guerrilla captain,
2nd Battalion, Provisional Regiment of Philippine
 Scouts, which operated in Zambales Mountains under
Thorp.[1]:14

[5]
Parker Calvert Major, commanded the 1st District under Volckmann.

[13][14][15][16]
James W. Carrington US Marine PFC, stationed on Corregidor. Captured after
surrender of Corregidor. Escaped from Bilibid Prison,
saved by Moises and Jesus Gonzales. Became
Commandant of the Headquarters and Security
Detachment of the East Central Luzon Guerrilla Army
Forces; engaged the Japanese for which he later received
the Army Distinguished Service Cross. Retired from
USMC as captain in 1958. In 2008 Jesus Gonzales
visited Carrington at Destrehan nursing home, 11 days
before Carrington died.

[17]
Henry Clay Conner, US Army officers Conner and Anderson founded
Jr. (1918-2008) Squadron 155 (composed mainly of Aetasworking for the
Japanese air corps) that worked on collecting intel info.
Conner's personal army consisted of several hundred
Negritos.[1]:94–95 He married the sister of the Negrito chief,
Kodario Laxamana.[1]:101

[18]
James McCloud Mining engineer and brother of Walter and
Cushing Charles.[1]:38 As combat officer of the guerrilla Cebu Area
Command, he was commissioned lt. col. and officially
recognized as commander of the 8th Military District
by SWPA GHQ, Australia.[6]:113 His "unit was disgraced"
by Capt. Harry Fenton's "brutality and dissoluteness".[1]:106

[19]
Walter Mickey Civilian mining executive. Organised his miners and
Cushing (September joined forces with Lt. Robert Arnold.[1]:109His brother, Lt.
12, 1907–October 2, Charles Cushing, ran another guerrilla camp,[3]:89 which
1943) included the gold miners Herb Swick and Enoch
French,[1]:55 as Barker's Pangasinan district commander,
but as a Capt. in 1943, he surrendered after they
imprisoned his wife.[1]:36,55 French was later
captured.[1]:65 Walter moved in and out of Manila
disguised as a priest, Father Navarro.[3]:63 His men made
one of the first guerrilla attacks on a Japanese convoy on
1 January 1942, which killed 60 and destroyed ten trucks
with supplies, months before the Fall of Bataán.[5]:30–
31
After more impressive successes, he was commissioned
captain by Col. Horan, and his group incorporated into
Horan's 121st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Army.[5]:31–
32
He published The Echo of the Free North, based on
 news from San Francisco.[5]:32 Bayoneted to death by
the Kempeitai at Manila North Cemetery on 2 October
1943,[3]:183 though Volckmann claims he was killed in a
Japanese ambush at Jones, Isabela.[5]:35–36

[20]
Doyle Decker Member of the 155th Provisional Guerrilla Battalion
which operated in Central Luzón. Operated with Robert
Mailheau and Frank Gyovai, under Lt. Clay Conner's
command.[1]:46,100–101,113

[21]
Alvin J. Farretta Guerrilla Capt. on Luzon, awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross.[4]:220

Harry Fenton (1907 – Administrative officer of the guerrilla Cebu Area [23]

1 September 1943) Command.[6]:104–113 His extreme repressive measures and

punitive actions against suspected collaborators, fueled
by fanatic hatred against the Japanese, led to his
execution by Filipinos in 1943. Among the famous
victims of his atrocities was the Mandaue Lawyer and
Historian, Eugeniano Ouano Perez, who was killed
personally by Fenton on January 17, 1943 due to
incompetence. Eugeniano was born on January 7, 1901 in
Mandaue City..[22]

[25][26]
Wendell W. Fertig US Army colonel, overall guerrilla commander
on Mindanáo, with 33,000 men.[1]:226 His divisional
commanders included Capt. Charles Hedges (108th plus
Chief of Staff), James Grinstead (109th), Frank McGee
(106th), Lt. Col. Robert Bowler (105th)[24]:7, 307 Capt.
Ernest McClish (110th), and Capt. Clyde Childress
(107th).[1]:110 Fertig, with Aaron Bank, and Russell
Volckmann, founded the US Army Special Forces.

[5]
Richard R. Green Civilian, along with Swick, escaped from Camp Holmes,
and joined the USAFIP-NL in April 1943.[5]:148

[27]
Edward James Jesuit priest. Joined guerrillas on Mindanao.
Haggerty

[28]
Jack Hawkins Lieutenant, 4th Marine Regiment, Corregidor. Interned at
Cabanatuan POW camp. Transferred to Davao Penal
Colony, escaped, joined guerrillas on Mindanao.
 [1]
Albert Hendrickson Signal Corps private who became a wartime guerrilla
captain under Robert Lapham, commanding the Tarlac
province.[1]:26,60 Conducted the Itogon Mine Raid in
October 1942.[4]:166 Captured Tarlac City on 16 January
1945.[4]:188

[29]
John P. Horan US Army colonel. Commander, John Hay Air Base.[4]:80–
81
Formed the 121st guerrilla regiment.[5]:29 Surrendered
after the Fall of Corregidor.[5]:32

[30]
Ray C. Hunt Far East Air Force sergeant, Provisional Air Corps
Regiment infantryman in the Battle of Bataan, and
wartime guerrilla captain under Robert Lapham.[1]:26,68

[5]
Thomas S. Jones US Army lt.[5]:35 Sole survivor of Ralph Praeger's Troop
C, 26th Cavalry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. Captured
with Praeger.[5]:151–152

[31]
Dick Lang PFC, US Army Air Corps. Maintenance crewman, 19th
Bomber Group, Clark Field. Became guerrilla leader
on Mindanáo.

[1]
Robert Lapham US Army Philippine Scouts lieutenant and wartime
guerrilla major on Luzón of 14,191 men.[1]:226 Commander
of the Luzon Guerrilla Army Forces. Warned
Gen. Krueger of impending massacre of prisoners
at Cabanatuan POW camp. Recipient, Philippine Legion
of Honor.

[1]
Adolf Gustaaf The only Indonesian soldier ever to fight alongside
[1]:67

Lembong the Filipinos during a major war. Captured by the

Japanese in Indonesia, he was deported and sent to be
imprisoned in the Philippines, but was able to escape in
1944. He joined a guerilla unit in Luzon, which fought
the Japanese forces. For at least 2 years in captivity, he
was able to master the Tagalog and English Language.
After the war, he returned to Indonesia, only to die in
1950 during an uprising after post-independence from the
Dutch Government.

[11]
Frank R. Loyd
 [2]
Ralph McGuire US Army captain and civilian engineer.[1]:14–15 Commander
of Western Luzon Guerrilla Area of Thorp's Luzon
Guerrilla Force.[1]:36 Killed April 1943 by Negritos.[1]:54

[1]
Harry McKenzie Former mining superintendent and trusted subordinate of
Lapham.[1]:29,38–39

[32]
Steve Mellnik

[11]
Gyles Merrill Col. guerrilla commander on West Luzón.[1]:35 After
leaving the camp run by William, Vernon and Catalina
Fassoth, he was joined by Col. Peter Cayler, and Capt.
George E. Crane, Capt. Kadel, Pvt. Leon Beck, Johnny
Johns, and Raymond Herbert.[1]:37,105

[1]
Martin Moses and US Army lieutenant colonels in the 12th Infantry
Arthur Noble Regiment, Philippine Army and then the 11th Division,
USAFFE[1]:54 who escaped to Benguet after Fall of
Bataán.[5]:82–83 Organised United States Army Forces in the
Philippines - Northern Luzon. Attacked Itogon Mines.
Captured 3 June 1943, and executed three months
later.[4]:83

[5]
Arthur Murphy Head of intelligence under Volckmann.[5]:181

[2]
John O'Day Former Brooklyn policeman who led a group of
irregulars in Ilocos Norte, and feuded with Capt. Fermin
Bueno's group.[1]:109 Organized the 15th Infantry under
Volckmann.[5]:153

[33]
Yay Panlilio She was a journalist with the Philippines Herald before
the war. Marcos Augustin's, Marking's 12,000
guerrillas,[1]:226 mistress and "brains of the outfit"
operating near Manila.[1]:70 The Marking's guerrillas had
fierce "feuds" with the Hunters guerrillas, led by
Eleuterio "Terry" Adeviso, resulting in "gunfights,
kidnapping, and even executions."[1]:108–109
Nicholas Daniel US Army Air Corps Staff Sgt/Crew Chief 14th Bomber
"Danny" Pociluyko Squadron. Was at Clark Airfield when bombed Dec 8,
1941 then sent to Mindanao Dec 25, 1941 to support
military resistance. Refused General Sharp's May 9, 1942
order to surrender with Beverly "Ben" Farrens, Lowell
"Bit" Holder, Bill Johnson, John Spruill, and 7 others.
Listed as "missing" for 18 months and within 10 months
only 6 of the original 14 were still alive. Later was joined
by Donald "Herb" Wills who had jumped from POW
ship and swam ashore. In July 1942 in Kapai, met
civilian engineers Jordan Hamner and Athol Y."Chick"
Smith, then risked his life to provide a cover story to help
them pass through the territory of a local chief (Fugitives,
2001 by Bob Stahl). Commissioned in the field to 2nd
then 1st Lieutenant under Fertig. Directed a radio station
and was coast watcher on the Zamboanga peninsula at
Dipolog and Illigan in the Lanao province, moved about
through Kapai Valley. Discovered a deserted six-
thousand foot civilian airfield and directed Filipino
troops under his command to renovate for landing of US
planes; known as "Nick's Tower". Was involved in
several fire-fights against Japanese attempts to take the
airfield. According to personal letters from "Ben"
Farrens, saved the lives of several pilots, saved and
repaired numerous planes, helped aid escapees from
Davao POW camp, and rescued ship wrecked soldiers.
His accurate reports of Japanese ships were credited for
US forces to sink or disabling of several enemy vessels.
Often met and was counseled by Jesuit priest Father J.
Edward Haggerty, per Haggerty's letter to his family.
Returned to US in 1945. Retired in 1960 as Major.
Interned with full military honors at Arlington National
Cemetery.

[34]
Ralph B. Praeger US Army captain. Commander, Troop C, 26th Cavalry
Regiment, Philippine Scouts, that operated in
northeastern Luzón.[5]:34 Operated a radio transmitter, and
formed a guerrilla force with two Lts., Thomas Jones and
Warren A. Minton, that included his troop plus disbanded
Philippine Army troops, which then raided Japanese
airfields at Tuguegarao, Cagayan, and Aparri.[5]:35 After
the Fall of Bataán, joined his force with Gov. Marcelo
Adduru's Cagayan-Apayao Forces. Northern Luzon
commander under Thorp.[1]:36 Captured in Apayao in July
1943;[3]:226 executed in Manila, December 1944.
 [1]
Charles Putnam Mining engineer who received an emergency
commission as a capt., and then recruited guerrillas in
the Lingayen Gulf area.[1]:57

[37][38][39][40][41][42]
Edwin Price Ramsey US Army lieutenant and guerrilla leader on Luzón of
13,000-14,000 men.[1]:226 Commanding a 27-man platoon,
mostly of 'G' Troop, of the 26th Cavalry
Regiment, Philippine Scouts,[35]ordered the US Cavalry's
last horse-mounted charge, 16 January 1942, in Moróng,
Bataán.[36]Commander of East Central Luzon Guerrilla
Area. Took over Thorp's region after the capture of
Thorp and Barker, which included Pierce
Wade[1]:56,111 Recipient of the Distinguished Service
Cross and the Philippine Legion of Honor. Ramsey was
succeeded by Col. Mario Pamintuan as commander of
guerrilla forces in northwest Pampanga,[1]:18 when Major
Ramsey moved his central headquarters to the vicinity of
Manila.[1]:63

Royal Reynolds Major, Philippine Scouts, US Army. Commander, 3rd

Battalion, Provisional Regiment of Philippine Scouts,
which operated in Zambales Mountains.

[43]
Iliff David Richardson US Navy ensign, wartime US Army major, guerrilla
intelligence officer in the Visayan Islands, and chief-of-
staff under guerrilla Colonel Ruperto Kangleon.

[5]
Grafton Spencer Private, commanded the 2nd Battalion of the 66th
Infantry under Calvert, but killed by the Japanese in
April 1944.[5]:149

[1]
Jack Spies 26th Cavalry Regiment captain who joined Claude
Thorp's Luzon Guerrilla Force as commandeder of
Southern Luzon.[1]:35–36 Killed by Japanese.

[44]
Joseph St. John One of Richardson's guerrilla radio operators
on Leyte.[43]:170

[1]
Hugh Straughn US Army retired colonel. Organised Fil-American
Irregular Troops (FAIT) which operated in Rizál.
Executed by the Japanese August 1943.[1]:63
 [45]
Herbert Swick Civilian gold mining engineer who evaded the Japanese,
and then joined the guerrillas in October 1942. Captured
in early 1943, he escaped and joined the USAFIP-NL in
April 1943.[45]:553

[2]
Claude A. Thorp US Army Maj. Provost Marshall, Fort
Stotsenburg.[1]:13 Assigned by MacArthur to conduct
intelligence operations in the Zambales Mountains during
the Battle of Bataan. Formed Luzon Guerrilla Force after
the fall of Bataán with his secretary and lover, Herminia
Dizon or "Minang".[1]:14 Captured on 29 October 1942, 30
km west of Tarlac (Nom de guerre was Crabtree),[3]:68–
72,134
along with his radioman Bill Brooks.[1]:54 Bayoneted
to death by the Kempeitai at Manila North Cemetery on 2
October 1943.[3]:183

Carlyle Townswick Guerrilla on Mindanáo.[46]

[48][49]
Russell William US Army officer, Philippine Commonwealth Army
Volckmann regimental officer in the Battle of Bataan. Escaped
through Japanese lines with Blackburn. Became the
commander of United States Army Forces in the
Philippines - Northern Luzon, with 22,000 men by the
end of the war.[1]:226He sought to bring the other guerrilla
organizations on Luzón under his command, but was
resisted by other commanders, notably Robert
Lapham.[1]:112–113 Korean War special operations officer.
Post-war, authored US Army field manuals on guerrilla
warfare.[47] With Aaron Bank and Wendell Fertig, co-
founder of the US Army Special Forces.

[1]
Everett Warner Major who operated a radio in Northern Luzon, but
surrendered[1]:35,140 after the Fall of Corregidor.[5]:130

Eddie Wright Lt. col., 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts,

US Army. Organised Provisional Regiment of
Philippine Scouts, Mountain Group Command,
which operated in Zambales Mountains.