71st Division (Philippines)

The 71st Infantry Division was a division of the Philippine Army under the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE).

71st Division
71st Philippine Division Emblem 1941-42
Active1941 - 9 April 1942
Country Commonwealth of the Philippines
BranchPhilippine Army
TypeInfantry Division
SizeDivision
Part ofSouth Luzon Force
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Col. (later BGen.) Clyde A. Selleck
Col. (later BGen.) Clinton A. Pierce
WWII Philippine Army Divisions
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61st Division (PA) 81st Division (PA)

Organization

History

It was active from 1941 to April 9, 1942, whereupon it surrendered when Bataan fell. Previously it was active in Southern Luzon. Col. (later BGen.) Clyde A. Selleck (USA) was the division's commander, until around January 1942, when Col. (later BGen.) Clinton A. Pierce (USA) took command. Pierce had been in command of the U.S. 26th Cavalry Regt. (PS) since before the Japanese opened hostilities.

Combat Narrative

After the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in December 1941, it formed part of South Luzon Force (activated December 13, 1941) under BGen. George M. Parker Jr., HQ Ft. McKinley, Manila. The South Luzon Force controlled a zone east and south of Manila. Parker initially had the PA 1st, 41st, 51st, and 71st Infantry Divisions, and the 2nd Provisional Artillery Group of two batteries of the U.S. 86th Field Artillery Regiment (Philippine Scouts).[1]

When the Japanese began landing at Lamon Bay on December 24, 1941, South Luzon Force was badly dispersed.[2]

Order of battle
71st Division
71st Philippine Division Emblem 1941-42, alternate version
BranchPhilippine Army
  • 71st Infantry Regiment (PA) (LCol. D. Van N. Bonnett)
  • 72nd Infantry Regiment (PA) (Col. Virgil N. Cordero, Inf.) (moved from Negros to Luzon on 9 Dec 41)
  • 73rd Infantry Regiment (PA) (remained on Negros island)
  • 71st Field Artillery Regiment (PA) (LCol. Halstead C. Fowler)
    • 71st FA Regt HQ Company
    • 1st Bn/71st FA Regt (PA) (75mm guns, 8x)
    • 2nd Bn/71st FA Regt (PA) (2.95-inch pack howitzers, 12x)
    • 3rd Bn/71st FA Regt (PA)
  • 71st Engineer Battalion (PA)
  • 71st Division Units
    • 71st Division Headquarters & HQ Company
    • 71st Medical Battalion
    • 71st Signal Company
    • 71st Quartermaster Company (Motorized)
    • 71st QM Transport Company (Truck)

Sources
  • Morton, Louis (1953). United States Army in World War II, The War in the Pacific: The Fall of the Philippines. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army.
  • Whitman, John W. (1990). Bataan: Our Last Ditch : The Bataan Campaign, 1942. Hippocrene Books. ISBN 0-87052-877-7.

Bibliography

References
  1. Morton 1953, pp. 68-69.
  2. Morton 1953, p. 141.
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