71st Division (Philippines)

71st Division
71st Philippine Division Emblem 1941-42
Active	1941 - 9 April 1942
Country	Commonwealth of the Philippines
Branch	Philippine Army
Type	Infantry Division
Size	Division
Part of	South Luzon Force
Engagements	World War II Battle of Bataan Philippines Campaign (1941-1942)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. (later BGen.) Clyde A. Selleck Col. (later BGen.) Clinton A. Pierce

The 71st 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 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

• 71st Infantry Regiment (PA) (LCol. D. Van N. Bonnett) (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
• 72nd Infantry Regiment (PA) (Col. Virgil N. Cordero, Inf.) (moved from Negros to Luzon on 9 Dec 41 and transf. to 7th Division (PA)) on 10 Apr 42)
• 73rd Infantry Regiment (PA) (remained on Negros island) (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
• 71st Field Artillery Regiment (PA) (LCol. Halstead C. Fowler) (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 71st FA Regt HQ Company (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 1st Bn/71st FA Regt (PA) (75mm guns, 8x) (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 2nd Bn/71st FA Regt (PA) (2.95-inch pack howitzers, 12x) (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 3rd Bn/71st FA Regt (PA) (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
• 71st Engineer Battalion (PA) (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
• 71st Division Units (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 71st Division Headquarters & HQ Company (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 71st Medical Battalion (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 71st Signal Company (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 71st Quartermaster Company (Motorized) (transf. to 7th Division (PA))
  • 71st QM Transport Company (Truck) (transf. to 7th 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