31st Division (Philippines)

31st Division
31st Philippine Division Emblem 1941-42
Active	18 November 1941 - 9 April 1942
Country	Commonwealth of the Philippines
Branch	Philippine Army
Type	Infantry Division
Size	Division
Part of	North Luzon Force (I Philippine Corps)
Engagements	World War II Battle of Bataan Philippines Campaign (1941-1942)
Commanders
Notable commanders	BGen Clifford Bluemel

The 31st Infantry Division was a division of the Philippine Army under the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE).

History

It was active from November 18, 1941 to April 9, 1942, whereupon it surrendered when Bataan fell. It was organized and trained in Zambales Province of Northern Luzon. Col. (later BGen.) Clifford Bluemel (USA) was the division's commander.

Combat Narrative

At the opening of hostilities, 8 December 1941, the 31st Division formed a part of BGen. (later LGen.) Jonathan M. Wainwright's North Luzon Force of the Philippine Army (later renamed I Philippine Corps), alongside the 11th and 21st Divisions, and the 26th Cavalry Regiment.

The 31st was initially headquartered at San Mateo, Rizal, but most of its personnel were training at San Marcelino, Zambales, near Subic Bay, when hostilities broke out.

Order of Battle^[1]

• 31st Infantry Regiment (PA) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
• 32nd Infantry Regiment (PA) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
• 33rd Infantry Regiment (PA) (Col. Edwin H. Johnson) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
• 31st Field Artillery Regiment (PA) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 31st FA Regt HQ Company (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 1st Bn/31st FA Regt (PA) (75mm guns, 16x) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 2nd Bn/31st FA Regt (PA) (2.95-inch pack howitzers, 4x) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 3rd Bn/31st FA Regt (PA) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
• 31st Engineer Battalion (PA) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
• 31st Division Units (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 31st Division Headquarters & HQ Company (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 31st Medical Battalion (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 31st Signal Company (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 31st Quartermaster Company (Motorized) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))
  • 31st QM Transport Company (Truck) (transf. to 3rd Division (PA))

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

• Morton, Louis. The Fall of the Philippines (Publication 5-2). Retrieved on 14 Feb 2017.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

References