Comparison of 1945 footage of the Japanese surrender on Cebu with background terrain taken in 2015. (Source: Internet Archive/film, Dave Colamaria/Photo).
I’ve been watching a film of the August 1945 surrender of Japanese forces on the island of Cebu in the Philippines (you can watch it here). There is just a bit under 10 minutes of footage posted online. I noticed that there are a number of wide shots, showing the background. This got me thinking about where precisely the ceremony took place. In March 2015 I traveled to Cebu to visit key World War II battle sites, and follow the path of the Americal Division in liberating the island from Japanese occupation. Our trip ended in the far north of the island, near Ilihan, where a new monument was dedicated at the surrender site (read the story here). The land for the monument was generously donated by Mrs. Eusebia Ycot, who was present at the surrender ceremony 70 years earlier.
A comparison to the 1945 film footage shows that the terrain has changed a bit. The tree cover seems a bit denser in 2015 than in 1945, though this may just be a function of where I was standing. Many of the shots in the middle portion of the film show a wide open vista of rolling hills – a view I don’t recall seeing during our trip. One of the other struggles is that this is not a high resolution film transfer, so the footage is a bit blurry. It is difficult to pick out details.
The camera pans repeatedly to follow Japanese and American soldiers moving in the field, giving a good view of the terrain. I studied the film, looking for anything that I could use to compare to photos that I took in 2015. I immediately focused on the footage beginning at 3:15, just following the formal surrender. In the background, two small hills can be seen. There appears to be some similarity to two small hills in a photo I took in 2015. It is not an exact match, as I believe that the perspective is a bit off. From what I can surmise, I believe that the 1945 film camera footage was taken from a vantage point slightly different than mine. I think if I were to have walked forward and to the left a few hundred yards, I may have been on the exact spot of the surrender.The hills in my photograph were to the north, and we were told that the Japanese troops marched down from these hills to the surrender site. Thus, the fact that Japanese troops are standing with their backs to the hills is another small clue. For a side-by-side comparison, I stitched three frames of the 1945 film footage together and lined it up next to my 2015 photo, which can be seen in Photo 1.
There are two other noticeable terrain features in the film footage. The footage at various times shows a tree lined road in the background, with a gully between the road and the foreground. I don’t recall a gully that deep, but it was a hectic day when we visited in March 2015. I found nothing else distinctive in the footage, in part due to the poor resolution of the transfer.
Based on where I was standing when I took that photo in relation to the new monument (the monument would be off to the right of the photo, maybe 100 yards away), I suspect that the surrender most likely took place a few hundred yards off the main road, perhaps almost directly behind the location of the monument. Unfortunately, unless I have a chance to travel to the Philippines again the future, I can’t be much more accurate than that.
James Gann sits for an interview in 2015. Source: Dave Colamaria.
(L to R) James Gann, Allen Moore, Carl Fowler, taken in 1943 (likely Fiji). Source: James Gann Collection.
Company street, Headquarters Company, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Bougainville. Source: James Gann Collection.
James Gann on Cebu, 1945. Source: James Gann Collection.
Last week, I traveled to Arizona to visit with James Gann, who served in the 182nd Infantry during World War II. He joined Company G in 1943 on Fiji, survived the Battle of Hill 260, and finished the war (Leyte, Cebu, and Japan) in the Wire Section of 182nd Regimental Headquarters. James was kind enough to allow me to interview him about his experiences, and we recorded 90 minutes of his detailed first hand accounts of the war. He also allowed me to digitize his photographs from the war, which include many of the men of Company G in various Pacific locations. Some years ago, James had sent me photocopies of these pictures, but now we have the ability to share them in digital high resolution. Of particular importance to me was to get a good scan of his photos of James “June” Edwards, one of the men who was killed in action during the war.
I’ve included a few of James’ photos on this page. In the future I hope to upload either a transcript of the full interview, or perhaps the interview itself to YouTube. I’m still working out the best strategy on that, so please stay tuned.
Monument near the site where Japanese forces on Cebu surrendered to the Americal Division at the end of World War II. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Despite formal capitulation from Toyko, Japanese forces on Cebu continued to hold out for several days. This flyer was dropped all over the island in an attempt to convince the thousands of remaining Japanese soldiers to give up. Source: National Archives.
Japanese and American soldiers discuss plans for surrender of Japanese forces on Cebu in August 1945. Source: Under the Southern Cross.
Old sign marker along the road at the location of the Japanese surrender on Cebu at the end of World War II. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Panorama of the Japanese surrender site on Cebu. Japanese forces marched out of the hills north of Ilihan (at right in this photo) into the field. The well where they stacked their weapons is in the trees straight ahead. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Terry Davenport of VFW Post 12130 speaks at the dedication of the Japanese surrender monument on Cebu, 27 March 2015. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Members of the Americal Division Veterans Association and VFW Post 12130, and Mrs. Eusebia Ycot pose with the new Japanese surrender site monument near Ilihan, Cebu. Source: Dave Colamaria.
(Note: for a detailed introduction to the Americal Division Veterans Association’s 2015 trip to Cebu, along with links to other stories from the trip, read our introductory story Cebu 2015: The Ghosts of World War II, 70 Years Later. Learn more about the World War II battle for Cebu here.)
As World War II came to an end in August 1945, the island of Cebu was still divided. American forces had recaptured the central portions of the long thing island, including Cebu City. Japanese forces had retreated, consolidating in the north. Following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Emperor Hirohito ordered the surrender of all Japanese military forces. Unfortunately, the remaining Japanese troops on Cebu were living primitively on the island, and did not have a working radio. Flyers were air dropped over their positions, indicating that the war was over (see Photo #2). A series of notes was exchanged, pinned to a tree, but the Japanese were skeptical. Finally, they were able to get in contact with their superiors, and confirm that the war was over. Arrangements were made for a formal surrender (see Photo #3). On 28 August, 2600 Japanese soldiers marched out of the hills to an open field near Ilihan. General Tadasu Kataoka presented his sword to Major General William Arnold. The Japanese piled their weapons on the ground, and the war on Cebu was effectively over. Over the next few days, thousands more surrendered. They were rapidly moved to the coast for travel back to Japan, under the watchful eye of Americal Division troops. This wasn’t so much for fear of Japanese treachery, but rather, to protect them from Cebuanos, angry at their brutal treatment during 3 years of occupation.
In March 2015, our group from the Americal Division Veterans Association spent a week on the island. On our last day, we traveled to the far north, to attend the dedication of a new monument near the spot of the Japanese surrender. This monument was the brainchild of members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12130 – retired American servicemen living on Cebu. With assistance from the Americal Division Veterans Association, they steered the project from idea through completion.
On the morning of 27 March 2015, we arrived at Ilihan under gloomy, rainy skies. The gleaming black monument is erected by the side of the main road, on a raised platform (see Photo #1). The owner of the land, Mrs. Eusebia Ycot, greeted us on the morning of the dedication. She was a young girl when the surrender happened, and she remembers it well. She graciously donated the street frontage area for the monument. Previously, only a small, lonely, rusted sign marked this historic spot (see Photo #4).
Tables and chairs were arranged for the day’s ceremony, with a feast to close the event. We started with a tour of the nearby field where the surrender took place. It is an open field, with a few small buildings in the vicinity. Lush mountains can be seen in the distance. A well sits off to one side, under some trees. We were told that the Japanese soldiers neatly stacked their weapons around this well. To the north, we could see the hills where the enemy troops had marched down in formation. It is a quiet, peaceful spot (see Photo #5).
The dedication ceremony began with a blessing from a local Catholic priest. The prayer was followed by remarks by the precinct mayor, representatives and leadership of the VFW (see Photo #6), and Roger Gilmore, President of the Americal Legacy Foundation. Sam Arnold, great grandson of General Arnold, also spoke. With the monument formally dedicated, we all gathered around tables for a feast, featuring a roasted pig, or “lechon,” a local delicacy.
As the crowd enjoyed the meal, I took the opportunity to slip off to the quiet surrender field just 50 yards away. I reflected on my grandfather Ed Monahan‘s service in the 182nd Infantry. He was drafted in early 1941, and served with the unit until he was rotated home in May 1945. He survived the combat campaigns on Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Leyte, and Cebu. But he was sent home just a few months before final victory was achieved. In the months leading up to the trip, I’d begun to think of my attendance at the dedication as symbolic closure for him. I’m not a spiritual person, but as I stood alone in that peaceful, grassy field on that morning, I felt a powerful connection to him – a version of him that was finally at peace.
The monument dedication was our last stop as a group (see Photo #7). Our week long trip had been an eye opener, a connection to the men of the Americal Division who fought in World War II. We said our goodbyes and headed off to the hotel and the airport, back to our lives in the United States. Before returning home, I made a brief stop in Manila to visit men from Company G buried at the Manila American Cemetery (read that story here). My time in the Philippines had been brief, but I will never forget the history or the gracious people of Cebu.
(NOTE: You can see a brief comparison of the surrender site in 1945 vs. 2015 here.)
Driving through the rugged interior hills of Cebu. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Pillbox on the west coast of Cebu, looking down into a valley where American and Filipino forces attempted to halt one portion of the Japanese invasion in 1942. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Pillbox near Toledo, Cebu. Note that it has been moved from its original location, and the broken base that would have been below ground is now fully exposed. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Tank barriers near Toledo, Cebu. They were part of the failed Allied defense of the island in 1942. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Dave Taylor of the Americal Division Veterans Association poses with tank barriers near Toledo, Cebu. Source: Dave Colamaria.
(Note: for a detailed introduction to the Americal Division Veterans Association’s 2015 trip to Cebu, along with links to other stories from the trip, read our introductory story Cebu 2015: The Ghosts of World War II, 70 Years Later. Learn more about the World War II battle for Cebu here.)
In the closing months of World War II, the U.S. Army’s Americal Division landed on the hostile shores of Cebu on 26 March 1945. In less than a month, they had captured Cebu City and its airfield, and broken the main Japanese line of defense on Babag Ridge. With the Japanese in retreat, the soldiers of the Americal began to disperse and pursue. The men of the 182nd Infantry Regiment were transported by truck across the rugged inland mountains, to the west coast, about 20 miles away. They operated out of Tabuelan and Asturias, towards the northern end of Cebu, and spent May and June hunting down Japanese outposts in the hilly interior of the island.
Our Americal Division Veterans Association group had the opportunity to visit the west coast of the island on the second day of our March 2015 tour. Loaded into our touring van, we navigated the twisting roads atop Babag Ridge. The scenery was impressive – in fact, we were all surprised at the rugged terrain of Cebu (see Photo #1). For over an hour we took in the beautiful mountains and dense jungle, winding up and down through the hills. I thought about the men of the Americal, who took a similar ride in Army trucks at the end of April 1945, unsure of what awaited them on the other side of the island.
We descended down from the mountains at the small town of Toledo on the west coast, and turned south. The road followed the coast, and off in the distance, across the Tanon Strait, we could see the nearby island of Negros. We could just make out the massive bulk of Kanloan Volcano (an active volcano), its 8,000 foot peak lost in the clouds.
Our first stop was a hill just outside of Toledo, site of a fairly new city administration building. Behind this building, numerous pillboxes sit in a quiet field, with a good view of the coastline to the west, and the valleys and mountains to the east. It was on this spot that American and Filipino defenders fought their first battle against the Japanese in 1942, soon after the invaders landed. The invasion on the west coast was merely a diversionary feint, as the main thrust of the 1942 invasion happened at the same point where the Americal landed in 1945: Talisay Beach. The Japanese invasion of 1942 was too strong, and the defense of Cebu – as with the defense of the remainder of the Philippines – was a failure. Allied forces surrendered, but many of them melted into the hills to form the guerrilla army that would harass the Japanese for the next three years. The pillboxes outside Toledo are well preserved, but many of them were plucked out of the ground and moved to allow for the construction of the administrative center. Thus, in many cases the broken foundations sit above ground, giving the pillboxes a funny appearance (see Photo #2 and Photo #3).
The sun was beating down on us, and after peeking into the various structures, we climbed back into the van to head to our next destination. This location was a bit challenging to track (even for our Cebuano driver and our gracious guide Dr. Jobers Bersales of the University of San Carlos) and we asked for directions from locals. Their directions often conflicted with each other, and we had to make several u-turns. Finally, a young man on a scooter offered to show us the way. We headed back inland, on a bumpy dirt road. We finally arrived at the site. In an area of jungle and rice paddies, with just a few houses and shacks nearby, stand a row of imposing concrete blocks (see Photo #4 and Photo #5). These tank barriers were built by American and Filipino forces as a defense against possible Japanese invasion. They ultimately proved useless. The long barrier runs perpendicular to the dusty dirt road. We were told that portions of it may soon be removed for development, as yet another tangible piece of World War II slips away to history.
We spent only half a day on the west coast of Cebu, and by early afternoon we were once again winding our way through the steep inland hills. Our tour of the west coast of Cebu gave us a sense of what World War II was like during the desperate first six months of action, with the Japanese marauding through the Pacific, a nearly unstoppable force.
The imposing peaks of Babag Ridge can be seen in the distance of this photo taken during the invasion of Cebu, 26 March 1945. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, 80-G-259246.
Looking west towards Babag Ridge from the coast of Cebu, March 2015. Source: Dave Colamaria.
The Japanese on Cebu retreated to caves and fixed positions in the hills. Here, soldiers of the 182nd Infantry rifle through Japanese materials left behind in a cave on Babag Ridge. Source: National Archives.
Members of the Americal Division Veterans Association tour a Japanese tunnel complex on Cebu. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Members of the Americal Division Veterans Association, accompanied by the Go Chan family, walk the slopes of Go Chan Hill in 2015. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Local children point out the buried entrance to the Japanese tunnel complex under Go Chan Hill. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Peaks along Babag Ridge, as seen from Tops Skyline Garden in 2015. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Dave Colamaria at Tops Skyline Garden on top of Babag Ridge, looking down on the sprawl of Cebu City below. Source: Dave Colamaria.
(Note: for a detailed introduction to the Americal Division Veterans Association’s 2015 trip to Cebu, along with links to other stories from the trip, read our introductory story Cebu 2015: The Ghosts of World War II, 70 Years Later. Learn more about the World War II battle for Cebu here.)
The most brutal fighting on Cebu during World War II occurred on the imposing hills that rise up just a few miles from the shoreline. The Japanese defenders essentially conceded the beach and Cebu City, choosing to hunker down in caves and fortified positions high in the hills. This was consistent with their overall strategy in the Pacific in 1945, and it led to terrible American casualties in that last year of the war. After securing the city and its airfield, Americal Division troops began to take fire from Japanese emplacements in the hills above. The first half of April 1945 was a terrible slog for the men of the Americal, as they inched their way up the hills in the face of stubborn resistance. The final battles on Babag Ridge in mid-April finally broke the Japanese defense, and caused them to flee northwards along the long, thin island.
Our group from the Americal Division Veterans Association had a chance to visit these hills in 2015. You can see in Photo #1 what those hills looked like in 1945, and in Photo #2 what they look like in 2015. On the afternoon of our first day of touring, our van wound its way up narrow mountain roads, with small shacks and shanties cobbled together to the very edges of the drivable surface. At times, we wondered if we would even fit past vehicles coming in the opposite direction. The hills were covered with heavy tree growth on all sides. In 1945, this was not the case, the terrain was more open. After the war, trees were brought in from abroad as part of a reforestation program.
We first visited the reservoir at Buhisan Dam, which was captured on the second day of the invasion by two companies of the 182nd (not Company G) in conjunction with Filipino guerrillas. After a short drive, we took a quick hike to the location of two Japanese tunnels, carved out of the side of mountain faces (Photo #3 shows tunnels in 1945, Photo #4 shows what they look like in 2015). It was eerie inside the tunnels, particularly when looking out of the firing hole, with a clear view down the road that American troops would used for their advance. This was also our first opportunity to meet the local Cebu media, who followed us around for a bit. You can read one of their stories here. You’ll note that we had some communications issues, as the reporter mistakenly believed that I am a Vietnam veteran. But it made me feel good to get my grandfather Ed Monahan‘s name in the local papers 70 years after he arrived on the island under fire. Another story here features a nice photo of two of our fellow travelers in one of the caves.
On our second day of touring, we visited a significant battle site called Go Chan Hill – and uncovered the story behind its name. Rising up in the foothills at the base of Babag Ridge, Go Chan Hill is a small rise that had a lighthouse tower on it at the time of the war. On 29 March 1945, Company A of the 182nd Infantry was advancing up the hill, when a massive explosion shook the entire area. When the smoke cleared, the company had been virtually annihilated. Already understrength due to the fighting in the previous months on Leyte, the killed and wounded from this explosion rendered Company A unfit for battle, and it was withdrawn. There is some disagreement as to the source of the explosion. The men of the Americal were convinced that the Japanese defenders had set a timed explosion to ignite bombs and ammo dumps in the caves under the hill. Some believe that an American tank fired a round into a cave opening and accidentally ignited an ammo dump.
70 years later, we set out to visit this hill, on the outskirts of the built-up urban center. I was surprised to find that the hill took its name from the family that owned it: the Gochans. Members of the family still live near the hill, in a beautiful complex overlooking the hill itself. The family was gracious enough to invite us over for food and drink, and they shared their family memories with us. It was truly a thrill to meet Mrs. Gochan, who was just a small child during the war. I had the chance to speak with her for a few minutes, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The Gochans also arranged for us to tour the hill, which at this time is mostly free of development. We walked up the steep slopes of the hill itself (Photo #5), and then took a short hike through some woods to see buried openings that lead to the Japanese tunnel complex (Photo #6). We also met up with their cousin Harley for a group outing later in the week. It was a real pleasure to meet this family, and explore their connections to World War II.
Buhisan Dam and Go Chan Hill served as a good introduction to the steep hills of Cebu, but looming above was the rugged range of Babag Ridge. The steep ridge line soars 2,000 feet above sea level, just a few miles from the beach. All of us in the group were surprised at how intimidating these hills were. We’d read about them in history books, but seeing them in person really brought home how difficult it must have been for the soldiers of the Americal to wrest them from the Japanese. We had several chances to visit the ridge during our trip. On our first day of touring, we had dinner at beautiful Chateau de Busay, an elegant restaurant and lodge built just a few hundred feet below the top of the ridge. Knowing full well that the battles along the ridge were the toughest of the Cebu campaign, I had contemplated what it would be like to stand on those hills. Unfortunately, during that first visit to the hill, I did not have a chance for quiet reflection. There were two weddings going on simultaneously on the grounds of the chateau, and their music echoed through the air around us. We did have one rather surreal moment at the Chateau. After dinner, we lounged about, discussing the guerrillas on Cebu with several knowledgeable locals. The quiet night air was broken by a serious of loud cracks. We realized that one of the wedding parties was celebrating with fireworks. The rattle and explosion of the fireworks continued for several minutes, and for a brief moment I imaged what it must have been like during the night battles along the ridge during the war.
One downside to our first trip to Babag Ridge is that we did not make it to the top of the ridge. From what we understand, there may be Japanese fortifications still in place on the hill, but they are not easily accessible. I felt a bit of remorse throughout the week that we had not made it to the top, but on the last day of the trip, following the dedication of the surrender monument, I found myself with a few extra hours before my flight was scheduled to depart for Manila. I’d been hearing about a place called “Tops,” a scenic spot at the top of the ridge. We consulted with the hotel concierge, and he said it was a short drive, so Sam Arnold and I secured a cab and headed up. I was a bit nervous, with my flight scheduled for that evening, but the trip proved well worth it. Tops Skyline Garden is the best view of Cebu City and the coastline that you can get. It is a stunning panorama, with a commanding view for 180 degrees. I don’t know if this hilltop is the one that the men of Company G assaulted on 12-13 April 1945 in a daring night time bayonet raid. It might have been, or maybe it was one of the nearby hill tops (see Photo #7). At this time I can’t say. But what I can say is that my last few hours on the island were well spent in that short side trip to Tops (see Photo #8).
Tracked amphibious landing vehicles (LVT) make their way ashore. In the distance, Talisay Beach is masked in thick smoke. The larger craft at center is an LCI, the type of ship Company G landed in. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, 80-G-259254.
Sailors of the Philippine Navy pass the reviewing stand at the ceremony on the 70th anniversary of the Talisay Beach landing, 26 March 2015. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Filipino special forces wade ashore at the reenactment of the Talisay Beach landing on Cebu, on the the 70th anniversary of the event, 26 March 2015. Source: Dave Colamaria.
The waterfront of Talisay Beach erupts during a mock naval bombardment, during the reenactment of the amphibious landing on Cebu during World War II. Source: Dave Colamaria.
A straw hut explodes in a fireball on the shores of Talisay Beach, during the 2015 reenactment of the 1945 amphibious landing on the beaches of Cebu. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Filipino military forces re-enact the Americal Division landing at Talisay Beach on the 70th anniversary of the battle, 26 March 2015. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Reenactment of the Talisay Beach landing on Cebu, on the the 70th anniversary of the event, 26 March 2015. Japanese forces (at right) defend the beachhead against the advance of Americal Division troops (at left). Source: Dave Colamaria.
Larger than life statues of Americal Division soldiers mark the spot on Talisay Beach where they came ashore on Cebu, 26 March 1945. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Sam Arnold (left) and Dave Colamaria pose for a photo on Talisay Beach where their Americal Division ancestors came ashore in 1945. In the background are boats of the Filipino military used in the 70th anniversary reenactment of the landing. Source: Dave Colamaria.
(Note: for a detailed introduction to the Americal Division Veterans Association’s 2015 trip to Cebu, along with links to other stories from the trip, read our introductory story Cebu 2015: The Ghosts of World War II, 70 Years Later. Learn more about the World War II battle for Cebu here.)
On 26 March 2015, the people of Cebu, in conjunction with the military forces of the Philippines, commemorated the 70th anniversary of their liberation from Japanese occupation during World War II (see Photo #1 for a view of the real landing). In an alternately moving and exciting ceremony, the amphibious landing of the Americal Division on the shores of Talisay Beach was reenacted, complete with a mock naval bombardment. I had the honor to watch the landing operation and ensuing “battle” from a podium on the beach, alongside members of the Americal Division Veterans Association and leaders of the Philippine military.
We awakened to a rainy morning at our hotel in Cebu City, and boarded our van for the short ride down the coast to Talisay. Upon arriving, we were all taken aback by the scale of the festivities. On a small street running parallel to the beach, huge tents were set up to shelter rows and rows of seats for spectators. A podium had been erected for dignitaries. It was difficult to even make our way forward through the thick crowds of Cebuanos. We were very pleased to see that seats had been reserved for us in the front row – not far from Filipino military veterans, including some who had fought the Japanese as guerrillas during the occupation. Joining our group this morning was Sam Arnold, the great-grandson of Lieutenant General William Arnold, who commanded the Americal Division during the Cebu campaign. Sam was whisked away for a quick TV interview as preparations for the festivities continued. Media coverage of the event was heavy, and stories can be read here, here, here, and here.
We were all finally called to attention, and the day’s events began. The festivities began with an impressive military parade, featuring soldiers and sailors of the Filipino military, along with several armored vehicles. They marched in fine order past the main podium, where they saluted dignitaries and military officials (see Photo #2). Next came lines of police and firemen. The tail end of the parade was comprised of many groups of local youths from military academies and training institutions.
Once the parade had wrapped up, we all stood for the raising of the flags of each of the involved nations. The Philippine flag was the first to be raised. Next was perhaps the strangest moment of the day – the raising of the Japanese flag over Cebu, accompanied by their national anthem. It was a wonderful token of peace and forgiveness, but it certainly seemed a bit surreal, knowing what horrible war crimes were inflicted upon the people of Cebu during the occupation. Lastly, the American flag was raised to the strains of the Star Spangled Banner. Following the flag raising, wreaths were placed at the base of the flagpoles, including one wreath placed by Roger Gilmore of the Americal Division Veterans Association and John Gilbert of the local VFW. The mayor of Talisay, Johnny De los Reyes, delivered an energetic speech, which was unfortunately not in English, so we did not know what he was saying! You can view the whole ceremony and parade on YouTube here.
We finally moved on to the final, most exciting portion of the day. The speakers wrapped up their remarks, and the crowd began to shuffle over to the beach, just 100 yards away. With the thick crowd, I began to worry that we would not even be able to see the reenactment. As we mingled through, the crowd parted and we were waved up to a temporary platform with seats for the dignitaries. It was right on the water’s edge – a front row seat. Before us we could see a number of fake straw huts built on the dark, wet sand of the beach. By this point the rain had ended, and it had turned into a pleasant (though muggy) day with light clouds. Offshore we could see a number of small military craft circling in the distance. The crowd gathered in a semi-circle around the “battle front” and a public address announcer started the event by describing the situation on 26 March 1945. Dramatic music was added for effect, and the show was on. First ashore were Filipino special forces, simulating US Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (the forerunners of Navy Seals) who cleared the beach of mines in advance of the landing (see Photo #3). They were dropped off by fast, armed rigid hull inflatable (RHIB) boats. After completing their mine clearance duties, they were picked up once again by the RHIBs and made a rapid exit out to sea.
With the mines cleared and the beach prepared for assault, the real fun began. The crowd yelped with surprise and delight as the “US Navy” began to bombard the shore, and explosions ripped through the waterfront. What was in fact carefully placed explosive effects, combined with sound effects on the PA system, did a nice job of simulating the explosive power of a naval shore bombardment. The gentle water lapping the shore burst skyward dramatically (see Photo #4), and the straw huts on the water’s edge exploded in huge fireballs (see Photo #5), while the crowd gasped in awe. You can see this portion of the “fighting” in the video I shot, posted at the bottom of this story.
While the shore bombardment was exploding on the water’s edge, “Japanese” troops moved into place to defend the beach. These soldiers were played by local Filipino youths. In fact, during the real invasion, the Japanese did not resist the invasion in force. Instead, they fell back into well defended mountain positions to await the soldiers of the Americal Division. For dramatic purposes, the 70th anniversary reenactment took some liberties with the way things actually happened. As the Japanese defenders took their positions behind the now-burning grass huts, Filipino landing craft advanced on the beach, simulating the Americal Division. They disgorged soldiers on the water’s edge (see Photo #6), as machine gun blasts (once again, carefully placed explosive charges) tore up the beach sand. A gun fight ensued, resulting in the slaughter of the Japanese troops (see Photo # 7). The children in the crowd could be heard laughing as some of the Japanese reenactors died in overly melodramatic fashion. At last, the beach was secure, and the day’s events ended.
It was quite a scene to behold. While some liberties were taken with the facts of the landing, the overall impact of the event was impressive. Even more impressive was the fact that the people of Cebu still remember that day, and go to great lengths to commemorate it. In fact, this ceremony is an annual event. The Americal Division’s sacrifices are remembered with great fondness, and a statue on the beach (see Photo #8) – a column of advancing soldiers – means that it won’t soon be forgotten.
This video shows the dramatic explosives used to simulate naval gunfire bombardment:
Tracked amphibious landing vehicles (LVT) make their way ashore. In the distance, Talisay Beach is masked in thick smoke. The larger craft at center is an LCI, the type of ship Company G landed in. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, 80-G-259254.
Americal Division Veterans Association tour group at Museo Sugbo, Cebu City, 2015. Source: Americal Division Veterans Association.
Filipino military forces re-enact the Americal Division landing at Talisay Beach on the 70th anniversary of the battle. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Comparison of the landing at Talisay Beach in Cebu, with 1945 at top, and 2015 at bottom. Source: top photo Naval History and Heritage Command SC 264198, bottom photo Dave Colamaria.
Dave Colamaria at an overlook on top of Babag Ridge, looking down on the sprawl of Cebu City below. Source: Dave Colamaria.
Sam Arnold (left) and Dave Colamaria pose with the newly dedicated monument at the site of the Japanese surrender on Cebu. Source: Dave Colamaria.
In March 2015, I had the amazing opportunity to visit Cebu, an island in the Philippines. Along with a group of men from the Americal Division Veterans Association (all veterans of the war in Vietnam), I spent a week on the island touring sites with ties to World War II. This included several locations where the 182nd Infantry engaged in combat. It was a very emotional experience for me, retracing the footsteps of my grandfather, Ed Monahan. He served as First Sergeant for Company G of the 182nd on Cebu, from their amphibious landing in March 1945, until he was rotated home on points in May 1945, with the heaviest fighting completed.
Over the next few weeks, I plan to post a short series of stories on the Cebu trip. I am going to post them in an order approximating the sequence of events that the fighting on Cebu occurred, rather than how our trip was scheduled. The first piece will look at the extravagant ceremonies hosted by the people of the Philippines to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Americal Division’s landing at Talisay Beach, on 26 March 1945 (read Part I here). Next I’ll look at some of the sites in the urban center of Cebu City, which was seized shortly after the successful landing at Talisay (read Part II here). We’ll move from there into the imposing hills of Babag Ridge, scene of the bloodiest fighting of the campaign (read Part III here). A visit to the west coast of Cebu affords the chance to tour some World War II pillboxes and tank barriers (read Part IV here). And lastly, we’ll finish up with a piece on the dedication of a new monument at the spot where thousands of Japanese troops surrendered to the Americal at the end of the war (read Part V here).
The main purpose of our visit was to attend this new monument dedication. My grandfather was not present when the Japanese on Cebu surrendered to the Americal Division at the end of the war. So in a way, I saw this trip as a way for me to bring some symbolic closure to the war for him. On that last day in Cebu at the monument dedication, I did find that closure, in a deeply satisfying and emotional moment I’ll describe in my story on the ceremony.
After completing the Cebu portion of the trip, I had a brief stopover in Manila, where I visited the graves of men from Company G who were killed during the war. You can read that story here. To learn more about the battle for Cebu, read the story here. Please check back throughout the month as a I post the details of the 2015 trip. The journey begins with the reenactment of the Talisay Beach Landing.
