1st Infantry Division (Philippines)

First Infantry Division

Coat of Arms of the 1ID
Active May 05, 1936 - April 09, 1942 (as 1st Regular Division, PCA)
1942 - June 30, 1946 (as 1st Infantry Division, PCA)
July 01, 1947 - present
Country Philippines Philippines
Branch Philippine Army
Type Infantry
Role Conventional Warfare, Anti-Guerrilla Operations
Size 4 Brigades, 11 Battalions. Total is 20000+ soldiers
Part of Under the Philippine Army
Garrison/HQ Camp Major L Sang-an, Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga Del Sur
Nickname Tabak Division
Motto

"Your Security, Our Mission

Community Development, Our Goal"
Mascot Machete
Anniversaries 4 December
Engagements

World War II
* Philippines Campaign (1941-1942)
* Battle of Bataan (1942)
* Japanese Occupation of the Philippines (1942-1945)
* Philippines Campaign (1944-1945)
* Battle of Luzon (1945)
* Battle of Batanes (1945)
Communist and Islamic Insurgency in the Philippines
Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines
Anti-guerilla operations against the NPA and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front

Zamboanga Siege Crisis
Decorations Presidential Streamer Award
Commanders
Current
commander		 BGen Felicito Virgilio M Trinidad Jr AFP
Notable
commanders		 BGen Cesar F Fortuno, AFP
BGen Raymundo T Jarque, AFP
MGen Diomedio P Villanueva, AFP
MGen Narciso J Abaya, AFP
MGen Romeo B Dominguez, AFP
MGen Glicerio Sua, AFP,
MGen Noel A Coballes AFP
Insignia
Armed Forces Occupational Specialty Insignia

The 1st Infantry Division, Philippine Army, known officially as the Tabak Division, is the Philippine Army's primary Infantry unit, and specializes in anti-guerrilla warfare. The division has been boasted as one of the world's best anti-guerrilla fighters in Asia combating terrorists in Southern Mindanao.

History

Untold History

1st Regular Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army during World War II under the Japanese Invasion

The establishment of the 1st Regular Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army also known as Tabak Division was on 5 May 1936 to 9 April 1942 and stationed at Camp Murphy (now Camp Aguinaldo) in Quezon City, Rizal (now Metro Manila). The unit engaged in military operations in Bataan from 1 January – 9 April 1942 supporting the USAFFE military forces led by General Douglas MacArthur against the Imperial Japanese troops led by General Masaharu Homma during the Battle of Bataan in 1942.

When the Battle of Bataan began in January 1942, the local troops of the PCA 1st Regular Division led by Brigadier General Mateo C. Capinpin (1938-1941) and Brigadier General Fidel J. Segundo (1941-1942) was sent to Bataan to augment the USAFFE forces against the Japanese. The battle lasted until April 1942. Before the fall of Bataan, Filipino troops and officers of the 1st Regular Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army fought side by side with the USAFFE in Bataan, attacking Japanese troops along the Layac Line, Porac-Guagua Line, Abucay-Mauban Line, Battle of Trail 2, the Battle of the Pockets and the Battle of the Points before the invasion at Mount Samat on 3 April 1942. After the Battle of Bataan on 9 April 1942, the local forces under the PCA 1st Regular Division surrendered to the Japanese Imperial troops. The now infamous Death March commenced the following day with more than 78,000 Filipino and American POWs from Mariveles, Bataan to SAn Fernando, Pampanga and by train to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac.

After the Fall of Bataan on 1942 by the surrendering troopers of the PCA 1st Regular Division by the Japanese hands in Bataan. Replacing of the 1st Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was re-established on 1942 to 1946 and the military stationed and moved in Northern Luzon and Batanes Islands.

1st Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army during World War II under the Conflicts and Counter-Insurgencies during the Japanese Occupation and Allied Liberation

1st Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army in Northern Luzon and Batanes Islands

Main Article: 1st Infantry Division (Philippine Commonwealth Army)

The 1st Infantry (TABAK) Division traces its beginning from the first regular Division of the Philippine Army during the commonwealth period. It was activated on 18 January 1936 with BGEN GUILLERMO B FRANCISCO, AFP as its first Commanding General, initially it was filled up by regular troops from the Philippine Constabulary. It was strengthen in 1941 when World War II loomed in the Pacific region.

The 1st Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army was the military establishment and active on 1942 to 1946 under the 1st Military Area from 1942 to 1946 at the military general headquarters was stationed and moving in Northern Luzon and Batanes Islands was the engagements of the assigned to combat the armed forces of the Japanese Imperial military insurgency in Northern Luzon and Batanes Islands before the Post-Japanese Invasion to the Liberation of the Philippines and started the fall the engagements of the Anti-Japanese military operations to liberated in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Cagayan, Isabela, Batanes Islands and Mountain Province in 1942 to 1945 to helping local troopers of the USAFIP-NL military units, the recognized guerrilla groups and U.S. liberating troops by defeated from the Japanese Imperial forces.

Started the Liberation of Northern Luzon on January to August 1945 between the Japanese and Allied troops. Local troopers under the Philippine Commonwealth Army 1st Infantry Division was sending the combat military operations in Northern Luzon include around the six major provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Cagayan, Isabela and Mountain Province and they recaptured and liberated in Northern Luzon and helped the local troops of the USAFIP-NL military units, the recognized guerrilla groups and U.S. liberating troops by defeats and fought against the Imperial Japanese armed forces led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita include the main battle commands of Ilocos Campaign, Battle of Abra, Mountain Province Campaign and Cagayan Valley Campaign.

After the fall to liberate in Northern Luzon on August 1945 by the victorious from the Allies and they defeated Japanese, the clearing of the local troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army 1st Infantry Division was a victory and they captured in Northern Luzon include around the six major provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Cagayan, Isabela and Mountain Province and they defeats and surrendered Japanese troops led by General Yamashita.

The local Filipino soldiers under by 1st and 12th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was landed the beaches and they retaken and liberated in the island province of Batanes and attacking Imperial Japanese troops begins the Battle of Batanes. After the Battle of Batanes, local Filipino troops under the Philippine Commonwealth Army units enters and they liberated the town of Basco and attacking Japanese, the victory of all local troops of the PCA 1st and 12th Infantry Division was cleared and capturing in the island province of Batanes and defeats and surrendered Japanese troops.

During the war, the Division was inducted to the United States Armed Forces in the Far East. It prominently figured in Bataan and Corregidor campaigns and was twice awarded with the U. S Presidential Unit Citation Badge. After the war, it was reactivated on 01 October 1957 as a combat ready Division of the Philippine Army, absorbing 25 Battalion Combat Teams that carried the brunt of the Anti Hulk campaign in the 1950s.

1st Infantry Division, Philippine Army during the Post-War era

The Division was formally reactivated just in time for the PA's final offensives in the Central Luzon region against the HMB in the late 1950s.

The Division's BCTs served under the United Nations Command during the Korean War, and the reconstituted division trained AFP elements which composed the PHILCAG sent to Vietnam. It also played a vital role in the anti-insurgency campaign, in the Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley in the 1960s.

It was first deployed in Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi during the outbreak of the Southern Philippines Secessionist Group in 1973. At present, it continues to be the guardian of peace in Western Mindanao.

The 1st Infantry Division, Philippine Army also known as Tabak Division, after years on various areas in the county, opened its present headquarters on 4 December 1989 at stationed in Camp Major Cesar L Sang-an in Barangay Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga Del Sur after its stint in Jolo, Sulu. It was redeployed in mainland Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao Provinces (ZAMPELAN) to combat the Communist and Islamic rebel fighters and to counter terrorism in Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (BASULTA) and started the ongoing Islamic and Communist insurgencies in Mindanao in Southern Philippines on 1969 to date against the Communist rebels of the New People's Army (NPA) and the Islamic rebels and bandits of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

The Headquarters of the 1st Infantry (TABAK) Division is located on a 422.81 hectare military reservation surrounding Barangay Upper Pulacan, in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur. This reservation was taken over by the Division from Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM) on 16 August 1987. From being rugged and mountainous, it was slowly developed into a sprawling and thriving military camp with the help of the 545th Engineer Battalion, 52nd Engineering Brigade, Philippine Army.

On 04 May 1991, the Camp was named in honor of Major Cesar L. Sang-an who died defending the country's sovereignty against a superior number of MNLF forces of Barangay Malaning, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur on 23 March 1973. Sang-an was a brilliant Scout Ranger officer and a courageous fighter. Though twice wounded, he directed and covered his men until he was killed. This heroism earned him the award of the Distinguished Conduct Star (Posthumous) from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He was born in 03 November 1926 in Kinogitan, Misamis Oriental.

Mission

The 1st Infantry (TABAK) Division, Philippine Army to conduct reinvigorated Internal Peace and Security Operations (IPSO) in the AOR to neutralize the CTM, destroy the ASG and JI, hold and contain MILF forces while continuing to observe the primacy of the peace process and neutralize other threat groups in order to establish a physically and psychologically secured environment conducive to progress and development.

Lineage of Commanding Officers

Units

The following are the Brigade units that are under the First Infantry Division.

OPCON

The following are the Battalion units under the First Infantry Division.

OPCON


The following are the Division Reconnaissance Company units under the First Infantry Division.

Operations

Trivia

References