Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):
September 19, 1942
2nd Lieutenant Francisco "Iko" S. Hamoy organized and commanded the guerrilla unit Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 107th Infantry Regiment under the 10th Military District of the United States Forces in the Philippines on September 19, 1942.
Hamoy's guerrillas fearlessly operated and launched offensives through hit and run tactics against the Japanese forces in Dapitan while supplying intelligence reports to the higher chain of command.
Some members of the unit include Lorenzo Adasa, Cirilo Abila, Florentino Baje, Marcelino Camazo, Beda Carreon, Godofredo Carreon, Arsenio Carreon, Miguel Eguia, Catalino Gahum, Dominador Hamoy, Antonio Ico, Antonio Jacinto, Ramon Limosnero, Pacifico Padao, Benjamin Padao, Sr., Cenon Ras, Vicente Ricamara, Lorenzo Tabilon, and Jesus Tan.
Hamoy was the commanding officer of the Philippine Constabulary Company in Tagbilaran, Bohol. When the war broke out, Bohol surrendered to the Japanese on May 30, 1942 but Lt. Hamoy never did.
He escaped to Baliangao in Misamis Occidental on a small sailboat called the “binigiw” and walked through the jungle of Baliangao until he reached Dapitan, his hometown.
Lt. Hamoy wrote in his diary on September 15, 1944: “… suddenly… airplanes (with engine sound) much different from (that of the Japanese planes that) we used to hear, was heard from the south. Two planes came at high altitude and close to each other, but later they gradually separated from each other. Both threw white and milky ribbon of smoke forming the biggest letter V. (These are) the first American planes I saw after a period of two and a half years.”
A month after those two planes appeared in the sky, General McArthur fulfilled his promise and returned to the Philippines.
(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved
Photo credit: NHCP Museo ni Jose Rizal Dapitan
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